At the Brink: Presidents, Nuclear Weapons, and the Fate of the World Part 2, with Dr. Anthony Eames

At the Brink: Presidents, Nuclear Weapons, and the Fate of the World Part 2, with Dr. Anthony Eames

From This American President by This American President

May 12, 2026 · 48 min

About this episode

Dr. Anthony Eames discusses presidential approaches to nuclear weapons from Reagan to Trump.

How should Americans evaluate presidential candidates when it comes to nuclear weapons? In this episode, Dr. Anthony Eames, Director of Scholarly Initiatives at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute, returns to the show to examine how presidents from Ronald Reagan to Donald Trump have approached nuclear weapons, deterrence, and arms control. We discuss the end of the Cold War, the challenge of rogue states, and why some presidents—including George W. Bush in Iraq and Donald Trump in Iran—have ultimately chosen military action to stop nuclear threats. What separates a reckless nuclear policy from a prudent one? And what qualities should Americans look for in a commander-in-chief entrusted with the world’s deadliest weapons? A Voice in Their Own Destiny: Reagan, Thatcher, and Public Diplomacy in the Nuclear 1980s https://www.amazon.com/Voice-Their-Own-Destiny-Diplomacy/dp/1625347103/   JOIN PREMIUM Listen ad-free for only $5/month at www.bit.ly/TAPpremium FOLLOW US www.linktr.ee/thisamericanpresident CREDITS Host: Richard Lim Producer: Michael Neal Artist: Nip Rogers, www.NipRogers.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

People in this episode

Host: Richard Lim

Guest: Dr. Anthony Eames

Topics covered

  • nuclear weapons
  • presidential candidates
  • arms control
  • military action
  • Cold War
  • deterrence
  • rogue states

Keywords

  • nuclear weapons
  • presidents
  • arms control
  • deterrence
  • military action
  • Cold War
  • rogue states

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute

Books & works: A Voice in Their Own Destiny: Reagan, Thatcher, and Public Diplomacy in the Nuclear 1980s

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