The President’s Inbox

By Council on Foreign Relations

What's The President’s Inbox about?

Each episode of The President’s Inbox explores a foreign policy challenge facing the United States.

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The President’s Inbox episodes:

05.28.2024
Mexico’s Presidential Election, With Andrés Rozental
Andrés Rozental, a distinguished retired Mexican diplomat, president of Rozental & Asociados, and the founding president of the Mexican Council on Foreign Relations, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss the dynamics of Mexico’s upcoming election and its consequences...
05.21.2024
America’s New Cold Wars, With David Sanger
David Sanger, the White House and national security correspondent for the New York Times, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss how the post-Cold War ended and why the new era of geopolitical rivalry began. Mentioned on the Episode John Maggio,...
05.14.2024
The Impact of AI on Warfare, With Andrew Reddie
Andrew Reddie, an associate research professor of public policy at the University of California, Berkeley’s Goldman School of Public Policy, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss how artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing warfare. Mentioned on the Episode Alan Hickey, Andrew...
05.07.2024
A New U.S. Grand Strategy: The Case for Liberal Internationalism, With G. John Ikenberry
John Ikenberry, the Albert G. Milbank Professor of politics and international affairs at Princeton University, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss whether liberal internationalism and U.S. global leadership are fit for purpose in the twenty-first century. This episode...
04.30.2024
A Second China Shock, With Brad Setser
Brad Setser, the Whitney Shepardson senior fellow at CFR, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss the causes and consequences of China's export surge. Mentioned on the Episode David H. Autor, David Dorn, and Gordon H. Hanson, "The China Syndrome: Local...
04.23.2024
Challenges Facing the U.S. Military, With John Barrientos and Kristen Thompson
John Barrientos, a captain in the U.S. Navy and a visiting military fellow at CFR, and Kristen Thompson, a colonel in the U.S. Air Force and a visiting military fellow at CFR, sit down with James M. Lindsay to provide...
04.16.2024
Iran’s Attack on Israel, With Steven Cook and Ray Takeyh
Steven Cook, the Eni Enrico Mattei Senior Fellow for Middle East and Africa Studies at CFR, and Ray Takeyh, the Hasib J. Sabbagh senior fellow for Middle East studies at CFR, sit down with James M. Lindsay to discuss Iran’s...
04.09.2024
Russia, Ukraine, and Global Instability, With Michael Kimmage
Michael Kimmage, a history professor at the Catholic University of America and a senior associate with the Europe, Russia, and Eurasia program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss the origins...
04.02.2024
The War in Gaza, With Steven A. Cook
Steven A. Cook, the Eni Enrico Mattei Senior Fellow for Middle East and Africa Studies at CFR, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss the state of the conflict in the Gaza Strip, the prospects for an end to...
03.26.2024
Confronting the Nuclear Threat, With W.J. Hennigan
W.J. Hennigan, a correspondent for the Opinion section of the New York Times, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss the risk of nuclear war in an era of growing geopolitical competition. Mentioned on the Episode "At the Brink," New York...
03.19.2024
A New U.S. Grand Strategy: The Case for U.S. Retrenchment Overseas, With Stephen Wertheim
Stephen Wertheim, a senior fellow in the American Statecraft Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss whether and where the United States should be less involved in the world. This episode...
03.12.2024
The Crisis at the U.S. Southern Border, With Dara Lind
Dara Lind, a senior fellow at the American Immigration Council, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss the record surge in migrants and asylum seekers crossing the U.S. southern border. Mentioned on the Episode Dara Lind, "What We Know About the...
03.05.2024
International Women’s Day, With Ann Norris
Ann Norris, a senior fellow for women and foreign policy at CFR, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss International Women’s Day and the challenges facing adolescent girls around the world and the solutions to address them. Mentioned on the...
02.27.2024
Combating Global Poverty, With Kate Schecter
Kate Schecter, president and CEO of World Neighbors, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss progress and setbacks in promoting economic development in some of the world’s poorest countries. For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The President’s Inbox...
02.20.2024
Year Three of the Ukraine War, With Miriam Elder and Carla Anne Robbins
Miriam Elder, the Edward R. Murrow press fellow at CFR, and Carla Anne Robbins, a senior fellow at CFR and co-host of CFR’s The World Next Week podcast, sit down with James M. Lindsay to discuss where the war between...
02.13.2024
Governance of Artificial Intelligence, With Kat Duffy
Kat Duffy, a senior fellow for digital and cyberspace policy at CFR, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss the capacity of the U.S. government to lead in creating a framework for regulating artificial intelligence (AI). Mentioned on the Episode Kat...
02.06.2024
U.S. Airstrikes in Iraq and Syria, With Ray Takeyh and Robin Wright
Ray Takeyh, the Hasib J. Sabbagh senior fellow for Middle East studies at CFR, and Robin Wright, a contributing writer and columnist for the New Yorker, sit down with James M. Lindsay to discuss the ramifications of U.S. retaliation against...
01.30.2024
Henry Wallace and the Origins of the Cold War, With Benn Steil
Enter the CFR book giveaway by February 13, 2024, for the chance to win one of ten free copies of The World That Wasn’t: Henry Wallace and the Fate of the American Century by Benn Steil. You can read the...
01.23.2024
TPI Replay: AI’s Impact on the 2024 U.S. Elections, With Jessica Brandt
Jessica Brandt, policy director for the Artificial Intelligence and Emerging Technology Initiative at the Brookings Institution, where she is a fellow in the Strobe Talbott Center for Security, Strategy, and Technology, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss how...
01.16.2024
The Houthi Threat to Red Sea Shipping, With Katherine Zimmerman
Katherine Zimmerman, a fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss the ongoing attacks by the Houthis in Yemen on commercial ships transiting the Red Sea. Mentioned on the Episode Alan Beattie, “Why Red Sea Attacks...
01.09.2024
Taiwan’s Presidential Election, With David Sacks
David Sacks, a fellow for Asia studies at CFR, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss the potential geopolitical consequences of Taiwan’s presidential race. Mentioned on the Episode Council on Foreign Relations, U.S.-Taiwan Relations in a New Era: Responding to a...
01.02.2024
Far-right Terrorism, With Bruce Hoffman and Jacob Ware
Bruce Hoffman, the Shelby Cullom and Kathryn W. Davis senior fellow for counterterrorism and homeland security at CFR, and Jacob Ware, a research fellow at CFR, sit down with James M. Lindsay to discuss the rise of far-right violent extremism...
12.26.2023
Year End Q&A Special, With Shannon O’Neil
Shannon O’Neil, vice president, deputy director of Studies, and Nelson and David Rockefeller senior fellow for Latin America Studies at CFR, sits down with James M. Lindsay to answer questions submitted by listeners to The President’s Inbox. Mentioned on the Episode Walter...
12.19.2023
The Future of the War in Ukraine, With Kori Schake
Kori Schake, a senior fellow and the director of foreign and defense policy studies at the American Enterprise Institute, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss where the fighting in Ukraine is headed. Mentioned on the Episode Leon Aron, “The Sanctions...
12.12.2023
The U.S.-South Korea Alliance, With Scott A. Snyder
Scott A. Snyder, a senior fellow for Korea studies and director of the program on U.S.-Korea policy at CFR, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss the importance of the U.S.-South Korea military alliance and how domestic and international...
12.05.2023
The Renewed Fighting in Gaza, With Steven Cook
Steven Cook, the Eni Enrico Mattei senior fellow for Middle East and Africa studies at CFR, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss the collapse of the temporary ceasefire in Gaza and the future of the conflict between Israel...
11.28.2023
TPI Replay: What Climate Change Means for the Horn of Africa, With Michelle Gavin
Michelle Gavin, the Ralph Bunche senior fellow for Africa policy studies at the Council, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss the impact of climate change in the Horn of Africa. This series is made possible by a grant...
11.21.2023
The Anti-Globalization Backlash, With Peter Trubowitz
Peter Trubowitz, a professor of international relations and director of the Phelan U.S. Center at the London School of Economics and an associate fellow at Chatham House, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss the reasons for the rise...
11.14.2023
The APEC Summit, With Matthew Goodman
Matthew Goodman, a distinguished fellow for global economic policy and director of the Greenberg Center for Geoeconomic Studies at CFR, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss the upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) 2023 forum in San Francisco, California. For...
11.07.2023
Demography and World Power, With Nicholas Eberstadt
Nicholas Eberstadt, the Henry Wendt Chair in political economy at the American Enterprise Institute, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss how demographic trends in China, Russia, and the United States will shape and constrain global geopolitical competition. Mentioned on...
10.31.2023
The Laws of War, With Matthew Waxman
Description: Matthew Waxman, adjunct senior fellow for law and foreign policy at CFR and the Liviu Librescu Professor of Law at Columbia Law School, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss the laws of warfare and how they apply...
10.24.2023
The Future of the Israel-Hamas War, With Linda Robinson
Linda Robinson, a senior fellow for women and foreign policy at CFR, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss the diplomatic and political challenges triggered by Hamas’s attack on Israel. Mentioned on the Podcast Linda Robinson, One Hundred Victories: Special Ops...
10.17.2023
U.S. House Republican Speaker Battle, With Christopher M. Tuttle
Christopher M. Tuttle, a senior fellow and director of the Renewing America Initiative at CFR, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss the efforts of U.S. House Republicans to elect a new speaker of the House. This episode is...
10.10.2023
The Israel-Hamas War, With Elliott Abrams and Steven Cook
Elliott Abrams, a senior fellow for Middle Eastern studies at CFR, and Steven Cook, the Eni Enrico Mattei senior fellow for Middle East and Africa studies at CFR, sit down with James M. Lindsay to discuss the context and consequences...
10.03.2023
Getting Russia Right, With Thomas Graham
Thomas Graham, a distinguished fellow at CFR, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss how U.S.-Russia relations have evolved since the Cold War. Enter the CFR book giveaway by October 17, 2023, for the chance to win one of ten...
09.26.2023
China’s Underground Historians, With Ian Johnson
Ian Johnson, the Stephen A. Schwarzman senior fellow for China studies at CFR, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss how Chinese filmmakers, journalists, and artists are challenging the Chinese Communist Party’s version of history. Enter the CFR book giveaway...
09.19.2023
Ukraine’s 2023 Counteroffensive, With Max Boot
Max Boot, the Jeane J. Kirkpatrick senior fellow in national security studies at CFR and a columnist for the Washington Post, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss the progress Ukraine is making in its ongoing effort to retake...
09.12.2023
AI’s Impact on the 2024 U.S. Elections, With Jessica Brandt
Jessica Brandt, policy director for the Artificial Intelligence and Emerging Technology Initiative at the Brookings Institution, where she is a fellow in the Strobe Talbott Center for Security, Strategy, and Technology, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss how...
09.05.2023
Europe’s Geoeconomic Revolution, With Matthias Matthijs & Sophie Meunier
Matthias Matthijs, senior fellow for Europe at CFR and associate professor of international political economy at Johns Hopkins University's School of Advanced International Studies, and Sophie Meunier, a senior research scholar at the School of Public and International Affairs at...
08.29.2023
TPI Replay: China’s Nuclear Forces, With Fiona S. Cunningham
Fiona S. Cunningham, assistant professor of political science at the University of Pennsylvania, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss China’s expanding nuclear weapons program and the likelihood of an arms race with the United States. Mentioned on the Podcast Fiona...
08.22.2023
Israeli-Saudi Peace Deal, With Steven A. Cook
Steven A. Cook, the Eni Enrico Mattei senior fellow for Middle East and Africa studies at CFR, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss the ongoing negotiations to normalize relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia. Mentioned on the Podcast Steven A....
08.15.2023
China’s Economic Downturn, With Zongyuan Zoe Liu
Zongyuan Zoe Liu, the Maurice R. Greenberg fellow for China studies, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss the causes and consequences of China’s faltering economy. Mentioned on the Podcast “China’s Economy Is Slowing. Here’s Why That Matters,” Bloomberg Thomas Hale and...
08.08.2023
Global Food Insecurity, With Caitlin Welsh
Caitlin Welsh, director of the Global Food and Water Security Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss how Russia’s war on Ukraine and the Kremlin’s decision to withdraw from the...
08.01.2023
Latin America’s Crime Surge, With Will Freeman
Will Freeman, a fellow for Latin America studies at CFR, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss spiking crime rates across Latin America and their consequences for the region and the United States. Mentioned on the Podcast “Informe Latinobarómetro 2023: La...
07.25.2023
Sudan’s Civil War, With Michelle Gavin
Michelle Gavin, the Ralph Bunche senior fellow for Africa policy studies at the Council, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss the deadly struggle between the Sudanese military and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) for control of Sudan. Mentioned...
07.18.2023
Assessing the NATO Summit, With Ivo H. Daalder
Ivo H. Daalder, the chief executive of the Chicago Council on Global Affairs and former U.S. ambassador to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss the decisions reached at the NATO summit in...
07.11.2023
What Climate Change Means for the Bay of Bengal, With Sarang Shidore
In this special series of The President’s Inbox on climate change, Sarang Shidore, the director of studies and senior research fellow at the Quincy Institute, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss the impact of climate change in the...
07.04.2023
The Fourth of July, With Jack Rakove
Jack Rakove, the William Robertson Coe professor of history and American studies and professor emeritus of political science and law at Stanford University, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss why the United States declared independence in 1776 and...
06.27.2023
The Future of U.S. Foreign Policy, With Richard Haass
Richard Haass, the president of the Council on Foreign Relations, sits down with James M. Lindsay upon completing two decades leading CFR to discuss the challenges and opportunities facing the United States. Mentioned on the Podcast Richard Haass, A World in Disarray:...
06.20.2023
The Future of U.S.-Taiwan Relations, With Susan M. Gordon and Michael G. Mullen
Susan M. Gordon, former principal deputy director of National Intelligence, and Admiral Michael G. Mullen, former chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, sit down with James M. Lindsay to discuss the nature and extent of U.S. support for Taiwan...

What's The President’s Inbox about?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

The President’s Inbox episodes:

Mexico’s Presidential Election, With Andrés Rozental

America’s New Cold Wars, With David Sanger

The Impact of AI on Warfare, With Andrew Reddie

A New U.S. Grand Strategy: The Case for Liberal Internationalism, With G. John Ikenberry

A Second China Shock, With Brad Setser

Challenges Facing the U.S. Military, With John Barrientos and Kristen Thompson

Iran’s Attack on Israel, With Steven Cook and Ray Takeyh

Russia, Ukraine, and Global Instability, With Michael Kimmage

The War in Gaza, With Steven A. Cook

Confronting the Nuclear Threat, With W.J. Hennigan

A New U.S. Grand Strategy: The Case for U.S. Retrenchment Overseas, With Stephen Wertheim

The Crisis at the U.S. Southern Border, With Dara Lind

International Women’s Day, With Ann Norris

Combating Global Poverty, With Kate Schecter

Year Three of the Ukraine War, With Miriam Elder and Carla Anne Robbins

Governance of Artificial Intelligence, With Kat Duffy

U.S. Airstrikes in Iraq and Syria, With Ray Takeyh and Robin Wright

Henry Wallace and the Origins of the Cold War, With Benn Steil

TPI Replay: AI’s Impact on the 2024 U.S. Elections, With Jessica Brandt

The Houthi Threat to Red Sea Shipping, With Katherine Zimmerman

Taiwan’s Presidential Election, With David Sacks

Far-right Terrorism, With Bruce Hoffman and Jacob Ware

Year End Q&A Special, With Shannon O’Neil

The Future of the War in Ukraine, With Kori Schake

The U.S.-South Korea Alliance, With Scott A. Snyder

The Renewed Fighting in Gaza, With Steven Cook

TPI Replay: What Climate Change Means for the Horn of Africa, With Michelle Gavin

The Anti-Globalization Backlash, With Peter Trubowitz

The APEC Summit, With Matthew Goodman

Demography and World Power, With Nicholas Eberstadt

The Laws of War, With Matthew Waxman

The Future of the Israel-Hamas War, With Linda Robinson

U.S. House Republican Speaker Battle, With Christopher M. Tuttle

The Israel-Hamas War, With Elliott Abrams and Steven Cook

Getting Russia Right, With Thomas Graham

China’s Underground Historians, With Ian Johnson

Ukraine’s 2023 Counteroffensive, With Max Boot

AI’s Impact on the 2024 U.S. Elections, With Jessica Brandt

Europe’s Geoeconomic Revolution, With Matthias Matthijs & Sophie Meunier

TPI Replay: China’s Nuclear Forces, With Fiona S. Cunningham

Israeli-Saudi Peace Deal, With Steven A. Cook

China’s Economic Downturn, With Zongyuan Zoe Liu

Global Food Insecurity, With Caitlin Welsh

Latin America’s Crime Surge, With Will Freeman

Sudan’s Civil War, With Michelle Gavin

Assessing the NATO Summit, With Ivo H. Daalder

What Climate Change Means for the Bay of Bengal, With Sarang Shidore

The Fourth of July, With Jack Rakove

The Future of U.S. Foreign Policy, With Richard Haass

The Future of U.S.-Taiwan Relations, With Susan M. Gordon and Michael G. Mullen

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