x

75% of people globally want unbiased news (Pew Research) but are concerned they're not getting that.

Get balanced coverage with Symby. See how stories are covered across diverse outlets and spot when one side covers a story the other skips.

PODCAST

Fault Lines

National Security Institute

Fault Lines, the National Security Institute’s flagship podcast, gets you quickly up to speed, three-times-a-week, on the national security and foreign policy debates shaking up America.Our regular cast of foreign policy experts includes NSI Deputy Executive Director Martha Miller, NSI Senior Fellows Lester Munson and Morgan Viña, and Director of the NSI CTC - Howard University Cybersecurity Clinic Jessica Jones.Tune in to learn more about the issues dominating headlines and the news stories you may

news politics

All Episodes

8:39

Episode 425: Ceasefire or Stalemate? Ukraine, Russia,...

Fault Lines ·

2025/03/12

Today, Les, Martha, Morgan, and Jess unpack the Ukraine-Russia ceasefire talks brokered in Saudi Arabia, where Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has positioned himself as mediator. Ukraine initially pushed for land and sea ceasefires but ultimately backed down, and a key mineral agreement remains unsigned. With Russia still holding out, the ceasefire hasn’t begun — and attacks continue on both sides.Has the Trump administration successfully boxed Ukraine into talks by cutting off intelligence

en

10:12

Episode 424: Seas of Change? U.S. Strategy in the...

Fault Lines ·

2025/03/10

Today, Jess, Les, Bishop, and Jeffrey discuss rising Indo-Pacific tensions as Chinese warships come within 200 miles of Sydney and conduct live-fire drills near New Zealand. With China’s naval expansion rapidly outpacing the U.S., and American shipbuilding struggling to keep up, concerns are growing over Washington’s AUKUS’ commitments and its broader strategic alliances both in the region and globally.Does the U.S. pivot to a more interest-based foreign policy risk alienating allies? Are China,

en

9:13

Episode 423: Make Europe Great Again? Trump’s Ukraine...

Fault Lines ·

2025/03/07

Today, Martha, Les, Morgan, and Jess examine Europe’s reaction to the Trump administration’s latest Ukraine policy shift. As the U.S. scales back intelligence sharing and pushes for a U.S.-Russia-brokered peace deal, European leaders are scrambling to define their own approach.Will this force Europe to step up militarily and act as a unified bloc? Can France’s talk of nuclear deterrence become a credible alternative to U.S. support? And how will these developments shape Europe’s defense future?Check

en

9:56

Episode 422: Trump’s Address: Foreign Policy,...

Fault Lines ·

2025/03/05

Today, Martha, Morgan, and Jess break down President Trump’s March 4th national address, which was largely focused on domestic issues, with foreign policy and national security taking a backseat. When those topics did come up—more than an hour in—Trump doubled down on tariffs, floated taking over Greenland and reclaiming the Panama Canal, and took aim at U.S. foreign assistance.What do Trump’s policies mean for U.S. allies and adversaries? Will his supporters tolerate the economic pain of tariffs

en

9:40

Episode 421: Deal or No Deal? Trump, Zelensky, and...

Fault Lines ·

2025/03/03

Today, Les, Jamil, Morgan, and Jess break down the tense Oval Office meeting between President Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky—and why it went so badly. With major disagreements over Russia’s role and the terms of a ceasefire, Zelensky quickly turned to European allies, sparking talk of a “coalition of the willing” to support Ukraine without U.S. leadership.Can Zelensky and Trump find a way to move forward, or has this meeting widened the divide? As Europe signals a greater role in

en

7:19

Episode 420: Ukraine’s Deal with the U.S.: Substance...

Fault Lines ·

2025/02/28

Today, Jess, Lester, Morgan, and Amy break down the latest developments in Ukraine after a busy week in Washington with a rotating cast of world leaders. With French President Emmanuel Macron and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer in D.C. emphasizing the importance of American support to ward off Russian aggression in Europe, the Trump administration is hosting UkrainianPresident Vladimir Zelenskyy today to discuss a deal granting U.S. access to Ukraine’s critical minerals—one that potentially offers

en

14:35

Episode 419: Undersea Sabotage: The Shadow War on...

Fault Lines ·

2025/02/26

Today, Martha, Les, Morgan, and Andrew dive into the growing threat to undersea cables—critical infrastructure carrying 95% of global internet traffic. From Taiwan detaining a Chinese-crewed vessel suspected of sabotage to Chinese and Russian-linked ships damaging cables in the Baltic Sea, these incidents highlight a dangerous pattern of grey-zone warfare.Are China and Russia testing Western response thresholds? How prepared is the U.S. to respond to these attacks? And what steps should the Trump

en

13:48

Episode 418: Germany’s Elections and Europe’s New...

Fault Lines ·

2025/02/24

Today, Martha, Les, Morgan, and Jess break down the results of Germany’s federal elections and the seismic shift in the country’s political landscape. While the CDU secured about 29%, the far-right AfD doubled its support, making the Bundestag more fractured than ever—potentially complicating defense spending and transatlantic cooperation.What does the rise of AfD mean for Germany’s role in NATO and its relationship with the U.S.? As CDU leader Friedrich Merz signals a move toward greater

en

11:01

Episode 417: McConnell’s Legacy: Strength, Strategy,...

Fault Lines ·

2025/02/21

Today, Les, Jess, and Algene discuss the retirement of Senator Mitch McConnell after 42 years in Congress—marking the end of an era for Republican leadership and a potential shift in U.S. foreign policy. As one of the longest-serving and most influential Senate leaders in history, McConnell championed alliances, engagement abroad, and the "peace through strength" doctrine.What does his departure mean for U.S. national security strategy? How will his absence shape the Senate’s role in foreign policy

en

9:56

Episode 416: DeepSeek, TikTok, and the U.S.-China...

Fault Lines ·

2025/02/19

Today, Jess, Les, Amy, and Andrew discuss the rising concerns over DeepSeek, a Chinese AI chatbot positioning itself as a competitor to OpenAI, Gemini, and other U.S.-developed platforms. The U.S. has banned DeepSeek from federal systems, and South Korea recently announced it will block new downloads, with both countries underscoring data privacy and national security concerns.Is China pulling ahead in AI development? What are the concerns regarding DeepSeek and other Chinese-developed apps like

en

10:56

Episode 415: Ukraine Negotiations

Fault Lines ·

2025/02/17

Today, Les, Amy, Andrew, and Jess break down the latest push for peace in Ukraine as negotiations unfold in Saudi Arabia. With President Trump advocating for talks, uncertainty looms over who is involved—Ukraine’s role remains unclear, and European allies are scrambling to protect their interests with an emergency summit in Paris.Are these talks the first step toward ending the war, or is the West handing Putin a victory? Could European troops on the ground shift the balance? And what message does

en

7:39

Episode 414: Trump, Modi, and the Power of Partnership

Fault Lines ·

2025/02/14

Today, Jess, Bishop, and Algene unpack Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Washington and his high-profile meetings with both President Trump and Elon Musk. With defense cooperation, tariffs, energy imports, and tech visas on the table, the visit signals growing ties between the U.S. and India—wrapped in a public display of political friendship.Will this “bromance” lead to deeper defense collaboration and secure supply chains? Can India help the U.S. maintain its edge in AI and counter

en

11:00

Episode 413: Trump’s Ultimatum: Hostages, Aid, and...

Fault Lines ·

2025/02/12

Today, Martha, Les, Morgan, and Jess unpack the latest developments in the Middle East and King Abdullah of Jordan’s visit to Washington, D.C. With Trump’s Saturday deadline for the release of Israeli hostages looming, tensions are rising as the Arab League prepares to meet and as Egypt and Jordan weigh their response to Trump’s push for them to take in displaced Palestinians.What impact will Trump’s threat to withhold aid from Egypt and Jordan have? Is his strategy giving Arab states flexibility or

en

9:26

Episode 412: Sudan’s Struggle: War, Influence, and...

Fault Lines ·

2025/02/10

Today, Les, Martha, Bishop, and Jeffery discuss the latest developments in Sudan, where over 200,000 people have died in the ongoing conflict between government forces and the RSF. While Sudanese forces have secured Khartoum and are discussing the political future, the fight is far from over, as RSF forces still hold Darfur.With Russia backing Sudan’s military and Iran creeping in, the battle for Port Sudan and Red Sea access has become another front in the global power struggle. Can the U.S. rally

en

10:53

Episode 411: Trump’s Gaza Gamble: A Plan with no Takers?

Fault Lines ·

2025/02/07

Today, Martha, Morgan, and Jess break down Donald Trump’s controversial proposal for Gaza—relocating Palestinians while the U.S. oversees reconstruction. With pushback from Egypt, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia and mixed reactions in Israel, the plan raises critical questions about feasibility, diplomacy, and regional security.Who, if anyone, is willing to take responsibility for Gaza? Could this plan derail Saudi-Israel normalization? And what does this mean for the broader regional threat from Iran—has

en

11:59

Episode 410: USAID Under Fire

Fault Lines ·

2025/02/05

Today, Jess, Martha, Les, and Morgan discuss upheaval at USAID as the agency faces sweeping changes under the Trump Administration. With the freezing of nearly all foreign assistance, most USAID employees reportedly placed on leave, and international staff ordered to return to the U.S., the future of U.S. foreign assistance is in question.What role does USAID play in advancing U.S. interests abroad? How will the freeze on aid programs affect critical initiatives like PEPFAR and global healthcare

en

9:03

Episode 409: Tariff Turmoil: Trump’s Trade War and...

Fault Lines ·

2025/02/03

Episode 409: Tariff Turmoil: Trump’s Trade War and Its Global FalloutToday, Morgan, Martha, and Jess discuss President Trump’s latest move to impose sweeping tariffs using the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), citing illegal migration and fentanyl as justification. The plan includes 25% tariffs on Mexico and Canada and 10% on China, which has prompted retaliatory measures from U.S. trading partners.What are the unintended consequences for American taxpayers? If the U.S. retreats

en

10:59

Episode 408: Russia’s War, Putin’s Problem

Fault Lines ·

2025/01/31

Today, Martha, Matt, Bishop, and Andrew break down the latest Russia-Ukraine developments, the growing pressure on Putin, and the rising costs of war. They examine the strength of the Western alliance, the effect of sanctions against Russia, the Nord Stream 2 fallout, and whether boosting U.S. energy production could curb Europe’s reliance on Russian oil. As modern warfare evolves, hybrid conflict, drone strikes, and Wagner’s war crimes are reshaping security far beyond Ukraine.Will Russia’s

en

7:47

Episode 407: Just Push Pause: Trump’s Halt on Federal...

Fault Lines ·

2025/01/29

Today, Bishop, Amy, Marc, and Algene discuss the chilling effect and confusion created by the Trump administration’s broad pause on federal programs, including those at State, USAID, and domestic initiatives funded through federal grants. With confusion over what can move forward and what funding is on hold, the uncertainty is rippling across the government.Given some of the uncertainty it’s created, could this move weaken America’s ability to respond to national security threats? How does cutting

en

9:07

Episode 406: Trade Threats and Triumphs: Trump’s...

Fault Lines ·

2025/01/27

Today, Jess, Morgan, Amy, and Matt dive into the weekend’s hot story regarding Colombia’s refusal to accept U.S. military planes carrying deported immigrants. This refusal resulted in President Trump announcing tariffs and sanctions targeting the country, Colombian President Gustavo Petro’s announcement of retaliatory tariffs, and a late night statement from the White House indicating that Bogota had accepted all of President Trump’s terms and that flights would resume.How might this episode impact

en

536 results

Similar Podcasts

Expres Ráno

Expres FM

PBS News Hour - Full Show

PBS News

CD Voice

China Daily

Israel Today: Ongoing War Report

Noa Levi

Jeffrey Epstein: The Coverup Chronicles

Bobby Capucci