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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

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All Episodes

8:53

Episode 504: Probes and Provocations: Russia Tests...

Fault Lines ·

2025/09/22

Today, Les, Jamil, Andy, and Jess unpack a dangerous new escalation on NATO’s flank: three Russian MiG-31s flew through Estonian airspace for several minutes on Friday, a violation Tallinn says it can prove even as Moscow denies the incident and accuses Estonia of provocation. NATO jets — including Italian F-35s and fighters from Sweden and Finland — scrambled in response. The incursion follows recent Russian drone overflights of Poland and Romania and comes amid an uptick in attacks inside Ukraine,

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11:12

Episode 503: Pageantry or Progress? Trump’s UK State...

Fault Lines ·

2025/09/19

Today, Morgan, Bishop, and Marc break down President Trump’s second state visit to the United Kingdom. The visit featured the largest military honor guard ever assembled for such an occasion, alongside announcements of major U.S. private-sector investments in UK industry from Microsoft, Nvidia, Palantir, and others.Was this visit a substantive step forward in the U.S.-UK “special relationship,” or more pageantry than progress? How significant are the tech partnerships and investment pledges for the

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11:53

Episode 502: Sinking Cartels: The U.S. Takes on...

Fault Lines ·

2025/09/17

Today, Jess, Jamil, and Les discuss U.S. military strikes that have sunk Venezuelan gang boats in Caribbean waters, with Washington alleging that they were carrying drugs bound for the U.S. The strikes mark a sharp escalation in the war on drugs, with the Trump Administration designating several gangs as terrorist organizations and authorizing preemptive military action to protect American security.Is this approach more effective than past law enforcement–led efforts, or simply a show of unilateral

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8:21

Episode 501: In the Danger Zone: Russia’s Drones...

Fault Lines ·

2025/09/15

Today, Les, Jamil, Martha, and Jess unpack reports of Russian drones violating Romanian and Polish airspace—sparking NATO forces to intercept and raising the stakes of direct conflict between NATO and Russia for the first time. With Russian attacks in Ukraine intensifying and Trump fresh from meetings with Putin and European leaders, the question of how the U.S. and NATO should respond is more urgent than ever.Is Putin deliberately testing NATO’s resolve, betting he can cross red lines without

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42:53

Episode 500: Defining the Next Era of National Security

Fault Lines ·

2025/09/12

To mark Fault Lines’ 500th episode, Martha, Jamil, Les, Morgan, and Jess reflect on how September 11, 2001 reshaped U.S. national security—and what comes next. From the trauma of that day to more recent shocks like political violence at home, the team examines how terrorism has evolved but remains a persistent threat, both domestically and abroad. They share personal experiences from 9/11 and the years that followed, the unity it inspired, and the lessons Americans cannot afford to forget.But if

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8:34

Episode 499: Operation Summit of Fire: Israel Strikes...

Fault Lines ·

2025/09/10

Today, Morgan, Martha, and Bishop break down Israel’s dramatic strike on Hamas officials in Doha, part of Operation Summit of Fire. The attack killed five Hamas leaders—including the son of senior figure Khalil al-Hayya, though al-Hayya himself survived—and has sparked outrage in Qatar, a key U.S. partner and major host of CENTCOM operations. The Trump administration reportedly received little advance notice, raising questions about coordination and accountability.What does this escalation mean for

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12:01

Episode 498: Russia’s Biggest Strike Yet—What’s Next...

Fault Lines ·

2025/09/08

Today, Martha, Morgan, and Jess discuss Russia’s most massive aerial strike since the start of the full-scale invasion—an onslaught of over 800 Shahed drones, plus ballistic and cruise missiles. For the first time, Moscow hit Ukraine’s Cabinet of Ministers building, alongside devastating strikes on civilian areas. President Trump, signaling frustration, pledged to speak with Vladimir Putin soon as his team weighs a “phase two” sanctions package targeting Russian oil revenues and potentially

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17:52

Episode 497: Salt Typhoon — China’s Cyber Blitz

Fault Lines ·

2025/09/05

Today, Jess, Martha, Morgan, and Algene break down Salt Typhoon — a years-long Chinese cyber campaign that impacted 80 countries, targeted U.S. telecommunications firms, and compromised millions of people, including political leaders and even National Guard systems. A new multinational report links the operation to three Chinese firms tied to Beijing’s military services, underscoring the scale of China’s push to dominate the global cyber domain even as the U.S. cuts cyber budgets.How much damage did

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10:28

Episode 496: FAFO Doctrine: Israel’s Strike on the...

Fault Lines ·

2025/09/03

Today, Les, Martha, Morgan, and Jess break down Israel’s strike on senior Houthi leaders in Yemen—a dramatic escalation in the conflict that has seen the Houthis effectively declare war on the Red Sea. Despite a U.S.-backed ceasefire in May, the group has continued to fire on international shipping, crippling global trade routes through the Suez Canal and acting as a key proxy for Iran. Israel’s strike, which killed the Houthis’ prime minister, foreign minister, and senior advisers, signals a shift

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12:53

Episode 495: Axis on Parade: Kim, Xi, and Putin in...

Fault Lines ·

2025/08/29

Today, Martha, Les, and Matt unpack the rare joint appearance of Kim Jong Un, Xi Jinping, and Vladimir Putin at Beijing’s massive September 3rd military parade—marking 80 years since Japan’s WWII surrender. The spectacle highlights a deepening alignment among China, Russia, and North Korea, even as Trump’s recent summit with Putin and potential meeting with Xi raise questions about how U.S. outreach could alter their dynamic.What are Kim, Xi, and Putin hoping to signal by appearing together? How do

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9:58

Fault Lines 494: Seoul Searching in Washington

Fault Lines ·

2025/08/27

Today, Jess, Les, and Bishop unpack South Korean President Lee’s first visit to Washington and his meeting with President Trump. The two leaders struck a warm rapport, with Trump raising ideas about engagement with North Korea and Lee casting Trump as potential peacemaker on the peninsula. But as Seoul works to balance relations with both Washington and Beijing, Trump’s out-of-the-box, business-style approach may add unpredictability to one of the world’s most sensitive regions.Will Trump’s style

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10:20

Episode 493: Intelligence Under Fire: The DIA Shakeup

Fault Lines ·

2025/08/25

Today, Les, Bishop, and Jess unpack the surprise firing of Lt. Gen. Jeffrey Kruse, head of the Defense Intelligence Agency, alongside other senior military leaders last Friday. Reports have linked Kruse’s ouster to the disputed assessment of U.S. strikes on Iran’s nuclear program—where the DIA judged damage as temporary while President Trump declared Iran’s capabilities “obliterated.” The shakeups follow other recent removals at NSA, the Joint Chiefs, and even senior analysts, raising questions

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12:56

Episode 492: From Cartels to Caracas: U.S. Priorities...

Fault Lines ·

2025/08/22

Today, Jess, Les, and Amy break down the U.S. deployment of three Navy destroyers off the coast of Venezuela—a move the Trump administration says is aimed at countering drug cartels and fentanyl trafficking. President Trump has also labeled Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro a “narco-terrorist,” doubled the reward for his arrest, and authorized the Pentagon to use military force against cartels, some of which his administration now classifies as terrorist organizations.Is this naval deployment

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12:42

Episode 491: Euros Take Their Turn in the Center Ring

Fault Lines ·

2025/08/20

Today, Les, Bishop, Marc, and Jess break down Monday’s White House meeting between President Trump, President Zelensky, and a lineup of European leaders—including Starmer, Macron, Stubb, Meloni, Mertz, von der Leyen, and Rutte. Coming just days after Trump’s Alaska summit with Putin, the gathering underscored both the importance of allied unity and the uncertainty of Trump’s approach. Unlike past tense encounters, Trump and Zelensky struck a more cordial tone, though the meeting produced few

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9:02

Episode 490: Alaska Fallout: Trump, Putin, and...

Fault Lines ·

2025/08/18

Today, Jess, Bishop, and Amy unpack the fallout from President Trump’s Alaska summit with Vladimir Putin, which ended without a ceasefire or a clear path forward in Ukraine. The tone between the two leaders was noticeably less chummy by the end of their meeting, but the summit also risked legitimizing Russia’s illegal invasion by entertaining talk of territorial concessions. Meanwhile, after another night of heavy Russian strikes, President Zelensky and Europe’s leaders are preparing to sit down

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12:40

Episode 489: Exporting Risk? Trump Greenlights Chip...

Fault Lines ·

2025/08/15

Today, Jess, Martha, and Les examine the Trump Administration’s surprise pivot to allow Nvidia and AMD to resume sales of select AI chips to China—a reversal from export controls implemented under both Trump’s first term and the Biden Administration. The move, described by the administration as a “pragmatic trade-off,” aims to keep American firms in the Chinese market, but has drawn bipartisan criticism as a dangerous precedent—trading national security for short-term business gains.Is this a smart

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12:43

Episode 488: Tariff Timeout: Trump’s 90-Day Pause...

Fault Lines ·

2025/08/13

Today, Martha, Amy, and Matt unpack the Trump administration’s decision to grant another 90-day pause on proposed tariffs against China—a new round of extensions that leave businesses in a wait-and-see mode until November. The pause reflects a broader shift in U.S. policy, where economic deal-making often takes precedence over national security imperatives, flipping the old model which put the onus on business leaders to do the right thing for our national security.Does this strategy strengthen

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18:16

Episode 487: Cold Front Diplomacy: Trump, Putin, and...

Fault Lines ·

2025/08/11

Today, Martha and Joshua discuss the upcoming August 15 meeting between Presidents Trump and Putin in Alaska, following Trump’s threat to “end the war or face sanctions.” With Ukraine unable to retake Russian-held territory and U.S. attention focused on the Indo-Pacific, speculation grows over whether Kyiv will be pressured to concede land. European partners signal readiness to support a deal, but details remain unclear.Will this be a breakthrough for diplomacy or another case of Putin playing a

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13:57

Episode 486: Moonshot or Moon Mirage?

Fault Lines ·

2025/08/08

Episode 486: Moonshot or Moon Mirage?Today, Jess, Amy, Bishop, and Algene examine NASA’s ambitious plan to accelerate deployment of a nuclear reactor on the Moon as part of the Artemis program—aiming to power U.S. long-term lunar infrastructure and return astronauts by 2027. But NASA’s announcement comes amid budget and workforce cuts, and with NASA’s head leader lacking deep space experience.Can the U.S. pull this off on such a tight timeline, or is this a Cold War–style moonshot without the

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9:07

Episode 485: Taiwan: Recall, Rejection, and Regional...

Fault Lines ·

2025/08/06

Today, Jess, Les, and Bishop dive into Taiwan’s recent recall vote targeting more than two dozen KMT legislators accused of obstructing legislation and aligning too closely with Beijing. While the vote ultimately failed and all KMT lawmakers kept their seat, it has deepened Taiwan’s political gridlock and highlighted growing polarization in Taipei. With President Lai still lacking a legislative majority, questions are mounting over the KMT’s ability to block critical defense spending and what that

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536 results

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