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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

12:05

Episode 484: Unconfirmed and Unprepared?

Fault Lines ·

2025/08/04

Today, Les, Jess, Matt, and Bishop break down the Senate stalemate on key nominations across the Trump Administration. With important ambassadorships unconfirmed, including the UN, EU, and across Latin America, and critical leadership roles like CISA Director stuck in limbo, the national security implications are stacking up.Is this just another round of partisan gridlock or a sign of deeper institutional breakdown? As Democratic senators block cloture votes and recess appointments remain off the

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9:19

Fault Lines 483: Tariff Truce or Temporary Fix?

Fault Lines ·

2025/08/01

Today, Martha, Les, and Bishop unpack the latest U.S.-EU trade deal, which imposes a 15% tariff on European goods—lower than the previously threatened 30%, but still a significant shift. The agreement includes EU commitments to increase energy purchases and investment in the U.S., while eliminating tariffs on select American exports. Yet key sectors like steel remain unresolved, and core regulatory and policy differences persist.Will this deal offer short-term stability at the expense of long-term

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8:58

Episode 482: Temples, Tariffs, & Tensions: The...

Fault Lines ·

2025/07/30

Today, Martha, Les, and Matt discuss the most dangerous escalation in Southeast Asia in over a decade. A deadly border conflict between Thailand and Cambodia—long simmering over disputed territory and sacred temples—has erupted into full-scale fighting. Over just five days, artillery, rockets, and airstrikes left 36 dead and hundreds injured, with civilians fleeing on both sides. President Trump issued an unprecedented economic threat: a 36% tariff on all Thai and Cambodian exports if the conflict

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10:27

Episode 481: Food Aid, Ceasefires, and the Gaza...

Fault Lines ·

2025/07/28

Today, Les, Martha, and Morgan discuss the intensifying controversy over food aid delivery in Gaza. With hunger surging and global criticism mounting, attention has turned to the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation—a special-purpose entity backed by Israel and the U.S. to deliver aid without empowering Hamas. While Israel has announced daily 10-hour ceasefires to allow more deliveries, many international observers, including the UN and several allied governments, argue the system is failing. Accusations

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8:32

Episode 480: AI Edge: Trump’s Bid for Tech Supremacy

Fault Lines ·

2025/07/25

Today, Morgan, Martha, Les, and Matt break down Trump’s AI Action Plan, unveiled Wednesday with significant fanfare and the backing of top tech leaders. The plan includes three executive orders and outlines 90 federal actions across three pillars: accelerating innovation, building AI infrastructure, and asserting global leadership in diplomacy and security.Why does AI matter so much now—and why does Trump want his name on it? As Secretary of State Rubio put it, “winning the AI race is

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11:21

Episode 479: Global Exit Strategy: The U.S. and UNESCO

Fault Lines ·

2025/07/23

Today, Martha, Les, Morgan, and Matt discuss the Trump administration’s announcement that the U.S. will withdraw from UNESCO by the end of 2026. This marks the third such exit in recent history—first under President Reagan in 1984, again under Trump’s first administration, and now once more over concerns of anti-Israel bias and support for “divisive" causes.The decision raises broader questions: Are global institutions like UNESCO advancing U.S. interests—or have they become vehicles for adversarial

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12:46

Episode 478: Deals and Deportations: Trump’s Play in...

Fault Lines ·

2025/07/21

Today, Les, Morgan, Bishop, Amy, and Marc break down the latest high-stakes prisoner exchange between the U.S. and Venezuela. Ten Americans held by the Maduro regime were released in exchange for more than 200 Venezuelans via the CECOT Terrorism Confinement Center in El Salvador.Is this a foreign policy win for the Trump administration—or a dangerous precedent that raises the price on the heads of Americans abroad? Could this deal mark the beginning of a U.S.-Venezuela thaw, or will Maduro use it

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9:22

Episode 477: Trump's New Ukraine Strategy

Fault Lines ·

2025/07/18

Today, Morgan, Jess, and Andy unpack a turn in U.S. policy toward Ukraine. Earlier this month, President Trump paused military and intelligence aid, only to reverse course days later after internal review. Now, he’s unveiled a new approach: U.S.-made weapons, including Patriot missiles, will be purchased by European allies and sent to Ukraine—bypassing direct U.S. taxpayer funding, replenishing NATO stockpiles and boosting U.S. defense firms. In a sharp policy shift, the administration is now

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11:53

Episode 476: War, Famine, and Displacement: Sudan on...

Fault Lines ·

2025/07/16

Today, Jess, Morgan, and Matt turn their attention to Sudan, where a civil war that began in 2023 has killed more than 150,000 people and displaced 14 million, driving the country to widespread collapse. With foreign powers backing both sides of the conflict—from Iran and Egypt to the UAE and remnants of Russia’s Wagner Group—the war has become a flashpoint for global power competition and humanitarian catastrophe.What national security interests does the U.S. have in Sudan—and what are the

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28:13

Special Episode: Fault Lines Live from Prague!

Fault Lines ·

2025/07/14

Today, Martha and Les bring you a very special episode of Fault Lines, recorded live at Max’s Steakhouse in Prague with an international group of fans, listeners, and a cameo from NSI Founder and Executive Director, Jamil Jaffer. From Czech locals to Americans abroad, the team fielded sharp questions about the future of NATO-style alliances in Asia, the direction of U.S. sanctions policy, and Russia’s financing of war through African gold. The live audience also raised timely questions about press

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10:05

Episode 475: Ceasefire Shattered – The Houthis Strike...

Fault Lines ·

2025/07/11

Episode 475: Ceasefire Shattered – The Houthis Strike AgainToday, Morgan, Bishop, Jessica, and Algene discuss the return of Houthi attacks in the Red Sea, just weeks after a U.S.-brokered ceasefire. The Iran-backed group has ramped up strikes on commercial ships, most recently hitting a Liberian-flagged cargo vessel with a rocket-propelled grenade and kidnapping several crew members. It’s the second ship sunk in a week – part of a broader campaign targeting nearly 70 merchant vessels since late

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10:35

Episode 474: Mixed Signals: Trump, Hegseth, and the...

Fault Lines ·

2025/07/09

Today, Jess, Bishop, and Amy break down the latest twist in U.S.-Ukraine policy after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth paused a critical weapons shipment — reportedly without the White House’s knowledge. The abrupt delay blindsided Ukraine, Congress, the State Department, and European allies. Days later, President Trump reversed the decision following a tense call with Putin and an escalation of Russian drone attacks on Kyiv.What does this erratic decision-making mean for Ukraine’s defense as Russia’s

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8:39

Episode 473: Tariff Tactics: Trump’s Deadline Looms

Fault Lines ·

2025/07/07

Today, Morgan, Les and Jess unpack the fast-moving developments around the Trump administration’s global tariff negotiations, as the 90-day pause comes to a close this Wednesday. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced that tariff letters will be sent to about 100 countries this week, with either deals or formal notifications expected by July 9. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick added that Trump is personally leading many of the negotiations, applying what the administration calls “maximum

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9:53

Episode 472: Syria Reopened: U.S. Policy Shift on...

Fault Lines ·

2025/07/02

Today, Martha, Jess, Les, and Amy discuss a notable shift in U.S. foreign policy as the White House lifts most economic sanctions on Syria. For over a decade, those sanctions defined Syria’s economy and global isolation, aimed squarely at weakening the Assad regime during the country’s brutal civil war. But with Assad’s fall late last year and a new interim government under Ahmed al-Shara now in power, the U.S. is signaling support for stabilization and reconstruction, while maintaining targeted

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12:16

Episode 471: Missing in May: Xi Jinping’s Vanishing...

Fault Lines ·

2025/06/30

Today, Les, Martha, and Jeffrey unpack the swirl of rumors that emerged from Beijing after Chinese President Xi Jinping disappeared from public view for several weeks in May. With whispers of internal dissent, missed Politburo meetings, and PLA shakeups, questions are mounting about the stability of Xi’s leadership—and whether the Chinese Communist Party is entering a new phase of uncertainty.As China grapples with deepening economic troubles, demographic decline, and foreign policy stumbles,

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8:36

Episode 470: Losing Our Voice? Shutting Down VOA and...

Fault Lines ·

2025/06/27

Today, Jess, Les, and Amy unpack the implications of the U.S. shutting down Voice of America and scaling back support for Radio Free Europe—two longtime tools of American public diplomacy. As funding dries up and staff are furloughed, adversaries like China, Russia, and Iran are moving to fill the vacuum in the global information space.Is the U.S. be ceding ground in the global competition for soft power? How should the U.S. modernize its messaging tools to meet today's information challenges? What

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9:39

Episode 469: NATO’s Pivot: Defense, Deterrence, and...

Fault Lines ·

2025/06/25

Today, Martha, Les, and Morgan discuss NATO’s unprecedented decision to increase defense spending to 5% of GDP—a seismic shift in transatlantic security policy. Driven by escalating threats from Russia, war in Ukraine, and mounting pressure from President Trump, the alliance’s new posture marks a clear break from decades of post–Cold War complacency. With Trump demanding more from European allies while withholding a full guarantee of U.S. protection, the future of collective defense—and Europe's

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14:56

Episode 468: Operation Midnight Hammer

Fault Lines ·

2025/06/23

Today, Morgan, Les, and Jeffrey break down Operation Midnight Hammer—the largest B-2 strike in U.S. history. Over the weekend, U.S. forces launched a major bombing campaign targeting Iran’s nuclear facilities, deploying 125 aircraft, 14 bunker-busting MOPs, and over two dozen Tomahawk missiles in a high-stakes mission aimed at crippling Iran’s nuclear capabilities. While President Trump has declared victory, the fallout—military, diplomatic, and political—is only beginning.What options does Iran

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12:01

Episode 467: No Predictions, Just Pressure: U.S.,...

Fault Lines ·

2025/06/20

Today, Les, Martha, and Jeffery discuss the latest twist in the escalating standoff between the U.S., Israel, and Iran. As speculation swirls over whether the U.S. will join Israeli strikes on Iran’s underground nuclear facility at Fordow, the White House has announced President Trump will decide within two weeks whether to intervene. That decision could involve the use of powerful U.S. bunker-busting munitions—potentially the 30,000-pound Massive Ordnance Penetrator—against a fortified target only

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14:53

Episode 466: Escalation in the Gulf: Iran, Israel,...

Fault Lines ·

2025/06/18

Today, Martha, Les, and Morgan discuss the rapidly escalating conflict between Israel and Iran, now entering its sixth day with historic implications. The immediate trigger was a rare IAEA censure of Iran for non-compliance with nuclear safeguards—the first since 2005—but Iran and its proxy groups like Hezbollah, Iraqi militias, and the Houthis have been attacking Israel for years leading up to this point. President Trump has ordered a large-scale U.S. military buildup in the region and demanded

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