Guest: Elizabeth Saunders, professor of political science at Columbia University.The U.S. Supreme Court surprised many constitutional lawyers last summer, when it granted presidents “absolute immunity” for their official acts. How has that ruling affected foreign-policy decisions in the first six months of the second Trump administration?On this episode of “The Diplomacy Podcast,” we discuss the impact of the high court’s decision on the checks and constraints on executive power that have long existed in the U.S. democratic system.My guest is Elizabeth Saunders, professor of political science at Columbia University. Having studied the gradual weakening of those checks over decades, she concludes that the 2024 ruling “essentially unbounds the presidency from the constraints of the law.” This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit nicholaskralev.substack.com
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28:39
The Future of U.S. Global Power
Guest: Chas Freeman, former U.S. ambassador to Saudi Arabia and assistant secretary of defense.No other country in history has achieved the level of soft power the United States enjoyed for decades, with a peak in the early 1990s. Even more significant was the potent combination of military, economic and soft power, as I noted last month. That combination enabled Washington to organize and manage the world to its own liking.On this episode of “The Diplomacy Podcast,” we discuss the factors that helped the United States become the world’s undisputed hegemon and consider the future of its role on the global stage. My guest is Ambassador Chas Freeman, a former career diplomat for three decades.Freeman, who also served as deputy chief of mission in China and Thailand, says that U.S. diplomacy has been replaced by “outright bullying.”He also argues that the Trump administration’s policies are quickly killing U.S. economic power, and military power will soon be the only one of three left. Soft power predisposes others to follow your lead and “inculcates trust,” he says. “We had that for much of the Cold War, and even our adversaries admired our diplomacy.” This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit nicholaskralev.substack.com
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29:15
The Loss of National Security Expertise
What do the collapse of U.S. policymaking and gutting the NSC mean for Americans' safety?The Trump White House has slashed the staff of the National Security Council, whose role is to coordinate policymaking, by more than half. Deliberation of policy options barely exists, and it’s not clear who — if anyone — advises the president.On this episode of "The Diplomacy Podcast," we discuss the recent NSC purge and its implications for Americans’ safety and security, with Ambassador Cindy Courville, a former NSC senior director for African affairs. She was also the first U.S. ambassador to the African Union.She offers insight into how the "interagency process," which is essential in a democracy but has been largely abandoned, helped presidents make difficult and highly consequential decisions for decades.Courville, who worked in the George W. Bush White House as a civil servant detailed from the Defense Intelligence Agency, also talks about what the loss of significant national security expertise means in practice. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit nicholaskralev.substack.com
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24:08
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24:08
The State of Diplomacy on Ukraine
Rare insight from one of the architects of U.S. post-Cold War policy in Europe.As the Russia-Ukraine conflict risks becoming the latest forgotten war, a major reason is the deadlock in diplomatic efforts to end it. On this episode of "The Diplomacy Podcast," we discuss the state of diplomacy five months into the second Trump administration with Ambassador Daniel Fried, a 40-year Foreign Service veteran.With expert insight and a rare ability to explain complex matters in plain English, Fried assesses Trump's attempt to "stop the killing" so far. Fried is a former assistant U.S. secretary of state for European and Eurasian affairs and former senior director for Europe at the National Security Council.Drawing on his decades of experience working with both Russian and Ukrainian officials, Fried shares some of the rules he developed when dealing with them. He also reflects on the war's origins and evaluates the prospects for diplomatic success. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit nicholaskralev.substack.com
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27:09
Unpacking the Student Visa Crisis
Guest: Janice Jacobs, former U.S. assistant secretary of state for consular affairs and ambassador to Senegal.The Trump administration has launched an unprecedented attack on international students. Harvard students face particular peril as the university fights the administration’s campaign to take away its ability to enroll foreign citizens.We explain how student visas work and clarify what students and their families should keep in mind as they deal with the current challenges. My guest is Ambassador Janice Jacobs, our resident consular expert at the Washington International Diplomatic Academy. She served as assistant secretary of state for consular affairs from 2008 to 2014. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit nicholaskralev.substack.com
España