The President’s Inbox

4.5 (677)
POLITICS
UPDATED WEEKLY

A rising China. War in Europe. A warming planet. The United States faces a complex and rapidly changing world. With more than four million downloads, The President’s Inbox goes beyond the headlines as host James M. Lindsay speaks with leading experts about how the United States should respond to global challenges and opportunities that are shaping the future.

2D AGO

The U.S.-China Trade War, With Zoe Liu

Zongyuan Zoe Liu, Maurice R. Greenberg senior fellow for China studies at the Council, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss China’s response to President Donald Trump’s tariff hikes and what it means for the future of U.S.-China relations. Mentioned on the Episode: Zoe Liu, “How China Armed Itself for the Trade War,” Foreign Affairs For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The President’s Inbox at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/tpi/us-china-trade-war-zoe-liu

34 min
APR 29

Trump's First 100 Days, With Carla Anne Robbins and Matthias Matthijs

Carla Anne Robbins, senior fellow at the Council, and Matthias Matthijs, senior fellow for Europe at the Council, sit down with James M. Lindsay to answer questions from CFR’s audience about President Donald Trump’s foreign policy during his first one hundred days in office. For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The President’s Inbox at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/tpi/trumps-first-100-days-carla-anne-robbins-matthias-matthijs

39 min
APR 22

Climate Change Realism on Earth Day 2025, With Varun Sivaram

Varun Sivaram, senior fellow for energy and climate and Director of the Climate Realism Initiative at the Council, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss the state of the global environment and U.S. climate policies on the occasion of Earth Day 2025. Mentioned on the Episode: Varun Sivaram, Taming the Sun Varun Sivaram, “We Need a Fresh Approach to Climate Policy. It’s Time for Climate Realism," CFR.org “The Moral Assumptions Embedded in Economic Models of Climate Change,” The Economist For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The President’s Inbox at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/tpi/climate-change-realism-earth-day-2025-varun-sivaram

38 min
APR 15

Trump’s Plan for the Panama Canal, With Will Freeman

Will Freeman, fellow for Latin America studies at CFR, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss President Donald Trump’s calls for the United States to retake control of the Panama Canal. Mentioned on the Episode: Will Freeman, “A New Monroe Doctrine Is Unlikely to Work for the US in South America,” Financial Times Will Freeman, “Securing the Panama Canal Requires Diplomacy,” Americas Quarterly Donald J. Trump, “The Inaugural Address,” January 20, 2025 Donald J. Trump, “Truth Social Post,” December 21, 2024 For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The President’s Inbox at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/tpi/trumps-plan-panama-canal-will-freeman

32 min
APR 8

Confronting the China Challenge, With Dmitri Alperovitch

Dmitri Alperovitch, co-founder and chairman of Silverado Policy Accelerator, co-founder and former chief technology officer of cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike, and author of World on the Brink: How America Can Beat China in the Race for the Twenty-First Century, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss the geopolitical rivalry between China and the United States, its impact on U.S. interests, and how the United States should respond. Mentioned on the Episode: Dmitri Alperovitch, World on the Brink: How America Can Beat China in the Race for the Twenty-First Century Jeffrey Goldberg, "The Trump Administration Accidentally Texted Me Its War Plans," The Atlantic Admiral Samuel Paparo, "USINDOPACOM Commander Adresses Honolulu Defense Forum," February 14, 2025. For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The President’s Inbox at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/tpi/confronting-china-challenge-dmitri-alperovitch

46 min
APR 1

Germany's Rearmament, With Sophia Besch

Sophia Besch, a senior fellow in the Europe Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss Germany’s ambitious rearmament plans amidst deepening concerns about the U.S. commitment to European security. Mentioned on the Episode: Sophia Besch, "A Zeitenwende for Germany's Defense Industry," U.S. Army War College Strategic Studies Institute Sophia Besch and Erik Brown, "Who's Going to United Europe on Defense?" Carnegie Endowment for International Peace Sophia Besch and Tara Varma, “A New Transatlantic Alliance Threatens the EU,” Carnegie Endowment for International Peace For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The President’s Inbox at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/tpi/germanys-rearmament-sophia-besch

35 min
MAR 25

The New Era of Economic Warfare, With Edward Fishman

Edward Fishman, senior research scholar and adjunct professor at Columbia University and author of Chokepoints: American Power in an Age of Economic Warfare, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss the United States’ expanded use of financial and trade sanctions in recent years and whether they have enabled Washington to accomplish its foreign policy objectives. Mentioned on the Episode: Edward Fishman, Chokepoints: American Power in an Age of Economic Warfare For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The President’s Inbox at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/tpi/new-era-economic-warfare-edward-fishman

41 min
MAR 18

Conflict in Eastern Congo, With Mvemba Dizolele

Mvemba Dizolele, senior fellow and director of the Africa Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss the renewed fighting in the Eastern Congo that pits the M23 rebel group backed by Rwanda against the government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Mentioned on the Episode: Mvemba Dizolele, Into Africa, Center for Strategic and International Studies For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The President’s Inbox at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/tpi/conflict-eastern-congo-mvemba-dizolele

32 min

See All (100)

James M Lindsay

Host

4.5

out of 5

677 Ratings

Fool me twice, shame on me

07/23/2024

another RJF

The PRC/CCP told Tibet in 1950, 1 country, 2 systems, and the PRC invaded Tibet anyway. Fool me once, shame on you. The UK lease of Hong Kong ended and there wasn’t much the UK could do, but the UK should not have believed the PRC/CCP when they said, 1 country, 2 systems, for Hong Kong. Fool me twice, shame on me. Maybe the PRC/CCP will wait 50yrs before telling Taiwan’s leaders’ grandchildren, 1 country, 2 systems…don’t believe them.
Trump derangement syndrome

Apr 29

This Ken

It would be nice if they could find a cure for Trump Derangement Syndrome then maybe this podcast could be listenable
On China

Apr 9

Unapaulita

Absolutely wonderful episode with Dimitri!
Usual from CFR

Feb 2

Jon 802

Limited and Biased as usual. Analysis and perspective of the usual people that this show and most CFR podcast create fail to show actual opposing perspectives and reasons for them.

A rising China. War in Europe. A warming planet. The United States faces a complex and rapidly changing world. With more than four million downloads, The President’s Inbox goes beyond the headlines as host James M. Lindsay speaks with leading experts about how the United States should respond to global challenges and opportunities that are shaping the future.