Shield of the Republic

Plus trips to Moscow, elections in Germany, and more. 1:10 Jackassery of the Week 19:48 Remembering 9/11 45:11 To Russia With Love 54:18 AfD Election Implications 1:01:15 AI Alarm Bells 1:04:25 Iran War Update Former Senior Officials Ask Secretary Wright to Release Saudi Nuclear Deal Documents Eric’s Hot Take on our dangerously incompetent Secretary of Defense This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.shieldoftherepublic.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.shieldoftherepublic.com Is Canada the new Finland? Just how aggressive has China been with their neighbors? What’s behind Eric’s tapestry? All that and more on Shield of the Republic’s first ever mailbag episode! As a reminder, for just $5 a month, paid subscribers gain access to mailbags, hot takes, book reviews, and more.

Eric and Eliot kick off Shield of the Republic’s new era with a supersized episode! 3:39: Jackassery of the Week 12:36: Trump’s Canada Trade War 18:29: Eliot’s Trip Report from Japan 35:56: Venezuelan Oil 44:32: Iran War Update 55:57: The View From Eastern Europe --- 59:31: Professor Paul Miller Joins the Show 1:02:42: Myths About the War in Afghanistan 1:09:02: Key Decisions in the War 1:13:45: Counterinsurgency & Counterterrorism 1:18:24: Bureaucratic Missteps 1:23:55: The Pakistan Dilemma 1:33:07: U.S. Policy Reviews During the War 1:39:48: The Afghanistan Papers Choosing Defeat: The Twenty-Year Saga of How America Lost Afghanistan Bureaucracy Does Its Thing Afghanistan Study Group Final Report: A Pathway for Peace in Afghanistan Why The Afghan Security Forces Collapsed Question for the show? Email mailbag@shieldoftherepublic.com ! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.shieldoftherepublic.com/subscribe

Eric and Eliot open their final show on the Bulwark with a plethora of jackassery including Trump's threat to bomb Oman, his curtailing of joint exercises with South Korea, and the Pentagon shuttering access to the Defense Technical Information Center. They also discuss updates in Iran, Russia, and Venezuela before turning to a retrospective of the major international developments during Shield's five year run on the Bulwark. Finally, they close with reflections about what they got wrong along the way. Reminder: going forward Shield of the Republic will be available at shieldoftherepublic.com ! If you are currently subscribed via Apple, Spotify, or a major podcast provider, you will continue to receive the free weekly show. We'll also be available on YouTube and can be followed on Twitter and Instagram . Question for the show? Email mailbag@shieldoftherepublic.com or leave a comment on the site! Eric on Trump turning on South Korea: https://thedispatch.com/article/south-korea-military-exercises-trump-asia/ Shield of the Republic is a Bulwark podcast co-sponsored by the Miller Center of Public Affairs at the University of Virginia.

Eric and Eliot discuss the week's jackassery, including the administration's stripping former Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall of his security clearance for innocuous comments about Trump's new Qatari-donated Air Force One. They then discuss the irresponsibility of Trump's using that aircraft to travel to a NATO summit being held adjacent to a war zone. They also cover the new diplomatic alignment among Turkey, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia in the Middle East, the changes in leadership in Iran, and the rival missile campaigns of Russia and Ukraine in their ongoing war. Frank Kendall then joins the show to discuss his new book, Lethal Autonomy: The Future of Warfare Whether We Like It or Not, and his determination not to be silenced or intimidated by the Trump administration. Reminder: Shield of the Republic will be going independent soon! Subscribe at shieldoftherepublic.com and follow @ShieldPod on Twitter , Instagram , and YouTube . Lethal Autonomy: The Future of Warfare Whether We Like It or Not: https://a.co/d/0g3rRF6s Shield of the Republic is a Bulwark podcast co-sponsored by the Miller Center of Public Affairs at the University of Virginia.

Eric and Eliot begin with reflections on recent domestic political developments and the "horseshoe theory" uniting political extremes around isolationism and anti-Israeli sentiment. They then discuss the ongoing negotiations over the Strait of Hormuz and the difficulties the Iranian government and Trump administration have created for themselves. From there they move to the recent cyberattacks on American water systems and the seemingly blasé response by both the Trump administration and the larger public. The two also highlight Russia's ongoing hybrid war with Europe and the tightening links among Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea. They revisit the continuing degradation of Turkish democracy before wrapping up with thoughts on the recent migrant surge into the Spanish exclave of Ceuta. Reminder: Shield of the Republic will be going independent soon! Subscribe at shieldoftherepublic.com and follow @ShieldPod on Twitter , Instagram , and YouTube . Congressional Budget Office Analysis of the Trump-Class Battleship: https://www.cbo.gov/system/files/2026-08/62550-battleships.pdf CSIS Report on Low Munition Stocks: https://www.csis.org/analysis/six-reasons-why-united-states-low-munitions IISS Report on Russia's Hybrid War Operations: https://www.iiss.org/research-paper/2025/08/the-scale-of-russian--sabotage-operations--against-europes-critical--infrastructure/ Garry Kasparov on the DSA: https://open.substack.com/pub/persuasion1/p/the-dsa-is-a-menace?r=24onkh&utm_ Kathy Gilsinan on the GOP's Groyper Problem: https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2026/08/01/heritage-foundation-young-republicans-groypers-hiring-01006937 Tucker Carlson's Manifesto: https://www.axios.com/2026/08/06/tucker-carlson-third-party-israel-trump Shield of the Republic is a Bulwark podcast co-sponsored by the Miller Center of Public Affairs at the University of Virginia.

Welcome to the new home of Shield of the Republic! You can also find us on Twitter , Instagram , and YouTube . Help us spread the word by sharing this and stay tuned for our official launch soon! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.shieldoftherepublic.com/subscribe

Eric begins with major show news before pivoting to the jackassery of the week with Eliot. They then analyze Trump's interactions with Bibi Netanyahu and Vladimir Zelensky at Lindsey Graham's funeral and discuss the ways in which the Iranian and Ukrainian wars are increasingly intertwined. The two discuss Iran's ongoing unwillingness to "take yes for an answer" as evidenced by their recent strikes across the region. Historian and Professor Robert Parkinson then joins the show to discuss his recent book Tyrants and Rogues: Understanding the Declaration of Independence. Parkinson explains his focus on the twenty-seven colonial grievances listed in the Declaration, the crown's misjudgments in attempting to address colonial discontent, and Thomas Jefferson's additional two grievances that were edited out--among other topics. Greg Jaffe & Kate Kelly in the New York Times on Adm. Daryl Caudle: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/26/us/politics/caudle-navy-hegseth-parlatore-promotion.html Tyrants and Rogues: Understanding the Declaration of Independence https://a.co/d/0bPfR7hl Shield of the Republic is a Bulwark podcast co-sponsored by the Miller Center of Public Affairs at the University of Virginia.

Eliot returns from his trip to western Canada to review the latest jackassery with Eric. The two discuss recent developments surrounding a potential U.S.-Saudi nuclear cooperation agreement and contextualize it against the history of U.S. non-proliferation and counter-proliferation efforts. They also reflect on their personal experiences with the late Senator Lindsey Graham and examine his legacy. From there they turn to the latest updates from Ukraine, including President Zelensky's dismissal of Defense Minister Fedorov and Commander-in-Chief Syrskyi. Finally, they consider the ongoing likelihood of escalation in Iran. Shield of the Republic is a Bulwark podcast co-sponsored by the Miller Center of Public Affairs at the University of Virginia.

Eric welcomes back friend of the show Professor Hal Brands, the Henry A. Kissinger Distinguished Professor of Global Studies at Johns Hopkins University's School of Advanced International Studies. The two discuss Hal's recent work, beginning with his column in Bloomberg dissecting the key strategic errors that Trump has made in the ongoing war with Iran. Hal then breaks down his recent essay with Michael Beckley in Foreign Affairs, which examines global conflict through the lens of "heartland" and "rimland" coalitions. Finally, they turn to Hal's latest edited volume which brings together essays by a large group of scholars considering the many ways that AI may change the nature of international affairs, the conduct of war, and global order. Hal Brands' latest in Bloomberg: https://www.aei.org/op-eds/trumps-iran-blunder-shows-strategy-can-defeat-firepower/ Hal Brands & Michael Beckley's latest in Foreign Affairs: https://www.foreignaffairs.com/china/heartland-vs-rimland-beckley-brands The Geopolitics of AI: Power, Conflict, and the Future of Global Order: Free PDF via Johns Hopkins University Press Hard copy via Amazon Shield of the Republic is a Bulwark podcast co-sponsored by the Miller Center of Public Affairs at the University of Virginia.

Eric and Eliot catch up for the first time in a month after returning from overseas. They break down the latest jackassery, from Graham Platner's campaign implosion to Recep Tayyip Erdoğan gifting revolvers and live, gold-plated ammunition to the heads of state at the recent NATO summit. They assess the NATO summit more broadly and note the caveats to Trump's promise to provide Ukraine a license to produce Patriot missile defense interceptors. Eric unpacks his recent Bulwark piece on the conspiracy of silence at the gathering related to Turkey's democratic backsliding. They also discuss recent investigations into China's assistance to Russia's war effort, the state of the "ceasefire" with Iran, and Rahm Emanuel's speech in Tel Aviv. Finally, they trade observations from their travels to France and Eastern Europe. Eliot's latest in the Atlantic (gift link): https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/07/america-france-enduring-relationship/687844/?gift=KGDC3VdV8jaCufvP3bRsPg9Zn56KAT0A_Vk94nJcGVU&utm_source=copy-link&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=share Eric's latest in the Bulwark: https://www.thebulwark.com/p/the-one-word-trump-wont-say-in-turkey-nato-summit-democracy-human-rights-europe-erdogan Nate Swanson on Iran overplaying its hand: https://www.foreignaffairs.com/iran/iran-won-war-may-lose-peace Howard Altman on the problems with the Ukraine Patriot licensing deal: https://www.twz.com/land/ukraine-built-patriot-missiles-wont-be-defending-the-countrys-skies-anytime-soon Michael Weiss, Roman Dobrokhotov, and Christo Grozev on China and Russia's targeting of Starlink: https://theins.press/en/inv/294635 Shield of the Republic is a Bulwark podcast co-sponsored by the Miller Center of Public Affairs at the University of Virginia.

Eliot reviews the week’s jackassery and offers his thoughts on Juneteenth and the upcoming 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. He then welcomes Ambassador Deborah Lipstadt, distinguished professor at Emory University and prolific author. She explains her background as a historian of the Holocaust, her work documenting Holocaust denial, and her experience being sued by British Holocaust denier David Irving. They discuss her work as Special Envoy for Monitoring and Combating Antisemitism from 2022 to 2025, which included efforts to bring Saudi Arabia into the Abraham Accords and creating the Global Guidelines for Countering Antisemitism. They explore the political and ideological forces behind the current global rise in antisemitism before pivoting to the threat it poses to democracy and the state actors exploiting it to sow division in the United States. David Irving v. Penguin Books Ltd. and Deborah Lipstadt: hdot.org INSS Report on China’s online campaign to sow division in America: https://www.inss.org.il/publication/china-usa-influence/ George Washington to the Hebrew Congregation in Newport, Rhode Island: https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/05-06-02-0135 Letter from the Hebrew Congregation in Newport, Rhode Island to President George Washington: https://www.gwirf.org/files/moses_seixas_letter.pdf Shield of the Republic is a Bulwark podcast co-sponsored by the Miller Center of Public Affairs at the University of Virginia.

With Eric on vacation, Eliot welcomes Kenneth Pollack, VP for Policy at the Middle East Institute, to the show. Ken outlines MEI's mission before providing analysis on the current state of the Iran war. They discuss the difficulty of ending a conflict when both sides believe they are winning, and whether we are on the cusp of significant concessions or escalation. They explore whether the war was a good idea badly executed or a bad idea badly executed. The pair also speculate about what a successfully prosecuted war effort would have looked like before turning to the likely trajectory of the Iranian regime in the future. Ken explains the broader implications of the war for the Gulf States, Israel, China, Russia, and Turkey before closing with a conversation about why the United States cares about the region and why it presents such an enduring challenge. Shield of the Republic is a Bulwark podcast co-sponsored by the Miller Center of Public Affairs at the University of Virginia.

Eric and Eliot dissect the latest jackassery before pivoting to the war with Iran. They offer differing assessments of the negotiations and discuss the prospects for a lasting ceasefire. Next, they return to the Russia-Ukraine war and reflect on the staggering Russian casualty levels and severe economic toll the war continues to inflict on Russia. They discuss the under-reported and dangerous nuclear developments on the Korean peninsula before closing with the books they're currently reading. Shield of the Republic is a Bulwark podcast co-sponsored by the Miller Center of Public Affairs at the University of Virginia.

Eliot joins Eric from the shores of Lake Champlain to break down the latest administration jackassery before pivoting to the ongoing negotiations with Iran. They also discuss Russia's recent drone and missile barrage directed at Kyiv which included an Oreshnik missile capable of carrying conventional and nuclear warheads. Eric outlines his new CSBA monograph on nuclear command, control, and communications in the context of deterring both Russia and China as nuclear peers. To close out the show, Eric provides commentary on the Kenyan government's rejection of US efforts to open a quarantine facility for Americans who have contracted Ebola, John Cornyn's primary loss, and the prospects for the administration's Cuba policy. Eric's Nuclear Command, Control, and Communications Monograph: https://csbaonline.org/uploads/documents/CSBA8429_(Three_Body_Problem_Report)_final.pdf Eliot's Latest in The Atlantic (Gift Link): https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/05/words-war/687343/?gift=KGDC3VdV8jaCufvP3bRsPvaB1GNTRUB7dNFTvrxKF_o&utm_source=copy-link&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=share Shield of the Republic is a Bulwark podcast co-sponsored by the Miller Center of Public Affairs at the University of Virginia.

Eliot and Eric discuss the current state of the Iran negotiations, the apparent US-Israeli plan to install Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as a Delcy Rodríguez-type figure early in the war, and Reuters' report on the ongoing hollowing out of U.S. diplomacy. They assess Trump's apparent designs in Cuba, noting the indictment of Raul Castro, and the deployment of an aircraft carrier strike group to the Caribbean. Finally, they touch on Turkey's deepening fall into authoritarianism and Putin's visit to Beijing before turning to guest Marc Bennetts, journalist and author of THE DESCENT: Witnessing Russia's Spiral Into Madness Under Putin. The Descent: Witnessing Russia's Spiral into Madness Under Putin: https://a.co/d/01fuFsvu Inside the Unravelling of US Diplomacy Under Trump: https://www.reuters.com/investigations/inside-unraveling-us-diplomacy-under-trump-2026-05-21/ Early War Goal Was to Install Hard-Line Former President as Iran’s Leader: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/19/us/politics/iran-israel-us-leader-ahmadinejad.html Shield of the Republic is a Bulwark podcast co-sponsored by the Miller Center of Public Affairs at the University of Virginia.

Eric and Eliot survey a wide range of jackassery, highlighting Trump's bizarre attack on longtime Mitch McConnell aide Robert Karem. They discuss Trump's gross mismanagement of the Department of Defense as exemplified by the US Army budget shortfall due to National Guard deployments to US cities and the border. They debate the intelligence community's leaked assessment of Iran's surviving missile and launcher capabilities and what advice they would give to a hypothetical "normal" administration on how to successfully extricate from Iran. They also review the Trump-Xi Summit in China, assess trump's designs on Cuba, and discuss the broader implications of Turkey's newly unveiled ICBM. Eric on the Reagan Defense Build Up (Gift Link): https://thedispatch.com/next-250/peace-through-strength-reagan-250/?gift_key=e0d7f3be6686eb5a&gift_ref=3886671&utm_source=giftlink&utm_campaign=membergift&utm_medium=copy_link Eric on Turkey's New ICBM: https://www.thebulwark.com/p/turkey-new-missile-is-a-symbol-of-gobal-chaos-erdogan-yildirimhan-icbm-saha-trump-europe-russia-ukraine-iran-israel-nato Shield of the Republic is a Bulwark podcast co-sponsored by the Miller Center of Public Affairs at the University of Virginia.

Eric and Eliot lament the firing of 200 Foreign Service officers and the recent large-scale exodus of senior diplomats from public service. They discuss the impact of the Trump Administration's diplomatic malpractice including the handling of Operation Freedom and their own disagreements about it. They assess the likely costs of ensuring Iran is not left in control of the Strait of Hormuz and the inevitable long-term future US presence in the Persian Gulf. They also consider the impact of the UK local elections and the collapse of support for Keir Starmer's Labour Party. Finally, they address the US troop withdrawals from Germany and Vladimir Putin's worsening political, economic, and personal situation. Eric & Frank Miller on Withdrawing From Germany: https://www.thebulwark.com/p/withdrawing-troops-from-germany-is-own-goal-trump-merz-nato Secretary Hegseth's Defense Budget Video: https://x.com/SecWar/status/2052396775797891417?s=20 Shield of the Republic is a Bulwark podcast co-sponsored by the Miller Center of Public Affairs at the University of Virginia.

Eric and Eliot discuss Pete Hegseth's job security amidst the ongoing war with Iran. They recap his contemptuous testimony at a House Armed Services Committee budget hearing and Vice President Vance's efforts to distance himself from the war through planted stories. They then turn to King Charles III and Queen Camilla's visit to the United States and review the King's speech to a joint session of Congress. Finally, they discuss recent military developments in southern Lebanon, including Hezbollah's fiber-optic drone capabilities that highlight the changing nature of war. Shield of the Republic is a Bulwark podcast co-sponsored by the Miller Center of Public Affairs at the University of Virginia.

Eric and Eliot review an extended buffet of jackassery before turning to the current state of affairs in Iran. They assess the prospects for a negotiated settlement to the war, and whether we could end up in a "no war, no peace" situation. They also discuss the mutual incomprehension that leaders in both countries exhibit regarding the interests and intentions of the other, Iran's new collective leadership in the wake of Ali Khamenei's death, and the structural similarity to the situation faced by Soviet leaders after the death of Stalin. Finally, they respond to reports that the administration is considering deporting to the Democratic Republic of the Congo roughly eleven hundred Afghans in Qatar who were evacuated in 2021 amidst the US withdrawal. Shield of the Republic is a Bulwark podcast co-sponsored by the Miller Center of Public Affairs at the University of Virginia.