Great Power Podcast American Foreign Policy Council

In this episode of GREAT POWER PODCAST, host Michael Sobolik chats with Alex Ward about his book The Internationalists, President Biden's foreign policy, and the impact of the 2024 presidential election on global affairs.

Guest biography

Alexander Ward is a national security reporter who covers the White House’s role in forming and executing U.S. foreign policy, and the power players shaping national security policy in Washington. He was the first anchor of POLITICO’s “National Security Daily” newsletter.

Ward has won numerous awards for his reporting and was part of a POLITICO team that was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. Previously, Ward was Vox’s White House and national security reporter.

He is the author of the book, “The Internationalists: The Fight to Restore American Foreign Policy after Trump.” Ward is also a term member of the Council on Foreign Relations.

Resources from the conversation


Buy Michael's book, Countering China's Great Game
Buy Alex's book, The Internationalists
Read Alex's reporting at Politico
Follow Alex on X/Twitter

In this episode of GREAT POWER PODCAST, Michael Sobolik turns over the hosting chair to Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R-TX) for a discussion about Michael's new book, Countering China's Great Game.

Note: the episode was originally published on Rep. Crenshaw's podcast, We Hold These Truths. This episode is excerpted from that broader conversation.

Guest biography

Originally from the Houston area, Rep. Dan Crenshaw is a proud 6th generation Texan. In 2006, Rep. Crenshaw graduated from Tufts University, where he earned his Naval officer commission through Navy ROTC. Following graduation, he immediately reported to SEAL training in Coronado, CA, where he met his future wife, Tara. After graduating SEAL training, Rep. Crenshaw deployed to Fallujah, Iraq to join SEAL Team Three, his first of five deployments overseas. In November 2018, Rep. Crenshaw was elected to represent the people of Texas’s Second Congressional District. In Congress, he serves on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, which has the broadest jurisdiction of any legislative committee in Congress. 

Resources from the conversation


Buy Michael's new book, Countering China's Great Game: A Strategy for American Dominance
Check out Rep. Crenshaw's podcast, We Hold These Truths
Follow Rep. Crenshaw on X/Twitter

In this episode of GREAT POWER PODCAST, host Michael Sobolik speaks with Rep. Mike Gallagher (WI-3), Chairman of the House of Representatives Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Sobolik and Chairman Gallagher discuss the current TikTok legislation, the committee's focus on biosecurity, and the broader contours of U.S.-China strategic competition.

Guest biography

Congressman Mike Gallagher has represented Wisconsin’s 8th District in the U.S. House of Representatives since 2017. He was born and raised in Green Bay, where he now lives with his wife Anne and daughters, Grace and Rose. 

Rep. Gallagher served for seven years on active duty in the United States Marine Corps, including two deployments to Iraq. He also served as the lead Republican staffer for the Middle East and Counterterrorism on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and worked in the private sector at an energy and supply chain management company in Green Bay.

Rep. Gallagher earned a bachelor’s degree from Princeton University, a master’s degree in Security Studies from Georgetown University, a second in Strategic Intelligence from National Intelligence University, and a PhD in International Relations from Georgetown.

Resources from the conversation


Pre-order Michael's forthcoming book Countering China's Great Game: A Strategy for American Dominance (Naval Institute Press: April 2024)
Read H.R.7521, Chairman Gallagher's bipartisan TikTok bill
Read Michael's latest op-ed, "Defang TikTok Before It's Too Late" (The Dispatch)
Read H.R.7085, Chairman Gallagher's bipartisan biosecurity bill

In this episode of GREAT POWER POCAST, Michael Sobolik cedes the host chair to his colleague Ilan Berman. The episode is a re-airing of Ilan's conversation with Michael on DISINFORMATION WARS, another AFPC product.

In the conversation, Ilan and Michael unpack H.R.7521, the TikTok bill making its way through Congress. Michael unpacks the legislation, maps out the policy and political terrain in the House and Senate, and previews what to expect over the next few weeks.

Resources from the conversation:


Pre-order Michael's book, Countering China's Great Game: A Strategy for American Dominance
Subscribe to Ilan's podcast, DISINFORMATION WARS
Read H.R.7521, the "Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act"
Follow Michael on X/Twitter, where he has closely tracked the TikTok debate
Follow Ilan on X/Twitter, where he regularly shares analysis about information warfare and Middle East politics

In this episode of GREAT POWER PODCAST, host Michael Sobolik speaks with Cleo Paskal about America's Compact agreements with Palau, the Marshall Islands, and the Federated States of Micronesia. These small Pacific island nations were critical battle sites in World War II, and today they form the backbone of America's military presence in East Asia. Political gridlock in Washington, however, could nix the deals that have secured these unique relationships for decades. Paskal explains this history, Beijing's efforts to spread its malign influence in the region, and the state of legislation on Capitol Hill.

Guest biography

Cleo Paskal is a non-resident senior fellow at FDD focusing on the Indo-Pacific region, in particular, the Pacific Islands and India. She has testified before the U.S. Congress, regularly lectures and moderates for seminars for the U.S. military, and has taught at defense colleges in the United States, United Kingdom, India, Canada, and Oman.

Resources from the conversation


Pre-order Michael's book about U.S.-China great power competition
Follow Cleo on X (formerly Twitter)
Read Josh Rogin's column about the Compact agreements

In this episode of GREAT POWER PODCAST, host Michael Sobolik interviews Iskander Rehman about protracted warfare throughout history, what a war between America and China could look like, and what the United States should do to strengthen its resiliency.

Guest biography

Iskander Rehman joined AFPC as a Senior Fellow for Strategic Studies in July 2020. His work focuses on applied history, grand strategy, and US defense strategy in Asia.