The President’s Inbox

CFR

4.4 (698)
POLITICS
UPDATED WEEKLY

Each episode of The President’s Inbox explores a foreign policy challenge facing the United States.

3D AGO

Canada Hedges Against the United States, With Jonathan Berkshire Miller

Jonathan Berkshire Miller, senior fellow at the Macdonald Laurier Institute, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss Canada's effort to diminish its vulnerability to U.S. economic threats and just how much middle powers like Canada can successfully hedge in a world of great power competition. Mentioned on the Episode: “Live From Davos: Exclusive Interview With Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent,” Human Events Daily with Jack Posobiec Mark Carney, “Principled and Pragmatic: Canada’s Path,” Office of the Prime Minister of Canada “Canada's Arctic Foreign Policy,” Government of Canada. Updated March 25, 2025 For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The President’s Inbox at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/presidents-inbox/canada-hedges-against-the-united-states Opinions expressed on The President’s Inbox are solely those of the host or our guests, not of CFR, which takes no institutional positions on matters of policy.

32 min
JAN 29

Trump’s Greenland Ambitions, With Heather Conley and Rebecca Pincus

Heather Conley, nonresident senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, and Rebecca Pincus, senior fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Institute, sit down with James M. Lindsay to discuss how President Trump's desire to acquire Greenland has thrown the transatlantic relationship into its latest crisis. For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The President’s Inbox at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/presidents-inbox/trumps-greenland-ambitions Opinions expressed on The President’s Inbox are solely those of the host or our guests, not of CFR, which takes no institutional positions on matters of policy.

39 min
JAN 21

America at 250: The Best and Worst U.S. Foreign Policy Decisions, With Mary Dudziak and Christopher Nichols

Mary Dudziak, Asa Griggs Candler Professor of Law at Emory University, and Christopher Nichols, Wayne Woodrow Hayes Chair in National Security Studies and Professor of History at the Ohio State University, sit down with James M. Lindsay to unpack a new CFR survey of historians on the best and worst foreign policy decisions in U.S. history. To mark the 250th anniversary of the U.S. declaration of independence, CFR is dedicating a year-long series of articles, videos, podcasts, events, and special projects that will reflect on two and a half centuries of U.S. foreign policy. Featuring bipartisan voices and expert contributors, the series explores the evolution of America’s role in the world and the strategic challenges that lie ahead. Mentioned on the Episode: Christopher McKnight Nichols, Promise and Peril: America at the Dawn of a Global Age Joshua Kurlantzick, A Great Place to Have a War CFR.org, The Ten Best and Ten Worst U.S. Foreign Policy Decisions For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The President’s Inbox at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/presidents-inbox/america-250-best-worst-us-foreign-policy-decisions Opinions expressed on The President’s Inbox are solely those of the host or our guests, not of CFR, which takes no institutional positions on matters of policy.

40 min
JAN 14

Trump Foreign Policy at One Year, With Matthew Kroenig

Matthew Kroenig, Vice President and Senior Director of the Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security at the Atlantic Council, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss how President Trump has approached foreign policy since returning to the Oval Office last January. Mentioned on the Episode: Matthew Kroenig, “To Get to Peace in Ukraine, Trump Should Play the Nuclear Card,” Foreign Policy Matthew Kroenig, “Trump Has a Strategy for Venezuela,” Foreign Policy Matthew Kroenig, “Trump Should Oust Maduro,” Foreign Policy Matthew Kroenig, “Trump Was Right to Oust Maduro,” New York Times Matthew Kroenig, “Two Cheers for the National Security Strategy,” Foreign Policy For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The President’s Inbox at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/presidents-inbox/trump-foreign-policy-at-one-year-with-matthew-kroenig Opinions expressed on The President’s Inbox are solely those of the host or our guests, not of CFR, which takes no institutional positions on matters of policy.

37 min
JAN 7

Washington’s Venezuela Strategy After Maduro, With Will Freeman

Will Freeman, fellow for Latin America studies at the Council, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss the consequences of the U.S. seizure of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. Mentioned on the Episode: Antonio Maria Delgado, ”The U.S. Gamble on Chavismo: How a Once-Unthinkable Pact Could Stabilize Venezuela,” Miami Herald Will Freeman, “The Shock Waves of Venezuela: How Maduro’s Capture Could Transform Latin America,” Foreign Affairs Jason Lange, ”A Third of Americans Support U.S. Strike on Venezuela, Reuters/Ipsos Poll Finds,” Reuters For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The President’s Inbox at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/presidents-inbox/washingtons-venezuela-strategy-after-maduro-with-will-freeman Opinions expressed on The President’s Inbox are solely those of the host or our guests, not of CFR, which takes no institutional positions on matters of policy.

38 min
12/23/2025

Listener Mailbag: 2025 in Review, 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 listener questions about the major developments, initiatives, and changes in U.S. foreign policy over the course of 2025. Mentioned on the Episode: "2025 National Security Strategy of the United States of America," The White House Ivo H. Daalder and James M. Lindsay, “The Price of Trump’s Power Politics,” Foreign Affairs Ivo H. Daalder and James M. Lindsay, The Empty Throne: America's Abdication of Global Leadership Rebecca Lissner, “America’s Quasi Alliances,” Foreign Affairs Matthias Matthijs and Nathalie Tocci, "How Europe Lost: Can the Continent Escape Its Trump Trap?" Foreign Affairs Brad Setser, "How German Industry Can Survive the Second China Shock," Center for European Reform For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The President’s Inbox at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/tpi/listener-mailbag-2025-review-carla-anne-robbins-and-matthias-matthijs

45 min
12/17/2025

Are We Ready? | America’s Crumbling Defense Industrial Base, With Kathleen Hicks

Kathleen Hicks, former Deputy Secretary of Defense and a senior fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School’s Belfer Center, the Johns Hopkins University’s Kissinger Center for Global Affairs, and the Chicago Council on Global Affairs, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss how the U.S. defense industrial base has struggled to keep pace with the demands of renewed great power competition. This is the ninth episode in a special series from The President’s Inbox, bringing you conversations with Washington insiders to assess whether the United States is ready for a new, more dangerous world. Mentioned on the Episode: Mark Bowden, "The Crumbling Foundations of America's Military," The Atlantic For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The President’s Inbox at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/tpi/are-we-ready-americas-crumbling-defense-industrial-base-kathleen-hicks

35 min
12/10/2025

Are We Ready? | Trump’s National Security Strategy, With Rebecca Lissner

Rebecca Lissner, senior fellow for U.S. foreign policy at the Council, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss the Trump administration's new National Security Strategy and its consequences for U.S. foreign and defense policy. This is the eighth episode in a special series from The President’s Inbox, bringing you conversations with Washington insiders to assess whether the United States is ready for a new, more dangerous world. Mentioned on the Episode: "2025 National Security Strategy of the United States of America," The White House Rebecca Lissner, Will Freeman, Liana Fix, Steven Cook, Michelle Gavin and Paul Stares, “Unpacking a Trump Twist of the National Security Strategy,” CFR.org For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The President’s Inbox at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/tpi/are-we-ready-trumps-national-security-strategy-rebecca-lissner

36 min

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James M Lindsay

Host
Matt Waxman

Guest

4.4

out of 5

698 Ratings

Great Podcast - one concern.

12/26/2025

1855LGC

This is my go-to podcast to understand what is going on in the world and how it affects the United States. Jim is a knowledgeable veteran of foreign relations and asks the right questions. I was, however, dismayed to hear Carla Ann Robbins on the latest episode. She doesn’t seem to have any particular expertise except for a visceral hatred of Donald Trump and Republicans in general that informs all of her opinions. She killed The World Next Week. Don’t let her bring down the President’s Inbox.
Ignorance on full display

Jan 8

This Ken

It is amazing how people who repeatedly demonstrate their own ignorance can speak so confidently as if they know. Wild speculation is not a substitute for finding a real expert.
Too Prescriptive

10/23/2025

GlobalNorth

A wealth of material and knowledge buttoned up in a short blurb. If you had a long form discussion with your expert guests, listeners could glean much more valuable information. Also, no need to mention producers and behind the scenes employees, put all that in the show notes. CNN doesn’t end with the name of the camera man or show runner, neither does Rogan. Just have an erudite long form discussion and trust your listeners with ambiguity. Could be great.
Normalization

12/11/2025

thePeacePirate

You’re normalizing Trump’s insanity. Trump strategy is preemptive surrender.