Shield of the Republic

4.6 (471)
HISTORY
UPDATED WEEKLY

Shield of the Republic is a Bulwark podcast co-sponsored by the Miller Center of Public Affairs at the University of Virginia. We probe beyond the hive mind of Washington conventional wisdom on national security and foreign affairs.

6D AGO

We Need to Secure Our Supply Chains (w/ Mike Froman)

Eric welcomes Council on Foreign Relations President Mike Froman to discuss CFR's latest task force report on U.S. economic security. They explore the importance of AI, quantum computing and biotechnology as foundational technologies in today's strategic competition, the effort that China is investing in these technologies, and the market failures that have led the U.S. to underinvest in quantum and biotech. The conversation also covers supply chain vulnerabilities, human capital shortfalls in key areas of technology, and the tension in the Trump administration's effort to address China's growing technological dominance while simultaneously cutting funding for basic research at the NSF, NIH, and other institutions. U.S. Economic Security: Winning the Race for Tomorrow's Technologies: https://www.cfr.org/task-force-report/us-economic-security Mike Froman on Substack: https://mikefroman.substack.com/ Shield of the Republic is a Bulwark podcast co-sponsored by the Miller Center of Public Affairs at the University of Virginia.

42 min
DEC 15

Double Taps and Drug Lord Pardons

Eric and Eliot discuss the newly released National Security Strategy's flaws, highlighting its incoherence and hostility to Europe. They note the strategy's unwillingness to identify Russia, China, and Iran as enemies of the United States and the abdication of the U.S. role in maintaining global order. The pair also discuss the latest pressure on Ukraine to capitulate to Russia before welcoming returning guest Representative Jim Himes for a conversation about the Trump Administration's Venezuela policy. Eric on the NSS in The Bulwark: https://www.thebulwark.com/p/trump-national-security-strategy-foreign-policy-defense-allies-china-russia-iran-north-korea Eliot on the NSS in The Atlantic: https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2025/12/national-security-strategy-incoherent-babble/685166/?gift=KGDC3VdV8jaCufvP3bRsPhY0neK1oFmUu2ila2ZbOTc&utm_ The 2025 National Security Strategy: https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/2025-National-Security-Strategy.pdf Shield of the Republic is a Bulwark podcast co-sponsored by the Miller Center of Public Affairs at the University of Virginia.

1h 2m
DEC 8

When Power Stops Caring About the Law

Eric and Eliot return from Thanksgiving to dissect the revelations from the Washington Post about the double-tap strike on an alleged Venezuelan drug boat in September. They discuss whether the strike was a war crime, the resignation of SOUTHCOM Commander Admiral Alvin Holsey, and the administration’s larger objectives in Venezuela. They also address the Department of Defense IG report on Signalgate, and explain why it does not constitute a ‘complete exoneration’. They conclude with a discussion of the Witkoff-Kushner “mission to Moscow”, the corruption crisis in Ukraine that ousted Presidential Chief of Staff Yermak, and the Wall Street Journal’s coverage of the Trump cronies lining up to do business deals in Russia once the Ukrainians can be forced into submission. Show Notes: Former White House Counsel Bob Bauer on the Venezuela boat strikes: https://www.execfunctions.org/p/the-boat-strike-presidency Wall Street Journal Report on Witkoff & Kushner's Plans for Peace: https://www.wsj.com/world/russia/russia-u-s-peace-business-ties-4db9b290? Shield of the Republic is a Bulwark podcast co-sponsored by the Miller Center of Public Affairs at the University of Virginia.

59 min
NOV 24

The Pentagon's Confederate Cover-Up

Eric and Eliot reflect on the memorial service for Vice President Dick Cheney and welcome Brigadier General (ret.) Ty Seidule, author of Robert E. Lee and Me and A Promise Delivered. They discuss the Commission created by Congress in 2020 to replace Confederate commemorations with tributes that better reflect American values, the pushback it faced, and why renaming military bases does not “change history.” The conversation also explores the post-Reconstruction myths behind these commemorations, the enduring appeal of the Confederate battle flag in certain right-wing circles, and the current controversy over reverting base names following efforts by Trump and Hegseth to overturn the Commission’s work. Robert E. Lee and Me: A Southerner’s Reckoning with the Myth of the Lost Cause: https://a.co/d/6H1iMaJ A Promise Delivered: Ten American Heroes and the Battle to Rename Our Nation’s Military Bases: https://a.co/d/b99Nvzv Take our quick listener survey and help us make The Bulwark even better. https://bit.ly/bulwarkaudio

58 min
NOV 17

Can Taiwan Trust the United States? (w/ Michael Hunzeker)

Eric welcomes Michael Hunzeker, associate director of the Center for Security Policy Studies at George Mason University’s Schar School of Policy and Government, to discuss his new book America’s Taiwan Dilemma, co-authored with Mark Christopher. They explore why a nation’s reputation for credibility matters for deterrence and alliance management, and whether U.S. treaty allies in East Asia truly want Washington to defend Taiwan at all costs. The conversation also examines Taiwan’s globally essential semiconductor industry, the fate of Hong Kong following its integration into China, and how the Trump Administration is reshaping America’s East Asian system of bilateral alliances. America's Taiwan Dilemma: Allies' Reactions and the Stakes for US Reputation: https://a.co/d/6sgYh3D Shield of the Republic is a Bulwark podcast co-sponsored by the Miller Center of Public Affairs at the University of Virginia.

54 min
NOV 10

Why MAGA Loves Illiberalism (w/ Laura Field)

Eric and Eliot pay their respects to the late Vice President Dick Cheney before welcoming their guest Laura Field to discuss her book Furious Minds: The Making of the MAGA New Right. They explore the origins of the effort to create an intellectual ecosystem for Trumpism starting with the Claremont Institute and Michael Anton's infamous "Flight 93" article in the Claremont Review of Books. Laura explains the influence of philosopher Leo Strauss on these early efforts as well as Strauss's student Harry Jaffa. They discuss the emergence of post-liberalism, Catholic integralism, and the arguments made on behalf of these positions by Patrick Deneen and Adam Vermeule. They also discuss national conservatives, techno-monarchists, and advocates of Red Caesarism like Peter Thiel and Curtis Yarvin. Finally, they touch on the openly theocratic efforts of Christian nationalists to fit into the Trumpist universe, and the overlaps and contradictions among these various Trumpist movements. Furious Minds: The Making of the MAGA New Right https://a.co/d/eeTmFrT Eric's Reflections on Vice President Dick Cheney: https://thedispatch.com/article/dick-cheney-conservatism-republican-party/

1h 2m
NOV 2

America Can't Go It Alone

Eric and Eliot discuss the GOP’s ongoing Nazi problem and the growing danger of anti-Semitism on the right. They debunk President Trump’s false claims about America’s nuclear arsenal, then pivot to a conversation about alliance management. Eliot shares insights from a recent trip to Canada, highlighting the damage Trump has done to America’s relationship with its northern neighbor. They broaden the discussion to other allies, including the “special relationship” with the UK and the often-prickly partnership with France. Finally, they examine the administration’s lawlessness at sea and its refusal to allow Congressional oversight as it escalates pressure on Venezuela. Show Notes: Eric & Frank Miller's latest on arms control: President Trump, Don’t Fall into Putin’s Arms Control Trap Shield of the Republic is a Bulwark podcast co-sponsored by the Miller Center of Public Affairs at the University of Virginia.

59 min
OCT 26

Paranoia and Purges Are Consuming the Pentagon

Eric and Eliot discuss appeasement and the striking similarities between Putin’s recent demands and Hitler’s insistence that the Czechs surrender the heavily fortified Sudetenland. They then turn to the latest idiocy coming from the administration, including Trump’s demolition of the East Wing, the Pentagon’s new exclusively right-wing press corps, and the live-fire Marine exercise that sent ordnance onto I-5 in California during a salute to Pete Hegseth and JD Vance. They also examine Putin’s phone call with Trump and the situation in Ukraine, along with Trump’s accelerating campaign of regime change in Venezuela. They end the week’s conversation with thoughts on the No Kings protests and the daunting prospects for a sustained ceasefire in Gaza. Show Notes: - Appeasement: Chamberlain, Hitler, Churchill, and the Road to War: https://a.co/d/awNtPTM - Eric & David Kramer’s latest on Ukraine: https://thedispatch.com/article/trump-putin-budapest-ukraine-tomahawks/ Shield of the Republic is a Bulwark podcast co-sponsored by the Miller Center of Public Affairs at the University of Virginia.

1h 3m

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4.6

out of 5

471 Ratings

What’s with the dog?

Sep 22

Orakamaru

Had to turn off an excellent discussion because the constant whining from a dog which seemed to be in distress without recognizing it was so disturbing
Do your homework

Nov 22

allothernamesaretaken23

They lack subject matter expertise on the topics they discuss. Many of the arguments made rely on dated or simply incorrect information. One example of many, the Europeans cannot crank out long range fires systems that are independent of US technology in months. Criticizing the administration is fine if you can back it up, but you have to do your homework.
Biased reporting

Sep 22

qqz114

Recently listened to a show where Gaza was discussed. No mention of the plight of the Palestinians the fact that Israel is starving the populace. The International Association of Genocide Scholars (IAGS), a prominent academic group of over 500 genocide experts, has also declared Israel’s actions in Gaza meet the UN definition of genocide. There are great bulwark podcasts. This isn’t one of them.
Excellent

May 21

HJS4

Always thoughtful and informative. It shows among other things the expertise and competence that used to reside in government leadership.

Shield of the Republic is a Bulwark podcast co-sponsored by the Miller Center of Public Affairs at the University of Virginia. We probe beyond the hive mind of Washington conventional wisdom on national security and foreign affairs.