The Editors Episode 831: A Questionable Strategy
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Dec 9, 2025 The discussion kicks off with a critique of Trump's national security strategy, highlighting its mild stance on China and tough words for Europe. They delve into the implications of the Humphrey's Executor case on independent agencies, weighing risks to the Federal Reserve's autonomy. The hosts analyze Jasmine Crockett's Senate ambitions in Texas, debating her electoral viability. Light-hearted moments include reflections on UVA's football woes and personal stories about holiday plans, wrapping up with recommended readings that sparked their interest.
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Trumpy National Security Playbook
- The Trump administration's national security strategy reads as a Trumpy, culture-war and trade-focused document rather than a classic great-power blueprint.
- The hosts argue it likely won't constrain Trump's ad-hoc, relationship-driven foreign policy in practice.
Monroe Doctrine, Modernized
- The document revives a Monroe Doctrine-style focus on the Western Hemisphere, blending commercial and security aims to limit non-hemispheric control of strategic assets.
- Hosts see this as reflective of Trump's priorities on drugs and localist foreign policy even if execution may be inconsistent.
Europe Critique Overshadows Real Threats
- Critics argue the strategy demeans Europe while downplaying China and Russia as primary security threats.
- Charles Cooke and others say the document reads ideological and domestic-focused, not a rigorous foreign-policy blueprint.