The Podcast of the Lotus Eaters PREVIEW: Realpolitik #24 | US New National Security Strategy
Dec 10, 2025
The discussion kicks off with a critique of past US policies, highlighting their vagueness and idealism. A shift towards a more personalized approach, influenced by 'America First,' is explored. The critique of globalism and its impact on the middle class is a major point. The need for economic prioritization and stronger domestic growth is emphasized. The role of China in reshaping supply chains and the US's regional strategies, especially regarding the Western Hemisphere, is discussed. The focus on mass migration as a top priority wraps up the thought-provoking dialogue.
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Realist Reset Of US Strategy
- The US National Security Strategy abandons abstract idealism and prioritizes concrete national interest over globalist aims.
- Firas Modad frames this as the death of globalization and foreign-policy idealism, focusing policy on America's bottom line.
Personalized 'America First' Focus
- The document personalizes strategy around President Trump and explicitly uses 'America First' as a guiding phrase.
- Firas Modad says this signals a shift to a highly personalized, interest-driven foreign policy rather than moral crusades.
Choose Between Empire And Welfare State
- The strategy criticizes elites for overcommitting to global burdens while maintaining a large domestic administrative state.
- Firas Modad interprets this as a call to prioritize either domestic welfare/state capacity or global military/diplomatic engagement.