The Brian Lehrer Show Trump’s New National Security Strategy
Dec 11, 2025
Fred Kaplan, a distinguished journalist and columnist for Slate, delves into Trump's new national security strategy, highlighting its implications for the U.S.-EU relationship. He discusses the strategy's controversial language around immigration and European identity, revealing its alignment with far-right politics. Kaplan also analyzes the recent seizure of a Venezuelan oil tanker, outlining the geopolitical context and risks of U.S. intervention. The conversation is a thought-provoking exploration of how rhetoric shapes both national policy and global dynamics.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Doctrine Framed As Domestic Culture Policy
- The 2024 National Security Strategy blends foreign policy with domestic cultural aims like 'traditional families.'
- Fred Kaplan warns foreign governments will treat this document as doctrine and focus on the most worrying parts.
Europe Passage Echoes Far‑Right Messaging
- The strategy's 'Promoting European Greatness' section signals alignment with far-right European parties and anti-immigration rhetoric.
- Kaplan calls the Europe language a euphemism for wanting Europe to 'remain white' and politically supportive of ultra-nationalists.
Immigration Framed As Cultural Survival
- Trump openly links immigration to national viability and cultural preservation in public speeches and the strategy.
- Kaplan says Trump rarely dog-whistles and now says the 'quiet part' out loud, normalizing explicit racial rhetoric.
