On this week’s Defense & Aerospace Report Washington Roundtable, Dr. Patrick Cronin of the Hudson Institute think tank, Michael Herson of American Defense International, former Pentagon Europe chief Jim Townsend now with the Center for a New American Security, and former Pentagon comptroller Dr. Dov Zakheim of the Center for Strategic and International Studies join Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer’s move to avoid a government shutdown as lawmakers continue to wrangle a debt and budget deal; how retirements, firing of probationary employees and a travel freeze will impact DoD programs as the department was already struggling to bring aboard a new generation of talent; the partnership between Trump and Elon Musk as the world’s richest man deposits another $100 million in the PAC the president has used to strong arm lawmakers; Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s decision to disband the Pentagon’s long-range strategy and forecasting organization, the Office of Net Assessment; the White House ends an 11-day halt on weapons supplies and intelligence sharing with Ukraine after Kyiv agrees to Washington’s ceasefire demands but Moscow — seeing battlefield gains and a new ally in America — demands greater concessions to pause much less end the war; as Trump escalates his trade war with Canada and Europe, European interest in US weaponry drops with Portugal reportedly deciding against buying F-35 Lightning II jets from the United States; Israel cuts electricity and supplies to Gaza as the ceasefire that allowed hostages to be exchanged for Palestinian prisoners expires; Senate and House retirements and remembering Alan Simpson, the former Republican senator from Wyoming.

Dr. Arun Seraphin, the executive director of the National Defense Industrial Association’s Emerging Technologies Institute, joins Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss the defense ecosystem the nation needs to more quickly equip the force; legislation that can help DoD accelerate the fielding capabilities; how to thoughtfully trim government labs and federally funded research and development centers; the importance of open architectures to help ensure a more interoperable force and challenges associated with adopting closed ecosystems; how much of the innovation ecosystem that’s blossomed across DoD in the wake of Defense Secretary Ash Carter’s founding of the Defense Innovation Unit; and the vital importance of robust national investment in education and technology across all disciplines to advancing national security.

On today’s Strategy Series program, sponsored by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Peter Van Praagh, the president of HFX, the group that organizes two annual security conferences — the Halifax International Security Forum and the new HFX Taipei Forum — joins Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss how President Trump’s will impact US power, global influence and economic prosperity; whether Ukraine can survive against Russia without US help as Washington aligns increasingly with Moscow; how China regards the realignment; takeaways from the recent HFX Taipei Forum; prospect that democracies in Europe, North America and Asia will increasingly come together in a new bloc; whether the international institutions forged by the United States in the unique circumstances after World War II can be reinvigorated if Washington now chooses the undermine them; and why Canada and Canadians are so alarmed and offended by Trump’s rhetoric and actions.

The US Air Force convened a very senior panel to review its next generation programs. That panel has reported out in favor of Next Generation Air Dominance, but not Next Generation Aerial Refueling. Former Air Force Chief General John Jumper joins us to explain their work. And, yes, headlines. All powered by GE!

On today’s program, sponsored by HII, Byron Callan of the independent Washington research firm Capital Alpha Partners and Chris Servello, the co-host of our Cavas Ships podcast joins Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss growing concern of a year-long continuing resolution; the industrial impact of budget and program uncertainty especially on suppliers still recovering from pandemic impacts; takeaways from President Trump’s address to Congress; defense spending impact of $4.5 trillion in tax cuts, negative impact of economic uncertainty, IRS cuts and Trump’s acknowledgement that his policies likely will cause a recession before growth; administration’s decision to suspend US participation in NATO military exercises and prospect American troops will be withdrawn from Europe; some positives and negatives investors should consider as European defense spending surges; whether Ukraine can survive without US weaponry and intelligence support; and a look at the week ahead.

On this week’s Defense & Aerospace Report Business Roundtable, sponsored by Bell, Dr. “Rocket” Ron Epstein of Bank of America Securities, Sash Tusa of the independent equity research firm Agency Partners, and Richard Aboulafia of the AeroDynamic advisory consultancy join host Vago Muradian to discuss Wall Street’s worst week since 2022 over tariff and inflation worries; President Trump doubled tariffs on China to 20 percent as he paused 25 percent tariffs on cars from Canada and Mexico; alarmed by Trump’s pro-Russian rhetoric and suspension of aid and intelligence sharing with Ukraine, European nations agree to surge defense spending to more than $900 billion over the coming four years; the fundamental shift in mindset as NATO members conclude that alliance may be dead as America commits superpower suicide; the Pentagon continues its budget drill to redirect 8 percent of savings annually over the coming five years as senior leaders and executives make their case for programs especially manned aircraft like the F-35 Lightning II fighter and the Next Generation Air Dominance Aircraft; the US Navy drops Lockheed Martin from the FA-XX program, tapping Boeing and Northrop Grumman to move to next phase of the effort to develop the service’s next-generation combat aircraft; Delta Airlines partners with JetZero to develop a new jetliner; and the second SpaceX Starship rocket in a row exploded enroute to orbit.

Join Michael Herson, a defense lobbyist, Dov Zakheim, former Pentagon comptroller, Jim Townsend, ex-Pentagon Europe chief, and Patrick Cronin, Asia-Pacific security expert. They dive into the U.S. budget crisis, discussing potential cuts to Medicare and Medicaid. The group critiques Trump's policies, including tariffs and Ukraine strategy, while analyzing shifting European dynamics post-Brexit. Geopolitics heats up with China's trade threats and negotiations in the Middle East, as they explore the challenges of global diplomacy in today’s tense landscape.

We hopscotch the Air and Space Forces Association’s warfare symposium, bringing you up to date on the F-35 program with Lockheed’s Chauncey Macintosh and talking CCAs with Dave Alexander of General Atomics. Plus a review of the event with Air and Space Forces magazine editor Tobias Naegele. And, yes, headlines. All powered by GE!

Jeff Bialos, the co-chair of the Aerospace, Defense and Security Group at the Eversheds Sutherland law firm who served as a former deputy undersecretary of defense for industrial affairs, joins Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s effort cut 8 percent a year for five years from current spending to pay for new Trump administration priorities; why the cuts are significant and threaten to undermine US capabilities absent additional spending; the reality that 25 to 30 percent more spending may be needed to modernize the force, improve readiness and bolster weapons stocks; industrial strategy recommendations at a time when administration leaders advocate for startups over heritage firms; clarifying the rationale for the defense industry consolidation in the wake of the Cold War; how supply chains became steadily more global; the defense trade impact of Trump and his team’s rhetoric and policies on Ukraine, Europe as well as allies and partners; and implications of tariffs and wholesale job cuts on program performance and costs.

On today’s program, sponsored by HII, Byron Callan of the independent Washington research firm Capital Alpha Partners and Chris Servello, the co-host of our Cavas Ships podcast joins Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to global ramifications of President Trump’s unprecedented meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy; whether Kyiv’s European allies will be able to support Ukraine as Washington shuts off aid and demands access to oil, gas and rare earth minerals; the US president’s meetings with French, British and other leaders; Pentagon sends a Stryker brigade combat team to the border and prospect of military operations in Mexico; DoD continues efforts to redirect spending and the impact of the cuts on the heritage defense industrial base; Elon Musk and his team continue cutting government jobs including soon at the Defense Department; prospect that more senior military officers will be fired; update on budget dynamics on Capitol Hill and guidance from the Office of Management and Budget; and a look at the week ahead.