
The President’s Inbox
Each episode of The President’s Inbox explores a foreign policy challenge facing the United States.
Latest episodes

Feb 20, 2024 • 33min
Year Three of the Ukraine War, With Miriam Elder and Carla Anne Robbins
Journalists Miriam Elder and Carla Anne Robbins discuss the ongoing war between Ukraine and Russia, highlighting struggles faced by Ukrainian forces, Putin's control in Russia, challenges of passing military aid in Washington, and the importance of continued support for Ukraine against Russian aggression.

Feb 13, 2024 • 35min
Governance of Artificial Intelligence, With Kat Duffy
Kat Duffy, a senior fellow for digital and cyberspace policy at CFR, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss the capacity of the U.S. government to lead in creating a framework for regulating artificial intelligence (AI).
Mentioned on the Episode
Kat Duffy and Katie Harbath, "Defending the Year of Democracy," Foreign Affairs
For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The President’s Inbox at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/governance-artificial-intelligence-kat-duffy

Feb 6, 2024 • 35min
U.S. Airstrikes in Iraq and Syria, With Ray Takeyh and Robin Wright
Ray Takeyh, the Hasib J. Sabbagh senior fellow for Middle East studies at CFR, and Robin Wright, a contributing writer and columnist for the New Yorker, sit down with James M. Lindsay to discuss the ramifications of U.S. retaliation against Iranian-backed militias after the killing of three U.S. service members in Jordan on January 28.
Mentioned on the Episode
Ray Takeyh, The Last Shah: America, Iran and the Fall of the Pahlavi Dynasty
Robin Wright, Rock the Casbah: Rage and Rebellion Across the Islamic World
For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The President’s Inbox at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/us-airstrikes-iraq-and-syria-ray-takeyh-and-robin-wright

Jan 30, 2024 • 37min
Henry Wallace and the Origins of the Cold War, With Benn Steil
Enter the CFR book giveaway by February 13, 2024, for the chance to win one of ten free copies of The World That Wasn’t: Henry Wallace and the Fate of the American Century by Benn Steil. You can read the terms and conditions of the offer here.
Mentioned on the Episode
Danny Rocco, Convention
Benn Steil, The Battle for Bretton Woods: John Maynard Keynes, Harry Dexter White, and the Making of a New World Order
Benn Steil, The Marshall Plan: Dawn of the Cold War
Benn Steil, The World That Wasn’t: Henry Wallace and the Fate of the American Century
Oliver Stone, The Untold Story of American History
Henry Wallace, “Text of Wallace Letter to Stalin Calling for Peace Program,” New York Times
For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The President’s Inbox at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/henry-wallace-and-origins-cold-war-benn-steil

Jan 23, 2024 • 33min
TPI Replay: AI’s Impact on the 2024 U.S. Elections, With Jessica Brandt
Jessica Brandt, policy director for the Artificial Intelligence and Emerging Technology Initiative at the Brookings Institution, where she is a fellow in the Strobe Talbott Center for Security, Strategy, and Technology, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss how artificial intelligence might affect the 2024 U.S. elections.
For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The President's Inbox at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/ais-impact-2024-us-elections-jessica-brandt
This episode first aired: September 12, 2023

Jan 16, 2024 • 34min
The Houthi Threat to Red Sea Shipping, With Katherine Zimmerman
Katherine Zimmerman, a fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss the ongoing attacks by the Houthis in Yemen on commercial ships transiting the Red Sea.
Mentioned on the Episode
Alan Beattie, “Why Red Sea Attacks Won’t Derail Globalisation (Probably),” Financial Times
Kenneth M. Pollack and Katherine Zimmerman, “Washington Can't Let the Houthis Take Yemen,” Wall Street Journal
For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The President’s Inbox at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/houthi-threat-red-sea-shipping-katherine-zimmerman

Jan 9, 2024 • 34min
Taiwan’s Presidential Election, With David Sacks
David Sacks, a fellow for Asia studies at CFR, discusses Taiwan's upcoming presidential election and its potential impact on US-China-Taiwan relations. Topics include the candidates and their positions on Taiwan's independence, the shifting dynamics between political parties, the significance of Taiwan's semiconductor production, and Beijing's reaction to the election outcome.

Jan 2, 2024 • 38min
Far-right Terrorism, With Bruce Hoffman and Jacob Ware
Bruce Hoffman, the Shelby Cullom and Kathryn W. Davis senior fellow for counterterrorism and homeland security at CFR, and Jacob Ware, a research fellow at CFR, sit down with James M. Lindsay to discuss the rise of far-right violent extremism in the United States and abroad.
Enter the CFR book giveaway by January 16, 2023, for the chance to win one of ten free copies of God, Guns, and Sedition: Far-Right Terrorism in America by Bruce Hoffman and Jacob Ware. You can read the terms and conditions of the offer here.
Mentioned on the Episode
Bruce Hoffman and Jacob Ware, God, Guns, and Sedition: Far-Right Terrorism in America
Cynthia Miller-Idriss, Hate in the Homeland: The New Global Far Right
For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The President’s Inbox at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/far-right-terrorism-bruce-hoffman-and-jacob-ware

Dec 26, 2023 • 49min
Year End Q&A Special, With Shannon O’Neil
Shannon O’Neil, vice president, deputy director of Studies, and Nelson and David Rockefeller senior fellow for Latin America Studies at CFR, sits down with James M. Lindsay to answer questions submitted by listeners to The President’s Inbox.
Mentioned on the Episode
Walter Issacson, The Code Breaker: Jennifer Doudna, Gene Editing, and the Future of the Human Race
Shannon K. O’Neil, The Globalization Myth: Why Regions Matter
For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The President’s Inbox at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/year-end-qa-special-shannon-oneil

Dec 19, 2023 • 31min
The Future of the War in Ukraine, With Kori Schake
Kori Schake, a senior fellow and the director of foreign and defense policy studies at the American Enterprise Institute, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss where the fighting in Ukraine is headed.
Mentioned on the Episode
Leon Aron, “The Sanctions Against Russia Are Starting to Work,” The Atlantic
Kori Schake, America Vs the West: Can the Liberal World Order be Preserved?
Kori Schake, “The Case for Conservative Internationalism,” Foreign Affairs
For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The President’s Inbox at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/future-war-ukraine-kori-schake