American Diplomat

Why hasn't Trump decided to keep US boots on the ground? Let us count the reasons. Hint, it's not because it would be a bad look.

An oldie but a goodie and one of our very favorites, our annual New Year's special: In Vodka Veritas with Dick Hoagland. Ambassador Dick Hoagland, having served many years in Russia and former Soviet republics, has had ample opportunity to consider the high-stakes drinking game of vodka diplomacy. Break a bottle over the bow of 2026 and Happy New Year!

For the holidays, we asked diplomats to share their tales. We have Ken Quinn whose young kids' Christmas in Austria was saved by a team including the Chattanooga Choo Choo, a muslim Santa and a temporary North Korean "daugther". We have Peter Pham who, on his way home for the holidays from his post in the Democratic Republic of the Congo was diverted to Paris due to the US government shutdown, which turn of events led him to ensure the safety return of a recent Congolese Nobel Prize winner. And we have Kent Logsdon who shares a moving tale of singing in an ambassadors' version of a barbershop quartet the song War Is Over, when indeed, war had only just ended in that country. Have a lovely holiday season, everyone!

The Administration's new National Security Strategy document contains exaggerations, contradictions, insults, racism, posturing and slamming, which is to say nothing of the important topics it does not address. Amb. Charlie Ray takes the ideological manifesto apart for us, with discussion of the existential consequences for America and for our species.

Imagine a free and prosperous Venezuela. What would it take? We take you to a simulated White House Situation Room with diplomat and Venezuela expert Brian Naranjo. Are you ready for some ground truth?

The chainsaw was one thing. But the dog economists? Either way, $20billion is a nice bailout package for Argentina. Senior State Department economist Rich Sanders unpacks life in Argentina today, for their eccentric-in-chief and for the Argentine populace.

Mike Peay, a State Department lawyer and jazz pianist, dives into the fascinating world of cultural diplomacy through jazz. He discusses the Harlem Hellfighters' role in introducing jazz to Europe and how jazz musicians like Louis Armstrong navigated complex racial dynamics while promoting American values abroad. Peay highlights the motivations of these artists, their impactful tours across various continents, and how candid conversations about racial injustice enhanced America's soft power. A compelling blend of music history and social impact!

There are no embassies in space, so why diplomacy? Space is everywhere on earth – in financial transactions, food supplies, GPS – and it is key to hybrid warfare, particularly in US competition with China. Space demands agreements before conflicts get hot. Major General Brook Leonard is back to help us understand the facts and the strategic implications.

Nepalese democracy is strong but its economy is not. Social platforms gave voice to the aggrieved. When the government threatened access, young folks got down to business, and they got it done. How? Amb. Peter Bodde unpacks.

Senator/Ambassador Jeff Flake, one of POTUS' first targets, tells us why he believes that inclusiveness will win in the US and beyond.