FDD's Foreign Podicy

In 2005, Vladimir Putin said the fall of the Soviet Union was the “greatest political catastrophe of the 20th century.” As Sen. Mitch McConnell pointed out, that should have told us everything we needed to know about this ex-KGB lieutenant colonel. He made the remark at an event in the U.S. Senate discussing a new report on Putin’s war in Ukraine. The report was prepared by a task force of 22 foreign policy experts. The coordinator of the task force is Daniel Twining, president of the International Republican Institute. He joins host Cliff May along with FDD’s Bradley Bowman — both also task force members — to unpack findings.

Once again, there is conflict and carnage in Syria. The media calls it “sectarian strife,” but that phrase may obscure more than it reveals. Islamists have been slaughtering those they deem infidels—with Syria’s Druze and Christian communities hardest hit. The U.N. and the “international community” have been useless as usual. Israel, which has a significant Druze minority of its own, has taken action to defend the Druze of Syria. Not surprisingly, Israel is being accused of “fueling the fires.” The ceasefire brokered last weekend by the Trump administration is shaky, and the crisis is far from resolved. Syria has a long way to go before it becomes a unifying—much less unified—nation. Host Cliff May is joined by FDD experts Hussain Abdul-Hussain and David Daoud for a hard look at what’s happening—and why it matters—on this episode of Foreign Podicy.

Asra Nomani, an investigative reporter and co-author of a revealing report on Georgetown University, joins Sam Westrop, an expert on nonviolent Islamist networks, and Brandy Shufutinsky, director focused on education and national security. They unveil how foreign funding, particularly from Gulf states, is reshaping ideologies in American campuses, promoting anti-American and extremist sentiments. The discussion also addresses the infiltration of educational institutions by radical ideologies and advocates for urgent policy reforms to protect academic integrity and national security.

Just as Putin launched the largest drone assault of the war, President Trump overruled an order from the Pentagon that had halted the delivery of munitions to Ukraine. And despite what pundits say, new polling says his base isn’t mad about it. Cliff May is joined by Carrie Filipetti of the Vandenberg Coalition to break down its polling data that shows most of Trump’s base back peace through strength, see Russia and Iran as serious threats, support sanctions, and trust Trump to act decisively when force is needed. As it turns out, so-called "America First" voters want America to lead.

Guest host Bradley Bowman is joined by U.S. Air Force pilots Lt. Col. Brian “Bud” Leitzke and Lt. Col. Kevin “Rowdy” Murphy for an exclusive firsthand account of April 13, 2024, when Iran launched over 300 drones and missiles at Israel. Bud and Rowdy's squadron scrambled into the night sky in one of the largest U.S. air combat missions in years. What followed was a high-stakes, real-time defense of Israeli and American interests.

NATO summits are usually dry and wonky affairs. This one was different.To unpack what was said, what wasn’t, and what actually matters, host Cliff May is joined by his FDD colleagues RADM (Ret.) Mark Montgomery and Bradley Bowman to discuss alliance politics, military power projection, strategic signaling, and more.

Israel and Iran are at war. To break down what’s happening and what could come next, host Cliff May is joined by Admiral (Ret.) Mark Montgomery and Behnam Ben Taleblu.They dissect Israel’s targeted strikes on IRGC assets, the strategic pause before a possible U.S. strike on Fordow, and why this war isn’t just Israel vs. Iran. It’s the free world vs. the axis of aggressors. And it’s about finishing the job—or risking another historic failure.

Host Cliff May is joined by his FDD colleagues H.R. McMaster and Brad Bowman to assess the growing cooperation among adversaries like China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea—also know as the 'axis of aggressors.'From the Kremlin's efforts to manipulate perceptions in the West, particularly regarding NATO, to Iran's nuclear ambitions and the geopolitical implications of its relationship with China and the continuing threat from North Korea, they discuss why a robust U.S. response to these challenges is needed in order to maintain global security.

Thirty-six years ago this week, the Chinese Communist Party crushed pro-democracy protests in Tiananmen Square with tanks and bullets. The death toll? Certainly in the hundreds, probably in the thousands, and deliberately hidden by the Communist Party of China.How did that massacre reshape China’s path, and what did it mean for Beijing’s relationship with the U.S. and the West?Host Cliff May sits down with his FDD colleague Matt Pottinger, Chairman of our China Program, to discuss Tiananmen’s legacy and global consequences.

Is Iran on the brink, or is the West getting played again? Filling in for host Cliff May, Behnam Ben Taleblu is joined by Andrea Stricker and Saeed Ghasseminejad to discuss Trump’s renewed demand for full nuclear dismantlement, the regime’s internal weakness, and why half-measures won’t cut it. From stalled negotiations to nationwide strikes and the case for a “strike fund,” they unpack how to confront the Islamic Republic in 2025.