The Long Game with Jake Sullivan and Jon Finer

Jake Sullivan and Jon Finer dive into the implications of a U.S. strike on a vessel in the Caribbean, exploring potential war crime accusations and congressional reactions. They discuss Trump's newly unveiled National Security Strategy, highlighting its focus on the Western Hemisphere and relationships with China. Legal and moral dilemmas surrounding military actions and their consequences are debated, especially regarding U.S. personnel safety. The conversation culminates with a rapid-fire Q&A, offering personal insights into their lives and careers.

The podcast dives into the ongoing deadlock between Russia and Ukraine, exploring failed peace plans and internal Ukrainian politics. Tensions between Japan and China over Taiwan intensify, particularly after provocative statements from Japan's leadership. A lively debate unfolds over whether the U.S. should maintain its strategic ambiguity regarding Taiwan or clarify its commitments, with arguments weighing deterrence against escalation risks. Insights from past diplomatic blunders add depth to the discussion on U.S. strategy in Asia.

Jake and Jon dissect Trump’s controversial meeting with Saudi Crown Prince MBS, highlighting both the optics and political implications. They delve into the intertwining of corruption within Zelensky’s government and a U.S. push for Ukrainian peace, stressing its impact on Western support. The duo also explores potential risks in shifting national security focus to immigration enforcement, predicting significant operational trade-offs. Plus, they preview rising tensions between Japan and China, alongside a Marburg outbreak in Ethiopia.

In this episode, Jake Sullivan and Jon Finer break down: - Syrian President Ahmed al-Shara’s Oval Office meeting with President Trump,  - Trump’s upcoming meeting with Saudi Prince Mohammed Bin Salman and the country’s tech diplomacy, and  - Trump’s post about U.S. testing nuclear weapons.  They also debate whether Israel should mount more strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities.  Follow The Long Game so you never miss an episode. New episodes drop on Fridays. Show notes and a transcript of the episode are available on Substack. Watch the video of this episode on Youtube. Have a question for Jake or Jon? Email us at letters@cafe.com or leave us a comment on Substack.  The Long Game is produced by the Vox Media Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In their first episode, Jake Sullivan and Jon Finer tackle three flashpoints central to U.S. national security interests right now: U.S. / China relations, the Russian - Ukraine War and the situation unfolding in the Caribbean and the Eastern Pacific Ocean. They close with a discussion about the new Netflix film A House of Dynamite, a story about crisis decision-making that, for two people who’ve lived those moments, hits uncomfortably close to home. Follow The Long Game so you never miss an episode. New episodes drop on Fridays. Show notes and a transcript of the episode are available on Substack. Watch the video of this episode on Youtube. Have a question for Jake or Jon? Email us at letters@cafe.com. The Long Game is brought to you by the Vox Media Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

“The Long Game” is a weekly national-security podcast hosted by Jake Sullivan and Jon Finer, former top White House advisers who’ve sat with the president for the classified Presidential Daily Brief and helped turn raw intelligence into real-world policy. Each episode offers an insider’s tour of how consequential decisions get made and why they matter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices