Fault Lines

Today, Martha, Les, Morgan, and Jess discuss the latest U.S. strikes on the Houthis in Yemen and whether they will effectively stop further attacks on shipping in the Red Sea. The Houthis, backed by Iran, have been disrupting maritime operations in the region for 17 months—but will this action truly restore deterrence?Is this about targeting the Houthis, or is it really a move against Iran? With Trump designating the Houthis as a terrorist organization and signaling maximum pressure to Tehran, how does this fit into his broader strategy for the Middle East? And, more broadly, as the Houthis continue attacking Western ships while sparing Chinese vessels, where exactly does Beijing stand in this conflict?Check out the answers to these questions and more in this episode of Fault Lines.Check out the sources that helped shape our Fellows’ discussion: https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/5196769-vance-musk-doge-federal-workforce-mistakes/https://www.wsj.com/world/middle-east/in-yemen-strikes-trump-takes-on-a-group-that-has-outlasted-powerful-foes-70ef7b3d?mod=hp_lead_pos8https://abcnews.go.com/International/iranian-general-raises-prospect-response-amid-us-strikes/story?id=119847045Follow our experts on Twitter: @lestermunson@marthamillerdc@NotTVJessJones @morganlroachLike what we're doing here?  Be sure to rate, review, and subscribe.  And don't forget to follow @masonnatsec on Twitter!We are also on YouTube, and watch today's episode here: https://youtu.be/o0Cds_L7F1o  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, Morgan, Martha, Les, and Jess break down the results of Greenland’s parliamentary elections and what they mean for U.S. strategy in the Arctic. With high voter turnout and the center-right Demokraatit (Democracy) party gaining the largest portion of parliamentary seats, Greenland is navigating a complex path between independence, Denmark, and U.S. influence—just as President Trump openly raises the possibility of annexation.How will Greenland’s new leadership shape relations with the U.S. and Europe? As China and Russia eye Arctic resources, does the U.S. have a real strategy beyond inflammatory rhetoric? And with Denmark frustrated by Trump’s remarks, is the administration undermining NATO just as Arctic security concerns grow?Check out the answers to these questions and more in this episode of Fault Lines.Check out the sources that helped shape our Fellows’ discussion: https://apnews.com/article/greenland-election-demokraatit-trump-arctic-13c295cbc716db2c8011be5819e11fefhttps://www.npr.org/2025/03/13/nx-s1-5325949/greenland-elections-trump-independence https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/12/world/europe/greenland-election.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare&sgrp=c&pvid=184EF2B4-0541-43F1-B6F3-E41C7A362BF7 Follow our experts on Twitter: @lestermunson@marthamillerdc@NotTVJessJones @morganlroachLike what we're doing here?  Be sure to rate, review, and subscribe.  And don't forget to follow @masonnatsec on Twitter!We are also on YouTube, and watch today's episode here: https://youtu.be/HYrOgB5f_Yo  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, Les, Martha, Morgan, and Jess unpack the Ukraine-Russia ceasefire talks brokered in Saudi Arabia, where Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has positioned himself as mediator. Ukraine initially pushed for land and sea ceasefires but ultimately backed down, and a key mineral agreement remains unsigned. With Russia still holding out, the ceasefire hasn’t begun — and attacks continue on both sides.Has the Trump administration successfully boxed Ukraine into talks by cutting off intelligence support? What happens if Russia refuses to play along — and will the U.S. actually hold them accountable? Is Zelensky’s return to Trump’s good graces a sign of renewed alignment or deeper dependency? And what does it mean that Europe was left out of the room?Check out the answers to these questions and more in this episode of Fault Lines.Check out the sources that helped shape our Fellows’ discussion: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/ukraine-ceasefire-russia-us-talks-saudi-arabia/https://www.bbc.com/news/live/c51ypekv9xwt Follow our experts on Twitter: @lestermunson@marthamillerdc@NotTVJessJones @morganlroachLike what we're doing here?  Be sure to rate, review, and subscribe.  And don't forget to follow @masonnatsec on Twitter!We are also on YouTube, and watch today's episode here: https://youtu.be/a8faFJHfBic  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, Jess, Les, Bishop, and Jeffrey discuss rising Indo-Pacific tensions as Chinese warships come within 200 miles of Sydney and conduct live-fire drills near New Zealand. With China’s naval expansion rapidly outpacing the U.S., and American shipbuilding struggling to keep up, concerns are growing over Washington’s AUKUS’ commitments and its broader strategic alliances both in the region and globally.Does the U.S. pivot to a more interest-based foreign policy risk alienating allies? Are China, Russia, and Iran strengthening their partnerships while the U.S. pulls back? And if the U.S. can’t deliver on AUKUS submarine commitments, what does that mean for security in the Pacific?Check out the answers to these questions and more in this episode of Fault Lines.Check out the sources that helped shape our Fellows’ discussion: https://edition.cnn.com/2025/03/06/asia/trump-china-warships-asia-pacific-analysis-hnk-intl/index.htmlhttps://www.newsweek.com/us-news-navy-warship-shiloh-french-polynesia-china-australia-2039709https://www.businessinsider.com/chinas-shipbuilding-power-players-making-warships-at-a-rapid-pace-2024-9 https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202503/1329755.shtml https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/mar/07/surface-tension-could-the-promised-aukus-nuclear-submarines-simply-never-be-handed-over-to-australia Follow our experts on Twitter: @lestermunson@NotTVJessJones @BishopGarrisonLike what we're doing here?  Be sure to rate, review, and subscribe.  And don't forget to follow @masonnatsec on Twitter!We are also on YouTube, and watch today's episode here: https://youtu.be/8jM5n20dw9M  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, Martha, Les, Morgan, and Jess examine Europe’s reaction to the Trump administration’s latest Ukraine policy shift. As the U.S. scales back intelligence sharing and pushes for a U.S.-Russia-brokered peace deal, European leaders are scrambling to define their own approach.Will this force Europe to step up militarily and act as a unified bloc? Can France’s talk of nuclear deterrence become a credible alternative to U.S. support? And how will these developments shape Europe’s defense future?Check out the answers to these questions and more in this episode of Fault Lines.Check out the sources that helped shape our Fellows’ discussion: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZvssAXQz4Cwhttps://www.politico.eu/article/european-leaders-ukraine-aid-nightmare-summit-government-emmanuel-macron-germany-us-russia/ Follow our experts on Twitter: @lestermunson@marthamillerdc@NotTVJessJones @morganlroachLike what we're doing here?  Be sure to rate, review, and subscribe.  And don't forget to follow @masonnatsec on Twitter!We are also on YouTube, and watch today's episode here: https://youtu.be/HxBlRFN-mb0 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, Martha, Morgan, and Jess break down President Trump’s March 4th national address, which was largely focused on domestic issues, with foreign policy and national security taking a backseat. When those topics did come up—more than an hour in—Trump doubled down on tariffs, floated taking over Greenland and reclaiming the Panama Canal, and took aim at U.S. foreign assistance.What do Trump’s policies mean for U.S. allies and adversaries? Will his supporters tolerate the economic pain of tariffs? And as China pushes back against U.S. pressure, is a trade war—or worse—on the horizon?Check out the answers to these questions and more in this episode of Fault Lines.Follow our experts on Twitter: @marthamillerdc@NotTVJessJones @morganlroachLike what we're doing here?  Be sure to rate, review, and subscribe.  And don't forget to follow @masonnatsec on Twitter!We are also on YouTube, and watch today's episode here: https://youtu.be/3YHMqqkGZ6o Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, Les, Jamil, Morgan, and Jess break down the tense Oval Office meeting between President Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky—and why it went so badly. With major disagreements over Russia’s role and the terms of a ceasefire, Zelensky quickly turned to European allies, sparking talk of a “coalition of the willing” to support Ukraine without U.S. leadership.Can Zelensky and Trump find a way to move forward, or has this meeting widened the divide? As Europe signals a greater role in Ukraine’s defense, will they deliver more than rhetoric? And is Trump’s approach placating Russia—or pressuring Zelensky into a deal he doesn’t want?Check out the answers to these questions and more in this episode of Fault Lines.Follow our experts on Twitter: @lestermunson@jamil_n_jaffer@NotTVJessJones @morganlroachLike what we're doing here?  Be sure to rate, review, and subscribe.  And don't forget to follow @masonnatsec on Twitter!We are also on YouTube, and watch today's episode here: https://youtu.be/SPXlhkpfne8 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, Jess, Lester, Morgan, and Amy break down the latest developments in Ukraine after a busy week in Washington with a rotating cast of world leaders. With French President Emmanuel Macron and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer in D.C. emphasizing the importance of American support to ward off Russian aggression in Europe, the Trump administration is hosting Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelenskyy today to discuss a deal granting U.S. access to Ukraine’s critical minerals—one that potentially offers little in the way of security guarantees for Kyiv.Is a potential critical minerals agreement a step toward a ceasefire, or just political theater? Are Russia and the U.S. positioning themselves for a settlement while leaving Ukraine out of the equation? And is Washington aligning with Russia on recent UN votes a sign of shifting U.S. priorities?Check out the answers to these questions and more in this episode of Fault Lines.Follow our experts on Twitter: @lestermunson@NotTVJessJones @morganlroach@amykmitchellLike what we're doing here?  Be sure to rate, review, and subscribe.  And don't forget to follow @masonnatsec on Twitter!We are also on YouTube, and watch today's episode here: https://youtu.be/Ln9165W7PSw Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, Martha, Les, Morgan, and Andrew dive into the growing threat to undersea cables—critical infrastructure carrying 95% of global internet traffic. From Taiwan detaining a Chinese-crewed vessel suspected of sabotage to Chinese and Russian-linked ships damaging cables in the Baltic Sea, these incidents highlight a dangerous pattern of grey-zone warfare.Are China and Russia testing Western response thresholds? How prepared is the U.S. to respond to these attacks? And what steps should the Trump administration take to deter future sabotage and protect critical infrastructure?Check out the answers to these questions and more in this episode of Fault Lines.Check out the sources that helped shape our expert's discussion!https://apnews.com/article/taiwan-undersea-cable-penghu-islands-china-14bfd6ddad184d77ae45068fee9b37d2 https://www.cnn.com/2025/02/25/asia/taiwan-detains-ship-undersea-cable-intl-hnk/index.html Follow our experts on Twitter: @lestermunson@marthamillerdc@AndrewBorene@morganlroachLike what we're doing here?  Be sure to rate, review, and subscribe.  And don't forget to follow @masonnatsec on Twitter!We are also on YouTube, and watch today's episode here: https://youtu.be/PJVPqdtUVDE Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, Martha, Les, Morgan, and Jess break down the results of Germany’s federal elections and the seismic shift in the country’s political landscape. While the CDU secured about 29%,  the far-right AfD doubled its support, making the Bundestag more fractured than ever—potentially complicating defense spending and transatlantic cooperation.What does the rise of AfD mean for Germany’s role in NATO and its relationship with the U.S.? As CDU leader Friedrich Merz signals a move toward greater independence from Washington, is Germany preparing to stand on its own? And with European leaders questioning U.S. commitment, is this election a sign of a larger shift in the U.S.-EU dynamic?Check out the answers to these questions and more in this episode of Fault Lines.Follow our experts on Twitter: @lestermunson@marthamillerdc@NotTVJessJones @morganlroachLike what we're doing here?  Be sure to rate, review, and subscribe.  And don't forget to follow @masonnatsec on Twitter!We are also on YouTube, and watch today's episode here: https://youtu.be/kf1mrYI05mc Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.