# Episode 33: A Conversation with Mike Kuiken

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/memos-to-the-president-7160594/episode-33-a-conversation-with-mike-kuiken
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/memos-to-the-president-7160594/episode-33-a-conversation-with-mike-kuiken.md
Podcast: [Memos to the President](https://stenobird.com/podcast/memos-to-the-president-7160594)
Published: 2025-09-04T13:49:54+00:00
Episode link: https://memos-to-the-president.simplecast.com/episodes/episode-33-a-conversation-with-mike-kuiken-KawxYPV8
Audio file: https://cdn.simplecast.com/audio/ffe93215-d0aa-4aaf-bb37-97d5352287a1/episodes/a4fc7726-de3d-43f2-b1b8-14bcc4ef97f4/audio/5d66a5c6-2d43-4ad5-b3de-d823f8509f59/default_tc.mp3?aid=rss_feed&feed=nLuyQlk3
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/memos-to-the-president-7160594/episodes/episode-33-a-conversation-with-mike-kuiken
Duration seconds: 1558

## Resource

In this special episode of Memos to the President, recorded on the National Mall, Ylli Bajraktari sits down with Mike Kuiken, a veteran of Capitol Hill with over two decades of experience. The conversation traces Mike's journey from a staff assistant to becoming the National Security Advisor for Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. They discuss how major events like 9/11 shaped his career, his pivotal role on the Senate Armed Services Committee, and how he witnessed the shift in national security priorities from counter-terrorism to the strategic competition with China. Mike also shares behind-the-scenes insights into organizing the historic AI Insight Forums and his recent trip to Beijing with a bipartisan group of senators.

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## Transcript

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