Episode
The Anti-Strategic President (w/ Hal Brands)
- Podcast
- The Bulwark
- Published
- Jul 20, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 1350
- Processing state
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- https://www.thebulwark.com/p/the-anti-strategic-president-w-hal
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Summary
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Eric welcomes back friend of the show Professor Hal Brands, the Henry A. Kissinger Distinguished Professor of Global Studies at Johns Hopkins University’s School of Advanced International Studies. The two discuss Hal’s recent work, beginning with his column in Bloomberg dissecting the key strategic errors that Trump has made in the ongoing war with Iran. Hal then breaks down his recent essay with Michael Beckley in Foreign Affairs, which examines global conflict through the lens of “heartland” and “rimland” coalitions. Finally, they turn to Hal’s latest edited volume which brings together essays by a large group of scholars considering the many ways that AI may change the nature of international affairs, the conduct of war, and global order. Hal Brands’ latest in Bloomberg: https://www.aei.org/op-eds/trumps-iran-blunder-shows-strategy-can-defeat-firepower/ Hal Brands & Michael Beckley’s latest in Foreign Affairs: https://www.foreignaffairs.com/china/heartland-vs-rimland-beckley-brands The Geopolitics of AI: Power, Conflict, and the Future of Global Order: Free PDF via Johns Hopkins University Press Hard copy via Amazon Shield of the Republic is a Bulwark podcast co-sponsored by the Miller Center of Public Affairs at the University of Virginia.