# Sleeper Threats to U.S. and Global Security Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-diplomacy-podcast-7380491/sleeper-threats-to-u-s-and-global-security Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-diplomacy-podcast-7380491/sleeper-threats-to-u-s-and-global-security.md Podcast: [The Diplomacy Podcast](https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-diplomacy-podcast-7380491) Published: 2025-11-05T17:00:00+00:00 Episode link: https://nicholaskralev.substack.com/p/sleeper-threats-to-us-and-global Audio file: https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/177751952/e7433596dbf81dda58c40a8f040807d9.mp3 Processing state: not_requested JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/the-diplomacy-podcast-7380491/episodes/sleeper-threats-to-u-s-and-global-security Duration seconds: 1672 ## Resource Guest: Tom Countryman, former U.S. assistant secretary of state for international security and nonproliferation The Trump administration has done an excellent job inundating us with all kinds of news, pronouncements and orders. But lately, I’ve found myself wondering what sleeper threats to U.S. and global security are not making headlines. So I asked an expert. On this episode of “The Diplomacy Podcast,” we discuss hidden risks for both the United States and the world. My guest is Tom Countryman , former U.S. assistant secretary of state for international security and nonproliferation. He spent 34 years in the Foreign Service and currently chairs the board of the Arms Control Association, a Washington think tank. Countryman worries that we are not practicing the diplomacy necessary to avert an armed conflict with China, and to preempt an erratic reaction by Russian President Vladimir Putin should he lose his war against Ukraine. Countryman is also concerned about the Trump administration’s air strikes on boats in the Caribbean and the Pacific without evidence to back its claim that they were smuggling drugs. As always, my guest’s opinions don’t necessarily represent my own views. Watch or listen to the episode above, or on one of these platforms: YouTube , Spotify , Apple Podcasts . This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit nicholaskralev.substack.com ## Actions - request_transcript: `POST https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/the-diplomacy-podcast-7380491/episodes/sleeper-threats-to-u-s-and-global-security/transcription-requests` — Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode. - read_markdown: `GET https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-diplomacy-podcast-7380491/sleeper-threats-to-u-s-and-global-security.md` — Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource. A page view does not enqueue transcription. Agents should invoke `request_transcript` explicitly when they need this episode processed. ## Transcript Full transcripts are not published on public pages unless there is a clear rights basis.