{"podcast":{"title":"The Steady State Sentinel","slug":"the-steady-state-sentinel-7636983","podcast_index_feed_id":7636983,"rss_url":"https://media.rss.com/the-steady-state-sentinel/feed.xml","website_url":"https://thesteadystate.org/","image_url":"https://media.rss.com/the-steady-state-sentinel/20260104_040107_01c26922c58f7914214377cb41ca643e.png","author":"The Steady State","episode_count":34,"summary":"The Steady State Sentinel is produced by The Steady State , a community of former national security professionals who spent their careers safeguarding the United States at home and abroad. Today, we continue that mission by staying true to our oaths to defend the Constitution, uphold democracy, and protect national security. Each episode features expert hosts in conversation with accomplished guests whose experience sheds light on the crises and challenges facing the nation. New episodes every Tuesday and subscribe on YouTube for the video editon.","last_synced_at":"2026-06-30T14:17:04.443410+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-steady-state-sentinel-7636983"},"episode":{"title":"The Counterrevolution: Tom Shannon on America’s Retreat from the World","slug":"the-counterrevolution-tom-shannon-on-america-s-retreat-from-the-world","published_at":"2026-04-07T04:01:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-steady-state-sentinel-7636983/the-counterrevolution-tom-shannon-on-america-s-retreat-from-the-world","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-steady-state-sentinel-7636983","url":"https://rss.com/podcasts/the-steady-state-sentinel/2692500","audio_url":"https://content.rss.com/episodes/362808/2692500/the-steady-state-sentinel/2026_04_06_01_31_48_75fcca76-b6d9-4b35-9ea1-833cb6ddb74e.mp3","summary":"Soft Power, Hard Choices, and the Hollowing Out of U.S. Diplomacy In this edition of the Sentinel podcast, host Lauren Anderson, former senior FBI executive, sits down with Ambassador Tom Shannon, one of the most experienced diplomats of his generation. They discuss what Shannon describes as a \"counterrevolution\" in U.S. foreign policy – a shift away from the post-WWII alliance-based system toward a more unilateral \"America First\" approach. Shannon warns that the erosion of institutional expertise at agencies like the State Department and FBI, and across the national security enterprise, will have long-term consequences for U.S. effectiveness abroad. He also emphasizes the enduring importance of soft power, including programs like the International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP), in shaping global relations. The conversation closes with a look at how Gen Z students, including those Shannon teaches at Princeton, view America’s role in a chaotic world. Thomas A Shannon Jr. is one of the United States’ most experienced career diplomats, with more than 35 years in the Foreign Service. He served as Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs, the State Department’s top career diplomat, and held senior roles across multiple administrations, including as U.S. Ambassador to Brazil and Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs. He also led the department through the transition between the Obama and Trump administrations. Now teaching at Princeton University, Shannon brings deep expertise in diplomacy, U.S. foreign policy, and America’s role in a rapidly changing world. View the episode transcript .","meta_description":"Soft Power, Hard Choices, and the Hollowing Out of U.S. Diplomacy In this edition of the Sentinel podcast, host Lauren Anderson, former senior FBI executi…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":2732,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/the-steady-state-sentinel-7636983/episodes/the-counterrevolution-tom-shannon-on-america-s-retreat-from-the-world/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-steady-state-sentinel-7636983/the-counterrevolution-tom-shannon-on-america-s-retreat-from-the-world.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}