Podcast / American Prestige / Dec 16, 2025

Trump’s National Security Strategy

On this episode of American Prestige: Julia Gledhill and Van Jackson on the Trump administration’s National Security Strategy.

The Nation Podcasts
The Nation Podcasts

Here's where to find podcasts from The Nation. Political talk without the boring parts, featuring the writers, activists and artists who shape the news, from a progressive perspective.

Trump’s National Security Strategy w/ Julia Gledhill and Van Jackson | American Prestige
byThe Nation Magazine

Danny and Derek welcome to the show Julia Gledhill and Van Jackson, co-hosts of the Un-Diplomatic podcast, to talk about the Trump administration’s newly released National Security Strategy. They discuss how the document leans on civilizational framing, portrays competition as existential conflict, omits diplomacy and institutions in favor of coercion and deal-making, and deemphasizes democracy promotion. They also touch on the strategy’s treatment of Europe and Latin America, its assumptions about American power, and what the new NSS suggests about the direction of U.S. foreign policy.

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Donald Trump speaks during a Mexican Border Defense Medal presentation in the Oval Office on December 15, 2025.

Donald Trump speaks during a Mexican Border Defense Medal presentation in the Oval Office on December 15, 2025.

(Andrew Caballero-Reynolds /AFP via Getty Images)

Danny and Derek welcome to the show Julia Gledhill and Van Jackson, cohosts of the Un-Diplomatic podcast, to talk about the Trump administration’s newly released National Security Strategy. They discuss how the document leans on civilizational framing, portrays competition as existential conflict, omits diplomacy and institutions in favor of coercion and deal-making, and deemphasizes democracy promotion. They also touch on the strategy’s treatment of Europe and Latin America, its assumptions about American power, and what the new NSS suggests about the direction of US foreign policy.

Subscribe to The Nation to support all of our podcasts: thenation.com/podcastsubscribe.

The Nation Podcasts
The Nation Podcasts

Here's where to find podcasts from The Nation. Political talk without the boring parts, featuring the writers, activists and artists who shape the news, from a progressive perspective.

Israel Bombs Lebanon, Iran Halts Hormuz Traffic, Orban Faces Election Defeat | American Prestige
byThe Nation Magazine

Danny “Hollywood” Bessner and Derek “Bethesda” Davison are back with the news. This week: Israel bombs Lebanon and kills hundreds (2:09) as Iran halts traffic through the Strait of Hormuz in response (5:43); the U.S. and Iran prepare for peace talks in Pakistan (8:26); Trump threatens to resume the war if talks fail (13:02); the Gaza Board of Peace demands Hamas provide a disarmament response (14:56); Afghanistan and Pakistan pause talks and agree to avoid escalation (17:16); Myanmar’s parliament elects junta leader Min Aung Hlaing as president (20:04); Vietnam’s National Assembly elects Communist Party chief To Lam as president (21:14); KMT leader Chiang Li-wun visits China to pursue closer ties (22:59); Burkina Faso’s junta leader extends military rule (27:06); Hungarian polling projects Viktor Orban to lose power to the opposition (31:51); Chadian forces deploy to Haiti under a UN-backed mission (34:54); Haiti postpones voter registration amid ongoing violence (37:15); Trump pressures NATO to secure the Strait of Hormuz (41:51).

Don’t forget to subscribe to the Marx Prestige miniseries. New episodes out on Tuesdays!

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Subscribe to The Nation to Support all of our podcasts

Derek Davison

Derek Davison is a writer and analyst specializing in international affairs and US foreign policy. He is the publisher of the Foreign Exchanges newsletter, cohost of the American Prestige podcast, and former editor of LobeLog.

Daniel Bessner

Daniel Bessner is an historian of US foreign relations, and cohost of American Prestige, a podcast on international affairs.

More from The Nation

Why Iran Is Attacking Data Centers—With Sam Biddle

Why Iran Is Attacking Data Centers—With Sam Biddle Why Iran Is Attacking Data Centers—With Sam Biddle

Paris Marx is joined by Sam Biddle to discuss what it means for data centers to become targets in a war.

Paris Marx

Protesters gather in Times Square as the nation reacts to

The Long History of the US War on Iran—With Spencer Ackerman The Long History of the US War on Iran—With Spencer Ackerman

Paris Marx is joined by Spencer Ackerman to discuss the US and Israeli war on Iran, including the history that led to this moment and what we might see from here.

Podcast / Tech Won't Save Us

Iranian security chief Ali Larijani attends a ceremony by the Lebanese Shiite movement Hezbollah.

Iran Assassinations Escalate, Israel Invades Southern Lebanon, the US Pressures Zambia Over Aid for Minerals Iran Assassinations Escalate, Israel Invades Southern Lebanon, the US Pressures Zambia Over Aid for Minerals

Derek wore his Fitbit to a CIA black site, both exposing the security state and meeting his daily step goal.

Daniel Bessner and Derek Davison

People clear rubble in a house in the Beryanak District after it was damaged by missile attacks two days before, on March 15, 2026, in Tehran, Iran.

After the Iran War, Can America Still Be Trusted? After the Iran War, Can America Still Be Trusted?

Annelle Sheline on alienating allies.

Jeet Heer

Commercial vessels are pictured offshore in Dubai on March 11, 2026.

From the Strait of Hormuz to the Streets of Minneapolis—Plus, Mamdani and the Midterms From the Strait of Hormuz to the Streets of Minneapolis—Plus, Mamdani and the Midterms

On this episode of Start Making Sense, John Nichols analyzes the politics of the Iran war, and Maurice Mitchell talks about political movements and voting.

Jon Wiener

Tehran with smoke visible in the distance after explosions were reported in the city, on March 02, 2026

Iran and the End of Restraint—With Trita Parsi and Akbar Shahid Ahmed Iran and the End of Restraint—With Trita Parsi and Akbar Shahid Ahmed

On the latest American Prestige.

Daniel Bessner and Derek Davison

x