Backyard Hegemony - Reasserting U.S. Influence in the Western Hemisphere: David Shedd

Andrew Shapiro is joined by Ambassador Jeffrey Feltman, whose distinguished diplomatic career includes serving as U.N. Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs and Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs. Amb. Feltman, now a visiting fellow at the Brookings Institution, discusses the fragile state of the U.S.–Iran ceasefire and progress toward talks for a long-term diplomatic agreement. He assesses Iran's core objectives, the strategic sidelining of Israel, and how Tehran's survival alters the calculus for Russia and China in global geopolitics. Amb. Feltman also maps out a "new normal" for the region defined by cliffhanging diplomatic extensions and localized proxy skirmishes rather than a definitive peace.

Michael is joined by David Shedd, former Acting Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency and a veteran intelligence officer, for a comprehensive look at the shifting geopolitical dynamics across Latin America. David discusses the structural collapse of Cuba and the outlook for U.S. intervention, the delicate execution of the administration's plan for Venezuela, and the profound strategic challenges posed by Chinese investments in the U.S. backyard. He also explores the sharp friction points surfacing within the U.S.–Mexico relationship and the reality of behind-the-scenes intelligence sharing.

Michael is joined by Dr. Nadia Schadlow, Senior Fellow at the Hudson Institute and former Deputy National Security Advisor for Strategy, to discuss the architecture of U.S. global power amid fast-moving crises in the Mideast, China, and Ukraine. Dr. Schadlow provides a compelling assessment of how the administration is utilizing a disruptive, iconoclastic approach to confront years of slow, multilateral processing and force rapid diplomatic end states.

Michael is joined by Richard Nephew, Senior Research Scholar at Columbia University and former Director for Iran at the National Security Council, to examine the fragile state of the U.S.–Iran ceasefire and the looming terms of a potential memorandum of understanding (MOU). Richard shares his concerns about the current trajectory of negotiations, warning that Washington is at risk of overpaying with massive sanctions relief without securing a durable, verifiable nuclear agreement. Richard also helps unravel the strategic and economic fallout of the crisis, examining the potential long-term impact of costly oil and how the conflict has shifted Iran's strategic calculus toward a more aggressive, risk-tolerant posture.  

Michael is joined by Dr. Rebeccah L. Heinrichs, Senior Fellow and Director of the Keystone Defense Initiative at the Hudson Institute, and Rich Goldberg, Senior Advisor at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, to pull back the curtain on the still-unreleased U.S.-Iran memorandum of understanding to end the war. They explore the hidden risks of a premature diplomatic off-ramp, with Dr. Heinrichs and Mr. Goldberg analyzing why a partial deal could squander the historic geopolitical momentum built up over weeks of military pressure. Finally, they map out a definitive theory of victory, evaluating the operational steps the U.S. could take to forcibly dismantle Tehran's nuclear program.

Michael Allen is joined by Admiral (Ret.) Robert "Bob" Harward, former Deputy Commander of CENTCOM and a retired Navy SEAL, for an intensely candid look at what he believes the ultimate end state of the Iran conflict should look like. Drawing on his distinguished military career and the unique perspective of having lived in Tehran during his youth, Admiral Harward rejects the cautious consensus of Washington skeptics. Instead, he doubles down on the strategic necessity of driving toward total regime change, arguing that the U.S. holds a historic opportunity to decisively alter the global order.

Michael is joined by Dr. Alan Mendoza, Chief Advisor for Global Affairs for the U.K.'s Reform Party, to explain the political firestorm engulfing Prime Minister Keir Starmer and his Labour Party. Dr. Mendoza provides an insider's look at the mounting pressure on Starmer and the momentum behind the Reform Party and firebrand Nigel Farage following recent local election results. He explores the last decade of tectonic shifts in British politics—from the decline of the Conservative Party to the potential for a radical hybrid coalition that could reshape the country's leadership. Dr. Mendoza also analyzes the "Special Relationship" between the U.S. and U.K. through the lens of the Iran war, discussing the growing consternation in Europe and the strategic role Britain must play as Washington navigates a volatile Middle East.

Michael is joined by Craig Singleton, Senior Director of the China Program at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, to preview the long-delayed summit between President Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping this week. With the war in Iran looming over the meeting, Craig discusses whether Beijing will leverage its influence over Tehran as a bargaining chip or continue to provide the regime with a critical economic lifeline. He also focuses on the unbalanced dependencies that define the U.S.-China relationship—from the weaponization of trade to the national security risks posed by Chinese dominance in the battery and electric vehicle markets. Craig also explains what China's plans could be for Taiwan, and why the U.S. can't build its next industrial economy on supply chains controlled by Beijing. 

Michael is joined by Eddie Fishman, Director of the Maurice R. Greenberg Center for Geoeconomics at the Council on Foreign Relations and a former State Department sanctions expert, to discuss the Trump administration's shift toward a "last-ditch" diplomatic and geoeconomic effort to resolve the Iran conflict. Eddie evaluates the effectiveness of the US Navy's new "guiding" mission in the Strait of Hormuz and whether a peaceful reopening of the waterway is actually scalable. Eddie also discusses the financial lifelines to Iran from continued trade through the Strait and the alternative oil exports the country is attempting, along with the ongoing impact on Europe and Asia.  

Michael welcomes Richard Fontaine, CEO of the Center for a New American Security, to evaluate the sustainability of the US economic blockade in the Strait of Hormuz and the realistic prospects for a nuclear breakthrough with Iran. Richard provides a reality check on the administration's declarations of victory, explaining why a meaningful nuclear agreement remains weeks, if not months, away. He explores the likelihood of a blockade-for-blockade swap and the potential for a narrow, three-to-four page framework to replace the sprawling agreements of the past. Finally, Richard assesses how Beijing could be evaluating US positioning and maritime pressure in the region.