Operation Epic Fury 2?: Adm. Robert Harward

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1. 

   S1 · E150 · 24 Jun 2026 · 44 min

   Deciphering the Iran Ceasefire: Amb. Jeffrey Feltman

   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…

2. 

   S1 · E149 · 17 Jun 2026 · 51 min

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

   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…

3. 

   S1 · E145 · 10 Jun 2026 · 53 min

   'Leapfrogging' Diplomacy: Dr. Nadia Schadlow

   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.

4. 

   S1 · E147 · 31 May 2026 · 42 min

   The Price of Peace in Iran: Richard Nephew

   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…

5. 

   S1 · E146 · 27 May 2026 · 56 min

   Reading Between the Lines - What's Hidden in the New Iran Agreement: Dr. Rebeccah L. Heinrichs and Rich Goldberg

   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,…

6. 

   S1 · E144 · 15 May 2026 · 53 min

   Special Episode - The Political Firestorm at 10 Downing Street: Dr. Alan Mendoza

   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…

7. 

   S1 · E143 · 13 May 2026 · 39 min

   Trump's Beijing Detour & China's Role in the Iran Endgame: Craig Singleton

   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…

8. 

   S1 · E142 · 5 May 2026 · 58 min

   The Hormuz Hotline: Eddie Fishman

   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…

9. 

   S1 · E139 · 29 Apr 2026 · 58 min

   Blockade Brinkmanship: Richard Fontaine

   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…

10. 

    S1 · E140 · 22 Apr 2026 · 45 min

    The Iranian 'Escalation Trap': Gen. Joseph Votel

    Michael is joined by Gen. (Ret.) Joseph Votel, former CENTCOM Commander, to examine the high-pressure maneuvering between Washington and Tehran amid the recently extended Mideast ceasefire. Gen. Votel warns of a looming "escalation trap" as the US and Iran navigate a delicate truce. He also provides a candid assessment of a potential second round of negotiations in Islamabad and explains why the US must now work harder than ever on the diplomatic and strategic communications fronts to avoid a return to full-scale hostilities.