Episodes
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Donald Trump's decision to bomb Iran lays bare a major rift within Republican foreign policy. Until recently, the more isolationist “America First” wing seemed ascendant, sidelining the hawks. But that dynamic decisively shifted on Saturday when Trump ordered American strikes on several targets in Iran
My guest today is Andrew Prokop of Vox, who recently wrote a deep dive into the GOP’s foreign policy divide. In our conversation, we explore the history of these two Republican camps—and how the debate over Iran is playing out now. We also discuss the potential domestic fallout of dragging the U.S. into another Middle East war.
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From June 9th to 13th, some 15,000 participants—including more than 60 Heads of State and Government—convened in Nice, on France's Mediterranean coast, for a major UN-sponsored conference on oceans. So what happened at the UN Oceans Summit, and why does it matter? Joining me to answer these questions and more is Bruna Campos of the Center for International Environmental Law. We caught up last week as the conference was coming to a close, and in our conversation, Bruna Campos explains why this summit was convened in the first place, which governments are pushing for more robust protections of our oceans, and which countries are standing in the way.
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After years of threats, the Israeli government launched a major attack overnight, targeting both Iran’s nuclear program and several senior Iranian military and political leaders. At the time of writing, Iran had yet to respond in a major way, though the expectation is that the regime will hit back—and much harder than it did last year after a previous (and more limited) Israeli strike on Iran.
The key question now, according to my interview guest Barbara Slavin, is whether this inspires Iran to gather the nuclear material it has and make a sprint toward weaponizing its stockpiles of enriched uranium and becoming a nuclear weapons state.
Barbara Slavin is a longtime journalist and think tank expert focusing on Iran and U.S.-Iran relations. She is a distinguished fellow at the Stimson Center and the editor of Middle East Perspectives. We kick off by discussing what Israel’s target list suggests about its intentions behind these major strikes, before having a longer conversation about what Iran’s response may entail and what role the United States might play in a widening conflict in the Middle East.
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There are nearly 70,000 UN peacekeeping personnel serving in 11 missions around the world. My guest today, Jean-Pierre Lacroix, is in charge of them all. He has served as the United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations for the last eight years, giving him deep visibility into the unique role that UN Peacekeeping plays in maintaining international peace and security. In our conversation, he describes the work of UN Peacekeeping in places like Cyprus, South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Lebanon, and the work peacekeepers do to prevent conflict and protect civilians.
However, today UN Peacekeeping faces profound financial strain. While the United States contributes very few personnel to peacekeeping, it has historically provided about 25% of the cost of these missions. But the Trump administration is now seeking to eliminate American financial contributions to UN Peacekeeping. In our conversation, Under-Secretary-General Lacroix explains how he is preparing for potential cuts, and what impact such a massive budget shortfall would have on the operations of peacekeeping around the world. This is a pivotal moment for UN Peacekeeping, and Jean-Pierre Lacroix explains what is at stake in terms of the ability of blue helmets to protect civilians in conflict and prevent crises from spilling out of control.
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Global Dispatches is entering a new era—and I need your help to keep it going. For years, I’ve been able to produce this show thanks to institutional support, especially from the UN Foundation, which has backed my work for two decades. But due to recent funding cuts, that support is ending, and I now need to raise $140,000 to keep the show going at current levels. If this podcast has helped you make sense of the world, informed your work, or simply earned your trust, please consider becoming a paying subscriber. Most episodes are free, but they’re not free to make. You can support at full price—or with a 20% or 40% discount. All subscribers get access to our sister podcast To Save Us From Hell, my essays, and the full 13-year archive. And if you join based on this pitch, I’ll mail you a Global Dispatches sticker as a thank-you.
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After an 80-day total blockade of humanitarian aid into Gaza, a new scheme to distribute food to desperate Gazans began operations this week. The “Gaza Humanitarian Foundation” is an Israeli-American creation, designed by consultants, backed by American security contractors, and headed by an evangelical Christian supporter of Donald Trump who has little experience in humanitarian aid. They have set up four aid distribution sites, mostly in remote locations in southern Gaza, where thousands of Gazans have scrambled to access the limited food that Israel is permitting into the territory.
Independent humanitarian agencies and the United Nations are not participating in this scheme because it is clearly designed to advance Israeli political and military aims, rather than meet Gazans’ increasingly desperate humanitarian needs. Ciarán Donnelly, Senior Vice President for international programs at the International Rescue Committee, explains why this aid scheme is deeply flawed, what we know about this “Gaza Humanitarian Foundation,” and what needs to be done to get food and aid to people in Gaza before a widespread famine takes hold.
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The General Assembly selected five new members of the Security Council and one new President of the General Assembly this week in not-so-hotly contested elections. These new Security Council members will take their seats in January, and former German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock will assume the PGA gavel at UNGA in September.
So what can we expect from these new faces in the UN’s two key bodies? Anjali and Mark break down the implications of a reshaped Security Council and the fact that a longtime German Green Party politician will helm the General Assembly as the UN enters its 80th year.
But first: The Trump administration throws down the gauntlet in an effort to block Mongolia’s attempt to celebrate the unique contributions of horses in today’s world. Seriously, that happened. And it’s actually a way bigger deal than you’d expect!
Get the full episode here: https://www.globaldispatches.org/p/new-faces-at-the-unand-a-horse-fight
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On May 20th, after years of negotiation, World Health Organization member states adopted the Pandemic Agreement — the first international treaty focused on pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response. Developed in response to the shortcomings revealed during the COVID-19 pandemic, the agreement emphasizes equitable access to vaccines, diagnostics, and treatments, and promotes international cooperation in disease surveillance and health system strengthening.
But will this brand-new agreement live up to its potential? And what role might the United States' decision to remain on the sidelines — and not become a party to the agreement — play in how it is adopted and implemented?
Joining me to discuss these questions and more is Alexandra Phelan, Associate Professor at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Senior Scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security. We begin by examining how the deficiencies in the global response to COVID-19 revealed the need for such a treaty in the first place, before having a longer conversation about what the agreement actually obliges of its signatories — and what factors will determine whether or not it works as intended.
This episode is produced in partnership with Lex International Fund, a philanthropic fund dedicated to strengthening international law to solve global challenges. It is part of a series that demonstrates the impact of Treaties on state behavior that we are calling "when treaties work"
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The Pope is not just a religious leader—he's also a Head of State. The Holy See maintains formal diplomatic relations with most countries on Earth and holds the status of a permanent observer at the United Nations. In recent years, the Pope has leveraged his dual role as the leader of the Catholic Church and a head of state to pursue a purposeful foreign policy vision and play a key diplomatic role. Indeed, Pope Francis was instrumental in brokering a major détente between the United States and Cuba during the Obama administration.
So, what is Pope Leo’s foreign policy vision? How does it differ from that of his predecessors? And how might the fact that he is an American and a native English speaker influence the kind of impact he can have on the world stage? Joining me to explore these questions and more is Tom Reese, a Jesuit priest and senior analyst for Religion News Service. In our conversation, Tom Reese unpacks the key takeaways from Pope Leo’s first foreign policy address to foreign diplomats at the Vatican and offers insights into the role the first American pope might play on the global stage as he assumes leadership of the Vatican.
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My guest today, Zia Mian is co-director of Princeton University's Program on Science and Global Security. He's a physicist who has long studied nuclear weapons and nuclear security. In our conversation Zia Mian explains how scientists have impacted policy discussions about nuclear weapons since the dawn of the nuclear age, and how as the nuclear security landscape is evolving--and as science is advancing, scientists can continue to contribute to our understanding of the effects of a nuclear war.
In addition to his perch at Princeton, Zia Mian serves as Co-Chair of the Scientific Advisory Group of the United Nations Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. This is the first first international scientific body created by a United Nations treaty process for the purpose of advancing nuclear disarmament and in our conversation he explains how the work of scientists can contribute to a nuclear free world.
We kick off, however, discussing the recent conflict between India and Pakistan and what this conflict says about the role of nuclear weapons in international security today.
We recorded this conversation in conjunction with the Carnegie International Nuclear Policy Conference. To view other episodes in this series please visit GlobalDispatches.org
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On April 22, militants launched a brutal assault on a tourist site in Indian-controlled Kashmir, killing 26 civilians in what became the deadliest terrorist attack in India in nearly 15 years. What followed was the most intense military confrontation between India and Pakistan in decades—airstrikes, drone attacks, and a terrifying cycle of escalation that threatened to spiral out of control. Then, suddenly, came a ceasefire on May 10.
But why? And will it hold?
In today’s episode, I speak with Debak Das, Assistant Professor at the Josef Korbel School of International Studies at the University of Denver, to unpack the deeper roots of the Kashmir dispute and why it remains such a dangerous flashpoint between two nuclear-armed rivals. We explore how this crisis escalated so quickly—and why it stopped just short of the brink. Debak also offers sharp insight into the precariousness of the current ceasefire and what might come next.
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What would actually happen if a nuclear weapon were detonated in space?
This isn't just the stuff of science fiction — it's a scenario that researchers have studied closely, and the implications are deeply unsettling. From disrupting satellite a nuclear detonation in space would have immediate, global consequences — even without a single casualty on the ground.
In today’s episode, we’re exploring how our growing dependence on space-based infrastructure — for communications, surveillance, and national security — is changing the conventional calculus around nuclear deterrence.
How are major nuclear powers, including Russia, responding to this shifting landscape? Are we on the verge of a space-based nuclear arms race? And what can be done now to preserve space as a peaceful domain?
My guest is Bill Hennigan, author of the At the Brink series, which We recorded this conversation live at the Carnegie International Nuclear Policy Conference — and it’s a fascinating look into how the nuclear order may be evolving in ways that are still underappreciated.
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I've been hanging around the United Nations these past few days attending events related to consultations on lethal autonomous weapons systems—so-called killer robots. These are AI-powered weapons systems that can select and strike targets without human control. This is not the stuff of science fiction. These weapons exist today, and they are becoming more powerful—and, frankly, more accessible. They can be relatively inexpensive and deployed by both states and non-state actors, including terrorist groups.
As of now, there are no meaningful international regulations governing the use or development of these lethal autonomous weapons systems. There is a clear gap in our global governance of these technologies.
Here at the United Nations, delegates have been discussing ways to close that gap—potentially through a new legally binding international treaty to regulate or even ban some of these systems.
My guest today, Anna Hehir, is at the forefront of this effort. She is the Head of Military AI at the Future of Life Institute. In our conversation, Anna explains exactly what these weapons entail, where and how they are being used today, and what the future may look like if they continue to be developed without rules or oversight. We then discuss the process of getting a potential treaty on lethal autonomous weapons systems—and why, even if key players do not join such a treaty, it could still make a meaningful difference.
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Eliana Johns hunts for nuclear weapons. She’s a senior research associate at the Federation of American Scientists, where her team uses open-source intelligence — or OSINT — to uncover secrets about countries’ nuclear capabilities and intentions. In fact, much of what we know today about China’s nuclear arsenal comes from her colleagues’ work, which used commercial satellite imagery to reveal that China is undertaking a massive nuclear buildup — at a pace far exceeding publicly available estimates from U.S. intelligence agencies.
In our conversation, Johns explains where OSINT has worked best and why greater transparency around nuclear weapons is essential for a more stable and peaceful world.
We recorded this live at the Carnegie International Nuclear Policy Conference.
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The race to succeed António Guterres is unofficially underway. His term as UN Secretary-General ends in December 2026, but the backroom jockeying has already begun. In this episode, Mark and Anjali are joined by Richard Gowan of the International Crisis Group to break down the early contenders, how shifting geopolitics could shake up the selection process, and the daunting mess the next Secretary-General is likely to inherit. But first, they react to Trump’s eyebrow-raising pick for UN Ambassador: recently fired National Security Advisor Mike Waltz.
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The legendary international relations scholar Joseph Nye passed away on May 7th at the age of 88. He’s best known, of course, for developing and advancing the idea of “soft power”—the ability to influence others and shape outcomes through attraction, persuasion, and cultural or ideological appeal rather than coercion or force. But over his singularly illustrious career, he authored hundreds of scholarly articles and dozens of books on international relations.
To honor is legacy and memory, I wanted to share our conversation from way back in 2014.
We began our conversation talking about Russia’s (then recent) annexation of Crimea and occupation Ukraine, and what it suggests about long held ideas in international relations theory. We then pivot to his personal story, including his childhood in New Jersey and how his entry into the world of international relations was as an Africanist—he wrote an award-winning thesis as a Rhodes Scholar on decolonization in East Africa. Of course, we also discussed at length how he came up with the idea of “soft power,” which, as he explains, stemmed from an “a-ha!” moment while sitting in his kitchen.
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In just the first four months of the Trump administration, several pillars of American foreign policy have been upended — USAID dismantled, most foreign aid frozen, and the rules-based international trade system thrown into disarray. Could nuclear policy be next?
To find out, I spoke with Alexandra Bell, President and CEO of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists and a former senior State Department official on nuclear issues. She breaks down the key decisions facing the administration — and the risks tied to some of the options on the table, particularly around missile defense. We also unpack the state of nuclear diplomacy with Russia and China, and why forcing trilateral arms control talks is likely a dead end.
This conversation is a clear-eyed look at the current state of play in Trump’s nuclear policy — and where it may be headed next.
We recorded this live at the Carnegie International Nuclear Policy Conference. More conversations are coming soon. To catch them live, subscribe below or get the Substack app.
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The Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, better known as the CTBT, expressly prohibits its signatories from testing nuclear weapons. It was opened for signature in 1996 and is now one of the most widely adopted treaties in the world.
Since the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty was opened for signature in 1996, there have been ten nuclear tests conducted worldwide. These include two tests by India and two by Pakistan in 1998, and six tests by North Korea between 2006 and 2017 . This limited number of tests since 1996 stands in stark contrast to the more than 2,000 nuclear tests conducted in the preceding five decades, highlighting the CTBT's significant role in establishing a global norm against nuclear testing
My guest today, Robert Floyd, is the Executive Secretary of the Comprehensive Test-Ban Treaty Organization, which—as the name suggests—is the international body responsible for monitoring and facilitating the implementation of this treaty. It does so, in part, through a sophisticated global monitoring system capable of detecting a nuclear test anywhere in the world. I sat down with Robert Floyd on the sidelines of the Carnegie International Nuclear Policy Conference in Washington, DC, earlier this month, where he explained why the CTBT has been so successful in constraining nuclear testing—and what challenges the treaty now faces amid a rapidly shifting geopolitical landscape.
This episode is produced in partnership with Lex International Fund, a philanthropic fund dedicated to strengthening international law to solve global challenges. It is part of a series that demonstrates the impact of Treaties on state behavior that we are calling "when treaties work"
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Ankit Panda’s new book delivers a stark message: we’ve entered a new nuclear age. This one is shaped by rising U.S.–Russia tensions, China’s emergence as a major nuclear power, and a wave of tech breakthroughs — including AI — that are transforming the nuclear landscape. The result? A world where nuclear security is more complicated, and more dangerous, than ever.
In The New Nuclear Age: At the Precipice of Armageddon, Panda breaks down the key trends driving this shift. In our conversation, he explains why this moment is so perilous — and how we might avoid stumbling into a new nuclear war.
We recorded this live at the Carnegie International Nuclear Policy Conference. More conversations are coming soon.
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The escalating trade dispute between the United States and China has, in the view of my guest today, unofficially crossed the threshold into a full-blown trade war. Wendy Cutler is Vice President at the Asia Society Policy Institute and a longtime diplomat and negotiator at the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative.
We spoke on Friday, April 18, as both countries were rapidly imposing tariffs and counter-tariffs, measures and countermeasures. In our conversation, Wendy explains which of these actions may prove particularly damaging to both the U.S. and Chinese economies. She also breaks down China’s diplomatic response, including a recent trip by Xi Jinping to three Southeast Asian countries aimed at shoring up regional trade alliances. Finally, Wendy offers insight into how bad this trade war could get—and identifies potential offramps that might help prevent the worst-case scenarios.`
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