Donald Trump’s return to the White House has revived one of his signature economic tools: tariffs. But will this strategy revitalize the U.S. economy or sabotage it? With Trump pressing forward on new levies against hundreds of countries and industries, global trade relationships are in flux and domestic markets are bracing for impact. What could this mean for consumer prices, interest rates, and America’s already staggering $36 trillion debt? And will Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill” deliver growth or invite economic catastrophe?

In this episode, Paul Saunders speaks with Jacob Heilbrunn, editor of The National Interest. Heilbrunn previously served as a senior editor at the New Republic and an editorial writer for the Los Angeles Times and has written on both foreign and domestic issues for numerous publications including the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, Foreign Affairs, Reuters, Washington Monthly, and the Weekly Standard.

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Israel’s June 13 strikes on Iran, followed swiftly by American airstrikes on Iranian nuclear sites and a White House-declared ceasefire, revealed a new strategic posture in Washington and Jerusalem. As the regional order reshuffles and traditional proxies splinter, Iran’s nuclear ambitions may likely intensify. Will the strikes deter Tehran, or entrench a dangerous stalemate with no clear endgame? In this episode, Paul Saunders speaks with Joshua Yaphe, a senior fellow at the Center for the National Interest. For fifteen years, Yaphe was the lead analyst for the Arabian Peninsula at the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Intelligence and Research. In 2020, he was a Visiting Fellow at the National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations, and from 2022 to 2024, he served as a visiting faculty member at the National Intelligence University.

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America’s nuclear advantage, once the envy of the world, is no longer guaranteed. With China and Russia now leading the global nuclear buildout, Washington faces a critical juncture. The stakes go far beyond energy: nuclear innovation is quickly becoming a pillar of geopolitical influence, economic competitiveness, and strategic security. Can the U.S. reclaim its leadership role before the gap becomes irreversible?

In this episode, Paul Saunders speaks with Dr. Ashley Finan, Chief Science Officer for the National and Homeland Security Directorate at Idaho National Laboratory. Dr. Finan is also a global fellow at Columbia University's Center on Global Energy Policy and previously served as the founding Director of the National Reactor Innovation Center. She holds a Ph.D. in Nuclear Science and Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

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