NATO, Ukraine, and the Cost of America's 4-Year Foreign Policy

Protester holding up Ukraine flag.
Photo by Anastasiia Krutota on Unsplash
Published: 24 Feb, 2025
1 min read

Over the past two weeks, JD Vance blamed European Allies for stifling free speech in their countries, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth blamed them for not spending enough on defense, and President Trump blamed Ukraine for starting Russia's invasion of their country.

In response, European governments appear to be preparing for a future without America's support.

Many have attributed this to Trump, whose brash style and isolationist tendencies are a mismatch with the traditional postwar order. But is this a Trump issue, or something deeper?

In this episode, Dan and Shawn explore how the growing political divide in America over the last 30 years has made America a less reliable partner on the international stage, its implications for the country, and how we can fix it.

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