The new film A House of Dynamite offers a terrifying portrayal of how quickly a nuclear war might erupt and how the United States might respond. Looking beyond this Hollywood depiction, how real has the threat of nuclear war actually become, from adversaries’ expanding arsenals to warning-system vulnerabilities? What would a modern nuclear exchange actually look like? Are America’s defenses adequate for the world we live in today? And how can the U.S. deter adversaries without stumbling into escalation or miscalculation?

In this episode, Jacob Heilbrunn speaks with retired U.S. Air Force General Glen VanHerck. He most recently served as Commander of the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) and United States Northern Command (USNORTHCOM) from 2020 to 2024. Gen. VanHerck retired from the Air Force in 2024 after more than 36 years of service.

Music by Aleksey Chistilin from Pixabay

Moldova’s recent elections dealt another blow to Moscow’s influence, but can its fragile democracy withstand the Kremlin’s next moves? Across Eastern Europe, Ukraine fights for survival, Georgia teeters between Brussels and Moscow, and Russian interference looms over them all. What tools does Vladimir Putin still have to destabilize the region—and how can Europe and the United States help defend its newest democracies without overreaching?

In this episode, Jacob Heilbrunn speaks with Shelby Magid, Deputy Director of the Atlantic Council's Eurasia Center. Magid previously served at the German Marshall Fund of the United States and at the International Federation for Human Rights’ office in The Hague, where she worked with the International Criminal Court and conducted research on human rights violations.

Music by Aleksey Chistilin from Pixabay

Sunday’s parliamentary elections in Moldova delivered a clear victory for the pro-European Party of Action and Solidarity (PAS), led by sitting President Maia Sandu. Can economic incentives and Western investment now help transform Moldova's breakaway region of Transnistria from a Russia-leaning outpost into a partner in reconstruction and EU integration? Do the election results signal that the enclave’s oligarchs and younger voters are shifting toward Europe? And what options remain for Vladimir Putin as his traditional levers of influence in the region slip away?

In this episode, Jacob Heilbrunn speaks with Daniel Runde, a senior adviser at BGR Group and author of The American Imperative: Reclaiming Global Leadership Through Soft Power (Bombardier Books, 2023). Runde previously served as a senior vice president at the Center for Strategic and International Studies and has advised the U.S. government, foreign ministries, international bodies, and Fortune 500 firms.