In this episode of Reaganism, host Roger Zakheim sits down with Professor Brendan Simms, a Professor of the History of International Relations at the University of Cambridge. They discuss Professor Simm's essay in the Wall Street Journal titled "Don't Write Off Europe Just Yet," which addresses skepticism in the U.S., particularly within the Trump administration, about Europe's role and capabilities. Simms argues that Europe has the capacity to defend itself against Russia, emphasizing the importance of U.S. support for European security. The conversation touches on historical parallels, the current geopolitical landscape, and the interconnectedness of global security, particularly concerning Russia and China.

In this episode of Reaganism, host Roger Zakheim sits down with Dr. Daniel Samet who is the George P. Shultz Fellow at the Ronald Reagan Institute, and the author of the new book, U.S. Defense Policy toward Israel: A Cold War History. The conversation explores the core thesis of Dr. Samet’s book, which directly challenges the claims made in John Mearsheimer and Stephen Walt’s The Israel Lobby. Rather than attributing U.S. Middle East policy to undue influence by a pro-Israel lobby, Dr. Samet argues that American defense policy toward Israel has been driven primarily by national interest and strategic considerations—particularly during the Cold War.

Drawing from extensive archival research, Dr. Samet finds that lobbying efforts appear rarely in the historical record. Instead, U.S. presidents from Truman through Reagan made decisions based on national security, geopolitical strategy, and the containment of the Soviet Union.

On this episode of Reaganism, Reagan Institute’s Director of the Center for Civics, Education, and Opportunity Dan Rothschild sits down with Dr. Ben Reinhardt who is the CEO of Speculative Technologies. They discuss discuss the mission and vision behind Speculative Technologies, emphasizing the importance of physical technologies and the need for innovative research funding models. Dr. Reinhardt critiques traditional government-funded research approaches and highlights the barriers to innovation in America, including bureaucratic constraints and the influence of venture capital. Reinhart advocates for a new system that allows for more flexibility and creativity in technology development, while also addressing the role of universities and the importance of co-location for fostering innovation.