Citing no substantive evidence, President Trump announced that he would not certify the Iran nuclear agreement, setting up a 60-day window for Congress to potentially re-impose nuclear-related sanctions against Iran. This episode dives into why Congress should do what it does best — nothing — with Tess Bridgeman, a former Deputy Legal Adviser to the […]
Cooperative Threat Reduction or: How I Stopped Worrying and Got Rid of the Bomb
When the Cold War ended, four separate countries suddenly inherited the former Soviet nuclear arsenal. Destroying and removing those weapons was a herculean effort, and it couldn’t have been done without the bipartisan leadership of two U.S. Senators. We tell the story with Senators Nunn and Lugar, as well as former Assistant Secretary of Defense […]
The Once and Future Framework
Download the podcast on iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher or SoundCloud. In 1994, the United States negotiated an agreement with North Korea that curbed its nuclear ambitions for eight years. The collapse of the agreement offers lessons for diplomatic efforts today. Amidst heated rhetoric between President Trump and North Korean leadership, this episode dives into the agreement with North Korea experts […]
Trinity: The First Nuclear Test
Download the podcast on iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher or SoundCloud. Contrary to popular belief, the first nuclear explosion in human history took place not in Japan, but in New Mexico. This episode dives into that test and explains why Congress is threatening progress made on nuclear arms control. To listen to other podcast episodes, click here.
The Iran Deal Two-Year Anniversary
Download the podcast on iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher or SoundCloud. It’s been two years since the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) — commonly known as the Iran nuclear deal — was signed. We speak to Ambassador Wendy Sherman, the lead United States negotiator of the agreement, and Richard Nephew, the lead American sanctions expert […]