Is the US Entering a New Era of Global Power?

Former Pentagon official Michèle Flournoy breaks down how America’s changing defense strategy could reshape the global order and US power.
Soldiers Play Podcast
Aaron Favila / AP

About The Episode

Can America’s allies still count on the United States? As the Trump administration pulls troops from Europe and reshapes America’s defense strategy, former Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Michèle Flournoy explains what’s changing and what’s at stake. From China and Taiwan to NATO, AI warfare, and the ongoing Iran conflict, she breaks down how America’s shifting priorities could reshape global security for years to come. 

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About the Speakers
Michèle Flournoy
Chair, Center for a New American Security, and Former Under Secretary of Defense
Michèle Flournoy Headshot
Michèle Flournoy is Co-Founder and Managing Partner of WestExec Advisors, and former Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Center for a New American Security (CNAS), where she currently serves as Chair of the Board of Directors. Michèle served as the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy from February 2009 to February 2012.
Michèle Flournoy Headshot
President & Chief Executive Officer, Chicago Council on Global Affairs
Leslie Vinjamuri headshot
Dr. Leslie Vinjamuri joined the Council in 2025 as the president and chief executive officer, after previously serving as director of the US and the Americas program at the Royal Institute of International Affairs, known as Chatham House, in London. She is Professor of Practice in International Studies and Diplomacy at SOAS University of London.
Leslie Vinjamuri headshot

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