Inside the War Room with Admiral Stavridis: How Presidents Decide to Strike episode artwork

EPISODE · Feb 23, 2026 · 25 MIN

Inside the War Room with Admiral Stavridis: How Presidents Decide to Strike

from The Smerconish Podcast · host James Stavridis, Michael Smerconish

Is the United States on the brink of striking Iran? Michael is joined by Admiral James Stavridis, former Supreme Allied Commander of NATO, to break down President Trump’s options—from diplomacy and cyber operations to limited precision strikes and the possibility of “shock and awe.” With massive U.S. forces already deployed, has America ever prepared this much firepower without pulling the trigger? Then, listeners weigh in—including sailors and submariners who describe the real-life toll of extended deployments: missed funerals, months without sunlight, and the strain on military families. A powerful conversation about war planning, presidential decision-making, and the human cost of staying ready. Original air date 23 February 2026. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Episode metadata supplied by the publisher feed · Published Feb 23, 2026

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Inside the War Room with Admiral Stavridis: How Presidents Decide to Strike

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