NATO Summit Preview (ft. Julianne Smith and Wess Mitchell), Five Eyes on China, Iran Talks Stall

President Donald Trump has continued his pressure campaign on European defense spending. But in the lead-up to the next NATO Summit, there is another core question to ask: How is Europe coordinating its defense production? This might be the key issue that determines how Trump's pressure campaign pays off in the long run.  Kate McCann and Sir Richard Dearlove are joined by Ambassador Julianne Smith (Former United States Permanent Representative to NATO under President Biden) and A. Wess Mitchell, Ph.D. (former senior State Department official who helped shape the first Trump administration's Europe strategy) to break down what's really at stake in Ankara.  Plus: Should NATO stay laser-focused on Russia and leave China to the U.S.? How deep is the lingering trust deficit after the Greenland dispute?  Got a question or comment? Email us at [email protected] or drop us a comment on YouTube. We might answer it in next week's episode. In this episode: (00:00) Cold Open (00:57) Where US-Iran Talks Stand (06:33) Five Eyes Warnings: Chinese LinkedIn Recruitment & AI Threats (11:51) Setting the Scene for NATO's Ankara Summit (13:35) What Does the US Want Out of This Summit? (19:47) Debating What "US Leadership" Really Means (24:59) Trump's Balancing Act: Pressure vs. Reassurance (28:04) The Coordination Problem: Europe's "Potluck Dinner" (37:19) Should NATO Even Focus on China? (44:31) The Anglosphere & AUKUS Debate (45:23) Who's the Most Awkward Meeting for Trump in Ankara? (47:47) Is Trump's Personality a Distraction From Policy? (50:05) Will the Iran War Overshadow the Summit? (52:35) Chaos Agent or Strategic Operator? (56:19) The One Decision to Watch at Ankara (59:31) Listener Mail: Energy Pricing & Geopolitical Reality (1:04:15) Listener Mail: Cuba's Civil Society Problem Show Notes:  https://youtu.be/0pYUYBwRdLs?si=2fbDUznnuIs-Y5H3  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l7FGkxRO_es  Hosted by Sir Richard Dearlove (former MI6 Chief) and Kate McCann (Political Editor at Times Radio) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices