What If There Were An Industrial Pentagon, Asks Elaine Dezenski

🎙️ We want more factories in the U.S. For better products, for growing the middle class, for national pride and national security.But not everything America once made is coming home—and certainly not immediately. So how should we be thinking about the future—and power—of American manufacturing on a global scale?Elaine Dezenski—senior advisor at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and head of its Center on Economic and Financial Power (CEFP)—joins TOOL OR DIE to deliver a clear-eyed assessment of America’s industrial strategy (and historical lack thereof), the backlash to China’s global Belt and Road Initiative, and the growing awareness that America’s market idealism might be served by understanding that the economy can be a coordinated force.Elaine argues that we’re already in a hot economic war—and we’re fighting it without the direction of an economic Pentagon. From misunderstood assumptions about the global order to the scramble for supply chain resilience, this episode connects the ideological, geopolitical, and deeply practical implications of reshoring and ally-shoring. Her proposal? A new economic architecture rooted in shared democratic values and strategic co-production—and more integrated decision-making between industry, capital, and government.Timestamps::01:15 – Peter Zeihan’s “End of the World” and U.S. maritime dominance04:00 – The myth of globalization: who benefits in a fractured order?06:30 – Why North America is well-positioned in a decoupling world08:00 – Nearshoring vs. ally-shoring: what's the real strategy?10:00 – Arctic trade routes, rare earths, and geopolitics at the poles12:00 – China's Belt and Road backlash and the illusion of soft power15:00 – The limits of authoritarian infrastructure diplomacy17:00 – Defining “ally-shoring” and its policy architecture20:00 – Can a hemispheric economy replace the global order?24:00 – Strategic tariffs, capital incentives, and building an iPhone in America28:00 – FDD’s evolution: from counterterrorism to economic statecraft31:00 – Reindustrialization as bipartisan economic defense34:00 – Smart power vs. soft power: what really moves global outcomes38:00 – The case for a new “economic Pentagon” and an American-style industrial policy44:00 – U.S. foreign investment: friends, foes, and forgotten guardrails48:00 – If Fukuyama was wrong, what comes next?Key Topics:* Why the U.S. needs a coordinated industrial strategy now—not later* The hidden costs of China's Belt and Road Initiative* How reindustrialization can be framed as a national—and democratic—security imperative* Why North America could anchor a new “near-global economy”* Building prosperity through values-driven co-production* What the Foundation for Defense of Democracies is actually doing in this fight* The missed opportunity of the Apple iPhone myth* Economic warfare tools vs. free-market dogma🔧 Learn more: fdd.org | Elaine Dezenski on LinkedInSponsorThis episode of TOOL OR DIE is brought to you by DOSS, the adaptive ERP.DOSS kills implementation hell by working directly with your team, connecting all your systems to minimize data entry so you can focus on production. Instead of barging in like a bull in a china shop, they take a deep look at your actual operations and build a system that matches how you operate today, replacing only the parts that need improving—rather than trying to fix what’s already working great.DOSS — One Platform, Total VisibilityTOOL OR DIE is hosted by Joel Johnson, former science & tech journalist turned corporate strategist who built brands like Gizmodo, WIRED.com, and Wirecutter; and Alex Roy, General Partner at New Industry Venture Capital (NIVC.us), known for breaking the Cannonball Run record and his work in autonomous vehicles. Each week, they speak with the people actually rebuilding American manufacturing—one machine, one company, one idea at a time.Follow them at:LinkedIn: joeljohnson | alexroyX: @joeljohnson | @alexroy144 Get full access to TOOL or DIE at www.toolordie.com/subscribe