The Burn Bag Podcast

Mar 11 2025 326 ep. 45 mins 60

The Burn Bag Podcast artwork

We’re here to redefine how scholars and policymakers approach national security and foreign policy. Join us, as we make sense of a world in crisis.

News Government

Copy RSS

Subscribe on Podcast Addict

Biosecurity: Bird Flu, Bioweapons, Artificial Intelligence, and Other Bio-Risks with Dr. Jaime Yassif from the Nuclear Threat Initiative

Mar 11 2025 51 mins

In this episode, A’ndre Gonawela sits down with Dr. Jaime Yassif, Vice President of Global Biological Policy and Programs at NTI | bio, to explore the evolving landscape of biosecurity and pandemic preparedness. They discuss key lessons from COVID-19, the ongoing Bird Flu, the growing threats posed by zoonotic spillover, bioweapons, and AI-driven bio-risks, as well as the urgent

The Trump-Zelensky Fallout: Fmr. U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Steven Pifer Reacts to the White House Debacle

Mar 04 2025 58 mins

NOTE: This episode was recorded several hours before the announcement that President Trump was pausing all U.S. military aid to Ukraine. In this episode, A’ndre Gonawela sits down with Ambassador Steven Pifer, former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine and a leading expert on U.S.-Russia relations, to dissect the fallout from President Zelenskyy’s recent visit to Washington and its impa

The World According to A'ndre: Trump’s Friday Night Massacre, the Art of the Mineral Deal, and Podcasters Take Over the FBI

Feb 28 2025 30 mins

This week, A’ndre examines former President Trump’s decision to fire General CQ Brown as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, exploring the implications for U.S. military leadership, civil-military relations, and his potential replacement, LTG Dan Caine. He then turns to the U.S.-Ukraine critical minerals agreement, analyzing its potential to reshape the war effort while deep

What in the World? South Korea: Martial Law, Impeachments, and a President Behind Bars feat. Alex Eid and Choong Hong

Feb 24 2025 65 mins

In this week’s edition of What in the World?, A’ndre discusses the recent political turmoil in South Korea with his colleagues Alex Eid and Choong Hong, both experts on Korean affairs. Alex and Choong break down President Yoon Suk Yeol’s short-lived declaration of martial law in December, his subsequent impeachment, arrest, and ongoing criminal case. They also provide histori

The World According to A'ndre: Putin trumps Zelensky, DOGE Cuts Go Nuclear, the Tariff Sheriff, and Who Wants to Poison Lula?

Feb 21 2025 33 mins

The Burn Bag is launching a new weekly series: "The World According to A'ndre." Every Friday, A'ndre will break down some of the biggest foreign policy stories he's been tracking, offering his insights and making them accessible to you, our audience. This week, A'ndre unpacks the latest developments in U.S.-Russia negotiations and the rising tensions between President Donald Trump

Dr. Anthony Fauci on Pandemics, Public Health, and a Lifetime in Public Service

Feb 17 2025 59 mins

In this episode, Dr. Anthony Fauci joins A'ndre for an in-depth conversation about his decades-long career in public health and his experiences leading the U.S. response to some of the world’s most pressing infectious disease challenges. Dr. Fauci reflects on his early work during the HIV/AIDS crisis, the evolution of treatments that saved millions of lives, and his role in launc

U.S.-India Under Trump: Previewing the Relationship as Modi Heads to Washington with Dr. Tanvi Madan, Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution

Feb 10 2025 58 mins

In this episode, A’ndre chat with his old boss Dr. Tanvi Madan, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, to examine the evolving landscape of India’s foreign policy and its relationship with the United States under a second Trump administration. Dr. Madan unpacks how India balances strategic autonomy with deepening alignments, particularly within the Indo-Pacific and the Q

Is Russia Fascist? Putinism, the Russian Far-Right, and the Global Illiberal Trend with Professor Marlene Laruelle

Feb 04 2025 49 mins

In this episode, A’ndre welcomes Professor Marlene Laruelle, a leading expert on Russian politics and nationalism, for a deep dive into the evolution of far-right politics in Russia. The discussion begins with a foundational exploration of fascism—how it is defined, how it differs from broader far-right politics, and whether Russia’s current trajectory aligns with historical

What in the World? The Los Angeles Fires: Does California’s Wildfire Prevention and Resilience Require an Operation Warp Speed? feat. Tahra Jirari

Jan 30 2025 49 mins

On this week's What in the World, A’ndre chatted with Tahra Jirari, Director of Economic Analysis at the Chamber of Progress, on the devastating 2025 wildfires in Los Angeles and the urgent need for systemic reform. A'ndre and Tahra talked about the unprecedented scale of destruction caused by the wildfires, and why Tahra believes they have been exacerbated by regulatory hurdles,

Climate Migration: Why it's a National Security Issue and What We Can Do to Solve It with Erin Sikorsky, Director of The Center for Climate and Security

Jan 28 2025 32 mins

This episode is the second in a two-parter in collaboration with the Climate Migration Council, to highlight the Council's recent position statement on the linkages between security, climate change, and human migration. In December, A’ndre hosted Erin Sikorsky, Director of the Center for Climate and Security and a former Deputy Director on the National Intelligence Council, for a