Amanpour – "US Army General Sounds the Alarm"

CNN Podcasts, November 14, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode of Amanpour is marked by three compelling interviews that examine democracy under threat in the United States, the role of culture in conflict with Ukraine, and the enduring legacy of America's founding. Host Christiane Amanpour leads with a stark conversation with Lt. Gen. Russell L. Honoré, who warns of creeping authoritarianism and erosion of democratic norms in the U.S. The episode continues with a dispatch from a London-based Ukrainian restaurant, highlighting food as a form of resistance, and concludes with Walter Isaacson and filmmaker Ken Burns exploring the complexities and contradictions of the American Revolution and its lessons for today.

1. Democracy Under Threat: Lt. Gen. Russell L. Honoré Sounds the Alarm

Key Themes

• Erosion of democratic norms and civil-military boundaries in the U.S.
• The misuse of military and law enforcement power for political ends
• The importance of moral courage within the military

Discussion Breakdown

Honore’s Warning (00:07–02:33)

• Gen. Honoré expresses grave concern about democracy in America, specifically:
  • Deployment of troops without state consent:

    “You cannot get enamored with the fact that the White House will deploy troops in a state without talking to the government. That cannot be normal.” (Lt. Gen. Honore, 00:07)

  • Reference to measures undermining constitutional rights (habeas corpus, Posse Comitatus).

The Threat of Authoritarian Policy (02:33–04:18)

• Honore argues:

  • Expanding military and ICE roles domestically, especially in Democrat-led cities, signals a test of democracy
  • Fears “the beginning of the ending of democracy in America as we know it”

  “If we start using our army and our Marines, shoot Americans or arrest them, this will be the beginning of the ending of democracy in America as we know it.” (02:33)

Cruelty and Governance Style (05:11–06:46)

• He criticizes the current administration’s approach to:

  • Indiscriminate immigration enforcement and deportations
  • Targeting individuals based on appearance or opinions

  “We disregard the rules and the laws as laid out in the Constitution and we start picking people up based on how they look or how they speak…We don't do that kind of stuff in America.” (Lt. Gen. Honore, 05:27)

• Undermining U.S. credibility and goodwill abroad

On Posse Comitatus and the National Guard (06:46–09:31)

• States that the use of National Guard units for law enforcement without governor approval violates long-standing legal norms

  • Posse Comitatus Act: military should not perform domestic law enforcement
  • Concern over “waiver of Posse Comitatus” and “waiver of habeas corpus” (07:30–09:31)

  “That scares the hell out of me because…we use our military for that purpose, I think we will have slipped out of our democracy and slipped into Orban, Viktor Orban type of government.” (Lt. Gen. Honore, 09:05)

ICE as Political Militia? (09:31–11:38)

• Addresses fears that ICE is evolving into a personal militia for the administration
  • Reports of excessive force and racial targeting
  • “We don't do that in America...it's not what they're doing, it's how they're doing in a very cruel and unusual way.” (10:10)

Lessons from Katrina: Resisting Illegal Orders (11:38–14:38)

• Recounts instructing troops during Katrina to lower their weapons, resisting orders to “shoot looters”

  • Stressed that true leadership means resisting unlawful or immoral commands even under political pressure (11:59–13:49)

  “We don't order our troops to shoot our own people.” (Lt. Gen. Honore, 12:55)

  • Advises military leaders today: follow lawful orders, but have the courage to refuse unlawful ones—even at personal sacrifice

The “Warrior Ethos” and Military Purges (15:56–17:46)

• Critiques recent Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s mass summoning of commanders
  • Sees it as performative dominance and possible precursor to politicization or purging dissent
  • Suggests such displays erode trust and normal protocol

Honoring Veterans (17:46–20:00)

• Praises former President Obama’s gratitude shown to veterans;

• Calls on all leaders to honor service without politicizing it

  “We are great because we were willing to fight for ourselves and for our allies…That was done on the shoulders of those who have preceded us...” (Lt. Gen. Honore, 18:54)

2. Ukrainian Cuisine as Cultural Resistance (21:12–36:12)

Key Themes

• Food as a tool of cultural independence and resilience
• Restoration of Ukrainian identity beyond Soviet stereotypes
• Personal stories of war, displacement, and determination

Discussion Breakdown

Building a Ukrainian Cultural Space in London (22:08–23:56)

• Chef Eugene Korolev and restaurant founder Paulina Sichova discuss:

  • Their mission to present authentic Ukrainian cuisine, not “Soviet food”
  • Restoring lost tradition through creative, modern cooking

  “Ukrainian food is actually food that has been…cooking for centuries. And there’s history, and it’s actually sophisticated, it’s elegant, it’s layered.” (Paulina Sichova, 22:50)

From the Battlefield to the Kitchen (24:34–28:54)

• Korolev describes:
  • Joining the army after the Russian invasion and using his restaurant to feed troops/hospitals
  • The ongoing dialogue between daily life on the front and cooking, even joking about herbs and flavors in the trenches

Life Choices Amid War (28:54–33:34)

• Korolev shares how, after 1.5 years on the front, he made the case to his commander to pursue the restaurant project as a form of national service

  “London is, I think, the best place where we can show the Ukrainian cuisine to the world and put it on a gastronomical map.” (Korolev, 29:20)

• Achieves a key victory: the restaurant earns a listing in the Michelin Guide

  “There was a news yesterday that we, we got to Michelin guide.” (Korolev, 33:00)

Redefining Ukrainian Identity (33:34–36:07)

• Sichova and Korolev see the success of Ukrainian cuisine abroad as a rebuttal to Putin’s narrative that Ukraine “doesn’t exist”

• Everything in the restaurant, from plates to ingredients, supports Ukrainian craft and farmers

  “This is one of the ways how we can destroy Russia propaganda and show them and tell them, look…we are much more stronger.” (Korolev, 33:34)

Favorite Dishes and Technique (34:15–36:07)

• They recommend the honey cake (an “ode to buckwheat”) and beef dumplings, which involve month-long fermentation for complex flavor.
  • They see food as both memory and innovation—classic but distinctly modern Ukrainian.

3. Ken Burns: The American Revolution’s Tangle of Paradoxes (36:12–52:41)

Key Themes

• The Revolution as a foundational event in world history
• Telling a nuanced story: ordinary people, the enslaved, Native Americans, and women, not just “marble men”
• Complications and contradictions in the quest for liberty

Discussion Breakdown

Why the Revolution Still Matters (38:16–39:08)

• Burns calls it “the most important event since the birth of Christ”—the moment when citizens were created, not subjects

• The American Revolution sets the blueprint (and paradox) for centuries of independence movements

  “There’s actually for a moment, something new under the sun. And I want to rivet people’s attention.” (Ken Burns, 38:32)

Expanding the Lens Beyond the Founders (39:08–40:46)

• Focus on everyday people, not just iconic leaders:

  • Ordinary soldiers, enslaved people, women, Native Americans, loyalists, all shaping the story
  • Franklin and the influence of the Iroquois Confederacy on American federalism

  “You’ve got to center…a Native American experience. Half the population are women. Out of the 3 million people, 500,000 are enslaved or free black Americans…” (Burns, 40:46)

Gritty Realities and Paradoxes (42:42–46:57)

• Relays stories of unsung soldiers like Joseph Plumb Martin, free black troops, and the divided loyalties within families and towns

• Unflinching appraisal of George Washington’s contradictions (enslaver, military blunders, yet indispensable leader)

  • Burns emphasizes understanding leaders both for their flaws and their achievements

  “We don’t have a country without George Washington. So you’re going to just have to get over that…We need to tell all the stories and, and tell a complicated and dimensional story.” (Burns, 39:30)

Race and Liberty’s Ironies (47:11–48:15)

• Explains the deep, painful contradiction at America’s core:

  • Jefferson, author of “all men are created equal,” owned hundreds of slaves and set a national pattern of paradox and struggle
  • Black and native peoples had to choose allegiances in a fight not meant for them

  “The guy who wrote our catechism, the second sentence of the Declaration…owned hundreds of human beings and didn’t see the contradiction…” (Burns, 47:11)

  • Discusses Lord Dunmore’s offer of freedom to rebel-owned slaves as an example of how individuals and families made agonizing choices

Contemporary Resonance and the Call for Complicated Conversations (50:48–52:37)

• Walter Isaacson notes that the Declaration’s complaints about immigration, standing armies, and insurrection “could be echoed today”

• Burns resists drawing overt parallels but acknowledges that history “rhymes” with the present and that learning complex history helps foster more nuanced, less polarized civic dialogue

  “It is always going to be like today and tomorrow as it was yesterday…That gives us a chance to have a complicated American conversation with, I hope, little shouting.” (Burns, 52:01)

Notable Quotes

• “If we start using our army and our Marines, shoot Americans or arrest them, this will be the beginning of the ending of democracy in America as we know it.”
  — Lt. Gen. Russell L. Honoré (02:33)
• “We don't do that kind of stuff in America. It's not normal.”
  — Lt. Gen. Honoré (05:27)
• “There’s actually for a moment, something new under the sun.”
  — Ken Burns (38:32)
• “You’ve got to center…a Native American experience. Half the population are women. Out of the 3 million people, 500,000 are enslaved or free black Americans.”
  — Ken Burns (40:46)
• “The guy who wrote our catechism…owned hundreds of human beings and didn’t see the contradiction.”
  — Ken Burns (47:11)
• “This is one of the ways how we can destroy Russia propaganda and show them and tell them, look…we are much more stronger.”
  — Eugene Korolev (33:34)
• “[Veterans Day] is not to talk about your accomplishment, but to thank those who have served and that are serving.”
  — Lt. Gen. Honore (18:54)

Key Timestamps

• 00:07: Gen. Honore’s warning about troop deployment and democracy
• 02:33–04:18: Honore on democracy and misuse of military
• 05:11–06:46: Immigration policy, cruelty, and American values
• 09:31: ICE as potential private militia
• 11:59–13:49: Katrina lessons—resisting illegal orders
• 15:56–17:46: Military “warrior ethos” summoning, dominance
• 22:08–23:56: Ukrainian restaurant’s mission: restoring national cuisine
• 24:34–28:54: Korolev—frontline stories, transition to chef
• 33:00: Sino restaurant receives Michelin Guide recognition
• 36:12: Ken Burns—American Revolution documentary
• 38:32: Burns on why the Revolution matters
• 42:42–44:40: Ordinary lives and battles of the Revolution
• 47:11: Race, Jefferson, and the paradoxes of liberty
• 50:48: Echoes of the Declaration’s grievances in today’s headlines

Tone and Style

This episode maintains a tone of urgency, gravity, and deep reflection—particularly in its first segment with Lt. Gen. Honore. Both the Ukrainian and American Revolution segments celebrate resilience and the moral complexities of democracy and identity. Throughout, Amanpour and her guests combine directness, emotional resonance, and thoughtful historical analysis.

This summary captures the episode’s vital discussions on creeping authoritarianism, cultural resistance through food, and the necessity of understanding history in all its contradictions. It is highly recommended for listeners looking to understand current democratic threats and the power of culture and history in shaping civic identity.