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Eric and Eliot lament the firing of 200 Foreign Service officers and the recent large-scale exodus of senior diplomats from public service. They discuss the impact of the Trump Administration's diplomatic malpractice including the handling of Operation Freedom and their own disagreements about it. They assess the likely costs of ensuring Iran is not left in control of the Strait of Hormuz and the inevitable long-term future US presence in the Persian Gulf. They also consider the impact of the UK local elections and the collapse of support for Keir Starmer's Labour Party. Finally, they address the US troop withdrawals from Germany and Vladimir Putin's worsening political, economic, and personal situation.

Eric & Frank Miller on Withdrawing From Germany:
https://www.thebulwark.com/p/withdrawing-troops-from-germany-is-own-goal-trump-merz-nato

Secretary Hegseth's Defense Budget Video:
https://x.com/SecWar/status/2052396775797891417?s=20

Shield of the Republic is a Bulwark podcast co-sponsored by the Miller Center of Public Affairs at the University of Virginia.