Podcast Summary

Podcast: The Team House, Eyes On Geopolitics
Episode: Inside the Disastrous New U.S. Security Strategy
Date: December 8, 2025
Hosts: Demetri Kontakos, Mick Mulroy, Jason Lyons
Panelist: Andy Milburn (briefly in late segment)

Episode Overview

This episode is a deep dive into the newly released U.S. National Security Strategy (NSS), which, according to the hosts, marks a dramatic, concerning turn from post-World War II American policy. The panel dissects the NSS’s core tenets—a shift away from global leadership and alliances toward dominance of the Western Hemisphere, economic self-interest over democratic principle, and an implicit acceptance of authoritarian influence abroad. Their discussion is candid, critical, and at times impassioned, considering the strategic, moral, and historical consequences.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Monroe Doctrine 2.0: Western Hemisphere Focus

• Shift away from global alliances:

  • The strategy circles back to a Monroe Doctrine-style focus, prioritizing control over the Western Hemisphere and reducing emphasis on Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and global alliances.
  • "The new national security strategy frames US Security as beginning at home in our hemisphere, where threats now move faster than alliances." – Mick Mulroy [03:44]

• Migration and narcotics:

  • NSS addresses “mass migration“ and narcotics as key security threats.
  • Policy focuses on stopping flows of illegal immigration and drugs, favoring dominance over cooperation.

2. Deprioritizing Europe & Traditional Allies

• Downgrading alliances:

  • Explicit reduction in commitment to Europe and NATO, with warnings that the US will not underwrite European security “indefinitely.”
    • "It also says the United States will not underwrite Europe, European security indefinitely...I would hope European leaders are waking up to this. There’s no more neutrality." – Mick Mulroy [14:23]

• Direct criticism of Europe:

  • NSS critiques European governance and migration policy, accusing Europe of “internal governance failures” and “cultural erasure.”

• Encouragement of European military self-reliance:

  • Hosts note this may prompt Europe to build military capabilities independent of the US, with obvious implications for Ukraine.

3. Russia and China: Redefined Relationships

• Russia no longer an adversary:

  • For the first time, Russia is not explicitly labeled an adversary, despite ongoing aggression in Ukraine.
  • "Russia is no longer identified as an adversary, rival, or a threat category at all. That’s what AI when it read it." – Mick Mulroy [20:23]
  • Hosts fear the NSS is consistent with Moscow’s worldview, which the Russian government has welcomed.

• China remains a competitor:

  • China is framed primarily as an economic competitor; military deterrence is mentioned, but the willingness to defend allies like Taiwan is left ambiguous.

4. Economic Self-Interest over Ideals

• Profit over principle:

  • U.S. engagement is conditioned on “clear financial benefits,” sidelining the prior emphasis on democracy, civil rights, and free markets.
    • "Foreign engagements must demonstrate clear financial benefits to the United States." – Mick Mulroy [09:43]
    • "The United States will pursue peace through strengths and advantage, not ideology or moral aspiration." – Mick Mulroy [10:15]

• Transactional foreign policy:

  • The NSS opens the door to cooperation with “the worst of the worst” if U.S. economic interests are served.
  • Partnerships in Africa and Latin America prioritized for resources and economic opportunity, regardless of governance quality.

5. Criticisms of Values and Rhetoric

• Moral leadership abandoned:

  • The hosts decry the abandonment of the "shining city on the hill" ideal and America’s self-concept as a champion for democracy.

• Accusations of “cultural erasure:”

  • NSS verbiage around migration and cultural identity triggers strong critiques for echoing white supremacist and isolationist ideas.
    • "Why don’t we just call it what it is and call it white supremacy, bro. That’s what the f– it is." – Demetri Kontakos [33:18]
    • Mulroy points out, “If European culture is democracy based on individual civil liberties, human rights, freedom of religion...You could come from anywhere and be part of that culture. There is no skin tone requirement for that." [34:49]

• Abandoning legacy:

  • The sense is that America is relinquishing its leadership legacy; “If you don’t want to be the leader of the free world, then it’s going to be less free in my estimation.” – Mick Mulroy [28:02]

6. Concrete Consequences and Predictions

• Force redeployments and embassy closures:

  • The panel predicts substantial U.S. military and diplomatic drawdown from Europe, further isolation from global affairs, and likely force increases in Latin America/Caribbean.
    • “You're already seeing the consequences of the strategy.” – Mick Mulroy [37:36]

• Implications for conflict zones:

  • Ukraine seen as left to Europe’s devices; support for Israel and Middle Eastern partners downgraded to “just a partner with requirements.”
  • "That’s going to send shockwaves in Israel, if they read it that way. And they are." – Mick Mulroy [36:08]

• Venezuela and regime change hypocrisy:

  • Ongoing focus on Venezuela (and potentially Colombia, Mexico) seen as a regime change play, not rooted in drug interdiction or humanitarian concern.

• Impacts on U.S. democracy and global order:

  • The panel warns that adversaries like China and Russia will fill any U.S.-created vacuum.

7. Reaction, Dissent, and Institutional Dynamics

• Bureaucratic and political dissonance:

  • Many believed authors of the NSS were pressured or compromised; hosts note political leaders ignoring their true beliefs for career advancement.
    • “A lot of the people that were authors of the strategy probably seven, eight, nine months ago were not in favor...It helps them professionally.” – Demetri Kontakos [40:21]

• Need for bipartisan, consistent strategy:

  • Highlighting the Vandenberg Coalition and the importance of policies that outlast any one administration.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Mulroy on Abandonment of Allies:
  "We're handing this to our allies, our friends, and then turning our backs...This is going to take years to repair, if at all." [06:11] — Jason Lyons

• On Blurring Values:
  "The United States will pursue peace through strengths and advantage, not ideology or moral aspiration." [10:15] — (cited by Mick Mulroy)

• On Transactionalism:
  "They talk about encouraging governments and political parties that broadly align with ours, but we must not overlook governments with different outlooks with whom we have nonetheless shared interests and who want to work with us. That is a really broad and open door to saying we'll work with the worst of the worst, you know, as long as it gets us what we want." [11:44] — Jason Lyons

• On the Russia Shift:
  "Russia is no longer identified as an adversary...Russia would love for the US not to view it as even an adversary anymore, yet they're going to do whatever they can to undermine us all around the world." [20:23] — Mick Mulroy

• On Europe’s Future:
  "If I was European, I would start taking my security entirely in my own hands...develop a comprehensive, integrated European military and I would be as strong as anybody else on the planet." [14:30] — Mick Mulroy

• On Themes of Cultural Erasure:
  "If European culture is democracy...you could come from anywhere and be part of that culture..." [34:49] — Mick Mulroy

• On White Supremacy Subtext:
  "Why don’t we just call it what it is and call it white supremacy, bro." [33:18] — Demetri Kontakos

• On the abandonment of Ukraine:
  "If, if we're going to just send special envoy Witkoff with a pro Russia dictated peace plan to go talk to the people who dictated it, it's not going to amount to anything." [22:50] — Mick Mulroy

Important Timestamps

• Main theme and NSS orientation: [01:38–06:11]
• Shift to Western Hemisphere focus (Monroe Doctrine 2.0): [03:02–06:11]
• Exploration of NSS frequency, flow: [07:00–08:11]
• Deprioritization of Europe & allies: [10:52–16:17]
• Russia and China reclassification: [20:23–22:50]
• Critique of economic/transactional strategy: [09:40–12:42]
• Cultural Erasure and migration rhetoric: [33:18–35:16]
• Implications for global order: [28:02–29:55]
• Discussion on Venezuela & regime change: [46:50–48:16]
• Summary of institutional issues & need for bipartisan strategy: [41:03–44:41]

Final Thoughts & Outlook

The hosts conclude that this NSS represents a clear-and-present break from long-standing American strategy, threatening to upend alliances, embolden adversaries, and leave America isolated, transactional, and unmoored from its founding principles. They urge policymakers and the public to demand a more values-driven, durable foreign policy before the US cedes global leadership to its rivals.

For more deep analysis, check out all links in the show notes and support the Team House via Patreon or the new newsletter.