Mike Baker sits down with retired Rear Admiral Mike Studeman to break down the growing threat posed by Iranian drones operating near US naval forces. With a US carrier strike group positioned on Iran’s doorstep, they walk through Tehran’s drone capabilities, the limits of swarm attacks, and the layered defenses protecting ships like the USS Abraham Lincoln. Could Iran realistically overwhelm a US aircraft carrier, or is the threat being overstated?
Thumb: Mike and Admiral Studeman. A swarm of Iranian Shaheed drones. The USS Abraham Lincoln.
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The Sick Reality of China’s Organ Harvesting Program
Mike Baker is joined by Jan Jekielek, senior editor at The Epoch Times, to discuss his forthcoming book, Killed to Order: China’s Organ Harvesting Industry and the True Nature of America’s Biggest Adversary. The conversation pulls back the curtain on allegations of state-directed organ harvesting in China, how the system operates, who the victims are believed to be, and what this practice reveals about the moral foundations of the Chinese Communist Party. It’s a disturbing look at an industry critics say could only exist under an authoritarian regime.
Thumb: Mike and Jan Jekielek. Stark hospital imagery — surgical light, operating table, gloved hand with a scalpel. Faded Chinese flag texture
The Shocking Fact That Exposes How Weak Putin’s Army Really Is
Mike Baker speaks with Seth Jones of the Center for Strategic and International Studies about a startling historical comparison that puts Russia’s war in Ukraine into sharp perspective. Jones notes that at the same point in time during World War Two, the Soviet Union had already reached Berlin—highlighting just how limited Russia’s battlefield gains have been today, and how much weaker Vladimir Putin’s modern military appears by comparison.
Why Beijing Fears the Fall of Iran’s Regime
Mike Baker speaks with Richard Goldberg of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies about why the Iranian regime is so critical to China’s ambitions in the Middle East. They break down how a collapse in Tehran would disrupt Beijing’s energy security, regional influence, and long-term strategic positioning—and why China has a strong incentive to see the current regime survive.
Can The Venezuela Model Work In Cuba?
Mike Baker is joined by Daniel Di Martino of the Manhattan Institute to examine new reporting that the White House may apply the “Venezuela model” to Cuba. The discussion looks at how pressure campaigns helped destabilize the Nicolás Maduro regime, whether similar tactics could reshape the political order in Havana, and why Cuba’s unique power structure could complicate Washington’s strategy.
Political Upheaval In Beijing Threatens Xi’s Grip On Power
Mike Baker is joined by author Gordon Chang to break down growing political turmoil inside China, as Xi Jinping intensifies his crackdown on internal rivals. From purges within the Communist Party to signs of unrest inside China’s military leadership, the conversation examines whether the current upheaval poses a real threat to Xi’s grip on power—and what it could mean for Beijing’s stability going forward.
Venezuelan Analyst Explains Why Delcy Rodríguez May Have Negotiated Maduro’s Capture
Mike Baker speaks with NTD TV correspondent and Venezuela analyst Luis Martinez about the dramatic political transition underway in Venezuela following the capture of Nicolás Maduro. With President Trump meeting opposition leader María Corina Machado at the White House—but backing interim president Delcy Rodríguez as the de-facto leader—Martinez breaks down why Maduro’s former vice-president may have negotiated the coup, what it means for U.S.–Venezuela relations, and how the struggle between rival political factions could shape the country’s future.





