In this two-part conversation, the Provcast crew unpacks Ukraine’s surprise drone attack on Russia and what it means for the war (and the future of war in general), America’s involvement, and whether the attack risks escalation with Russia.

The crew then shifts to President Trump’s recent speech in Riyadh, which lays out the preliminary principles of a “Trump doctrine”—but are they really principles? Is there any method to Trump’s approach? Is he an isolationist, a realist, a mercantilist, or something else? Do nations just want to be rich? And if so, where do “irrational” things like religion fit? Is US foreign policy amoral?

Books and articles referenced:

Ukraine’s Operation Spiderweb Was Smart, Not Reckless,” Rebeccah Heinrichs, on June 4, 2025.

Text of Trump’s May 13, 2025 Speech in Riyadh.

7 Seconds to Die: A Military Analysis of the Second Nagorno-Karabakh War and the Future of Warfighting