#14 - Without the Burden of Atlas – Trump's Second Term and the New World Order

The new episode of the Geologica podcast this time explored what happened in the United States after the first hundred days of the new presidential term and what domestic political fault lines might shape the period leading up to the 2026 midterm elections. Following this, we will discuss the main messages of the new American national security strategy: the highlighted role of the Western Hemisphere, China's place in American strategic thinking, the relative sidelining of the Middle East, and what it means when the United States states that it no longer wishes to bear the world order on its shoulders like Atlas. The broadcast also touches on the American strategic interpretation of the Iranian war: how it fits into Washington's interests, the new security doctrine, and Trump's political logic. Finally, we discuss the future of the relationship between the United States and Europe, with particular attention to the fact that European economies and political actors are becoming increasingly critical of the direction of American foreign policy. The key question: how long can the transatlantic partnership be maintained if trust is gradually eroding?

Hosts: István Tarrósy (Full Professor, University of Pécs), Zoltán Vörös (Associate Professor, University of Pécs, Senior Research Fellow, John Lukacs Institute for Strategy and Politics, Ludovika University of Public Service)

Guest: Jeffrey Sommers (Professor of Political Economy & Public Policy in the Department of African &African Diaspora Studies and a Senior Fellow, Institute of World Affairs, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee)