Many Americans are thinking about U.S. action against Iran at least in part based on how it is affecting prices at the gas pump, especially after threats by the Islamic Republic have effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz. Our campaign against Iran has revealed a critical lesson for U.S. grand strategy: that the United States must achieve energy dominance to ensure affordable, reliable energy at home while also leveraging energy as a strategic asset during geopolitical crises like this one. Richard Goldberg, Senior Advisor at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, former member of the White House National Energy Dominance Council, and Vandenberg Coalition Advisory Board member, joins Flash Focus to discuss energy as it relates to Iran and U.S. grand strategy more broadly.

(1:24) Assessing Epic Fury

(7:37) Understanding Energy Prices

(17:46) Alternatives to the Strait of Hormuz

(22:56) Energy and National Security

(30:05) Energy Dominance

(32:05) The National Energy Dominance Council

(34:21) Adversaries and Partners

(40:45) Looking Ahead

You can watch this episode as a video on YouTube.

While conversations surrounding the Venezuelan economy understandably center around oil, another critical resource is often overlooked: gold. For years, Venezuelan terrorist groups and regime insiders have exploited the country’s vast gold deposits to finance their illicit activities and evade sanctions. As the American appetite to engage with Venezuela’s oil and gold sectors grows, understanding the extent to which the regime profits from the gold industry—and the severe human rights abuses tied to it—is increasingly important. Cristina Burelli, founder of both SOS Orinoco and the V5 Initiative, joins Vandenberg Executive Director Carrie Filipetti to discuss gold in Venezuela.

(0:54) SOS Orinoco & V5 Initiative

(3:56) Gold and Critical Minerals in Venezuela

(7:28) Who Runs Gold Mining in Venezuela?

(12:20) Terrorism & Illegal Gold Mining

(15:36) Delcy Rodriguez & Illegal Gold Mining

(19:39) U.S. General Licenses for Gold

(24:20) What Guidelines Can We Push For?

(26:16) The Future of U.S.-Venezuelan Commercial Relations

You can watch this episode as a video on YouTube.

April 28, 2026, marks the fifth anniversary of The Vandenberg Coalition’s founding. Over the last five years, conservative foreign policy has seen meaningful successes, faced notable setbacks, and confronted new challenges and opportunities that will shape its future direction. Elliott Abrams, Chairman of The Vandenberg Coalition and Senior Fellow for Middle Eastern Studies at the Council on Foreign Relations, and Secretary Robert Wilkie, 10th United States Secretary of Veterans Affairs and the newest member of The Vandenberg Coalition’s Governance Board, join Executive Director Carrie Filipetti on this special edition of Flash Focus to reflect on the state of conservative foreign policy.

You can watch this episode as a video on YouTube.

(1:06) Conservative Foreign Policy Origin Stories

(8:08) Conservative Moral Courage in Foreign Policy

(15:59) What is America’s Proper Role in the World?

(20:26) The Future of Alliances

(26:44) The Future of the U.S.-Israel Relationship for Conservatives

(36:00) Freedom and Democracy

(44:56) Reasons for Concern and Optimism

Pastor Ezra Jin Mingri is the founder of Zion Church, one of the largest independent churches in China. Frightened by his influence and belief in something greater than the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), the CCP imprisoned Pastor Jin on October 10, 2025, as part of one of the largest crackdowns on Christian churches in the history of the People’s Republic of China. Grace Jin Drexel—Pastor Jin’s daughter—joins Flash Focus to share her father’s story, discuss why President Trump’s upcoming summit with Xi Jinping is a prime opportunity to advocate for Pastor Jin’s release, and why it is important for the United States to continue standing up for those who face repression.

https://www.lukealliance.org/25-letter-writing-campaign

(0:34) Pastor Ezra Jin Mingri & Grace Jin Drexel

(2:02) His Church’s Community Work

(7:20) Pastor Jin’s Detainment

(10:47) Hope For The Trump-Xi Summit

(12:48) The Lack of Human Rights in China

(17:37) Actions Listeners Can Take

(22:10) Final Thoughts

You can watch this episode as a video on YouTube.

For the first time since 1972, the United States left Earth’s orbit en route to the Moon as part of the Artemis II Mission. While the astronauts aboard the Orion spacecraft did not step foot on the Moon during this mission, the astronauts set a record by venturing farther from Earth than any human in history. In this episode, Vandenberg Coalition Advisory Board member Kari Bingen joins to discuss how this inspirational moment serves as both an example of American ingenuity and a reminder of how space has become increasingly important for modern warfare and national security.

(1:53) Artemis II's Goals

(4:00) The Era of Space Exploration from Kennedy to Today

(6:14) President Trump's Executive on American Space Superiority

(8:18) Defining Terms In Space Policy

(11:18) Space Treaties and Protocols

(13:45) "Extending the Battlefield to Space"

(18:27) Space Debris

(23:00) America's Adversaries in Space: China

(25:39) America's Adversaries in Space: Russia

(26:59) How the Private Sector Affects Competitive Advantage in Space

(32:09) What Winning and Leadership in Space Look Like

Mentioned Article: "Extending the Battlefield to Space" (Kari Bingen, CSIS, September 16, 2025

Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/ugBUumIrxqQ

In recent years, China has increasingly used economic bullying in attempts to obtain concessions from other governments and the private sector. In a new book, China’s Weaponization of Trade: Resistance Through Collective Resilience, Vandenberg Advisory Board member Victor Cha, along with his coauthors Ellen Kim and Andy Lim, discusses China’s economic coercion and outlines a strategy for how countries led by the United States can more effectively counter China's coercive efforts. Victor Cha, president of the Geopolitics and Foreign Policy Department and Korea Chair at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, joins Vandenberg Senior Policy Director Corban Teague to break down how the United States can better identify and counter China’s malign practices.

https://cup.columbia.edu/book/chinas-weaponization-of-trade/9780231564205/

(0:58) The Origins of the Book

(2:35) Defining China’s Economic Coercion

(5:46) CCP Ideology and Economic Coercion

(8:41) U.S. “Blind Spots”

(11:35) Lithuania and Norway as Case Studies

(18:28) Collective Resilience

(24:04) Forging a Coalition for Collective Resilience (G7+2)

(28:57) Does the G7 Have the Requisite Political Will?

(34:05) The Long-Term Goal of Collective Resilience

You can watch this episode as a video on YouTube.

Last Sunday, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s Liberal Democratic Party secured a sweeping two-thirds majority in Japan’s Lower House following snap elections. The decisive win comes at a critical juncture for Japan as it redefines its role in the Indo-Pacific amid rising tensions with China, a deepening partnership with the United States, and growing domestic support for strengthening the country’s military and defense capabilities. Ken Weinstein, Japan Chair at Hudson Institute, joins Flash Focus to unpack the election results, examine Takaichi’s rapid ascent and widespread appeal, and explore the implications for U.S.–Japan relations and the broader Indo-Pacific landscape.

(1:50) Election Results

(7:02) The Election’s Impact on a Free and Open Indo-Pacific

(12:29) Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi

(16:37) Takaichi and the China Challenge

(18:58) The Ramifications of Takaichi’s Comments on a Taiwan Contingency

(24:12) Article 9

(27:06) Next Steps for Washington and Tokyo

(32:41) Japan’s Importance to the United States

You can watch this episode as a video on YouTube.