Empire, Roosevelt, and Mark Twain with Stephen Kinzer
Diplomatic Immunity
This week, Kelly is joined by historian and journalist Stephen Kinzer to discuss his book The True Flag: Theodore Roosevelt, Mark Twain, and the Birth of American Empire. They dig into the Spanish-American War, the fierce imperialist vs. anti-imperialist debate it sparked, and how those same arguments still echo through American foreign policy today. Find The True Flag here: Timestamps: 0:00 – Introduction 0:13 – Introducing Stephen Kinzer and The True Flag 2:21 – What Was the Spanish-American War? 6:22 – The Imperialist Case: Roosevelt and Lodge 11:05 – The Philippines and...
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Another breakdown in British Politics
Diplomatic Immunity
Kelly McFarland and Tristen Naylor are back with a home team episode covering two major breaking stories: a seismic shakeup in British politics and the fast-moving (and deeply uncertain) US-Iran nuclear negotiations. 0:00:06 – Intro & Check-ins 0:03:27 – World Cup Chat 0:04:48 – Keir Starmer Resigns 0:10:58 – Andy Burnham & What's Next for Labour 0:18:03 – US-Iran Ceasefire & Nuclear Negotiations 0:29:58 – Israel as a Wild Card Diplomatic Immunity is a podcast from the Institute for the Study of Diplomacy at Georgetown University. Views expressed herein only reflect...
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How the Confederacy almost Survived: King Cotton and Queen Victoria
Diplomatic Immunity
What if the Civil War's most consequential diplomacy didn't happen in London or Washington — but in the back offices of Bahamian merchants, the shipyards of Liverpool, and the harbors of Nassau? In this episode, Kelly McFarland sits down with historian and Army veteran Beau Cleland to discuss his award-winning book "Between King Cotton and Queen Victoria: How Pirates, Smugglers, and Scoundrels Almost Saved the Confederacy" — winner of the 2026 Wiley Silver Prize for the best first book in the history of the Civil War. Beau reveals how a decentralized network of blockade runners, private...
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The World Cup Comes to Trump's America
Diplomatic Immunity
The World Cup is finally here — and it's coming to North America. This week, Kelly and Tristen take a lighter-than-usual look at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, kicking off June 11th across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Where there's a major global event, there's geopolitics. From Iran's visa saga to sky-high ticket prices, heat waves in Kansas City, and FIFA's delicate dance with the White House, this tournament is anything but simple. Plus: a quick Iran update, World Cup predictions, and a story involving vuvuzelas and Trafalgar Square. Chapters: 0:05 – Intro & Housekeeping ...
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The King's Visit, Trump's China Trip & US-Iran
Diplomatic Immunity
King Charles visited the White House — and it went exactly as planned. But did it actually matter? In this episode of Diplomatic Immunity, we break down King Charles's state visit to the United States, what it reveals about how the British government has learned to work with Trump, and why the royal charm offensive doesn't necessarily translate into real policy wins for the UK. We also cover: Trump's upcoming visit to China and what's at stake The latest from the US-Iran conflict The growing political crisis facing Keir Starmer back home The special relationship is alive — but is it...
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Historian Amy Greenberg on The Mexican-American War: America's Forgotten Conflict | Road to 250
Diplomatic Immunity
In this episode of Diplomatic Immunity, our host Kelly McFarland sits down with Dr. Amy Greenberg, professor at Penn State and author of A Wicked War: Polk, Clay, Lincoln, and the 1846 U.S. Invasion of Mexico, to explore one of the most consequential — and least remembered — wars in American history. We trace the origins of the Mexican-American War from the Texas Revolution and the annexation debate, through James K. Polk's deliberate provocation of conflict, to the rogue diplomacy of Nicholas Trist, whose defiance of presidential orders ultimately shaped the modern American Southwest....
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Historian Lindsay Chervinsky on the Monroe Doctrine & John Quincy Adams | America at 250
Diplomatic Immunity
In this episode of Diplomatic Immunity, host Kelly McFarland sits down with presidential historian Lindsay Chervinsky, executive director of the George Washington Presidential Library at Mount Vernon, to explore one of the most consequential partnerships in American foreign policy history: James Monroe and his Secretary of State, John Quincy Adams. They dig into the origins of the Monroe Doctrine, why Adams famously turned down a British alliance offer, and what it actually meant to declare the Western Hemisphere off-limits to European imperial expansion in 1823. From the Adams-Onís...
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Iran Talks, Hungary's Election Surprise & the Shifting Global Order
Diplomatic Immunity
In this episode, Kelly and Tristan break down two major stories shaping the world right now - Iran and Hungary. Topics covered: U.S.-Iran nuclear talks collapse — why a deal may leave America worse off than before the war The U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports and the China wildcard Viktor Orbán voted out after 16 years — what it means for the EU and Ukraine Is the global backlash against right-wing populism growing? Produced by Freddie Mallinson and Mislav Majcan. Recorded on 14 April, 2026. Diplomatic Immunity, a podcast from the Institute for the Study of Diplomacy at Georgetown...
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History Professor on James Madison and the War of 1812 | Diplomatic Immunity
Diplomatic Immunity
In this episode of Diplomatic Immunity, host Kelly McFarland sits down with Dr. Tyson Reeder, assistant professor of history at Brigham Young University and author of Serpent in Eden: Foreign Meddling and Partisan Politics in James Madison's America (Oxford University Press, 2024 — winner of the 2025 George Washington Prize). Together, they explore the presidency of James Madison as part of our 2026 Road to 250 series, examining key turning points in American foreign policy. Topics covered: Who was James Madison and how did he shape early American foreign policy? The Embargo of 1807 —...
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Road to 250: Thomas Jefferson's foreign policy
Diplomatic Immunity
In this episode of the Road to 250 series, our host Kelly McFarland sits down with Professor Frank Cogliano of the University of Edinburgh to explore Thomas Jefferson's foreign policy and its lasting impact on America's role in the world. Topics covered: The Federalist vs. Democratic-Republican divide over foreign policy Jefferson's "Empire of Liberty" — how he reconciled expansion with Republican ideals The Barbary Wars and Jefferson's willingness to use military force The Haitian Revolution and Jefferson's contradictions on liberty and slavery The Louisiana Purchase and the constitutional...
info_outlineThis week, Kelly and Tristen talk through recent COP and G20 summits, and what US absence meant for the world's biggest international fora. They also provide updates on US allies' reactions to boat strikes in the Caribbean, and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's meetings with Trump at the White House.
The opinions expressed in this conversation are strictly those of the participants and do not represent the views of Georgetown University or any government entity.
Produced by Abdalla Nasef and Freddie Mallinson.
Recorded on November 24, 2025. Diplomatic Immunity, a podcast from the Institute for the Study of Diplomacy at Georgetown University, brings you frank and candid conversations with experts on the issues facing diplomats and national security decision-makers around the world.
Funding support from the Carnegie Corporation of New York.
For more, visit our website, and follow us on Linkedin, Twitter @GUDiplomacy, and Instagram @isd.georgetown