The Transatlantic Debrief

What Does Europe's Far Right Actually Want? | Inside MCC Brussels

In the latest episode of The Transatlantic Debrief, I sat down with Jacob Reynolds, Head of Policy at MCC Brussels, in the MCC—Viktor Orbán's think tank here in Brussels—for an hour-long, uncut conversation on sovereignty, European identity, and the far-right project reshaping EU politics. The MCC is the hub for policy and exchange among the European far right, a far right that is growing, on its way to potentially having the decision-making power across European capitals and in the Parliament. Moving from the fringes to the mainstream. I wanted to understand what Europe will look like once it gains the power. We cover: - What MCC Brussels actually wants to build—not the slogans, but the mechanics - Strategic autonomy and a sovereigntist view of Europe on the world stage - The funding chain—MOL, Russian oil revenues, and the Heritage Foundation - American interference in European politics—and who gets to define sovereignty - The CEU expulsion, press consolidation in Hungary, and what academic freedom actually means -  Hannah Arendt and how her framework applies or does not apply to all of the above Jacob Reynolds is Head of Policy at MCC Brussels, the European outpost of the Mathias Corvinus Collegium, Hungary's state-backed education and research institution.

The United States of Europe: Volt MEPs on Nationalism, ICE, and Rubio's Munich Speech

Volt Europa was founded in 2017 to counter the rising tide of nationalism across Europe, and to address the concern that a Europe divided is a Europe that can't act globally nor generate a viable alternative to the United States or China. Today, nationalist parties hold power in seven EU member states and occupy 26% of the seats in the European Parliament. At the same time, the United States of Europe—Volt's push for a federalised, united Europe—is finding growing support, but not where it matters most: from the national leaders who dictate European governance and who, while agreeing Europe is divided and cannot act, are now favouring coalitions of the willing to move Europe forward. So what does a pan-European federalist party do when the world proves their diagnosis right—but rejects their prescription? In this episode of the Transatlantic Debrief, host Samuel Dempsey sits down with MEPs Reinier van Lanschot and Anna Strolenberg—members of Volt Europa, the only truly transnational political party in the EU—to reckon with that question and the Europe it produces. They examine: * Volt's federal vision for Europe and whether it remains viable in the age of the E6 and coalitions of the willing * ICE operating on European soil and why European leaders have been largely silent on human rights abuses in the United States * Europe's own migration crisis—120,000 illegal pushbacks, 21,000 people returned to Libyan detention facilities, and over 10,000 deaths at its borders in 2024 alone * Marco Rubio's speech at the Munich Security Conference and what the standing ovation really meant * Volt's decision to join the Greens over Renew Europe—and what it tells us about coalition politics in the Parliament * The EU-Mercosur deal, trade diversification, and whether Volt is willing to lose elections over geopolitically necessary decisions * Whether Europe can build hard power without compromising the liberal democratic values that are supposed to set it apart If you want to understand the tension at the heart of European politics right now—between unity and sovereignty, values and pragmatism, ambition and power—this conversation is essential listening. Reinier van Lanschot is a Member of the European Parliament representing the Netherlands for Volt Europa, and one of the party's co-founders. He sits on the Committee on Security and Defence and the Committee on Constitutional Affairs, and serves on the Delegation to the EU-Russia Parliamentary Cooperation Committee and the Delegation to the EU-Armenia, EU-Azerbaijan, and EU-Georgia Parliamentary Committees.  Anna Strolenberg is a Member of the European Parliament representing the Netherlands for Volt Europa. She sits on the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development and serves on the Delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Union for the Mediterranean.

The Transatlantic Rupture and Europe's Strategic Autonomy Challenge | Erik Jones

In this episode, I sit down with Erik Jones, Director of the Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies at the European University Institute, to discuss the deepening crisis in transatlantic relations and Europe's path forward. We explore:  • Why cautious optimism about the transatlantic relationship is still possible despite the current rupture  • How the EU should engage a Trump administration that applies maximum coercion without offering commitment  • What strategic autonomy actually means—and why the term is starting to disappear from EU policy documents  • Germany's push for a "two-speed Europe" and whether the EU-27 can act as a unified global power  • Why enlargement remains a security imperative, even as formal accession slows  • What comes next for the transatlantic relationship after this administration—and why domestic consolidation in the US matters more than diplomacy  • Academia's role in cutting through the noise when policy moves faster than research About Erik Jones: Erik Jones is Director of the Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies at the European University Institute and Non-resident Scholar at Carnegie Europe. He served as Director of European and Eurasian Studies at Johns Hopkins SAIS from 2013-2021. Jones is author of The Politics of Economic and Monetary Union (2002), Economic Adjustment and Political Transformation in Small States (2008), Weary Policeman: American Power in an Age of Austerity (2012, with Dana H. Allin), The Year the European Crisis Ended (2014), and From Club to Commons: Enlargement, Reform, and Sustainability in European Integration (2025, with Veronica Anghel).  Timestamps: 00:00 - Introduction 00:53 - Cautious optimism about transatlantic resilience 03:08 - How should the EU engage Trump's coercive diplomacy? 05:47 - Defining strategic autonomy 10:11 - Can the EU-27 act globally, or do we need a two-speed Europe? 13:02 - Enlargement as security: Ukraine and the Western Balkans 19:42 - What comes next after Trump? 21:20 - Academia's comparative advantage in a noisy world Connect: 📧 analysis@samuel-dempsey.com 🎙️ Subscribe for analysis on transatlantic relations, democracy, US and European politics, and defense policy

Greenland, NATO, and the Transatlantic Relationship In Jeopardy with Denmark's Defense Committee Chair Rasmus Jarlov

In this critical conversation, Rasmus Jarlov, Chairman of the Danish Parliament's Defence Committee, discusses the escalating crisis over Greenland following negotiations between Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen and US Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. After the January 15th White House meeting ended with "fundamental disagreement," President Trump declared that "anything less" than US control of Greenland is "unacceptable." We explore what this means for NATO, transatlantic relations, and the future of European security. We discuss:  * The ideological forces driving Trump's Greenland ambitions—from national security neocons to tech oligarchs like Peter Thiel, Elon Musk, and US Ambassador to Denmark Ken Howery * Trump's invocation of "Manifest Destiny" and framing Greenland as both a real estate deal and mob-style ultimatum * Parallels to Venezuela: Why Trump's treatment of Maduro suggests negotiations may be theater before coercion * Europe's military response: Are dozens of troops from Germany, Finland, Norway, Sweden, France, Netherlands, and UK enough to deter US annexation? * Diverging positions within NATO and European leadership on the crisis * Danish public opinion on defending Greenland  * What US aggression against Greenland would mean for NATO's future and transatlantic trust Rasmus Jarlov is a member of the Conservative People's Party and has served in the Danish Parliament (Folketing) since 2015. He previously served as Minister for Business Affairs (2018-2019) and currently chairs the Defence Committee.  Recorded: January 15, 2026

The Maduro Capture: What Destroyed Venezuela & What Happens Next | Jorge Jraissati

Five days after US special forces captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in a military operation that killed over 100 people, I sat down with Venezuelan economist Jorge Jraissati to unpack what this means for Venezuela's future—and what it reveals about American power, international law, and financial sovereignty. Jorge, a Venezuelan native and President of the Organization for Economic Inclusion, walks us through the complex history that led to this moment: from the 1948 US-backed coup that overthrew Venezuela's first democratically elected president, through the Chávez era, to Maduro's capture in his Caracas residence. In this episode, we discuss: • The immediate aftermath of Operation Absolute Resolve and what comes next for Venezuela  • Trump's explicit interest in Venezuelan oil and the incoherent "day after" planning  • The long arc of US intervention in Venezuela—from 1948 to 2026  • What actually destroyed Venezuela: socialism, authoritarianism, US sanctions, or all of the above?  • How banking became a weapon of control—both by the West against Venezuela, and by Maduro against his own people  • Why crypto currency became a financial lifeline for millions of Venezuelans when traditional banking failed  • Where is the EU's response to this violation of international norms and to the promotion of democracy in Venezuela?  • What the transatlantic community should be thinking about financial sovereignty and democratic transitions Jorge Jraissati is President of the Organization for Economic Inclusion and a researcher at IESE Business School's Center for Public Leadership and Government. His research has been published in Economic Affairs, the Brookings Institution, and Foreign Policy, with policy recommendations supported by institutions like the OECD and presented at Harvard and Cambridge.