The Focus

Two wars are raging in the world right now: Ukraine and Iran. Both are, at their core, energy wars. Modern economies depend on cheap and reliable supplies of oil and gas. But what happens when war disrupts access to energy in not just one, but two of the world’s most critical regions at the same time? The Ukraine war has already reshaped Europe’s energy landscape. Now escalating confli...

As Russia’s war in Ukraine grinds into its fifth year, the geopolitical map is shifting in real time. In this episode of The Focus, Dr. John Bruni speaks with Lt. Gen. (ret.) Ben Hodges, former Commanding General of U.S. Army Europe, about the war’s trajectory, the future of NATO, and the global ripple effects now shaping the international order. Recorded before the outbreak of U.S.&nd...

🎙️ Is Australia’s Defence Capability Strong — or Structurally Vulnerable? Australia talks constantly about defence capability. But if we can’t build, sustain, and properly crew our own force structure — are we truly sovereign? In this episode of The Focus, Dr John Bruni speaks with Mel Pikos from Talking Tactics about the real state of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) and...

Is India still a strategic partner of the United States — or is it becoming an independent pole in a rapidly shifting global order? In this high-level panel discussion, Dr. John Bruni is joined by Lt. General Ravi Shankar (Retd.), former Director General of Artillery of the Indian Army, and Professor Salvatore Babones, political economist at the University of Sydney, to examine India’s...

In our second episode for 2026, John is joined by returning guest Professor Scott Lucas to talk about the recent tragic events in the U.S. state of Minnesota. Show Notes: Episode Description From Minneapolis to Washington, D.C., Minnesota has become the epicentre of seismic political conflict — from mass protests to intense debates over immigration enforcement, federal power, and public acco...

The first episode of The Focus for 2026 opens with a wide-ranging and hard-edged conversation with political theorist and commentator Roy Casagranda. As global politics enters a period of heightened uncertainty, Dr Bruni and Casagranda examine the strategic, political, and moral pressures shaping the international system — from the Americas to Europe and the Middle East. The discussion explo...

Britain enters 2025 facing economic strain, strategic uncertainty, and intensifying global competition. In this hard-hitting year-end special, Dr John Bruni sits down with former Royal Navy submariner and intelligence specialist  CDRE Pat Tyrrell OBE (Ret.) , and investigative journalist  Pete Warren , for an unfiltered assessment of the UK’s political and strategic direction. We b...

Is the climate debate more complex than we’re being told? In this episode of  The Focus , Dr John Bruni sits down with Professor Ian Plimer — geologist, author, and one of the most contested voices in Australia’s climate conversation. Plimer has spent decades arguing that natural geological and planetary processes play a larger role in climate variability than many policymak...

In this episode of  The Focus , Dr. John Bruni speaks with leading strategist  Professor Andrew A. Michta  about whether the West is in decline or on the cusp of renewal, exploring the fractures inside the transatlantic alliance, America’s fading primacy, Europe’s struggle for strategic agency, China’s growing economic fragility, and the deeper civilisational...

🇪🇺  Is Europe finally rising as a defence power? As the war in Ukraine grinds on and populist politics reshape Europe, the EU faces a historic test: defend the continent, support Kyiv, and hold the line against Moscow — while staying united. In this episode, Dr John Bruni speaks with EU analyst  Piotr Maciej Kaczyński  on Europe's defence transformation, Poland’s upcomin...

In this episode of The Focus, Dr John Bruni speaks with CTO of NY-based company Artorias, Shane Curtis, about how truth is shaped, challenged, and weaponised in today’s information age and how Artorias' premium product, SITREP, is democratising Open Source Intelligence. From the algorithms driving attention to the blurred line between journalism and influence operations, this conversation ex...

What happens when ceasefire becomes status quo?  In this episode of  The Focus , John Bruni interviews Israeli scholar Dr Ori Goldberg on the fragile Gaza truce, Israel’s surveillance corridors, and the internal power-struggles that could spark a new war. Expect hard questions, blunt truth, and no easy answers. Show Notes: X: @ori_goldberg  Bluesky: @origoldberg.bsky.social&nb...

Two years after the October 7 attacks, the world remains caught between memory and escalation. In this gripping episode, Dr John Bruni sits down with political theorist  Dr Roy Casagranda  to unpack the transformation of American power under  Trump 47 — from Quantico’s “warrior ethos” and the rebranding of the Pentagon as the Department of War, to the U....

India is no longer a silent player in world politics. As the U.S. courts New Delhi, Russia relies on Indian markets, China looms across the border, and Pakistan remains a constant rival, India stands at the centre of global geopolitics. In this episode of  The Focus , Dr. John Bruni speaks with  Professor Salvatore Babones  (University of Sydney) about India’s bold gamble on i...

We sit down with  Yuki Tatsumi  to explore foreign policy in the  Indo-Pacific . From the  US-Japan alliance  to ties with  Australia, India, and the Quad , we unpack how regional countries and the US navigate today’s shifting fault lines. We also examine the legacy of  Shinzo Abe —including his reputation as the “ Trump whisperer ”—...

India is rising — but what does that mean on the frontlines? 🇮🇳 In this episode of  The Focus , Dr. John Bruni speaks with  Lt. Gen. Ravi Shankar (Retd.) , former Director General of Artillery and the bold voice behind  The Gunner’s Shot . Unapologetic and unfiltered. This is India’s rise told from the inside. Show Notes Connect with Ravi The Gunners Shot YouTube C...

Australia and Indonesia are tied together by geography — but how well do we really understand each other? Despite being close neighbours, relations between Canberra and Jakarta are often uneasy, marked by cooperation, competition, and occasional mistrust. In this episode of  The Focus , Dr.  Gatra Priyandita  (Australian Strategic Policy Institute) joins Dr.  John Bruni &...

What if the interstellar comet  3I/ATLAS  wasn’t natural — but  alien technology ? In this special episode of  The Focus , Dr.  John Bruni  speaks with Harvard astrophysicist  Prof. Avi Loeb  about the  James Webb Space Telescope’s new images  and asks the ultimate question: Who speaks for Earth if the universe makes contact? What...

Europe stands on shaky ground. With Trump floating “peace plans” for Ukraine, Putin pressing his advantage, and NATO allies second-guessing their future, uncertainty is the only constant. In this episode of  The Focus Podcast , Dr. John Bruni speaks with Commander Anders Puck Nielsen of the Royal Danish Navy — one of Europe’s sharpest military analysts.  Show Note...

Mexico’s cartels aren’t just crime syndicates—they’re power brokers shaping politics, security, and the U.S.–Mexico border. In this episode of  The Focus , Dr. John Bruni speaks with Stefano Ritondale to unpack the rise of the Sinaloa Cartel, CJNG, and Gulf Cartel—and what their influence means for North America. #mexicancartels #geopolitics #thefocuspodcas...

Yale professor  Samuel Moyn  joins us to explore how drones, AI, and precision strikes have transformed modern conflict. Based on his book  Humane , this conversation asks whether efforts to make war more “humane” have sidelined the goal of peace itself. Show Notes: Connect with Sam Yale:  https://law.yale.edu/samuel-moyn  Website:  https://campuspress.yal...

Can ancient Stoicism help us face today’s crazy world? In this episode of  The Focus , Dr. John Bruni speaks with philosopher Prof. Massimo Pigliucci on how Stoic principles offer clarity, resilience, and meaning in an age of rage, war, and misinformation. We also explore real Stoicism vs. “Broicism,” and how to apply timeless wisdom to modern crises. 🎧 Watch now on  T...

Dr. John Bruni speaks with Prof. Salvatore Babones about  U.S.–India relations ,  Modi’s strategic balancing act , the  Quad , and how  Russian oil, and a possible F-35 purchase , affects  Trump’s thinking on India and  how this could reshape stability on the Subcontinent & Indo-Pacific security more broadly. #IndiaUS #SalvatoreBabones #Geopoliti...

In this episode of  The Focus , Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges joins us to unpack Europe’s growing defence dilemma. As U.S. support for NATO faces political headwinds and war rages in Ukraine, can Europe stand on its own? Or is it still relying too heavily on the American security umbrella? We explore NATO’s credibility, European rearmament, and what’s needed to keep the continent safe...

Dr. Roy Casagranda returns to  The Focus  to explore the global and domestic impact of a second Trump term—covering democracy, immigration, alliances, Ukraine, Iran, and more. 🎧 Watch now & subscribe for more insight on geopolitics and global affairs. #geopolitics #trump47 #roycasagranda #uspolitics #thefocuspodcast #globalsecurity #foreignpolicy Show Notes: 🔗 *Connect with R...