In this episode of Understandable Insights, Sue and Eric trace how seemingly ordinary deals can reshape American security, starting with a Chinese-linked insurance acquisition that offers a window into the “holy grail” of intelligence—intent. Some foreign capital is about substitution, not partnership. From there, they turn to energy in the AI era, using the federal loan to restart Three Mile Island as a case study in government use. They examine the tug-of-war between state and federal authority, from redistricting fights to dueling approaches to AI regulation—asking when “national security” is a legitimate reason to centralize power and when it’s an excuse to avoid hard public debate. In a rapid-fire segment, they run through the latest on the Gaza peace plan, mRNA research, strategic ambiguity with Taiwan, the Saudi sovereign wealth fund, and the peace process in Ukraine. Finally, in What We’re Watching, they look ahead to pending Supreme Court decisions, AI-bubble signals, the Comey indictment, and the response to a congressional video on the military’s obligation to follow lawful orders, before closing with a note of Thanksgiving: the strength of America’s “villages” of people who quietly hold the country together.

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction to Understandable Insights

00:30 Thanksgiving Traditions

03:59 China's Investment in the US

14:20 US $1B Loan for Nuclear

19:52 Gerrymandering and AI Laws

28:27 Federal vs. State Control: AI and Women's Rights

32:06 UN Peace Plan for Gaza

33:35 Pfizer's mRNA Flu Shot

37:53 Saudi Arabia's Financial Struggles

40:31 Japan's Stance on Taiwan

43:34 Ukraine Peace Process

48:50 What We’re Watching

54:39 Thanks to Give

Articles:

Creamed Onions Recipe

U.S.-Taiwan Relations in a New Era: Responding to a More Assertive China

About the show:

Understandable Insights: Information to Intelligence with Sue Gordon is the national security podcast that provides you an elemental understanding of the world as it is, not how you prefer it to be.

Each week, Eric Koepp — a former Marine, father, and entrepreneur — sits down with the Honorable Sue Gordon, the nation’s former top career intelligence officer. Together, they break down the headlines shaping our world and ask what they really mean for citizens, leaders, and institutions.

From armed conflict to emerging tech, foreign interference to the resilience of democracy — this is where raw information becomes real intelligence. Unfiltered. Candid. Unapologetically clear.

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