Trump’s Art of the Deal – from the man who advised him
episodePreviously titled “Trump’s deal and wars – from the man who advised him” — renamed by the publisher on Aug 4, 2026
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What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
This episode of The General and the Journalist is brought to you by Team Orion. At a time where the world is increasingly uncertain, defence needs more than traditional logistics to face those challenges. It takes trusted data, rapid decision-making and operational resilience. That's where Team Orion comes in, strengthening defence readiness through integration. Combining the sovereign expertise of KBR, Unipart and IBM, Team Orion delivers the decision-making power and support systems to sustain forces when the stakes are high. Discover how Team Orion is helping shape the future of defence readiness. Follow them on LinkedIn at Team Orion Defence. Donald Trump promised to end America's wars.
I will end the war in Ukraine, which would have never happened if I were president. I will stop the chaos in the Middle East and I will prevent World War Three from happening.
He promised to be the peace president. They said he will start a war. I'm not going to start a war. I'm going to stop wars. But it feels like the U.S. has never been involved in so much foreign aggression from Venezuela to Greenland to its role in Ukraine. and of course, Iran and the wider Middle East. So how does Trump decide when to wield American military power? Does he have a grand strategy? Or is it all just gut instinct? And with a peace plan for Iran finally emerging this week, what are its chances of actually working in America, getting out of all this with a win? Well, very few are better qualified to answer those questions than our guest this week, General H.R. McMaster, President Trump's National Security Advisor in his first term,
and a man who worked up close with him inside the White House.
I'm Tom. I'm Patrick, and welcome to The General and the Journalist. So, H.R. McMaster, welcome to the podcast. It's great to see you.
Hey, Patrick, great to be with you again. And great to meet Tom.
Well, thank you so much for joining us, HR. It's our great privilege. HR, you and I have known each other for almost 25 years. And we first met in Saddam's palace in Baghdad in 2003, where you were very kind to me. And I've never forgotten it. But since then, we've seen each other on and off over the years. And actually, the last time, you may not remember, the last time we saw each other was that dinner at the Tower of London when you told me that you were going to retire from the military. And about three weeks later, you found yourself interviewing to be the national security advisor for Trump in his first term.
Yeah, I guess life can throw you, you know, as we say in the U.S., a curveball sometimes.
Yeah, and that was quite some curveball. So a little bit of background on you. You're a retired U.S. Army Lieutenant General with a very distinguished operational record, including commanding Eagle Troop of the 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment in the Battle of 73 Easting in Gulf War I. And then for many of us was a really seminal tour commanding the 3rd Armoured Cavalry Regiment at Tal Afar in 2005, 2006, and often cited as a model of counterinsurgency. And of course, as we were just saying, just at the point of retirement, you were picked by President Trump in his first term to serve as the 25th United States National Security Advisor from 2017 to 2018. And as we can now see from your video, you're in an ivory tower as a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution.
H.R., I know you less well, but I have done a little bit of research on you, and I've discovered that your favorite reading is George MacDonald Fraser's Flashman series, a legendary bit of book writing, which I think makes you an anglophile at heart.
Well, I am an anglophile at heart. I'm also a rugby player. So and, you know, I really, I really appreciate the opportunity to be with both of you.
You're also the author of three books. And the one that really, of course, you're very well known for, and I think is really significant to our conversation today, is Dereliction of Duty, published in 1997. And in that book, you examined how the Joint Chiefs of Staff failed to challenge flawed strategies.
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Chapters
8 chapters
1
What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
0:00–5:53
2
How does President Trump decide when to use American military power?
5:53–9:57
3
Does Trump follow a grand strategy or rely on instinct and deals?
9:57–14:18
4
What are the strengths and flaws of the Iran peace‑MOU announced this week?
14:18–19:21
5
Why did the Iran‑MOU turn into a pause rather than a lasting peace?
19:21–24:14
6
How does Trump’s approach to Ukraine differ from his Iran policy?
24:14–28:35
7
What leverage does the United States have over Russia, China and Iran now?
28:35–32:13
8
How is the shifting balance of power affecting NATO and the UK’s defence spending?
32:13–35:01