Memos to the President

In this episode of Memos to the President, SCSP CEO Ylli Bajraktari sits down with Dr. Dario Gil, the Undersecretary for Science at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE).

As a former senior executive at IBM and now the leader of America's scientific powerhouse, Dr. Gil oversees 17 National Laboratories and over 40,000 scientists. The conversation focuses on the "Genesis Mission", a bold national initiative designed to double the productivity of the U.S. research and development engine by fusing AI, Quantum computing, and High-Performance Computing (HPC).

From the "Star on Earth" (Fusion energy) to the race for technological offset against China, this episode explores how the DOE is evolving to meet the strategic challenges of 2029 and beyond.

Key themes from this high-level briefing:

🧬 The Genesis Mission: Transforming the $1 trillion U.S. R&D landscape into a hyper-productive "discovery engine" through a unified digital platform.

🛡️ The National Labs Legacy: Why the 17 National Laboratories are a "national treasure" and their critical role in the human genome, supercomputing, and nuclear security.

⚛️ The Quantum Frontier: Moving past "supremacy" toward a scientifically relevant, error-corrected quantum computer.

⚡ The Three Horizons of Energy: Shoring up the grid, the renaissance of nuclear power, and the goal for fusion power plants by the early 2030s.

🇨🇳 Strategic Rivalry: Addressing the "pace-setting competition" with China and the urgent need for a modern-day technological offset.

Timestamped Highlights:

00:04 – Intro: Meet Dr. Dario Gil, Undersecretary for Science 

01:30 – The Immigrant Experience: From Madrid to the DOE 

03:00 – Demystifying the DOE: Science, Energy, and Nuclear Security

08:20 – Inside the 17 National Labs: 40,000 Scientists & a Global Legacy 

13:52 – The Genesis Mission: A Revolution in AI and Computing

18:00 – Public-Private Partnerships: Bringing Industry into the Lab

20:30 – The Legacy of Genesis: A Methodological Shift for Science 

21:50 – Energy as Prosperity: Solving the AI Power Demand 

23:30 – Fusion Energy: Building a "Star on Earth" by the 2030s 

26:32 – The China Competition: Why Urgency is Our Only Option

29:00 – Quantum Advantage: Solving Problems Better, Faster, and Cheaper 

30:35 – Leadership: Transitioning from the Private Sector to Government

Check out their conversation on the SCSP YouTube channel!
Memos to the President Podcast is a product of the Special Competitive Studies Project.

In this special episode of Memos to the President, recorded live at the Munich Security Conference, SCSP CEO Ylli Bajraktari is joined by a very special co-host: Benedikt Franke, CEO and Vice Chairman of the Munich Security Conference. Together, they sit down with General Carsten Breuer, the Chief of Defense of the German Bundeswehr, to discuss the most dangerous security environment in 40 years.
The conversation centers on the "2029 Culmination Point." General Breuer provides a candid assessment of why Germany has a five-year window to become "war-ready" to deter a real and growing threat from Russia. From filling the "pit holes" left by decades of underspending to the "hard choices" of buying American tech off-the-shelf versus building a sovereign European industrial base, this briefing covers the critical roadmap for the future of the Alliance.
Key themes from this high-level briefing:
The 2029 Mandate: Why the German military must be ready to wage war by 2029 to ensure peace through deterrence.
Modernization on Steroids: Navigating the €100 billion budget to prioritize air defense, long-range fires, and satellites.
Ukraine as the "Teacher": How front-line lessons are currently rewriting German military doctrine and manuals.
The War of the Future: The long-term shift toward digitalization and AI as the core of military strength.
Industry & Innovation: Why the military, policymakers, and the private sector must work in lockstep to upscale production.
Timestamped Highlights:
00:08 – Intro: A Joint Podcast with MSC CEO Benedikt Franke
00:56 – The 2029 Vision: Why Germany must be "Ready for War"
01:58 – Cultural Shift: Instilling a "Sense of Urgency" in the Population
03:49 – Modernization: Filling the "Pit Holes" of Underspending
04:53 – Strategic Priorities: Air Defense, Deep Strike, and Satellites
05:12 – The Tech Advantage: Digitalization and Artificial Intelligence
05:53 – Learning from Ukraine: Doctrine Changes and Ukrainian Instructors
07:36 – The Private Sector: Transitioning to "Forward-Leaning" Production
09:55 – Procurement Tradeoffs: Off-the-Shelf vs. European Sovereignty
12:50 – 42 Years of Perspective: Facing the Most Dangerous Time Since the Cold War
14:52 – MSC 2026: European Responsibility and the U.S. Partnership
16:42 – The Goal for 2029: Deterrence as the Shield for Prosperity

Check out their conversation on the SCSP YouTube channel!
Memos to the President Podcast is a product of the Special Competitive Studies Project.

In this episode of Memos to the President, Ylli sits down with Dhruva Jaishankar, Executive Director of ORF America, to take a deep dive into the complex and evolving role of India on the world stage.
Recorded in late January 2026, the conversation explores how India is navigating its relationship with a "pure competitor" in China and a shifting partnership with the United States. Jaishankar provides an expert assessment of why India's generation of strategic thinkers is more "bullish" than ever, despite significant trade frictions and high tariffs currently impacting bilateral ties.
00:00 – Intro: 20 Years of Perspective on D.C. and Delhi 
01:25 – India’s Role in a Changing World Order 
01:53 – The Superpower at the Doorstep: Managing China 
03:00 – A New Generation of Strategic Thinkers 
05:25 – Navigating a World Beyond the U.S. and China 
06:08 – Looking Toward 2050: Challenges and Optimism 
07:53 – The Paradox of U.S.-India Relations: Friction vs. Cooperation 
08:14 – The Tariff Trouble: 50% Levies and Trade Sticking Points 
08:51 – Defense as the New Cornerstone of the Partnership 
09:13 – People-to-People Ties: The Largest Indian Diaspora 
12:24 – The Path to a Comprehensive Bilateral Trade Deal 
13:34 – The Russia Oil Factor and Global Energy Markets 
14:37 – India’s AI Strategy: Data, Talent, and Use Cases 
16:30 – Building Models vs. Building Applications: The R&D Debate 
18:47 – Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) in the AI Age 
19:39 – Recommendations for the U.S.-India Tech Relationship 
21:43 – Previewing the AI Impact Summit in Delhi 
23:43 – Leading the Global South: Reforming International Institutions 
26:40 – Why U.S. and India Should Collaborate in Third Markets 
28:52 – The India-Pakistan "Deep Freeze" and Terrorism Policy 
32:52 – The Diminishing Strategic Value of the Iran Relationship 
34:22 – Russia-India Dynamics: Diversifying Defense and Space 
36:52 – The Concerns Over the Russia-China "No Limits" Friendship 
41:00 – De-risking from China: The Battle for Data and Tech Sovereignty 
43:15 – Outro: The Future of ORF America Cooperation

Check out their conversation on the SCSP YouTube channel!
Memos to the President Podcast is a product of the Special Competitive Studies Project.

In this episode of Memos to the President, Ylli sits down for a second time at the AI+ Fusion Summit with the United States Secretary of Energy, Chris Wright. In their conversation, Secretary Wright urges prioritizing fusion alongside AI and quantum, rebalancing energy spending, and previews the DOE’s next six months.
Watch Memos to the President.

Check out their conversation on the SCSP YouTube channel!
Memos to the President Podcast is a product of the Special Competitive Studies Project.

In this episode, SCSP President Ylli Bajraktari sits down with Brian Moore, Chief Policy Officer at Bot Auto, to unpack how artificial intelligence is reshaping the auto industry and the broader U.S. industrial base. They discuss what it takes to deploy AI responsibly at scale—from transforming manufacturing and logistics to ensuring safety, transparency, and workforce readiness. Moore shares insights from Bot Auto’s work at the intersection of technology and policy, where innovation meets regulation and ethics meets implementation.

Together, Ylli and Brian explore how policymakers and industry leaders can build trust in AI systems, maintain America’s competitive edge, and strengthen collaboration between the public and private sectors. They reflect on the lessons learned from the early days of automation, the future of human–machine partnership, and the global race to define the standards of responsible AI. Check out their conversation on the SCSP YouTube channel!

Memos to the President Podcast is a product of the Special Competitive
Studies Project.