In Episode 14 of The Ben Franklin Fellowship's JUNTO Podcast, BFF Co-Founder and Chairman Phillip Linderman sits down with Ambassador J. Peter Pham for an in-depth discussion on Africa, China, critical minerals, the Sahel, great power competition, and the future of America First foreign policy.

As global competition intensifies, Africa has become a strategic battleground for influence, resources, security partnerships, and economic development. Ambassador Pham shares his unique perspective on China's growing presence across the continent, the collapse of Western influence in parts of the Sahel, and how previous U.S. policies contributed to instability and the effective "loss" of key Sahel states.

The conversation also examines the impact of ideological foreign policy priorities on America's relationships with African governments, including efforts by previous administrations to pressure African leaders to adopt policy positions that remain highly contested even within the United States itself. Ambassador Pham argues that these approaches often distracted from core strategic interests and weakened America's standing with key regional partners.

Topics discussed include:

• The growing geopolitical importance of Africa • China's expanding influence across the continent • Critical minerals, supply chains, and economic security • Strategic competition between the United States and China • The collapse of Western influence in the Sahel • How previous U.S. policies contributed to instability and the loss of key Sahel states • The impact of ideological and "woke" foreign policy priorities on U.S.-Africa relations • Governance, security, terrorism, and regional conflict • America First diplomacy and strategic realism • The future of U.S.-Africa relations in a changing world order

The JUNTO Podcast is produced by The Ben Franklin Fellowship — Diplomacy Rooted in the Republic. In Service to America.

The JUNTO Podcast is produced by The Ben Franklin Fellowship.

Learn more: https://www.benfranklinfellowship.org