Hoover Daily Report | August 13, 2025

Today, Matthew Pottinger and Liza Tobin warn that allowing exports of advanced American computer chips to China will undermine US national security; Lee Ohanian analyzes the arguments of Texas and California lawmakers as each state looks to redraw congressional districts mid-decade; and Russell Berman suggests that regardless of what happens between Trump and Putin in Alaska, Europe will “end up as the loser.”

Hoover Daily Report | August 13, 2025

Episode Transcript

>> Male (00:00):
Welcome to the Hoover Daily Report.
Ideas Advancing Freedom It's Wednesday,August 13, 2025.

>> Female (00:06):
Today, Matthew Pottinger and Liza Tobin warn that allowing exports of
advanced American computer chips to Chinawill undermine US national security.
Lee Ohanian analyzes the arguments ofTexas and California lawmakers as each
state looks to redraw congressionaldistricts mid decade and
Russell Berman suggests that regardlessof what happens between Trump and

(00:27):
Putin in Alaska,Europe will end up as the loser.

>> Male (00:31):
Trump just handed China the tools to beat America.
In AI Writing at the Free Press,distinguished Visiting
fellow Matthew Pottinger and co authorLiza Tobin warned that President Trump's
decision to lift the ban on exportingNvidia's powerful H20 chips to
China may be remembered as the moment whenAmerica surrendered the technological

(00:51):
advantage needed to bring manufacturinghome and and keep our nation secure.
Noting that Nvidia and fellow chip makerAMD have entered into a revenue sharing
agreement with the US Governmentas a condition of this deal,
Pottinger and Tobin argue that thiseffectively monetizes what was supposed
to be a national security restriction.

(01:11):
The authors push back against claimsthat the chips now permitted for
export have little national securityrelevance by showing evidence that Chinese
entities, including the People'sLiberation army, plan to use the chips for
a range of weapons systems,including robotic dogs.
As the authors both first term Trumpadministration officials conclude, quote,

(01:32):
we shouldn't hand our adversariesthe tools to beat us.

>> Female (01:36):
Newsom's Congressional Redistricting Fight with Texas Texas and
California are currently engaged ina national fight over who gets to draw
the congressional district lines that maydecide whether Republicans keep control of
the House of Representatives andafter the 2026 midterm elections,
writes Senior Fellow Lee Ohanianat California on your mind.

(01:56):
Ohanian evaluates both stateslegal justifications for
mid decade redistricting, while warningagainst the broader implications for
American democracy.
It is widely agreed, he writes, thatthe proportional representation implied by
one person, one vote should guidestate congressional district maps and
that gerrymandering is to be avoided.

(02:17):
If the Texas redistricting is in factlawful and guided by legitimate democratic
arguments, Ohanian suggests California andother states should respect it.
As he concludes, failing to do so wouldfracture our democratic foundations and
could lead to a redistrictingwar among the states
that almost certainly would haveawful consequences for our republic.

>> Male (02:38):
The Real loser of the Trump Putin Summit Europe Writing at
National Security Journal,senior Fellow Russell A.
Berman examines the anticipatedTrump Putin summit in Alaska and
its potential implications forending the Ukraine war.
Berman argues that while internationallaw supports Ukraine's full territorial
restoration andRussia has committed clear war crimes.

(03:01):
Battlefield realities maketerritorial compromise likely.
Berman identifies several keyfactors shaping summit discussions.
Russia currently holdssignificant Ukrainian territory,
Western support has been insufficientwith restrictive conditions, and
Ukraine lacks access to NATO andEU membership despite ongoing promises.

(03:22):
He suggests any agreement will likelyinvolve Ukrainian territorial concessions
that challenge international law andmoral principles.
Berman also argues thatregardless of summit outcomes,
Europe will emerge as the primary loserdue to its institutional constraints,
unwillingness to build crediblemilitary deterrence, and
the contradiction between its moralisticrhetoric about rules based order and

(03:44):
inability to enforcethose rules militarily.

>> Female (03:47):
America's Nuclear Power Revival Rising energy demand from AI,
cloud computing and manufacturing hasrevived interest in nuclear energy.
A new episode of Intellections draws onHoover Institution scholarship to explain
the potential of this form of energygeneration to address current
national challenges.
Once stalled by high costs and regulation,nuclear power has re emerged as a scalable

(04:09):
zero emission solution backed by nextgen technologies, private investment and
public support.
Its successful revival depends on policyreform, resilient supply chains and
global partnerships.
A renewed nuclear sector couldanchor America's clean energy and
security strategy.

>> Male (04:26):
Featured Hoover Publication Forging Trust with India
the Dramatic Story of Achievingthe US India Civil Nuclear Agreement.
In this Hoover Institution Press Digitalexclusive,
Distinguished VisitingFellow Ambassador David C.
Mulford offers a definitivepersonal Account of the 2005-2008
US India Civil Nuclearagreement negotiations,

(04:49):
a historic accomplishment and theCornerstone of modern US India relations.

>> Female (04:54):
That's your Hoover Daily report for Wednesday, August 13, 2025.
Each weekday we bring you research,analysis and commentary focused on public
policy, national security, and the ideasshaping American society and government.
The Hoover Institution at StanfordUniversity is grounded in constitutional
principles with a commitment tosustaining the safeguards of the American

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way of life.
Thank you for listening.
For links to all the articles andinterviews mentioned today,
visit Hoover.org HDR.