In this episode of The Ben Franklin Fellowship’s JUNTO Podcast, guest host BFF Vice President John McCally sits down with acclaimed historian, author, and screenwriter Jane Hampton Cook for a wide-ranging discussion on the origins of American diplomacy and the enduring principles that shaped the early Republic.

Drawing on decades of historical research and storytelling, Jane explores Benjamin Franklin’s diplomatic mission to France during the American Revolution, George Washington’s foreign policy vision rooted in realism and national sovereignty, and John Quincy Adams’s leadership during the War of 1812 and Treaty of Ghent negotiations.

Topics discussed include: • Franklin’s strategic diplomacy at the French court • Public image and influence during the American Revolution • Washington’s warnings regarding entangling alliances • John Quincy Adams and the defense of American sovereignty • Lessons modern diplomats can learn from the Founding generation • Patriotism and the meaning of America’s 250th anniversary

Jane Hampton Cook is the author of 20 books and has appeared on Fox News, C-SPAN, the BBC, and major historical documentaries including The American Miracle and The First American.

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