Black Air Force officer shatters military glass ceiling

America’s best days lie ahead – that’s the message President Biden has tried to relay in recent days. But many Americans don’t agree: a staggering 85% say the country is headed in the wrong direction, amid constant mass shootings, a cost-of-living crisis, the erosion of rights, and ongoing threats to democracy. Abroad, its key ally Britain is in turmoil, while China is growing ever more ambitious, and Ukraine depends on the US to help defend the liberal world order. President Zelensky is praising western-supplied weapons as “working very powerfully,” but it’s clear he needs more, especially fighter aircraft. The importance of winning the skies has been largely overlooked, so in today's show we turn to an expert. Gen. Charles Q. Brown, Jr. is chief of staff for the US Air Force and the first Black officer to lead a branch of the military. Now, he’s focused on reforming the institution, and he speaks with Christiane from the Pentagon.

Also on today's show: actor David Harbour (Stranger Things); author Helen Zia (Last Boat out of Shanghai). To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices