These experts from the UW–Madison faculty and staff have agreed to comment on breaking news, ongoing developments and trends in their areas of expertise. If you need help arranging interviews, email the Office of Strategic Communication.
Experts on the news
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John Hall on: Illinois and Oregon Intensify Efforts to Block Trump’s Guard Deployments
Hall, a historian of U.S. defense policy and civil-military relations, can discuss the significance of this moment. He notes that such overt politicization of the armed forces raises serious questions about the balance of civilian control and military neutrality. “The U.S. military has prided itself on being apolitical, subordinated to elected leaders but not instrumentalized for partisan ends,” Hall recently explained. “Events like this are telling indicators of stress in civil-military relations."
He can speak to:
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The “rebranding” of the Department of Defense as the Department of War, the probable aims of this unprecedented gathering of military leaders, and the likely results.
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The President’s remarks about using American cities as training grounds, and how they gesture to a more fundamental challenge to longstanding policies which have sought to avoid domestic deployments and collisions with popular sentiment.
Recent Press:
The New York Times- September 2025
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Chris Vagasky on: The Government Shutdown’s Impact on FEMA and the National Weather Service
Chris Vagasky can discuss how the federal government shutdown affects the operations of the National Weather Service (NWS) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), including impacts on disaster response, forecasting, and outreach. As a meteorologist and manager of the Wisconsin Environmental Mesonet, he works to improve weather safety communication and public preparedness.
He can speak to:
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How weather forecasts and warnings continue to be issued, despite staffing and funding challenges.
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The suspension of outreach and public engagement activities by both FEMA and NWS during the shutdown.
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The potential depletion of the Disaster Relief Fund if multiple disasters occur during the shutdown, especially during hurricane and wildfire seasons, and the broader long-term implications.
Recent Press:
WTMJ- May 2025
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