04x08 - Warships

[bunniefuu]

The president would be more comfortable
if you told Russia you'd prefer they… not.

-[Vaughn] Come get their dead.
-Yes.

I'm going to say no to your fine idea.

I met with the PM tonight.

Is she calling the Kremlin
and telling them to stay the hell out?

Yes, ma'am. She is.

-[Stuart] What's a Project 141 vessel?
-[Eidra] A Russian ship.

Billie said one just left Murmansk.

Russia's coming to get its sub.

Ma'am, was Billie on your call
with the president last night?

'Cause she thinks
Vaughn called the Russians.

And we don't.

I lied to the president.

-What happens when she talks to Vaughn?
-Hal will talk to Grace.

There are 50 steps on the ladder

before you tell someone
you're occupying their coastline.

I decided to jump to the one that works.

Warships? What are you proving?

I heard Grace Penn ordered
the carrier attack.

I tried to stop her and I couldn't.

She's unfit for office.

When you let me apologize
for emotional abuse…

-Hal--
-…you were just looking for a way to say

you lied to the commander in chief
and wanted me for cover?

Are you mad I lied, or that I jeopardized
your position with the president?

Nobody thinks that.

Of course they think
there's something wrong with you.

You got shot, and your behavior changed.

The ambassador got worried.

That's her job.

But then she lied to you.

Tomorrow, I want the Brits to be informed

if they don't halt
the Russian advance, I will.

Todd will deliver the message.

I'm grateful for your service.

Good night, Ambassador.

Good night.

[gentle piano music playing]

[Hal] Where were you?

We're talking?

[music ends]

Marty followed me,
so I'm pretty sure you know where.

Went for a walk.

Secretary of state is concerned
that if we pull you,

it will look like something happened,
which of course it did, but…

announcing that our delegation fell apart
on the eve of the conference

is off-message, so you'll go,

but you won't speak.

-Okay.
-At all.

Todd will speak.

Okay.

Not even a little conspicuous.

[Hal] Excuse me?

I said it might be conspicuous
to the Brits.

Handing off the baton
to someone with no experience,

seated right next to someone

they've been negotiating with
for some time.

If you don't think you can sell it…

Selling it requires a little chat
to platform Todd.

Well, he can platform himself.

You and I will prep him, or I will,

while you practice saying…

-Nothing?
-Well done.

Hal, I swear I'm not gonna f*ck
with the message.

You swear?
Oh my God, I'm awash with relief.

Did I do this?

-What?
-Lie like you did to me?

I'm gonna take a shower.

-I mean it.
-And that makes it even worse.

No, look, I'm asking.

All the f*cking time.

And that's why you did it?

Learned from the master.

[Hal] That's why?

I don't know what you want from me.

Did you deceive me?

Did you…

stage a fake reckoning about our marriage
because you thought it was a me move?

-It's not a narcissistic question.
-You sure?

I'm asking if you did it

because you thought my history of behavior

gave you permission.

[sighs]

Hal.

-I am so sorry.
-Not the point.

What I said about us was not a lie.

The timing was strategic. The content…

-Doesn't matter at all.
-It does.

It's why I forgave you when you did it.

Which, yeah, was all the time.
And I forgave you.

You shouldn't have.

You should've left me.

Did she say what it was about?

No.

Make yourself at home.

This will have to be fast.
I have a long list.

[Stuart sighs]

You and I are going through…
whatever it is that we're going through.

It's not about you.

-Super.
-It's about a lot of things.

Yes, and…

it appears to carry
a certain amount of weight

that's leaking, like…

liquid lead

out of your pores.

-I'm gonna jump in.
-Do.

What were you doing last night?

Nothing.

You were up,

jabbing at your keyboard
like it had hurt your mother.

Am I the only one here who has work?

There is some concern…

that you might be planning
something destructive

to yourself or others.

Or America.

-Like what?
-I don't know.

But we're both concerned.

Oh. Both of you.

It was hostile typing.

You're right.

I was on the dark web,

learning to make a pipe b*mb.

-Okay.
-I ordered a suicide vest from Amazon.

Don't be cute.

You wanna look me in the eye
and tell me you're not up to something?

See.

I'm writing a cable.

In the State Department dissent channel.

This is exactly why it exists.

So you can formally, respectfully register
your disagreement in writing.

Okay.

Carry on.

It's a powerful tool.

I feel that.

-[stifled chuckles]
-It's not funny.

It's funnier than a pipe b*mb.

[laughs]

Goddamnit.

[Todd] Want some coffee?

No, thanks. Just had some.

There's food.

-We had at our place.
-[Hal exhales]

[quietly] Was that too much?

[Todd groans]

Is this my pep talk?

No, I just thought you might wanna
go through the b*llet points.

I'm good.

It's the British foreign secretary
in a room.

It's not the UN General Assembly.

You wanna run through your header?

Sometimes helps to say it out loud
just once beforehand.

The president is concerned

about the decision
on the part of Prime Minister Vaughn

to allow Russian Federation
salvage vessels,

which are more likely to be
surveillance and tactical vessels

to enter British territorial waters.

She feels it may put you,
her closest ally, in danger,

and so she has sent
three Arleigh Burke-class destroyers

to impede their passage.

"May send."

No.

-"Has sent"?
-Yes.

When?

Few hours ago.

Okay. Where is the president?

Upstairs.

On the phone with the joint chiefs.
God knows why.

How about we say the bedroom is
the one place I'm allowed and you're not?

She doesn't wanna hear it's a bad idea.

That's why it already happened.

I was surprised.

You're surprised.

Think we can safely say
the Brits will be surprised.

She's not interested
in debating the merits.

-It happened.
-Okay.

Let's go over
how you will deliver the message.

We just did.

There are terms you can use
that will make it sound less…

-Less like it is?
-Yes.

I have talking points
directly from the lady upstairs,

and I plan to deliver them.

You, against my advice and all reason,

refused to do that.

And so we're here.

Instead of a career diplomat
issuing a threat,

we have a wet-behind-the-ears,
extremely special envoy

announcing a deployment.

-Sir…
-I'm sir now. Did you catch that?

-Todd…
-I don't know a ton about diplomacy,

as we are all searingly aware, but…

I do know, like I told you,

if she tells you to say something,

you just say it.

[Grace] Good morning.

Ma'am. Good morning.

They don't salt bread here.
Did you notice?

Something was off.
Couldn't put my finger on it.

-Bland, right?
-[Hal] Yeah.

I don't know
if it's Northern Italy or all of Italy.

We're in the right place to find out.
Ma'am, did you ask the Navy--

Join me. I've got a sit-down with Dumas.

He's gonna ask
for a blank check in the Sahel,

and I can't decide if I give a sh*t.

[exhales] Aw.

Shall we?

[purposeful music playing]

[crowd chanting indistinctly]

Madam President, Mr. Penn, welcome.

Massimo, what a treat.

[Hal] President Dumas, good to see you.

[Grace] Shall we?

-Let's go.
-We'll see you at lunch?

[Todd] Yes, we are going elsewhere.

[indistinct chatter]

[music intensifies]

-[indistinct chatter]
-[music steadies, fades]

Good morning.

-Hello, there.
-Hello, hello.

This is Robyn Palmer,
the foreign secretary.

This is Todd Penn,

the United States special envoy
to the Court of St. James's.

So pleased to have you.

Two for the price of one.

You're in the thick of it.

Double your flavor.

-Sorry?
-Doublemint?

No?

It's a chewing gum. It had a jingle.

-Ah.
-Was that not a thing here?

Here or in the UK?

I think I have us on a tangent.

Uh, we're happy to be speaking with you.

You're a welcome addition.

So…

[Ganon] Surface combatants.

[Billie] Yes.

-[Ganon] Bound for the North Sea.
-[Billie] Yes.

How is that possible?

-You don't wanna go down that road.
-Miguel. Ciao!

Massimo! Great to see you.

Good to see you.
You were a lifesaver yesterday.

Happy to do it.

-I'm looking forward to your remarks.
-Excellent.

How is it possible that she sidestepped
the entirety of the deliberative process?

Nobody likes a flowchart, Miguel.

-What am I supposed to say to the Brits?
-You don't have to say anything.

Todd's in with the foreign secretary
as we speak.

Val is having her uterus removed today.

-I'm so sorry.
-And because I'm not there,

my brother's taking her,
which seems sweet,

but it just makes Val furious

because it's another reminder
that my family is warm

and hers is emotionally crippled.

-That's…
-Instead…

I'm here.

You'd need permission

to enter our territory with destroyers.

Do you plan on withholding it?

Well, I suppose
that turns on your intention.

There's a national security threat
to our country,

and more importantly right now, yours.

The president has
an obligation to protect both.

That is the full extent of her intention.

So you've sent three destroyers
to do what exactly?

Block Russia's passage

beyond the 59th parallel.

The Russians have submarines.

They're coming to retrieve
their dead from a submarine.

They'll likely use a submarine.

They'll slip right past your ships.

Our aim is to stop them.

I… I feel confident we'll find a way.

How?

How, uh, will we…?

Stop the submarine.

Well, first thing we'll do is ask nicely.

-But after that…
-The simplest way would be to sh**t at it.

It is, uh,

but I think
we're getting ahead of ourselves.

The Arleigh Burkes are armed
with tomahawks,

cruise missiles, torpedoes.

If your destroyers are instructed
to stop a Russian advance,

they would likely conclude

the shortest distance between two points
is an anti-sub m*ssile.

We're wandering into the theoretical.

My concern is we're wandering
into British sovereign territory

with a plan for kinetic action.

-Absolutely not.
-So I have your assurance

that you will not engage militarily
with Russian vessels.

-[Kate clears throat]
-We will stop them peacefully.

If at all possible.

"If… at all… possible."

What happens
if British citizens find themselves

between your vessels and the Russians?

Are we talking about a fishing boat
or a frigate?

Perhaps we start with the oystermen
and take it from there.

If your people should find themselves
between us and the Russian Navy,

they should make every effort
to go somewhere else, quickly.

-Stop talking.
-I don't want them to get shot.

-I'm having unusually sharp womanly pains.
-Oh.

-Maybe we should take a break.
-I think we may be done here.

I'll share the president's message
with the prime minister.

[footsteps retreating]

What did I do?

You suggested one NATO nation might fire
on another NATO nation,

which would, you know…

I don't.

End NATO.

Where's the president?

-She's in session.
-[Todd] Pull her.

She's in a bilat with the Japanese PM.

-Nora.
-She can't. We'll get her on break.

And you have
the Sustainable Growth Working Group.

I ended NATO.

-Pardon?
-[Neil] Ambassador?

He didn't end NATO.

I wanna see my spouse.

This is Rolf from the German delegation.

Hi, there.

Rolf is hoping to introduce you
to the chancellor's wife.

[Kate inhales deeply]

Rolf. I would love that.

[curious music playing]

Sprechen Sie Englisch?

I do.

Quite well, I like to think.

But there's always room for improvement.

Are you from the German delegation?

No.

[music ends]

Thank you, Rickie.

-Prime Minister.
-[door closes]

[Vaughn] What in the great rattling f*ck
is going on?

Let me explain.

Robyn Palmer says
you refused to speak to her.

I was just making space
for the special envoy.

You made a big wide swath.

-Yes.
-And he beshat it.

-I'm sorry.
-Is that woman invading my coastline?

I am not at liberty to discuss
the president's plans.

Or anything, really.

Does she hate your pert little face?

She wanted me to tell you
to wave off the Russians.

-You did.
-Yes, but if you refused…

she wanted me to tell you she would send
destroyers to your coastline.

-And you forgot?
-I thought it might escalate things.

Insight is what that is.

I thought there was
more room for discussion.

Maybe if you and she had
a face-to-face here.

Like I'd tell you to f*ck off but not her?

-Yes.
-Turned out to be a crap plan, didn't it?

Which is on me, not her.

-She's right, you shouldn't be speaking.
-I am trying really hard not to.

All right, just wag your head for me.

Does Mr. Pickles understand

he said his wife's troops
would fire on my navy?

He knows he said it,

but he didn't mean to say it.

So he's a wally.

Is he wrong?

This would be easier if I just talked.

I would like five minutes.

He thinks he k*lled NATO.

-Did he?
-He didn't.

Not yet.

The immediate concern,
I think, is the sh**ting w*r.

I would really love a double espresso.

It was not my intention.

-Suresh!
-Single?

The British foreign secretary is
irony-free.

Were you ironically invoking
a sh**ting w*r?

This might be when we pass the baton
back to the ambassador.

-I spoke to the PM.
-Again?

After our meeting with Palmer.

That's how you lost the baton
in the first place.

She had me extracted
from the conference center by MI6.

To say what?

She's putting assets in the water
to protect her territory

and to make sure she's not reneging
on the commitment she made to Russia.

-Meaning what?
-She will provide an escort.

For the Russians.

She promised them safe passage.

Gosh, I seem to remember she promised us
something too. What was it?

-Ma'am.
-Ah, a mutual defense pact.

-Well…
-I broke it.

Since the notion was raised
of us sh**ting at Russian vessels,

the PM would like your assurance
that will not be the case

if her navy is escorting them.

Without that,
she sees NATO Article 4 implications,

Article 5 implications.

[under breath] f*ck me.

She said when Russia behaved like this,

they were removed,
and the G8 became the G7.

If we keep it up, she'll propose
they expel us and make it the G6.

Todd.

-It's not his fault.
-Really?

Was he off base, or did he just say
the quiet part out loud?

Depends if we plan on sh**ting
at the British Navy.

Do we?

Thank you, Ambassador.

I think I should give her an answer.

I think you shouldn't.

-Ma'am, Mr. Penn is learning fast, but--
-No, not him either.

What do you want me to say?

Tell her it's us or the Russians.
Pick a side.

Is he roasting those coffee beans
with a match?

-Suresh!
-[Suresh] I'm here.

Sorry, they won't let me touch
the machine.

[Stuart] How many of them
do you think know?

[Kate] What?

[Stuart] That we're going to w*r
with the UK.

[Kate] And Russia.

[Stuart] And Russia.

[Kate] We're not.

You sounded worried.

I am.

But we're not.

We might.

[indistinct passing chatter]

PM's not gonna be free
for another two hours.

You'll get some time with Hal.

He's kind of over me.

And the sound of my voice.

I'm sure that's not true.

He asked me not to speak.

At all.

Indefinitely?

At least for the day.

And I already failed.

You two do this.

It'll pass.

I don't know.

He likes being vice president.

He has something to lose.

We used to go
through stuff like this, but…

he's never had anything he liked
as much as me.

What if I sit in?

-With me and Hal?
-Yeah.

That's like the UK
looking at us and Russia,

steaming destroyers at each other

and concluding
they should stand in the middle.

But he can't ignore you if I'm there.

He'll at least pretend to listen.

Maybe.

Do you have something to say?

Okay,

elephant in the room.

You two are having a marital moment,

and it's become an impediment
to productive communication about policy.

It really hasn't.

The ambassador is no longer
in the conversation

because it's vaulted above her pay grade.

-As part of leadership at Embassy London--
-It's way above yours.

It's not.

The special envoy panicked,

the ambassador's wearing a muzzle,

and you are stepping in blind
for a head-to-head with the British PM.

I would like to believe,
given your decades in foreign service,

you'd think if the DCM had an idea,
I wanna hear it.

-Go ahead.
-Thank you.

It's the ambassador's idea.

-I'm gonna say it--
-[under breath] Jesus.

You have an issue
with the sound of my voice.

I swear to God.

Tell Russia the Poseidon's not there.

How does Stuart know it's not there?

Conversation for another time.

-Not really.
-Yeah, really.

Sh.

-If the Russians knew…
-I'll tell you what if.

Because the SecDef and NSC

and DNI and Langley
and the Russia desk have all weighed in

on what would happen if Russia knew.

They would launch a cyberattack

that would black out
the continental United States.

-At least we've got Maui.
-Ma'am?

They won't.

Because then we'll tell the world
they had an epic technological fail again.

That while they're getting pantsed
by Ukrainian teenagers

and homemade drones,

we picked their pocket,

'cause the g*ng that can't sh**t straight
launched the sub that can't swim straight.

And take a breath.

Good.

He can absorb the argument,
which, when stripped of its vocal energy,

has a great deal of merit.

It's a lot though, right?

-It's not nothing.
-Wow.

Letting the argument sink in.

One minute.

I don't need a minute.

Letting it sink in.

[door opens]

You are unrecognizable.

You are not the man
who walked the seventh floor

and put his feet on every desk

and talked ears off heads
until people rethought,

who said loyalty, by definition,
was an abdication of judgment.

I have a seat at the table.

This,

behaving like a mosquito,

is what you do when you don't.

[somber music playing]

[music fades out]

[Stuart] I'm gonna say something,

and I need a commitment from you
that you won't laugh… at me.

-[Kate] Well, now it's gonna be hard.
-Forget it.

Solemn commitment.

The dissent channel.

Is that the laugh line?

It was for Eidra and Billie.

f*ck them.

Exactly. Thank you.

Over the last couple of days,
I drafted a dissent channel cable

to express my objection to placing
US naval assets on the British coast.

That was before it happened.

I figure it's still worth the ink.

I can add your Russia idea to the cable.

Stuart.

That's really sweet.

Oh my God.
You're no better than Billie and Eidra.

No, it's…

a great idea.

We have a system
designed to amplify dissent.

It's very special.

Okay. Forget it.

Send a cable.

It's an important piece
of the historical record.

Oh come on.

If that woman launches us into w*r

with Russia

and the UK

and all of NATO,

the record will matter.

It's about now.

You're right. You should do it.

[photographer speaking Italian]

[in English] Please, ladies and gentlemen,
if you all line up for the family shot.

[continues instructing in Italian]

[in English] There is a sticker with
your name with the country you represent.

Just look on the floor.

Yeah, Japan is here.

I'm sorry, Madam… Madam President. Uh…

President Penn and Prime Minister Bassani,
you're in the wrong place.

[continues in Italian]

[in English] Yeah, you took his spot.
Does it say Italy on it?

It does, yeah.

Chancellor.

Just one step back.

No, backwards. Back.

Thank you. Perfect.

Don't move, please. Okay.

[camera shutter clicking]

Thank you very much.
Grazie mille. Grazie a tutti.

[indistinct chatter]

-Prime Minister Vaughn.
-Oh, Mr. Vice President.

[Hal] How's the first week in office?

Well, I arrived in Number 10,
pulled on the levers of power

and discovered
they're not connected to anything.

I have the same problem in Washington.

I met your lovely wife.

And the president's lovely husband.

Both wonderful.

I'd like to apologize
for the changing of the guard.

The special envoy's been
a tremendous value added, but…

I think there's a learning curve.

-Sure.
-I think he's on the steep face of it.

So it's possible the message he conveyed
to the foreign secretary was, uh…

-A head-scratcher.
-Yes.

So…

as my spouse said,

and as the president's spouse said,

and now I will say,

the president would like you to retract
the permission you granted Russia

for passage through your territory.

In anticipation of any ire
that may raise at the Kremlin,

we have deployed multi-mission ships
to fortify our position and yours

and NATO's.

And if we need to engage kinetically

with the Russian Navy
to halt their advance, we will.

And we will fire on any vessel

flagged by any nation

that interferes
with that strategic objective.

Shall we?

[door closes]

-[Ganon] Where's Todd?
-He went back to the villa.

-Why?
-Rough morning.

Did the Brits tell you
they want to call an emergency session

of the NATO Council?

I am not supposed to talk to the Brits.

Who is managing our relationship
with the g*dd*mn United Kingdom?

-The vice president.
-I give up.

Emergency session?

After her conversation with Mr. Wyler,

Vaughn told the Italians
that she'd like to invoke Article 4.

-She's trying to rattle us.
-It worked.

The host committee is freaking out.

They're worried
the conference is gonna fall apart.

Japan is G7, not NATO.

If they think this is turning
into a NATO crisis, they will leave.

-Okay.
-Japan walks out,

we cannot have the Taiwan conversation.

Miguel, we're about to start sh**ting
at the Brits.

I need you to widen the aperture.

I'm supposed to be in a beaded sheath
right now, so let's keep it snappy.

Russian ships, our ships.

Now the UK is sending ships.

The likelihood that some 18-year-old
accidentally fires a first shot

has gone up exponentially.

So talk to Vaughn.

She's launching the armada
and waving around Article 4.

And of course she is. She wants to tell
everybody she's Joan of Arc and I'm…

whoever Joan of Arc was worked up about.

She has a case.

We threatened to fire on her navy.

And we're asking Europe to pick a side.

[Billie] Do you really want to preside
over the death of NATO?

NATO exists to make sure we are all nicer
to each other than we are to Russia.

If the member states can't manage that...

That's not what she's doing.

It's not?

I think you know that.

She waved a red flag.

You are choosing
to put your head down and run at it.

So I'm a bull?

Or just a bully?

[Ganon] Ma'am…

A hostile power with no compunction
about violating territorial autonomy

is barrel-assing down her coastline.

Forget Vaughn.

We have reservations.

As does the NSC and the Pentagon,

obviously the UK team.

Don't even start with her.

Not just the ambassador,
it's bubbling up through the ranks.

Legitimate questions
from the dissent channel.

-Like what?
-Is it gratuitously dangerous?

Are we risking
long-term fissures with allies?

Will it launch a military clash between
the world's two largest nuclear powers?

Who's dissenting?

-Doesn't matter. The point is--
-It absolutely does.

People with a great deal of knowledge
about the UK.

Who?

[Hal] Taking a shower?

[Kate] Is that a request?

-What?
-I said, is that a request? That I bathe?

I plan to shower. I…

wanted to provide you
with a chance to go first.

It's not a think piece on your hygiene.

-I'm okay.
-Great.

I don't know what I want.

I don't think it's this anymore.

I don't need to go.

I can do without 90 minutes of Verdi.

-Babe.
-It's Puccini.

-It's not.
-Then it's Vivaldi and you're going.

I broke the Western world.

Maybe I should lay low for a while.

You did what I asked you to do.

An approach so novel
my entire staff found it disorienting.

This is what it looks like.
You make a tough call.

And then a flock of harpies comes to say
you've launched the end times.

Billie and Ganon just showed up to say
I'm hurtling us into World w*r III.

You're not.

Am I? I'm asking.

-No.
-No.

World w*r III is hurtling at us.

And I don't have Churchill by my side.

I've got a woman who wants us to…

lie down, hold still
and hope it doesn't hurt.

-Not helpful.
-It really isn't.

They want a plan
they feel good about when it fails.

I want one that feels bad,
looks worse and might actually work.

-You're right.
-Yeah.

Yeah.

♪ He only knew her for a little while ♪

♪ But he had grown
Accustomed to her style ♪

♪ She had the cutest a*s he'd ever seen ♪

-♪ And he did too, they were meant to be ♪
-[Eidra hums along]

♪ They loved to kiss
On the steps of Versailles ♪

[Eidra joins in]

♪ It looked like rain, Mama
Birds do fly ♪

♪ I love you, baby, I love you so much ♪

♪ Maybe we can stay in touch ♪

f*ck.

♪ Meet me in another world
Space and joy ♪

-[Eidra] Goddamnit.
-[Stuart sighs]

[door closes]

♪ Vous êtes très belle, mama
Girls and boys ♪

♪ I love you, baby, I love you so much ♪

♪ Maybe we can stay in touch ♪

["Girls & Boys" by Prince playing]

♪ Vous êtes très belle, mama
Girls and boys ♪

[Grace giggles playfully]

[giggling continues]

[inaudible dialogue]

♪ I love you, baby, I love you so much ♪

♪ Maybe we can stay in touch ♪

[Grace giggles]

♪ Vous êtes très belle, mama
Girls and boys ♪

That makes me feel better.

I need you to come outside.

Sadly, I need to stay here
and bear witness to my erasure.

Hey.

That b*tch recalled Stuart.

I'm not sure China has
the amphibious capability they'd need

to effectively invade Taiwan.

-Do they really need it?
-If we're there, yeah.

Um, can I borrow you?

-Forgive me.
-You dodged the question.

You bet I did.

The president is recalling my DCM.

-What?
-For writing a dissent channel cable.

The most anodyne, gracious,
f*cking sanctioned piece of communication.

Jesus Christ.

-Hey.
-She's pulling Stuart out of post.

-No, she's not.
-They want him on a plane.

I can't deal with this right now.

Montana's burning.

Can you let the Canadian PM know

we're concerned
it's gonna jump the border?

Yeah, I'm here. Over 30,000 acres…

-I'll be back.
-Hal.

Hey.

About to get going, so if you need
to make a pit stop or an Irish exit,

now's your chance.

You okay?

-Uh, where's Ganon?
-On a call.

Oil spill in the Gulf.

We're leaking all over Haiti.

[Grace] Without our software,

his frigates would just be
lumps of steel floating--

He's just trying to get your attention.

-[Todd] I don't think he wants that kind.
-President Dumas, Mr. Penn. I'm so sorry.

Ma'am, I have a timely message
from the secretary of state.

Excuse us, gentlemen.

There's been a mistake.

The ops center at State seems to think
my DCM's being recalled?

Is that your urgent message
from the secretary?

Does the secretary know about it?

Ambassador.

You've replaced me with your husband.
You can go ahead and call me Kate.

Your deputy undermined my policy

in the middle of a multilateral

that will either defuse
or detonate the whole region.

That's protocol now?

Anybody disagrees with you,
and they're out?

Is it a head on a pike or a purge?

[audience applauding]

Hey. They can't start until you sit.

Watch yourself.

[announcer speaking Italian]

Buonasera, buonasera. Good evening.

It is my great pleasure

to welcome Maestro Carlo Marchelli…

[continues in Italian]

[audience falls silent]

[orchestral strings rise]

[whispering] Sorry.

I'll be right back.

[string music quietens]

-Stuart.
-Sorry, sorry, ops.

-Call them back.
-No, it'll take just a second.

-Go back. I'll call you if something's up.
-Stuart.

Hi, this is Stuart Hayford,
Embassy London, calling you back.

They got me on hold.

-They're getting Simon.
-Give me the phone.

Ma'am.

They're recalling you.

They're recalling you to Washington.

Simon's gonna say
they'd like you to leave the premises.

Ganon read your cable.

-He agreed with what you were saying.
-Because of the cable?

He agreed and he took it to the president.

-She…
-It's the dissent channel.

I know.

She can't do that.

She can't.

But she did.

-Am I ever gonna work again?
-Yes.

You'll be reassigned.

Where?

-Nowhere.
-That's not true.

-It's not legal.
-She isn't firing you.

It's her prerogative
to have you reassigned.

For using an official State Department
communication channel?

It's a violation
of the Foreign Service Act

and the First Amendment.

I am gonna sue her face off.

She curtailed your tour.

She isn't firing you.

You can't talk to journalists

or Congress without permission from State.

-Yeah, f*ck that.
-They'll sue you.

I'm not sure
you want that to be your life.

I am.

I am absolutely sure.

You'll think about it when…
when you get home.

-Home is London.
-For right now, it's Washington.

Well…

I have to pack up my life in London.

-We're gonna take care of that.
-What does that mean?

It means Neil's gonna pack up your house,

because they don't want
you going back to London,

and Eidra's gonna pack up your suitcase.

They don't want you going to the hotel.

-Eidra?
-Stuart.

I am so sorry,

and we're gonna fight this, but right now…

[orchestral strings intensify]

-[door knocking]
-Yeah?

[music stops]

-Hi.
-Did you talk to Ganon?

Billie.

-She gonna stop it?
-Not right this minute.

There's, um…

Montana?

After the conference…

Stuart…

will be in Washington by then.

-Is he…?
-What?

-Okay?
-Where is he?

He's on his way
to some sh*thole near the airport.

Hotel.

I'm packing him,
so he can go back to Washington.

And I'm packing me,

so I can go back to London.

-Why?
-Because his house is full of my sh*t.

And my flat is full of his sh*t.

So I am the only person in the UK mission
with enough security clearance

to execute the curtailment of his tour.

Eidra, I'm…

Sorry, sorry, sorry.

-The president is…
-What is she?

I don't know,
but we're not gonna figure it out here.

Once the conference is over,

I will go back to DC

and I will try to turn this around.

Are you gonna…?

I mean…

if he ends up spending
some time in the States,

I could try to facilitate a move for you.

You think I'm leaving my post?

I think you both have a lot to figure out.

I didn't come to London to get a husband.

I do something.

I'm not gonna quit to have tall babies.

Even if I wanted to,
what the f*ck would they eat?

Somebody needs a job.

[somber music playing]

[music fades]

-Want me to stay?
-I'll be up in a second.

I'm sorry about your deputy,

but I'm not prepared
to discuss personnel with you.

This isn't about my deputy.

Ma'am, you're making
an unprecedented departure

-from the historic imperative to avoid--
-Okay.

…at all costs
a direct military confrontation

between the world's
two dominant nuclear powers.

-Calculated escalation…
-This isn't a calculated escalation.

…and preventative displays of force
are not tools of my invention.

They're not, but--

Russia responds to strength,
not appeasement.

They sent a superweapon
on a stealth mission in the North Sea.

That's the original sin,

and ignoring it is
more dangerous than confronting it.

They punch until they hit steel.

They do that because they have to,

because we start out stronger

and then we pile on a set of alliances,

which are
the greatest force multiplier on Earth.

We get to talk quietly.
We're carrying a bigger stick.

I love a display of force,

but if you don't do
the moves that come first,

it's just a spasm of aggression.

Kate, you're still here

because if I get rid of you,
I have to get rid of your husband.

Up until now,

that has been an impediment,

but I am getting over it.

[drink pouring]

[door closes]

Katie.

I'm gonna talk to Grace.

There's a line.

She crossed it.

If you go at her now,

you will no longer be vice president.

Turns out that's the line.

[pensive music playing]

We don't punish dissent.

-That's sacrosanct at stake.
-In a lot of places.

If she's reactive, it touched a nerve.
It's a blazing red light.

I see it. I haven't missed the light.

Good morning.

You didn't think that there was
anything wrong with telling the British PM

that we plan to sh**t at her navy?

It's a message designed to send
everyone back to their corners.

The president thinks
there's something wrong

or she wouldn't have sacked a man
for suggesting it was an iffy idea.

-So talk to her.
-I did. We both did.

You need to talk to her.

I don't think it's the right time.

-What happened to you?
-Miguel.

It's gonna be a long day.

She's attacking our closest ally.

[Kate] She's not.

Our adversary placed an apocalypse weapon
in the heart of the Western alliance.

It's not just her prerogative.

It's her responsibility
to react to that threat

with a targeted show of force.

-Diplomatic options--
-Have been exhausted.

Haven't been touched.
The special envoy's never heard of them.

Limited applications of power have
a time and a place.

If we didn't believe that,
we'd still be British subjects.

Why do you sound
like a PR flack for the Kremlin?

'Cause if she doesn't, I'm next.

And if the president's prepared
to part with me,

she's prepared to part with you.

Chilling effect works.

[door opens]

Good morning to you too.

-Good morning, ma'am.
-Ma'am.

Everyone sleep okay?

Is there something on our minds?

[serious string music playing]

[indistinct chatter]

[Bassani welcomes in Italian]

[in English] Good morning.

Welcome back
to the member states of the G7

and to our colleagues
representing the European Union.

They have once again requested

we vote to make them
an official eighth member of the group.

So I'm here to say
be careful what you wish for.

[scattered laughter]

{\an8}[Bassani] Anyway, we will put the question
to a vote tomorrow before we adjourn.

{\an8}Pardon me, Prime Minister Bassani.

{\an8}Would it be possible for me to make
a short remark before we continue?

[Bassani] The floor is yours.

[Grace] Thank you so much, Massimo.

And I will be brief.
We all prefer to hear from you.

{\an8}A faulty nuclear-powered
Russian submarine ran aground

{\an8}off the coast of the United Kingdom,

k*lling all the crew on board.

In order to prevent
a Fukushima-style catastrophe,

the United States Navy
was deployed to disable it.

They are now putting their lives
on the line

to protect the United Kingdom
and all the North Sea nations

from Russian reprisal.

{\an8}Prime Minister Vaughn,

{\an8}with all the wisdom of a three-day tenure,
prefers to welcome the Russians in.

We feel quite strongly
she should revoke the invitation.

And as you'll learn later today,

she hopes to arbitrate that impasse here.

{\an8}She'll tell you the Americans are
prepared to fire on any country

that interferes with our mission.

Let me be clear, friends.

She is absolutely right.

Nothing will stop us from keeping
Russian warships and surveillance vessels

and tactical weaponry

and rusty 80-year-old
nuclear mitigation equipment

out of the European seas.

If you choose to expel us
from the G7 for that,

that's your prerogative.

The countries in this room make
the world's most consequential decisions,

and we're honored to be a part of it.

And we're concerned that if we step out,

some of our adversaries will imagine

that what remains is
a collection of declining middle powers

with aging military populations
and gasping financial markets.

It won't be the end of the alliance,

but I fear it may be
the waning of its relevance.

If that time has come, please let me know,

and with a heavy heart,
we will say goodbye.

{\an8}If not, we look forward
to protecting our nations together.

[scattered whispering]

{\an8}I'll take that as a sign
I'm welcome for the rest of the morning.

{\an8}Prime Minister Bassani,
I hope you'll forgive the interruption.

{\an8}Please continue.

[clears throat]

Well, it is, uh…

it is Italy's great pleasure

{\an8}to host this year's
Leaders' Summit here in Lucca.

Each nation here is
protective of its freedoms.

But we are equally devoted
to cross-border cooperation.

[Bassani clears throat]

The issues we face are daunting, but…

there is strong reason for optimism,

because we're all here to tackle
these issues collaboratively.

The Group of Seven has no treaty,
no legal binding.

We choose to stand together,

not because we agree on everything,

but because we agree
on a few precious truths.

[Kate whispers] You didn't know.
Remember that.

[Bassani] Growth is not zero-sum.

-Peace…
-I love you so much.

…is not zero-sum.

What are you…?

So we're much better off
bickering together…

I am…

tendering my resignation.

I am no longer able to support

the actions of the Penn administration.

Sit.

[whispering] The f*ck was that?

{\an8}[Grace] Allow me to apologize.

{\an8}A member of our delegation
is not feeling well

{\an8}and has not been for some time.

{\an8}Let's move on.

[Bassani] So, I… I was saying growth…

-I have no idea what that was.
-…is not zero-sum.

Peace is not zero-sum.

[Bassani continues distantly]
So together we send a message.

Compromise, engagement,

{\an8}diplomacy, and openness are
the most reliable paths

to real sustainable prosperity.

The kind that is only achievable
in free and open societies.

I tender my resignation.

I'm unable to continue serving
in the Penn administration.

[indistinct whispering]

[Bassani] Madam President,
should we take a short recess?

No, thank you.

For 500 years,

while power was consolidated
throughout Europe…

[poignant music playing softly]

[door opens]

[music gently rises]

[door opens]

Kate.

You sure?

[music becomes purposeful]

[journalists' questions overlap]

The Vice President of the United States
would like to make a statement.

Good morning.

[music halts]

[dramatic string music playing]

[music fades out]