# Robert Pape

Markdown copy of https://realalpha.app/people/robert-pape/ on Real Alpha, the best minutes from long interviews with the people building AI. Cite and link the page, not this copy.

Real Alpha has cut 3 moments of Robert Pape (Professor of political science & founding director, University of Chicago) talking, from 2 interviews on The Diary Of A CEO and TRIGGERnometry, the latest published Nov 5, 2026.

- Role: Professor of political science & founding director, University of Chicago
- About: Founded and directs CPOST, and developed the Escalation Trap model of modern warfare.
- On X: https://x.com/ProfessorPape

## What Robert Pape said

- [Trump’s crypto interests could reinforce his incentive to escalate](https://realalpha.app/s/trumps-crypto-interests-could-reinforce-his-incentive-to/)
  The Diary Of A CEO · Nov 5, 2026 · 4 min
  Pape argues that Trump’s political legacy and his family’s crypto wealth are tied to his power. That creates another reason he may resist backing down.
- [Pape links a US infrastructure outage to a possible cyberattack](https://realalpha.app/s/pape-links-a-us-infrastructure-outage-to-a-possible/)
  The Diary Of A CEO · Nov 5, 2026 · 4 min
  > “And the New York Times quoted directly from U.S. intelligence that said this was most likely Iran doing a cyber attack inside the United States.” — Robert Pape · [1:04:26](https://realalpha.app/v/a1mI-ozLyYM/?t=3866)
- [Why Robert Pape says blockades rarely force concessions](https://realalpha.app/s/why-robert-pape-says-blockades-rarely-force-concessions/)
  TRIGGERnometry · Oct 28, 2026 · 5 min
  > “stronger side. Courts, power in domestic politics enforce that. International politics, there's no court. There's no power.” — Robert Pape · [11:10](https://realalpha.app/v/6oxzjRq2bE8/?t=670)

## The 2 episodes

- [Iran War Expert: "The 8 Weeks After Midterms Could Be The Most Dangerous!" | Prof Robert Pape](https://realalpha.app/v/a1mI-ozLyYM/) · The Diary Of A CEO · Nov 5, 2026
- ["This Is the Age of Political Violence" – Dr Robert Pape](https://realalpha.app/v/6oxzjRq2bE8/) · TRIGGERnometry · Oct 28, 2026