Deep Dish on Global Affairs

Could the war in Iran help Democrats take back Congress? The National Interest's editor-at-large Steve Clemons predicts they'll do "very well despite themselves." He joins Deep Dish host Leslie Vinjamuri to discuss whether a Democratic victory could constrain President Trump, why it could lead to constitutional crises, and what the results could mean for America's role in the world.

Three years after the October 7 attacks, RAND's Shira Efron says Israel is "still in the trauma phase." With the country now heading into its first national election since the attacks, what could the outcome mean for Gaza and the West Bank? Efron explains what's at stake, why Israel is facing growing pressure at home and abroad, and whether a new government could put the country on a different path.

As Brazil heads into an essentially tied presidential election, award-winning journalist Patrícia Campos Mello explains what's driving voters, how President Lula and Senator Bolsonaro offer very different visions for the country's place in the world, and what the outcome could mean for its relationships with the United States and China. Plus, why even a Trump-aligned government may find it difficult to pull away from China.

As Trump and Xi meet in Washington, Apple in China author Patrick McGee explains why he's "a little more hopeful" about what could come out of the summit, where the United States and China could find common ground on AI, and what could still get in the way. Plus, how Apple's bet on China helped build the manufacturing powerhouse the US is now competing against.

What happens when countries can no longer take the old international order for granted? Ishaan Tharoor of the Council on Foreign Relations and The New Yorker joins Leslie Vinjamuri to discuss how US allies and middle powers are adapting, what Canada's changing relationship with the US could signal, and whether there's any going back to the way things were.

The US and China have plenty of reasons to avoid a war, but international relations historian Odd Arne Westad says the years before World War I show how quickly tensions between great powers can escalate. Westad joins Leslie Vinjamuri to discuss what could trigger a wider conflict, why economic ties may not be enough to prevent it, and what today's leaders can learn from the mistakes of the past.

More than 300 million people need emergency humanitarian support as some of the world's biggest donors scale back their aid. Mercy Corps CEO Tjada McKenna joins Leslie Vinjamuri to discuss who steps in when governments pull back, whether new donors, private capital, or advancing technology can help fill the gap, and why ending conflicts may be just as important as funding the response. With the old model of humanitarian aid under pressure, McKenna says "the world is not returning to what it was before."

Deep Dish will be on a two-week break. New episodes return September 10, and we look forward to bringing you fresh conversations on the issues shaping our world. Thank you for your continued support of the podcast.

Nearly five years after the United States withdrew from Afghanistan, former US Ambassador Ryan Crocker joins Leslie Vinjamuri to reflect on America's longest war and what its ending revealed about American power. Crocker argues that the withdrawal emboldened America's adversaries and sent a dangerous message about its willingness to stay the course. "We went into Afghanistan for the right reasons," he says. "We came out for the wrong ones."

Five months after the conflict between the United States, Israel, and Iran began, Council on Foreign Relations' Edward Fishman joins Leslie Vinjamuri to explain how strategic "chokepoints" — from the Strait of Hormuz to the US dollar — have become powerful tools of geopolitical competition. They discuss what makes a true chokepoint, why tariffs aren't always effective, and how the United States can compete in a more fragmented global economy.

Britain's new prime minister, Andy Burnham, takes office amid sluggish growth, political uncertainty, and intensifying global competition. Financial Times columnist and King's College Cambridge Provost Gillian Tett joins Leslie Vinjamuri to discuss what's holding Britain back and what it will take to restore growth, compete in AI, attract global talent, strengthen ties with Europe, and navigate an increasingly unpredictable relationship with the United States.