Focus

Tommy and Ben discuss the assassination of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, protest in Sri Lanka, President Biden’s trip to the Middle East, the latest news from Ukraine and Brittney Griner’s prosecution in Russia, Condoleezza Rice’s new job and John Bolton weighs in on coups. Then Ben talks with long-time diplomat and Asia expert Danny Russel about the assassination of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, politics in Japan, and Abe's legacy. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email [email protected] and include the name of the podcast.

Ben and Tommy record a bonus episode on British Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s resignation with special guest and friend of the pod David Lammy, Labour MP and shadow Foreign Secretary of State.

Ben and Tommy answer your questions about the Labour Party’s leadership, Brexit and the UK’s refugee policies, “Russification” in Ukraine, Latin America, the risk from and rise of China, Yemen, Sri Lanka, climate change, favorite simple pleasures, pet peeves, favorite places to visit, and book recommendations. Crooked Coffee is now available at crooked.com/coffee! For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email [email protected] and include the name of the podcast.

Tommy and Ben talk about abortion rights globally, President Biden’s trip to Europe for G7 and NATO meetings about Ukraine, WNBA star Brittney Griner’s detention in Russia, Afghanistan, free speech in India and the national security implications of Tuesday’s explosive January 6th committee hearing. Then Tommy talks with journalist Peter Beinart about the human rights issues swirling around President Biden’s upcoming visit to the Middle East. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email [email protected] and include the name of the podcast.

Ben lays out the significance of the elections and governmental shakeups in Israel, Colombia, and France and talks through the latest on the war in Ukraine. Then Ben talks with Alexei Navalny’s chief of staff Leonid Volkov in Copenhagen about Navalny’s fate, his media operation, and Putin’s propaganda machine. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email [email protected] and include the name of the podcast.

In this special mailbag episode, Tommy and Ben answer listener questions on topics including framing climate change as a national security interest, how both artificial intelligence and migration are going to become headline issues in the years to come, why Democrats are better at foreign policy, Myanmar, their top Pearl Jam albums, career advice for those who want to work in foreign policy, and more. Plus, they offer their takes on the NBA Finals, Taylor Swift, Jared Kushner taking James Patterson's masterclass, and the Saudi golf league.  For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email [email protected] and include the name of the podcast.

Tommy and Ben interview Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau about the state of democracy, gun control, Ukraine and the best comedians in Canada. Then they cover the Summit of the Americas, the latest from Ukraine, President Biden’s upcoming visit to Saudi Arabia, why Jared Kushner could be in trouble, how Poland is showing what a post Roe America might look like, why confidence is waning in British PM Boris Johnson, lasers and the Platinum Jubilee got weird. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email [email protected] and include the name of the podcast.

Tommy and Ben cover the latest news from Ukraine, including the EU’s plan to ban most imports of Russian oil, reports that Iran has enough nuclear material to make a bomb, how other countries have prevented gun violence, a major election in Colombia, President Biden meets BTS, the Queen’s Jubilee controversy, and climate activists say let the Mona Lisa eat cake. Then Ben speaks with USAID Administrator Samantha Power about how the war in Ukraine is creating a global food shortage and what we can do to help. Crooked Coffee launches 6/21. Sign-up to be the first to sip: http://go.crooked.com/coffee-pstw For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email [email protected] and include the name of the podcast.

Tommy and Ben talk about President Biden’s trip to Asia, whether the US would defend Taiwan in a war with China, the latest news from Ukraine, including calls for Ukraine to cut a deal with Russia and the growing food crisis. They also cover a plot to assassinate George W Bush, fascism in Hungary, charges of anti-semitism against progressives and US policy towards Israel, MAGA grifters and Boris Johnson’s party pics. Then Ben talks to Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield about her efforts at the UN to help Ukraine and tackle the international food crisis.

Ben and Tommy talk about the latest news from Ukraine, including the latest from Mariupol, Finland and Sweden’s application to join NATO, and Mitch McConnell’s visit to Kyiv. Then they explain why countries are threatening to boycott the Summit of the Americas, changes to Biden’s Cuba policy, news of a major covid outbreak in North Korea, the upcoming elections in Australia, Eurovision and rocking out at the Queen’s Jubilee. Then Tommy talks with Palestinian writer Jalal Abukhater about the killing of al Jazeera journalist  Shireen Abu Akleh in the occupied West Bank. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email [email protected] and include the name of the podcast.