Pod Save the World

Tommy and Ben discuss how Trump’s nomination of Pete Hegseth and Tulsi Gabbard could reshape and politicize the US military and intelligence community, and how Trump’s choice to lead the FBI will signal how intensely he plans to go after his political enemies. They also talk about Biden’s decision to allow Ukraine to hit targets in Russia with US-made weapons, the dark irony of COP29 being held in Azerbaijan, Biden’s trip to the G20 and APEC, Brazil’s sports gambling crisis, and a serious case of banana-phobia. Then Tommy speaks to Senator Bernie Sanders about his effort in Congress to ban offensive weapons sales to Israel.

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 process Trump’s reelection and the role foreign policy played in the outcome, highlight some awkward reactions from global leaders, and walk through what we know about Trump’s choices for top positions like Secretary of State, National Security Advisor and CIA director. They also dig into what a second Trump term will mean for Russia and Ukraine, Trump’s alleged calls with Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky, Elon Musk’s new role as an American oligarch, and the latest developments out of Israel and Gaza, including the expiration of a 30 day ultimatum the Biden administration gave to Netanyahu’s government about increasing aid access. Then Ben speaks with Senator Chris Murphy about where Democrats went wrong and how they can adjust their foreign policy moving forward.

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 discuss the normalization of foreign interference in US elections, the Chinese hack of US telecoms that could be putting millions of Americans’ communications at risk, concerns around potential post-election day violence stemming from right wing groups, and Bill Clinton’s unhelpful Gaza messaging. They also talk about Benjamin Netanyahu firing his Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, allegations that a Netanyahu staffer leaked classified information, reports that Russia planned to ship explosive devices on planes headed to the US, an update on the election in Moldova, and a massive political shakeup in Botswana. Finally, they cover a report about how North Korean soldiers sent to Russia are spending their free time, a time limit on hugs at a New Zealand airport, and Russia’s historically massive fine on Google.

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 episode of Pod Save the World, Ben looks at the most existential issue of our time, and one that gets little attention on the campaign trail: climate change. He examines both Harris and Trump’s records, the domestic and global benefits of the Inflation Reduction Act, the dire circumstances for small island nations and vulnerable communities, and what’s at stake if the US abandons climate leadership. Ben is joined by Brian Deese, former Director of the White House National Economic Council in the Biden administration, Leah Stokes, an Associate Professor of Environmental Politics at UCSB, and Rueanna Haynes, the Head of Diplomacy, Climate Analytics, and Director of Climate Analytics, Caribbean.

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 discuss why North Korea deployed 10,000 special forces troops to Russia, reports that Elon Musk likes to chat on the phone with Vladimir Putin, and a Trump campaign memo suggesting that if elected, he should do away with FBI background checks normally required before staff can access classified information. They also talk about new Israeli laws that would cripple aid deliveries into Gaza, the muted response from Iran after Israeli airstrikes near Tehran, increasingly sophisticated election interference from Russia, Iran, and China, the consequences of elections in Georgia and Japan, and a giant feces geyser near Moscow. Then, Tommy interviews NBC correspondent Jacob Soboroff about the new documentary based on his book “Separated” that details the inhumane family separation policy enacted during the Trump administration, and the chances of it happening again if he wins.

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 episode of Pod Save the World, Ben looks at the most important bilateral relationship in the world today: the new era of competition between the U.S. and China. Will the U.S. drift into outright conflict with China, or can we balance competition and cooperation? He reviews China’s attempt to reshape the global order, how the Biden administration has tried to get tougher on China through its trade policy, and how tensions over Taiwan could impact both our economic and military future. Ben is joined by Evan Medeiros, Professor of Asian Studies at Georgetown University, US Trade Representative Katherine Tai, and Ryan Hass, Chair of Taiwan Studies at the Brookings Institution.

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 discuss the biggest foreign policy debates on the 2024 campaign trail, like Trump blaming Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for the war in Ukraine, Kamala Harris campaigning with Liz Cheney, speculation about who would serve in Harris’s foreign policy cabinet, and Gaza policy. Then they talk about the death of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, the devastating humanitarian situation in Northern Gaza, continued Israeli strikes in Lebanon, the BRICS summit in Russia, Moldova’s razor thin vote to pursue EU membership, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau alleging that right wing personalities Tucker Carlson and Jordan Peterson are financed by the Russian government, the electrical grid collapse in Cuba, and a shady pizza operation in Germany. Then, Tommy speaks to Casey Michel, Director of the Combating Kleptocracy Program at the Human Rights Foundation and author of the new book, “Foreign Agents”.

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 episode of Pod Save the World, Ben looks at the expanding conflict in the Middle East and how either a Harris or Trump electoral victory could impact the actions or motivations of countries in the region. He also looks at the growing rift among Democrats on the issue of Israel, anti-semitism in the US, the Palestinian perspective on the ongoing destruction in Gaza, and the broader regional dynamic. Ben is joined by Peter Beinart, Editor-at-Large of Jewish Currents and author of the forthcoming book “Being Jewish After the Destruction of Gaza”, as well as foreign policy analyst Rula Jebreal, and The Economist’s Middle East correspondent, Gregg Carlstrom.

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 discuss the Israeli military’s plan to seal off and lay siege to Northern Gaza, the Biden administration’s demand that Israel improve the humanitarian situation in Gaza or else the US will (maybe?) cut off weapons shipments, the IDF’s expanding military campaign in Lebanon, and new details about how Israel might respond to Iran’s ballistic missile attack. They also talk about a “hit list” of Trump administration officials being targeted by Iran, North Korea blowing up roads connected to South Korea and sending troops to Russia, Canada and India expelling diplomats over the assassination of a Sikh activist, and Viktor Orbán getting dunked on in the European Parliament. Then Ben speaks to Saad Mohseni, author of “Radio Free Afghanistan” about running a media company in Afghanistan under Taliban rule.

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 episode of Pod Save the World, Ben looks at how the war in Ukraine will be impacted by a Harris or Trump victory. Speaking to guests from Ukraine, Russia, and Europe, we hear different perspectives on American leadership, the future of the war, and the stakes for Ukrainians, Russians and NATO. Ben is joined by Senator Chris Murphy, Ukrainian journalist Illia Ponomarenko, Nina Krushcheva, Professor of International International Affairs at the New School, and Célia Belin, Senior Policy Fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations.

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.