The DSR Network

At a fundraiser with oil and gas industry executives last week, Donald Trump reportedly ranted angrily about, of all things, wind power. “I hate wind,” Trump told the executives. That may seem like a joke, but it gets at a deadly serious topic: If Trump wins this fall, he’d very likely try to repeal President Biden’s climate policies. We chatted with David Roberts, author of a great energy Substack called “Volts,” about Trump’s prospects for success at that project, about its potential consequences for the world, and about an intriguing concept known as “petro-masculinity.”

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From the tumult in Israel and Ukraine to widespread challenges across Africa, the world is at a turning point. Senator Chris Coons, a leading voice in the US Senate on international affairs, joins David Rothkopf on a special episode of DSR to share his perspective on the most critical foreign policy issues today. 

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Our Sources for Today's Episode:

1:02: AP News: House’s Ukraine, Israel aid package gains Biden’s support as Speaker Johnson fights to keep his job

President Joe Biden expressed strong support for House Speaker Mike Johnson's proposal to approve $95 billion in aid for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan, highlighting a bipartisan push amid political tensions.

2:01: Washington Post: Red states threaten librarians with prison — as blue states work to protect them

Sam Lee, a leader of the Connecticut Library Association, finds herself conflicted as she heads to work amidst a nationwide increase in book challenges.

3:24: Al Jazeera: Hezbollah launches missiles and drones at northern Israel

Hezbollah has claimed responsibility for an attack on a new military reconnaissance command center in Arab al-Aramshe, Israel, which wounded at least 14 Israeli soldiers, in retaliation for Israeli strikes that killed Hezbollah members.

4:24: BBC: Ukraine warns of WW3 ahead of long-stalled Congress aid vote

Ukraine's Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, in an interview with the BBC in Washington DC, expressed cautious optimism about the U.S. Congress passing a crucial foreign aid bill that includes $61 billion earmarked for Ukraine.

5:20: Straits Times: Thousands evacuated as Indonesia volcano erupts, causes tsunami threat and airport closure

Indonesian rescuers urgently evacuated thousands of people on April 18 after Mount Ruang erupted five times in two days, prompting authorities to raise its alert level to the highest and shut down the nearest international airport in Manado city.

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Kari Lake, a diehard MAGA Republican who’s running for Senate in Arizona, told a rally this week that it’s time for supporters of her and Donald Trump to “put on the armor of God and maybe strap on a Glock just in case.” There you have it: God and Glock, side by side. We talked to Elizabeth Neumann, a Homeland Security counterterrorism official during Trump’s presidency and author of a new book about Christian extremism, about how MAGA rhetoric normalizes political violence.

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It’s been several days since Iran’s failed attack on Israel, and the world is still waiting to see how Israel will respond. Rosa Brooks, Kori Schake, and David Rothkopf take up the unenviable task of putting themselves in Netanyahu’s shoes to chart the best path forward — both for Israel, and the region.

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On the Wednesday edition of the DSR Daily, we discuss David Cameron’s visit to Jerusalem, US and China’s defense chiefs holding talks, Russia’s strategies to diminish Western influence, and more. 

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Here on the podcast we’ve repeatedly argued that Mike Johnson might ultimately allow a vote on military aid to Ukraine, even if it might get him ousted as speaker by MAGA forces in the House. Thankfully, this now looks real: The House GOP leadership is preparing to move forward with Ukraine aid as part of a broader set of bills—and Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene is furious. We talked to Democratic Representative Mikie Sherrill of New Jersey, a former U.S. Navy Pilot and member of the Armed Services Committee, who helped us unravel why Johnson is doing this now, its prospects for success, and the true extent of Russian influence over MAGA.

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Reading a politician’s memoir can tell you a lot about them, but reading between the lines can teach you even more. Carlos Lozada joins David to discuss his recently released “The Washington Book,” and share how to analyze memoirs and speeches to gain a deeper understanding of our politics and history.

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On the Tuesday edition of the DSR Daily, we cover the rejection of dozens of jurors in Trump’s hush money trial, the killing of two Palestinians in the West Bank, Mike Johnson’s plan to split foreign aid into separate bills, and more.

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Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s presidential run is inspiring new fears among Democrats that he will help Donald Trump win the White House again. Meanwhile, Kennedy’s campaign is now expressing confidence that he’ll appear on the ballot in all the key swing states and beyond. So it’s notable that the Kennedy clan is taking urgent new steps to mobilize in response—against their own family member’s candidacy. We chatted with Jill Lawrence, a veteran journalist and author of a new piece for The Bulwark on this dynamic, who explains the remarkable role the Kennedys are poised to play in stopping RFK Jr. from serving as pro-Trump spoiler.

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