The DSR Network

There has been a diplomatic flurry around Ukraine in recent days, yet the theme of progress has been hollow words and flip-flopping. Is the White House serious about peace, or is this all just a photo op? Amb. Doug Lute, Max Boot, Andrea Kendall-Taylor, and Rosa Brooks join David Rothkopf to get to the bottom of this diplomacy blitz and put the kibosh on hopes for real peace anytime soon. 

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On the DSR Daily for Wednesday, we break down the US and NATO considering security options for Ukraine, Israeli approval of a new settlement project in the West Bank, GOP-imposed surveillance on Texas Democrats, and more.

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On Tuesday, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt seethed at the media for well over a minute for not acknowledging President Trump’s world historical peacemaking efforts or his smashing successes in the Russia-Ukraine talks, even though there haven’t been any such successes. And she offered a wildly absurd explanation for why European leaders rushed to Washington, D.C. (to prevent the U.S. from selling out Ukraine to Vladimir Putin). This comes as a snew Reuters poll finds Trump’s approval rating down to a new low of 40 percent. That’s fueled partly by Russia-Ukraine: A striking 54 percent of Americans say Trump is too aligned with Putin. We talked to international relations expert Nicholas Grossman. He explains how Leavitt’s spin and European angst show that incredibly high stakes matters are now being dictated by an unnerving combination of Trumpian megalomania, his genuine desire for a future world marked by a weak western alliance and strong autocracies, and his utter indifference to the U.S. public’s apparent rejection of that vision. 

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President Trump met with Vladimir Putin and listened to him warn against mail-in voting. Then, Volodymyr Zelensky and European leaders visited the White House as a united front in an attempt to gauge their transatlantic ally and secure peace. Meanwhile, the National Guard continues to loiter around D.C.’s tourist areas, not to stop crime but to display a show of force and distract American voters. What is the root of Trump’s admiration for Putin? Why is D.C. at the center of national media coverage? And how is this administration attacking election integrity beneath the surface? Tune in as Norm Ornstein and David Rothkopf discuss all of this and more.

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Well Volodymyr Zelensky may have worn a suit to the White House this time around, but he still didn’t quite get the results he wanted. The US President had little to offer beyond empty promises, even with the presence of numerous European leaders. Professor Angela Stent and General Mark Hertling join David Rothkopf to share why, despite appearances, this meeting might have been even worse than the last for Ukraine. 

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On the DSR Daily for Tuesday, we discuss the meeting between Zelensky and Trump in Washington, Texas Democrats ending their walkout protest, discussions for the government to take 10% stake in Intel, and more. 

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Member Air Date: August 12, 2025

The world’s view on Israel has shifted dramatically in the aftermath of October 7th and the invasion of Gaza. There are stark disconnects between the government and average Israelis, and the American Jewish community is undergoing profound changes. J Street President Jeremy Ben-Ami and Senior Vice President Ilan Goldenberg join David Rothkopf to explore these complex relationships and what they can tell us about the future of Israel.

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On Monday, President Trump unleashed a tortured Truth Social rant that lied relentlessly about vote-by-mail—and announced a forthcoming executive order that would end mail voting entirely. That’s not legal, of course. But nothing, no matter how absurd, can be ruled out these days. Trump’s eruption also revealed a bigger set of intentions: To abuse presidential power in every conceivable way he can to swing the midterm elections against Democrats. This comes as Trump’s scheme to get Texas to gerrymander five extra GOP seats is gaining steam. We talked to David Daley, the great analyst of right-wing election subversion, whose latest book is called “Antidemocratic: Inside the Far Right’s 50-Year Plot to Control American Elections.” He explains how Trump will try to help the GOP cheat its way through the midterms, why it might work, and what Democrats must do in response—in this election cycle and, importantly, beyond.

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On the DSR Daily for Monday, we cover the imminent White House Ukraine meeting, mass protests in Israel, Trump’s targeting of mail-in ballots ahead of the midterm elections, and more.  

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With President Trump’s crackdown intensifying in Washington, D.C., he lashed out angrily at the media for describing him as a “dictator.” In this same rant, he did not reassure D.C. residents and exaggerated wildly about crime there, suggesting people should thank him for his efforts. As observers noted, Trump clearly meant people should mute criticism of his militarization of cities simply because he claims they’re needed to reassert control. We talked to legal commentator Joyce Vance, who writes well about this on her Civil Discourse Substack and is author of the new book Giving Up Is Unforgiveable. She explains how Trump’s use of manufactured pretexts is worsening on many fronts, why this itself is an alarming threat to self rule, and how the opposition should respond, noting it’s imperative for disengaged voters to “wake up.” This episode was recorded before Trump and D.C. reached an agreement limiting his control over the D.C. police, but the specifics remain unresolved, his use of the National Guard continues, and his broader threat to other cities has darkened. 

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