The Powers That Be: Daily

Julia Ioffe joins Peter to decipher the diplomatic fallout from Trump’s war in Iran, and whether his contradictory comments reveal an endgame. Then they get into the risks of radicalization, the potential consequences for U.S. allies in the region, and the unpredictable ripple effects on global energy markets, the American economy, and more.

Bill Cohan joins Peter to break down a whiplash week on Wall Street as the conflict with Iran rattled global markets. With equities swinging, futures seesawing, and oil briefly surging past $100 a barrel, Bill explains why the real economic consequences of the crisis are likely to outlast the headlines, regardless of how quickly the military operations wind down.

Jon Kelly returns to Media Monday to walk through Paramount Skydance president Jeff Shell’s likelihood of survival amid a new legal investigation. Then he and Peter figure out how the Ellisons and Redbird can service their $79 billion debtload.

Guggenheim analyst Mike Morris joins John to discuss how a combined Paramount-WBD could impact future NFL media rights deals. Then they break down the true value of the league’s media contracts and how streamers like Netflix, Amazon and YouTube might eventually take even bigger pieces of the pie.

Ian Kreitzberg joins Peter to discuss the Pentagon’s evolving relationship with artificial intelligence, from the use of A.I. tools for combat, intelligence gathering, and surveillance, to the fallout with Anthropic, which the government blacklisted after a dispute over the technology’s guardrails. Now, with Anthropic pushed to the side, is OpenAI using the rift to cozy up with the Defense Department?

Julia Ioffe joins Peter to break down the most pressing questions, developments, and lines of inquiry surrounding the war in Iran: Why Donald Trump decided to attack, the mixed messages coming from the White House and the Pentagon, whether Israel is calling the shots, and what, exactly, the endgame might look like.

Bill Cohan joins Peter to break down how the war in Iran might ripple through the global economy and impact energy prices. Then they discuss whether the Ellisons’ acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery is actually a done deal—or if the agreement will collapse under regulatory scrutiny in the U.S. and Europe.

Abby Livingston joins Peter Hamby to rap about the chaotic primary elections in Texas. The duo discuss the knock-down-drag-out fight for the Republican Senate nomination between Attorney General Ken Paxton and party-backed Senator John Cornyn. They also get into the unpredictable race for the Democratic nom, where 1.3 million votes have already been cast and James Talarico and Jasmine Crockett remain neck and neck.

Besties Jon Kelly and Peter Hamby reunite to work through the second and third order effects of Paramount Skydance’s stunning WBD victory. Then they duo read the tea leaves on the changes at Politico, including some hypotheses about the next shoes to drop.

Jason Zengerle joins Dylan for a deep dive into his new book, ‘Hated by All the Right People: Tucker Carlson and the Unraveling of the Conservative Mind.’ Zengerle traces Carlson’s evolution from print journalist to cable news star—and eventually to media mogul—examining his strategic use of outrage, his close alignment with Trump, and how both have fueled his influence. They also explore the broader impact of conservative media on American political discourse and whether Carlson may ultimately pursue elected office.

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