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Crooked Media

“Pod Save America” cohost Tommy Vietor thought foreign policy was boring and complicated until he got the education of a lifetime working for President Obama’s National Security Council. On “Pod Save the World,” he and former deputy national security adviser Ben Rhodes break down the latest global developments and bring you behind the scenes with the people who were there. New episodes every Wednesday. 

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Pod Save the World

Tommy and Ben discuss President Trump’s visit to Asia: the weird dancing, his meetings with the new prime minister of Japan and Chinese President Xi Jinping, and his annoying victory laps when Trump “solves” problems he himself created. They also unpack two recent examples of blatant government corruption, including Trump’s pardon of a crypto billionaire and an Army contract to purchase drones from a company “advised” by Donald Trump Jr. Then they discuss the “next generation” of the Pentagon press corps (one filled with MAGA sycophants), a rebel group’s capture of a major city in Sudan and how the UAE is fueling the Sudanese civil war, more US strikes against alleged drug traffickers in the Pacific, Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu’s announcement that he has ordered “forceful strikes” on Hamas and what it means for the Gaza ceasefire agreement, a legislative election win for President Javier Milei in Argentina, an anti-tariff ad in Canada that invoked Ronald Reagan, and Katy Perry and former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau making their relationship official. Then Tommy speaks with former US Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul about his new book Autocrats vs. Democrats: China, Russia, America, and the New Global Disorder.

For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast.

Get tickets to CROOKED CON November 6-7 in Washington, D.C at http://crookedcon.com

 
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Trump Dances Across Asia

Being an American right now is a wild ride. Every day brings a new controversy, with breathless media narratives and the same loud voices rushing in to score political points. Then another Truth Social post drops and the circus moves on. But all that noise is drowning out the actual story. On Crooked Media’s new podcast Runaway Country, veteran journalist Alex Wagner talks to the voices at the center of the headlines: from the fringes of the resistance, to the marrow of MAGA, to the many people who’ve found themselves smack-dab in the crosshairs of a fight they never asked for. Because if you want to understand our unreal times, you’ve got to talk to the very real people who are experiencing it all first-hand. Join Alex as she brings together the stories of everyday Americans trapped in our national car with no brakes, alongside conversations with some of the smartest thinkers in politics. Buckle up, this road could lead anywhere.

New episodes every Thursday wherever you get your podcasts, and @RunawayCountryWithAlexWagner on YouTube. Make sure to subscribe, so you don’t miss an episode.

For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast.

Get tickets to CROOKED CON November 6-7 in Washington, D.C at http://crookedcon.com

 
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Introducing: Runaway Country with Alex Wagner

Tommy and Ben discuss reports that Trump’s meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was a disaster, and that his summit in Hungary with Russian President Vladimir Putin may be canceled. They also cover the administration's threats to punish Colombia and Venezuela, including authorization of the CIA to conduct covert action in Venezuela, and other warning signs that the administration is pushing for regime change. They also talk about the rapid return of violence in Gaza since the “peace deal” and right-wing calls for war to resume, Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff’s painful interview with 60 Minutes and the lack of a credible plan for Palestinian governance moving forward, an account from a member of the Freedom Flotilla detailing her detention by the IDF, and the story of a journalist who was attacked by settlers in the West Bank. Then they highlight Japan’s first female prime minister and gruesome details published in a memoir by one of Jeffrey Epstein’s victims. Finally, Tommy speaks to art theft investigator Anthony Amore about the stunning French crown jewel heist at the Louvre Museum in Paris.

For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast.

Get tickets to CROOKED CON November 6-7 in Washington, D.C at http://crookedcon.com

 
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Trump Rug Pulls Ukraine

Tommy & Ben break down the deal between Israel and Hamas–how we got here, who deserves credit (and who doesn’t), why the hell it took so long, and then dig into the many questions still to be resolved: Will Hamas disarm? How will Gaza be run? And who might make up the proposed “International Stabilisation Force”? They also talk about Trump’s victory lap in Israel and Egypt (including a quick pit stop for some corruption with Indonesia’s president), the pervasive media narrative that Israel’s “victory” over Iran led to this deal, Benjamin Netanyahu’s political future, Drop Site News’s rebuttal to the Free Press’s vile “reporting” on starving Palestinian children with preexisting conditions, and whether Trump’s peacemaking is contagious and could spread to Ukraine. Also covered: how the US’s bailout of Argentina will benefit hedge funders in Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent’s circle, French President Emmanuel Macron’s surprising replacement for his short-lived Prime Minister, and why the recipient of this year’s Nobel Peace Prize is dedicating it to Donald Trump. Then, Ben goes deep on the shadow fleet with Michelle Wiese Bockmann, senior maritime intelligence analyst at Windward.

For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast.

 

Get tickets to CROOKED CON November 6-7 in Washington, D.C at http://crookedcon.com

 
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Breaking Down Trump's Gaza Deal

Tommy & Ben sound the alarm about how Trump is laying the foundation for war with Venezuela—breaking down the administration’s justifications, what escalation could look like, and why attacking Venezuela won’t solve America’s drug problem. Then, they discuss the latest negotiations between Israel and Hamas over Trump’s Gaza “peace plan,” Israel's treatment of activists arrested from the Gaza-bound Global Sumud Flotilla, an update from journalist Noa Avishag Schnall, who’s currently sailing to Gaza with another flotilla, and the United States’ unprecedented security agreement with Qatar. Also covered: how MAGA is advocating for an El Salvador-style judicial takeover, Russia’s “hybrid war” on Europe and its shadow fleet of decrepit oil tankers, and the over-the-hill rock stylings of Argentina’s embattled president, Javier Milei. Finally, Tommy speaks with Michael Froman, president of the Council on Foreign Relations and former U.S. Trade Representative under Obama, about Trump’s trade “strategy,” the death of the rules-based system of global commerce, and why the humble soybean has become a flashpoint in the trade wars.

For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast.

 

Get tickets to CROOKED CON November 6-7 in Washington, D.C at http://crookedcon.com

 
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Trump Barrels Towards War with Venezuela

Tommy & Ben react to Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Donald Trump's bizarre and alarming gathering of top military officials, including Trump's fascistic rhetoric about the "enemy within", wildly inappropriate partisan rants, and Hegseth's anti-DEI, pro-war-crimes lecture that could have been an email. They also talk about Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's announcement of a 20-point plan to end the war between Israel and Hamas, Netanyahu's apology to Qatar for striking Hamas leaders in Doha and why the hell Tony Blair is involved. Also discussed: Marco Rubio's secret plan for regime change in Venezuela, the revocation of the Colombian president's visa by the U.S., how Trump's trade war with China could sell out Taiwan and hurt American farmers, "Gen Z" protests in Madagascar, and former French president Nicolas Sarkozy's latest prison sentence. Finally, they explain why the comedy world is headed to Saudi Arabia and how Trump bonded with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan over rigged elections. Then, Ben speaks to foreign policy analyst, author, and journalist Rula Jebreal about the sidelining of Palestinians in Trump's peace plan, the threat of West Bank annexation, and what the international community can do for Palestine.

For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast.

 

Get tickets to CROOKED CON November 6-7 in Washington, D.C at http://crookedcon.com

 
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Trump's Fascist Military Jamboree

Tommy & Ben grit their teeth and dive into Trump’s rambling, insulting address at the United Nations and fact-check his ridiculous claim that he solved seven wars. They cover Trump’s proposed bank bailout for Argentina, his threat to re-invade Afghanistan, Pete Hegseth’s crackdown on journalists’ access to the Pentagon, and Russia’s continuing incursions into NATO airspace. They also discuss a trio of immigration stories: the administration’s new goalposts for high-skilled H-1B visas, the ending of Temporary Protected Status for Syrians, and the chilling deportation order for Mahmoud Khalil. Finally, updates on America’s rogue attacks on alleged drug boats off the coast of Venezuela, a potential new approach to nuclear negotiations with North Korea, how French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte are fighting back against conspiracy theorist Candace Owens, and potential U.K. Prime Minister Nigel Farage’s incredibly undignified side hustle. Then, Ben speaks with Robert Malley, co-author of the new book Tomorrow Is Yesterday: Life, Death, and the Pursuit of Peace in Israel/Palestine, about the failures of the peace process under Bill Clinton and Barack Obama, the recent move by several countries to recognize a Palestinian state, and what a path to peace could look like beyond a two-state solution.

For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast.

Get tickets to CROOKED CON November 6-7 in Washington, D.C at http://crookedcon.com

 
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Has Trump Ended 7 Wars? (No)

Tommy & Ben start with Gaza: the UN Human Rights Council’s finding that Israel has committed genocide, and Israel’s ground operation into Gaza City. They discuss how Marco Rubio signaled that Trump has given up on brokering a peace deal in Gaza, and why the Netanyahu government is telling the press that Trump is lying about his knowledge of the IDF airstrike in Qatar. Also covered: Kash Patel’s combative Senate hearing about the rampant dysfunction at the FBI, the global reaction to the murder of Charlie Kirk and the dark conspiracy theories that have emerged around it, the long-term harm to the US-South Korea relationship caused by the ICE raid on a Hyundai plant in Georgia, Nepal’s democracy by Discord, Trump’s UK state visit amid Jeffrey Epstein fallout and far-right protests, Trump’s ultimatums to NATO, and Conor McGregor’s aborted bid for the Irish presidency. Then, Tommy speaks to Tom Fletcher, the UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, about the humanitarian situations in Haiti, Sudan, and Gaza, the devastating effects of the gutting of USAID, and what’s giving him hope right now. Check out Be Hope here.

For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast.

Get tickets to CROOKED CON November 6-7 in Washington, D.C at http://crookedcon.com

 
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Can the FBI Survive Trump & Kash Patel?

Tommy & Ben react to Israel’s shocking strike on Hamas leadership in Qatar. They cover how this closes the door on ceasefire negotiations, how the attacks humiliate the Arab world and make normalization in the region next to impossible, and the Trump administration’s incoherent response. They also discuss the alleged Israeli bombing of a humanitarian aid flotilla in Tunisia, the horrific terrorist attack in Jerusalem, and Spain’s roadmap for opposing what’s happening in Gaza. Also covered: Keir Starmer’s misguided cabinet reshuffle in the UK, French President Emmanuel Macron’s chronic inability to hold onto a prime minister, what protest movements in Nepal and Indonesia say about the state of the world, and the ongoing threat of a US war with Venezuela. Then, Ben speaks with Susan Rice, national security advisor and UN ambassador under Obama, about the redirection and weaponization of the military under Trump, how this administration’s foreign policy is pushing our allies into our adversaries’ arms, and the “brazen violation of international law” that is Israel’s attack on Qatar.

For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast.

Get tickets to CROOKED CON November 6-7 in Washington, D.C at http://crookedcon.com

 
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Israel Bombs Hamas Leaders in Qatar

Tommy & Ben discuss China’s summit in Tianjin, which brought together leaders from 20 countries, including India, Iran, Russia, and North Korea, and how it signals a major shift in global alliances. They talk about the schism between Trump and India’s President Narendra Modi and how Trump keeps conceding to China on issues like AI and student visas despite his many empty threats. Also covered: the administration’s illegal airstrike on a Venezuelan boat allegedly carrying drugs, the new for-profit ethnic cleansing plan for Gaza, how the gutting of USAID is hobbling the response to Afghanistan’s devastating earthquake, and Steve Witkoff’s stupendous incompetence in his role as special envoy for….everything. Then, Tommy speaks with journalist Jasper Nathaniel, who covers the West Bank on his Substack, Infinite Jaz. They talk about what life is like for Palestinians there, the far-right’s goal of achieving total annexation of the territory, and the pipe dream of a two-state solution. 

For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast.

Donate to Uplift Afghanistan’s earthquake relief efforts here.

Get tickets to CROOKED CON November 6-7 in Washington, D.C at http://crookedcon.com

 
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Trump Is Humiliated by China

In a bonus episode, Tommy and Ben discuss Trump’s decision to assassinate a top Iranian official named Qassem Soleimani. What happened? How did we get here? Who is Soleimani and why is he so influential? What happens next and how should the 2020 Democrats respond? 

 

Get tickets to CROOKED CON November 6-7 in Washington, D.C at http://crookedcon.com

 
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Trump goes to war with Iran

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