The Geopolitics of SpaceX and Elon Musk

The Geopolitics of SpaceX and Elon Musk

SpaceX’s initial public offering broke records as the largest ever and one that (briefly) made Elon Musk the first trillionaire. But just how much power should one person or one company have in space? Quinn Slobodian, a co-author of Muskism: A Guide for the Perplexed, joins FP Live to argue that Musk’s network of integrated companies—from X to Starlink—amplifies not only his economic power but his worldview.  Quinn Slobodian and Ben Tarnoff: Elon Musk’s Self-Contradictory Military Policy [https://foreignpolicy.com/2026/06/12/musk-spacex-ipo-military-policy/?utm_content=gifting&tpcc=gifting_article&gifting_article=bXVzay1zcGFjZXgtaXBvLW1pbGl0YXJ5LXBvbGljeQ==&pid=PNIhHwPfesawrtd&tpcc=fpl_pod] C. Raja Mohan: Elon Musk and the Rise of Space Capitalism [https://foreignpolicy.com/2026/06/17/elon-musk-spacex-ipo-space-commercial-satellites-india-china/?utm_content=gifting&tpcc=gifting_article&gifting_article=ZWxvbi1tdXNrLXNwYWNleC1pcG8tc3BhY2UtY29tbWVyY2lhbC1zYXRlbGxpdGVzLWluZGlhLWNoaW5h&pid=PNIhHwPfesawrtd&tpcc=fpl_pod] Adam Tooze: Elon Musk’s First Principles [https://foreignpolicy.com/2025/03/25/elon-musk-trump-doge-physics-principles/?utm_content=gifting&tpcc=gifting_article&gifting_article=ZWxvbi1tdXNrLXRydW1wLWRvZ2UtcGh5c2ljcy1wcmluY2lwbGVz&pid=PNIhHwPfesawrtd&tpcc=fpl_pod] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

Deciphering the U.S.-Iran Deal

The United States and Iran have struck a memorandum of understanding to end the war that began in February. Will the deal last? And what does it mean for the United States, the Middle East, and the world? Ali Vaez has long been involved in unofficial dialogues with Iran and the United States, and he joins FP Live to analyze the deal. Plus, Ravi shares his read on why the cease-fire deal, despite its flaws, will hold. FP Staff: U.S.-Iran Memorandum of Understanding: Full Text [https://foreignpolicy.com/2026/06/17/trump-us-iran-memorandum-of-understanding-mou-deal-read-full-text/?utm_content=gifting&tpcc=gifting_article&gifting_article=dHJ1bXAtdXMtaXJhbi1tZW1vcmFuZHVtLW9mLXVuZGVyc3RhbmRpbmctbW91LWRlYWwtcmVhZC1mdWxsLXRleHQ=&pid=PNIhHwPfesawrtd&tpcc=fpl_pod] Duncan B. Hollis: Is the MOU a Treaty or Not? And Why Should We Care? [https://foreignpolicy.com/2026/06/23/us-iran-war-mou-hormuz-trump-ceasefire-treaty-congress/?utm_content=gifting&tpcc=gifting_article&gifting_article=dXMtaXJhbi13YXItbW91LWhvcm11ei10cnVtcC1jZWFzZWZpcmUtdHJlYXR5LWNvbmdyZXNz&pid=PNIhHwPfesawrtd&tpcc=fpl_pod] Matthew Kroenig: The U.S. Won the War With Iran [https://foreignpolicy.com/2026/06/23/iran-war-hormuz-oil-trump-victory-memorandum-ceasefire/?utm_content=gifting&tpcc=gifting_article&gifting_article=aXJhbi13YXItaG9ybXV6LW9pbC10cnVtcC12aWN0b3J5LW1lbW9yYW5kdW0tY2Vhc2VmaXJl&pid=PNIhHwPfesawrtd&tpcc=fpl_pod] Paul Musgrave: Iran Is a Bigger Defeat Than Vietnam [https://foreignpolicy.com/2026/06/16/iran-vietnam-strategy-defeat/?utm_content=gifting&tpcc=gifting_article&gifting_article=aXJhbi12aWV0bmFtLXN0cmF0ZWd5LWRlZmVhdA==&pid=PNIhHwPfesawrtd&tpcc=fpl_pod] Will Todman: Everyone Lost the War With Iran [https://foreignpolicy.com/2026/06/16/iran-war-trump-gulf-china-russia-israel-ceasefire-deal/?utm_content=gifting&tpcc=gifting_article&gifting_article=aXJhbi13YXItdHJ1bXAtZ3VsZi1jaGluYS1ydXNzaWEtaXNyYWVsLWNlYXNlZmlyZS1kZWFs&pid=PNIhHwPfesawrtd&tpcc=fpl_pod] Daniel Byman: How the Iran Deal Sets the Stage for More Conflict [https://foreignpolicy.com/2026/06/22/trump-iran-israel-war-oil-deal-gaza/?utm_content=gifting&tpcc=gifting_article&gifting_article=dHJ1bXAtaXJhbi1pc3JhZWwtd2FyLW9pbC1kZWFsLWdhemE=&pid=PNIhHwPfesawrtd&tpcc=fpl_pod] Nik Kowsar and Alireza Nader: Ordinary Iranians Won’t See a Dime of Trump’s Money [https://foreignpolicy.com/2026/06/18/trump-iranians-economy-irgc-corruption-memorandum/?utm_content=gifting&tpcc=gifting_article&gifting_article=dHJ1bXAtaXJhbmlhbnMtZWNvbm9teS1pcmdjLWNvcnJ1cHRpb24tbWVtb3JhbmR1bQ==&pid=PNIhHwPfesawrtd&tpcc=fpl_pod] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

Is the U.S.-Israel Special Relationship Over?

U.S. public opinion is undergoing a dramatic shift, with more and more Americans calling for less military support to Israel. So, is the “special relationship” between the two countries over? According to an essayist in Foreign Policy’s latest print issue, the partnership has peaked—and the only way to go is down. Why is that, and how did we get here? Joshua Leifer, a columnist for Haaretz and author of that essay, joins FP Live to explore trends in the U.S.-Israeli partnership. Plus, Ravi shares his read on the proposed U.S.-Iran cease-fire deal. Paul Musgrave: Iran Is a Bigger Defeat Than Vietnam [https://foreignpolicy.com/2026/06/16/iran-vietnam-strategy-defeat/?utm_content=gifting&tpcc=gifting_article&gifting_article=aXJhbi12aWV0bmFtLXN0cmF0ZWd5LWRlZmVhdA==&pid=PNIhHwPfesawrtd&tpcc=fpl_pod] Will Todman: Everyone Lost the War With Iran [https://foreignpolicy.com/2026/06/16/iran-war-trump-gulf-china-russia-israel-ceasefire-deal/?utm_content=gifting&tpcc=gifting_article&gifting_article=aXJhbi13YXItdHJ1bXAtZ3VsZi1jaGluYS1ydXNzaWEtaXNyYWVsLWNlYXNlZmlyZS1kZWFs&pid=PNIhHwPfesawrtd&tpcc=fpl_pod] Menahem Merhavy: Iran’s Victory Is More Pyrrhic Than It Looks [https://foreignpolicy.com/2026/06/17/iran-war-pyrrhic-victory-hormuz-oil-khamenei-regime-sanctions/?utm_content=gifting&tpcc=gifting_article&gifting_article=aXJhbi13YXItcHlycmhpYy12aWN0b3J5LWhvcm11ei1vaWwta2hhbWVuZWktcmVnaW1lLXNhbmN0aW9ucw==&pid=PNIhHwPfesawrtd&tpcc=fpl_pod] Joshua Leifer: The End of the U.S.-Israel Alliance [https://foreignpolicy.com/2026/06/15/israel-united-states-special-relationship-palestine-netanyahu-trump/?utm_content=gifting&tpcc=gifting_article&gifting_article=aXNyYWVsLXVuaXRlZC1zdGF0ZXMtc3BlY2lhbC1yZWxhdGlvbnNoaXAtcGFsZXN0aW5lLW5ldGFueWFodS10cnVtcA==&pid=PNIhHwPfesawrtd&tpcc=fpl_pod] FP’s Summer Print Issue: The End of the World as We Know It [https://foreignpolicy.com/the-magazine/?issue_id=411227090] David E. Rosenberg: Netanyahu’s Reelection Could Hinge on Outcome of Iran War [https://foreignpolicy.com/2026/06/12/netanyahu-election-iran-war-outcome-us-trump/?utm_content=gifting&tpcc=gifting_article&gifting_article=bmV0YW55YWh1LWVsZWN0aW9uLWlyYW4td2FyLW91dGNvbWUtdXMtdHJ1bXA=&pid=PNIhHwPfesawrtd&tpcc=fpl_pod] Steven A. Cook: Why the U.S. Should Wind Down Military Aid to Israel [https://foreignpolicy.com/2026/05/26/israel-united-states-military-aid-gaza-trump-netanyahu/?utm_content=gifting&tpcc=gifting_article&gifting_article=aXNyYWVsLXVuaXRlZC1zdGF0ZXMtbWlsaXRhcnktYWlkLWdhemEtdHJ1bXAtbmV0YW55YWh1&pid=PNIhHwPfesawrtd&tpcc=fpl_pod] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

The Geopolitics of the World Cup

This week, the largest-ever World Cup will commence. Across the three host countries—Canada, Mexico, and the United States—48 teams will play 104 matches in 16 cities. But it also comes amid a particularly fraught geopolitical backdrop. Not only have the three hosts spent the last year sparring over immigration, trade, and even national sovereignty, but one of them, the United States, is at war with fellow participant Iran. Top soccer expert and Times economics editor Mehreen Khan joins FP Live to explore just how exceptional this World Cup is.  Plus, Ravi shares his read on troubles for China’s solar industry.  Financial Times: Adam Tooze: Wasting China’s solar panel surplus is madness [https://www.ft.com/content/b6cac184-75a4-47ab-94c5-5eb8c92cd407] The Economist: China’s world-beating solar industry is in turmoil [https://www.economist.com/china/2026/05/26/chinas-world-beating-solar-industry-is-in-turmoil] FP Coverage of the World Cup [https://foreignpolicy.com/projects/world-cup-fifa-travel-team-soccer-history-politics/?tpcc=fpl_pod] Bobby Ghosh: Sleeping in Mexico, Playing in America [https://foreignpolicy.com/2026/06/05/mexico-america-trump-iran-fifa-olympics-world-cup/?utm_content=gifting&tpcc=gifting_article&gifting_article=bWV4aWNvLWFtZXJpY2EtdHJ1bXAtaXJhbi1maWZhLW9seW1waWNzLXdvcmxkLWN1cA==&pid=PNIhHwPfesawrtd&tpcc=fpl_pod] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

How to End the Iran War

What would it take to end the Iran war? What exit strategies are still available to the United States? Robert Malley, a former lead negotiator of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal and the Biden administration’s special envoy for Iran, joins FP’s Ravi Agrawal to discuss the current talks to open the Strait of Hormuz.  Plus, Ravi offers his read on why U.S. President Donald Trump is wavering between two extremes on a cease-fire deal. New York Times: Robert Malley and Stephen Wertheim: Of Course Trump Bombed Iran [https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/05/opinion/iran-trump-war-foreign-policy.html] Wall Street Journal: Condoleezza Rice: What the U.S. Has Accomplished in Iran [https://www.wsj.com/opinion/what-the-u-s-has-accomplished-in-iran-60b21e52] Ali Hashem: The World Keeps Asking Iran the Wrong Question [https://foreignpolicy.com/2026/05/19/iran-politics-strategy-war-sanctions-hormuz/?utm_content=gifting&tpcc=gifting_article&gifting_article=aXJhbi1wb2xpdGljcy1zdHJhdGVneS13YXItc2FuY3Rpb25zLWhvcm11eg==&pid=PNIhHwPfesawrtd&tpcc=fpl_pod] Michael Hirsh: Why the U.S. Is Headed for a Long War With Iran [https://foreignpolicy.com/2026/05/12/mohsen-rezaei-iran-war-hard-liners-trump-nuclear-negotiations/?utm_content=gifting&tpcc=gifting_article&gifting_article=bW9oc2VuLXJlemFlaS1pcmFuLXdhci1oYXJkLWxpbmVycy10cnVtcC1udWNsZWFyLW5lZ290aWF0aW9ucw==&pid=PNIhHwPfesawrtd&tpcc=fpl_pod] Matthew Kroenig: Iran Does Not Have a Right to Enrich Uranium [https://foreignpolicy.com/2026/05/11/trump-iran-nuclear-enrichment-uranium-ceasefire-negotiations/?utm_content=gifting&tpcc=gifting_article&gifting_article=dHJ1bXAtaXJhbi1udWNsZWFyLWVucmljaG1lbnQtdXJhbml1bS1jZWFzZWZpcmUtbmVnb3RpYXRpb25z&pid=PNIhHwPfesawrtd&tpcc=fpl_pod] Sina Azodi: The Myth of Zero Enrichment [https://foreignpolicy.com/2026/05/19/iran-war-nuclear-deal-uranium-enrichment-negotiations-jcpoa-united-states/?utm_content=gifting&tpcc=gifting_article&gifting_article=aXJhbi13YXItbnVjbGVhci1kZWFsLXVyYW5pdW0tZW5yaWNobWVudC1uZWdvdGlhdGlvbnMtamNwb2EtdW5pdGVkLXN0YXRlcw==&pid=PNIhHwPfesawrtd&tpcc=fpl_pod] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]