Pod Save the World

Keeping Up With the Korruption in Kazakhstan

Tommy and Ben talk through a week that includes US and Iranian airstrikes, a peace agreement, a Supreme Court double-header, and the French debate about air conditioning. First up, Israel and Lebanon have signed a 14-point peace agreement in Washington, but people on both sides question whether the deal will ever be implemented, and some in Lebanon fear that it could actually be a recipe for civil war. Meanwhile, the US ceasefire with Iran has produced a week of airstrikes and fighting over what was actually agreed to. Then a brazen new example of corruption combines a mining deal with Kazakhstan, the sons of both President Trump and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, and $1.6 billion in federal funding. Then the guys dig into how Supreme Court rulings on the preservation of birthright citizenship and the gutting of Temporary Protected Status for Haitians and Syrians will impact American foreign policy. They also cover the devastating earthquakes in Venezuela and the impact on the interim government, the debate within France over air conditioning while Europe bakes under a historic heat wave, and the most devastating World Cup losses so far this tournament. Then Tommy speaks to New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof about Elon Musk’s brazen lie that “nobody died” as the result of Musk and DOGE “feeding USAID into the wood chipper.” For Friends of the Pod, the boys answer listener questions about how live audiences influence political speeches. They also recount some of their tougher culinary experiences while on diplomatic clock. Buy Ben’s book All We Say: The Battle for American Identity: A History in 15 Speeches [https://bookshop.org/p/books/all-we-say-the-battle-for-american-identity-a-history-in-15-speeches-ben-rhodes/c9d9b22b61e6fd44?ean=9780593595121&next=t]  and subscribe to his Substack here [https://benrhodes1.substack.com/p/notes-on-the-stories-we-tell?r=7jalf&utm_medium=ios&shareImageVariant=overlay&utm_source=ig&utm_content=link_in_bio&fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQMMjU2MjgxMDQwNTU4AAGnk2XQpGCmzcvVGkeFlK9dqpiOZOtrjYa6vZNZOGIUYKNGWNuwRdTS-TcWTxc_aem_CO-34uPQ7U7nZXxTI-IbdQ&triedRedirect=true]. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here [https://youtu.be/pxu8OvFwU3o]. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast, episode title, and episode date.

Starmer Brexits

This week Tommy and Ben catch up on the latest in Iran negotiations, react to Keir Starmer’s resignation, and continue to celebrate World Cup fandom. First they walk through the text of the US-Iran memorandum of understanding — because now it’s clear why Trump didn't want anyone to see it. The guys break down everything Iran got, including sanctions relief and billions in unfrozen assets, compared to the very vague assurances the US received that Iran won't build a nuclear weapon and will keep the Strait of Hormuz open. Then they go over the latest negotiations in Switzerland, disagreements over what was agreed to, and why the war in Lebanon remains the biggest threat to its success. Across the pond, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced his resignation after Andy Burnham's decisive by-election win, setting up the UK to have its seventh prime minister in ten years. The guys also dive into Israel's increasingly close and diplomatically fraught relationship with Somaliland, and Colombia's razor-thin runoff election, which was won by a right-wing candidate who calls himself “El Tigre.” And finally, the World Cup remains an absolute joy — Ben and Tommy go over some of their favorite moments like underdog Cape Verde holding Spain and Uruguay to draws, Scottish fans taking over Boston and Miami, and Uzbek fans riding into a Houston stadium on horseback. At the end of the show, Ben speaks to Washington Post columnist Rana Ayyub about the Cockroach Movement in India, and how the war with Iran has spilled over into the country’s politics. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here [https://youtu.be/VkG7hwYOmmk]. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast, episode title, and episode date. Buy Ben’s book All We Say: The Battle for American Identity: A History in 15 Speeches [https://bookshop.org/p/books/all-we-say-the-battle-for-american-identity-a-history-in-15-speeches-ben-rhodes/c9d9b22b61e6fd44?ean=9780593595121&next=t]  and subscribe to his Substack here [https://benrhodes1.substack.com/p/notes-on-the-stories-we-tell?r=7jalf&utm_medium=ios&shareImageVariant=overlay&utm_source=ig&utm_content=link_in_bio&fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQMMjU2MjgxMDQwNTU4AAGnk2XQpGCmzcvVGkeFlK9dqpiOZOtrjYa6vZNZOGIUYKNGWNuwRdTS-TcWTxc_aem_CO-34uPQ7U7nZXxTI-IbdQ&triedRedirect=true].

How Bad Is Trump’s Iran Deal?

Tommy and Ben are back with a week of bad deals, high-stakes elections, and World Cup joy. The US and Iran have agreed to a deal to end the war, but the Trump administration has refused to release the text to anyone — so the guys parse through what we think we know. The short version: it's a pretty good deal for Iran that meets almost none of the goals Trump set out before the war started, and the nuclear issue hasn’t even been touched yet. Then the guys question if Netanyahu will do something to torpedo the whole thing with his continued war against Lebanon. In England, a special election could reshape British politics and set up a direct challenge to Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Meanwhile, a spate of developments across England, Italy, France, and Switzerland signal increasing growth for far-right movements in Europe. In Trump world, there’s both good and very bad news: Trump backed down on installing Bill Pulte as Director of National Intelligence after bipartisan pushback, and the dismantling of USAID continues to have devastating real-world consequences. And finally, with the World Cup in full swing, Tommy and Ben take a moment to enjoy the fans, from Scots drinking their way across, to Mexican and Korean fans bonding over tequila, and Nigerian fans flying all the way to Mexico just to root against South Africa. At the end of the show, Tommy speaks to CNN’s Senior International Correspondent Frederik Pleitgen, about what he saw and heard on his latest reporting trip on the ground in Iran. Buy Ben’s book All We Say: The Battle for American Identity: A History in 15 Speeches [https://bookshop.org/p/books/all-we-say-the-battle-for-american-identity-a-history-in-15-speeches-ben-rhodes/c9d9b22b61e6fd44?ean=9780593595121&next=t]  and subscribe to his Substack here [https://benrhodes1.substack.com/p/notes-on-the-stories-we-tell?r=7jalf&utm_medium=ios&shareImageVariant=overlay&utm_source=ig&utm_content=link_in_bio&fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQMMjU2MjgxMDQwNTU4AAGnk2XQpGCmzcvVGkeFlK9dqpiOZOtrjYa6vZNZOGIUYKNGWNuwRdTS-TcWTxc_aem_CO-34uPQ7U7nZXxTI-IbdQ&triedRedirect=true]. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here [https://youtu.be/ykkFbjJ8u3o]. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast, episode title, and episode date.

Jared & Ivanka Conquer Albanian Island

Tommy and Ben are back to discuss a week that includes collapsed ceasefire(s), the World Cup, and Jared and Ivanka pretending to be conquistadors. The so-called ceasefires between Israel and Lebanon and the US and Iran continue to unravel, while Trump insists he has Iran and Israel under his control and twists reality (and the English language) to fit his narrative. Then, Ivanka Trump claims to have "discovered" a pristine, protected ecological island off the coast of Albania, sparking major protests and a government corruption investigation. The FIFA World Cup kicks off this week across three countries and 16 cities, and the guys dig into the Trump administration's decision to use the biggest sporting event on earth as an opportunity to deny visas to fans, journalists, and even Africa's top referee. Xi Jinping pays his first visit to North Korea in seven years amidst reports about Kim Jong Un's surprising economic turnaround. Former Trump National Security advisor John Bolton pleads guilty to mishandling classified information, while a CIA official is caught with 303 gold bars and a 15-year-old Nigerian congressional candidate is exposed for faking his age on the campaign trail. Then Tommy speaks with the BBC's Mexico, Central America, and Cuba Correspondent, Will Grant, about life on the ground in Cuba, what US intervention on the island could look like, and the vibes in Mexico City ahead of the World Cup. Will’s book is Populista: The Rise of Latin America's 21st Century Strongman [https://bookshop.org/p/books/populista-the-rise-of-latin-america-s-21st-century-strongman-will-grant/bc22cc0f50088ffe?ean=9781789543971&next=t]. Buy Ben’s book All We Say: The Battle for American Identity: A History in 15 Speeches [https://bookshop.org/p/books/all-we-say-the-battle-for-american-identity-a-history-in-15-speeches-ben-rhodes/c9d9b22b61e6fd44?ean=9780593595121&next=t]  and subscribe to his Substack here [https://benrhodes1.substack.com/p/notes-on-the-stories-we-tell?r=7jalf&utm_medium=ios&shareImageVariant=overlay&utm_source=ig&utm_content=link_in_bio&fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQMMjU2MjgxMDQwNTU4AAGnk2XQpGCmzcvVGkeFlK9dqpiOZOtrjYa6vZNZOGIUYKNGWNuwRdTS-TcWTxc_aem_CO-34uPQ7U7nZXxTI-IbdQ&triedRedirect=true]. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here [https://youtu.be/r4zbEZ5-bZQ]. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast, episode title, and episode date

Trump’s Top Spy Has One Job: Revenge

Trump says he’s bored with peace talks, American right-wingers flock to Moscow, and the new Director of National Intelligence’s claim to fame is owning an HVAC company. Another fun week! Tommy and Ben discuss why Trump installing Bill Pulte as the new acting Director of National Intelligence should terrify you given his total lack of experience and focus on revenge. Then it's back to Iran, where breathless coverage about a potential peace deal hasn’t changed the reality 3 months into the war. The guys also dig into the growing divergence between Trump and Netanyahu over Lebanon, including a reported phone call in which Trump allegedly told Netanyahu that he’d “be in prison if it weren't for me.” In Gaza, Netanyahu is openly talking about annexing and occupying more territory, while life on the ground for civilians remains hell on earth. Then Russia launches one of its biggest drone and missile barrages of the war on Ukrainian cities, while a parade of American right-wing influencers like Candace Owens and the Tate brothers descend on the country. Colombia heads to a runoff election, with a left-wing Senator facing off against Trump's preferred candidate, “El Tigre,” who wants to copy El Salvador’s approach to cartel violence. And fresh corruption stories will boggle the mind involving Don Jr. and Pentagon loans, and a Trump golf course and graves in Vietnam. Finally, Ben speaks to Aya Ibrahim, Senior Fellow at the AI Now Institute, about Trump’s new Executive Order on AI and what sensible regulation could look like. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here [https://youtu.be/qBLQdlFL0uk]. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast, episode title, and episode date. For subscribers, the guys answer questions about the fiction writers they love and Putin’s health. Buy Ben’s book All We Say: The Battle for American Identity: A History in 15 Speeches [https://bookshop.org/p/books/all-we-say-the-battle-for-american-identity-a-history-in-15-speeches-ben-rhodes/c9d9b22b61e6fd44?ean=9780593595121&next=t]  and subscribe to his Substack here [https://benrhodes1.substack.com/p/notes-on-the-stories-we-tell?r=7jalf&utm_medium=ios&shareImageVariant=overlay&utm_source=ig&utm_content=link_in_bio&fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQMMjU2MjgxMDQwNTU4AAGnk2XQpGCmzcvVGkeFlK9dqpiOZOtrjYa6vZNZOGIUYKNGWNuwRdTS-TcWTxc_aem_CO-34uPQ7U7nZXxTI-IbdQ&triedRedirect=true].