Left, Right & Center

Trump and Vance Pick a Fight with the Pope

Pope Leo’s call for peace evidently didn’t sit well with President Trump. He lashed out and called the Pope bad for foreign policy, while Vice President JD Vance lectured the pontiff to be careful when opining on matters of theology.  The president’s next move in Iran is a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, but is it an effective strategy to force negotiations, or could it backfire and possibly embolden China? Also, what Viktor Orban’s fall as Hungary’s leader could tell us about the health of far-right movements. Plus, we chat with Sarah Isgur about her new book that takes us inside the Supreme Court, “Last Branch Standing.”  Producer: Leo Duran Host: David Greene [https://www.kcrw.com/people/david-greene]  Guests:  * Mike Dubke [https://www.kcrw.com/people/michael-dubke], veteran GOP communications strategist and advisor. He was the White House Comms Director under Donald Trump in 2017 - @MikeDubke [https://x.com/mikedubke?lang=en] * Mo Elleithee [https://www.kcrw.com/people/mo-elleithee], executive director at Georgetown University's Institute of Politics and Public Service - @MoElleithee [https://twitter.com/MoElleithee] * Sarah Isgur [https://www.kcrw.com/people/sarah-isgur], senior editor at The Dispatch - @whignewtons [https://twitter.com/whignewtons]

Trump Threatens An Apocalypse…To Maybe Get A Ceasefire?

President Trump wanted the Iran War to end quickly after six weeks of fighting, and so he issued a dire threat: submit or he will “end an entire civilization.” Now we’re in a fragile two-week ceasefire for negotiations. The White House says the warning was necessary to get us to this point, but critics called it reckless. Congress also returns to DC after its two-week recess, and it’s back to the continuing standoff on funding for the Department of Homeland Security. What can we expect from a legislative branch that was already struggling to get much done before a midterm election year? Plus we reflect on the meaning of the Artemis mission and whether it puts all our partisan battles in perspective.  Producer: Leo Duran Host: David Greene [https://www.kcrw.com/people/david-greene]  Guests:  * Mike Dubke [https://www.kcrw.com/people/michael-dubke], veteran GOP communications strategist and advisor. He was the White House Comms Director under Donald Trump in 2017 - @MikeDubke [https://x.com/mikedubke?lang=en] * Mo Elleithee [https://www.kcrw.com/people/mo-elleithee], executive director at Georgetown University's Institute of Politics and Public Service - @MoElleithee [https://twitter.com/MoElleithee]

The Iran War Is Redefining America’s Place In The World

President Trump gave a speech this week about the Iran War to say he’s going to finish dismantling the country’s regime. But he also added that this regime seems pretty reasonable. We focus on what’s actually taking place: The U.S. role in the world has shifted dramatically, Russia and China seem to be benefitting from U.S. actions, the American economy seems vulnerable and Trump’s standing with his party seems to be changing.  President Trump is also trying to redefine the meaning of U.S. citizenship. Should being born here automatically mean you’re a citizen? The President thinks not, and the question is now before the Supreme Court.  And Trump has used a lot of words to trash the news media in our country. A top administration official thinks it’s been way more than a war of words – he’s doing a victory lap. We talk about all that with Liz Bruenig on the left and Sarah Isgur on the right. Producer: Leo Duran Host: David Greene [https://www.kcrw.com/people/david-greene]  Guests:  * Elizabeth Bruenig [https://www.kcrw.com/people/elizabeth-bruenig], staff writer at The Atlantic - @ebruenig [https://x.com/ebruenig] * Sarah Isgur [https://www.kcrw.com/people/sarah-isgur], senior editor at The Dispatch - @whignewtons [https://twitter.com/whignewtons]

How TSA Lines Are Shifting Political Leverage On Immigration

Take your personal data back with Incogni! Use code KCRW at the link below and get 60% off an annual plan: https://incogni.com/kcrw [https://incogni.com/kcrw] The political brinksmanship over ICE enforcement goes on as travelers in some U.S. airports face hours of wait times at TSA checkpoints. History says voters would blame the party holding things up – Democrats – but polls suggest otherwise, which may be why Republicans are trying so hard to find a compromise. But Democrats aren’t budging, and President Trump isn’t throwing his own party a bone.  With ICE officers deployed to more than a dozen airports, there’s concern that they might be at polling sites this fall, too. The administration hasn’t completely ruled it out, citing potential security issues. Plus, the Supreme Court also tackled voting questions in a case about mail-in ballots. We’ll talk about the substance, and how President Trump might be using the case for political gain.  We also answer a listener’s question about talking to family from across the political aisle. Sarah Isgur is with us on the right and Mo Elleithee joins us on the left. Producer: Leo Duran Host: David Greene [https://www.kcrw.com/people/david-greene]  Guests:  * Mo Elleithee [https://www.kcrw.com/people/mo-elleithee], executive director at Georgetown University's Institute of Politics and Public Service - @MoElleithee [https://twitter.com/MoElleithee] * Sarah Isgur [https://www.kcrw.com/people/sarah-isgur], senior editor at The Dispatch - @whignewtons [https://twitter.com/whignewtons]

Iran War Triggers Homeland Security Threats With Leadership In Flux

Take your personal data back with Incogni! Use code KCRW at the link below and get 60% off an annual plan: https://incogni.com/kcrw [https://incogni.com/kcrw] With our nation at war and under threat, the last thing you’d want is uncertainty and a staffing shakeup at the agency responsible for protecting our country. But here we are. We talk about why Joe Kent, the U.S. head of counterterrorism, resigned, and whether we may be better off with a replacement given his history of promoting conspiracy theories.  Also, President Trump vowed to take Cuba. We try to understand the foreign policy that’s taking shape where he seems to favor cutting the head of a country but leaving the body. In other words, don’t get too caught up in the details of what’s next because it’s not my administration’s problem.  Plus we take your questions, including what’s the difference between professional politicians and professional candidates. Mo Elleithee joins us on the left, and Sarah Isgur is with us on the right. Producer: Leo Duran Host: David Greene [https://www.kcrw.com/people/david-greene]  Guests:  * Mo Elleithee [https://www.kcrw.com/people/mo-elleithee], executive director at Georgetown University's Institute of Politics and Public Service - @MoElleithee [https://twitter.com/MoElleithee] * Sarah Isgur [https://www.kcrw.com/people/sarah-isgur], senior editor at The Dispatch - @whignewtons [https://twitter.com/whignewtons]