Episodes

  • Bonus - American Politics at the End of Trumpism w/ Aziz Rana (Preview)

    Bonus - American Politics at the End of Trumpism w/ Aziz Rana (Preview)
    Jun 29 2026
    Subscribe now for the full episode. Aziz Rana, J. Donald Monin SJ University Professor of Law and Government at Boston College, is back on the podcast to talk about Trumpism, American political stagnation, and the future of U.S. power. They discuss the (presumed) end of the Trump era, the importance of supermajorities and why we haven’t seen them in recent years, what the left got right and wrong in its analysis of Trump, the “Trump Doctrine” as an extension of existing U.S. politics, multipolarity, and the possibility of a more democratic international order. Read Aziz’s piece with Aslı Ü. Bâli in Boston Review, “The Path to the Trump Doctrine,” plus his piece in Dissent, “The American Revolution in Global Retreat.” Also, please contribute to GiveDirectly’s Venezuela earthquake campaign. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    11 mins
  • News - Iran Talks Advance, Starmer Resigns, Israel Targets Children in Gaza

    News - Iran Talks Advance, Starmer Resigns, Israel Targets Children in Gaza
    Jun 26 2026
    Subscribe now for an ad-free experience. Danny and Derek’s promise ring ceremony regrettably must be relocated from MSG due to a scheduling conflict. In this week’s news: The Iran negotiations show signs of progress (1:26) despite disputes over the agreement (5:20), plus conflicting reports over the status of the Strait of Hormuz* (9:24); Lebanon sees a reduction in fighting and another round of talks (12:31); in Gaza, Israel is targeting children (15:38), plus a Board of Peace update (16:48); Keir Starmer resigns as PM of the UK (18:40); the DPRK/North Korea appears to be back on Trump’s radar (21:18); a battle over El Obeid, Sudan, still looms (22:53); Trump is again angry with NATO and has a spat with Italian PM Meloni (25:07); in Russia-Ukraine, an update on the war (27:40), Poland strips Zelenskyy of an award (30:21), and the Russians are again displeased with Trump (32:40); election updates in Colombia (34:25), Peru (36:08), and Ethiopia (37:27); and Trump unveils the new Air Force One (39:23). *After the time of recording, the initiative to rescue stranded ships in the Strait of Hormuz was paused due to a vessel being attacked. Check out the replay of Wednesday’s livestream. Join the Discord. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    45 mins
  • E254 - How Zionism Failed w/ Omer Bartov

    E254 - How Zionism Failed w/ Omer Bartov
    Jun 24 2026
    Subscribe now for an ad-free experience. Omer Bartov, Dean’s Professor of Holocaust and Genocide Studies at Brown University, joins the program to talk about Zionism’s transformation from an emancipation movement into a form of ethno-nationalism. They delve into Zionism’s formation alongside European colonialism, how settler encroachment influenced Palestinian nationalism, comparisons with European settler colonialism, whether Zionism’s “wrong turn” was in the formation of the State of Israel itself, the meaning of “never again,” how the historical memory of the Holocaust is used to justify Israeli expansion, Israel’s lack of a constitution, and liberal Zionism in the United States. Be sure to get a copy of Omer’s book Israel: What Went Wrong? Don't forget to tune into our weekly livestream, Wednesday night at 8pm ET on our YouTube channel. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    58 mins
  • Bonus - Military Masculinity w/ Jasper Craven (Preview)

    Bonus - Military Masculinity w/ Jasper Craven (Preview)
    Jun 22 2026
    Danny and Derek speak with Jasper Craven, a reporter covering the military and veterans' issues, about masculinity and the military. They talk about Trump’s time in military school, how his relationship with masculinity has affected his approach to business and politics, Pete Hegseth and his military identity, soldiers’ “honor codes” and subverting the rules, how notions of masculinity change between Trump and Hegseth’s generations, Graham Platner and how his military service affected him, the emergence of the “warrior ethos,” how the liberal left’s denunciations of Platner relate to the military, and the White House UFC fight. Be sure to grab a copy of Jasper’s book ⁠God Forgives, Brothers Don't: The Long March of Military Education and the Making of American Manhood⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    11 mins
  • News - U.S.-Iran MoU Takes Effect, West Bank Settlement Expansion, Fujimori Leads Peru Election Count

    News - U.S.-Iran MoU Takes Effect, West Bank Settlement Expansion, Fujimori Leads Peru Election Count
    Jun 19 2026
    Subscribe now for an ad-free experience. Danny and Derek are in backchannel talks with the reflecting pool algae. In this week’s news: the United States and Iran sign a Memorandum of Understanding (1:26), which addresses sanctions, the Strait of Hormuz, reconstruction, sovereignty, and the nuclear program (6:46); Israel continues its attacks on and occupation of Lebanon despite the MoU dictating otherwise (26:12); Gaza is excluded from the MoU (30:25) as West Bank annexation continues (31:46); in Sudan, RSF forces appear to be preparing for a major battle (34:27); in Ukraine, Russia makes advances (35:58) while Crimea is hit hard (37:26); the G7 is relatively uneventful, but does express support for Ukraine (39:24); the U.S. announces plans for a military drawdown in Europe (41:21); in Peru, Keiko Fujimori leads the vote count in the presidential election (42:57); and a UNAIDS report shows the dire effect of DOGE cuts (44:37). A reminder: we are changing our release schedule! The bonus will now drop on Monday, the public feed interview on Wednesday, and the news will remain on Friday. Check out our episode with Caitlin Tulloch on the fallout from ending USAID. Join the Discord. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    51 mins
  • E253 - Human Prehistory and How Societies Rise and Fall w/ Patrick Wyman

    E253 - Human Prehistory and How Societies Rise and Fall w/ Patrick Wyman
    Jun 16 2026
    Subscribe now for all episodes and no ads. Historian Patrick Wyman returns to the show to talk about the deep history of human societies and how they can inform the current moment. The group discusses new ways of studying prehistory, the origins of agriculture, climate adaptation, the Clovis people, the long Neolithic, early farming societies, states and security, the Bronze Age collapse, and more. Listen to Patrick’s ⁠Past Lives ⁠podcast. And grab a copy of his new book ⁠Lost Worlds: How Humans Tried, Failed, Succeeded, and Built Our World⁠. Don’t forget the AP livestream, this Wednesday at 8pm ET on ⁠our YouTube channel⁠. ⁠Join our Discord⁠! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    1 hr and 12 mins
  • Special - The Iran Ceasefire (June 2026) (Preview)

    Special - The Iran Ceasefire (June 2026) (Preview)
    Jun 15 2026
    Subscribe now for the full episode. Danny and Derek give us the latest on today’s ceasefire deal. Note: Iran has since confirmed the deal. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    4 mins
  • Bonus - The World Cup in 2026 America w/ David Roth and Tom Ley

    Bonus - The World Cup in 2026 America w/ David Roth and Tom Ley
    Jun 13 2026
    Subscribe now for the full episode David Roth and Tom Ley of Defector join the program for a discussion on the World Cup and the politics around the tournament. They get into FIFA corruption; Trump’s FIFA Peace Prize; the administration’s petty moves like denying a Somali referee entry to the U.S. and similar restrictions on Iran’s team; sportswashing; the burden on host cities; the growth of soccer in the United States; the explosion of youth sports as an industry; and much more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    8 mins