Pod Save the World

Tommy and Ben break down the expanding web of corruption around President Trump — from a bombshell report revealing the UAE royal family’s stake in the Trump family crypto venture, to the global fallout from the release of the Epstein Files. They also dig into Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard’s role in “investigating” insane foreign election conspiracies, a mysterious, top-secret whistleblower complaint that Gabbard has kept from Congress, the impact of brutal winter conditions on the war in Ukraine, Egypt’s role in Sudan’s civil war, why Americans should care about a separatist movement in Alberta, Canada, and the last place you’d ever expect to find a World War I artillery shell. Then, Ben speaks with Ali Vaez of the International Crisis Group about what’s unfolding in Iran after the regime’s brutal crackdown. 

Preorder Ben’s book All We Say: The Battle for American Identity: A History in 15 Speeches and subscribe to his Substack here.

Tommy and Ben explain why Trump backed off his threat to take Greenland by force and debate whether European leaders have finally found a playbook for how to push back, the backlash to Trump’s disgraceful denigration of NATO troops and their service in Afghanistan, and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney’s bold attempt to break from the United States and forge a new international order. Then they cover the purge of top military leaders in China and widespread rumors of a coup attempt against Chinese President Xi Jinping, Jared Kushner’s much-derided PowerPoint presentation on the future of Gaza, new details about how the Iranian regime crushed the recent protests and why there may now be an even greater likelihood that the US bombs Iran (again), a humiliating and terrifying profile of Kash Patel’s first year at the FBI, and why a real estate forum in Saudi Arabia made us want to cry. Then Tommy speaks with Kenneth Rosen, author of Polar War: Submarines, Spies, and the Struggle for Power in a Melting Arctic, about why the Arctic is becoming a geopolitical flashpoint. Subscribe to Ben’s Substack here.

Tommy and Ben talk about the growing and very real threat of President Trump attempting to take Greenland by force, the spectrum of reactions from world leaders from feckless NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte to scorning French President Emmanuel Macron, and how this would lead to the end of NATO if Europeans don’t stand up to the US. They also discuss how Trump’s walking back of military threats to Iran led to the death of thousands of protesters, the confusing and corrupt intentions behind the “Board of Peace”, a rocky ceasefire between the Syrian government and Kurdish forces, Grok’s sexualized image crisis, and a bizarre tribute to Stephen Hawking. Then, Ben speaks to Sky News Africa Correspondent, Yousra Elbagir, about Uganda’s contested election. Preorder Ben’s new book, All We Say: The Battle for American Identity: A History in 15 Speeches, out on May 26.
For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email [email protected] and include the name of the podcast.

Tommy and Ben talk about the historic protests in Iran and reports of the regime’s brutal crackdown with potentially tens of thousands dead, President Trump’s threats of military intervention (and why they’re a bad idea), and Iranian exiles vying for power as regime replacements from the safety of Washington, DC. They also talk about the next steps in Venezuela, including opposition leader María Corina Machado’s tricky positioning, why ramping up Venezuelan oil production might be extremely difficult, expensive and take years, and how oil factors into Russia’s reaction. Then they talk about Trump’s ongoing threats of military intervention in Mexico, the chances of political and economic collapse in Cuba, and the G7 being shifted to accommodate Trump’s UFC themed birthday bash. At the end of the show, Tommy speaks to Jason Rezaian, Director of Press Freedom Initiatives at the Washington Post, former political prisoner in Iran, and host of the podcast 544 Days about the anniversary of his imprisonment and what would come next if Iran’s regime fell.
For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email [email protected] and include the name of the podcast.

Tommy and Ben discuss: the fallout from the Trump administration’s strikes on Venezuela and kidnapping of President Nicolás Maduro, why President Trump chose Maduro’s VP Delcy Rodríguez to run the country instead of opposition leader María Corina Machado, how the DOJ’s new indictment of Maduro shows that the administration has been lying about him being the head of a drug cartel, and the comparisons between the Venezuela operation and the 1989 invasion of Panama to arrest Manuel Noriega. Then they dig into the (unfortunately named) “Donroe Doctrine” and what Trump’s embrace of regime change means for the world, including how seriously we should take his threats against Mexico, Colombia, Cuba, and Greenland. Finally, they explain why Iranians have been protesting in huge numbers for over a week, how serious of a threat the protests pose to the regime, and debate whether we should take seriously Trump’s threat to respond militarily if the regime kills protesters. Then Ben speaks to Representative Joaquin Castro (D-TX) about President Trump’s lack of transparency to Congress about the attack on Venezuela, how much it’s costing American taxpayers, and how Democrats are trying to stop him from future invasions.
For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email [email protected] and include the name of the podcast.