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Pod Save the World

Pod Save the World

By: Crooked Media
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“Pod Save America” cohost Tommy Vietor thought foreign policy was boring and complicated until he got the education of a lifetime working for President Obama’s National Security Council. On “Pod Save the World,” he and former deputy national security adviser Ben Rhodes break down the latest global developments and bring you behind the scenes with the people who were there. New episodes every Wednesday. Subscribe to Friends of the Pod! Your subscription makes Crooked’s work possible and gives you access to ad-free episodes of Pod Save America and Pod Save the World, plus exclusive content and a lively Discord community. Learn more and subscribe at crooked.com/friends or on Apple Podcasts.© Crooked Media. All Rights Reserved. Political Science Politics & Government
Episodes
  • Trump Fails To Destroy Iran’s Nuclear Program
    Jun 25 2025

    Tommy and Ben grapple with the fallout from Trump and Netanyahu’s war with Iran. They talk about how America’s massive bunker buster bombs didn't solve the problem of Iran’s nuclear program, why the strikes were illegal under international law, and how the drumbeat for regime change will never go away. They also discuss the short-term thinking and triumphalism running rampant in DC and the media and Israel’s own under-the-radar nuclear program. Additionally, they cover this week’s NATO summit and Trump’s less-than-reassuring statement on mutual defense for member countries, some rare good news about a prisoner release in Belarus, how companies like Palantir could fast-track us into a surveillance state, and why Jeff Bezos’s Venice wedding is going off the rails. Then, Ben speaks with Nilo Tabrizy, a visual forensics reporter at the Washington Post and co-author of the forthcoming book, For the Sun After Long Nights: The Story of Iran's Women-Led Uprising, about how Iranian civilians have experienced the last 12 days.

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    1 hr and 23 mins
  • Trump Goes to War With Iran
    Jun 22 2025

    Tommy and Ben react to Trump’s strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities. They break down the many horrifying ways Iran could retaliate in the short and long term, how the conflict could snowball across the Middle East, and why the US can’t just bomb its way back to the negotiating table. They also get into the administration’s baffling, bad-faith messaging on the attacks, how the Democrats should meet this moment, and the global reaction.

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    48 mins
  • Will Trump Drag Us Into War With Iran?
    Jun 18 2025

    Tommy and Ben tackle the big question: will Trump be stupid enough to drag the United States into another war in the Middle East? They dig into the various right-wing forces arguing for and against US involvement, discuss why following Benjamin Netanyahu into yet another regime change war in the region is insane, and how this conflict has ballooned from strikes on nuclear infrastructure to a full-on push for regime change. They also talk about the DC blob and media’s cheerleading for these disastrous wars, the eerie similarities between the current moment and the runup to the war in Iraq, and Trump’s willful disregard of our own intelligence. Finally, they cover the efforts in Congress to try to prevent the US from wading into the conflict and why Democrats need to stand firmly against it. Then, Tommy is joined by Congressman Greg Landsman. Landsman supports the US joining the fight against Iran and has been a vocal defender of the war in Gaza, so they debate each policy. Landsman also discusses the terrifying news that he was on the so-called “hit list” found in the Minnesota shooter’s car.

    For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast.

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    1 hr and 42 mins
All stars
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Voices of reason. I don't miss it every Wednesday. Always a perspective that I haven't considered.

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This is such a wonderful podcast! Extremely insightful, very easy listen. Absolutely recommend to anyone interested in politics and foreign policy!

A Must Listen!

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Great conversations with and about people from around the world. Keeps me up to date with everything going on with current events. Love the enthusiasm and the silly ad reads!

Awesome

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Valuable, important information needed right now. It’s sad you have to sit through 5 minutes of ads to hear it. It would be amazing if the rest of us could profit off of the russian invasion. The best one can do is pay for online therapy, drink shitty coffee and nutrition shakes, and install cameras in their homes.

So….many…ads

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