The politics of the World Cup with Roger Bennett
Today's episode is two parts. First, Tommy talks with Politico's Nahal Toosi about North Korea, NATO and Trump's Putin meeting. Then, Roger Bennett from Men in Blazers joins to talk about the agony, ecstasy and politics of the World Cup.
56m Jul 11, 2018
56m
“Abdi American”
Tommy talks with Abdi Nor Iftin, the author of “Call Me American,” about his incredible story of survival in war-ravaged Somalia and literally winning the lottery to make it to America. 
43m Jul 05, 2018
43m
Cyber war
Tommy talks with New York Times reporter David Sanger about the new world of cyber warfare. From North Korea's attack on Sony to targeting of Iran's nuclear program and Russia's invasion of Ukraine, cyber attacks are increasingly used first in war even though there's no rules of engagement and little public debate.
45m Jun 29, 2018
45m
Hunting terrorists
Tommy talks with the outgoing National Counterterrorism Center chief Nick Rasmussen. Nick worked in senior counterterrorism roles for Presidents Bush, Obama and Trump, and they discussed how weird the transition from Obama to Trump was, how you hunt terrorists, how you fight ISIS propaganda, Trump's North Korea summit and more. 
45m Jun 19, 2018
45m
North Korea nothingburger?
Tommy talks with defense and Asia policy expert Kelly Magsamen about Trump's just-completed summit with North Korea's Kim Jong-un. What did they accomplish? Are we safer? Should we worry about the optics of meeting with a dictator? 
31m Jun 13, 2018
31m
Obama's legacy after Trump
Tommy talks with Ben Rhodes, author of the new book "The World as It Is", which documents Ben's eight years working in the White House. They talk about Ben's criticisms of Obama, leading talks with Cuba and going to dinner with Raul Castro, becoming a target of right-wing attacks and more.
48m Jun 06, 2018
48m
White House extremists
Tommy talks with journalist Mehdi Hasan about a troubling series of hires on Trump's National Security Council staff of individuals with far-right, paranoid, Islamaphobic views. Then they talk about the situation in Gaza now that the protests have ended and TV cameras have left.
44m Jun 01, 2018
44m
Trump's hostage policy
Tommy talks with NewYorker.com executive editor David Rohde about the way Trump is handling - and showcasing - hostage negotiations as President. Rohde was held hostage by the Taliban for over seven months until he escaped in 2009.
40m May 23, 2018
40m
North Korea and Gaza
Tommy talks with Washington Post reporter Anne Gearan about the on again, off again North Korea summit, the situation in Gaza and the Trump administration's response, and Rex Tillerson's harsh criticism of President Trump.
34m May 17, 2018
34m
Trump shreds the Iran deal
Trump just tore up the Iran deal. Tommy talks with Ben Rhodes about what happens next. Then Tommy talks with Russia expert Mike McFaul about his new book, From Cold War to Hot Peace, about his time working at the White House and as US Ambassador to Russia.
59m May 08, 2018
59m
Ronan Farrow
Tommy talks with Pulitzer Prize winning author Ronan Farrow about his new book War on Peace and the militarization of American foreign policy. 
44m May 02, 2018
44m
The CIA's tortured history
Tommy talks with ACLU political director Faiz Shakir about the nomination of Gina Haspel to lead the CIA despite her role in the Bush-era torture of terrorism suspects. They also discuss the politics of national security in the Trump era, and whether Obama did enough to hold the CIA accountable for its actions.
47m Apr 27, 2018
47m
Syria strikes and North Korea talks
Tommy talks with foreign policy expert Kelly Magsamen about Trump’s strikes on Syria’s chemical weapons site, his lack of a broader strategy, and her attempt to “red team” the policy options during the Obama administration. Then they talk about CIA Director Mike Pompeo’s trip to North Korea.
34m Apr 18, 2018
34m
Madeleine Albright’s warning about fascism
Tommy talks with former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright about the rise of fascism around the world and her concerns about how it is being enabled (and emulated) by Donald Trump. Then they talk about how Trump should respond in Syria, and Albright’s visit to North Korea in 2000 for meetings with Kim Jong-Il.
35m Apr 11, 2018
35m
Mr. Putin goes to Washington?
Tommy talks with New Yorker writer Robin Wright about Putin’s possible visit to Washington, his relationship with Trump, and what we know about Trump the negotiator vs what’s required for success. Then they discuss Robin's visit to North Korea, the situation in Gaza, Syria and John Bolton.
32m Apr 05, 2018
32m
Nowhere to hide: Facebook, encryption, and privacy
Tommy talks with Wired editor in chief Nick Thompson about the insane amount of data that Facebook and other tech companies collect on us and what we can do to erase or prevent it. Then they talk about how to use encryption to protect your communications and scary new developments that allow you to make fake videos of real people.
35m Mar 30, 2018
35m
Fresh Prince of Saudi Arabia
Tommy talks with Washington Post columnist David Ignatius about Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s visit to the United States and his "reform agenda". Then they discuss Trump’s call with Putin, reports that he ignored his staff’s plea to be tougher, and the risk of North Korea negotiations. 
30m Mar 22, 2018
30m
The worst Secretary of State in history, Rex Tillerson
Tommy giddily discusses Rex Tillerson’s firing by tweet with Politico foreign affairs correspondent Nahal Toosi. Then they discuss suspected assassination of Putin enemies in London and Nahal’s exclusive report about Trump administration attacks on career State Department staffers.
33m Mar 16, 2018
33m
Can’t out-crazy Kim Jong-un
Tommy talks with Asia expert Danny Russel about reports that North Korea is willing to begin negotiations with the US about abandoning its nuclear weapons.
33m Mar 07, 2018
33m
The Deep State Strikes Back
Tommy talks with Jake Sullivan and Ben Rhodes about their new organization to oppose Trump’s foreign policy and promote a progressive vision of American leadership. Then they discuss what it means for Jared Kushner to have his security clearance downgraded, the status of the Iran deal, and the NSA Director’s plea for a directive to combat Russian hacking.
45m Mar 02, 2018
45m
Bribes, Bibi and the future of Israel
Tommy talks with Nathan Guttman, the Washington bureau chief of The Forward, about the corruption scandals swirling around Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu. They walk through the facts, what happens next, and what it means for US/Israeli relations and the Middle East peace process.
29m Feb 23, 2018
29m
Nuclear-armed frenemies
Tommy talks with Steve Coll, author of Directorate S: The C.I.A. and America's Secret Wars in Afghanistan and Pakistan, about why the hell we’re still fighting in Afghanistan after 17 years and the destabilizing influence of our nuclear-armed frenemy, Pakistan.
37m Feb 16, 2018
37m
Held hostage in Syria
Tommy talks with war photographer Jonathan Alpeyrie about being held hostage by rebel fighters for nearly three months in Syria. 
34m Feb 09, 2018
34m
Inching closer to nuclear war
Tommy talks with New York Times editor and writer Max Fisher about disconcerting signs that the Trump administration is seriously considering a military attack on North Korea. Then they talk about how ambiguous demands about US credibility can lead us to make terrible foreign policy decisions, and the changing expectations in Afghanistan.
40m Feb 02, 2018
40m
Why China loves Jared
Tommy talks with New Yorker staff writer Evan Osnos about China’s frantic post-election efforts to build a relationship with Jared Kushner, and why the “Kushner channel" makes American counterintelligence officials so nervous. They also discuss the shockingly-wide distribution of sensitive intelligence in the Trump White House, and how Evan feels about the threat from North Korea roughly six mo...
35m Jan 26, 2018
35m
Pod Save the World Live!
Tommy talks with Ben Rhodes, Ambassador Samantha Power and Greg Barker about the documentary The Final Year, which follows President Obama’s foreign policy team during the final year of his administration. They discuss Obama’s foreign policy legacy, ruptures over Syria, and how Trump’s election upended everything. The Final Year is in theaters and available on iTunes starting Friday, January 19...
1hr 16m Jan 19, 2018
1hr 16m
The Terrorist Interrogator
Tommy talks with former FBI Special Agent Ali Soufan about his work interrogating terrorists and investigating the bombing of the USS Cole and the 9/11 attacks. They discuss the changing threat from al Qaeda and ISIS and what we need to know about these terrorist groups to stop them.
41m Jan 12, 2018
41m
Iranian revolution
Tommy talks with former top Obama foreign policy advisor Ben Rhodes about the protests sweeping across Iran, Trump’s response, how today compares with the 2009 Green Revolution and Obama’s response, and what it could mean for the Iran deal. Then they vent about how terrible the discussion about Iran is in DC / on Twitter. 
51m Jan 05, 2018
51m
Drumbeat of war with North Korea
Tommy talks with Republican foreign policy expert Kori Schake about the eery similarity between the Trump administration’s comments about North Korea and the Bush administration’s rhetoric in the run-up to the Iraq war. 
38m Dec 22, 2017
38m
Infiltrating al Qaeda
Tommy interviewed undercover FBI agent Tamer Elnoury about his work penetrating and disrupting an al Qaeda cell plotting attacks in Canada and the United States. They discussed what it was like to live with and pretend to become a terrorist, including having to visit the Ground Zero memorial with a man who took pride in the 9/11 attacks and wanted to repeat them. His book, AMERICAN RADICAL, is ...
39m Dec 15, 2017
39m
Jerusalem went to Jared
Tommy talks with Politico’s foreign affairs correspondent Nahal Toosi about Trump’s controversial decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. Then they discussed news reports indicating Rex Tillerson’s disastrous tenure as Secretary of State may be coming to a close. It was lit. 
40m Dec 08, 2017
40m
On the ground in Burma
Tommy talks with Senator Jeff Merkley about his fact-finding mission to Burma and Bangladesh to learn more about the ongoing ethnic cleansing and refugee crisis. They also discussed the Trump administration’s almost non-existent response, how social media has exacerbated the problem, and what Congress is trying to do to help.
33m Dec 01, 2017
33m
Mugabe is the George Washington of Zimbabwe
Tommy talks with Africa expert Ambassador Johnnie Carson about the coup in Zimbabwe that toppled Robert Mugabe, and the recent political turmoil in Kenya. 
45m Nov 24, 2017
45m
WTF happened in Lebanon and ISIS update
Tommy talks with Middle East and ISIS expert Rob Malley about the resignation of Lebanon’s Prime Minister and how it plays into a broader middle east proxy war between Saudi Arabia and Iran. Then they talk about the fight against ISIS and the major NYT magazine story about civilians casualties in Iraq.
54m Nov 17, 2017
54m
Trump’s adventures in Asia
Tommy and Asia expert and career diplomat Danny Russel discuss President Trump’s five nation, 13 day trip to Asia. They cover North Korea, Trump’s decision to meet with a mass murderer in the Philippines, and China’s political system. 
1hr 1m Nov 10, 2017
1hr 1m
Middle East Peace
Tommy talks with former Senator Majority Leader and US Special Envoy for Middle East Peace George Mitchell and Alon Sachar about their book A Path to Peace, which details the history of the Middle East peace process and their efforts to forge an agreement during the Obama administration.
53m Nov 01, 2017
53m
Hunting Osama bin Laden
Tommy sits down with Michael Morell, the former acting Director of the Central Intelligence Agency. They discuss his experience as President Bush’s briefer on 9/11, hunting Osama bin Laden, the state of ISIS, North Korea and the impending release of the JFK assassination files. It was sick.
50m Oct 25, 2017
50m
A civil, bipartisan foreign policy discussion (aka clickbait)
Tommy talks with Republican Congressman and Air Force veteran Adam Kinzinger. They discuss Trump’s decision to decertify the Iran deal, North Korea, Senator Corker’s criticism of Trump, the war in Afghanistan and how to understand our fight against terrorism. 
34m Oct 18, 2017
34m
A republican critique of Trump’s foreign policy
Tommy and Eliot Cohen, a counselor to Condoleezza Rice during the Bush administration, talks about his Atlantic piece “How Trump is Ending the American Era” and try to figure out what constitutes a Republican and Democratic foreign policy worldview in 2017. 
38m Oct 11, 2017
38m
Mystery attacks in Cuba and the man who ran the Navy
First, Tommy talks with Ben Rhodes about the mysterious attacks on our diplomats in Havana and the Trump administration’s decision to expel Cuban officials in response. Then, he’s joined by former Navy Secretary Ray Mabus to discuss his eight years leading the Navy as well as his time as the US Ambassador to Saudi Arabia.
59m Oct 04, 2017
59m
The rise of the European far-right
Tommy talks with Europe expert Dr. Karen Donfried about the German elections and the rise of the far-right AfD party. They also discuss why Russian hacking efforts didn’t work in Germany, what European capitals will do if Trump pulls out of the Iran deal, and how they view his war of words with North Korea.
32m Sep 27, 2017
32m
Crisis in Burma
Tommy talks with New York Times columnist Nick Kristof and Nexus Fund Executive Director Sally Smith about the ongoing ethnic cleansing happening right now in Burma.
23m Sep 20, 2017
23m
Republican Congressman Will Hurd
Tommy talks with Will Hurd, a Republican representing Texas’s 23rd Congressional District, who served in the CIA for nearly a decade. They discussed Hurd’s role at the CIA, what motivated him to run for office, the Iran deal and ISIS.
26m Sep 13, 2017
26m
War Policy
Tommy talks with former Lieutenant General and Ambassador to NATO Doug Lute about his six years managing the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan for Presidents Bush and Obama. 
46m Sep 06, 2017
46m
North Korea update then the Army’s CEO
Tommy gets an update on North Korea’s latest provocations from Asia expert Evan Medeiros. Then he talks with Eric Fanning, the former Secretary of the Army and the first openly gay head service secretary in history, about Trump’s transgender ban and his career at the Pentagon.
47m Sep 01, 2017
47m
Crisis in Venezuela
Tommy speaks former AP correspondent Hannah Dreier about the ongoing humanitarian and political crisis in Venezuela. Dreier was the last American journalist to get a permanent work visa when she arrived in Venezuela in 2014 and reported from the capitol until June.
29m Aug 30, 2017
29m
Trump's new war plan
Tommy talks with defense policy expert Kelly Magsamen about President Trump's speech announcing his Afghan war policy. They evaluate the substance of his plan and discuss whether any approach can actually improve the situation on the ground and allow us to get out.
30m Aug 23, 2017
30m
Right-wing radicals and CIA secrets
Tommy talks with former Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano about her efforts to combat right-wing extremists. Then he is joined by former Deputy CIA Director David Cohen to talk about what it was like to learn the world’s most closely guarded secrets, how the CIA works, and hear his David’s views on North Korea and Iran’s nuclear programs. 
47m Aug 16, 2017
47m
Emergency North Korea update then Putin’s #1 enemy
Former Deputy National Security Advisor Ben Rhodes talks through Trump’s promise of “fire and fury” if North Korea threatens the US and today’s reports on advances in North Korea's nuclear program. Then Tommy is joined by Bill Browder, a businessman who became Putin’s #1 enemy after exposing corruption in Russia. Browder was the driving force behind the Magnitsky Act sanctions to punish Russian...
43m Aug 09, 2017
43m
Are they gonna’ nuke us?
Tommy talks with former Deputy Secretary of State Tony Blinken about the Iran deal, whether it’s working, and if we can apply the lessons learned to the dangerous situation in North Korea. Then they talk about Secretary Tillerson’s record at State and tensions in Israel and Venezuela. Both of them really miss Joe Biden.
34m Aug 02, 2017
34m