Best Daniel Bessner Podcasts (2025)

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News - Gaza Ceasefire Tenuous, US Strikes More “Drug Boats,” Saudi State Visit 55:23

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2d ago55:23

55:23

Rest assured, no one on the AP team has any undeclared tattoos. In this week’s news roundup: In Israel-Palestine, Gaza’s so-called ceasefire holds after another weekend of Israeli strikes (1:36), the International Court of Justice (ICJ) orders Israel to allow more humanitarian aid (8:16), and reports emerge of a plan to partition Gaza (11:48) as J.…

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E331 - The Myth of Free Speech w/ Fara Dabhoiwala 1:01:49

5d ago1:01:49

1:01:49

Subscribe now to skip the ads and get all of our episodes! Danny and Derek speak with historian Fara Dabhoiwala, author of What Is Free Speech? The History of a Dangerous Idea, about the complex history of one of liberalism’s proudest ideals, and how it largely emerged from hypocrisy and self-interest. They trace its 18th-century birth in the polem…

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Bonus - The Insurrection Act, Trump, and the Crisis of Civil Authority w/ Joshua Braver (Preview) 11:26

7d ago11:26

11:26

Subscribe now for the full episode and access to all of our Sunday bonuses! Danny and Derek speak with Joshua Braver, assistant professor of law at the University of Wisconsin, about Trump’s threat to invoke the Insurrection Act. They discuss the president’s power to federalize the National Guard, the Posse Comitatus Act, the limits of judicial def…

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News - Gaza Ceasefire, CIA in Venezuela, Madagascar Coup w/ Nathaniel Powell 1:05:06

9d ago1:05:06

1:05:06

Subscribe now to skip the ads and get all of our content. Lead might be in our protein supplements, but Danny and Derek bring you the news free of most heavy metals. This week: the ceasefire in Gaza begins with prisoner exchanges (1:38), but controversy arises over deceased captives (5:30), plus Israeli violations and Hamas clashes with armed facti…

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E330 - American Sociocide w/ Charles Derber 1:27:08

12d ago1:27:08

1:27:08

Subscribe now to skip the ads and get more episodes. Danny and Derek speak with sociologist Charles Derber about how American society is tearing itself apart, as explored in his book Bonfire: American Sociocide, Broken Relations, and the Quest for Democracy. They discuss the decline of civic trust, the rise of atomized “me” culture, the tech-driven…

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Bonus - The Historical Columbus w/ Juan Ponce Vázquez 55:46

13d ago55:46

55:46

Producer's note: This is a re-posted episode originally from Columbus Day 2023. Subscribe now to skip the ads and get access to more bonus episodes like this one. Danny and Derek speak with Juan Ponce Vázquez, associate professor history at the University of Alabama, about Christopher Columbus. They explore his Genoese origins, his journeys to the …

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Bonus - Blowback: The Forgotten Cold War Front in Angola w/ Brendan James and Noah Kulwin (Preview) 13:21

14d ago13:21

13:21

Subscribe now for the full episode! Danny and Derek welcome back Brendan James and Noah Kulwin, of the Blowback podcast, for a tour through their latest season, which takes the show to Angola. They discuss how Angola became one of the largest and least-remembered battlefields of the Cold War, Reagan’s return to proxy wars, Cuba’s decision to send t…

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News - Venezuela-US Escalation, Myanmar Airstrike, France’s Political Crisis 41:03

16d ago41:03

41:03

Subscribe now to skip the ads and get more content! Yes, we will be releasing 25 subtle variations of this news roundup in order to catapult ourselves to the top of the podcast charts, and no, we are not sorry. This week: a ceasefire agreement was reached for Gaza, but there was too much information for us to cover in the news, so please check out …

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Special - Hamas Accepts the Ceasefire Deal (Preview) 5:28

17d ago5:28

5:28

Subscribe now for the full episode and access to all breaking new specials. Danny and Derek break down the first stage of the ceasefire deal reached between the U.S., Hamas, and Israel. They talk about the phased releases, Israel’s partial withdrawal, and the question of whether Marwan Barghouti will be freed. They also discuss Trump’s role in push…

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LAST CALL: Vote for American Prestige in the 2025 Signal Awards! 0:24

17d ago0:24

0:24

Greetings Everyone, There's just one more day to vote for American Prestige in the 2025 Signal Awards for best News & Politics program (viewer's choice). If you can take a second, please go there now and do so! Jon Stewart is gaining on us! You'll have to confirm the vote via your email, but we promise it's a quick and easy process. It'd be great t…

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72 - The Holocaust, Hamas, and Habermas w/Dirk Moses 1:24:57

14d ago1:24:57

1:24:57

We've discussed Germany's relationship with Israel and Palestine from several different angles on the show. How can we sum it all up? To offer his perspective, Prof. Dirk Moses outlines the five elements of what he calls the "German Catechism." He and Ted examine its five elements, how it developed, and the ways in which it has evolved after two ye…

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Turning Down the Headline Noise 54:34

15d ago54:34

54:34

By The Progress Network with Zachary Karabell and Emma Varvaloucas

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E229 - How The Simpsons Reshaped American Comedy w/ Alan Siegel 57:23

19d ago57:23

57:23

Subscribe now to skip the ads and get much more content. Don’t forget to vote for AP in the 2025 Signal Awards! In a break from the (overtly) political, Derek and Danny are joined by The Ringer’s Alan Siegel to talk about his new book Stupid TV: Be More Funny, a cultural history of The Simpsons and how it changed American comedy. They discuss how a…

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Special - The Gaza Negotiations w/ Sami Al-Arian (Preview) 26:53

20d ago26:53

26:53

Derek speaks with Sami Al-Arian, Public Affairs Professor and Director of the Center for Islam and Global Affairs (CIGA) at Istanbul Zaim University, about the forthcoming Gaza talks and the prospects for a ceasefire.By Daniel Bessner & Derek Davison

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Bonus - The Death of the Iran Deal w/ Esfandyar Batmanghelidj (Preview) 10:03

21d ago10:03

10:03

Subscribe now for the full episode. Don’t forget to vote for AP in the 2025 Signal Awards! Derek welcomes back to the show Esfandyar Batmanghelidj, founder of the Bourse & Bazaar Foundation and professor at Johns Hopkins, to talk through the slow demise of the Iran nuclear deal. They delve into Europe’s decision to trigger the UN “snapback” mechani…

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Special - The Gaza Ceasefire w/ Mohammad Alsaafin and Dalia Hatuqa 13:18

21d ago13:18

13:18

Subscribe now for the full episode! Vote for us in the 2025 Signal Awards! Danny and Derek update everyone on what we know about the Gaza ceasefire that Hamas just accepted and where things go from here. Then, for subscribers, they speak with Mohammad Alsaafin, journalist at AJ+, and Dalia Hatuqa, a journalist specializing in Israeli/Palestinian af…

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News - Trump’s Gaza “Peace Plan,” UN Reimposes Sanctions on Iran, "Gen Z Protests" in Madagascar and Morocco 50:46

23d ago50:46

50:46

Subscribe now to skip the ads and get more content. Don’t forget to vote for AP in the 2025 Signal Awards! Danny is back on American soil and joins Derek to bring you the news. This week: Trump circulates a Gaza ceasefire proposal with Hamas’ response pending (2:39), Israel issues its final evacuation notice for Gaza City (9:30), and the Samud flot…

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The Progress Report: China’s Climate Change Commitment 20:14

23d ago20:14

20:14

Get ready for a Progress Report season finale packed with good news as Emma shares some life-changing breakthroughs! The Gates Foundation is funding a game-changing GBS vaccine, while a cutting-edge AI stroke diagnosis system in England is significantly improving recovery rates. Plus, China steps up with a bold pledge to slash greenhouse gas emissi…

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Whatever Happened to Civics? with Nick Capodice 55:11

25d ago55:11

55:11

It’s time for a lesson in civics! Zachary and Emma are joined by Nick Capodice, co-host of the Civics 101 podcast where he gets into the basics of how the U.S. government works and also helps teachers design lesson plans to pair with the show. Nick highlights how our collective grasp on how things work in Washington is slipping, the decrease of civ…

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E228 - How The Internet Broke America w/ Garrett Graff 41:14

26d ago41:14

41:14

Subscribe now to skip the ads and get more content. Don't forget to vote for American Prestige in the Signal Awards! Danny welcomes to the show journalist and historian Garrett Graff, host of the podcast Long Shadow. They talk about the show’s latest season on the internet, tracing how its promise of democratization and liberation devolved into an …

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Bonus - Dead End Democrats w/ Ross Barkan (Preview) 10:09

28d ago10:09

10:09

Subscribe now for the full episode! Vote for American Prestige in the Signal Awards! Danny and Derek talk with writer Ross Barkan about his new essay collection Fascism or Genocide. They get into the “uncommitted” revolt during the 2024 primary and what that says about the Democratic Party’s failures, the decline of party elites from the Hillary co…

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Bonus - The U.S. Military vs. the Environment w/ Gretchen Heefner 55:47

30d ago55:47

55:47

Subscribe now to skip the ads and get more content. Vote for us now in the Signal Awards. No news today because Derek needs a break! Danny and Derek speak with historian Gretchen Heefner about how the U.S. military (unsuccessfully) set out to conquer extreme environments and what those efforts reveal about empire, climate, and power. They discuss t…

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The Progress Report: This Bacteria Beats Dengue Fever 20:08

30d ago20:08

20:08

Emma brings you a solo edition of the Progress Report, highlighting several positive global advancements. Brazil goes bold with a two-part strategy against dengue fever, involving both a homegrown vaccine and specially bred mosquitoes that carry an anti-dengue bacteria. Africa is leading a major expansion of school meal programs for children. And a…

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Turning Science Fiction Into Reality with Ed Finn 55:52

1M ago55:52

55:52

Can today’s science fiction become tomorrow’s guidebook for change? Zachary and Emma sit down with Ed Finn, the visionary behind the Center for Science and the Imagination at ASU and academic director of Future Tense. Ed explores the intersection between sci-fi and real world science, the complexities of new technologies like AI and gene editing, a…

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E227 - A New History of the Americas, Pt. 2 w/ Greg Grandin 1:10:48

1M ago1:10:48

1:10:48

Subscribe now to get skip the ads and get more content! Danny and Derek once again speak with historian Greg Grandin about his recent book, America, América: A New History of the New World. In this second part of the conversation, they follow US–Latin American relations from the American Civil War through the present. The discussion covers the Span…

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Bonus - Maduro, Trump, and Washington’s Narco-Terrorism Fixation w/ Alex Aviña and Gabriel Hetland (Preview) 10:02

1M ago10:02

10:02

Derek welcomes back Gabriel Hetland, associate professor at the University at Albany, and Alex Aviña, associate professor at Arizona State University, to talk about America’s latest moves against Venezuela. They discuss the long US campaign to topple Nicolás Maduro, Washington’s resurrection of the “narco-terrorism” label, the oil politics behind U…

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News - Gaza City Ground Invasion, US War on “Narco-Terror” in the Caribbean, Russia Sanctions Standoff 1:06:33

1M ago1:06:33

1:06:33

Subscribe now to skip the ads and get more content! Derek is joined once again by guest co-host Alex Jordan to bring you the news. This week: in Israel-Palestine, Israel commences its ground operation in Gaza City (1:50), a UN commission rules that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza (8:14), and Netanyahu touts a “Sparta” model for Israel while S…

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The Progress Report: Techie to Trekkie: AirPods That Translate! 13:43

1M ago13:43

13:43

Get ready for another uplifting Progress Report! This week, Zachary and Emma bring you inspiring stories of innovation and hope from across the globe. Trekkies rejoice as Apple’s new AirPods push tech into sci-fi territory with real-time language translation, Europe is seeing fewer flood fatalities and less damage thanks to cutting-edge warning sys…

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"If You're Seeing This, It's Meant for You," a Novel, with Leigh Stein 56:17

1M ago56:17

56:17

Leigh talks about her new novel, a modern gothic with a satirical edge about an unemployed Millennial journalist who becomes the manager of a hype house for Gen Z content creators — one of whom goes missing. Aryeh and Leigh also discuss whether the internet is bad now. Recorded September 3, 2025 LINKS Leigh's new novel, "If You're Seeing This, It's…

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The Guardian of Public Lands with Josh Jackson 51:33

1M ago51:33

51:33

How do we protect America’s wild open spaces while meeting the demands of conservation, recreation, and development? Zachary welcomes Josh Jackson, author of The Enduring Wild: A Journey Into California's Public Lands. Founder of the Forgotten Lands Project, Josh aims to connect people with these landscapes through immersive storytelling and experi…

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E226 - A New History of the Americas, Pt. 1 w/ Greg Grandin 1:08:03

1M ago1:08:03

1:08:03

Danny and Derek welcome back historian Greg Grandin to talk about his recent book, America, América: A New History of the New World. In this first part of the discussion, they explore how the Spanish conquest produced unprecedented violence while also starting discussions about human rights, the role of Bartolomé de las Casas and the Salamanca Scho…

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Introducing Fiasco: Benghazi — The Dictator 49:13

1M ago49:13

49:13

Here’s a preview from a podcast you might enjoy, Fiasco: Slow Burn co-creator Leon Neyfakh transports listeners into the reality of America’s most pivotal historical events, bringing life to the forgotten twists and turns of the past while shedding light on the present. In his new season, Leon looks at the 2012 Benghazi attack that left four Americ…

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Bonus - Gulf Politics after the Doha Strike w/ Giorgio Cafiero and Annelle Sheline (Preview) 10:55

1M ago10:55

10:55

Subscribe now for the full episode! Derek is joined by Giorgio Cafiero of Gulf State Analytics and Annelle Sheline of the Quincy Institute to take a closer look at Israel’s bombing of Doha, Qatar, this week. They discuss how the strike undermines Qatar’s role as mediator in Israel-Hamas negotiations, US complicity, and why Gulf leaders now view Isr…

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News - Israel Bombs Qatar, Nepal Protests, Russian Drones Enter Polish Airspace 1:12:23

1M ago1:12:23

1:12:23

Subscribe now to skip the ads and get more content! While Danny remains in talks with Russia, Alex Jordan again helps Derek bring you the headlines. This week: Israel targets Hamas negotiators in a Doha strike (3:30), effectively ending ceasefire talks (8:43); the IDF orders the evacuation of Gaza City (13:11) while reports emerge that the Gaza Hum…

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Welcome to the Crusades, Episode 3: Baghdad and Cairo, 1096 1:18:49

2M ago1:18:49

1:18:49

Danny and Derek recently reunited with Eleanor Janega and Luke Waters of ⁠We’re Not So Different⁠ for a special mailbag episode of their cross-pod collaboration, ⁠Welcome to the Crusades: The First Crusade⁠. We have already posted ⁠Episode 1⁠ and ⁠Episode 2 ⁠in the feed, so we figured we’d give everyone the third episode to further entice you to di…

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Democracy’s Next Chapter: Hope or Decline? with Brink Lindsey 44:30

2M ago44:30

44:30

What really went wrong with global politics? Emma welcomes Brink Lindsey, Senior VP at the Niskanen Center and author of The Captured Economy: How the Powerful Enrich Themselves, Slow Down Growth, and Increase Inequality. Lindsey traces how politics, culture, and economics became unstable, from the development of liberal capitalism since the 1990s …

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Special - Israel Bombs Qatar (Preview) 3:53

2M ago3:53

3:53

Subscribe now for the full episode and access to all of our breaking news specials. Grab the last couple of Robo Washington posters from our store! Danny and Derek break down Israel’s strike on Doha, which targeted a meeting of Hamas’s political leadership. They discuss the possibility of US complicity in the attack, its impact on negotiations, and…

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E225 - From The Gilded Age to American Decline w/ Morgan Spector 1:22:40

2M ago1:22:40

1:22:40

Subscribe now to skip the ads and get much more content! Danny and Derek welcome actor Morgan Spector (The Gilded Age, The Plot Against America) to the show for a conversation on politics, Hollywood, and capitalism. They trace his political development from the Iraq War and Obama era to Bernie Sanders and democratic socialism, discuss his documenta…

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Bonus - Language, Genocide, and American Power w/ Shadi Hamid 58:41

2M ago58:41

58:41

Subscribe now to enjoy all of our Sunday bonus episodes. Danny and Derek welcome Washington Post columnist and Wisdom of Crowds co-host Shadi Hamid to the show to discuss the shift in rhetoric and framing around the genocide in Gaza. Shadi explains why he hesitated to use the word “genocide” until this year, reflects on reactions to his Washington …

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News - AI and Drone Warfare in Ukraine, “Trump Riviera” Gaza Plan, US Bombs Venezuelan Boat 1:06:16

2M ago1:06:16

1:06:16

Subscribe now to skip the ads, get more content, and generally support us! Danny is in talks with the Kremlin to unfreeze his accounts, so Derek is joined instead by the Quincy Institute’s Alex Jordan to bring you the news. This week: a new study warns that the Atlantic circulation system could collapse (2:32); Ukraine introduces AI-driven drone sw…

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Parent by Numbers with Emily Oster 50:12

2M ago50:12

50:12

How can parents use data without becoming overwhelmed by getting things right and wrong? Zachary and Emma welcome Emily Oster, a professor of economics and author of several data-driven parenting and pregnancy books, including Expecting Better: Why the Conventional Pregnancy Wisdom Is Wrong and What You Really Need to Know. Known for her data-drive…

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E224 - Christianity and 20th Century European Politics w/ Udi Greenberg 1:01:54

2M ago1:01:54

1:01:54

Subscribe now to skip the ads. Danny and Derek welcome back to the program historian Udi Greenberg to discuss his reinterpretation of modern Christianity in The End of the Schism: Catholics, Protestants, and the Remaking of Christian Life in Europe, 1880s–1970s. They explore the alliances Catholics and Protestants forged under the pressures of fasc…

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Bonus - The Global Turn of American Policing w/ Stuart Schrader (Preview) 9:25

2M ago9:25

9:25

Subscribe now for the full episode! Danny and Derek speak with historian Stuart Schrader about the global history of American policing and how US police power has been shaped by struggles both at home and abroad. They discuss police opposition to oversight in the 1960s, the development of the Border Patrol and ICE, Joe Biden’s “tough on crime” reco…

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News - Nasser Hospital Bombing, Trump’s Eyes on Venezuela, India Tariffs 56:35

2M ago56:35

56:35

Subscribe now to skip the ads! Danny and Derek get in one last news update before Danny moves to an undisclosed American Prestige satellite campus. This week: In Israel-Palestine, the IPC formally declares a famine in Gaza (3:21), Israel bombs Nasser Hospital (6:34), and Trump hosts a White House “day after” meeting (13:25); Europe moves to reimpos…

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The Progress Report: Clean Energy Is Crushing It 14:30

2M ago14:30

14:30

On this week’s Progress Report, Emma covers a whopping five reports of optimism from around the world. Poverty is declining in Iraq and Indonesia, and risk of child poverty is down across Europe. China reports a dip in its emissions that may continue, and Africa has invested heavily in solar energy over the past year. There are positive development…

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Why does Germany exist? An introduction. 12:03

2M ago12:03

12:03

Why does Germany exist? The question isn't as simple as it might seem. To answer this massive question—and several related ones—Ted is embarking on a multi-part series that explores how Germany came to be, from the Romans to the Reichsbürgerbewegung and Caesar to the CDU. This short episode introduces the series, with about a dozen more to follow! …

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Godfather of the New Right with Sam Tanenhaus 1:11:56

2M ago1:11:56

1:11:56

What can we learn from the history of the American Right? Zachary and Emma welcome Sam Tanenhaus, historian and author, whose most recent work is his biography Buckley: The Life and Revolution That Changed America. Sam shares insights from his deep dive into the career of conservative icon William F. Buckley Jr., the country’s “first intellectual e…

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E223 - Columbia, Trump, and the Palestine Exception w/ Rashid Khalidi 1:07:05

2M ago1:07:05

1:07:05

Subscribe now to skip the ads! Danny and Derek welcome historian Rashid Khalidi back to the program, this time to talk about Columbia University’s agreement with the Trump administration. They discuss the university equating criticism of Israel with antisemitism, the school bringing in outside monitors, bipartisan U.S. support for Israel despite sh…

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Bonus - The Trump-Putin Summit w/ Charles Kupchan (Preview) 9:04

2M ago9:04

9:04

Subscribe now for the full episode. Danny and Derek welcome back to the show Charles Kupchan, senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations and professor of international affairs at Georgetown University, to talk about this week’s summit in Alaska attempting to find an end to the Ukraine war. They examine Trump’s chaotic Ukraine diplomacy, the …

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News - Trump-Putin Summit, India Turns From US to China, and Bolivia Election w/ Olivia Arigho-Stiles 50:18

2M ago50:18

50:18

Subscribe now to skip the ads and hear the full interview on the Bolivia election. Don’t forget our Welcome to the Crusades and Of This World series! Derek took away Danny’s iPad, so now Danny has to help with the news. This week: the great Trump-Putin summit takes place (1:39) as Zelensky visits the White House (5:44); Hamas accepts the newest cea…