Latest Episodes
Trump lost, the world won
November 11, 2020
- 1:28:54
Tommy and Ben talk about President-elect Biden’s win, Trump’s refusal to start the transition, how world leaders reacted and who Biden...
How the world sees our election
November 4, 2020
- 1:10:13
Tommy and Ben talk with British Member of Parliament David Lammy about how the world views the US election. Then they talk about...
A Biden foreign policy
October 28, 2020
- 1:20:29
On the final Pod Save the World before the election, Tommy and Ben talk to Biden foreign policy advisor Tony Blinken about what Joe...
About The Show
“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 developments and bring you behind the scenes with the people who were there. New episodes every Wednesday.
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More Episodes
Trump lost, the world won
November 11, 2020
- 1:28:54
Tommy and Ben talk about President-elect Biden’s win, Trump’s refusal to start the transition, how world leaders reacted and who Biden...
How the world sees our election
November 4, 2020
- 1:10:13
Tommy and Ben talk with British Member of Parliament David Lammy about how the world views the US election. Then they talk about...
A Biden foreign policy
October 28, 2020
- 1:20:29
On the final Pod Save the World before the election, Tommy and Ben talk to Biden foreign policy advisor Tony Blinken about what Joe...
Rudy Giuliani's disinformation expo
October 21, 2020
- 1:24:32
Tommy and Ben break down what we know about the connection between foreign disinformation and the latest allegations about Hunter Biden,...
North Korea debuts a massive new missile
October 14, 2020
- 1:24:29
The Trump administration argues with itself about troop withdrawal timelines in Afghanistan, Trump’s covid drug cocktail restarts a...
COVID Commander-in-Chief
October 7, 2020
- 1:19:59
The foreign policy implications of Trump catching Covid, erosion of democracy in India, a possible coup in Kyrgyzstan, an update on...
Trump’s foreign IOUs
September 30, 2020
- 1:25:31
Trump’s taxes reveal foreign income and liabilities, why Armenia and Azerbaijan are at war, the White House’s efforts to bribe Sudan,...
Assassin-in-Chief
September 23, 2020
- 1:23:15
Tommy and Ben discuss the latest on Russian election interference, the case for dismantling DHS, a setback for LGBTQ+ rights and US...
The Missing Peace
September 16, 2020
- 1:14:34
Tommy and Ben discuss the so-called “peace” deals between the UAE and Israel and Bahrain, the US/Taliban/Afghan peace talks, disturbing...
Trump’s military complex
September 9, 2020
- 1:03:00
Tommy and Ben discuss reports that Trump routinely denigrates American servicemembers and veterans, including those killed in battle, an...
From Putin to pandas with Karen Attiah
September 2, 2020
- 1:17:27
Ben and guest co-host Karen Attiah, the Global Opinions editor for The Washington Post, talk bout Jared Kushner’s coddling of dictators...
The RNC live from Jerusalem
August 26, 2020
- 1:26:32
Tommy and Ben talk about the poisoning of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, the foreign-policy focused elements of the...
Blockbuster Senate report on Russian election interference
August 19, 2020
- 1:22:09
Foreign policy analyst and author Rula Jebreal joins to discuss the US-Israel-UAE diplomatic agreement announced last week. Tommy and...
Kamala Harris on the world stage
August 12, 2020
- 1:14:08
Now that Senator Kamala Harris is Joe Biden’s running mate, Ben and Tommy examine her foreign policy record. They also discuss growing...
Explosions in Beirut
August 5, 2020
- 1:03:19
Tommy and Ben talk about the enormous explosions in Beirut, why Cuba has become an issue for Congresswoman Karen Bass in Biden’s VP...
Ambassadors Gone Wild
July 29, 2020
- 1:16:28
Tommy and Ben make the case for Susan Rice as Vice President, the latest on escalating tensions between the US and China, US plans to...
Everything Mike Pompeo touches turns to sh*t
July 22, 2020
- 1:15:40
Democrats sound the alarm about foreign election interference. Experts say Israel and the US are responsible for mysterious explosions...
Dems in Congress push for a more progressive foreign policy
July 15, 2020
- 1:02:25
A leadership fight in Congress that could help make the Democratic Party’s foreign policy more progressive. A far-right nationalist wins...
Trump’s cruel immigration policies
July 8, 2020
- 1:14:23
Literally no one is surprised that Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has contracted COVID, and how Sweden’s terrible response could...
Russian bounties with Rep Adam Schiff
July 1, 2020
- 1:12:26
Explosive reports that the Russia military has been paying Taliban-linked militants to kill US forces in Afghanistan. Tommy and Ben try...
John Bolton’s sh*tty book
June 24, 2020
- 1:14:36
Tommy and Ben talk through some of the explosive revelations in John Bolton’s book, from supporting the construction of concentration...
Assault on the press and democracy in the Philippines
June 17, 2020
- 1:16:03
An attack on press freedom in the Philippines and what it could mean for the future of their democracy. The two year anniversary of the...
Why policing is better abroad
June 10, 2020
- 1:09:08
Tommy and Ben examine how other countries structure and run their police forces to see if there are policies or tactics the US can adopt...
The world is watching
June 3, 2020
- 1:16:27
The global reaction to the protests in the United States and the scary and inappropriate way the US military is being asked to police...
False START
May 27, 2020
- 1:26:27
China tries to crush dissent in Hong Kong. Tommy and Ben discuss what the White House, Congress and the Biden campaign can do to stop...
The corruption of Mike Pompeo
May 20, 2020
- 1:03:09
Al Qaeda stages its first successful attack on American soil since 9/11, exposing America’s broken relationship with Saudi Arabia. Mike...
Flynnocent After Proven Guilty
May 13, 2020
- 1:33:20
The political fallout from the failed coup attempt in Venezuela. General Flynn and the administration’s attempt to undercut the Mueller...
Mercenaries invade Venezuela
May 6, 2020
- 1:18:04
Why the Trump administration is directing the intelligence community to prove their claims about China and the coronavirus is so...
TMZ at the DMZ
April 29, 2020
- 1:18:44
The latest rumors and news about North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s health, and what we know about a possible succession process. Iran...
Kim Jong Un-healthy?
April 22, 2020
- 1:16:58
Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu cuts a deal that allows him to stay in charge. We explain how the price of a barrel of oil briefly...
Samantha Power Hour
April 15, 2020
- 1:30:15
Former Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus talks about Capt Crozier, the USS Theodore Roosevelt and how the coronavirus created a crisis in...
The Navy’s coronavirus clusterf*ck
April 8, 2020
- 1:12:26
A coronavirus clusterf*ck in the Navy leads the Acting Secretary of the Navy to resign. The virus sends British Prime Minister Boris...
How a virus can threaten democracy
April 1, 2020
- 1:33:38
Today’s show is a little different. We skip the update on the spread of the coronavirus itself and instead focus on the impact it’s...
A criminally negligent coronavirus response
March 25, 2020
- 1:08:34
Tommy and Ben go through the latest news on the international response to the coronavirus, including nationwide lockdowns in the UK and...
Our new coronavirus reality
March 18, 2020
- 1:15:23
Tommy and Ben talk about the new normal as the world combats the coronavirus. They cover how South Korea has successfully reduced cases,...
Coronavirus and oil shocks rock the global economy
March 11, 2020
- 1:01:23
Coronavirus update and explanation of why an oil price war between Saudi Arabia and Russia is rocking the global economy. More...
A fragile peace deal in Afghanistan
March 4, 2020
- 1:03:08
Tommy and Ben talk about the fragile peace agreement between the US and the Taliban, the Israeli elections, the escalating fighting...
Bernie Sanders’ foreign policy record comes under attack
February 26, 2020
- 1:12:11
First, Trump’s trip to India, his new and unqualified Director of National Intelligence, and should Democrats attend AIPAC? Then updates...
Bloomberg’s foreign policy and the global economy gets the coronavirus
February 19, 2020
- 1:24:42
Mike Bloomberg’s foreign policy record and platform. How some 2020 candidates failed a foreign policy quiz. The humanitarian crisis in...
How the CIA broke the world’s encryption
February 12, 2020
- 1:15:39
Tommy and Ben tell some stories about the New Hampshire primary in 2008, walk through a report on a decades-long CIA/German effort to...
Jared still sucks
February 6, 2020
- 46:59
Today’s topics include: Brexit, updates on the Coronavirus, why Trump made Venezuela a focus of his State of the Union speech, the list...
Trump kills the Middle East peace process
January 29, 2020
- 1:08:05
First, Tommy and Ben talk about Trump’s plan to help Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu win reelection and how it essentially means...
That’s President Sh*thole to you
January 22, 2020
- 1:16:12
Will new facial recognition technology end privacy as we know it? Can Trump scare the Intelligence Community out of testifying before...
Iran and the lies we told along the way
January 15, 2020
- 1:13:55
Tommy and Ben cover the latest developments in the Iran crisis, including why the intelligence and legal case for assassinating...
Iran retaliates to the Soleimani strike
January 8, 2020
- 1:16:42
Tommy and Ben talk about the fallout from Trump’s decision to assassinate Iranian general Qassem Soleimani. What do we know about Iran’s...
Trump goes to war with Iran
January 3, 2020
- 36:48
In a bonus episode, Tommy and Ben discuss Trump’s decision to assassinate a top Iranian official named Qassem Soleimani. What happened?...
UK election aftermath
December 18, 2019
- 1:03:06
British MP David Lammy joins to talk about the UK elections and what they mean for Brexit and the future of the Labour Party. Then Ben...
A history of failure in Afghanistan
December 11, 2019
- 1:06:13
Tommy and Ben explain why the Russian foreign minister is in Washington and why Vladimir Putin is in Paris, the media and political...
NATO’s “brain death”
December 4, 2019
- 1:05:12
Tommy and Ben talk about Trump’s trip to London for the NATO summit, including his dustup with the French President and the health of...
Panic at the Pentagon
November 27, 2019
- 59:05
First, Tommy talks with former DOD official and national security expert Kelly Magsamen about Trump’s meddling in the military justice...
Impeachmentpalooza
November 20, 2019
- 1:05:42
First, Tommy and Ben discuss the increasingly violent protests in Hong Kong, the impeachment hearings, Trump’s new policy on Israeli...
President Erdogan crashes the impeachment hearings
November 13, 2019
- 1:17:06
Tommy and Ben talk about Fmr President Evo Morales's abrupt departure from Bolivia and whether to call it a coup, the latest Brexit...
Breaking down the Baghdadi raid
November 6, 2019
- 1:17:58
Tommy and Ben discuss what the death of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi means for ISIS as well as Trump's strange lie about Baghdadi's "whimpering"...
Announcing: What A Day
November 1, 2019
- 02:15
“What A Day,” Crooked Media’s new daily news podcast, is here! Hosted by comedian Akilah Hughes and politics reporter Gideon Resnick,...
LIVE from J Street
October 30, 2019
- 1:33:30
Tommy and Ben record a special episode from D.C. at the national conference hosted by the progressive Jewish organization J Street. They...
Bill Taylor’s got the Ukraine receipts
October 23, 2019
- 1:54:56
Tommy and Ben talk about the latest on impeachment and about Turkey’s invasion of Syria. Then they run through a whirlwind week of news...
Send Rudy Giuliani to Syria
October 16, 2019
- 1:18:55
Tommy and Ben talk about disaster unfolding in Syria, fact check Trump’s claim that he’s ending wars, explain who the Kurds are and why...
Abandoning our allies in Syria
October 9, 2019
- 1:11:31
Tommy and Ben discuss Trump’s decision to pull US troops out of Syria and let Turkey begin a military campaign against the Kurds, a key...
Ukraine, corruption, and partners in crime
October 2, 2019
- 1:18:24
First, Tommy and Ben discuss Trump’s quid pro quo with Ukraine, that country’s history with corruption, why Joe Biden was pushing to...
Impeach the mofo
September 25, 2019
- 1:34:54
Tommy talks with national security expert Kelly Magsamen about Trump’s attempt to extort Ukraine for manufactured dirt on Joe Biden,...
Trump on Iran: Locked and Bloated
September 18, 2019
- 1:08:51
Tommy and Ben talk about the growing risk of war with Iran in the wake of the attack on Saudi Arabia’s oil infrastructure, the Israeli...
Bye Bye Bolton
September 11, 2019
- 1:22:19
Tommy and Ben bid farewell to Trump’s former National Security Advisor, John Bolton. Then they discuss Trump’s proposed sleepover party...
Don’t look back in Brexit
September 4, 2019
- 1:02:01
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s wild decision to suspend parliament and try to force a Brexit. The latest on the protests in Hong...
What Worldos wanna know (Mailbag episode!)
August 28, 2019
- 1:31:37
Tommy and Ben answer listener questions in a special mailbag episode. Then, Ben chats with Congressman Ro Khanna about Donald Trump’s...
Massive, global problems and the idiots trying to solve them
August 21, 2019
- 1:04:56
Tommy and Ben talk about the ongoing controversy over Rep. Ilhan Omar and Rep. Rashida Tlaib being barred from visiting Israel and the...
Dunking on Erdogan with Enes Kanter
August 14, 2019
- 1:05:41
Police crack down as protests escalate to new heights in Hong Kong. An explosion involving a nuclear reactor in Russia kills at least a...
Stopping domestic terrorism
August 7, 2019
- 1:15:23
First, Tommy and Ben talk about the threat from domestic terrorism, the escalating trade war with China, the protests in Hong Kong,...
Paging Moscow Mitch McConnell
July 31, 2019
- 1:06:43
First, Tommy and Ben discuss President Trump’s choice to be his Director of National Intelligence. Then, GQ’s Julia Ioffe joins to...
A$AP Trumpy
July 24, 2019
- 1:07:60
Tommy and Ben discuss the new UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, the Hong Kong protests turn violent, Trump’s bizarre pool spray with the...
Pour one out for the Iran deal
July 17, 2019
- 57:49
First, Tommy and Ben talk about Trump's new asylum rules, an Iran update, the global response to Trump's racism - including China...
Ivanka the diplomat
July 10, 2019
- 1:07:48
Trump picks a Twitter fight with the British Ambassador to the US. Iran revs up its uranium enrichment. New polling about the Iran deal....
Former Secretary of Defense Ash Carter
July 3, 2019
- 1:09:35
Tommy sits down with former Defense Secretary Ash Carter to chat about his book “Inside the Five-Sided Box”, and some of the most...
Iran and a hard place
June 26, 2019
- 57:06
Tommy and Ben talk through Trump's bizarre on again, off again war with Iran. They explain how the targeting process is supposed to...
Trump’s torched credibility on Iran
June 19, 2019
- 1:01:55
First, Tommy and Ben talk about the rapidly escalating tensions with Iran, some good news for the protestors in Hong Kong, Mohamed...
Mayor Pete Buttigieg’s foreign policy speech
June 12, 2019
- 1:00:03
First, Tommy and Ben discuss Mayor Pete Buttigieg’s foreign policy speech and Trump’s ongoing and bizarre coddling of noted relative...
A Kingdom United against Trump
June 5, 2019
- 1:12:15
Tommy and Ben Rhodes are joined by former Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Danny Russel. They discuss...
Low IQ President visits Japan
May 29, 2019
- 1:07:25
First, Tommy and Ben discuss the European parliament election results, Trump’s trip to Japan and the major US/Japan split on North...
Fox News loves war crimes
May 22, 2019
- 1:10:31
This week Tommy and Ben check their anxiety levels when it comes to potential war with Iran, try to understand why a Fox News host is...
Please don’t bomb Iran
May 15, 2019
- 1:09:53
Tommy and Ben talk about the escalating trade war with China, the drumbeat for real war with Iran, how the Pentagon is hiding how badly...
Threats from Iran and the time Ben met the Queen
May 8, 2019
- 1:09:52
First, Tommy and Ben discuss the US sending an aircraft carrier to the Middle East in response to threats from Iran, fighting between...
Venezuela, Libya and the Russian navy's beluga whale
May 1, 2019
- 49:19
First, Tommy and Ben talk about violent clashes in Venezuela, Trump pouring gas on Libya's civil war, designating the Muslim Brotherhood...
ISIS in Sri Lanka, cruelty to Cuba, Ukrainian elections
April 24, 2019
- 1:01:22
First, Tommy and Ben discuss the horrific Easter Sunday terrorist attack in Sri Lanka, North Korea's weapons test, China's ascendance,...
Assange arrested, Bernie's foreign policy, Bowe Bergdahl and Afghanistan
April 17, 2019
- 1:31:40
Tommy and Ben discuss the arrest of Wikileaks founder Julian Assange, Bernie's foreign policy, potential war with Iran and the arrest of...
Israeli elections, Iran under fire and the IRA's history
April 10, 2019
- 1:03:21
Iran expert Kelly Magsamen joins Tommy and Ben to discuss Trump's decision to designate the IRGC a terrorist organization. Then, Tommy...
Democracy resurgent in Europe(?) and Israeli elections
April 3, 2019
- 1:08:39
First, Tommy and Ben discuss Trump's decision to cut off aid to central America, whether recent elections in Turkey and Slovakia mean...
Brexit, fighting in Gaza, ISIS defeated(?) and eliminating nukes
March 27, 2019
- 1:21:02
First, Tommy, Ben Rhodes and former Deputy Secretary of State Tony Blinken discuss Brexit, tensions flaring in Gaza, Israeli PM...
White supremacists radicalized online
March 20, 2019
- 50:06
First, Tommy and Ben talk about the New Zealand terrorist attack and the rise of right-wing extremist groups and nationalist political...
Brexit and is Dick Cheney good now? (no)
March 13, 2019
- 57:27
First, Tommy and Ben talk about the ongoing Brexit disaster, Dick Cheney's surprisingly accurate criticisms of Trump's foreign policy,...
Antisemitism, the NSA, Khashoggi, then Fmr Dep Secretary of State Bill Burns
March 6, 2019
- 1:07:13
First, Tommy and Ben Rhodes talk about the NSA shutting down its controversial metadata program, more accusations of antisemitism...
BONUS POD: North Korea summit
March 1, 2019
- 44:41
Tommy and Ben explain why Trump's second North Korea summit was a total disaster. Then they discuss escalating tensions between India...
Trump's North Korea summit v.2, Venezuela, international LGBT rights
February 27, 2019
- 1:06:28
First, Tommy and Ben Rhodes talk about India bombing Pakistan, Trump's second meeting with North Korea's Kim Jong Un, the ongoing...
How former National Security Advisor Tom Donilon views the world
February 20, 2019
- 1:09:21
First, Ben Rhodes calls in from Europe to talk about the Munich Security Summit, Steve Bannon running around Europe, and Trump selling...
Ilhan Omar’s tweets spark a debate about anti-semitism
February 13, 2019
- 58:47
First, Tommy talks with author Peter Beinart about the controversy around Congresswoman Ilhan Omar's tweets, which many viewed as...
544 days in an Iranian prison
February 6, 2019
- 58:23
Tommy and Ben talk with the Washington Post's Jason Rezaian about his book Prisoner, which details the 544 days he spent in an Iran's...
Who is President of Venezuela?
January 30, 2019
- 1:02:33
Tommy talks with Anthony Faiola, the Washington Post bureau chief for South America and the Caribbean, about the dire situation in...
Brexit breakdown
January 23, 2019
- 58:08
First, Tommy and Ben talk with David Lammy, a member of parliament from the UK, about the slow-rolling disaster that is Brexit. Then...
Owned by Russia but itching to bomb Iran
January 16, 2019
- 51:47
First, Tommy and Ben discuss two stories about the Trump administration agitating to attack Iran. Then they discuss several unnerving...
New year, same problems
January 9, 2019
- 43:40
First, Tommy talks with Congresswoman Elissa Slotkin about Trump's Syria flip flops and how he's demoralizing the intel community. Then,...
Foreign policy in 2019
December 26, 2018
- 54:44
Tommy and Ben Rhodes talk about Trump pulling US troops out of Syria, the MLB and Cuba, and then talk about how US policy towards...
The French President and General Flynn had a bad, bad week
December 19, 2018
- 56:07
Tommy and Ben Rhodes discuss General Flynn's trial and what the hell he was doing for the Turkish government. Then they discuss new...
U.S. policy towards Israel
December 12, 2018
- 57:05
Tommy and Ben Rhodes talk with former U.S. Ambassador to Israel Dan Shapiro about his time in Israel, why the Middle East Peace process...
The 2020 Democrats and foreign policy
December 5, 2018
- 1:00:40
First, Tommy and Ben talk through George H.W. Bush's foreign policy record, the good the bad and the ugly. Then they discuss the news...
War between Russia and Ukraine, Wikileaks, Brexit and more
November 28, 2018
- 47:15
First, Tommy talks with former US Ambassador to Russia Mike McFaul about fighting between Russia and Ukraine. Then Ben Rhodes dials in...
Update on Jamal Khashoggi and monitoring right-wing extremism
November 21, 2018
- 55:13
First, Tommy talks with Karen Attiah, the Washington Post Global Opinions Editor who used to edit Jamal Khashoggi’s work, about Trump’s...
Global news roundup and North Korea
November 14, 2018
- 43:32
First, Tommy talks with Ben Rhodes about some major foreign policy news out of Israel, Trump's visit to France and the Russia...
We won the House! What does it that mean for the world?
November 9, 2018
- 41:41
Tommy talks with foreign policy expert Jake Sullivan about what Democratic control of the House means for US foreign policy, including...
Saudi murders and the war in Yemen
October 31, 2018
- 35:31
Tommy talks with The Intercept's Mehdi Hasan about the international community's response to murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi and...
Democrats Not Dictators
October 24, 2018
- 54:12
Tommy's in Philadelphia for HBO! So Ben Rhodes reviews the latest on Trump’s refusal to hold Saudi Arabia accountable for brutally...
The Great British Breakdown Show
October 17, 2018
- 46:22
Tommy is in Austin with Beto O'Rourke for Pod Save America on HBO! So this week, Crooked contributor Ben Rhodes travels across the pond...
National security candidates
October 10, 2018
- 1:00:36
First, Tommy ticks through some major news about UN Ambassador Nikki Haley, Saudi Arabia and Brazil. Then he interviews three candidates...
Kim Jong-Un found love in a hopeless place
October 3, 2018
- 36:21
Tommy talks with the Washington Post's David Ignatius about Trump's visit to the UN general assembly, including potentially explosive...
Is the Mueller investigation doomed?
September 26, 2018
- 39:25
Tommy talks with The Atlantic's Natasha Bertrand about how the potential departure of Deputy AG Rod Rosenstein would impact the Mueller...
John Kerry: Recording for Duty
September 19, 2018
- 42:14
Tommy (with an assist from Jon Favreau) talks with former Secretary of State John Kerry about Iran, Israel, Trump's attacks and what he...
War in Venezuela and Al Qaeda 17 years after 9/11
September 12, 2018
- 41:39
Tommy talks with new LA resident Ben Rhodes about the bizarre Trump NSC memo naming him leader of the Echo Chamber, the state of al...
Foreign lobbying and what Bob Woodward taught us about Trump's foreign policy
September 5, 2018
- 47:31
Two part show this week! First, Tommy talks with the Wall Street Journal's Julie Bykowicz about new and insidious ways foreign countries...
Trump's racist South Africa conspiracy theory
August 29, 2018
- 30:34
Last week, President Trump tweeted about a segment on Tucker Carlson's Fox News show that claimed white farmers in South Africa are...
Revoking John Brennan's security clearance
August 22, 2018
- 36:27
Tommy talks with former acting CIA director Michael Morell about President Trump's decision to revoke his opponents' security...
"Space Force all the way!"
August 15, 2018
- 37:58
Tommy talks with defense expert Katherine Charlet from the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace about President Trump's plan to...
Devastation in Syria and Yemen
August 8, 2018
- 32:15
Tommy talks with VICE on HBO correspondent Isobel Yeung about her recent reporting trips to Raqqa, Syria and Yemen. Isobel talks about...
Bassem Youssef: doctor, comedian, enemy of the Egyptian state
August 1, 2018
- 45:44
Tommy talks with Egyptian comedian Bassem Youssef about his improbable path to comedy, fame, and becoming an enemy of the Egyptian state.
Wanted by Putin and rage tweeting at Iran
July 25, 2018
- 57:26
Two part show today! First, Tommy talks with Ambassador Michael McFaul about Vladimir Putin's request to interrogate him and Trump's...
Trump's disastrous European vacation
July 18, 2018
- 39:10
Tommy talks with Julianne Smith, a former Pentagon official and advisor to Vice President Joe Biden, about Donald Trump’s truly awful...
The politics of the World Cup with Roger Bennett
July 11, 2018
- 1:01:24
Today's episode is two parts. First, Tommy talks with Politico's Nahal Toosi about North Korea, NATO and Trump's Putin meeting. Then,...
“Abdi American”
July 5, 2018
- 48:52
Tommy talks with Abdi Nor Iftin, the author of “Call Me American,” about his incredible story of survival in war-ravaged Somalia and...
Cyber war
June 29, 2018
- 50:08
Tommy talks with New York Times reporter David Sanger about the new world of cyber warfare. From North Korea's attack on Sony to...
Hunting terrorists
June 19, 2018
- 50:48
Tommy talks with the outgoing National Counterterrorism Center chief Nick Rasmussen. Nick worked in senior counterterrorism roles for...
North Korea nothingburger?
June 13, 2018
- 36:18
Tommy talks with defense and Asia policy expert Kelly Magsamen about Trump's just-completed summit with North Korea's Kim Jong-un. What...
Obama's legacy after Trump
June 6, 2018
- 53:29
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....
White House extremists
June 1, 2018
- 48:20
Tommy talks with journalist Mehdi Hasan about a troubling series of hires on Trump's National Security Council staff of individuals with...
Trump's hostage policy
May 23, 2018
- 46:01
Tommy talks with NewYorker.com executive editor David Rohde about the way Trump is handling - and showcasing - hostage negotiations as...
North Korea and Gaza
May 17, 2018
- 37:39
Tommy talks with Washington Post reporter Anne Gearan about the on again, off again North Korea summit, the situation in Gaza and the...
Trump shreds the Iran deal
May 8, 2018
- 1:07:21
Trump just tore up the Iran deal. Tommy talks with Ben Rhodes about what happens next. Then Tommy talks with Russia expert Mike McFaul...
Ronan Farrow
May 2, 2018
- 50:48
Tommy talks with Pulitzer Prize winning author Ronan Farrow about his new book War on Peace and the militarization of American foreign policy.
The CIA's tortured history
April 27, 2018
- 55:35
Tommy talks with ACLU political director Faiz Shakir about the nomination of Gina Haspel to lead the CIA despite her role in the...
Syria strikes and North Korea talks
April 18, 2018
- 39:37
Tommy talks with foreign policy expert Kelly Magsamen about Trump’s strikes on Syria’s chemical weapons site, his lack of a broader...
Madeleine Albright’s warning about fascism
April 11, 2018
- 41:24
Tommy talks with former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright about the rise of fascism around the world and her concerns about how it...
Mr. Putin goes to Washington?
April 5, 2018
- 37:33
Tommy talks with New Yorker writer Robin Wright about Putin’s possible visit to Washington, his relationship with Trump, and what we...
Nowhere to hide: Facebook, encryption, and privacy
March 30, 2018
- 42:10
Tommy talks with Wired editor in chief Nick Thompson about the insane amount of data that Facebook and other tech companies collect on...
Fresh Prince of Saudi Arabia
March 22, 2018
- 34:36
Tommy talks with Washington Post columnist David Ignatius about Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s visit to the United States and...
The worst Secretary of State in history, Rex Tillerson
March 16, 2018
- 39:32
Tommy giddily discusses Rex Tillerson’s firing by tweet with Politico foreign affairs correspondent Nahal Toosi. Then they discuss...
Can’t out-crazy Kim Jong-un
March 7, 2018
- 38:08
Tommy talks with Asia expert Danny Russel about reports that North Korea is willing to begin negotiations with the US about abandoning...
The Deep State Strikes Back
March 2, 2018
- 49:31
Tommy talks with Jake Sullivan and Ben Rhodes about their new organization to oppose Trump’s foreign policy and promote a progressive...
Bribes, Bibi and the future of Israel
February 23, 2018
- 36:19
Tommy talks with Nathan Guttman, the Washington bureau chief of The Forward, about the corruption scandals swirling around Israeli Prime...
Nuclear-armed frenemies
February 16, 2018
- 43:21
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...
Held hostage in Syria
February 9, 2018
- 40:21
Tommy talks with war photographer Jonathan Alpeyrie about being held hostage by rebel fighters for nearly three months in Syria.
Inching closer to nuclear war
February 2, 2018
- 44:41
Tommy talks with New York Times editor and writer Max Fisher about disconcerting signs that the Trump administration is seriously...
Why China loves Jared
January 26, 2018
- 42:02
Tommy talks with New Yorker staff writer Evan Osnos about China’s frantic post-election efforts to build a relationship with Jared...
Pod Save the World Live!
January 19, 2018
- 1:23:33
Tommy talks with Ben Rhodes, Ambassador Samantha Power and Greg Barker about the documentary The Final Year, which follows President...
The Terrorist Interrogator
January 12, 2018
- 46:38
Tommy talks with former FBI Special Agent Ali Soufan about his work interrogating terrorists and investigating the bombing of the USS...
Iranian revolution
January 5, 2018
- 57:30
Tommy talks with former top Obama foreign policy advisor Ben Rhodes about the protests sweeping across Iran, Trump’s response, how today...
Drumbeat of war with North Korea
December 22, 2017
- 42:59
Tommy talks with Republican foreign policy expert Kori Schake about the eery similarity between the Trump administration’s comments...
Infiltrating al Qaeda
December 15, 2017
- 45:09
Tommy interviewed undercover FBI agent Tamer Elnoury about his work penetrating and disrupting an al Qaeda cell plotting attacks in...
Jerusalem went to Jared
December 8, 2017
- 45:47
Tommy talks with Politico’s foreign affairs correspondent Nahal Toosi about Trump’s controversial decision to recognize Jerusalem as...
On the ground in Burma
December 1, 2017
- 37:32
Tommy talks with Senator Jeff Merkley about his fact-finding mission to Burma and Bangladesh to learn more about the ongoing ethnic...
Mugabe is the George Washington of Zimbabwe
November 24, 2017
- 50:41
Tommy talks with Africa expert Ambassador Johnnie Carson about the coup in Zimbabwe that toppled Robert Mugabe, and the recent political...
WTF happened in Lebanon and ISIS update
November 17, 2017
- 59:26
Tommy talks with Middle East and ISIS expert Rob Malley about the resignation of Lebanon’s Prime Minister and how it plays into a...
Trump’s adventures in Asia
November 10, 2017
- 1:05:40
Tommy and Asia expert and career diplomat Danny Russel discuss President Trump’s five nation, 13 day trip to Asia. They cover North...
Middle East Peace
November 1, 2017
- 58:06
Tommy talks with former Senator Majority Leader and US Special Envoy for Middle East Peace George Mitchell and Alon Sachar about their...
Hunting Osama bin Laden
October 25, 2017
- 56:05
Tommy sits down with Michael Morell, the former acting Director of the Central Intelligence Agency. They discuss his experience as...
A civil, bipartisan foreign policy discussion (aka clickbait)
October 18, 2017
- 40:02
Tommy talks with Republican Congressman and Air Force veteran Adam Kinzinger. They discuss Trump’s decision to decertify the Iran deal,...
A republican critique of Trump’s foreign policy
October 11, 2017
- 45:11
Tommy and Eliot Cohen, a counselor to Condoleezza Rice during the Bush administration, talks about his Atlantic piece “How Trump is...
Mystery attacks in Cuba and the man who ran the Navy
October 4, 2017
- 1:05:43
First, Tommy talks with Ben Rhodes about the mysterious attacks on our diplomats in Havana and the Trump administration’s decision to...
The rise of the European far-right
September 27, 2017
- 38:40
Tommy talks with Europe expert Dr. Karen Donfried about the German elections and the rise of the far-right AfD party. They also discuss...
Crisis in Burma
September 20, 2017
- 29:02
Tommy talks with New York Times columnist Nick Kristof and Nexus Fund Executive Director Sally Smith about the ongoing ethnic cleansing...
Republican Congressman Will Hurd
September 13, 2017
- 30:22
Tommy talks with Will Hurd, a Republican representing Texas’s 23rd Congressional District, who served in the CIA for nearly a decade....
War Policy
September 6, 2017
- 50:50
Tommy talks with former Lieutenant General and Ambassador to NATO Doug Lute about his six years managing the wars in Iraq and...
North Korea update then the Army’s CEO
September 1, 2017
- 49:46
Tommy gets an update on North Korea’s latest provocations from Asia expert Evan Medeiros. Then he talks with Eric Fanning, the former...
Crisis in Venezuela
August 30, 2017
- 35:37
Tommy speaks former AP correspondent Hannah Dreier about the ongoing humanitarian and political crisis in Venezuela. Dreier was the last...
Trump's new war plan
August 23, 2017
- 38:00
Tommy talks with defense policy expert Kelly Magsamen about President Trump's speech announcing his Afghan war policy. They evaluate the...
Right-wing radicals and CIA secrets
August 16, 2017
- 52:32
Tommy talks with former Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano about her efforts to combat right-wing extremists. Then he is...
Emergency North Korea update then Putin’s #1 enemy
August 9, 2017
- 47:38
Former Deputy National Security Advisor Ben Rhodes talks through Trump’s promise of “fire and fury” if North Korea threatens the US and...
Are they gonna’ nuke us?
August 2, 2017
- 38:25
Tommy talks with former Deputy Secretary of State Tony Blinken about the Iran deal, whether it’s working, and if we can apply the...
The worst humanitarian crisis since WWII
July 26, 2017
- 36:45
Tommy talks with David Miliband, President and CEO of the International Rescue Committee (IRC) and former UK Secretary of State for...
Why did Putin do it?
July 19, 2017
- 41:19
Tommy talks with journalist and Russia expert Julia Ioffe about not if but why Putin interfered in our election. What was Putin’s...
Russians, guns and Mosul
July 12, 2017
- 37:45
Tommy talks with former top defense official Derek Chollet about Donald Trump Jr.’s keystone cops collusion with Russia before...
Ambassador Susan Rice
July 5, 2017
- 45:33
Tommy talks with former Obama National Security Advisor Susan Rice about her transition to civilian life, Syria, ISIS, Russia and...
Europe, Nukes, and Cybersecurity
June 21, 2017
- 46:31
Tommy talks with former Deputy Secretary of Energy, defense policy and Europe expert Dr. Elizabeth Sherwood-Randall about the future of...
Illegal Wars with Senator Tim Kaine
June 14, 2017
- 39:08
Tommy talks with Senator Tim Kaine about how it’s possible that sixteen years after the 9/11 attacks, the congressional authorization...
NATO, mistakes we made in Libya, and lessons from Iraq and Afghanistan
June 7, 2017
- 43:60
Tommy talks with former US Ambassador to NATO Ivo Daalder about Trump’s disastrous trip to NATO before transitioning to a broader...
Deputy Secretary of State Bill Burns
May 31, 2017
- 45:04
Tommy talks with former Deputy Secretary of State Bill Burns about his three decades at the State Department. They discuss US relations...
Turkey and 28 Hours Pinned Down by ISIS with Arwa Damon
May 24, 2017
- 48:38
Tommy talks with CNN International correspondent Arwa Damon about Turkey's descent into a dictatorship and President Erdogan's visit to...
Love, Africa with Jeffrey Gettleman
May 16, 2017
- 50:35
Tommy and Pulitzer Prize winning journalist and New York Times East Africa bureau chief Jeffrey Gettleman discuss his new book Love,...
Trump Fired Jim Comey?!?
May 10, 2017
- 29:32
Tommy talks with former DOJ Official Matthew Miller about Trump's decision to fire FBI Director Jim Comey.
100 Days of foreign policy with Eli Lake
May 3, 2017
- 49:06
Tommy and Bloomberg columnist Eli Lake review Trump’s first 100 days on foreign policy. They cover Trump’s staffing decisions, US...
What the hell is happening in France with Dr. Karen Donfried
April 26, 2017
- 42:11
Tommy talks with Europe expert Dr. Karen Donfried about the French Presidential elections and the rise of far-right nationalist...
Chief of Staff Stuff with Denis McDonough
April 19, 2017
- 45:04
Tommy talks with former White House Chief of Staff Denis McDonough about the Bin Laden operation, Iraq, Syria and Russian hacking of our...
The Russian Investigation with Senator Mark Warner
April 12, 2017
- 38:09
Senator Mark Warner talks with Tommy about why the Intelligence Committee's investigation into Russian interference in our election is...
Understanding the Syrian Civil War
April 10, 2017
- 34:37
Tommy and Middle East expert Colin Kahl discuss the Syrian civil war from when the protests first erupted in 2011 to President Trump’s...
China’s Rise with Evan Medeiros
April 5, 2017
- 46:56
Tommy and China expert Evan Medeiros preview Trump’s meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping. They discuss the meticulous planning and...
Gayle Smith, former USAID Administrator
March 29, 2017
- 40:10
“Tommy is joined by Africa expert and former USAID Administrator Gayle Smith to discuss the crisis in South Sudan and the impact of...
North Korean Nukes with Mark Lippert
March 22, 2017
- 54:34
Former US Ambassador to South Korea Mark Lippert talks about the threat from North Korea’s nuclear program, Trump’s “new” approach to...
Snowden and Surveillance with Glenn Greenwald
March 15, 2017
- 57:21
Intercept editor Glenn Greenwald joins to respond to criticism of Edward Snowden and to discuss his views on intelligence collection.
Of Russia with Love with Mike McFaul
March 8, 2017
- 50:21
Tommy and former US Ambassador to Russia Mike McFaul talk about the US-Russia relationship. We cover pop culture and Rocky IV, arms...
Running the State Department with Heather Higginbottom
March 1, 2017
- 53:32
Tommy and Heather Higginbottom to discuss her journey from political campaigns to becoming the first woman to serve as Deputy Secretary...
Scary Sh*t with Lisa Monaco
February 22, 2017
- 43:13
Tommy talks with Obama’s former Homeland Security and Chief Counterterrorism Advisor Lisa Monaco about terrorism, encryption, cyber...
8 Years in the Situation Room with Ben Rhodes
February 15, 2017
- 1:00:48
Tommy and Obama’s former Deputy National Security Advisor for Strategic Communications Ben Rhodes discuss Ben’s career path, Obama’s...
Half the World with Dan Restrepo
February 8, 2017
- 48:38
Tommy is joined by Dan Restrepo, who served as a top Latin America advisor to President Obama. They discuss the historic opening between...
Secret Iran Talks with Jake Sullivan
February 1, 2017
- 56:56
Tommy is joined by former top Clinton aide and former Biden National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan. They discuss Jake’s experience...
Pod Save the World Teaser Episode
January 27, 2017
- 01:09
"Pod Save the World" launches Wednesday, February 1st!