There’s much to unpack with the ceasefire protests at universities across the country. From students occupying a building at Columbia to the abysmal response by USC’s administration, it is clear that there is no easy way to address the issue. Norm and Kavita break down the latest news on this contentious topic, and why it may be even more impactful than we realize.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the Tuesday edition of the DSR Daily, we discuss the latest from the Columbia University protests, the ongoing ceasefire efforts by the Biden administration, an election disinformation investigation into Meta, and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Recently Elon Musk triggered outrage by promoting a vicious speech by a Dutch activist that pushed virulent white nationalist ideologies. Musk added that Europe is threatened by “population collapse” that could lead to “dead civilizations.” What often gets lost amid such controversies is that Musk is pushing ideas that are part of a genuine political movement shaped around long term demographic anxieties. We chatted with reporter Gaby Del Valle, author of a great new Politico piece about the...

The House Intelligence Committee recently released a report on the investigation into reports of sexual harassment at the CIA. The findings were not pretty. So what does the agency need to do to protect women at the agency, and why has this problem persisted for so long? Christina Hillsberg joins Marc Polymeropoulos to discuss this critical issue and why the intelligence community can and must do better.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the Monday edition of the DSR Daily, we discuss potential arrest warrants from the ICC for Israeli officials, the Spanish PM refusing to step down after a turbulent week, deadly flooding in Kenya, and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Over the weekend, a CNN interview with former attorney general Bill Barr went viral after Barr performed a spectacular on-air capitulation to Donald Trump. The former president had posted an unhinged rant that mercilessly belittled Barr, yet Barr affirmed his endorsement of Trump and downplayed the threat he poses, including a bizarre aside about Trump talking about “executing” rivals. We chatted with Amanda Carpenter, the prominent Never Trumper and an editor at Protect Democracy, about what...

Original Air Date: May 30, 2023 This week Zoe and Natalya are joined by CEO of Reality Defender Ben Colman, to discuss the power of synthetic media and the risks it poses to geopolitics and democracy. They discuss a recent deepfake of an attack at the Pentagon, as well as potential regulatory solutions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Original Air Date: May 3, 2023 In this rapid fire edition of America's most entertaining foreign policy and national security podcast, the Financial Times' Ed Luce and Georgetown University's Rosa Brooks join host David Rothkopf to discuss some of the week's stranger international stories--like whether Putin launched a drone attack against himself and why someone thought it would be a good idea to have all the UK pledge allegiance to their new king as they watched his coronation on...

The relationship between China and the US is the most important in the world, and cutting through the cacophony of commentary to the heart of the matter is no easy task. Thankfully, Jon and Heather are joined by one of the leading experts on China and national security, Graham Allison. Graham shares his decades of experience to reveal why China and the US may be on a collision course — and why there are unprecedented opportunities for cooperation.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit...

At the Supreme Court and college campuses, leaders aren’t leading. As the court weighs incredibly consequential decisions and colleges grapple with divisive protests, we need clear leadership more than ever. Norm and Kavita discuss this unique problem and where we go from here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the Friday edition of the DSR Daily, we discuss Harvey Weinstein’s conviction being overturned in NY, the Supreme Court’s deliberations on Trump’s immunity claims, Secretary Blinken’s trip to Beijing, and more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A new Politico report has exposed deep tensions between The New York Times and the White House. President Biden’s team believes The Times isn’t adequately capturing the threat Donald Trump poses to democracy, while The Times responds that Team Biden is out to micromanage the paper of record’s coverage. We think this debate is badly muddled and in need of some major clarifications. So we chatted with Substacker Brian Beutler, a frequent media critic, about today’s flawed conventions of...

On the Thursday edition of the DSR daily, we cover the Arizona House repealing an 1864 abortion ban, Ukraine using longer-range US missiles for the first time, Rudy Giuliani and others being indicted for 2020 election interference, and more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Now that the House has passed military aid to Ukraine, MAGA personalities like Donald Trump Jr. and Tucker Carlson have joined Marjorie Taylor Greene in attacking House Speaker Mike Johnson as a traitor to the cause. Yet this isn’t just typical right wing ranting. It reveals very specific expectations of what Donald Trump would do to our international alliances if he wins back the White House. We talked to A.B. Stoddard, columnist at The Bulwark and author of a new piece digging into these...

Speaker Johnson has finally done the right thing for Ukraine. In passing Ukraine aid, the self-destructive Republican Party has inflamed the war with itself. Ed Luce and David Rothkopf break down what the aid package really means for Ukraine and how the GOP’s circular firing squad will impact the party’s chances in November and beyond. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

New polls this week offered something of a surprise: They show Robert F. Kennedy’s presidential run pulling more support from Donald Trump than from President Biden. And even some Republicans are publicly insisting that they fear the same. One person who is deeply skeptical of this reading is veteran Democratic strategist and podcaster Joe Trippi. We chatted with Trippi about his grand theory of the election, why he thinks the only threat RFK poses is to Biden, and how Trump and Republicans...

On the DSR Daily for Tuesday, we discuss Israeli troops amassing near the Gaza Strip, new accusations from prosecutors in Trump’s hush money trial, mass arrests in US campus protests, and more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Now that Mike Johnson allowed Ukraine aid to pass the House on a broad bipartisan basis, an enraged Marjorie Taylor Greene is ramping up her threats to oust the Speaker. But a funny thing has happened: For many reasons, Greene’s efforts could end up accomplishing little for the MAGA right, even as they do more to endanger GOP control of the House. We chatted with Democratic Representative Brendan Boyle of Pennsylvania, a shrewd observer of all these dynamics, about the possibilities of more...

With conflicts raging in Ukraine, Gaza, and beyond, the job of covering conflict and national security is more important than ever. But how do journalists provide accurate and reliable coverage? CNN national security correspondent Kylie Atwood joins Marc Polymeropoulos to discuss the unique challenges our current national security climate and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the Monday edition of the DSR Daily, we cover the House finally passing an aid bill for Ukraine, the head of the IDF’s intelligence department’s resignation, the Supreme Court reviewing anti-camping laws, and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, arguments begin in Donald Trump’s hush money trial in Manhattan, and he’s raging over the unfairness of it all. Amazingly, some are rushing to insist the trial won’t pose a serious problem for his presidential chances. But progressive political strategist Anat Shenker-Osorio disagrees: She writes in a new piece for Slate that due to some hidden public opinion dynamics, the case is already damaging him. So we chatted with Shenker-Osorio about why the trial and Trump’s impulsive...

Original Air Date: June 16, 2023 The lies and deflections from Republicans defending Trump have spun up the ire of "Words Matter" co-host Norm Ornstein. So in this episode he not only explains why but guest co-host David Rothkopf tries unsuccessfully to defuse his anger. Instead, both recount the facts surrounding the case for which Trump was arraigned this week and the likely cases to come and frankly, the outrage only grows. Join them to understand why it is fully justified. Learn more...

Original Air Date: March 15, 2023 There is never a dull period for the Middle East. David and Rosa are joined by Alon Pinkas of Haaretz to discuss Iran and Saudi Arabia resuming diplomatic ties and the ongoing crisis in Israel. Do we anticipate big changes in the Middle East following this announcement? What does this say about America's role in the region? Is Israel in an (unwritten) constitutional crisis? All of this and more during this thoughtful discussion. Members get a bonus segment...

In launching over 300 drones and missiles at Israel, Iran has revealed a lot about not only its own arsenal, but the effectiveness of missile defense. So what can the international and defense communities learn? Experts Ankit Panda and Tom Karako join Jon to share the key takeaways from the attack and what it means for the future of defense.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The House is its own special kind of crazy, but the Senate is no slouch either. Tom Cotton’s recent comments calling for Americans to “take matters into their own hands” in response to protests reminds us that Senators can seemingly call for acts of violence and get away with it. Norm and Kavita break down the fall of accountability in the Senate and why some Senators continue to embarrass the institution.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices