124: Vance, Iran and the fight inside Trumpworld, with Matt Continetti

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Donald Trump has gone further against Iran than any American president before him -- and then, almost overnight, pivoted toward a ceasefire, negotiations, and open frustration with Israel. What's happening? What does it all mean for Iran's nuclear ambitions, American power, the US–Israel alliance, and the future of war?

In this episode, we sit down with Matthew Continetti of the American Enterprise Institute to unpack the emerging Iran deal, the politics inside the Trump administration, JD Vance’s rising influence, the strategic meaning of the Strait of Hormuz crisis, and why missiles, drones, and interceptors may define the next generation of warfare.

Matthew Continetti is the director of domestic policy studies and the inaugural Patrick and Charlene Neal Chair in American Prosperity at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI) as well as a columnist for the Wall Street Journal's "Free Expression" newsletter. He has been published in The Atlantic, The New York Times, and The Washington Post, The Free Press, National Review among other outlets. Mr. Continetti is the author of three books, including, most recently, The Right: The Hundred-Year War for American Conservatism (Basic Books, 2022).

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This week’s episode is sponsored by Cyril Khazan from Woodmere, New York, who asked to dedicate the episode "to the memory of my dad. Raised in the dark shadow of Babyn Yar, amid post-Second World War rampant antisemitism, he still taught me open-mindedness, inclusivity, and pride in being Jewish, warts and all. Thank you for upholding these values on your podcast."

Thank you, Cyril.

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Musical intro by Adam Ben Amitai.