Josh Paul: Biden and Trump Administrations Allowed Israel to Target Innocent Civilians

Josh Paul is the former Director of the U.S. Congressional and Public Affairs for the State Department’s Bureau of Political-Military Affairs. He was responsible for overseeing U.S. defence diplomacy and global arms transfers.

Today, Josh is one of the world's most avid human rights campaigners, exposing how the US is not just "involved" in the Israel-Palestine conflict, but rather actively shaping the outcome through military support, political cover, and a long habit of avoiding real accountability.

From his perspective as an insider, this position has turned policy into a moral and legal failure, not just a strategic one. But what stood out to me is his insistence that this was never an inevitable stance on Israel. It was a choice!

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Timestamps:

(00:00:00) – Preview

(00:03:33) – Josh Paul’s explosive resignation under Biden and the impact of U.S. policy on Israel

(00:11:41) – Biden's ideological stance on Israel and its legal implications leading to the genocide in Gaza

(00:16:55) – Could the U.S. ever stop Israel from committing war crimes and sanction its government?

(00:19:58) – The Role of AIPAC in influencing politics in the U.S. and Europe

(00:22:45) – Corporate media's and social media platforms’ role in shaping and reshaping the public perception of Israel and the Palestinians

(00:28:34) – What had caused the apparent mass radicalisation of the Israeli society, particularly their younger generations

(00:37:06) – Will there ever be peace in the Middle East?

(00:40:32) – How the Iran war may force the Trump Administration to stop or sanction Israel

(00:42:49) – The anti-corruption and anti-Epstein class populism and the changing political landscape

(00:53:16) – The impact of Elon Musk’s DOGE on civil service and global security, with a potential criminal-level of overreach, manslaughter and corruption

(00:59:20) – What would a new policy for Palestine look like and how will Josh and his organisation implement it?

(01:08:21) – Josh’s call for the business community's and civil servants’ role in advocacy. Stop your “neutrality” excuses!

(01:12:58) – The role of the tech sector and AI labs in propping up Israel's military threats throughout the Middle East and beyond

(01:20:11) – Defining success in advocacy and campaigning for human rights

Episode Notes & Citations:

https://retortmedia.com/podcasts/ceoretort/2026/06/26/josh-paul-biden-and-trump-administrations-allowed-israel-to-target-innocent-civilians/⁠

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