Focus

 Tommy and Ben talk about a US hostage deal with Iran, a far-right frontrunner in the Argentina presidential election, a presidential candidate murdered in Ecuador, updates on the coup in Niger, and aid to Sudan. They also discuss Vivek Ramaswamy’s bizarre views on Taiwan, President Biden’s critical comments about China’s economy, Biden’s meeting with the presidents of South Korea and Japan at Cam...

Tommy and Ben talk about the global response to the coup in Niger, Ukraine’s sea drone attacks and peace talks in Saudi Arabia, new polling about approval Biden’s foreign policy and support for Ukraine, a quick look at some foreign policy debates in the 2024 GOP primary, and reports that US Marines will defend ships in the Persian gulf. Then updates from Colombia, Pakistan, ISIS, Chinese informati...

Tommy and Ben talk about a coup in Niger, progress on the Ukrainian counteroffensive, drone attacks on Moscow, Yevgeny Prigozhin attends a summit of African leaders in Russia, prospects for a US-Saudi Arabia-Israel diplomatic deal, the eroding democratic process in Thailand, and an ISIS attack in Pakistan. They also discuss how to inspire action on climate change. Then Tommy talks to Ambassador-At...

Tommy and Ben talk about the gutting of Israel’s judicial system, and the (lack of) response from the US. They also discuss good-ish news from the elections in Spain, a US soldier who fled to North Korea, Putin’s crackdown on a far-right blogger, how Ron DeSantis and Senator Tommy Tuberville are hurting military recruiting, the UK’s fight with Apple, Saudi Arabia’s $1.1 billion soccer star, and do...

Tommy and Ben talk about Russia pulling out of a vital grain initiative with Ukraine, 2024 Republican primary candidate views on Ukraine, Trump and Taiwan, the culture war amendments to the National Defense Authorization Act, John Kerry’s visit to China and climate change, the strange disappearance of China’s foreign minister, renewed fears of a second genocide in Darfur, the EU’s deal with Tunisi...

Max Fisher joins Ben to discuss the ever-weirder Prigozhin circus, the last-second drama over bringing Sweden into NATO, whether Ukraine should join, the U.S. sending controversial cluster bombs to Ukraine, a seismic shift in European politics and what it means for the future of the far-right, an American reckoning over Israel following the raid in Jenin, an attempt to deescalate China, and why Vi...

Ben and Tommy talk about the fallout from Wagner Group’s aborted mutiny in Russia, the status of Ukraine’s counteroffensive, new audio of Trump knowingly leaking classified information, why supporters of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi are harassing a White House reporter, the fallout from Biden calling Chinese President Xi Jinping a dictator, a horrific tragedy that killed hundreds of migrant...

Ben and Tommy talk about the extraordinary failed coup attempt against Vladimir Putin by Yevgeny Prigozhin and the Wagner mercenary group in Russia. They cover the infighting that got Russia to this point, what it means for Putin’s image and power, the amnesty deal that ended the insurrection and why Belarus was involved, and what it’s like at the White House when a crisis like this happens. Thank...

Today’s episode covers: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the US, Trump’s interview on Fox News about the Mar-a-Lago document indictment, new details about Trump’s real estate deal with the Saudis in Oman, Secretary of State Tony Blinken’s visit to China, how Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu is still meddling with Israel’s courts and inflaming relations with the US, the latest fr...

Tommy and Ben talk about the national security implications of Trump’s Mar-a-Lago document indictment, China’s eavesdropping base in Cuba, Ukraine’s military counteroffensive and critics of US policy, USAID’s suspension of food aid to Ethiopia following an investigation into theft, how Sudan’s civil war is getting worse, how crypto currency is funding North Korea’s ballistic missile programs, the...

Ben and Tommy talk about a blockbuster report that Ukraine bombed the Nord Stream natural gas pipelines, the bombing of a dam in Ukraine, accountability for the assassination of Haiti’s president, CIA Director Bill Burns goes to China, Saudi Arabia and sportswashing, Henry Kissinger’s human rights record and accountability in Washington, Trump’s classified documents woes, media restrictions in Pak...

Tommy and Ben talk about an anti-LGBTQ law in Uganda, violent protests in Kosovo and more reports on Trump’s handling of classified documents. They also discuss US-China relations, Elon Musk’s visit to China, heavy attacks in Kyiv, drone strikes in Moscow, Russia’s arrest warrant for Lindsey Graham, a new law in Poland cracking down on Russian political interference and Brazilian President Lula Da...

Tommy and Ben talk about President Zelensky’s travel to the Arab League and G7 summits, Biden’s policy change on training Ukrainian pilots to fly F-16s, mysterious attacks inside Russia and outcomes from the G-7 summit. They also discuss the foreign policy fallout from Biden cutting his foreign trip short, how the Air Force failed to stop the Discord leaker, a leadership change in Iran, another tr...

On today’s episode, Max Fisher and Tommy discuss reports that a close Putin ally betrayed the Russian military and that President Zelensky secretly proposed bombing Russia, why elections in Turkey and Thailand could be the most important of this year, the United States’ war of words with South Africa, Senator Tommy Tuberville’s bizarre defense of white nationalists, updates on immigration, Gaza, U...

Ben and Tommy talk about Iran using Syrian earthquake aid to smuggle weapons, Syria being readmitted to the Arab League, the drone strikes on the Kremlin, Title 42 and Biden’s immigration policy, the arrest of Pakistan’s former prime minister Imran Khan, gun control in Serbia, the treatment of women in the UAE and some wild stories out of Australia. Then Ben interviews The Atlantic’s Editor-in-Chi...

Ben and Tommy are joined by Max Fisher for a special episode on the roots of the judicial crisis in Israel that has brought millions of protestors out into the streets and still threatens to tear the country apart. They dig into the unresolved constitutional questions from Israel’s founding, why Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu is a uniquely dangerous figure, and how the US-Israel relationship has pu...

Tommy and Ben talk about the ongoing crisis in Sudan, the Pope’s visit to Hungary, the upcoming coronation of King Charles and Prince Harry’s lawsuits against Rupert Murdoch. Then Ben and Tommy discuss the approaching elections in Turkey, the UAE’s influence in the US, the South Korean President’s karaoke moment at the White House and Ron DeSantis’s embarrassing trip abroad. Then Tommy talks to De...

Ben and Tommy talk about the evacuation of American employees from Sudan, expectations for Ukraine’s spring military offensive and Ron DeSantis’s trip abroad. Then they cover new intelligence about Russian influence in Africa and the ISIS threat in Afghanistan, Chile’s plans to nationalize its lithium industry, how former British PM Boris Johnson nearly gave Queen Elizabeth covid, and how the war...

Tommy and Ben talk about the latest news about the Pentagon leaks and leaker, and what it tells us about the effectiveness of the security clearance process. Then Ben and Tommy discuss Chinese agents harassing dissidents in the US, the war in Sudan, extrajudicial violence in India on live television, Lula’s message about the rise of far-right extremists, Trump’s interview on Tucker Carlson, and a...

Tommy and Ben discuss the massive leak of US intelligence documents and the potential global implications, a new White House report on what went wrong with the US withdrawal from Afghanistan, the potential repeal of the Iraq war authorization for use of military force, President Macron’s controversial visit to China, Biden’s visit to Ireland, Israeli forces attacking worshippers inside the al-Aqsa...

Tommy and Ben talk about Donald Trump’s historic arrest and arraignment, Finland PM Sanna Marin’s election loss, Taiwan’s president visits America, a potential interim Iran nuclear deal, the Washington Post’s tone deaf op-ed on veterans rights, the arrest of an American journalist in Russia, new propaganda tactics from Russian state media, Montenegro’s long-standing president loses his re-election...

Tommy and Ben talk about protests in Israel and Netanyahu’s persistent attack on Israel’s democracy, a drone strike in Syria, reignited fears of a nuclear attack from Putin, a new deal between Biden and Canadian PM Trudeau, VP Harris’ visit to Africa, North Korea’s “nuclear tsunami”, French President Macron’s expensive watch, and Lebanon entering the daylight savings debate. Then, Ben is joined by...

Tommy and Ben are joined by Crooked contributor Max Fisher for a segment to discuss a possible Trump indictment and how common presidential prosecutions are around the world. Then Ben and Tommy cover Chinese President Xi Jinping’s trip to Moscow, the retirement age in France, the global implications of the SVB collapse, new reporting on Ron DeSantis and his involvement in  Guantanamo Bay, and the...

Ben and Tommy record a bonus episode to mark the 20-year anniversary of the US invasion of Iraq to try and answer the question: how did the Iraq war change America and the world? They’re joined by journalist and Iraq war supporter turned vocal opponent Peter Beinart, and Congressman and Iraq war veteran Ruben Gallego. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click  here . For a transcript o...

Tommy and Ben talk about China brokering a deal between Saudi Arabia and Iran, Saudi Arabia’s wish list to “normalize” relations with Israel, protests of Netanyahu’s changes to Israel’s judicial system, the BBC, soccer and free speech, new reports about who sabotaged the Nord Steam gas pipeline, the president of Mexico’s bizarre press conference, the momentum behind banning TikTok, and Canada’s st...