As ceasefire hopes hang by a thread, a few U.S. actors are trying to steer events on the ground in real time. This condensed take (original 22 min → new 3 min) with hosts Krystal Ball and Saagar Enjeti breaks down Jared Kushner and JD Vance’s high-stakes interventions, the new U.S. deconfliction center, Israeli backlash over perceived loss of sovereignty, and questions about private Gulf investments tied to Kushner’s circle (with pushback from Zack Wickoff). You’ll learn why short, personality-driven diplomacy can secure temporary pauses but struggles to build lasting legitimacy, and what this means for regional stability and U.S. influence. Listen now to get the key ideas in minutes.
