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American PrestigeNews - Iran Strikes and Ceasefire, Nato Ups Defense Budgets, Supreme Court Okays Government Trafficking MigrantsDon’t forget to purchase our “Welcome to the Crusades” series before the price increases next week. Paid AP subscribers get a 20% discount, so subscribe today!
Danny and Derek broadcast from an undisclosed resort location. This week: an update on the conflict with Iran, including the ceasefire (2:34), Trump’s disagreement with US intelligence assessments (5:25), the status of the Islamic Republic’s nuclear facilities and material (10:15), and the potential for new US-Iran talks (15:46); with the latest conflict with Iran on hold, there are now questions whether Netanyahu will finally come to the negotiating table over Gaza (18:22); the 2025 NATO summit was...2025-06-2743 minAmerican PrestigeSpecial - Iran Strikes US BaseSubscribe now for all breaking news specials and commercial-free content.
Danny and Derek break down the details of today's strike by Iran against the US Al-Udeid air base in Qatar. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices2025-06-2330 minAmerican PrestigeSpecial - Trump Bombs Iran (Preview)Subscribe now for the full episode.
Danny and Derek discuss last night's attacks, what the strategy of the US was, what the strategy of Iran might be, what an invasion of Iran would look like, the US role in the Middle East, and the Axis of Resistance. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices2025-06-2208 minAmerican PrestigeBonus - Trump, Israel, and Escalating the War With Iran w/ Trita Parsi (Preview)Subscribe now for the full episode and much more content.
Note: This episode was recorded Friday, June 20 in the afternoon.
Danny and Derek welcome back to the program Trita Parsi, executive vice president of the Quincy Institute, to talk about when and how the US will become fully involved in Israel’s war with Iran. They discuss the major interest groups within the Trump 2.0 administration, why the Iranians would continue negotiating with the US at this point, how European leaders are navigating the crisis, the war as a part of global colonial domination by the No...2025-06-2210 minAmerican PrestigeNews - Israel-Iran War, Russia Strikes Kyiv, Trump Expands Travel BanSubscribe now to skip the ads and get more content.
No ChatGPT here—our em dashes are organic. This week: in the Iran-Israel war, an update on the casualties and targets (1:52), US involvement remains in question (7:45), Ayatollah Khamenei refuses to surrender (14:47), and US and Israeli intelligence agencies disagree over “evidence” of Iran pursuing a nuclear weapon (18:14); Trump quits the G7 summit early, possibly due to Israel-Iran, and later insults French president Emmanuel Macron (20:59); the IDF is still killing dozens per day in Gaza, mostly near aid sites (24:23); the US military is withdrawing from most of its bases in Syr...2025-06-2051 minAmerican PrestigeSpecial - Will the US Join the War With Iran? w/ Akbar Shahid AhmedSubscribe now for an ad-free experience and access to all breaking news specials.
Derek welcomes back to the program Akbar Shahid Ahmed, Senior Diplomatic Correspondent for HuffPost, to talk about the prospect of Trump bringing the US into a war with Iran.
Akbar has written a number of articles on Israel-Iran in the last several days, including "The Pro-Israel U.S. General Quietly Influencing Trump On Iran" and "Israel’s War On Iran Bears The Echo Of Past American Mistakes." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices2025-06-1833 minAmerican PrestigeWelcome to the Crusades, Episode 1: Rome, 1095In lieu of a typical AP episode this week, we're releasing the first two episodes of our standalone miniseries on the First Crusade with the crew from We're Not So Different. Get the rest of the series here.
Our journey through the First Crusade starts where the Crusaders themselves did: in western Europe with Pope Urban II and the Council of Clermont. We discuss conditions in Latin Christendom in the late 11th century, what prompted the Pope’s call for Crusade, and how it was received by European nobles. Learn more about your ad cho...2025-06-171h 17American PrestigeWelcome to the Crusades, Episode 2: Taranto, 1096We've released the first two episodes of our standalone miniseries with the folks from We're Not So Different. Get the rest of the episodes here!
The expedition begins to take shape. We continue to explore the fallout from Pope Urban II’s call for Crusade at the Council of Clermont, as lords from across France prepare to set off. We look especially at the Normans under Bohemond of Taranto, who will play an outsized role in the campaign to come and whose conquest of Sicily offers some insight into how that campaign would be conducted. Learn mor...2025-06-171h 12American PrestigeSpecial - The Israel-Iran War, Ep. 2 (Preview)For the full episode and access to all breaking news specials, subscribe now.
Danny and Derek update us on what's been going on over the past few days between Israel and Iran. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices2025-06-1612 minAmerican PrestigeBonus - Third Parties plus Analyzing Trump w/ Matt Karp (Preview)Subscribe now for the full episode.
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Danny speaks with Matt Karp, associate professor of history at Princeton, about party formation in the 1850s as well as his take on the Trump phenomenon. They explore the downfall of the Whigs and rise of the Republicans, the structure of the political parties at the beginning of the republic, the relationship of ideology and party, why we have a giant two-party system despite regional differences, mass democracy in the 19th century and today, Trump minimalists vs...2025-06-1512 minAmerican PrestigeUnlocked: The LA Protests and the Imperial Boomerang w/ Spencer AckermanSpencer Ackerman of Forever Wars is back on the podcast to talk about the LA protests and his piece on them for Zeteo, "The Imperial Boomerang Lands in Los Angeles."
You can read the "director's cut" of Spencer's piece over at Forever Wars. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices2025-06-1433 minAmerican PrestigeSpecial - Israel Attacks Iran w/ Séamus Malekafzali (Preview)Subscribe now for the full episode and no ads.
Danny and Derek speak with Séamus Malekafzali about Israel’s strike on Iran, Iran’s response and attack on Israel, U.S. and geostrategy, and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices2025-06-1312 minAmerican PrestigeNews - Tensions Rise with Iran, Sudan-Libya Border Clashes, Trump Creating Office of RemigrationSubscribe now for an ad-free experience and more content.
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Danny and Derek are everyday people who still believe in you. This week: the AUKUS security partnership is under review at the Pentagon (1:47); the IAEA rebukes Iran, nuclear negotiations are going nowhere, and Trump is evacuating nonessential personnel from the Middle East (5:14); in Israel-Palestine, Israeli soldiers continue to gun down people at Gaza Humanitarian Foundation sites as Hamas kills several GHF workers (10:24), the IDF appears to be shielding at least one ISIS-linked gang in...2025-06-1339 minAmerican PrestigeSpecial - The LA Protests and the Imperial Boomerang w/ Spencer Ackerman (Preview)Subscribe now for the full episode and access to all breaking news specials.
Spencer Ackerman of Forever Wars is back on the podcast to talk about the LA protests and his piece on them for Zeteo, "The Imperial Boomerang Lands in Los Angeles."
You can read the "director's cut" of Spencer's piece over at Forever Wars. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices2025-06-1108 minAmerican PrestigeE215 - The Low Culture of 1999 Predicting Modern America w/ Ross BenesFor an ad-free experience and much more content, subscribe now.
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In this week’s episode, Danny speaks with journalist Ross Benes about his book 1999: The Year Low Culture Conquered America and Kickstarted Our Bizarre Times. They discuss the connection between the Telecommunications Act of 1996 and “trash culture”, what makes the instantiation of reality TV in 1999 unique and how early reality shows foreshadowed modern politics, how Beanie Babies were akin to “stock investments” for working class and lower middle class people, Pokémon as a pu...2025-06-1059 minAmerican PrestigeBonus - Claudia Sheinbaum’s Presidency So Far w/ Alex Aviña (Preview)Subscribe now for the full episode and much more content.
"Top Secret" subscribers get a free one-year digital subscription to The Nation!
Danny and Derek welcome back to the program AP Mexico desk Alexander Aviña, associate professor of Latin American history in the School of Historical, Philosophical, and Religious Studies at Arizona State University, this time to reflect on Mexican president Claudia Sheinbaum several months into her term. They talk about how she has both continued and diverged from the work begun by her Morena predecessor Andrés Manuel López Obrador, the current org...2025-06-0810 minAmerican PrestigeNews - Ukraine Drone Attack, Gaza Aid Center Massacres, IAEA Suggests “Secret Nuclear Activities” in IranSubscribe now for an ad-free experience and much more content.
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We’re sorry to say that we’re professionals, and Danny and Derek’s falling-out will be behind closed doors. In this week’s news: in Russia-Ukraine, Ukraine launches a massive drone strike and bombs several bridges (0:41), peace talks in Istanbul make little progress (5:43), and Donald Trump speaks to Vladimir Putin (7:51); in Israel-Palestine, more massacres are carried out at aid centers as the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation suspends operations (13:04), the US vetoe...2025-06-0647 minAmerican PrestigeE214 - The History of Americans’ Global War on Prostitution w/ Eva PayneSubscribe now for an ad-free experience. Subscribers at the "Top Secret" tier get a one-year digital subscription to the Nation!
Danny and Derek welcome to the program author Eva Payne to talk about her book Empire of Purity: The History of Americans' Global War on Prostitution. They discuss American sexual exceptionalism, the legal definition of “prostitution” vs modern conceptions of sex work, the late 19th century new abolition movement and racial hierarchies therein, how Americans interfaced with state-regulated prostitution systems in places like India and the Philippines, the sexual imagery used in justifying US aims in the Span...2025-06-0358 minAmerican PrestigeBonus - The State of History in America w/ Mike Duncan (Preview)Subscribe now for the full episode. At the "Top Secret" tier, you get a 1-year digital subscription to The Nation!
Danny and Derek are pleased to welcome to the podcast Mike Duncan, history podcaster and author, to talk about where history stands in the American academy, popular culture, and public consciousness. They discuss the trials and tribulations of producing a history podcast, the relationship between academic history and history media, the neoliberalization of academia, AI and the crisis of humanism, the unlikely prospect of a leftist revolution in 2025 America, and more.
Be sure to...2025-06-0110 minAmerican PrestigeNews - Gaza Aid Disaster, Russia Offers New Peace Talks, Trump Freezes Student VisasSubscribe now for an ad-free experience!
In this week’s news roundup: US-Iran negotiations might be making progress (1:02); in Israel-Palestine, a new aid program implemented gets people killed (6:30), the US proposes framework for a new peace deal* (11:01), and Israel creates 22 new West Bank settlements (15:54); cases of cholera are spiking in Sudan (17:35); Libya’s eastern-based government may cut off its oil supply (19:23); Salva Kiir appoints a potential successor in South Sudan (21:51); jihadist activity appears to be on the rise in Mozambique (23:46); Mauritius and the UK sign a Chagos Islands deal (25:52); Russia offers to begin new peace talks (29:48) as Trum...2025-05-3056 minAmerican PrestigeUnlocked - What Could Go Right? w/ Zachary KarabellEnjoy the full version of this special we published last week!
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Danny and Derek invite Zachary Karabell, historian and founder of the Progress Network, as well as host of the podcast What Could Go Right?, to talk about the big things: liberalism, American political capitalism, Trump, "abundance," and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices2025-05-2754 minAmerican PrestigeE213 - South Sudan’s Failed Peace Deal w/ Joshua CrazeSubscribe now for an ad-free experience and much more content!
Writer and researcher Joshua Craze returns to the program to talk about the situation in South Sudan. They cover the collapsed 2018 “peace deal,” the elite forces vying for power, the Nuer White Army, figures like Salva Kiir Mayardit and Riek Machar, how South Sudan’s troubles have been impacted by the war in Sudan, external actors like the United Arab Emirates and Uganda, and the humanitarian crisis in the fragmented country. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices2025-05-2755 minAmerican PrestigeBonus - Democratic Backsliding w/ Francis Fukuyama (Preview)Subscribe now for the full episode and much more content!
Danny and Derek welcome to the program political scientist Francis Fukuyama to talk about his recent article for the Journal of Democracy, “Delivering for Democracy: Why Results Matter.” The group explores why Dr. Fukuyama felt the need to address democratic backsliding, what about Trump’s actions have precedents in American history vs what’s unique to this administration, how capitalism interacts with Dr. Fukuyama’s understanding of democracy, whether regulated capitalism is possible without an ideological challenger, the abundance movement, and what reforms can be made to help democ...2025-05-2511 minAmerican PrestigeNews - Ukraine Talks Collapse, India Threatens Pakistan’s Water Supply, IDF Operation Gideon’s ChariotsSubscribe now for an ad-free experience and much more content!
This week in the news roundup: the Ukraine peace talks collapse (3:30) as Trump stuns European allies with his sudden pivot back to positions beneficial to Russia (7:21); in EU elections, a Romanian centrist wins the presidency (11:06), a Polish centrist wins the first round of the presidential election (13:27), and the Portuguese center-right wins that country’s parliamentary election (14:46); India continues to threaten Pakistani water levels (17:05); South African president Ramaphosa’s visit to the White House goes awry (20:04); in Israel-Palestine, the IDF begins Operation Gideon’s Chariots (23:58), the Israelis allow “minimal”...2025-05-2351 minAmerican PrestigeE211 - Henri Bergson's Restless World w/ Emily HerringDanny and Derek welcome Emily Herring, a writer based in Paris, to the program. They discuss her new book, Herald of a Restless World: How Henri Bergson Brought Philosophy to the People. The conversation delves into Henri Bergson's philosophy and its enduring relevance, particularly concerning contemporary anxieties surrounding the mechanization of the world, the dehumanizing potential of algorithms and artificial intelligence, the dangers of quantification and rigid categorization, and the perceived erosion of human creativity and the more enjoyable aspects of human experience. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices2025-05-201h 05American PrestigeSpecial - What Could Go Right? w/ Zachary Karabell (Preview)Subscribe now for the full episode!
Danny and Derek invite Zachary Karabell, historian and founder of the Progress Network, as well as host of the podcast What Could Go Right?, to talk about the big things: liberalism, American political capitalism, Trump, "abundance," and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices2025-05-1910 minAmerican PrestigeBonus - Trump, China, and U.S.-China Relations w/ Jake Werner (Preview)Derek welcomes back Jake Werner, director of the East Asia Program at the Quincy Institute, to talk about the latest New Cold War developments. They discuss the Chinese government’s view of Donald Trump, US-China trade negotiations, Beijing’s approach to great power politics, Taiwan’s position in US-China relations under Trump, China’s role in domestic US politics, and what a smarter US trade policy might look like. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices2025-05-1809 minAmerican PrestigeNews - Trump's Gulf Tour & Deals, Gaza Updates, US Habeas CorpusAlex Jordan rejoins the show to see if he can impersonate Danny as well as he impersonated Derek a couple of weeks ago. He and Derek discuss the India-Pakistan ceasefire (01:23); Donald Trump’s big Persian Gulf tour (04:24)(filled with Deals, Bribes, and announcements about Syrian sanctions (7:49) and Iranian nuclear talks (10:40)); the latest developments in Gaza (15:34); the US-China tariff pause (26:52); the PKK’s major disarmament announcement (29:19); a new round of Russia-Ukraine peace talks (32:19); major clashes between militias in Libya (35:49); the arrival of the first group of Afrikaner refugees to the US (39:33); Luis Arce’s decision to quit the Bolivian presidential race...2025-05-1656 minAmerican PrestigeAP x Nonzero - Trump Flips on Bibi, Putin, and Xi w/Robert WrightThe bi-monthly collaboration between AP and Nonzero Newsletter continues! Our dear paid subscribers also get access to the additional "Overtime" conversation and a discounted membership to Nonzero, so subscribe now for that and much more content!
Part One Video
0:00 The week's major international stories2:58 Trump's approach to everything8:40 The Houthi deal11:23 Trump's Middle East trip and Gaza15:26 India-Pakistan conflict19:58 Media coverage of Trump 2.023:46 Trump’s biggest Jan 6 transgression30:15 Is the Republic at stake?31:20 Heading into overtime Learn more a...2025-05-1432 minAmerican PrestigeE210 - White American Liberals, Pt 2 w/ Kevin SchultzKevin Schultz, Chair of the Department of History at the University of Illinois-Chicago, returns to the program to continue the discussion of his new book Why Everyone Hates White Liberals (Including White Liberals): A History. In this second part of the discussion, Danny, Derek, and Kevin get into the origins and power of the "radical chic" and "limousine liberal" criticisms, the concept of "positive polarization" as championed by figures like Spiro Agnew, the perceived abandonment of the white working class by the Democratic Party, the role of Nixon in this political shift, the influence of Phyllis Schlafly and George Wallac...2025-05-1357 minAmerican PrestigeBonus - What’s Going on with Trump and Brazil’s Landless Workers’ Movement w/ Vincent Bevins (Preview)Danny and Derek invite Vincent Bevins, author of The Jakarta Method and If We Burn, back to the podcast to talk about the early days of the Trump Administration; how the rest of the world views Trump; what Vincent thinks is going on; and his recent article in The Nation on Brazil's Movimento dos Trabalhadores Rurais Sem Terra (Landless Workers' Movement, or MST). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices2025-05-1109 minAmerican PrestigeNews - US-Houthi Ceasefire, Israel's Gaza Plans, and Global Trade TensionsThough Jake is absent for the week, Danny and Derek remain steadfast in their dedication to bring you news. They discuss the U.S.-Houthi ceasefire (2:04); the Israeli government's plans for Gaza (6:49); Trump’s push for a Gaza ceasefire and Saudi deal on his upcoming Middle East trip (12:54); new clashes between India and Pakistan as well as more details from Wednesday morning's strikes (16:41); the possibility of U.S.-China trade talks (20:28); the reality of a U.S.-U.K. trade deal (22:30); drone strikes on Port Sudan (25:41); peace talks in the DRC (27:49); Vladimir Putin's V-E Day ceasefire (30:41); Friedrich Merz’s chaot...2025-05-0958 minAmerican PrestigeSpecial - India attacks Pakistan (Preview)Danny and Derek talk about India’s attack on Pakistan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices2025-05-0702 minAmerican PrestigeE210 - White American Liberals, Pt 1 w/ Kevin SchultzSubscribe now for an ad-free experience and much more content!
Kevin Schultz, Chair of the Department of History at the University of Illinois Chicago, joins the program to talk about his new book Why Everyone Hates White Liberals (Including White Liberals): A History. In this first part of the discussion, they get into liberalism’s consistent spirit yet inconsistent character, the transition from progressivism to liberalism in America in the early 20th century, FDR’s use of the word “liberal” as a sort of marketing tool, the height of the “white liberal,” William F. Buckley and the modern Ameri...2025-05-061h 04American PrestigeBonus - Dispatch from Russia w/ Peter Slezkine (Preview)Subscribe now for the full episode and much more content!
Peter Slezkine, Senior Fellow and Director of the Russia Program at the Stimson Center and host of The Trialogue Podcast, joins the program for a conversation about his recent visit to Russia and his impressions of the political discourse there. They talk about the atmosphere in light of the Ukraine war, the major political factions in the government, people’s sense of the Western reaction to the invasion, their impression of Trump, how the war has emboldened NATO, why a ceasefire might not be in Russia’s inte...2025-05-0408 minAmerican PrestigeNews - WFP Out of Food in Gaza, US-Rwanda Migrant Deal, National Security Advisor Waltz ReassignedMay Day is no more, but the world, sadly, does not revolve around the left. This week: a new report on 2024 global military spending shockingly shows it has increased (2:05); the UN’s World Food Programme is out of food in Gaza (4:05), the IDF herds people into Rafah (5:55), and the PLO creates a vice presidency in anticipation of a successor to Mahmoud Abbas (8:32); in Syria, violence between security forces and Druze militias kills over 70 people (12:18); the US bombs a migrant center in Yemen (16:14) as Houthi/Ansar Allah forces continue to shoot down drones (17:58); the Iran-US nuclear talks have been postponed (19:35); th...2025-05-0257 minAmerican PrestigeSpecial - 50 Years Since the Fall of Saigon w/ Carolyn Eisenberg (Preview)Subscribe now for the full episode!
Danny and Derek welcome back to the program Carolyn Eisenberg, professor of history at Hofstra University, to talk about the fall of Saigon on its 50th anniversary.
Be sure to check out Carolyn’s award-winning book Fire and Rain: Nixon, Kissinger, and the Wars in Southeast Asia. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices2025-04-3006 minAmerican PrestigeE207 - The Sino-Soviet Split, Pt. 2 w/ Jeremy FriedmanSubscribe now for an ad-free experience and much more content.
Please listen to our Sino-Soviet primer episode and part one of this discussion for some background!
Danny and Derek welcome back Jeremy Friedman, assistant professor in the Business, Government, and International Economy at Harvard, to talk about the Sino-Soviet Split. The conversation picks up in the 1960s with the Soviets’ push for peaceful coexistence vs the PRC and developing world’s push for anti-imperialist armed struggle, how the Cultural Revolution affects the calculation, Mao’s growing distrust of the USSR, the split itself, ideological vanguardism vs elitism...2025-04-2958 minAmerican PrestigeBonus - The Trump 2.0 First Hundred Days Panel w/ Van Jackson, Elizabeth Shackelford, and Ishaan TharoorSubscribe now for the full episode and much more content!
Danny and Derek are joined by Van Jackson, author of the Un-Diplomatic newsletter and podcast, Elizabeth Shackelford, Senior Policy Director at Dartmouth’s Dickey Center and foreign affairs columnist with The Chicago Tribune, and Ishaan Tharoor, foreign affairs columnist and anchor of Today's WorldView at The Washington Post, to talk about the second Trump Administration’s first hundred days in office. The group delves into what differentiates Trump 2.0 from 1.0, what he’s been able to enact of his agenda from both the last and current te...2025-04-2714 minAmerican PrestigeNews - Kashmir Attack, US Airstrikes in Yemen, Ukraine-Russia Peace Talks FalterSubscribe now for an ad-free experience and much more content.Derek makes his grand return to the AP newsroom! This week: Pope Francis dies (0:30); India sees the worst attack on civilians in Kashmir in years, prompting fallout on India-Pakistan relations (6:35); the US carries out its deadliest airstrike on Yemen to date (14:39); Qatar and Egypt propose a new ceasefire plan for Gaza (18:07); the US and Iran see progress in their nuclear talks, but the Trump administration continues to demand zero enrichment (21:27); Trump has once again changed course on tariffs (26:28); in Sudan, the RSF closes in...2025-04-2556 minAmerican PrestigeE208 - Israel Ramps Up its Campaigns in Gaza and the West Bank w/ Mohammad AlsaafinSubscribe today for an ad-free experience and much more content!Derek once again speaks with Mohammad Alsaafin, journalist at AJ+, this time to talk about where things stand in Gaza and the West Bank. They discuss the collapse of the January ceasefire, the blockade on Gaza aid, the push for outright ethnic cleansing in Gaza, what country would be willing to aid Israel in that effort, what it would mean for Hamas to disarm, Israel taking the same approach to Jenin and its environs in the West Bank as Gaza, and more. 2025-04-221h 04American PrestigeBonus - The 2025 Canadian Election Preview w/ Luke Savage (Preview)Subscribe now for the full episode!Danny and Derek welcome to the program Luke Savage, writer at Jacobin and host of the Michael and Us podcast, to talk about next week’s election in Canada. They delve into why Justin Trudeau resigned, Liberal Party candidate Mark Carney, how Pierre Poilievre and the Conservative Party are handling Trump, the US threatening Canada’s sovereignty, the political salience of Trump’s tariffs and how they might affect Canada’s economy, the state of the Canadian left, the Bloc Québécois, and more. Learn mor...2025-04-2010 minAmerican PrestigeNews - Sudan Rival Government, US Pushing Ukraine-Russia Deal, US-Saudi Nuclear Tech TalksSubscribe now for an ad-free experience and much more content!One last news roundup without Derek, but Danny and Alex Jordan of the Quincy Institute are on the case!This week: the RSF announces plans to form a parallel government in Sudan (1:33); US-Iran nuclear negotiations continue in Oman (7:21); the US and Saudi Arabia discuss giving the Kingdom access to nuclear technology (14:19); the Trump trade war continues despite him dialing back certain tariffs (18:40); Xi Jinping tours Southeast Asia (22:44); President Nayib Bukele of El Salvador visits the White House amid the...2025-04-181h 11American PrestigeE207 - The Sino-Soviet Split, Pt. 1 w/ Jeremy FriedmanSubscribe now for an ad-free experience and much more content.Please listen to our Sino-Soviet primer episode for some background!Danny and Derek welcome back Jeremy Friedman, assistant professor in the Business, Government, and International Economy at Harvard, to talk about the Sino-Soviet Split. They lay out the state of play in the mid-1950s, the potential for détente, how the two powers are reconciling with their increasingly competing interests, the implications for the Soviet Union’s image among other communists in the wake of Khrushchev’s “secret speech”...2025-04-151h 01American PrestigeUnlocked: The Sino-Soviet Split Primer w/ Jeremy FriedmanIn anticipation for our two-part conversation on the Sino-Soviet split, we're reposting the episode we did laying the groundwork.Danny and Derek welcome Jeremy Friedman, Marvin Bower associate professor at Harvard Business School, for a discussion about the Sino-Soviet split. They talk about the early days of the revolutionary states’ relationship, the differences in their ideologies, the external forces shaping each nation’s trajectory, the heyday of their cooperation, and the beginning of the fissure in the mid-1950s. Grab a copy of Jeremy’s great book Shadow Cold War: T...2025-04-1444 minAmerican PrestigeBonus - South Africa: Land Policies, Musk, and a Crumbling Coalition w/ Ben FogelSubscribe now for the full episode!Danny and Derek welcome back to the program Ben Fogel, head of publishing at the Alameda Institute and contributing editor at Jacobin, to chat about South Africa. They get into the struggling coalition government, the stories of “white genocide” stemming from eminent domain policies, Musk and how South Africa helped make him the man he is today, the roles of neoliberal and racialized ideologies there, and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices2025-04-1310 minAmerican PrestigeSpecial - The Mahmoud Khalil Ruling w/ Branko Marcetic (Preview)Subscribe now for the full episode and access to all breaking news specials.Danny sits down with Jacobin’s Branko Marcetic to talk about yesterday's ruling that Columbia organizer Mahmoud Khalil may be deported for his political views. They discuss precedents, the use of Cold War anti-communist laws as a means to arrest and deport people, whether Trump actually cares about Israel, the power of the judiciary, and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices2025-04-1205 minAmerican PrestigeNews - Tariff Chaos, US-Iran Talks, Trump Considers Drones Against CartelsWe reluctantly approved Derek’s vacation time, but the news marches on, so Danny welcomes back to the show Alex Jordan of the Quincy Institute to help bring you headlines from around the world. They first take some time to catch up about where things stand with Trump 2.0 and critique what they see as premature analyses of this administration before getting into the news.This week: Trump goes back and forth on massive tariffs (16:47); US and Iranian officials are set to meet in Oman for direct nuclear talks (24:22); the US appears to be considering a...2025-04-111h 05American PrestigeE206 - Alternative Media, Trump 2.0, and the Moment in Politics w/ Katrina vanden HeuvelDanny and Derek welcome to the show Katrina vanden Heuvel, editorial director and publisher of The Nation, for a wide-ranging discussion on this moment in politics. They delve into the radicalization that led to Trump, the Democrats’ devotion to the Third Way, the need for a coherent leftwing media structure, Ukraine, NATO, the “Pivot to Asia”, the US empire, and what comes next. Subscribe now for an ad-free experience and much more content. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices2025-04-0856 minAmerican PrestigeBonus - Trump, Xi Jinping, and Tariffs w/ Andy Liu (Preview)Danny and Derek welcome to the show Andy Liu, professor of history at Villanova, for a discussion on Trump, Xi, their respective histories, and the current trade situation between the US and China. They explore Trump’s relationship with Japan in the 80s and how that helped shape his idea of trade and tariffs, the US security apparatus emboldening Trump’s “dealmaking”, Xi’s own background as a “nepo baby” in the transformative era of Deng Xiaoping, he and the Chinese government’s effort to move China from exporting mostly cheap goods to higher-end products, the current Trump administration’s actions and (lac...2025-04-0609 minAmerican PrestigeSpecial - The Trump Tariffs Escalate w/ Vivek Chibber (Preview)Danny and Derek welcome to the show Vivek Chibber, editor of Catalyst and host of the Confronting Capitalism podcast, to talk about the widespread tariffs Trump announced this week, what it would mean to try and bring back manufacturing to the US, the leftist critique of this approach, neoliberalism and neomercantilism, and what we might expect to happen.Subscribe now for the full episode and much more content. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices2025-04-0405 minAmerican PrestigeNews - US and Iran Inch Toward Conflict, Myanmar Earthquake, Trump TariffsThis week on the news roundup: the US and Iran are making moves risking escalation to a conflict (0:43); Israel rejects another Gaza ceasefire as it plans to carve up the Strip (7:28); the IDF resumes bombing Beirut (11:41); Myanmar suffers a devastating earthquake (13:44); the South Korea supreme court will rule on Yoon’s impeachment today (17:16); the Sudanese military secures the capital, Khartoum (18:38); the African Union sends a mediation team to South Sudan (20:26); the US approves a UK-Mauritius deal on the Chagos Archipelago (22:42); President Trump is now displeased with both Putin and Zelenskyy (24:54); President Bukele of El Salvador is reportedly in direct ta...2025-04-0442 minAmerican PrestigeE205 - Mobility in America’s Past, Present, and Future w/ Yoni AppelbaumYoni Appelbaum, a deputy executive editor at The Atlantic, joins the program to talk about his book Stuck: How the Privileged and the Propertied Broke the Engine of American Opportunity. They discuss mobility in the US and how that might sacrifice community for opportunity, the “frontier” as a way of taking land and easing class antagonism, the birth of American zoning from anti-Chinese practices in 19th century California, the move toward the single-family home and it being a symbol of the American identity, how we can make homes accessible once more for working Americans, and more. ...2025-04-011h 08American PrestigeBonus - The Constitutional Order Leading to Trump w/ Aziz Rana (Preview)Aziz Rana, J. Donald Monan, S.J., University Professor of Law and Government at Boston College, is back on the program to talk about the 20th and 21st century constitutional order leading to the current crisis under Trump. They delve into the attack on racial liberalism, the balance between the disavowed and embraced aspects of McCarthyism, the theory of the unitary executive, defending and regulating capitalism, the advent of the carceral state, and more.Read Aziz’s piece on the matter at New Left Review, “Constitutional Collapse”.Subscribe now for th...2025-03-3009 minAmerican PrestigeNews - Turkey Protests, Sudan Military Gains, Israel Takes More of GazaThis week in the world: the IDF seizes more territory in Gaza (1:01) and the Israeli government forms a “voluntary emigration bureau” (5:19), while protests against Hamas break out in the Strip (7:53); there’s unrest in Turkey over the arrest of Istanbul’s mayor (10:27); a court in South Korea overturns the impeachment of PM Han Duck-soo (13:31); in Sudan, the military makes major gains in Khartoum and kills scores in a Darfur airstrike (15:17); South Sudan VP Riek Machar is arrested, stirring up further unrest (18:40); the proposed ceasefire is in limbo in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (21:29); in Ukraine-Russia, talks make progress on matte...2025-03-2841 minAmerican PrestigeE203 - The CIA’s Imperial History, Pt 1 w/ Hugh WilfordHugh Wilford, professor of history at California State University, Long Beach, is on the program for the first of two episodes on his book The CIA: An Imperial History. In this first part, they explore the historiography of intelligence today, how the CIA fits into an imperial lens of US history, whether the CIA is a liberal way of managing the world, the agency’s origins and shift from intelligence gathering to covert actions, gender relations among officers, their families, and agency partners, individuals like Kim Roosevelt, and whether CIA personnel truly believed in the threat of communism....2025-03-251h 03American PrestigeBonus - The War in Ukraine in 2025 w/ Mark Ames (Preview)Danny and Derek welcome back to the program Mark Ames, co-host of Radio War Nerd, to talk about where things stand in the Russia-Ukraine conflict. They discuss Trump and Putin's relationship, the state of the Russian economy, the situation on the ground in Ukraine, Zelensky and Trump's infamous meeting, the so-called "minerals deal", Trump potentially recognizing Crimea as Russian territory, and more. Subscribe now for the full episode! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices2025-03-2306 minAmerican PrestigeNews - Israel Breaks Ceasefire, US Bombs Yemen, DRC Fighting ContinuesIn this week’s news: Israelis break the Gaza ceasefire (0:33); Trump resumes America’s war on Yemen’s Ansar Allah/Houthis (6:09); clashes break out on the border of Syria and Lebanon (10:15); a presidential candidate is arrested in Turkey (12:27); the South Sudan peace process continues to break down (16:02); calls for a ceasefire go unheeded in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (18:16); the US expels the ambassador from South Africa (21:08); in Russia-Ukraine news, Trump and Putin talk by phone (23:24) while the Kursk operation is effectively over (26:32); Canada welcomes its new prime minister, Mark Carney (28:45); and Donald Trump ignores a court ruling in ord...2025-03-2039 minAmerican PrestigeE202 - The End of Resistance History w/ Charlotte RosenDanny and Derek speak with Chicago-based historian and writer Charlotte Rosen about the end of so-called “Resistance history”, a particular strain of liberal historiography that emerged during the first Trump administration. They talk about Resistance history’s defining characteristics, how it might have been an overcorrection to defend liberal democracy against attacks by Trump, how historians who engaged in this form of history viewed it as political action, some of the movement’s biggest figures, the apparent elitism and self-promotion among its proponents, the AHA and the decline of the history profession, and more.Read Cha...2025-03-181h 07American PrestigeBonus - Is the Rules-Based Order Dependent on the US? w/ Charli Carpenter (Preview)Danny and Derek speak with Charli Carpenter, professor at UMass-Amherst, about US influence on the “rules-based order”. They discuss whether this “system” has become the US unilaterally delegating the rules, how the Biden administration undercut any remaining semblance of these norms, America’s cynical use of this concept in a context like Ukraine, the decline of mass politics in foreign policy decision-making, what mechanism might exist to stop rogue actors like Trump, and more. Read Charli's article, "The Rules-Based Order Is Less Dependent on the U.S. Than Biden’s Critics Think". Learn mo...2025-03-1605 minAmerican PrestigeNews - US-Ukraine Ceasefire Proposal, Duterte Arrested on ICC Warrant, Sea Ice at Lowest Recorded LevelThis week on the news roundup: the Copernicus Climate Change Service reports that global sea ice fell to the lowest level ever recorded in February (1:18); Alawites in northwestern Syria have been massacred over several days (3:19) while the government and SDF cut a deal (6:49); Israel intensifies its blockade of Gaza (9:38) as the US proposes a new compromise for the Strip (10:55); Armenia and Azerbaijan look to be on the cusp of a peace agreement (14:31); the Philippines arrests former president Rodrigo Duterte on an ICC warrant (16:30); Trump and China’s Xi Jinping might hold a summit in June (19:23); the crisis in South Su...2025-03-1446 minAmerican PrestigeSpecial - The Arrest of Mahmoud Khalil w/ Spencer AckermanSpencer Ackerman of Forever Wars joins the program to talk about the arrest by ICE of activist Mahmoud Khalil. Read Spencer's piece on the matter, "Mahmoud Khalil's Detention Is A War on Terror Milestone". Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices2025-03-1239 minAmerican PrestigeRe-Post - Jewish Anti-Imperialism from the 1930s Onward w/ Benjamin BalthasarChag Purim Sameach! Enjoy this discussion from 2022 where Danny speaks with Benjamin Balthasar, associate professor of English at Indiana University-South Bend, about the history of Jewish anti-imperialism from the 1930s until today.Subscribe today for more episodes like this and ad-free content. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices2025-03-121h 04American PrestigeE201 - Sheriffs as Members of the Security State w/ Jessica PishkoIndependent journalist and lawyer Jessica Pishko sits down with Danny and Derek to talk about sheriffs and the power that they hold. The group explores the rise of sheriffs in the 1820s under Andrew Jackson, their unique position as both law enforcement officers and politicians, their relationship to militias, the rise of “constitutional sheriffs”, figures from Wyatt Earp to Joe Arpaio, sheriffs and border policy, and more.Be sure to pick up a copy of Jessica’s book The Highest Law in the Land: How the Unchecked Power of Sheriffs Threatens Democracy. 2025-03-111h 04American PrestigeBonus - Marx as a Jewish Thinker w/ Paul Reitter (Preview)Danny and Derek welcome back to the podcast Paul Reitter, professor of Germanic languages and literature at the Ohio State University, this time for a discussion on Karl Marx through the lens of his Judaism and how that might illuminate new elements of his work or reshape our thinking of it. They talk about Marx’s place among other radical Jewish thinkers from the Rhineland, ideas of Jewish masculinity in his era, Jewish intellectuals becoming prominent atheists, how Marx’s background might have inspired his focus on the proletariat, and more.Be sure to grab...2025-03-0909 minAmerican PrestigeAP x Nonzero - Trump’s Disruptive Foreign PolicyThe bi-monthly collaboration between AP and Nonzero Newsletter continues! Our dear paid subscribers also get access to the additional "Overtime" conversation and a discounted membership to Nonzero, so subscribe now for that and much more content!Video0:00 What could go right with Trump’s foreign policy?7:47 Trump’s Bibi-pleasing Middle East path 13:25 How would Europe-led defence of Europe work?15:31 What most miss about the Oval Office blowup19:20 Has relying on America doomed Ukraine? 26:29 Heading to Overtime Lear...2025-03-0829 minAmerican PrestigeNews - PKK Ceasefire, Ukraine Aid in Question, BlackRock Targets Panama CanalThis week in the news roundup: the Gaza truce expires and Israel resumes its blockade (0:29); the Arab League proposes a “day after” plan for the Strip which Trump rejects (5:53); the US is negotiating directly with Hamas (10:30); the PKK declares a ceasefire in Turkey (13:24); fighting breaks out on the border of Afghanistan and Pakistan (15:10); a political crisis emerges in South Sudan (20:04); in Ukraine news, Zelensky embarks on a “repentance tour” while Trump suspends arms (22:00); the EU considers the “ReArm Europe” plan (28:59); BlackRock is buying up Panama Canal ports (31:08); and updates on the Trump tariff front (33:55).Subscribe no...2025-03-0744 minAmerican PrestigeE200 - The End of the PKK with Gönül Tol and Djene BajalanDerek welcomes back to the program Gönül Tol, senior fellow at the Middle East Institute, and Djene Bajalan, associate professor of history at Missouri State University, to talk about leader Abdullah Öcalan’s call last week for the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) to disarm and disband. They talk about Öcalan’s history in this conflict, the need to manage his constituencies when announcing this ceasefire, how this fits into Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s plans, whether this move could broaden rights and protections for Kurds in Turkey, the potential implications for Syria, what this means for Kurds els...2025-03-051h 13American PrestigeBonus - The Military and Video Games w/ Jesse Robertson (Preview)Jesse Robertson, writer and doctoral student in history at Harvard University, sits down with Danny to talk about the history of video games and their connection with the Pentagon. They explore the history going back to 1962’s Spacewar!, the army’s turn toward creating simulations in the 1970s and SIMNET, the neoliberal turn of more private companies developing military gaming, the Doom series, figures like Michael Zyda leading the connection between the Pentagon and the digital entertainment sector, the Call of Duty series, and more. Subscribe now for the full episode!Re...2025-03-0205 minAmerican PrestigeSpecial - The Trump and Zelensky Falling-OutDanny and Derek talk about yesterday's hostile meeting between Donald Trump and Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky in front of the media and what that might signal for the two countries' relations going forward.Subscribe now for the full episode! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices2025-03-0105 minAmerican PrestigeNews - PKK Disarmament, US/Ukraine Mineral Deal, German ElectionDanny and Derek, the greatest news anchors since Lennon/McCartney. This week: Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) leader Abdullah Ocalan calls for the group’s disarmament (0:32); Syria hosts a “National Dialogue” conference to work through the country’s transition (6:34); Israel and Hamas salvage a hostage deal, but the end looms on Saturday (10:07); Yoon’s impeachment trial concludes in South Korea (20:46); in Sudan, increased fighting rages around Al-Fashir (23:27), the military makes gains in the country’s south (25:13), and the RSF and military set up dueling governments (26:43); Ukraine and the US potentially agree on a minerals deal (29:42); the results of the German election (34:4...2025-02-2854 minAmerican PrestigeE199 - MAGA Defense Cuts? w/ William HartungWilliam Hartung, a senior research fellow focusing on the arms industry and US military budget at the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, joins the program to discuss reports that the Trump administration is planning “sweeping budget cuts” for the Pentagon. They talk about these “cuts” being more accurately termed “reinvestments” into other areas, the enormous amount of defense spending and the culture that engendered this, how the defense industry has changed in the past 20 years, actual moves that could meaningfully reduce the military budget like reducing bloated systems (F-35s, aircraft carriers) and overseas bases, whether there exists an influential...2025-02-2558 minAmerican PrestigeBonus - Musk and Silicon Valley in the Government w/ Becca Lewis and Eoin Higgins (Preview)Derek welcomes to the program Becca Lewis, postdoctoral scholar at the Stanford Department of Communication, and Eoin Higgins, journalist and author of Owned: How Tech Billionaires on the Right Bought the Loudest Voices on the Left, for a discussion about Elon Musk, his role in the new Trump administration, and how Silicon Valley has interacted with the government since the 1990s. They talk about what exactly Musk seems to be doing, how he is leveraging his new access for business interests, the precedent of unelected positions in the executive branch, the reactionary tech industry showing its true colors, the...2025-02-2309 minAmerican PrestigeNews - US-Ukraine Tension, RSF Attempts to Form Government in Sudan, Trump Proposes Defense Budget CutsDanny and Derek are back with the news, but without much of a choice. This week: the US and Russia meet in Riyadh to discuss future bilateral discussions to end the war in Ukraine (0:38); Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Donald Trump feud in public comments (3:38); The Daily Telegraph reports on a US mineral rights deal that Zelenskyy rejected (8:22); in Israel-Palestine news, Saturday’s hostage exchange was successful (12:55) and Hamas offers an expedited hostage release schedule (15:08); Israel decides to ignore the withdrawal deadline in Lebanon (19:32); the US State Department decides to change the wording on a fact sheet about Taiwan an...2025-02-2148 minAmerican PrestigeE198 - A Stable, Post-Unipolar World w/ Trita Parsi and Aslı BâliDanny and Derek are joined by Trita Parsi, executive vice president of the Quincy Institute, and Aslı Bâli, professor of law at Yale Law School and nonresident fellow at Quincy, to talk about the Institute’s Better Order Project, a collaboration between over 130 people from more than 40 countries creating proposals for a stable, multipolar world. They talk about the vision of moving beyond the current “rules-based” order in favor of an inclusive, global one rooted in international law, the major variables around which the project’s proposals and reforms are organized, how to address great powers prioritizing short-term, political...2025-02-181h 01American PrestigeBonus - (Mis)understanding the Political Right in 2025 w/ Matthew Ellis (Preview)Danny and Derek speak with Matthew Ellis, professor of literature and film at Portland State University, about how to understand the right in this particular moment. They talk about Elon Musk’s infamous Roman salute at Trump’s inauguration, how the right engages with these symbols, media literacy among liberals and the left, the business model around outrage, the end of mass culture, Trump’s rhetorical similarities to fascists, lost opportunities to reform liberalism over the last 20 years, and more. Subscribe now to hear the full episode! Learn more about your a...2025-02-1609 minAmerican PrestigeNews - Trump and Putin Talk Ukraine Ceasefire, M23 Continues DRC Advance, Sudan's Forces Make GainsDanny and Derek reveal their true faces. This week: Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin agree to start bilateral peace talks for the war in Ukraine (1:05), with anticipated fallout for the latter nation (6:17); Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth makes some frank comments on Europe, Ukraine, and NATO (8:06); an update on the situation in Israel-Palestine, including Hamas threatening to delay the next hostage release over Israeli transgressions (12:06) and Trump continuing to push a US takeover of Gaza (16:53); in Lebanon, a new government is formed (21:22) and the IDF seeks to extend its occupation there (23:28); a Washington Post report suggests Israel might be...2025-02-1450 minAmerican PrestigeE197 - American Jews, Israel, and Palestine w/ Peter BeinartPeter Beinart speaks with Danny and Derek about his book Being Jewish After the Destruction of Gaza: A Reckoning, American Jews’ conception of and relationship with Israel, and how things have changed since the start of the genocide in Gaza. They explore why Peter centers being Jewish at this moment, what he’s seen happen in the Jewish community since October 7, Palestinian dehumanization among American Jews, liberal Zionism and the two-state solution, the loss of agency for Palestinians, American Jewish institutions, and more. Subscribe now for an ad-free experience and much more content. 2025-02-111h 02American PrestigeBonus - American Idealism and the Struggling Left w/ Nathan J. Robinson (Preview)Danny and Derek welcome to the program Nathan J. Robinson, editor of Current Affairs, to talk about the state of the left as well as the book he recently co-authored with Noam Chomsky, The Myth of American Idealism: How U.S. Foreign Policy Endangers the World. They explore what role the myth plays, the international turn in history, understanding propaganda and the American polity, the left’s rejection by the liberal coalition in the US, what we can do in terms of strategy and tactics, and whether a new labor movement can contend with the massive new billionaire class al...2025-02-0905 minAmerican PrestigeNews - Rubio in Latin America, M23 Ceasefire Ends, Trump Proposes Gaza TakeoverThis week: Donald Trump proposes the US take over the Gaza Strip (0:32), prompting mixed responses at home (9:16) as well as abroad (15:18); the US vows to return to a "maximum pressure" Iran policy (17:08); in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the M23 ceasefire fizzles out (20:04); Trump threatens to cut off funding to South Africa over certain land policies (22:10); Ukraine offers minerals in exchange for Trump's support (25:02); Secretary of State Marco Rubio travels to Latin America, addressing tension over the Panama Canal (28:37), entertaining an offer from El Salvador to take in US convicts (30:44), as well as an offer from Guatemala...2025-02-0744 minAmerican PrestigeSpecial - USAID: Trump's Attack and a History w/ Jonathan Guyer and Timothy Gill (Preview)Danny and Derek speak with Jonathan Guyer, program manager at the Institute for Global Affairs at Eurasia Group, about the Trump administration's attack on USAID. They then speak with Timothy Gill of the University of Tennessee about the organization's background. Subscribe now for the full episode! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices2025-02-0510 minAmerican PrestigeE196 - M23, the DRC, and Rwanda w/ Marie-Rose TshiteDerek speaks with Marie-Rose Tshite, a peacebuilding advocate and Ph.D. student in Political Science with a concentration in Feminist Comparative and International Politics at the University of Cincinnati, about M23 and the situation in Goma, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). They explore the group’s origins, its ties with the Rwandan government, other external actors, the recent seizure of Goma, minerals and the economic factors driving the conflict, the humanitarian situation, and more.Read Marie-Rose’s recent article on Congolese women's experiences during the Second Congolese War between 1998 and 2003, “Capturing Congolese Women’s Memori...2025-02-0453 minAmerican PrestigeSpecial - The Trump Tariffs w/ Marshall Steinbaum (Preview)Economist Marshall Steinbaum joins Danny and Derek to try and make sense of the tariffs Donald Trump is imposing on Canada, Mexico, and China. They succeed in part. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices2025-02-0305 minAmerican PrestigeBonus - Biden’s Foreign Policy Legacy w/ Jeet Heer (Preview)Danny and Derek welcome to the program Jeet Heer, national affairs correspondent for The Nation, to talk about his new piece “How Biden’s Foreign Policy Destroyed His Presidency”. They discuss Biden’s origins and FP grounding, his conception of himself as an FP specialist, his fondness for military Keynesianism, how his views changed in the Obama era, the sanctions regime, his policies toward Ukraine and Israel-Palestine, “democracy vs autocracy”, and more. Subscribe now for the full episode! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices2025-02-0209 minAmerican PrestigeNews - Sudan Army Advances, IDF Remains in Lebanon, US Foreign Aid FreezeThe paperboy has been laid off, but fear not, for Danny and Derek are here with the headlines. This week: in Israel-Palestine, detainees were exchanged on Thursday (0:31), the IDF continues its operation in the West Bank (6:05), an update on the humanitarian situation in Gaza (7:40), and Trump proposes the idea of ethnically cleansing the Strip (10:34); in Lebanon, the IDF ignores its withdrawal deadline (15:02); in Syria, the political transition continues (17:00), the IDF remains in the country’s south (19:04), and negotiations with Russia are underway over its bases in Syria as well as the fate of Bashar al-Assad (20:32); the rollout of China’s De...2025-01-3147 minAmerican PrestigeE195 - Decolonization as Advocacy, Pt. 2 w/ Lydia WalkerLydia Walker, historian at Ohio State University, is back with Danny and Derek to conclude the conversation about her book States-in-Waiting: A Counternarrative of Global Decolonization. This time, the group explores post-colonial states following colonial borders, how business interests shaped things in states like Namibia, progressive capitalism, how the Cold War defined horizons of political possibility for nationalist actors, legitimacy as dictated by outside forces, and where decolonization stands in the modern day.Subscribe now for much more content and ad-free episodes! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone...2025-01-281h 00American PrestigeBonus - Biden's Legacy and Trump's Return w/ Alex Aviña and Emily Tamkin (Preview)Alexander Aviña, associate professor of history at Arizona State University, and journalist Emily Tamkin join Danny and Derek for a final look at what Joe Biden leaves as his legacy, impressions of Trump's inauguration, and the current state of American politics as the executive branch makes this transition. Topics include the Democrats and what they believe in 2025 (if anything), discourse around immigration and the border, the multiracial coalition that brought Trump back to power, Musk's antics and the state of American Jewish politics, Trump's first executive orders, and more. Subscribe now for the f...2025-01-2608 minAmerican PrestigeNews - Trump's First Week, Colombia Rebel Fighting, M23 Advances in DRCDanny and Derek plug into the mainframe. This week: in Gaza, the ceasefire takes effect (0:37), allowing a surge of humanitarian aid (3:51), the latter being partly facilitated by Hamas’s police force back in power (5:50). Meanwhile, an agreement on the second phase of the ceasefire remains to be seen (7:56); the IDF launches a new operation in the West Bank (14:38); negotiations between the government and SDF continue in Syria (17:11); Turkey hints at a possible thaw with the Kurdish PKK (20:13); Afghan refugees who’d already been granted asylum are stranded after Trump’s executive order (24:54); China brokers a new ceasefire in Myanmar (27:49); M23 ma...2025-01-2453 minAmerican PrestigeE194 - Decolonization as Advocacy, Pt. 1 w/ Lydia WalkerDanny and Derek speak with Lydia Walker, historian at Ohio State University, about her book States-in-Waiting: A Counternarrative of Global Decolonization. The group discusses narratives of decolonization that Lydia wanted to challenge before exploring the “transnational advocacy network” and non-state actors she features in the book like Naga nationalist leader Angami Zapu Phizo, Indian politician Jayaprakash Narayan, anti-apartheid minister Michael Scott, the latter two’s World Peace Brigade and “anti-Algiers” initiative, and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices2025-01-2153 minAmerican PrestigeUnlocked - The Ceasefire in Gaza w/ Mohammad AlsaafinDanny and Derek welcome back to the program Mohammad Alsaafin, journalist at AJ+, to talk about the ceasefire in Gaza. They go into detail about the ceasefire itself, the reaction in Gaza, the respective roles of the Biden administration and the incoming Trump administration, what the ruling body might look like in Gaza following this, the implications for normalization with Israel, and more.Read Mohammad's piece on the ceasefire for The Nation, "We Have a Ceasefire Deal, but This Isn’t the End". For an ad-free experience, immediate access to...2025-01-201h 01American PrestigeBonus - Capitalism and Fire in the 19th Century United States w/ Daniel Immerwahr (Preview)Danny and Derek welcome back to the program historian Daniel Immerwahr to talk about his piece “All That Is Solid Bursts into Flame: Capitalism and Fire in the Nineteenth-Century United States”. They delve into the general significance of fire in American and Western European history, “hot and cold capitalism”, fire as a way to obfuscate history, seminal fires in the American psyche, economic incumbents vs insurgents, great American fortunes and their relationship to fire, and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices2025-01-1907 minAmerican PrestigeSpecial - The American Historical Association and the Palestine Exception w/ Ussama MakdisiUssama Makdisi, May Ziadeh Chair in Palestinian and Arab Studies and professor of history at UC Berkeley, speaks with Danny about the American Historical Society's decision to veto the resolution opposing Israeli scholasticide in Gaza. Subscribe now for an ad-free experience and lots of extra content. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices2025-01-1830 minAmerican PrestigeNews - Gaza Ceasefire, Yoon Arrested, Farewell to BidenDanny and Derek with your pre-Shabbat news roundup. This week: the terms and concerns of the Gaza ceasefire (0:30); Lebanon elects Nawaf Salam as its new PM (8:02); worries arise over foreign fighters in Syria’s new administration (12:21); in Sudan, the military takes Wad Madani, leading to reprisal killings (14:40); Somalia and Ethiopia agree to restore full relations (18:59); the TikTok saga continues (21:28); President Yoon of South Korea is finally arrested (23:55); in Russia-Ukraine, the US issues new sanctions (26:27) and Russia makes more advances (29:11); the US removes Cuba from the state sponsors of terrorism list (30:57); and Danny and Derek bid farewell to Joseph Robinette Bi...2025-01-1745 minAmerican PrestigeSpecial - The Gaza Ceasefire w/ Mohammad Alsaafin (Preview)Danny and Derek welcome back to the program Mohammad Alsaafin, journalist at AJ+, to talk about the ceasefire in Gaza. They go into detail about the ceasefire itself, the reaction in Gaza, the respective roles of the Biden administration and the incoming Trump administration, what the ruling body might look like in Gaza following this, the implications for normalization with Israel, and more.Read Mohammad's piece on the ceasefire for The Nation, "We Have a Ceasefire Deal, but This Isn’t the End". Subscribe now for the full episode....2025-01-1608 minAmerican PrestigeE193 - Israeli Domestic Politics w/ Udi GreenbergUdi Greenberg, associate professor of history at Dartmouth, is back on the podcast to talk about the state of politics within Israel. They discuss the major factors driving domestic politics, the ruling coalition, ultra-Orthodox military exemption, the “centrist” faction, Yoav Gallant, the politics around national security, Israeli media narratives about Gaza, resettling the Strip, and more.Subscribe now for bonus episodes and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices2025-01-1452 minAmerican PrestigeSpecial - Domestic Acts of Violence and Military Veterans w/ Lyle Jeremy Rubin (Preview)Danny and Derek welcome back Lyle Jeremy Rubin, veteran of the war in Afghanistan, host of the Bang-Bang podcast, and author of the memoir Pain is Weakness Leaving the Body: A Marine’s Unbecoming, to talk about the January 1 attacks allegedly perpetrated by two former American servicemen. They discuss the attacks themselves (one in New Orleans and one in Las Vegas), the manifesto from the New Orleans attack, domestic violence, the ideologies at play, and more.Subscribe now for the full episode! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm...2025-01-1206 minAmerican PrestigeBonus - 20th Century Iraq and the Rise of Ba'athism, Ep. 4 w/ Brandon Wolf-Hunnicutt (Preview)Brandon Wolfe-Hunnicutt, associate professor of history at California State University, Stanislaus, is back to conclude the series on his book The Paranoid Style in American Diplomacy: Oil and Arab Nationalism in Iraq. The group delves into the aftermath of the 1963 coups, American narratives that formed around the Middle East in light of "petro dollar Christianity", President Abdul Salam Arif, the founding of the Iraq National Oil Company, the Ba'athist return in the 1968 17 July Revolution, and the state of play in US-Iraqi relations in the 1970s. Subscribe now for the full episode! 2025-01-1208 minAmerican PrestigeAP x Nonzero - Jimmy Carter vs. Donald Trump w/ Robert WrightThe bi-monthly collaboration between AP and Nonzero Newsletter continues! Our dear paid subscribers also get access to the additional "Overtime" conversation and a discounted membership to Nonzero, so subscribe now for that and much more content!Video0:00 The NonZero-American Prestige punk-rock crossover continues1:49 Is it time to freak out about Trump?9:06 Are international norms eroding?21:16 Jimmy Carter’s legacy28:38 Heading to Overtime Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices2025-01-1031 min
Foreign Exchanges: the PodcastThe Institutions Behind US Foreign Policy, with Daniel BessnerUniversity of Washington professor, Quincy Institute fellow, and (above all) Foreign Exchanges columnist Daniel Bessner joins me for a chat about his first two FX pieces, the development of US foreign policy and the foreign policy establishment in DC, and some of the structural obstacles to overhauling that foreign policy for leftists.There are lots of links for this one:* Daniel’s first two FX pieces are here and here* You can read his piece on the Military-Intellectual Complex at The New Republic* The Center for International Policy’s new study on t...2020-10-161h 06
Foreign Exchanges: the PodcastThe Dollar's Role in American Empire, with David Adler and Daniel Bessner (PODCAST 2-04-2020)David Adler of the Democracy in Europe Movement and the University of Washington’s Daniel Bessner join me to discuss the US dollar’s global influence and how that it with the more overtly military aspects of Empire USA. Their recent The New Republic piece is called “To End Forever War, End the Dollar’s Global Dominance.” Enjoy! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.foreignexchanges.news/subscribe2020-02-0458 min