Shows
Cosmopolitics by Elise LabottPete Hegseth’s “Pep Rally”PROGRAMMING NOTE: Hot Takes Happy Hour with myself and Danielle Pletka will take place FRIDAY at 4p in observation of Yom Kippur. May all those who celebrate have an easy and peaceful fast. There was so much news this week - Friday’s discussion should be next level! This week’s meeting at Quantico—and the remarks from both President Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to the assembled generals and admirals—drew shock, condemnation, some agreement, and plenty of memes. Most importantly, it raised critical questions about whether the U.S. military under Trump and Hegs...
2025-10-0231 min
Cosmopolitics by Elise LabottA former US Mideast negotiator on Trump‘s Gaza planPROGRAMMING NOTE: Join me TODAY at NOON for a Substack live with Barbara Starr, former CNN Pentagon correspondent and current USC Annenberg fellow. We’ll discuss the unprecedented meeting between President Trump, Pete Hegseth, and American military generals, Hegseth’s proposed “warrior ethos” culture, the president’s suggestion to use American cities as military training grounds, and the latest Pentagon restrictions on journalists. Barbara’s analysis is sharp, thoughtful, and essential—don’t miss it.If you missed my conversation with Aaron David Miller, the recording is essential viewing. Aaron joined us for his first Substack Live—an...
2025-10-0146 min
Cosmopolitics by Elise LabottIs America becoming militarized?For those who missed my conversation with Barbara Starr, I highly recommend giving it a listen. Barbara's Pentagon reporting and deep knowledge of America's armed forces ranks among the finest in journalism, and her incisive analysis of the Trump administration's escalating operations against drug cartels in the Caribbean, the deployment of National Guard forces to American cities, and the recent rebranding of the Defense Department as the Department of War is both sharp and sobering. She also had some good insights on Russia’s recent testing of NATO by sending drones to Poland and Israel’s audacious strike in Qata...
2025-09-1130 min
Cosmopolitics by Elise LabottBarbara Starr on Trump's Los Angeles troop deploymentWhen President Trump deployed the National Guard and Marines to Los Angeles, the first person I wanted to speak with for the Cosmopolitics community was Barbara Starr, my friend and former colleague at CNN, where she covered the Pentagon for decades.Understanding the traditional role the military is meant to play in our society is crucial to grasping just how precarious this moment is. As protests spread throughout the country and Trump threatens to send troops to other cities as well, both the politicization of our military and the militarization of law enforcement have consequences that extend...
2025-06-1228 min