The unfolding catastrophe of Trump’s war on Iran with David Rothkopf.

Guest host Joe Cirincione interviews David Rothkopf. Rothkopf is the host of the Deep State Radio podcast. He is also Chief Global Affairs Columnist at the Daily Beast and was formerly the editor-in-chief of Foreign Policy magazine. He has taught at Columbia, Georgetown and Johns Hopkins universities. He was the Deputy Undersecretary of Commerce in the Clinton Administration and is the author of ten books including, most recently, Traitor: A History of Betraying America from Benedict Arnold to Donald Trump. His newsletter "Need to Know" is available at davidrothkopf.substack.com. Cirincione talks with Rothkopf about what he calls the unfolding catastrophe of Trump’s war on Iran, arguing the U.S. has repeatedly failed in Southwest Asia and that this conflict has achieved neither tactical nor strategic objectives, while causing greater-than-reported damage to U.S. bases and eroding trust in military and government accounts. Rothkopf says the war has weakened U.S. alliances, empowered Iran, Russia, and China, and further damaged America’s global standing, while also tying U.S. policy to an increasingly destabilizing Israeli government. The conversation then shifts to domestic consequences, with Rothkopf alleging Trump has monetized the presidency through pervasive corruption, including favors, pardons, and an IRS-related settlement he calls theft from the Treasury. Rothkopf remains hopeful but warns against complacency, argues accountability and progress are linked, and urges resistance ahead of 2026 elections.

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