Episode Details

Jessica Tarlov sits down with historian and On Tyranny author Timothy Snyder to tackle a big question: what does history tell us about where Trump’s war in Iran could be headed?

Trump rose to power blasting regime-change wars. Now, after U.S. strikes in Iran and calls for political upheaval, he’s embracing the language of liberation. Jessica and Tim explore the historical parallels — from past American interventions in the Middle East to the familiar pattern of presidents whose views evolve once they’re in office. Does bombing a country weaken authoritarian regimes — or harden them? And when leaders promise freedom without a clear plan, who ends up paying the price?

Then they shift to the first major primary night of the midterm cycle. In Texas, state Rep. James Talarico won the Democratic Senate primary, while Republicans saw John Cornyn fend off challenges from Wesley Hunt and Ken Paxton — sending the GOP race to a runoff. With voting confusion in Dallas and dueling court rulings over polling hours, what does it signal for November — and for the broader state of American democracy?

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