Shows / Pod Save the World
Pod Save the World
“Pod Save America” cohost Tommy Vietor thought foreign policy was boring and complicated until he got the education of a lifetime working for President Obama’s National Security Council. On “Pod Save the World,” he and former deputy national security adviser Ben Rhodes break down the latest global developments and bring you behind the scenes with the people who were there. New episodes every Wednesday. To get access to extended ad-free Pod Save The World episodes, sign up to be a Friends of the…
Episodes
- Pod Save the World
Zelensky's Plea To Congress
Tommy and Ben discuss the dire humanitarian situation on the ground in Gaza and the disconnect between the Biden administration’s words and deeds when it comes…
- Pod Save the World
Henry Kissinger’s Complicated Legacy
Tommy and Ben discuss the latest news from Gaza, including Israeli forces moving into southern Gaza, the Biden administration’s shift from a “hug Bibi”…
- Pod Save the World
How Long Will The Ceasefire In Gaza Hold?
Ben and Tommy discuss the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas and how the US and Qatar helped broker it, Qatar’s unique role in international diplomacy…
- Pod Save the World
Climate Special: A Look Ahead At COP28
In a special episode, Tommy and Ben discuss the upcoming COP28 conference in the United Arab Emirates. They speak about the climate summit’s importance, hear…
- Pod Save the World
Hospitals Under Siege In Gaza
Tommy and Ben discuss the latest news out of Israel and Gaza, including the legality of targeting hospitals, French President Emmanuel Macron’s call for a…
- Pod Save the World
One Month of War Between Israel and Hamas
Tommy and Ben talk about where the world stands one month after Hamas’ attack on Israel, including the declaration from Gaza’s health ministry that 10,000…
- Pod Save the World
The Israeli Ground Invasion Begins
Tommy and Ben talk about the latest news out of Israel and Gaza, including the Israeli ground offensive, the death of over 3,000 children in Gaza, a rise in…
- Pod Save the World
America's Warning To Israel
Tommy and Ben discuss the latest news from Israel and Gaza including the staggering figures of over 5,000 civilians dead in Gaza, the slow pace of aid arrival…
- Pod Save the World
Biden Heads To Israel
Tommy and Ben talk about the breaking news of an airstrike hitting a hospital in Gaza, killing hundreds of staff, patients, and civilians. They also discuss…
- Pod Save the World
Breaking: Israel Tells Civilians In Gaza To Evacuate
Tommy and Ben talk about the developing situation in Gaza where 1.1 million people have been told to evacuate northern Gaza in advance of an anticipated ground…
- Pod Save the World
What’s next for Israel and Gaza?
Tommy and Ben talk about the latest from Israel and Gaza, including the Netanyahu government’s policy and intelligence failures, the devastating toll on…
- Pod Save the World
Hamas Goes To War With Israel
In a special episode, Ben and Tommy talk about the deadly terrorist attack by Hamas on Israel, how Israel’s intelligence community failed to detect it, Israeli…
- Pod Save the World
Will Republicans Kill Support For Ukraine?
Tommy and Ben talk about the waning support for financing the war in Ukraine, both in the US Congress and in Europe, Elon Musk’s visit to the southern border…
- Pod Save the World
Don’t Clap For Nazis
Tommy and Ben talk about the foreign policy implications of Senator Menendez’s corruption charges, the Biden administration’s move to grant temporary protected…
- Pod Save the World
Canada Accuses India of Assassination
Tommy and Ben talk about Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s accusation that India may have been behind the murder of a Sikh Canadian citizen, the…
- Pod Save the World
Secretary of State Antony Blinken
Tommy and Ben talk about Kim Jong Un’s trip to meet with Vladimir Putin, Viktor Bout’s entrance into local Russian politics, Armenia’s diplomatic shift away…
- Pod Save the World
Kim Jong Un and Putin’s Budding Bromance
Ben and guest host Max Fisher talk about the latest headlines on the Russia/Ukraine war, including Putin’s refusal to sign a new grain deal with Turkey’s…
- Pod Save the World
Spain’s #MeToo moment?
Ben and Tommy talk about the fallout after Spain’s head soccer official kissed star player Jennifer Hermoso, BRICS announcing the addition of six countries…
- Pod Save the World
Wagner Leader Prigozhin Killed?
In a special episode, Tommy and Ben talk about the developing story of the alleged deaths of Wagner Group leaders Yevgeny Prigozhin and Dmitry Utkin in a plane…
- Pod Save the World
Has Ukraine’s counteroffensive stalled?
Tommy and Ben talk about negative headlines surrounding Ukraine’s counteroffensive, Russian warlord Yevgeny Prigozhin’s re-emergence in Africa, a Human Rights…
- Pod Save the World
Tripping Balls with Janet Yellen
Tommy and Ben talk about a US hostage deal with Iran, a far-right frontrunner in the Argentina presidential election, a presidential candidate murdered in…
- Pod Save the World
Ukraine Sea Drones and Peace Talks
Tommy and Ben talk about the global response to the coup in Niger, Ukraine’s sea drone attacks and peace talks in Saudi Arabia, new polling about approval…
- Pod Save the World
Russian War Crimes and a Coup in Niger
Tommy and Ben talk about a coup in Niger, progress on the Ukrainian counteroffensive, drone attacks on Moscow, Yevgeny Prigozhin attends a summit of African…
- Pod Save the World
Israel’s Judicial Coup, and Samantha Power on Ukraine
Tommy and Ben talk about the gutting of Israel’s judicial system, and the (lack of) response from the US. They also discuss good-ish news from the elections in…
- Pod Save the World
Ukraine and the 2024 Presidential Campaign
Tommy and Ben talk about Russia pulling out of a vital grain initiative with Ukraine, 2024 Republican primary candidate views on Ukraine, Trump and Taiwan, the…
- Pod Save the World
NATO Grows on Russia’s Borders
Max Fisher joins Ben to discuss the ever-weirder Prigozhin circus, the last-second drama over bringing Sweden into NATO, whether Ukraine should join, the U.S…
- Pod Save the World
Trump’s Self-incriminating Audio
Ben and Tommy talk about the fallout from Wagner Group’s aborted mutiny in Russia, the status of Ukraine’s counteroffensive, new audio of Trump knowingly…
- Pod Save the World
A Russian Coup Against Putin? (Bonus Pod!)
Ben and Tommy talk about the extraordinary failed coup attempt against Vladimir Putin by Yevgeny Prigozhin and the Wagner mercenary group in Russia. They cover…
- Pod Save the World
Tony Blinken goes to China
Today’s episode covers: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the US, Trump’s interview on Fox News about the Mar-a-Lago document indictment, new…
- Pod Save the World
How Trump’s Mar-a-lago Docs Endanger National Security
Tommy and Ben talk about the national security implications of Trump’s Mar-a-Lago document indictment, China’s eavesdropping base in Cuba, Ukraine’s military…
- Pod Save the World
Did Ukraine bomb the Nord Stream pipeline?
Ben and Tommy talk about a blockbuster report that Ukraine bombed the Nord Stream natural gas pipelines, the bombing of a dam in Ukraine, accountability for…
- Pod Save the World
Lindsey Graham’s Russian Arrest Warrant
Tommy and Ben talk about an anti-LGBTQ law in Uganda, violent protests in Kosovo and more reports on Trump’s handling of classified documents. They also…
- Pod Save the World
The War Goes to Russia
Tommy and Ben talk about President Zelensky’s travel to the Arab League and G7 summits, Biden’s policy change on training Ukrainian pilots to fly F-16s…
- Pod Save the World
Zelensky’s Secret War Plan
On today’s episode, Max Fisher and Tommy discuss reports that a close Putin ally betrayed the Russian military and that President Zelensky secretly proposed…
- Pod Save the World
Defining Victory for Ukraine
Ben and Tommy talk about Iran using Syrian earthquake aid to smuggle weapons, Syria being readmitted to the Arab League, the drone strikes on the Kremlin…
- Pod Save the World
Israel on the Brink
Ben and Tommy are joined by Max Fisher for a special episode on the roots of the judicial crisis in Israel that has brought millions of protestors out into the…
- Pod Save the World
The Pope’s peace talks
Tommy and Ben talk about the ongoing crisis in Sudan, the Pope’s visit to Hungary, the upcoming coronation of King Charles and Prince Harry’s lawsuits against…
- Pod Save the World
Crisis in Sudan
Ben and Tommy talk about the evacuation of American employees from Sudan, expectations for Ukraine’s spring military offensive and Ron DeSantis’s trip abroad…
- Pod Save the World
21-year-old Pentagon leaker exposed
Tommy and Ben talk about the latest news about the Pentagon leaks and leaker, and what it tells us about the effectiveness of the security clearance process…
- Pod Save the World
The Pentagon documents leak
Tommy and Ben discuss the massive leak of US intelligence documents and the potential global implications, a new White House report on what went wrong with the…
- Pod Save the World
The world watches Trump’s arrest
Tommy and Ben talk about Donald Trump’s historic arrest and arraignment, Finland PM Sanna Marin’s election loss, Taiwan’s president visits America, a potential…
- Pod Save the World
Netanyahu backs down
Tommy and Ben talk about protests in Israel and Netanyahu’s persistent attack on Israel’s democracy, a drone strike in Syria, reignited fears of a nuclear…
- Pod Save the World
Is prosecuting presidents a good idea?
Tommy and Ben are joined by Crooked contributor Max Fisher for a segment to discuss a possible Trump indictment and how common presidential prosecutions are…
- Pod Save the World
20 years after the invasion of Iraq
Ben and Tommy record a bonus episode to mark the 20-year anniversary of the US invasion of Iraq to try and answer the question: how did the Iraq war change…
- Pod Save the World
China’s Iran Deal
Tommy and Ben talk about China brokering a deal between Saudi Arabia and Iran, Saudi Arabia’s wish list to “normalize” relations with Israel, protests of…
- Pod Save the World
Who is poisoning girls in Iran?
Tommy and Ben discuss the suspected poisoning of Iranian schoolgirls, new intel on Havana syndrome, the case for dismantling the DHS, potential Chinese…
- Pod Save the World
Will China arm Putin?
Tommy and Ben discuss changes to Mexico’s electoral system, the botched presidential election in Nigeria, Jill Biden’s trip to Africa, new intelligence about…
- Pod Save the World
One year of war in Ukraine
Tommy and Ben look back on a year of war in Ukraine and discuss what people got wrong, lessons learned, and where things stand today. Then, Ben and Tommy talk…
- Pod Save the World
Biden goes to Ukraine
Tommy and Ben discuss Biden’s surprise trip to Ukraine, Putin’s decision to suspend participation in the New START treaty, the administration’s warnings…
- Pod Save the World
Alien Balloon Invasion
Ben and Tommy talk about Israeli PM Bibi Netanyahu’s attack on Israel’s judicial system, the ongoing US war against Chinese balloons and UFOs, Kim Jong Un’s…
- Pod Save the World
InflateGate: Biden vs Balloon
Tommy and Ben talk about Balloon-gate, Biden’s State of the Union address, the latest in Ukraine, the deadly earthquake in Turkey and Syria and how to help…
- Pod Save the World
Israel attacks Iran
Tommy and Ben talk about an Israeli drone attack in Iran, Tony Blinken’s meeting with Bibi Netanyahu, Ukraine’s requests for F-16 fighter jets, Putin’s bizarre…
- Pod Save the World
Tanks for Nothing
Tommy and Ben discuss a corruption scandal in Ukraine, the debate over sending tanks to Kyiv, Mike Pence gets in on the classified hoarding game, the worst…
- Pod Save the World
How to handle the Biden docs
Tommy and Ben discuss the Davos summit, the latest round of Biden documents, the U.K. blocking a Scottish law that would make gender change easier, more…
- Pod Save the World
Brazil's January 6th?
Tommy and Ben discuss the riots in Brazil, Biden’s trip to Mexico AND IMMIGRATION POLICY, what a Republican House majority means for defense spending, why you…
- Pod Save the World
New year, old problems
Tommy and Ben recap all of the world news you missed over the holidays, including the latest on the war in Ukraine, Zelensky’s visit to DC, Bibi Netanyahu’s…
- Pod Save the World
“Can language be more inclusive?”
Tommy introduces Worldos to Radiolingo, a new limited season podcast from Crooked Media and Duolingo. Radiolingo investigates all the ways language shapes our…
- Pod Save the World
Understanding Iran
Yeganeh and Jason Rezaian join Ben to answer all of your burning questions about Iran: what life is like for girls and women, why this movement is different…
- Pod Save the World
Brittney Griner is Home (with Jen Psaki)
Former White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki subs in as cohost, talking with Ben about Brittney Griner’s release, what a Republican House means for Ukraine…
- Pod Save the World
Standing up to autocrats (and royals)
Tommy and Ben talk about the ongoing protests in China, Ukrainian strikes into Russia, speculation over Putin’s health, Iran sending mixed messages on the…