Shows / Pod Save the World
Pod Save the World
Each week, “Pod Save America” cohost Tommy Vietor and Obama’s former Deputy National Security Advisor Ben Rhodes break down the biggest developments in foreign policy, national security and global politics. They try to explain which stories matter and why, and what we can all do to understand and shape the world around us.
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Episodes
Pod Save the WorldElection 2024: Ukraine, Russia, and Whether the War Will End
In this special episode of Pod Save the World, Ben looks at how the war in Ukraine will be impacted by a Harris or Trump victory. Speaking to guests from…
Pod Save the WorldOne Year of War in the Middle East
Tommy and Ben discuss the anniversary of the October 7th attack in Israel and how the war has expanded across the Middle East in the year since, they play…
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Election 2024: What are the Stakes for Global Democracy?
In this special episode of Pod Save the World, Ben looks at how this November’s election will impact global democracy. From the rise of autocracy and the far…
Pod Save the WorldIsrael Invades Lebanon, Iran Attacks Israel
Tommy and Ben discuss the escalating war between Israel, Hezbollah and Iran after Iran launched 200 ballistic missiles towards Israel on Tuesday in retaliation…
Pod Save the WorldIsrael Bombards Hezbollah in Lebanon
Tommy and Ben discuss the escalation of violence between Israel and Hezbollah into all-out war, the shuttering of Al Jazeera in the West Bank, the importance…
Pod Save the WorldIsrael Sends Exploding Pagers to Hezbollah
Tommy and Ben discuss reports that Israel sent thousands of explosive pagers to members of Hezbollah and whether this signals the beginning of a larger Israeli…
Pod Save the WorldRepublicans Blame Kamala Harris for Afghanistan Collapse
Tommy is joined by Colin Kahl, Biden’s former Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, to discuss multiple conflicts and hot spots around the world including the…
Pod Save the WorldHamas Executes Hostages, Israelis Protest Netanyahu
Tommy and Ben discuss the discovery of six Israeli hostages killed by Hamas, protests in Israel demanding Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu agree to a ceasefire…
Pod Save the WorldTelegram Founder Arrested in France
Tommy and Ben discuss Telegram founder Pavel Durov’s arrest in France, the debate over free speech, social media, and CEO accountability, as well as why the…
Pod Save the WorldGaza Protests and the DNC
Tommy and Ben discuss the lack of foreign policy discussion in speeches at the DNC in Chicago, protests over Gaza happening outside of the convention, and…
Pod Save the WorldUkraine Invades Russia
Tommy and Ben discuss the impact of Ukraine’s shocking military incursion into Russian territory, how the US and Israel are preparing for a possible…
Pod Save the WorldHarris-Walz Ticket, A Russian Prisoner Exchange
Ben and guest host Alyona Minkovski discuss how Harris’s pick of Tim Walz as a running mate represents a new generation of US foreign policy, the anticipation…
Pod Save the WorldVenezuela's Stolen Election
Tommy and Ben discuss Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro’s attempt to hold on to power after losing Sunday’s election, the political debate over whether the…
Pod Save the WorldBreaking Down Kamala Harris’s Foreign Policy
Tommy and Ben discuss the international reaction to Biden’s decision to drop out of the presidential race, and dive into what Kamala Harris’s foreign policy…
Pod Save the WorldWorld Reacts to Trump Assassination Attempt
Tommy and Ben discuss the global reaction to the assassination attempt on Donald Trump and the rise of political violence around the world, Trump VP pick JD…
Pod Save the WorldFrench Election Shock, NATO Descends on D.C.
Tommy and Ben discuss the surprising French election results and debate whether Macron’s decision to call early elections was a success or failure, the Labour…
Pod Save the WorldUK Election Preview with David Lammy
Ben is joined by guest host David Lammy, British MP and Shadow Foreign Secretary. They discuss the upcoming election in the UK on July 4th and how historic a…
Pod Save the WorldWhy Is Putin Going To North Korea?
Tommy and Ben discuss the “Peace Summit” held in Switzerland for the war in Ukraine and the glaring problem of Russia’s absence, Putin’s first visit to North…
Pod Save the WorldFar Right Surges in European Elections
Tommy and Ben discuss the success of far-right parties in the European Parliamentary elections and debate whether French President Emmanuel Macron’s call for…
Pod Save the WorldWorld Reacts to Trump’s Guilty Verdict
Tommy and Ben discuss Biden’s ceasefire proposal and debate whether going public with the plan will pressure Hamas and Israel to accept it, they also try to…
Pod Save the WorldNorwegian Prime Minister Explains Decision to Recognize a Palestinian State
Ben speaks to Jonas Gahr Store, the Prime Minister of Norway, who explains why he decided to formally recognize a Palestinian state alongside the leaders of…
Pod Save the WorldIntroducing "Killing Justice"
When a judge in India dies of a heart attack, his passing barely makes the news. But when his niece approaches a journalist two years later, she shares a…
Pod Save the WorldHamas and Netanyahu Accused of War Crimes
Ben and guest host Alyona Minkovski discuss the ICC’s application for arrest warrants against both Hamas and Netanyahu for war crimes, the mass exodus of…
Pod Save the WorldBiden Punishes China
Ben is joined by guest hosts Daniel Kurtz-Phelan, Editor of Foreign Affairs magazine and Rana Ayyub, global opinion columnist for the Washington Post. Ben and…
Pod Save the WorldIsrael Begins Rafah Offensive (feat. Ali Velshi)
Ben and guest host Ali Velshi discuss the latest developments on ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas, the beginning of a military offensive in…
Pod Save the WorldTucker Carlson Interviews "Putin's Brain"
Ben and Tommy discuss reports that a temporary ceasefire and hostage release deal between Israel and Hamas may be imminent, that Saudi Arabia has decided to…
Pod Save the WorldGaza Protests Roil College Campuses
Ben and Tommy discuss the House approving $26 billion in military aid to Israel despite strikes on Rafah and a continuously deteriorating humanitarian…
Pod Save the WorldBreaking: Israel Strikes Back at Iran
In a bonus episode, Tommy and Ben talk about the reports that Israel launched a retaliatory strike deep inside Iran, why Iranian leaders are downplaying what…
Pod Save the WorldIran Attacks Israel
Tommy and Ben discuss Iran’s missile and drone attack on Israel and whether Israel will retaliate, Biden’s message of restraint to Prime Minister Netanyahu…
Pod Save the WorldBiden Gives Israel An Ultimatum on Gaza
Tommy and Ben discuss Biden’s call with Israeli PM Bibi Netanyahu and threat to cut off US support for the war in Gaza, Israel’s announcement that it would…
Pod Save the WorldCan Saudi Money Whitewash a Murder?: World Corrupt Season 2, Episode 4
In the final episode of this four-part series, Rog and Tommy trace the massive flow of Saudi money into Hollywood, Silicon Valley and Wall Street, and how the…
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Israeli Strike Kills World Central Kitchen Staff in Gaza
Ben and Tommy discuss an Israeli airstrike on an Iranian embassy building in Syria that killed several top Iranian generals, Israeli drone strikes that killed…
Pod Save the WorldSaudi Arabia: The New Home of Global Football: World Corrupt Season 2, Episode 3
In episode three of this four part series, Rog and Tommy explore the rise of Saudi Arabia’s domestic football league and why superstars like Cristiano Ronaldo…
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How Will Putin Respond to an ISIS Attack? (feat. Bernie Sanders)
Tommy and Ben discuss the deteriorating relations between the White House and Bibi Netanyahu's government after the UN Security Council calls for a ceasefire…
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Saudi Arabia’s Despotic Ruler: World Corrupt Season 2, Episode 2
Roger Bennett and Tommy Vietor take a look at the history of Saudi Arabia, US-Saudi relations, and the Kingdom’s path to becoming a geopolitical force. They…
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Trump Says Jewish Democrats “Hate Israel”
Tommy and Ben discuss the looming famine in Gaza, reactions to Senator Chuck Schumer’s call for new elections in Israel, Trump’s claim that Jewish Democrats…
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Football in the House of Saud: World Corrupt Season 2, Episode 1
Roger Bennet and Tommy Vietor are back for Season 2 of World Corrupt! And this time, Rog and Tommy are diving into how Saudi Arabia, the biggest exporter of…
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Trump’s TikTok Flip Flop
Tommy and Ben discuss plans for delivering aid to Gaza through a maritime route and floating pier, US “red lines” over an Israeli invasion of Rafah and the…
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Why is the US air dropping aid to Gaza?
Tommy and Ben discuss the futility of aerial aid drops by the US in Gaza, Kamala Harris’ speech calling for an immediate ceasefire, Netanyahu rival Benny…
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CPAC Doubles Down on Creepy Autocrats
Ben and Tommy discuss President Biden’s claim that a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas may be imminent, the domestic political problems the war is…
Pod Save the WorldDissident at the Doorstep Episode 8: The Shit In The Frame
Guangcheng has put his life on the line to stand up for noble causes and principles. He has also thrown his support behind Trump and, more recently, a range of…
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Can Ukraine Outlast Putin?
Tommy and Ben discuss the two-year anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the military defeat of Avdiivka, panic at the Munich Security Conference over…
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Dissident at the Doorstep Episode 7: Lost And Found In Translation
With a new position at the Catholic University of America and funding from a rightwing think tank, Guangcheng takes on a new challenge: strengthening his…
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Breaking: Putin Kills Alexei Navalny
Tommy and Ben discuss the breaking news that Russia’s most prominent opposition figure, Alexei Navalny, has died while in prison. The only information…
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Trump Tells Putin to Invade NATO Nations
Tommy and Max Fisher talk about the disastrous humanitarian implications of Israel’s impending offensive in Rafah, the Biden administration’s shifting tone…
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Dissident at the Doorstep Episode 6: The Great Moving Right Show
Almost one year after arriving in the US, the New York Post publishes a story suggesting NYU is trying to sever ties with Guangcheng. Guangcheng alleges the…
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Tucker Carlson Goes to Moscow
Tommy and Ben talk about US strikes against facilities in Iraq and Syria used by Iran-backed militia groups, White House denials that the conflict in Gaza has…
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Dissident at the Doorstep Episode 5: Guangcheng’s Year of Living Famously
Following a tense negotiation between the US and China, Guangcheng arrives in the United States. He is greeted with a hero’s welcome. He gives speeches. He…
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Will Biden Bomb Iran?
Tommy and Ben talk about the drone strike by an Iranian-backed group on a US base in Jordan that killed three US service members, the pressure on Biden to…
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Dissident at the Doorstep Episode 4: Coming To America
Guangcheng escapes house arrest, but he’s not free yet. Without a real plan or a place to hide, he turns to the US embassy in Beijing. His moves set in motion…
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Netanyahu Rejects a Two-State Solution (again)
Tommy and Ben discuss the latest news out of Gaza, including a potential ceasefire deal that would include a two month stop in fighting in exchange for…
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Dissident at the Doorstep Episode 3: A Dissident Is Born
Guangcheng is kidnapped by Chinese authorities and thrown in jail. By keeping him under lock and key, the government hopes to take away his power. But his…
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Biden Launches Airstrikes Against Houthis in Yemen
Ben and Tommy discuss US airstrikes on the Houthi rebels in Yemen and why they are unlikely to deter them, and provide background and context on the Houthi’s…
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Dissident at the Doorstep Episode 2: The Barefoot Lawyer
Guangcheng fights his biggest case in China – exposing the brutality of the One Child Policy. This, and a series of public and legal victories in the early…
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Dissident at the Doorstep Episode 1: Batman Gets Punched
It’s 2011. Hollywood A-lister Christian Bale is in China and gets punched in the face by security guards for trying to visit Chen Guangcheng, a local human…
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How Israel’s War with Hamas Could Escalate Into a Regional Conflict
Ben and Tommy cover the major developments in the war between Israel and Hamas, including the widening difference between Netanyahu and Biden on post-war…
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Introducing “Dissident At The Doorstep”
What happens when someone becomes a human-rights icon – but then turns out to stand for something else entirely? Chinese activist Chen Guangcheng was locked up…
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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…
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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”…
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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…