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The Lawfare Podcast
Rational Security: The “I AM an Object Lesson” Edition
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This week, Scott sat down with Senior Editors Kate Klonick and Eric Columbus to talk through the week’s big national security news stories, including:
- “An Un-Airing of Grievances.” Since the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, some supporters of his—including several figures within the Trump administration—have actively sought to have individuals who have said critical or purportedly insensitive things about Kirk removed from their jobs or otherwise punished. This arguably came to a head after Jimmy Kimmel Live! was pulled from the air following statements by FCC Chairman Brendan Carr suggesting networks might face additional regulatory scrutiny for not addressing alleged misinformation about Kirk’s killer he purportedly put forward. And while Kimmel is now back on the air, several major local affiliates are refusing to air his show. How do these efforts comport with the First Amendment? And what do they mean for freedom of speech regardless?
- “You Can’t Spell Appeasement Without App.” After months of negotiations—during which it has held off on enforcing a statutorily mandated ban—the Trump administration has announced that it has reached a deal with China regarding the disposition of the social media platform TikTok and its operation in the United States. But the public details of the deal have been few and far between, and much more remains to be worked out. How close to a deal are the parties in actuality? And does it address the national security concerns motivating Congress’s ban in the first place?
- “Playing with White House Money.” The Trump administration has been rocked by two major corruption-related stories in the past week. First, the Justice Department is reported to have closed an investigation into White House immigration czar Tom Homan, who reportedly accepted $50,000 from undercover FBI agents prior to joining the administration on the understanding that he would help the donors gain access to the incoming Trump administration. And second, new details suggest that the recent deal to permit chip sales to the UAE were tied up in a variety of major cryptocurrency deals that enriched both the Trump Organization and others in the Trump administration—only the latest in a long history of suspect cryptocurrency transactions by Trump-related businesses. How big a problem are these transactions? And what do they tell us about the state of corruption on the second Trump administration?
In object lessons, Eric marked the Jewish New Year with a novel recommendation: “To Rise Again at a Decent Hour,” by Joshua Ferris, a midlife-crisis tale woven through Judaism, baseball, and dentistry—two subjects close to his heart, and one that isn’t. Scott, meanwhile, is back on the D.C. concert circuit and wants you to join him at Union Stage on October 14 to see Katie Pruitt, whose rock-infused Americana sound he thinks deserves a bigger audience. Kate rounded things out with a little blue hippo—specifically the souvenir version of the famous Egyptian figurine better known as “William,” a reminder of a past mother-daughter trip to Paris that involved butchering French while scouring the Louvre.
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Lawfare Live: Seduction, Intelligence Gathering, and the Allegations Against Nvidia CEO
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Rational Security: The “Riding the Blue Wave Special Election" Edition
01:26:30|This week, Scott sat down with his Lawfare colleagues Managing Editor Tyler McBrien and Senior Editor Eric Columbus; and Contributing Editor and Vice President of Research, Security and Defense at the Chicago Council on Global Affairs Ariane Tabatabai to talk through the week’s big international news stories, including:“The Subpoena Is Coming From Inside the House.” Democrats scored a historic victory in yesterday’s midterm elections, securing control of both the House and Senate by a healthy (but not filibuster-proof) margin that is widely seen as a direct rebuke of the Trump administration. How will a Democratic agenda impact President Trump’s policy agenda over his last two years in office? Which topics are likely to be the clearest targets of oversight and other measures? And how effective are these measures likely to be in pressuring him to change his tack?“Lame Duck and Cover.” The most significant issue in this week’s elections was undoubtedly President Trump’s decision to initiate the Iran War, and the subsequent impact it has had on the global economy. Yet Trump and his advisors have not been shy about their intent to escalate the war with Iran once again after the election, and have arguably already done so through a series of secret strikes that only became public the day of the midterm elections. What limits does a Democratic congress put on Trump’s war-fighting capabilities? And how much further will Trump be able to pursue the war now that he will no longer have a compliant Congress?“2028 Days Later.” With the midterms over, the race for 2028 is about to begin in earnest. Does this most recent election give any insight into which national security issues are likely to be a major concern in the next presidential race? And what do the dynamics of the midterms tell us about how those issues will shape – and be shaped by – the primaries and general election to follow?In object lessons, Tyler recommends the new album, "No Bad Memories," by The Avalanches. Ari is blown away by the set design and acting in the stage play, "Stranger Things: The First Shadow." Scott is listening to the new revival of the FiveThirtyEight Politics podcast, called "Still Counting." And Eric has discovered the classical music streaming service IDAGIO.To receive ad-free podcasts, become a Lawfare Material Supporter at www.patreon.com/lawfare. You can also support Lawfare by making a one-time donation at https://givebutter.com/lawfare-institute.