Podcast / American Prestige / May 16, 2025

Trump’s Gulf Tour & Deals, Gaza Updates, US Habeas Corpus

On this episode of American Prestige, headlines from around the globe.

U.S. President Donald Trump attends the U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council in the capital Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates on May 16, 2025.

(Waleed Zein / Anadolu via Getty Images)

Alex Jordan rejoins the show to see if he can impersonate Danny as well as he impersonated Derek a couple of weeks ago. We discuss the India-Pakistan ceasefire, Donald Trump’s big Persian Gulf tour (filled with deals, bribes, and announcements about Syrian sanctions and Iranian nuclear talks), the latest developments in Gaza, the US-China tariff pause, the PKK’s major disarmament announcement, a new round of Russia-Ukraine peace talks, major clashes between militias in Libya, the arrival of the first group of Afrikaner refugees to the US, Luis Arce’s decision to quit the Bolivian presidential race, the sacking of US National Intelligence Council staff for daring to contradict President Trump, and whether the US is going to have habeas corpus for much longer.

You can watch Alex Jordan on the Quincy Institute’s inaugural episode of the YouTube program “Always at War,” which he co-hosted with Courtney Rawlings.

Topics:

01:23 India-Pakistan ceasefire announcement.

04:18 Trump’s Persian Gulf tour and deals.

07:49 Trump’s announcement regarding Syria sanctions.

10:40 Efforts to revive the Iran nuclear deal.

15:28 Israeli efforts to displace Palestinians in Gaza.

17:24 New US-led humanitarian foundation for Gaza.

21:27 Release of American-Israeli hostage by Hamas.

26:46 US-China trade war détente.

29:13 PKK’s announcement of major disarmament.

32:19 Diplomatic efforts to end Russia-Ukraine war.

35:45 Major clashes between militias in Libya.

39:33 Arrival of the first group of Afrikaner refugees to the US.

41:17 Luis Arce’s decision to quit the Bolivian presidential race.

43:09 Sacking of US National Intelligence Council staff for contradicting President Trump.

46:04 Potential suspension of habeas corpus in the US.

48:47 Habeas corpus suspension and executive power.

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Danny and Derek are considering attending the Met Gala. In this week’s news: Iran talks amble along despite U.S. forces building up in the region (1:55); the U.S. blockade restricts oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz (9:49); Lebanon and Israel declare a 10-day ceasefire (12:23); Hamas meets U.S. officials in Cairo to advance the talks over Gaza (19:37); Iraq’s parliament elects Nizar Ahmed as president (21:52); Sudan’s war enters its fourth year as Berlin pledges aid (25:21); Libya’s rival governments approve a joint national budget (27:20); Hungary’s opposition defeats Viktor Orbán in parliamentary elections (30:28); Britain suspends the Chagos handover after Trump objects (33:39); Peru’s election continues into a second day and heads to a runoff (36:39); Trump and J.D. Vance feud with Pope Leo over the Iran war (39:39), leading Italian PM Giorgia Meloni to distance herself from Trump (43:49); and the Trump administration prepares military plans for an operation in Cuba (46:17).

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Daniel Bessner

Daniel Bessner is an historian of US foreign relations, and cohost of American Prestige, a podcast on international affairs.

Derek Davison

Derek Davison is a writer and analyst specializing in international affairs and US foreign policy. He is the publisher of the Foreign Exchanges newsletter, cohost of the American Prestige podcast, and former editor of LobeLog.

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