Podcast / American Prestige / May 23, 2025

Ukraine Talks Collapse, India Threatens Pakistan’s Water Supply, IDF Operation Gideon’s Chariots

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

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Trump’s Gulf Tour & Deals, Gaza Updates, US Habeas Corpus | American Prestige
byThe Nation Magazine

Alex Jordan rejoins the show to see if he can impersonate Danny as well as he impersonated Derek a couple of weeks ago. He and Derek 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 or not the US is still 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 detente.

29:13 PKK announces 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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Palestinians struggle to get their food rations outside a crowded distribution centre in Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip on May 15, 2025.

(Bashar Taleb / AFP via Getty Images)

On this week’s American Prestige news roundup: the Ukraine peace talks collapse (3:30) as Trump stuns European allies with his sudden pivot back to positions beneficial to Russia (7:21); in EU elections, a Romanian centrist wins the presidency (11:06), a Polish centrist wins the first round of the presidential election leading to a runoff (13:27), and the Portuguese center-right wins that country’s parliamentary election (14:46); India continues to threaten Pakistani water levels (17:05); South African president Ramaphosa’s visit to the White House goes awry (20:04); in Israel-Palestine, the IDF begins Operation Gideon’s Chariots (23:58), the Israelis allow “minimal” aid into Gaza, but no distribution (27:13), and a European backlash follows the IDF’s operation and a West Bank shooting incident involving diplomats (31:18); Israel again appears to be preparing to strike Iran (35:17); Evo Morales is excluded from the presidential ballot in Bolivia (38:23); a New Cold War update featuring China pledging additional money to the WHO after a pandemic agreement (40:57); and Trump announces the Golden Dome project (43:47).

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U.S. Moves Toward Venezuela Attack, Double-Tap Strike in Caribbean, DRC–Rwanda Peace Deal Collapses | American Prestige
byThe Nation Magazine

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Despite sitting on a large surplus of Labubus, Danny and Derek work hard to bring you the news. This week: in Russia-Ukraine, new US diplomacy goes nowhere (1:08), Ukraine is now attacking Russian commercial ships (5:55), and the EU moves to phase out Russian natural gas (8:35); in the DRC-Rwanda conflict, Trump hosts a peace deal signing as fighting resumes with M23 in the eastern DRC (11:17); new fighting erupts in southern Yemen (14:19); Lebanon and Israel hold ceasefire talks as the IDF resumes strikes (17:08); in Gaza, new clashes leave a gang leader dead (19:45), the ceasefire implementation sees minimal progress (23:48), and Israel reopens the the Rafah checkpoint (26:24); Sudan’s RSF claims a new advance in the Kordofan region (28:40); a bizarre coup unfolds in Guinea-Bissau (30:40); Trump moves closer to military action against Venezuela (36:55); Honduras heads toward a contentious election (40:17); the US pauses entry from 19 countries after the DC National Guard shooting (43:46); and a double-tap strike on a boat in the Caribbean raises new legal questions (45:43).

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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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