Podcast / American Prestige / May 24, 2026

Iran Talks Stall, Hezbollah Drones Limit the IDF, Cuba Pretexts Build

Danny and Derek have reconciled with their disappointment in the new Star Wars film and can now bring you the news roundup. 

The Nation Podcasts
The Nation Podcasts

Here's where to find podcasts from The Nation. Political talk without the boring parts, featuring the writers, activists and artists who shape the news, from a progressive perspective.

Iran Talks Stall, Hezbollah Drones Limit IDF, Cuba Pretexts Build / American Prestige
byThe Nation Magazine

Danny and Derek have reconciled with their disappointment in the new Star Wars film and can now bring you the news roundup. This week: in Iran, talks stall as Trump weighs continuing the war (2:00), the Islamic Republic attempts to institutionalize control over the Strait of Hormuz (8:49), and fuel protests spread around the world (13:09); the IDF continues daily bombardments in Lebanon while Hezbollah drones restrict IDF ground operations (15:10); Trump considers a call with Taiwan’s president Lai Ching-te (18:32); Xi and Putin stage an uneventful summit in Beijing (21:47); Sudanese forces gain ground in Blue Nile State (23:23); a U.S.-Nigerian operation kills an Islamic State leader (25:26); Ebola spreads from northeastern DRC (27:45); in NATO news, the U.S. reduces its forces in Europe (30:25); Labour challengers emerge against Keir Starmer (33:36); Peru confirms a Fujimori-Sanchez runoff in its presidential election (35:23); Washington manufactures new pretexts against Cuba (36:49); Trump seeks a permanent U.S. presence in Greenland (41:15); and “Golden Dome” costs are estimated to reach $1.2 trillion (43:55).

Note: After the time of recording, Donald Trump ⁠⁠walked back his decision to reduce US troops in Poland⁠⁠. Additionally, ⁠⁠the situation in the Strait of Hormuz has changed⁠⁠ due to Oman's interest in collecting "tolls."

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi (R) meets Pakistani Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi (L) in Tehran, Iran on May 21, 2026.

(Iranian Foreign Ministry / Handout / Anadolu via Getty Images)

Danny and Derek have reconciled with their disappointment in the new Star Wars film and can now bring you the news roundup. This week: In Iran, talks stall as Trump weighs continuing the war (2:00), the Islamic Republic attempts to institutionalize control over the Strait of Hormuz (8:49), and fuel protests spread around the world (13:09); the IDF continues daily bombardments in Lebanon while Hezbollah drones restrict IDF ground operations (15:10); Trump considers a call with Taiwan’s president Lai Ching-te (18:32); Xi and Putin stage an uneventful summit in Beijing (21:47); Sudanese forces gain ground in Blue Nile State (23:23); a US-Nigerian operation kills an Islamic State leader (25:26); Ebola spreads from northeastern DRC (27:45); in NATO news, the US reduces its forces in Europe (30:25); Labour challengers emerge against Keir Starmer (33:36); Peru confirms a Fujimori-Sanchez runoff in its presidential election (35:23); Washington manufactures new pretexts against Cuba (36:49); Trump seeks a permanent US presence in Greenland (41:15); and “Golden Dome” costs are estimated to reach $1.2 trillion (43:55).

Note: After the time of recording, Donald Trump walked back his decision to reduce US troops in Poland. Additionally, the situation in the Strait of Hormuz has changed due to Oman’s interest in collecting “tolls.”

Subscribe to The Nation to support all of our podcasts: thenation.com/subscribe.

The Nation Podcasts
The Nation Podcasts

Here's where to find podcasts from The Nation. Political talk without the boring parts, featuring the writers, activists and artists who shape the news, from a progressive perspective.

HondurasGate US Power in Latin America w/ José Luis Granados Ceja / American Prestige
byThe Nation Magazine

Subscribe now⁠ for an ad-free experience.

Danny and Derek welcome to the show José Luis Granados Ceja, head of the Latin America desk at DropSite News, for a conversation about the HondurasGate scandal and US policy in Latin America. They talk about the leaked audio files of the scandal, Juan Orlando Hernandez’s pardon, Marco Rubio’s influence, Cuba, Israel’s role in the region, Honduras’s place in US empire, the Latin American right, and more.

Read José’s piece “Hondurasgate: Key Leaked Audio Files, Revealing U.S. Intervention in Honduras, Found Authentic "With Moderate Confidence."

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Subscribe to The Nation to Support all of our podcasts

Support The Nation’s June Fundraising Campaign

With the midterm elections now firmly upon us, the question is whether Democratic candidates will do more than merely occupy ballot lines as mild alternatives to the red-hot crisis that is Donald Trump.

As Trump spends over $1 billion a day on a globally destabilizing war on Iran and admits that he doesn’t “think about Americans’ financial situation,” millions across the country are struggling with the surging costs of essentials. Democrats must seize this moment and advance bold, small-“d” populist ideas—not settle for cynical caution that once again snatches defeat from the jaws of victory.

The Nation elevates progressive ideas, movements, and elected officials achieving real change across the country into the national conversation. At the same time, our journalists are exposing how crypto and AI-funded super PACs are spending hundreds of millions of dollars to knock out candidates they oppose, reporting on the devastating impact of the Supreme Court’s evisceration of the Voting Rights Act, and sounding the alarm on attempts by red states to quickly redraw electoral maps, disenfranchising Southern Black voters.

We can play this critical role because of support from readers like you. This June, we’re raising $20,000 to power The Nation’s independent journalism in the run-up to November’s immensely consequential elections.

It’s in our power to build a more just society, and your support at this critical moment brings us closer to that bold vision. I hope you’ll donate today.

Onward,

Katrina vanden Huevel
Editor and Publisher, The Nation

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.

More from The Nation

Nurses and healthcare workers cheer during the healthcare apparel company FIGS’s“ Healthcare Is Human” rally on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC.

Silicon Valley Is Turning Nurses Into Gig Workers—With Katie J. Wells Silicon Valley Is Turning Nurses Into Gig Workers—With Katie J. Wells

Katie J. Wells joins Paris Marx to discuss how the Uber model is finally coming for healthcare.

Paris Marx

A voter fills out a ballot on Election Day for the midterm primary on June 9, 2026.

Primary Elections From LA to Maine—Plus AI “Poetry” Primary Elections From LA to Maine—Plus AI “Poetry”

On this episode of Start Making Sense, Harold Meyerson analyzes recent primaries, and Katha Pollitt tests AI’s ability to write poetry.

Jon Wiener

FIFA President Gianni Infantino holds the FIFA World Cup winner's trophy while speaking during the FIFA World Cup 2026 International Broadcast Center Grand Opening ceremony.

An Antifascist Guide to the World Cup—With Alex Shephard  An Antifascist Guide to the World Cup—With Alex Shephard 

It turns out there’s a not-insignificant intersection between the World Cup, democracy, and authoritarianism. 

Fighting Trump’s Corruption

Fighting Trump’s Corruption Fighting Trump’s Corruption

Chris Lehmann on grifts and slush funds.

Jeet Heer

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio (R) welcomes Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar at the State Department on May 29, 2026.

The US-Iran War Escalates, Israel Expands Its Lebanon Campaign, the CIA Feuds With the Outgoing Intelligence Chief The US-Iran War Escalates, Israel Expands Its Lebanon Campaign, the CIA Feuds With the Outgoing Intelligence Chief

There’s too much Knickerbocker news to fit here, but we do have other stories to report.

Daniel Bessner and Derek Davison

Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk attends a state banquet for US President Donald Trump and China's President Xi Jinping.

The SpaceX IPO Gives Elon Musk Even More Power—With Sean O’Kane  The SpaceX IPO Gives Elon Musk Even More Power—With Sean O’Kane 

Paris Marx talks to Sean O’Kane about how Elon Musk is justifying SpaceX’s massive valuation and the way corporate governance rules are giving him even more power.

Paris Marx

x