J.D. Vance: Iran Deal Fall Guy
6/19/202651 min
Donald Trump has signed a preliminary agreement to end the war in Iran. On this week’s On the Media, hear how J.D. Vance has been positioned to suffer the political fallout from the conflict – and from the much criticized deal. Plus, the theological tensions dividing the MAGA coalition.
[01:34] Host Micah Loewinger speaks with Joe Perticone, national political reporter at The Bulwark, about how J.D. Vance is being set up as the Iran deal “fall guy.”
[18:26] Micah talks to Oren Persico, staff writer for The Seventh Eye, an independent Israeli website devoted to journalism and freedom of the press, about the Israeli media coverage of the Iran deal as a ‘catastrophic capitulation,’ the fracturing relationship between President Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu and what it may portend for Israel’s political future.
[34:14] Host Brooke Gladstone sits down with Matthew D. Taylor, visiting scholar at Georgetown University's Center on Faith and Justice, to discuss how the growing factions in the Republican party over Israel and the Iran war are part-policy, part-divergent Christian theologies.
Further reading:
- “JD Vance Is Being Set Up as the Iran Deal Fall Guy,” by Joe Perticone
- “How Christian Zionism and Christian Antisemitism Are Tearing MAGA Apart,” by Matthew D. Taylor
- The Violent Take It by Force: The Christian Movement That Is Threatening Our Democracy, by Matthew D. Taylor
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Clips
Transcript preview
First 90 secondsMicah Loewinger· Host0:00
Hey, it's Micah. It's been a minute since our FEMA series came out, and I want our New York listeners to know that we're having an in-person event in a couple of weeks. I'll be joined by former FEMA official Mary Anne Tierney. We'll talk about the history of the agency, how it's being reshaped now under the Trump administration, and some other fun stuff we couldn't fit in the show. Join us in person at WNYC, 7:00 PM on June 24th. You can get tickets at wnyc.org/events. It's a great opportunity to meet other OTM listeners. We'd love to see you there.
Joe Perticone· Guest0:33
This way, if it works out, I'm gonna take the credit. If it doesn't work out, I'm blaming JD. You better be careful, JD.
Micah Loewinger· Host0:40
It happens all the time with Trump. He can never fail. He is only failed by others.
Brooke Gladstone· Host0:45
It was the MOU heard round the world. From WNYC in New York, this is On The Media. I'm Brooke Gladstone.
Micah Loewinger· Host0:51
And I'm Micah Loewinger. Also on this week's show, Israeli media tries to thread the needle on the Israeli PM's Iran policy.
Oren Persico· Guest1:00
Netanyahu said that the goals are to eliminate the threat of nuclear weapons and topple the regime.
Ted Cruz· Soundbite1:07
And now people realize that it's not what they were sold.
Brooke Gladstone· Host1:11
Plus, the ideological and theological rifts tearing MAGA apart.
Matthew D. Taylor· Guest1:16
The Christian Zionist crowd want violence directed at America's enemies abroad and at Israel's enemies, and the America first crowd wants the violence directed at America's internal enemies, migrants.
Micah Loewinger· Host1:29
It's