Trump’s Middle East Tightrope, Tucker’s Blind Spot, and Newsom’s Political Theater | Victor Davis Hanson
6/23/20261 hr 25 min
Victor Davis Hanson and Jack Fowler argue that President Trump is pursuing a pragmatic strategy: preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon while avoiding another costly Middle East ground war.
They discuss how Iran has been militarily humiliated, that time is working against the regime, and that any future violations should be met with swift, disproportionate retaliation.
The episode also offers a vigorous defense of Israel, with Hanson arguing that U.S. aid to Israel serves American interests through intelligence sharing, weapons testing, and regional stability. He criticizes both European allies and elements of the populist right for distancing themselves from Israel and downplaying the Iranian threat.
Hanson takes aim at Tucker Carlson’s defense of controversial political figure Graham Phelan, arguing that allegations surrounding extremist symbolism and past conduct deserve scrutiny and should not be dismissed for political convenience.
The conversation closes with criticism of Gavin Newsom’s leadership in California and a skeptical assessment of Barack Obama’s legacy, with Hanson questioning both the accomplishments celebrated at the Obama Presidential Center and the broader record of the Obama years.
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First 90 secondsSpeaker 10:00
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Victor Davis Hanson· Host1:00
That was the particular SS group that was responsible for the death camps, and they had it for a reason. They were there to kill people, and they-- that particular insignia was worn by them. And when Graham Plattner said he didn't know, that is completely contradicted by girlfriends who said that he said, "My little Totenkopf." When Tucker says allegedly, that's simply not true, Tucker. It's not allegedly. It was tied directly.