The DSR Network

Donald Trump has run out of tricks in Iran. The war has not gone the way he had planned, nobody supports it, and now we are basically waiting for him to accept a bad deal and say it’s a good deal. To make a long story short, this war is a catastrophe and nothing is certain. But after Orbán’s defeat in Hungary and Trump’s ever-increasing popularity ahead of the 2026 midterms, could there be hope? Tom Nichols joins Ed Luce, Rosa Brooks, and David Rothkopf to discuss what this war means for our geopolitical future.

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On the DSR Daily, we discuss the US blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, the many failures of JD Vance, the dynamics of the California governor’s race, and more.
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Donald Trump is now raging at a staunch ally, Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni. After she sided with the Pope’s criticism of the Iran war, which had infuriated Trump, he unloaded again, ripping her as “unacceptable” and seething that she “doesn’t care if Iran has a nuclear weapon.” Trump also called Meloni a coward for refusing to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Meanwhile, an analysis by CNN’s Harry Enten finds that Trump’s net approval among noncollege whites—a key part of his base—has nosedived by a shocking 34 points. Trump is also deeply underwater with these voters on something you’d think they would stick with him through: The war and his handling of Iran. It all looks like a new kind of low among this once-loyal constituency. We talked to New Republic senior editor Alex Shephard, who’s been writing well about the politics of this war. We discuss why noncollege whites are abandoning Trump, how Iran is splintering MAGA at home and abroad, and the challenges JD Vance will face as heir to this fracturing movement. 

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On the DSR Daily for Tuesday, we break down Trump’s continuing feud with the Pope, the resignations of Tony Gonzales and Eric Swalwell, a potential resumption of Iran peace talks, and more.
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Donald Trump is furious at Pope Leo. After the Pope sharply criticized the war on Iran, Trump exploded in a wild Truth Social rant, slamming the Pope as “WEAK on crime” and clueless about the Iranian nuclear threat. Trump then posted an image of himself as Jesus, which he took down after MAGA figures lashed out at him. Trump then angrily insisted he had no idea that image was religious, and seethed some more over the Pope’s criticism. In today’s episode, Robert Jones, the president of the Public Religion Research Institute, makes a fascinating point: The Pope’s criticism of his war appears calibrated in a way that could stir concern about his war in local churches at a grassroots level. That’s a hidden problem for Trump, says Jones, author of several books about religion and the American right. He explains why Trump’s spin will make this worse among religious voters, why all this will resonate more deeply with Catholics than with Trump’s Evangelical base, and why Catholics are a point of real vulnerability for him. 

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