Tensions Flare With Iran, a Showdown Between Congress and the White House, and More

Tensions between the United States and Iran flare, Hungary’s far-right prime minister visits the White House, and Congress and the Trump administration prepare for a showdown.

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Hosts
  • James M. Lindsay
    Mary and David Boies Distinguished Senior Fellow in U.S. Foreign Policy and Director of Fellowship Affairs
  • Robert McMahon
    Managing Editor

Show Notes

Tensions between the United States and Iran flare, Hungary’s far-right prime minister visits the White House, and Congress and the Trump administration prepare for a showdown.

United States

In this live series finale, Bob and Carla discuss the most pressing international news stories with special guest Deborah Amos. President Donald Trump virtually attends the annual Davos summit where he will address corporate and government leaders just three days after his inauguration; the next phase of hostage and prisoner swaps is due as part of the Israel-Hamas cease-fire deal; a tightly controlled presidential election in Belarus kicks off a new year of consequential elections around the globe; and TikTok is revived in the United States—for now— after President Trump forestalled the app’s initial ban.   This episode was originally produced live on January 21, 2025.

Israeli-Palestinian Conflict

Israel and Hamas reach a cease-fire deal aimed at exchanging hostages and prisoners while seeking a longer-term pause in fighting; the incoming Donald Trump administration weighs ambitious moves on immigration; Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Russian President Vladimir Putin sign off on a twenty-year partnership agreement; and students in Serbia protest violations of civil rights.

United States

President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for secretary of defense, Pete Hegseth, will appear before the Senate Armed Services Committee; the Supreme Court hears arguments over the Joe Biden administration’s imminent banning of TikTok; Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s resignation prompts questions on the future of U.S.-Canada trade relations; and Europe’s eastern states confront energy issues after Ukraine stops the flow of Russian gas through its territory.

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India has enjoyed bipartisan support in the U.S. as a critical economic counterbalance to China, but the United States still has a tenuous grasp on its interests. In this series, three experts examine India’s position on digital trade, the World Trade Organization (WTO), and industrial policy.

Space

As outer space becomes more congested with debris and international tensions escalate, the threat to U.S. national security grows. The United States must act now to reassert its leadership and create pathways for management in this critical strategic domain.