Saagar Admits HUMILIATION With Trump's Iran War
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Summary
Takeaways
- ❖Many Trump administration officials, including Tulsi Gabbard and JD Vance, publicly advocated against war with Iran and Ukraine but now support hawkish policies.
- ❖Saagar describes his personal experience as 'humiliating' and the 'greatest professional disappointment' to see these individuals reverse their positions.
- ❖The hosts initially believed Trump's staff would temper his foreign policy, but now conclude Trump himself was the primary mover for the Iran policy.
- ❖Steven Miller, a highly influential figure in the administration, is characterized as a 'racist who absolutely hates Muslims' and a driver of hawkish policy.
- ❖Voters are advised to scrutinize a candidate's track record and funding sources, not just their rhetoric, to predict their actions in office.
Insights
1Betrayal of Anti-War Stances by Trump Administration Officials
Many individuals who joined the Trump administration, including prominent figures like Tulsi Gabbard, JD Vance, and Pete Hegseth, previously held strong anti-war positions, particularly against intervention in the Middle East and Ukraine. However, once in power, they are perceived to have either actively supported or defended hawkish policies, leading to a sense of betrayal among those who believed their earlier rhetoric.
Tulsi Gabbard sold 'no war with Iran' t-shirts and suffered politically for her anti-war stance (, ). JD Vance and Pete Hegseth also expressed anti-war sentiments, with Saagar personally believing Hegseth was 'scarred by his experiences Iraq and Afghanistan' (). Steven Miller, a key advisor, explicitly campaigned on Trump ending Middle East wars ().
2Saagar's Personal and Professional Disappointment
Saagar expresses profound personal humiliation and calls it the 'greatest professional disappointment' of his life to witness these politicians, whom he had defended or believed, actively pursuing or defending policies contrary to their stated anti-war principles. He grapples with the reality that their past stances were seemingly a 'joke' or purely transactional.
Saagar states, 'there's a lot of egg on a lot of face, mine included' () and 'it has been one of the most seriously radicalized things that has ever happened to me' (). He calls it 'the genuinely the greatest professional disappointment of my entire life' ().
3Trump as the Primary Driver of Hawkish Iran Policy
Initially, the hosts believed that Trump's staff, rather than Trump himself, would be the primary influence on foreign policy, especially given his 'blank slate' and 'dealmaker' persona. However, they now conclude that Trump was the ultimate decision-maker and primary mover behind the hawkish Iran policy, driven by a desire to establish a legacy through military actions.
Saagar explains his initial belief that 'the people around Trump, the staff made the decision' () and that the 'project was we're going to replace those people so we have better policy' (). He later clarifies, 'clearly on Iran, he was the primary mover here. I don't think he was pushed into this' (). The co-host adds that Trump 'wants to establish as his legacy is like these wars' ().
4Evaluating Candidates: Track Record and Funding Over Rhetoric
In light of the perceived betrayals, the hosts advocate for a more cynical but realistic approach to evaluating political candidates. They stress that voters should prioritize a candidate's past actions (track record) and financial backing (where the money comes from) as more reliable indicators of future policy than their public statements or campaign promises.
The co-host states, 'The things to look at are what's the track record and where does the money come from?' (). Saagar notes Trump's 'very hawkish towards Iran' track record in his first term, including the assassination of Qassem Soleimani (), and his donors, specifically 'Mary Matt' (Miriam Adelson) ().
Lessons
- Scrutinize politicians' track records and financial donors more than their campaign rhetoric, especially on critical foreign policy issues like war and peace.
- Recognize that political figures may abandon previously held principles once in power, even after taking 'professional hits' for those stances.
- Maintain a healthy skepticism towards politicians' stated positions, understanding that personal ambition and the desire to please leadership can override prior commitments.
Quotes
"A war with Iran would make the war in Iraq look like a cakewalk. The devastation and the cost would be far greater than anything we've ever experienced before."
"I will tell you, you're not going to have a war with me and you're not going to have a third world war with me. That I can tell you."
"There's a lot of egg on a lot of face, mine included. I got to tell you, it has been one of the most seriously radicalized things that has ever happened to me."
"The things to look at are what's the track record and where does the money come from? Because at the end of the day, those are going to be the things."
"Trump will end and prevent war in the Middle East. He wants peace. Harris and her neocon cabinet want war and more war."
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