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Veteran diplomat Stuart Eizenstat joins The Gist to discuss The Art of Diplomacy: How American Negotiators Reached Historic Agreements That Changed the World, drawing on his work from Camp David to Holocaust reparations. He shares what it means to practice “unsympathetic empathy,” how German officials came to see moral obligation in restitution, and why negotiations fail when mutual interest is absent. Eizenstat contrasts the courage of leaders like Sadat and the UAE’s Mohammed bin Zayed with Arafat’s refusal to compromise—even amid opportunity. Plus, the Sackler immunity case is a prime example of a major real-world development that resulted from a Supreme Court acting far outside its supposed 6–3 rigidity.
Produced by Corey Wara
Production Coordinator Ashley Khan
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The Fed kept interest rates as-is today, and Chair Powell said policymakers are “well-positioned to wait” before making another move. But what if oil price shock, propelled by roiling conflict in the Middle East, forces his hand? In this episode, we break open the Fed oil crisis playbook — but we hope Powell won’t need it. Plus, projections show the GOP tax bill will cost more than it makes, AI productivity won't boost humans equally and port logistics get complicated under shifting tariff policy.
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Regardless of whether Israel has the capabilities to decimate Iran’s entire nuclear program, or if the United States needs to become further involved in the war and provide Israel with “bunker-buster” bombs, one thing is clear: “If this war should end with the Iranian regime intact and the elements of its nuclear program recoverable, then, in some ways, it will be all for naught,” argues Victor Davis Hanson on today’s edition of “Victor Davis Hanson: In His Own Words.”
“It is surreal. If we had this conversation five years ago and I said to you, ‘the Iranian nation—that is huge compared to Israel, 10 times the population—the Iranian nation has lost all control of the Houthi terrorists and they are themselves neutered. Their surrogates in the West Bank, Gaza are neutered. They're gone, Hamas as a fighting force. The formidable, the terrifying Hezbollah cadres, they're inert.
‘“‘There is no Russian presence. It's not a patron. It is not a protector. It's not a power in the Middle East. It's tied down in Ukraine. And Iran itself, the formidable powerhouse of the Middle East that evoked terror all over, has no defenses.
“And we're down to a single critical issue… if this war should end with the Iranian regime intact and the elements of its nuclear program recoverable, then, in some ways, it will be all for naught.’”
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00:00 Introduction: A Historic Moment in the Middle East
01:40 The Iranian-Israeli Conflict: A Surreal Scenario
02:08 The Current State of Iran and Its Allies
03:21 Israel's Strategic Moves and the Critical Issue
04:25 The Role of the United States and Potential Outcomes
06:20 Conclusion: The Future of the Middle East
07:17 Closing Remarks and Call to Action
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Will the US get directly involved in Israel's military campaign against Iran? We hear from former CIA director and US commander in Afghanistan and Iraq, General David Petraeus. Also: low attendance and low morale at FIFA's Club World Cup; and mounds of clothing turn up in protected conservation sites in Ghana,
(Photo: U.S. President Donald Trump salutes as a U.S. flag is raised on a new flagpole installed on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S. June 18, 2025. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque)
P.M. Edition for June 18. As President Trump weighs whether to strike Iran, Israel says that its control over the skies has enabled it to repel most Iranian strikes against the country. But concerns remain that Iran is stockpiling its weapons. We hear from WSJ correspondent Dov Lieber about what’s behind the slowdown in missile launches, and what this means for the next phase of the conflict. Plus, the Federal Reserve holds interest rates steady, but keeps the door open for cuts later this year. WSJ chief economics correspondent Nick Timiraos tells us about the factors that the Fed considered in its decision. And Journal reporter Chip Cutter joins to discuss why thriving American companies are cutting their workforces. Alex Ossola hosts.
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President Trump criticized Fed Chair Jerome Powell and renewed calls for an interest-rate cut. Plus: Toy maker Hasbro laid off 3% of its workforce. La-Z-Boy reported mixed quarterly results. And, shares in the stablecoin issuer Circle rallied after the Senate passed the Genius Act. Charlotte Gartenberg hosts.
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