The Foreign Report

This week we welcome Travis back to the studio(!!) and talk through the nightmare that is unfolding in Minneapolis. How dumb do they think we are? What should Dems do? Will abolishing ICE do anything? We also dive into the US’s options for intervention in Iran. What are they exactly? What does it mean for Trump to promise help and then watch as thousands are killed. Considering our pitiful track record, should we intervene at all? And just when you thought it couldn’t get worse, we finish things up with an exceptionally infuriating JD Vance corner. Make yourselves comfortable, folks, it’s going to be a rough (but bearable) ride.
Media:
https://x.com/DHSgov/status/2015115351797780500
https://www.axios.com/2026/01/27/trump-stephen-miller-massacre-minnesota-shooting?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email
https://x.com/StephenM/status/2015133481261474030
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Amhb8PK_an8
https://www.nytimes.com/video/us/100000010668660/new-video-analysis-reveals-flawed-and-fatal-decisions-in-shooting-of-pretti.html?campaign_id=9&emc=edit_nn_20260127&instance_id=170169&nl=the-morning®i_id=61617578&segment_id=214362&user_id=938bf81e2a681e73b55de1f8ba3e8d23
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/26/us/politics/democrats-shutdown-ice-shooting.html?campaign_id=9&emc=edit_nn_20260127&instance_id=170169&nl=the-morning®i_id=61617578&segment_id=214362&user_id=938bf81e2a681e73b55de1f8ba3e8d23
https://x.com/BulwarkOnline/status/2014429395599983030?s=20
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DT2SUCyjWJd/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
https://x.com/atrupar/status/2014427244815356380?s=20
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=824131843931883

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This week we welcome Hamoun Dolatshahi to discuss how the Kurdish-Iranian community is responding to rumblings of the Shah’s return and the thwarted revolution in Iran. We dive into Kurdish culture more broadly and Rojava, their transformative practice of borderless governing. We also take some time to ridicule Trump’s “Board of Peace” and tariff threats, along with JD Vance reminding us that sometimes smoking is therapeutic.
Notes:
https://dolatshahi.com/
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jan/16/trump-gaza-board-rubio-blair?utm_term=696b41899b91f1accbe955924076ac83&utm_campaign=SaturdayEdition&utm_source=esp&utm_medium=Email&CMP=saturdayedition_email
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/18/world/middleeast/trump-board-of-peace-gaza.html?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/20/us/politics/trump-france-wine-gaza.html?campaign_id=9&emc=edit_nn_20260120&instance_id=169564&nl=the-morning®i_id=61617578&segment_id=213944&smid=url-share&user_id=938bf81e2a681e73b55de1f8ba3e8d23
https://www.nytimes.com/video/us/politics/100000010655180/trump-norway-prime-minister-texts-greenland.html?campaign_id=9&emc=edit_nn_20260120&instance_id=169564&nl=the-morning®i_id=61617578&segment_id=213944&smid=url-share&user_id=938bf81e2a681e73b55de1f8ba3e8d23
https://www.reuters.com/business/davos/us-treasury-secretary-bessent-brushes-off-hysteria-over-greenland-2026-01-20/
https://www.facebook.com/reel/1421530059693312

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This week, Seena breaks down the Pahlavi dynasty in Iran– how it started, what happened during the Iranian revolution, and how Reza Pahlavi fits into the current situation. Is reverting to a monarchy the pathway to a secular democracy or a slide backwards? We don’t know, but one thing is clear: anything is better than the current regime. We also look into Trump’s embarrassing attempt to take down Jerome Powell, Pakistan’s kangaroo court, and Australia’s crackdown on hate speech. We also raise our blood pressure watching JD Vance’s attempts to gaslight the public over the murder of Renee Good.
Notes/Links:
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/11/us/politics/jerome-powell-fed-inquiry-trump.html?campaign_id=9&emc=edit_nn_20260112&instance_id=169149&nl=the-morning®i_id=61617578&segment_id=213526&user_id=938bf81e2a681e73b55de1f8ba3e8d23
https://youtu.be/VWi_oyqRUfI?si=CRBkADzC9btFES3q&t=24
https://www.federalreserve.gov/newsevents/speech/powell20260111a.htm?campaign_id=9&emc=edit_nn_20260112&instance_id=169149&nl=the-morning®i_id=61617578&segment_id=213526&user_id=938bf81e2a681e73b55de1f8ba3e8d23
https://x.com/brendanpedersen/status/2010836111384269280?s=46&t=Rt3obzYwRA_nH1pyOmaHPQ&utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email
https://www.dropsitenews.com/p/commonwealth-secretariat-lodges-dissent
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-01-13/neo-nazi-group-national-socialist-network-to-disband/106225638
https://www.cleveland.com/news/2026/01/vp-vance-defends-ice-officer-in-fatal-minneapolis-shooting-announces-new-doj-position.html
https://minnesotareformer.com/2026/01/08/repub/defiant-vance-scolds-reporters-over-descriptions-of-minneapolis-ice-shooting/
https://x.com/Acyn/status/2009073815066947750?s=20
https://x.com/atrupar/status/2009334128433406234?s=20
https://x.com/atrupar/status/2009340240314393028?s=20
https://x.com/Acyn/status/2009339527622742509?s=20

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It’s 2026 and FP Zaddy & T-Ceps are back! We thought we might ease into this new year, but, nope, this week we’re diving into the seizure and kidnapping of the president of Venezuela, Nicolas Maduro – what’s motivating Trump, why you need to know about REEs, and what may happen next. We also welcome journalist Samira Mohyeddin to talk about WTF is happening in Iran and help us work through why it feels a bit different this time. And of course, we close out with JD Vance corner. Nicki Minaj called JD what?!
Media:
https://www.instagram.com/p/DTGKAwvD9pc/
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DTGSKZEkS-a/
https://x.com/moneyacademyke/status/2007663281826083074?s=46
https://youtu.be/p_m-yxNgb-Y?si=PO9XET-6XgkkdUCx&t=287
https://www.usgs.gov/faqs/oklahoma-has-had-a-surge-earthquakes-2009-are-they-due-fracking
https://venezuelanalysis.com/analysis/11372/
https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/erika-kirk-endorses-jd-vance-president-2028/story?id=128552499
https://www.npr.org/2025/12/22/g-s1-103284/vance-at-turning-point
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/nicki-minaj-praises-jd-vance-assassin-erika-kirk-sits-rcna250476
https://www.gao.gov/blog/critical-materials-are-high-demand.-what-dod-doing-secure-supply-chain-and-stockpile-these-resources
https://elements.visualcapitalist.com/visualizing-how-rare-earths-power-u-s-defense/
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/12/30/us-issues-iran-venezuela-sanctions-over-alleged-drone-trade

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Happy New Year! This week on TFR we talk with progressive political strategist Frank Spring who tries to convince us that we should be somewhat hopeful about Democratic prospects in 2026. Arguing against the recent “Deciding to Win” report, he explains that, at least some, Democrats can walk and chew gum at the same time. Meaning, they don’t have to abandon core Democratic positions, but they do need to figure out (and quickly) how to talk to real people about the issues that matter the most.
Media:
https://www.politico.com/f/?id=0000019a-262b-d83c-a3fa-673f3f660000
https://www.altum-insight.com/

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