
Does the Iran War Put America First?
From Interesting Times by New York Times Opinion
March 5, 2026 · 59 min
About this episode
Curt Mills discusses the implications of a potential war with Iran on Trump's America First agenda and his voter base.
I don’t think a war with Iran is what Trump — or his voters — had in mind when he campaigned on “America first.” My guest this week is Curt Mills, the executive director of The American Conservative, a magazine that champions foreign policy restraint. Mills thinks the war with Iran is a major betrayal of the voters who put Trump in the White House and has the potential to shatter Trump’s domestic coalition.
People in this episode
Host: Ross Douthat
Guest: Curt Mills
Topics covered
- Iran War
- America First
- Foreign Policy
- Trump
- Voter Betrayal
- Domestic Coalition
Keywords
- Iran War
- Trump
- America First
- Curt Mills
- Foreign Policy
- Voter Betrayal
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: The American Conservative
Places: Iran, America, White House
More episodes of Interesting Times
- Trump Is Getting Even Richer. Is That a Crime? · September 10, 2026 · 43 min
- Ross Douthat and Ezra Klein on the Art of Persuasion · August 27, 2026 · 1h 14m
- Bryan Johnson’s Blueprint for a 150-Year Life: Is It Worth It? · August 13, 2026 · 1h 5m
- Scott Galloway: America Abandoned Its ‘Unremarkable’ Young Men · August 6, 2026 · 43 min
- How Older Americans Hoard the Future · July 30, 2026 · 53 min
- Iran, China, Canada? A Defense of Trump’s Grand Strategy · July 23, 2026 · 1h 3m
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Interesting Times podcast page.