Did Israel Push Trump into War with Iran?
From Pod Save the World by Pod Save the World
March 4, 2026 · 1h 37m · Episode 509
About this episode
Tommy and Ben discuss the escalating war in Iran, its implications, and an interview with Iranian-American Rep. Yassamin Ansari.
Tommy and Ben discuss the ways in which the war in Iran seems to be spiraling out of control, from American service member deaths and devastating civilian casualties to Iranian drone strikes on embassies and the mounting global economic fallout. Meanwhile, the White House’s explanation for why the war started keeps getting more absurd. The guys unpack the claim that an impending Israeli strike somehow forced Trump’s hand, JD Vance’s reported push to “go big,” and the deep uncertainty around who might fill the leadership vacuum in Iran. Finally, they discuss the latest from Cuba and Lindsey Graham’s open call for regime change, and do a special deep dive on FBI Director Kash Patel’s extremely online girlfriend. Then, Ben speaks with Rep. Yassamin Ansari, who is Iranian-American, about the mixed emotions of the diaspora and what Congress can do about a war they weren’t consulted on. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here . For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast. Preorder Ben’s book All We Say: The Battle for American Identity: A History in 15 Speeches and subscribe to his Substack here .
People in this episode
Hosts: Tommy, Ben
Guest: Yassamin Ansari
Topics covered
- Iran War
- US Politics
- Middle East
- Israeli Influence
- Cuban Politics
- Congressional Action
Keywords
- Iran
- Trump
- war
- Israeli strike
- Congress
- Yassamin Ansari
- Lindsey Graham
- JD Vance
- Kash Patel
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: White House
Places: Iran, Cuba
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