
Jon Tester, Former U.S. Senator (D-MT), "Authenticity beats the slick politician every time."
From The Fly by Georgetown's Institute of Politics and Public Service
March 22, 2026 · 39 min
About this episode
Former Senator Jon Tester discusses his political journey and the importance of authenticity in politics.
Former Montana Senator Jon Tester joins us to talk about his journey from small‑town school board member to the U.S. Senate — and back to his family farm. He shares hard-earned lessons on public service, building trust across the aisle, and why authenticity beats “slick” politics every time. We also dive into his candid take on the war in Iran, congressional war powers, and what it will take to repair America’s standing in the world.
People in this episode
Guest: Jon Tester
Topics covered
- public service
- politics
- authenticity
- congressional war powers
- international relations
Keywords
- Montana
- U.S. Senate
- trust
- Iran
- America's standing
Mentioned in this episode
Places: U.S., Montana, Iran, America
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