Tom Nichols on Trump's Iran War and Disastrous Foreign Policy

Tom Nichols on Trump's Iran War and Disastrous Foreign Policy

From The Hot Dish by The One Country Project

March 18, 2026 · 45 min · Season 7 · Episode 11

About this episode

Tom Nichols discusses the complexities of U.S. military actions in Iran and the implications of Trump's foreign policy.

In this episode of The Hot Dish, Heidi and Joel talk to Tom Nichols, staff writer at The Atlantic and professor emeritus of national-security affairs at the U.S. Naval War College, about the complexities of the U.S. military actions in Iran, the geopolitical fallout, and the state of American politics amid ongoing conflicts. Nichols brings a sharp, clear-eyed perspective on military strategy, foreign alliances, and domestic political implications. This conversation offers valuable insights into how these military decisions were made, their global consequences, and the internal political ripples they stir. Key moments in this episode: Tom Nichols explains the current state of military operations in Iran and evaluates their strategic effectiveness. He discusses the contradictions in Donald Trump’s foreign policy, including our strained alliances and his unpredictable decision-making. Tom and Joel discuss the internal U.S. political landscape, especially the disillusionment settling in among MAGA supporters. Tom explains how decades of U.S. foreign policy regarding the influence of foreign powers, such as China and Russia, in Iran and the Middle East have changed overnight…

People in this episode

Hosts: Heidi, Joel

Guest: Tom Nichols

Topics covered

  • U.S. military actions
  • foreign policy
  • geopolitical fallout
  • American politics
  • military strategy
  • foreign alliances
  • domestic political implications

Keywords

  • Iran
  • Trump
  • foreign policy
  • military strategy
  • geopolitical fallout
  • American politics
  • MAGA supporters
  • China
  • Russia

Sponsors

One Country Project

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: The Atlantic, U.S. Naval War College

Places: Iran, China, Russia, United States

More episodes of The Hot Dish

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the The Hot Dish podcast page.