The Audacity of Pope

The Audacity of Pope

April 14, 2026 · 57 min

About this episode

Nick Hauselman and Jason Neidleman discuss a tumultuous week in global diplomacy, including U.S.-Iran negotiations and political implications of recent events.

Nick Hauselman is joined by Jason Neidleman, a political science professor at the University of La Verne, to dissect a bizarre week in global diplomacy. While ceasefire negotiations between the U.S. and Iran stall out in Pakistan after 21 hours, President Trump and his Secretary of State are nowhere near the table, opting instead to attend a UFC match. The duo discusses the "derangement theory" of Trump’s foreign policy, the strategic sidelining of J.D. Vance, and whether Jared Kushner is using high-stakes peace talks to pitch private investment funds. The conversation also covers the surprising defeat of Viktor Orbán in Hungary despite an unprecedented campaign stump from the American Vice President. Nick and Jason explore the "tit-for-tat" escalation in the Strait of Hormuz, Trump’s surreal midnight attacks on the Pope, and his sudden pivot against Alex Jones. Finally, they examine the political fallout of Eric Swalwell’s sudden exit from the California gubernatorial race following allegations of misconduct. Support the show and get the Weekender at Patreon.com/muckrakepodcast.

People in this episode

Host: Nick Hauselman

Guest: Jason Neidleman

Topics covered

Keywords

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: University of La Verne, UFC, American Vice President

Places: Iran, Pakistan, Hungary, Strait of Hormuz

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