190. How the Media Still Misunderstands Trump (Tina Brown)
25 May 2026
Podcast
27 November 2024
How has the world responded to the International Criminal Court's arrest warrant for top Israeli officials? What does Trump have planned for the war in Ukraine? Is Chancellor Rachel Reeves really embarking on a ‘growth agenda’?
Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all this and more in today's episode of The Rest Is Politics.
The Rest Is Politics is powered by Fuse Energy, a green electricity supplier powering homes across England, Scotland & Wales. Use referral code POLITICS after signing up to win a TRIP merch bundle. Learn more at getfuse.com/politics ⚡
Get our exclusive NordVPN deal here ➼ nordvpn.com/restispolitics It’s risk-free with Nord’s 30-day money-back guarantee! ✅
TRIP Plus:
Become a member of The Rest Is Politics Plus to support the podcast, receive our exclusive newsletter, enjoy ad-free listening to both TRIP and Leading, benefit from discount book prices on titles mentioned on the pod, join our Discord chatroom, and receive early access to live show tickets and Question Time episodes. Just head to therestispolitics.com to sign up, or start a free trial today on Apple Podcasts: apple.co/therestispolitics.
Instagram: @restispolitics
Twitter: @RestIsPolitics
Email: restispolitics@gmail.com
Assistant Producer: India Dunkley + Alice Horrell
Video Editor: Josh Smith
Social Producer: Jess Kidson
Producers: Nicole Maslen + Fiona Douglas
Senior Producer: Dom Johnson
Head of Content: Tom Whiter
Exec Producers: Tony Pastor, Jack Davenport
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
2 minute(s) read
Recent Podcasts
190. How the Media Still Misunderstands Trump (Tina Brown)
Why does Trump understand the media better than the media understands him? Are tech billionaires like Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos more dangerous to journalism than Rupert Murdoch ever was? What did Tina ... Continue25 May 2026
Posted by Alastair Campbell
Struggling or Snowflakes? The Gen Z Mental Health Story
Why has there been such an increase in young people diagnosed with mental health problems? Are Gen Z less resilient than older generations, or have they been seriously let down? Has therapy culture go... Continue21 May 2026
Posted by Alastair Campbell
535. The Ebola Outbreak and the British Far-Right’s Next Move
Are Xi and Putin playing Trump? How serious is the new Ebola outbreak, especially after Trump's and Britain's severe cuts to international aid? With Tommy Robinson explicitly telling his supporters to... Continue21 May 2026
Posted by Alastair Campbell
534. Is Wes Streeting Trying to Sabotage Andy Burnham?
By re-igniting the Brexit debate, is Wes Streeting deliberately trying to sabotage Andy Burnham's chances in a Leave-voting area, or is he forcing Labour to finally confront reality? Does Hungary's ne... Continue20 May 2026
Posted by Alastair Campbell
Alastair Campbell’s diary: I doubted that Burnham had a ruthless streak. Not any more
If I had to put my life on it, I’d guess that he will be PM by Christmas... Continue20 May 2026
Posted by Alastair Campbell
189. Rahm Emanuel: China, Technology, and the Future of the Democratic Party
Will Rahm Emanuel run to be the next President of the United States? What were the underlying policy disagreements regarding West Bank settlements that led to Benjamin Netanyahu publicly attacking Rah... Continue18 May 2026
Posted by Alastair Campbell
533. Andy Burnham’s Big Gamble: Can He Beat Reform?
What is Alastair’s plea to Labour politicians, after this week’s turmoil? After Wes Streeting’s resignation from the cabinet, will he still run against the ‘King of the North’, Andy Burnham,... Continue15 May 2026
Posted by Alastair Campbell
532. The Trump-Xi Showdown and Putin’s Conscription Con
As Trump becomes the first American president to visit China in nearly a decade, will the summit bring any positive developments, or will it further deepen global disorder? Will Trump sacrifice Taiwan... Continue13 May 2026
Posted by Alastair Campbell
Why Elon Musk criticizes policies and attacks politicians across the world but he never condemns nor talks about Putin atrocities.A fee speech means that if we hold a different opinion over the same issues we must not get insulted or fooled by who might disagree.This to me means free speech .I hope that trump will manage through to end the war by striking a great deal .But it takes two to tango .I doubt he will be able to achieve it ,but I hope he can make a great deal , Zelensky cannot sign a surrender agreement whereby he makes all territory concessions
On the subject of Israel:
1) Concerning the Israeli invasion of Lebanon, I really do recommend one of you reads or rereads Robert Fisk’s book “Pity the Nation”. I’m reading it for the first time since I bought it more than 10 years ago. I am at the Isreali Invasion of Lebanon in 1982/1983 and it reads just like I imagine it would if there were someone like Fisk reporting from Lebanon today. (is there any Western Journalist reporting from Lebanon today?) In Fisk’s day there was him for the Times, the AP, Friedman for the NYT, AFP and a small host of others).
Pretty much all of it could remain the same including the war-aims – Isreal invades Lebanon to kick out the bad guys and get peace on its northern border. Also simply substitute : Biden (and ceasefire Plan) for Reagan (and Peace Plan), Hizbollah for PLO, Netanyahu for Begin (they are even the same Party). The big names in the Maronite, Druze, Sunni and Shia camps would need to be updated but I suspect the mutual suspicions of those groupings are not very far below the surface. Also Fisk and the Times were multiple times accused of anti-semitism just for reporting the goings on in Lebanon as accurately as they could. This also resonates today.
Fisk makes a big deal out of the fact that Lebanon has been the object of foreign invasions for at least two thousand years – and in the end the invaders either leave or are kicked out.
The goal of the 1982/83 was make Israel safe against PLO attacks from Lebanon by kicking the PLO out of Lebanon. In this they succeeded but only at the cost of causing the Hizbollah to be formed who eventually caused the IDF to leave (or drove them out of) Lebanon.
Who knows what is going to take the place of the Hizbollah? But almost certainly something will.
2) The Israeli Newspaper Haaretz is being newly boycotted by the Israeli Government. It would be nice to mention this at the next appropriate occasion and maybe give them a plug.