The Foreign Report

This week on TFR, Seena and Travis clean out the fridge to talk Jeffrey Epstein’s odd relationship with Ehud Barak and the recent revelations of his geopolitical back-channeling. They delve into the growing global arms race and what it may mean for the world and then tackle the real tough questions: how to handle your family over this holiday season.

Show Notes:

https://www.dropsitenews.com/s/epstein-and-israel

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DRJEa15jMJi/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

https://www.instagram.com/p/DRN2-L5AY...

What a week. Seena & Travis are back to talk lobbyists at COP30 and who exactly is getting screwed by climate change. They marvel at Trump’s embrace of the Saudi Crown Prince and what that may augur for the region, check in on raging corruption in the Philippines, and side-eye Trump’s baseless accusations against Nigeria. Oh, and, of course, they had to cover JD’s security detail running over a police officer. 😑

Show Notes:

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/Y4eNCjq_Jyw

https://www.instagram.com/thewhitehouseffect/reel/DQaGByvEg3x/

https://w...

With Seena out this week, Ed Larson from the Last Podcast on the Left and the Brighter Side podcasts joins Travis to talk cowardly Dems, Epstein emails, and JD Vance memes. Ed also tells stories about his time in Iraq on a USO tour. What do the Chairman of the Joints Chief, an accidental midnight mass, and popping pills have in common? Listen and find out!

Follow the Guest:

https://www.instagram.com/eddietunes/?hl=en

Show Notes:

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/ny___T1NZp0

https://x.com...

**NOTE The causality from the Al Fashir has been updated from when we recorded. As of Friday the numbers from just the last 10 days could in the tens of thousands. There's also word that the RSF has agreed to a ceasefire...JFC**  

This week as Seena and Travis celebrate much-needed wins for the Dems, send off Dick Cheney, our political Darth Vader, with a too-many-to-be-brief list of his top “accomplishments,” and wrestle with the ick factor of agreeing with Nick Fuentes about JD Vance. They also dig into the current status of the tragedy that is the civil...

This week Seena and Travis talk Trump’s tariff “strategy” and how the US appears to be losing out to China in most places. They weigh in on Canada’s Reagan commercial and Trump’s unsurprising overreaction, Israel’s blatant disregard for the ceasefire, elections in Argentina, and a devastating hurricane in the Atlantic. They also wonder why JD has nothing better to do with his time than make a fool of himself on Twitter.

Show Materials:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XWQRuRIxMBI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cEsXMpb8s2M

https...

This week the hilarious comedian, podcaster, and former NYC mayoral candidate Corinne Fisher joins the show to talk through updates in the Caribbean–did we just bomb another boat?! They also dig into Trump's expected u-turn on Russia, but since we recorded he even made another u-turn! We also cover the absurd prospect of Jared Kushner & JD Vance stabilizing the Hamas-Israeli ceasefire, and the new Iron Lady of Japan. They question if JD will be the chosen one or if a new hereditary monarchy is in the works. There is no lesser of two evils anymore….

Fol...

This week the incredible writer, comedian, and general provocateur Jena Friedman joins Seena and Travis to explain why being a public figure in our current online culture is scary as f***. The crew reacts to various Riyadh Comedy festival takes and tries to figure out when and why we became so reactive and polarized. Seena and Travis also break down the current state of the peace process in Gaza and locate the potential fault lines underlying the ceasefire.

Follow the guest: https://www.instagram.com/jenafriedman/#

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This week Seena and Travis take it back to the beginning to help us understand the exact moment when everything went to hell in Palestine. They cover the secret deals and broken promises that led us to where we are today, as well as explain what we’re all getting wrong when we call the region the Middle East. That colonialism is a real cock-up is no surprise, but the inanity of the language is wild. They also talk about Trump’s plans for regime change in Venezuela, Italy standing up for Gaza, and, of course, they monitor JD’s stea...

This week Jonathan Panikoff, the Director of the Scowcroft Middle East Security Initiative, joins the show to talk through Trump’s proposed plan to end the war in Gaza. What are the potential pitfalls? Will Hamas agree? What does Bibi really want?! Seena and Travis also cover Trump’s $20 billion dollar bailout of Argentina and its effect on American farmers, as well as the recent deportations of Iranian asylum seekers back to Iran, where the regime promises they’ll be welcomed with open arms. Oh, yeah, and JD’s out there campaigning to be the new Joseph McCarthy. All good stu...

Marcus Parks is back on the pod, folks! This week he joins Seena and Travis to rally against the crackdown on free speech and discuss Trump’s embarrassing UNGA appearance. They check in on some recent polling suggesting all is not hunky dory in MAGA world and ask a newly pressing question– are we all antifa now?! The gang also looks into why people in JD Vance’s hometown have been stocking up on toilet bowl cleaner!

Follow our Guest:

https://www.instagram.com/marcusparks/?hl=en

Sources:

https://youtu.be/l6KYix...

The Charlie Kirk assassination is global politics now, so that means we’re covering it on the show. From the connections between Kirk and Netanyahu to the conspiracy stew that’s arisen from his death, we did our best to make the terrible bearable. Saena and Travis unpack how foreign powers buy influence, how disinformation is shaping the battlefield of your mind, and why JD Vance filling in as Kirk’s podcast host might be the worst open mic set in history. Plus: Germany’s far-right gains, a Swedish pole vaulting hero, and a heavy dose of sarcasm along the way...

***Please go to our YouTube channel for a special segment on Charlie Kirk***

On this week’s show, Seena and Travis dig into our self-proclaimed president of peace embracing war of all kinds - renaming departments, killing foreign citizens on the open seas, and rubber-stamping every Israeli bomb. They check in on the violence in Nepal, the insanity of Israel’s decision to attack Qatar, and NATO taking a stand against Russian drones. And, of course, they revel in the Rand Paul / JD Vance social media spat.

Extra Reading:

https://www.youtube.com/shor...

Writer, comedian and all-around smart dude John Fugelsang joins the show this week to talk about MAGA mangling the teachings of Jesus, why the Dems are in trouble, and his new book: Separation of Church & Hate: A Sane Person's Guide to Taking Back the Bible from Fundamentalists, Fascists, and Flock-Fleecing Frauds.

Follow the guest: https://x.com/JohnFugelsang

Pre-Order John's Book: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Separation-of-Church-and-Hate/John-Fugelsang/9781668066898

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Tik Tok: https://w...

This week Davram Stiefler and Jason Selvig, otherwise known as the Good Liars, join Seena and Travis to share their experiences interviewing Trump supporters over the last decade. Why do they like Putin more than due process? Is there anything the Dems could do to sway them? What makes JD so f-ing scary? We talk through all those burning questions and more.

Follow the guests: @thegoodliars

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YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheForeignReport

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This week Seena and Travis dig into Trump’s red carpet roll out for Putin and his subsequent shift away from a “mere ceasefire agreement,” leaving Russia free to launch their largest offensive of the war in the following days. They talk through what it means for Hamas to accept conditions for a ceasefire as Israel is poised to attack Gaza City and look into state-sponsored militias in eastern Congo killing civilians. Finally they explain why they’re bummed that JD likes to bake.

Articles/Sources:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q5nRyhoXt-k

https...

The week Seena and Travis take a look at the Geneva Conventions– why they exist, who they’re supposed to protect, and what happens if they’re ignored (or not signed in the first place), in order to provide some context for Israel’s targeted killing of journalists. They question why Trump, our self-proclaimed anti-war president, is sending the military to DC and possibly Latin American. And in JD Vance Corner they provide a little levity alongside some artificially elevated water levels.

Articles/Sources

https://www.icj-cij.org/node/203447?utm_source=chatgpt.com

https...

This week Seena and Travis take a look at Gaza and the stated Israeli strategy of occupation and “voluntary migration.” Seena remembers the Eggshell Plaintiff from his law school days and explains why a recent NYT correction about starving Palestinian children was misguided at best. We also look into the “Japan First” movement and the nationalist Sanseito party’s gains in recent Japanese elections. And while the world crumbles, we ask why the f*** is JD looking for UFOs?!

Articles/Sources

https://x.com/UAPJames/status/1951343754276655248

https://www.instagram.com/p/DM_wV1RIeIT/?utm...

Seena’s back! He &  Travis are joined in the studio by Marcus Parks to talk all the Epstein ugliness. How did this case instigate such intense right-wing theorizing? Will the MAGA-world love for Trump stretch all the way to pedophilia? They also take a look at the long history of US/Ukrainian relations - why is Ukraine so important?  Did we keep our promises? How does Putin work his magic on all presidents and why might Trump’s recent heartbreak might be the one that breaks the spell. And, of course, we have JD Vance corner to celebrate a pretty...

This week, comedian and “liberal redneck” Trae Crowder joins the show to talk Trump, his appeal to Southern voters, and why certain chickens may be coming home to roost. Seena and Travis also ask him all about his most recent book, Round Here and Over Yonder, which covers his travels in the UK. Plus, JD Vance corner is back!

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Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/traecrowder

Twitter/X: https://x.com/traecrowder

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/officialtraecrowder/

This week, Seena and Travis bring back Corey Brettschneider to discuss the recently completed Supreme Court term, focusing primarily on the birthright citizenship/universal injunction case and two cases dealing with religion in schools. Is the house really on fire? Ah, yep. Is there some serious beef between Amy Coney Barrett and Ketanji Brown Jackson? You bet. Are we in the midst of a self-coup? Quite possibly. What’s Seena’s breaking point? Listen and find out!

Follow The Show:  

https://linktr.ee/theforeignreport

Follow the Guest:

@BrettschneiderC

Follo...

This week, Seena and Travis take a frightening look inside the mind of Bibi Netanyahu to try and figure out what his real goals are in Iran. Who is Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi and why is he so cozy with Israel? Why would Israel choose to bomb areas in Iran with no nuclear facilities but high populations of ethnic minorities? Why the hell is Bibi nominating Trump for a Noble Peace prize?! We dig into all these questions and also get a little heated reading through some of the finer print in Trump’s new bill.

https://yo...

This week we dive deep into the Abraham Accords: what they are, why they matter, and how a former terrorist on the US most wanted list might just launch Syria to the big kids table in the Middle East. We also cover some confounding updates on Kilmar Abrego Garcia and Mahmoud Khalil, take a look into a terrifying new tactic of the Russians, and, as always, wonder how the hell JD Vance invariably finds a way to irritate us.

Sources/Articles:

https://www.whitehouse.gov/fact-sheets/2025/06/fact-sheet-president-donald-j-trump-provides-for-the-revocation-of-syria-sanctions/

https://2017-2021.state.gov/the-abraham-accords/

We have a big show for you all this week as Seena is joined by Jonathan Panikoff, the Director of the Scowcroft Middle East Security Initiative at the Atlantic Council, and Rachel Brandenburg, the Managing Director of the Israeli Policy Forum, to discuss the nature of the current ceasefire between Israel and Iran and where things are likely to go from here. Before that, Seena and Travis wonder what the hell words like “war” and “ceasefire” even mean anymore and watch as JD Vance gets a little too slippery with language.

Our Guests:

https://www.atlantic...

Marcus Parks joins Seena and Travis this week to discuss the escalating war between Iran and Israel. They dig into the context for BiBi’s  decision to launch a preventative strike and project forward to where this may lead. They also find hilarity in Trump’s poorly produced birthday parade along with the various ways he was humiliated during the G7 and watch a gleeful Tucker Carlson eviscerate Ted Cruz.

Articles/Sources:

https://x.com/YourAnonCentral/status/1934909431613149199

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/18/world/middleeast/iran-islamic-republic-seyyed-ahmad-khomeini.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare

https://x.com/t...

As an Iranian-American, Seena shares his emotional exhaustion and fear for what lies ahead. Seena answers questions posted to the TFR YouTube page. This episode features insightful interviews with experts like Ambassador Joseph Manso and writer, activists, and comedian Dean Obeidallah, providing a comprehensive analysis of the conflict. 

Follow The Show: 

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Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@foreignreportlpn

Threads: https://www.threads.net/@foreignreportshow

Website: https://www.foreignreportshow.com/

Follow the...

*Note - this podcast was recorded before Israel’s attack on Iran

This week Seena and Travis walk through the timeline of Trump’s decision to send the National Guard, and later the Marines, to Los Angeles, in response to localized protests against his immigration policies, a decision that knocks the US another step down the empire in decline ladder. Always a fun moment. They also discuss recent developments in Trump's Qatari plane fiasco, Israel’s decision to deport Greta Thunberg, and the implementation of Trump’s new travel ban. They close the show with a recent report t...

This week Ukraine goes big and blasts open the door to a whole new type of warfare. Not generally something we'd celebrate but the Baba Yaga demands respect. Seena and Travis go deep and break down why this drone attack is a huge deal and what it will mean for Ukraine, Russia, and the rest of the world. They also talk Elon's beef with Trump's big, beautiful bill--did he send his latest texts from the bottom of a k-hole? According to sources, it's quite possible--and cover the latest in Gaza, plus the possibility for Iran Nuclear deal 2.0. And because...

This week Seena welcomes Michael Albertus, professor at the University of Chicago and author of Land Power: Who Has It, Who Doesn't, and How That Determines the Fate of Societies to discuss how land ownership infiltrates society in surprising ways. They also dig into Trump's obsession with the South African “genocide,” how the US is falling behind, compared to other countries, in its planning for the effects of climate change, and why there’s still hope for greater land equity in the future.

Learn More About Our Guest:

https://www.michaelalbertus.com/

Articles/Source...

This week we had to bring Marcus Parks back to help us wrap our brains around the unthinkable. Could Trump’s upsetting of the Middle East apple cart, reordering alliances, and embracing autocracies somehow be a good thing? We run through the litany of deals made since the start of his second term, consider our recent about-face on Syria and the Houthis, and listen to a Hamas official express his belief that US envoy Adam Boehler, whom he met with DIRECTLY, really listened this time. Basically, we add up all the ways we’re creating distance from Netanyahu and wond...

The world just refuses to slow down, so TFR is back from Spring Break with a doozy of an episode. This week, Seena and Travis break down the “free” $400 million “palace in the sky” Trump seems intent on accepting from Qatar. It’s hard to believe anyone needs to do this, but we break down why this is a bad idea. We also take a look at the India/Pakistan ceasefire and why India isn’t too thrilled with US involvement. We discuss tariff updates, check in on our deteriorating relationship with Israel, and marvel at Trump’s stretching of the word re...

This week TFR welcomes former Ambassador Joseph Manso to the show to help us figure out what the hell is going on out there. We discuss his career in foreign service, his thoughts on the shifting global order, cuts to the State Department, the war in Ukraine, the potential for a new Iranian nuclear deal, and much more.

More on our guest: https://diplomacyspeaker.com/

The Undo List link: bit.ly/theundolist

Follow The Show: 

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheForeignReport

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So much to cover this week! The Trump administration crosses the 100 day mark, so Seena and Travis take stock of their self-proclaimed "achievements" and check in on some recent polling that suggests Americans aren’t buying it. As tension rises in Kashmir, they provide some historical context for the long-standing conflict between India and Pakistan. And a little surprise about Seena's last name shows up in the Pakistani nuclear arsenal. They dig into the surprising liberal party victory in Canada and check in on our other neighbors to the north in Greenland. And, of course, not to be forgotten, JD...

The hits just keep coming with SignalGate 2.0. This week Seena and Travis cringe-watch Pete Hegseth’s children cringe-watching their father’s Easter Day rant. They dig into the legitimacy of the supposed “leak investigation” that resulted in the dismissal of three former Hegseth loyalists and review Trump’s proposal to end the war in Ukraine, which surprising to no one is a big win for Putin. They close by celebrating the chaos and idiocy that has been Vance’s first 100 days as VP.

The Undo List link: bit.ly/theundolist

Articles/Media Referenced:

https://www...

Happy Spring Break! What better time to stage a showdown with the Supreme Court and trip us further down the Constitutional Crisis path? This week, we dig into the nightmare that is the Kilmar Abrego Garcia case and the hypocrisies in the government's argument to keep him in El Salvador. Then, with Steve Witkoff extolling the hardline of the “Trump Deal” for Iran, we compare the state of Iran’s nuclear program under the Obama-era deal (JCPOA) to now, yet again revealing the gap between reality and their proclamations. We applaud Rep. Stephen Horsford and, as always, have a good l...

This week Seena and Travis try their darnedest to recount the week’s events as the Trump tariffs continue to wreak havoc. Is the rationale for an escalated trade war to be found in the machinations of the mysterious Ron Vara? Is it Trump’s distorted view of economics? Or, are we all just living in Fozzie Bear’s finger? It’s all on the table. As are Trump's threats to bomb Iran ahead of this weekend’s talks. Also, is JD Vance the loneliest man in the world?

Articles/Sources Referenced:

https://x.com/lhsummers...

This week, the man, the myth, the legend Marcus Parks joins Seena and Travis to roast the Dems for their haphazard response to Trump's “flood the zone” strategy. From Gavin Newsom cozying up to Steve Bannon to Cory Booker’s talk-a-thon to Schumer’s wait and see strategy, the Dems are disappointing from all directions. SignalGate continues to confound but everyone is clear on one thing - JD Vance sucks.

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Threads: https://www.threads.ne...

Travis Irvine is back to help us plumb the depths of stupidity that is the SignalGate fiasco. Matt Kelly, editor of Radical Compliance, also joins to help us understand how far outside the norm it is to text war plans on a personal phone. Spoiler alert, it’s pretty far. Deportations of legal residents are on the rise despite legal challenges in the Mahmoud Khalil case and others. In other fun news, JD Vance, now confirmed as our least popular VP, is being sent to Greenland.

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Travis Irvine is back with us this week to talk continuing resolutions, slush funds, and Chuck Schumer. Sure Schumer’s rationale might have been correct but the approach and lack of unified strategy from the dems is alarming. Israel has ended the ceasefire in Gaza with what they’re calling “Operation Strength and Sword” which has already killed over 500 people. Speaking of ceasefires, Russia and Ukraine are trying to figure out a partial ceasefire because that’s the best Russia can do. Europe’s working on replacing the US in NATO, protests erupted in Turkey after Erdogan’s rival was arrested...

In this episode of The Foreign Report, host Seena Ghaznavi is joined by constitutional law professor Corey Brettschneider to discuss the alarming case of Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia graduate student detained by ICE. They delve into the implications of this incident for free speech rights, the fragility of democracy, and the historical context of authoritarianism in America. The conversation also explores the role of citizens in defending democracy, the complexities of immigration law, and the broader impact of current political strategies on civil liberties.

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T...

We deep dive into Ukraine’s nuclear past—how it once held the world’s third-largest nuclear arsenal and whether its 1994 decision to disarm was a historic mistake, given Russia’s repeated betrayals. Then, we break down Trump’s latest trade war moves, as new tariffs on Mexico and Canada spark retaliation and a potential escalation with China. Meanwhile, in Gaza, Israel has cut off critical humanitarian aid, pushing the region further into crisis. Finally, Mehrsa Baradaran, author of "The Quiet Coup: Neoliberalism and the Looting of America," joins us to discuss neoliberalism, corporate influence on policy, and the future of...