How Trump Will Torture Tulsi Gabbard for Iran Leak

The New Abnormal

The Daily Beast

News & Politics

4.6 • 7.9K Ratings

🗓️ 26 June 2025

⏱️ 29 minutes

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Summary

Michael Wolff joins Joanna Coles’s to unpack the latest twist in Trump’s Iran debacle—a truth bomb dropped by U.S. intelligence. Wolff, Trump biographer and author of 'All Or Nothing' explains how Trump, obsessed with showbiz and "bragging rights," staged a “perfect war” for TV that is now unraveling in real time. The leaked intelligence contradicts Trump’s declaration of a triumphant mission, showing Iran’s nuclear capabilities remain largely intact—sending the West Wing into a tailspin of blame and recrimination. Susie Wiles launches a frantic leak hunt. Tulsi Gabbard is thrown under the bus. Pete Hegseth scrambles to avoid Trump’s wrath, which Wolff describes as “frightening,” and akin to being “treated like dogs.” Wolff uncovers Trump’s sugary mood swings to his government-by-whim—“a reality TV presidency with nuclear stakes.” Coles and Wolff reflect on how the U.S. went from a system of institutions to one man’s ego show, powered by candy, rage, and a desperate fear of losing the narrative.

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0:00.0	To mix a perfect mojito this summer, all you need is some ice, some rum, and then top up with zesty, refreshing, fever tree mojita mixer.
0:14.3	Finish with a splash of sunshine and some good friends and enjoy.
0:21.0	Mmm, maybe you don't need the sunshine.
0:24.6	Vivetri Mahita Mixer.
0:26.7	Mix with the best.
0:28.4	Please enjoy responsibly.
0:31.7	What we have to understand is Trump illusion versus a reality on the ground. And maybe that's generous to call it
0:40.8	Trump illusion. It's Trump misrepresentation. It's Trump, as he almost always does, portraying the
0:49.6	world the way he has decided it should be.
0:59.5	I'm Joanna Cole's chief content officer of The Daily Beast,
1:02.8	and you are watching or listening to The Daily Beast podcast.
1:07.3	Yesterday I was shocked by hearing Donald Trump say to a group of reporters on the White House lawn that Iran and Israel have been bombing each other so long,
1:11.6	they didn't know what the fuck they were doing. I don't know. It still felt shocking to hear a
1:16.0	president drop the F bomb, even with everything Donald Trump has done. So who better to unpack it
1:22.0	with again, but Michael Wolfe, who's also going to talk about the intelligence that's been leaked. And
1:27.9	they're now two very different narratives of what's happened. Did we actually obliterate Iran's
1:33.7	nuclear capabilities or did we just kick the can down the road? Let's get into it. Michael's
1:38.9	written four books on Donald Trump. He talks to people in the West Wing every day, so we have no time to waste.
1:47.9	It, Michael, it's so exciting to have you here in the office, so much to discuss. And I know we
1:52.5	dropped an emergency podcast on this yesterday, but I am still surprised that one can be shocked
2:00.4	by Donald Trump.
2:01.6	And yet I was shocked by hearing him say,
	...

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