Sen. Mark Warner On What Trump Is Risking With War in Iran

On with Kara Swisher

New York Magazine

Society & Culture

4.2 • 3.2K Ratings

🗓️ 16 March 2026

⏱️ 53 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

As the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee and a member of the Gang of Eight, Virginia Sen. Mark Warner is among the select few members of Congress who get to sit in on top intelligence briefings. But with the war in Iran now in its third week, Warner says the administration still hasn’t presented any plans to meet President Trump’s demands for the regime’s “unconditional surrender.” Kara and Sen. Warner talk about what he’s hearing from the administration about its timeline for the war, why the regime is unlikely to fall anytime soon, and why he thinks an unstable Iran could pose more of a risk to U.S. interests. They also talk about the risks the already unpopular war could pose if it drags on longer than the administration anticipates. Questions? Comments? Email us at on@voxmedia.com or find us on YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Threads, and Bluesky @onwithkaraswisher. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	If Iran regime survives in this kind of current state, is it more of a danger, less of a danger?
0:08.2	I think it could be argued more of a danger.
0:09.9	And what happens if we say, all right, we're out and the Israelis say, no, we want to finish this?
0:16.4	Does that still keep our troops and our allies in harm's way?
0:20.0	It's way.
0:34.4	Hi, everyone, from New York Magazine and the Vox Media Podcast Network.
0:36.9	This is on with Kara Swisher, and I'm Kara Swisher.
0:38.9	The war in Iran has just entered its third week and were no closer to understanding President Trump's ultimate goals in the
0:42.9	conflict. The administration's explanations for getting involved here have been all over the place.
0:47.9	Our objective is to defend the American people by eliminating imminent threats from the Iranian regime.
0:55.9	We knew that there was going to be an Israeli action. We knew that that would precipitate an
0:59.7	attack against American forces. So if anything, I might have forced Israel's hand.
1:03.7	Iran was building powerful missiles and drones to create a conventional shield for their
1:09.9	nuclear blackmail ambitions.
1:12.3	And so have their timelines for an end to the war.
1:15.0	We've already won in many ways, but we haven't won enough.
1:18.3	Are you thinking this week it will be over?
1:20.0	No, but soon.
1:21.2	I think so.
1:21.8	The operations will end when the commander-in-chief determines the military objectives have been met,
1:26.8	fully realized, and that Iran is in
1:28.7	a position of complete and unconditional surrender, whether they say it or not. And so it's not for me
	...

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