logo
episode-header-image
Feb 2024
12m 57s

The Romance Between The American Right, ...

NPR
About this episode
For half a century, during the Cold War, every U-S president painted Russia as the dominant threat. America's ideological opposite, a hostile and nuclear-armed power. Ronald Reagan went so far as to call the Soviet Union an Evil Empire.

So the events of recent days have been noteworthy. On top of a holdup of U-S aid for Ukraine, former President Trump said he might NOT come to the defense of a NATO ally who hadn't spent enough on defense.

And Tucker Carlson, the erstwhile Fox news host, flew to Moscow to sit down with Vladimir Putin for more than two hours of mostly softball questions.

Afterward, he pronounced Putin "impressive" on stage at the World Government Summit.

So what gives? Why the romance between the American right and Russia?

For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

Email us at considerthis@npr.org.



See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.

NPR Privacy Policy
Up next
Jul 22
What we know about the nuclear deal between the US and Saudi Arabia
The Trump administration has reached a nuclear deal with the government of Saudi Arabia.It would allow the Gulf state to develop a nuclear program for civilian purposes. But the deal has already raised questions about nuclear weapons.What do we know about the agreement - and what ... Show More
6m 57s
Apr 8
What can Montgomery Alabama teach Americans about Civil Rights?
The landscape of Montgomery, Alabama is a monument to Civil Rights, but is America losing touch with the lessons of that movement?Montgomery, Alabama was the setting for much of the battle for Civil Rights. As the country celebrates its 250 anniversary, NPR’s Debbie Elliot went t ... Show More
9m 52s
Jul 21
Hegseth asks for billions for the Iran war, is there an end game?
Despite promises the Iran war would be decided quickly and decisively, the fighting continues. Does the Trump administration have an exit strategy for Iran and is the US heading into another forever war?After more than two months without an Iran war update, Defense Secretary Pete ... Show More
9m 54s
Recommended Episodes
Feb 2022
Hindsight on the Russia-Ukraine Conflict
About 10 years ago, Senator Mitt Romney was called out of touch for saying that Russia was the U.S.’s main geopolitical foe. CNN’s Chris Cillizza explains that Romney wasn’t wrong back then... or now. Although a lot has unfolded over the past decade in Eastern Europe, some of Rom ... Show More
7m 23s
Feb 2017
Analysis Extra: The Pull of Putin
Why do populist politicians across the West want warmer relations with Russia? Are they just Kremlin agents? Or are they tapping into a growing desire to find common cause with Moscow – and end East-West tension? Tim Whewell travels from Russia to America and across Europe to unr ... Show More
37m 34s
Jun 2025
Frenemies: Russia & the USA, a History
<p>For nearly half a century, the United States and Russia stood as adversaries, entrenched in a tense geopolitical rivalry known as the Cold War. Yet this period represents only a brief chapter in the broader, more complex history of their relationship...</p><br><p>In this episo ... Show More
1h 3m
Nov 2018
Is the West at War with Russia?
There’s talk of a new Cold War between Russia and the West. What responsibility does the West carry for the dismal state of relations?Russian leaders say Nato has expanded far beyond the borders that were agreed when the Soviet Union collapsed and a new European order was thrashe ... Show More
23m 10s
Mar 2022
Is Putin Facing a Legitimacy Crisis in Russia?
Charlie welcomes Adam Korzenewski, former Trump treasury official and national security and military expert, to unpack the truth about Russian strengths and weaknesses. Charlie and Adam discuss some of the most critical questions surrounding Russia's invasion including: Is Russia ... Show More
32m 13s
Oct 2019
Putin's Russia
Gideon Rachman goes to Moscow to talk to Fyodor Lukyanov, editor-in-chief of the journal Russia in Global Affairs and regarded as close to Vladimir Putin. Mr Lukyanov offers some fascinating insights into the Russian president’s drive to re-establish Russia as a global power — an ... Show More
24m 47s
Feb 2022
Russia and Britain — A brief history, from Navarino to Ukraine
As Vladimir Putin's brutal invasion of Ukraine plunges Russia's relations with the West into crisis, Jack Blanchard talks to the historian and former U.K. Foreign Secretary David Owen about the turbulent history of the Anglo-Russian relationship. Lord Owen charts the many ups and ... Show More
41m 58s