logo
episode-header-image
Apr 23
30m 52s

Remember the Old Days (Say, 2020)?

Ambassador (Retired) Pete Romero and Writer/Producer Laura Bennett
About this episode

By what dirty tricks exactly did Orban seize control of his country? And how then did his rival Magyar beat him? And between those bookends, we offer a look at what it was like to run the embassy in Budapest under Trump I. Could it be any more different than Trump now? Dave Kostelancik, former Chargé d'Affaires, regales us.

Up next
Apr 16
The Rise and Demise of The House of Orban
AMB Kurt Volker, who has known Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban for 30 years, helps us understand the man, his early vision for Hungary, how his quest to "never lose another election" led him to become the model for would-be authoritarians everywhere — and also led to his do ... Show More
26m 47s
Apr 9
"That Devil Feltman"
After a long and successful career as a U.S. diplomat, AMB Jeff Feltman went on to places where no US official has ever gone before, as the UN's Under Secretary General for Political Affairs. What was it like to meet with Ayatollah Khamenei or Iranian President Ahmadinejad? Or to ... Show More
57m 21s
Apr 3
Diplomat Lounge: How To Fix Fear and Loathing in a Post Trump World
It's not too early to start thinking about the recovery of US influence in a post-Trump world. Gen Z has some answers that align with their (our) values. The kids are alright. The Diplomat Lounge is a spinoff project of American Diplomat. This is its second episode. 
54m 37s
Recommended Episodes
Sep 2024
Rational Security: The “Ms. Jackson, if You’re Nastya” Edition
tail spinning
1h 12m
Sep 2024
The “Ms. Jackson, if You’re Nastya” Edition
tail spinning
1h 12m
Aug 2025
Is a secret US spy ring trying to take over Greenland?
It's a story that reads like it's jumped out of a thriller novel. Denmark has today summoned America's top diplomat in the country, after reports emerged that figures connected to the Trump administration had infiltrated Greenland to conduct “covert influence operations”.Denmark' ... Show More
48m 24s
Mar 2024
How much of your tax dollars are going to Israel and Ukraine
There's been a lot of disagreement in Congress and in the country about whether the U.S. should continue to financially support the wars in Ukraine and Gaza. Some taxpayers don't think the U.S. should give Ukraine any money to fight off Russia's invasion. And some taxpayers have ... Show More
23m 31s
Sep 2025
Can the FBI Survive Trump & Kash Patel?
Tommy & Ben start with Gaza: the UN Human Rights Council’s finding that Israel has committed genocide, and Israel’s ground operation into Gaza City. They discuss how Marco Rubio signaled that Trump has given up on brokering a peace deal in Gaza, and why the Netanyahu government i ... Show More
1h 39m
Aug 2025
The Citizens’ Resistance
<p>We look at the small and big and crucial ways Americans are fighting for democracy. Plus, there is a strategy behind Donald Trump's attacks on science, research, and institutions of higher learning. We talk about the consequences of these attacks and what the President might h ... Show More
40m 17s
Dec 2024
South Korean President Declares Martial Law
Tommy and Ben discuss President Yoon Suk Yeol’s sudden declaration of martial law in South Korea, how Trump and his team will approach the Syrian civil war, and why Kash Patel, Trump’s pick to lead the FBI, is so dangerous. They also talk about Trump’s nepotism hires, more troubl ... Show More
1h 22m
Feb 2025
How will the US suspending foreign aid affect the world?
The US state department stops nearly all foreign aid as President Donald Trump pushes his America First policy. But this assistance also helps the United States achieve its foreign policy goals. So how will they be affected, along with other countries and communities around the w ... Show More
24m 14s