World Leaders Are in New York for UNGA, But Not Putin
Summary
Brian Lehrer discusses the UN General Assembly with David Corn, author of "How Russia Won," focusing on Putin's absence and Trump's deferential diplomacy toward authoritarian leaders like Xi and Putin. Corn details Russia's ongoing disinformation campaigns targeting the 2026 midterms and argues that Trump’s refusal to acknowledge Russian interference has aided Putin’s efforts to weaken Western alliances. The conversation also covers the impact of the Iran conflict on Russian oil revenues and the psychological dynamics behind Trump’s affinity for strongmen.
Topics discussed
Sponsorships and theater promotions
UN General Assembly context and guest introduction
Putin's absence and Trump's affinity for strongmen
Listener call-in information
Overview of 'How Russia Won' and Russian influence
Specific cases of Russian interference and disinformation
Listener call: Experiences in Russia and WikiLeaks
Impact of Iran conflict on Russia and US relations
Listener perspective on diplomatic strategy with dictators
Current Russian disinformation targeting 2026 midterms
Compromat and the psychological dynamic between Trump and Putin
Zelensky's UN speech and the global risk of Putin's war
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