The Ezra Klein Show The Ezra Klein Show

What’s the Left’s Vision for Foreign Policy After Trump?

Jun 9, 2026

Summary

Ezra Klein interviews Matt Duss about a potential Democratic foreign policy rupture driven by the Gaza war. Duss argues the Biden administration’s unconditional support for Israel failed morally and strategically, urging a shift toward conditioning aid and empowering Palestinian self-governance. They discuss how this crisis reflects broader public disillusionment with endless wars and elite disconnect, creating an opening for a values-based progressive foreign policy.

Topics discussed

Intro: Death of a Salesman Broadway revival Gaza, Democratic primaries, and the rise of anti-war sentiment Reckoning with Biden's foreign policy and Gaza support Critique of unconditional aid and the military-industrial complex Defining a values-based foreign policy vs. realism Trump's 'rigged system' narrative and anti-war politics Abraham Accords, Oct 7, and the failure of diplomacy Ukraine, China, and the debate over American primacy Ads: Proof on Broadway and Precise Probiotics Elite impunity, the rules-based order, and international law Congressional war powers and executive overreach Neoliberalism, trade, and economic anxiety Left nationalism, immigration, and border policy Anti-corruption as a unifying foreign policy goal Book recommendations and closing thoughts
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