Michael Weiss: The Vice President Is Looking Pretty Stupid
The Bulwark Podcast delivers a scathing critique of the emerging U.S.-Iran Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), arguing it represents a catastrophic strategic retreat disguised as diplomacy. Michael Weiss, the episode's primary guest, dismantles the White House's narrative, exposing the deal as a de facto surrender that legitimizes Iran's control of the Strait of Hormuz, validates Hezbollah's continued power in Lebanon, and enables massive Iranian economic windfalls—despite the U.S. claiming no upfront payments. He calls the administration's spin, particularly from Vice President J.D. Vance, 'deranged' and 'a disaster waiting to happen,' noting Vance's absurd claim that Iran's Revolutionary Guard now 'sees the error of its ways'—a statement Weiss calls laughable given the IRGC’s decades of violence against Americans. The episode reveals deep fractures within the Republican Party, with Vance’s public sellout alienating pro-Israel hawks while ironically giving Democrats a powerful political weapon. Weiss and host Tim Miller also explore the broader implications: Trump’s apparent abandonment of his 'America First' promise, the normalization of Iran, and the potential for a new, more dangerous era of U.S. foreign policy driven by family enrichment and geopolitical miscalculation.
The Iran MOU legitimizes Iranian control of the Strait of Hormuz, effectively conceding a critical chokepoint without a lasting agreement.
J.D. Vance’s claim that the IRGC now 'sees the error of its ways' is a dangerous delusion given the group’s history of anti-American terrorism.
The U.S. is enabling Iran to earn billions in oil revenue by lifting naval blockades—making the 'no money up front' claim a lie.
Trump’s foreign policy is not a strategic retreat but a calculated move to enrich family members and allies through private investment deals in Iran.
The deal has fractured the Republican Party, alienating pro-Israel hawks while giving Democrats a powerful narrative to run on in 2028.
…and 3 more takeaways available in PodZeus
The Iran MOU: A Surrender in Disguise
“The U.S. is ratifying Iran's control of the Strait of Hormuz because what they're saying is, yes, we acknowledge that you, Iran, which did not control the Strait of Hormuz as of February, whatever, the day before the war started, you now control it.”
J.D. Vance’s 'Cool' Delusion
“The coolest thing about the progress we've made over the last few weeks is that you see people within the Iranian system, senior leadership, even IRGC officials say, you know what? We may have some animosity, we may have some mistrust, but we recognize the way that we've done business with the United States for 47 years as a mistake. Let's try something else.”
The Real Cost of the War
Weiss details the war’s failure: Iran’s missile program remains intact, the nuclear program is untouched, and the only achievement—destroying the Iranian Navy—is not worth the blood and treasure spent.
The GOP Civil War: Hawks vs. Trump’s Inner Circle
The episode reveals deep rifts within the Republican Party, with pro-Israel hawks in panic over Vance’s sellout, while Trump’s inner circle—Kushner, Witkoff, Vance—pushes a pro-Russia, pro-Iran normalization agenda.
Sam Forstag: A New Kind of Democratic Hope
“If we can focus on those things first, we can build a coalition and we can get to the other notions of empathy and compassion in the level that we need to extend to our neighbors next because it's a whole lot easier to extend the kind of empathy and compassion that you ought to do to your neighbor if you're not having to work three jobs at a time just to fill the damn fridge.”
“The coolest thing about the progress we've made over the last few weeks is that you see people within the Iranian system, senior leadership, even IRGC officials say, you know what? We may have some animosity, we may have some mistrust, but we recognize the way that we've done business with the United States for 47 years as a mistake. Let's try something else.”
“And my basic notion here is that if we can focus on those things first, we can build a coalition and we can get to the other notions of empathy and compassion in the level that we need to extend to our neighbors next because It's a whole lot easier to extend the kind of empathy and compassion that you ought to do to your neighbor if you're not having to work three jobs at a time just to fill the damn fridge.”
“The one operational objective that you could argue has been completely achieved is the Iranian Navy is in the dream now. It's been destroyed. OK, well done. Was that worth the expense and blood and treasure for this campaign? I ask you. I ask any Israeli. The answer. No, it wasn't.”
Host
Guests
donald trump
person
jd vance
person
iranian revolutionary guard corps
organization
michael weiss
person
jared kushner
person
sam forstag
person
russian intelligence
organization
cuba
place
the bulwark
media
mack weldon
brand
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