Questions remain on just how much Iran’s nuclear program was set back, but the Trump strikes are gaining support, even as the President lost his cool and accused both Iran and Israel of not knowing what the f*** they’re doing. Our special guest this week is former Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Joel Rubin, who lends his expertise to assess where the conflict in Iran is heading, how it is playing out in Israel, and how domestic U.S. politics are being affected. Joel is also the author of The Briefing Book, on Substack! It’s a thorough conversation worth listening to, and it’s why spaces like this on Substack are so important.

On the domestic politics side, the Trump Administration’s purge of the career federal workforce will only make it harder to carry out the diplomacy needed to manage this delicate moment with allies and enemies alike. We also pivot to Zohran Mamdani’s victory in the Democratic primary for Mayor in the country’s largest city, and the seismic shift to the socialist left that it represents. We discuss whether Mamdani breathes new life into the battered re-election campaign of incumbent mayor Eric Adams. Finally, we preview the Democratic firehouse primary in Virginia’s 11th congressional district, which is taking place this Saturday with 17 polling sites across the district. A candidate forum was held this week, and you’ll hear my hot take on who stood out, and who didn’t. Of course, regardless of who you support, if you live in Virginia’s 11th congressional district, we hope you’ll participate.

Thank you for listening, and subscribing!

Get full access to Luis Miranda at centerd.substack.com/subscribe