This week, Walter and Jeremy discuss the Iran ceasefire and negotiations, the meaning of Japan's decision to open its military technology market, the global rise of clean energy sources and decline of coal, and how Pope Leo XIV's roots in Latin American Catholicism explain his particular distaste for Donald Trump.
What Orbán Meant
04/17/2026 | 28 mins.
This week, Walter and Jeremy discuss Pentagon plans to use US commercial enterprises for weapons production, the rise in young American men's religiosity, Trump's fallout with the European populist right, and the successes and (mostly) failures of Viktor Orbán.
How Not to Follow Events in Iran
04/10/2026 | 33 mins.
This week, Walter and Jeremy discuss the ceasefire, the situation in Lebanon and the Strait of Hormuz, how the war has impacted US defense capabilities, and how Trump's domestic and international political status is faring.
Will Trump Try to Get a Declaration of War?
04/01/2026 | 27 mins.
This week, Walter and Jeremy discuss the latest headlines from Iran, Trump and Rubio's fight with NATO, whether Trump might try to obtain a Declaration of War from Congress, and the best and worst wartime presidents in American history.
How Everyone Got Iran Wrong
03/28/2026 | 32 mins.
This week, Walter and Jeremy discuss the other strait Iran is threatening to close, the Trump administration's interest in Ukrainian territorial concessions, rumors of increasing US troop deployments to the Middle East, and how the doves and the hawks both got Iran wrong.
About What Really Matters with Walter Russell Mead
Walter Russell Mead, a historian, pundit, and popular author, is encyclopedic about politics, culture, and history. On What Really Matters, Mead and Tablet deputy editor Jeremy Stern help you understand the news, decide what news matters and what doesn’t, and enjoy following the story of America and the world more than you do now.
Check out Walter Russell Mead’s Tablet column at https://www.tabletmag.com/columns/via-meadia.
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