Boundless Insights - with Aviva Klompas
When it comes to Israel, antisemitism, and American Jewry, the conversations are seemingly endless—there are so many perspectives and so many difficult questions that it can be hard to know where to start.
That’s why we created Boundless Insights—to bring you thoughtful, in-depth, and engaging discussions to help make sense of the issues.
Our goal is to become your trusted source for insights that are not just informative, but also empowering – giving you the confidence to start conversations of your own.
Boundless Insights - with Aviva Klompas
Taking Stock of the Iran War – with Elliott Abrams
Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.
As the war with Iran continues, the conflict is raising fundamental questions about how the United States uses military power and how President Trump’s foreign-policy doctrine may be evolving.
For years, Trump was closely associated with an “America First” approach that emphasized avoiding prolonged wars and limiting U.S. military involvement abroad. But the current campaign against Iran suggests a shift.
In this episode, Aviva Klompas speaks with Elliott Abrams, a former deputy national security advisor and Special Representative for Iran. They examine how the war is unfolding so far, what might realistically be achieved militarily, and what the strategic endgame could look like.
The conversation also explores the domestic political tensions surrounding the conflict, particularly among Americans who supported Trump because of his opposition to “endless wars.” Abrams discusses whether the president is redefining what “America First” means in practice and whether the campaign against Iran signals a broader shift in U.S. foreign policy.
Finally, they step back to consider the global implications of the conflict and how Iran fits into the wider landscape of American adversaries alongside China and Russia.
Guest Bio:
Elliott Abrams is a senior fellow for Middle Eastern studies at the Council on Foreign Relations in Washington, D.C. He has held senior foreign-policy positions in several U.S. administrations, including serving as deputy assistant to the president and deputy national security advisor in the administration of George W. Bush, where he oversaw U.S. policy in the Middle East. During the administration of Donald Trump, Abrams served as Special Representative for Iran and Venezuela. Earlier in his career, he was an assistant secretary of state in the administration of Ronald Reagan.
Abrams was educated at Harvard College, the London School of Economics, and Harvard Law School. He has served on numerous public commissions and advisory boards, including the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom and the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Council, and he is the author of several books on American foreign policy and the Middle East.
More From This Guest:
Trump’s Rules of War in The Free Press