3592 - Trump Regime at War with Iran and Itself w/ Annelle Sheline, Seamus Malekafzali

Mar 3, 2026

Seamus Malekafzali, freelance journalist reporting from Iran, and Annelle Sheline, Quincy Institute Middle East researcher, discuss conflicting U.S. claims about strikes on Iran. They cover whether strikes were preplanned, regional aims like regime change, Gulf states' concerns, diplomatic off-ramps, and indicators to watch for escalation.

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INSIGHT

Shifting Justifications Reveal No Clear Endgame

The administration's public justifications keep shifting between regime change, short timelines, and limited strikes, showing no coherent endgame.
Annelle highlights officials moving from 48 hours to multiple weeks and vacillating on regime-change claims.

INSIGHT

Netanyahu Wants Regime Collapse In Iran

Netanyahu's objective appears to be regime collapse in Iran, not negotiated limits, because a collapsed Iran removes a perceived existential threat.
Annelle says Israel targets border and minority areas hoping to fragment Iran and provoke systemic collapse.

INSIGHT

Gulf States Pivot Away From Reliance On U S Security

Gulf states prefer stability and are shifting away from reliance on the U.S. security guarantee after seeing U.S. focus protect Israel instead of Gulf partners.
Annelle links this to Saudi normalization with Iran and Gulf interest in Chinese-mediated diplomacy.

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It's News Day Tuesday on The Majority Report On today's program: CNN airs a compilation of several members of the Trump administration and GOP politicians contradicting themselves on whether or not we are at "war" with Iran. Secretary of State Marco Rubio says that the U.S. struck Iran because they knew Israel was going to take action in Iran and that would precipitate actions against American forces in the area. Annelle Sheline, a Middle East research fellow at the Quincy Institute, joins the program to discuss the war's foreign policy dimensions. Seamus Malekafzali, co-host of Turbulence podcast joins the program to discuss the on-the-ground situation in Iran. For more from Seamus subscribe to his Substack. In the Fun Half: Speaker of the House Mike Johnson reaffirms Marco Rubio's claims that we had to strike Iran because they knew of an Israel action that would lead to an attack on American forces. Donald Trump contradicts both Rubio and Johnson and claims that he wanted to strike first and that he "forced Israel's hand". Bibi Netanyahu goes on Hannity and says that he did not drag Trump into this war despite what Rubio and Johnson have claimed. The Third Way's "Winning the Middle" conference is as infuriating as it sounds. Melania make good time party at U.N. big time! all that and more To connect and organize with your local ICE rapid response team visit ICERRT.com

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