Always at War Who’s Selling the Iran War? | BREAKING IT DOWN w/ Nick Cleveland-Stout
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Mar 20, 2026 Nick Cleveland-Stout, researcher who tracks think tank funding and defense contractor influence, explains who profits from pushes for war with Iran. He maps contractor donations to hawkish think tanks and their media influence. He also exposes the revolving door of generals, contractors, and commentary, and why political strategy matters for real anti-war politics.
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Public Opposes Iran War While DC Experts Back It
- Public opinion strongly opposes the Iran war while DC foreign policy elites overwhelmingly support it.
- Nick Cleveland-Stout cites polls showing only ~30–40% public support contrasted with K Street experts who are broadly pro-war and dominate media airwaves.
Think Tank Funding Shapes Hawkish Narratives
- Think tanks fall into transparent institutions and 'dark money' groups, and both largely push hawkish Iran policies.
- The Think Tank Funding Tracker found at least $44 million from Pentagon contractors to top think tanks since 2019.
Weapons Makers Donate Directly To Think Tanks
- Weapons manufacturers directly fund think tanks and donate personally, aligning experts' messages with corporate profit motives.
- Nick lists Hudson donations from Northrop Grumman, Lockheed Martin, and General Atomics as concrete examples.