General David Petraeus on the New Rules of War

General David Petraeus on the New Rules of War

Author: The New Yorker August 22, 2026 Duration: 46:07
The Washington Roundtable’s Susan B. Glasser interviews General David Petraeus about where the conflicts in Iran and Ukraine might be headed and what they can tell us about the future of warfare. They discuss the fleets of inexpensive drones which have upended traditional combat, how the impending arrival of A.I.-powered automated systems might “revolutionize” the battlefield, and what institutional overhauls Petraeus believes are urgently needed at the Pentagon in order to respond. “We need to do a lot to catch up,” Petraeus says. “But there are vested interests in the military-industrial-congressional-complex that are gonna fight tooth and nail for any actions that change force structure, reduce the aircraft they have on their ramp in their congressional district, or production of manned ships, manned tanks, or whatever else it is, and this is gonna be a fight.” This week’s reading: “After Six Months of War, Trump Is Still Losing to Iran,” by Ishaan Tharoor “Is the Smithsonian Really Trying to Destroy America?,” by Julian Lucas “A Trump Grift Too Far?,” by John Cassidy “Donald Trump Is Still Trying to Make It Harder to Vote,” by Amy Davidson Sorkin “The Show That’s Charting a Post-Trump Future,” by Jon Allsop “How Far Will the Trump Administration Go to Deport Mahmoud Khalil?,” by Andrew Marantz “How I Became a Subaru Socialist,” by Jay Caspian Kang “Can Head Start Be Deregulated Out of Existence?,” by Jessica Winter The Political Scene draws on the reporting and analysis found in The New Yorker for lively conversations about the big questions in American politics. Join the magazine’s writers and editors as they put into context the latest news—about elections, the economy, the White House, the Supreme Court, and much more. New episodes are available three times a week.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Each week, The Political Scene | The New Yorker brings the magazine’s signature depth and clarity directly to your ears. This isn’t just a recap of headlines; it’s a sustained conversation with the people who spend their days investigating the forces shaping our world. You’ll hear from the publication’s own writers and editors, whose reporting and analysis provide essential context for understanding today’s complex political landscape. The rhythm of the week structures these discussions: Mondays feature editor David Remnick in thoughtful conversations and narratives about unfolding events. Then, on Wednesdays, senior editor Tyler Foggatt selects one consequential story and explores it thoroughly through interviews with both New Yorker staff and leading outside voices. Fridays round out the week with contributions from the magazine’s staff writers, offering their distinct perspectives. Tuning into this podcast means getting behind the scenes of the journalism itself, listening as sharp minds dissect power, policy, and the human stories at the heart of it all. It’s for anyone who wants to move beyond the noise and find a more nuanced, informed take on American politics and global affairs.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 50

The Political Scene | The New Yorker
Podcast Episodes
The Whiplash of the U.S.-Iran Peace Talks [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:15
The New Yorker contributing writer Robin Wright joins Tyler Foggatt to discuss the state of peace talks between the U.S. and Iran. They talk about the evolving terms—and major sticking points—of a potential agreement bet…
Is Washington Up to the Challenge of A.I.? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:36
The Washington Roundtable discusses the growing political backlash to artificial intelligence, especially among young Americans, and asks whether Washington, D.C., is capable of regulating A.I. companies. They’re joined…
What Is Hakeem Jeffries’s Plan for the Midterms, and After? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:30
The New Yorker staff writer Jason Zengerle joins Tyler Foggatt to discuss his Profile of Hakeem Jeffries, the House Minority Leader. They talk about how Jeffries has balanced resisting Donald Trump’s agenda with holding…
The History Wars and America at 250, with the Historian Jill Lepore [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:46
The two-hundred-and-fiftieth anniversary of the Declaration of Independence arrives during intense disputes about American history, as the Trump Administration demands a more glorifying view of the nation’s past at feder…
A Member of the “Seditious Six” on Reviving the Democratic Party [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 48:05
The Washington Roundtable is joined by Representative Jason Crow, of Colorado, an Army Ranger veteran, member of the House Intelligence and Armed Services Committees, and one of the so-called Seditious Six, members of Co…
Hungary Avoided Democratic Collapse. Can We? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 44:00
The New Yorker staff writer Andrew Marantz joins Tyler Foggatt to discuss Péter Magyar, the new Prime Minister of Hungary, whom Marantz recently interviewed for the magazine. Marantz tells Foggatt about how Magyar defeat…
Barack Obama in the Trump Era [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:12
The contributing writer Peter Slevin met with Barack Obama at the new Obama Presidential Center, which opens next month, in Chicago, and asked him the question on a lot of Democrats’ minds: Where is he, and why isn’t he…
Have Billionaires Gone Too Far? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:58
The über-rich have enjoyed a remarkable degree of sway in Donald Trump’s Washington—but they may now be facing a backlash. The Washington Roundtable traces the signs of invigorated “pitchfork politics,” such as Zohran Ma…