How the Iran War Could Backfire

How the Iran War Could Backfire

Author: The Reason Interview With Nick Gillespie April 15, 2026 Duration: 33:26
Emma Ashford discusses Trump’s incoherent Iran strategy, the failures of post–Cold War foreign policy, and why a multipolar world limits American power.

The conversations on The Reason Interview With Nick Gillespie move beyond the day's headlines to explore the deeper ideas shaping our world. Host Nick Gillespie engages with a wide range of guests-from politicians and policy experts to novelists, tech founders, and cultural critics-in dialogues that are substantive yet accessible. This podcast delves into the intersection of individual liberty, innovation, and societal change, examining how libertarian principles apply to contemporary debates. Each episode is a long-form discussion where guests explain their work and worldview in detail, offering listeners a nuanced perspective often missing from soundbite-driven media. You'll hear analyses of political movements, discussions on artistic expression, and debates about the future of technology and free speech. The tone is curious and challenging, favoring open inquiry over partisan talking points. For anyone interested in the forces driving politics and culture, this series provides thoughtful context for understanding both current events and the underlying trends that will define what comes next. Tune in for consistently engaging interviews that illuminate the people and ideas actively constructing the twenty-first century.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 100

The Reason Interview With Nick Gillespie
Podcast Episodes
How the U.S. Sold Its Longest War with a Bodyguard of Lies [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:04:42
Filmmaker Dan Krauss explains how U.S. leaders misled the public about Afghanistan, why the media failed to push back, and how money and power kept America’s longest war alive long after it was lost.
Psychedelics Are Not Just for Hippies and Tech Bros [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 53:32
Author Joe Dolce explains how psychedelics are moving from counterculture to mainstream, with new science, shifting laws, and surprising therapies that promise to change how we treat addiction, anxiety, and self-discover…
Why Banning Drugs and Guns Never Works [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:03
Reason’s Jacob Sullum traces the shared failures of drug prohibition and gun laws, showing how both undermine civil liberties, racial justice, and commonsense safety.
How We Criminalized Childhood [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 53:39
Journalist and activist Lenore Skenazy explains how fear and over-parenting left kids more anxious and less independent, and and how a movement to restore that independence is gaining ground.
We're Moving Too Slow on AI [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:50
Technologist Pablos Holman warns that slowing AI progress cedes the future to gatekeepers and explains how open competition can unlock breakthroughs in energy, health, and innovation on a massive scale.
Glenn Jacobs Body-Slams Big Government [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:49
The former WWE star and current mayor of Knox County explains how limiting government, protecting economic freedom, and trusting communities over bureaucrats can build a stronger foundation for liberty.
Chip Roy on Why He Backed Trump's Spending Bill [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:00
Texas Rep. Chip Roy joins Nick Gillespie to talk about runaway spending, the uphill battle for health care reform, and where immigration fits into the liberty vs. sovereignty debate.
Did MAGA Kill the Tea Party? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:54
Former Rep. Justin Amash and Fox News’ Kennedy join Nick Gillespie to examine how MAGA populism reshaped the Tea Party’s limited-government mission, why Congress no longer acts as a check on power, and what it will take…