Summary4 min read

Podcast Summary: Letters from an American

Episode: Who is in Control?
Host: Heather Cox Richardson
Date: July 9, 2026

Episode Overview

In this episode, Heather Cox Richardson unpacks the escalating conflict between the U.S. and Iran, President Trump's erratic statements at a tense NATO summit, and growing concerns about U.S. credibility and leadership on the global stage. Through commentary from journalists, economists, and officials, Richardson examines who actually holds power and influence in the unfolding crisis.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. U.S.–Iran Escalation and Presidential Rhetoric

The U.S. resumed bombing Iran, sparking Iranian counterattacks against U.S. military targets in Bahrain and Kuwait.
At a NATO summit in Ankara, President Trump made inflammatory statements about Iranian leadership:
- “Iranian leaders are scum. They're sick people, they're led by sick people and they're, they're vicious, violent people.” (00:29)
Trump declared an end to negotiations and continued aggressive rhetoric.
Later, Trump appeared to shift his message, suggesting the conflict would resolve quickly and “make [things] safer, including for oil.” (01:46)
Tom Nichols, writing in The Atlantic, starkly criticized Trump:
- “Iran, not Trump, is in control of this war... the Iranians are calling the shots and are routinely humiliating the American President.” (02:22)

2. Erratic Behavior, Confusion on the World Stage

President Trump made several confusing or mistaken references, including:
- Referring to Iran as "the Islamic Republic of Japan."
- Mistaking Ukraine President Zelensky for President Putin. (03:01)
In a “off with their heads” moment, Trump announced orders to cut all trade with Spain after the Spanish government refused to support U.S. strikes on Iran.
- Trump: “I don’t want to do any more trade with them, all right? Don’t even talk to them. They're hopeless. They're bad people. They make so much money with us and we’re going to see that they make a lot less.” (03:25)

3. Expert Analysis: Limits of Presidential Power and Rationality

Economist Paul Krugman explained why the U.S. cannot unilaterally cut off trade with Spain:
- “Cutting off trade with Spain is simply not going to happen. First of all, Trump does not have the authority to do any such thing… This declaration is rather like Europe declaring it is going to cut off all trade with Florida.”
- “[Trump’s] statement was completely crazy.” (04:10)
Krugman warned that in a healthy political system, such irrational statements would lead to serious bipartisan action to remove the president from power.
- Quote: “We cannot leave the fate of the United States or the world in the hands of somebody who is completely irrational, who is making demands and believing himself to have powers that he does not.” (04:42)

4. Domestic and International Reaction

Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker directly questioned Trump’s fitness for office:
- “Donald Trump is suffering from dementia. Someone needs to step in before it is too late.” (05:02)
European officials, as reported by Politico, expressed loss of faith in U.S. reliability and discussed building up their own military capability:
- "We first of all have to build our own military might and then everybody will respect us, Americans, Russians, Iranians or Chinese..." (05:20)
- German official: “Europeans don’t take Trump seriously any longer.” (05:32)

5. Influence and Financial Entanglements

Steve Rattner noted that Trump’s family members, including Jared Kushner, have raised $13 billion in investment from foreign, mostly Middle Eastern, governments, even while Kushner acts as a special envoy.
- This suggests potential conflicts of interest and further erodes trust in administration motives. (05:40)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

Trump on Iranian leaders: “They’re scum. They’re sick people...they’re vicious, violent people.” (00:29)
Trump, shifting his message: “I think anything that happens is going to be over very quickly and will only make it safer, including for oil...There’s a gusher of oil right now.” (01:46)
Tom Nichols, Atlantic: “Iran, not Trump, is in control of this war...the Iranians are calling the shots and are routinely humiliating the American President.” (02:22)
Trump, on cutting off Spain: “Don’t even talk to them. They're hopeless. They're bad people. They make so much money with us and we’re going to see that they make a lot less.” (03:25)
Paul Krugman: “This declaration is rather like Europe declaring it is going to cut off all trade with Florida.” (04:10)
Krugman on political norms: “We cannot leave the fate of the United States or the world in the hands of somebody who is completely irrational..." (04:42)
Governor Pritzker: “Donald Trump is suffering from dementia. Someone needs to step in before it is too late.” (05:02)
German official: “Europeans don’t take Trump seriously any longer.” (05:32)

Important Timestamps

00:29 — Trump’s remarks on Iran and aggressive statements.
01:46 — Trump changes narrative, emphasizes oil.
02:22 — Tom Nichols on who’s actually in control.
03:01 — Trump confuses country/leader names.
03:25 — Trump orders to cut off trade with Spain.
04:10 — Krugman analyzes Trump’s lack of power and logic.
04:42 — Krugman on political consequences.
05:02 — Pritzker calls for intervention.
05:20–05:32 — European officials react.
05:40 — Trump family’s Middle Eastern investment links noted.

Episode Tone and Themes

Heather Cox Richardson maintains a measured, analytical tone, incorporating both direct statements from national players and contextual commentary. The episode presents a view of a U.S. presidency perceived as erratic and detached from both reality and traditional checks, sparking global concern and highlighting a critical moment in contemporary world politics.

For more insights and the full context, visit heathercoxrichardson.substack.com.

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Transcript2 lines

[00:00]
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Foreign. 20:26 after the US resumed bombing Iran yesterday evening, Iranian forces retaliated early this morning with strikes on US Military facilities in Bahrain and Kuwait. In Ankara, Turkey, for a NATO summit, President Donald J. Trump told reporters that Iranian leaders are scum. They're sick people, they're led by sick people and they're, they're vicious, violent people, trump said in his comments earlier Wednesday. Far as I'm concerned, it's just a waste of time dealing with them. They're liars. There's something wrong with them. They're cuckoo. As far as I'm concerned, negotiations are over. The US Then launched another round of strikes on Iran to further degrade its ability to threaten freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. Oil prices spiked over the course of the day, and Trump appeared to walk back his earlier words, saying, I think anything that happens is going to be over very quickly and will only make it safer, including for oil. Oil is going to be very free, very easy, and it's going to happen very fast. We have the Hormuz straight, the boats have pulled out. I mean, there's a gusher of oil right now. We have a lot of oil. As Tom Nichols noted in the Atlantic, the US Emphatically does not have the Strait of Hormuz. Iran, not Trump, is in control of this war, the title of Nichols's article reads. It goes on to say that the Iranians are calling the shots in the war and are routinely humiliating the American President. The so called ceasefire was likely intended to calm oil markets. Nichols says neither side ever stopped shooting. Like many other observers, Nichols noted that Trump was incoherent in Ankara. He referred to Iran as the Islamic Republic of Japan and referred to Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky as President Putin. In an off with their heads moment, he also announced he had ordered Treasury Secretary Scott Besant to cut off all trade with Spain. According to Humayra Pamuk and David Latona of Reuters, Trump repeatedly complained about Spain, whose leftist Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez refused to let the US Use its bases or airspace to attack Iran, even though Spain has been dramatically increasing its NATO spending. Trump then told Ben, I don't want to do any more trade with them, all right? Don't even talk to them. They're hopeless. They're bad people. They make so much money with us and we're going to see that they make a lot less. I want no business with them. As economist Paul Krugman notes in his newsletter, cutting off trade with Spain is simply not going to happen. First of all, Trump does not have the authority to do any such thing. Second, the US Actually does a lot of business with Spain and American businesses would not accept any such cuts. But even more, it is impossible because Spain is part of the European Union. As Krugman notes, this declaration is rather like Europe declaring it is going to cut off all trade with Florida. Trump's declaration is a non event, Krugman notes. It is not something that is real. What we should take from it, he says, is that the statement was completely crazy. In any kind of normally functioning political system, he said, in any kind of normally functioning party environment, we would have a massive bipartisan call across the aisle, across almost everybody except for a handful of members of Congress who are themselves crazy, to say, okay, this guy is non compos mentis. We cannot leave the fate of the United States or the world in the hands of somebody who is completely irrational, who is making demands and believing himself to have powers that he does not. Illinois Governor J.B. pritzker agrees. He reposted Trump's reference to the Islamic Republic of Japan with the comment Donald Trump is suffering from dementia. Someone needs to step in before it is too late. Meanwhile, Jack Detch and Paul McCleary of Politico reported that European officials at the NATO summit reacted to Trump's announcement of new attacks on Iran just a day after he had praised Iranian leaders with the recognition that they can no longer rely on the United States. A European official told the political after seeing what's happening in Iran and Ukraine, we first of all have to build our own military might and then everybody will respect us, Americans, Russians, Iranians or Chinese. The more muscles you have, the less political anger you show. A German official was even more succinct. Europeans don't take Trump seriously any longer. Meanwhile, Steve Ratner of msnow noted today that Trump's son in law, Jared Kushner, and Trump's sons have raised about $13 billion in investment capital from foreign governments, mostly in the Middle east, even as Kushner is working for Trump as a special envoy to the region.
[05:54]
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Letters from an American was written and read by Heather Cox Richardson. It was produced at Soundscape Productions, Dedham, MA. Recorded with music composed by Michael Moss.