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Isaac Sowell
This is Car Tracks with Turtle Wax. Your car says a lot about you.
Marc Maron
So if we asked your car what.
Isaac Sowell
It would say about you, what would it say? Listen, you dropped one of those tiny cheeseburgers under the seat like last week and now we're both dry heaving the stench.
Marc Maron
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Will Kbach
Wax and let's get to work.
Isaac Sowell
This has been Car Tracks with Turtle Wax.
Will Kbach
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Isaac Saul
From executive producer Isaac Saul, this is Tangle.
Isaac Sowell
Good morning, good afternoon, and good evening, and welcome to the Tangle Podcast, the place we get views from across the political spectrum, some independent thinking, and a little bit of my take. I'm your host, Isaac Stahl. It is Monday, August 18th. We are back after taking about a week off for our August recess. So thank you all for hanging around. I hope you were able to find ways to keep up with the news while we were gone or that you took a break yourself, all without finding anybody you like more than us. Because this is obviously the best place to keep up with what's going on in the political world. And we're jumping back in with some really big stuff. Today we're gonna be talking about the Trump Putin summit in Alaska. What exactly happened, what we can take from it. We're gonna share some views from the left and the right and from abroad, and then I'm gonna share my take. Before we jump in today, though, I do want to give you a quick heads up that in case you missed it, we released perhaps our most ambitious video project ever right before we went on break. It was a mini documentary that pulled back the curtain on what life is like for a member of Congress. Our production team, myself included, spent three full days shadowing Representative Jake Auchincloss, the Democrat from Massachusetts in Washington, D.C. and then we put together a video that's actually ended up being a little over an hour long that that's on YouTube right now. And I'm really proud of this video. I think it is a really unique look into what members of Congress are actually doing. I think it's unlike anything else that I've really seen out there. We did market research to see if somebody had done a video like this before and it's very, very rare. Non existent really, if you don't count members of Congress's own press offices releasing videos. So I was super grateful to Representative Auchincloss for letting us do this video and spend so much time with him. And, and I've been super encouraged by the response. Just a few of the comments that stuck out to me. One person said, this is exactly the type of coverage Congress needs. It's humanizing while still being challenging. Another viewer said, incredible peek behind the curtain at a field shrouded in mystery. I love how candid he was willing to be with you all. And I especially love that he was willing to do this in the first place. I've been sub to Tangle for nearly five years now, and you guys have really outdone yourselves with this one. And finally someone said, when I saw that this video was over an hour, I figured I'd try to get a taste of just the first few minutes. I found that it drew me in and I ended up watching the entire video. This video is up on our YouTube channel right now. If you go to tangle news on YouTube, you'll see the video titled what Do Members of Congress Actually Do All Day Three Days with Representative Jake Auchincloss. Again, super proud of the video. We're going to be following it up with a reader mailbag on Friday because a lot of people ask questions about certain things that happened in the video or what our experience was like down there. So if you watch the video, then you can write in to us with a question. You can reach me@isaac isaac.com if you have a question about the video or our time with Representative Auchincloss. And we're going to do a reader mailbag this Friday answering your question. So go check it out and don't forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel. Also like the video and share it with people that teaches the YouTube algorithm that people really want more of this content and it might get us some traction. So I appreciate that. All right, with that, I'm going to send it over to Will, who's filling in for John today, who's going to share some of the stories about what we missed and break down our main story, and then I'll be back for my take.
Will Kbach
Thanks, Isaac. Before we jump into today's Quick Hits and our main story, we're gonna cover some of the big stories that we missed while we were on break. This is something we like to do whenever we come back from an extended break, just to give a quick rundown of the biggest quick hits that took place while we were off. So here's what you missed. First off, President Donald Trump deployed the national guard to Washington, D.C. and placed the city's police department under federal control. Separately, Attorney General Pam Bondi issued an order stripping the D.C. police chief of her power, but the order was rescinded one day later. Next President Trump named Heritage foundation chief economist E.J. antone as his nominee to lead the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Trump had fired the agency's former commissioner on Aug. 1. Next Consumer prices rose 2.7% in July from a year earlier, slightly lower than economists expectations. Separately, US producer prices increased 0.9% from the month prior, the largest monthly gain in three years. The increase came amid a rise in the costs of goods and services. Services. Next the United States and China each extended a pause in tariffs levied on the other as trade negotiations continue. Next Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the country would move to recognize a state of Palestine. Separately, Germany imposed a partial arms embargo on Israel after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's cabinet voted to approve a new offensive to occupy Gaza City. Finally, five Al Jazeera journalists were killed in an Israeli airstrike in Gaza. Israel said it was targeting one of the journalists due to his alleged involvement in a Hamas militant cell and in rocket attacks on Israel. Next President Trump reportedly directed the Pentagon to begin using military force against Latin American drug cartels that the administration has deemed terrorist organizations. Next A federal judge rejected the Justice Department's request to unseal grand jury transcripts in Ghislaine Maxwell's New York sex trafficking case. The judge found that unsealing the documents would not reveal meaningful new information on the case or the government's investigation. Next the 4th U.S. circuit Court of Appeals ruled 2 to 1 that the Department of Government Efficiency can legally access Americans data from the Department of Education, Treasury Department and Office of Personnel management. Separately, the U.S. court of Appeals for the D.C. circuit ruled 2 to 1 that aid organizations lacked legal grounds to sue the Trump administration over its refusal to spend billions of dollars in foreign aid. The court found that only the Government Accountability Office could challenge this policy. Next the US national debt surpassed $37 trillion for the first time in history. Next, lawmakers in Texas said they would return to the state once the Legislature adjourns. And California lawmakers introduce a redistricting map intended to counter Texas Republicans mid decade redistricting effort. In an unsigned order, the Supreme Court rejected a request from a technology industry group to temporarily bar Mississippi from enforcing a state law that requires parental consent before young people can create social media accounts. And finally, the Gifford fire on California's Central coast became the state's largest fire of 2025. The fire has burned 131,589 acres and is 91% contained as of Sunday. Now let's move on to today's quick hits. Number one, Democratic lawmakers in California released a congressional map with new boundaries for U.S. house districts that would improve Democrats chances of winning an additional five seats. State lawmakers will consider the map next week. Number two, the union representing flight attendants for Air Canada defied a government order to resume operations on Sunday, extending the strike that began on Saturday. Another day, Air Canada flight attendants are seeking a new contract that addresses pay and scheduling disputes. Three protesters held demonstrations across Israel on Sunday, calling for a ceasefire deal with Hamas to release the remaining hostages in Gaza. Number four, Immigration and Customs Enforcement reportedly plans to double its immigrant detention capacity in 2025, opening or expanding 125 facilities and adding over 41,000 detention beds. And finally, number five, Bolivia's presidential election moved to a runoff between centrist candidate Senator Rodrigo Paz and conservative former President Jorge Tuto Queroga.
Isaac Sowell
President Trump meets with Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky.
Marc Maron
At the White House.
Will Kbach
With the world waiting on edge to see if Ukraine accepts Russia's proposal for.
Isaac Saul
Peace, President Vladimir Putin wants full control of two regions in eastern Ukraine. In exchange, Putin says he'll freeze the front line elsewhere as long as the US Recognizes the land captured by Moscow.
Will Kbach
On Friday, President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin met at Joint Base Elmendorf Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska, to discuss the future of the war in Ukraine, the first in person meeting between the leaders since the start of President Trump's second term. While Trump described the meeting as, quote, productive, he shared minimal details from the discussions and the White House has not announced any new agreements. Ukraine was not a part of the discussions, but Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will meet with Trump in Washington, D.C. on Monday. Trump and Putin met in private for several hours alongside top officials from each country before holding a press conference during which each delivered remarks. But neither took questions from reporters Speaking first, President Putin said Russia is sincerely interested in putting an end to the war, but that doing so required addressing the primary roots of the conflict, considering all legitimate concerns of Russia, and to reinstate a just balance of security in Europe and and in the world on the whole, end quote. He also called for renewed economic ties between the US And Russia and praised Trump for his approach to the relationship. In his comments, President Trump noted the quote, many, many points that we agreed on, most of them I would say a couple of big ones that we haven't quite gotten there, but we've made some headway, end quote. He said he would inform NATO leaders and Ukrainian President Zelenskyy about the details of the meeting, adding that he expected to see Putin again very soon. At the end of the press conference, Putin suggested another meeting in Moscow, which Trump said he could see possibly happening. After the meeting, Trump reportedly informed President Zelensky that Putin had offered to freeze his territorial ambitions along most of the current front lines if Ukraine agreed to cede the Donetsk region to Russia. Zelensky rejected any proposal that would cede Ukrainian territories in the Donbas region. On Saturday, Trump publicly called on Zelenskyy to make a deal to end the war, later saying that he believed the best way to end the war was to pursue a direct peace agreement rather than an initial ceasefire, which Ukraine and Europe have both sought. In a post on X, President Zelensky wrote, quote, if Russia lacks the will to implement a simple order to cease strikes, it may require a great deal of effort for Russia to develop the will to achieve much more, namely a peaceful life with its neighbors for decades. Separately, US Special envoy Steve Witkoff said Putin agreed to, quote, robust security guarantees for Ukraine during the Alaska meeting and that these guarantees would be made directly by the US And European countries rather than through NATO. Today, we'll share views from the left, right and writers abroad on the Trump Putin meeting and the latest in peace negotiations. Then Isaac gives his take Foreign.
Isaac Sowell
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Will Kbach
Here'S what the left is saying. The left argues the meeting legitimized Putin on the world stage but gained nothing. Some suggest Trump's disparagement of Ukraine has undermined his negotiating power with Russia. In msnbc, Naira Haq said it's not clear if Trump got anything from Putin or even what he wanted. Last week, the White House blew past its own deadline of imposing sanctions on Russia for continuing its three year invasion of Ukraine. And then, in a misguided effort to clean up that mistake, President Donald Trump gifted Russian President Vladimir Putin a one on one meeting in Alaska. It was impossible to make sense of what Trump expected to gain by doing so, hack wrote. It's clear that Trump, in his rush to meet with Putin, not only risked whatever was left of his global image as a dealmaker in chief, but he also may have damaged the United States image as a global champion for democracy. Putin didn't need anything more than a photo of him on the same military base the US Once used to counter the Soviets. Trump legitimized Putin as the leader of a superpower that must be dealt with directly and not a rogue state kicked out of the G8 Haq said Trump completely ignored US sanctions and the international arrest warrant for Putin, essentially siding with Putin against the democratic world order. He again illustrated how potentially easy it is for him to be manipulated into playing second fiddle to Putin's imperial ambitions, gaining nothing for himself or the US in return. In the Atlantic, Anne Applebaum wrote Trump has no cards President Donald Trump berated President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the Oval Office. He allowed the Pentagon twice to halt prearranged military shipments to Ukraine. He promised that when the current tranche of armaments runs out, there will be no more. He has cut or threatened to cut US Funds that previously supported independent Russian language, media and opposition, applebaum said. Many of these changes have gone almost unremarked on in the United States, but they are widely known in Russia. As a result, the Russian president has clearly made a calculation. Trump, to use the language he once hurled at Zelensky, has no cards. If Trump will not put any diplomatic pressure on Putin or any new sanctions on Russian resources, then the US President's fond wish to be seen as a peacemaker can be safely ignored. No wonder all of Trump's negotiating deadlines for Russia have passed to no effect, and no wonder the invitation to Anchorage produced no result, applebaum wrote. The US has no cards because we've been giving them away. If we ever want to play them again, we will have to win them back. Arm Ukraine, expand sanctions, stop the lethal drone swarms, break the Russian economy and win the war. Then there will be peace. Here's what the right is. The right is mixed on the meeting's impact. Though some say it was a step toward peace, others contend Trump is right to favor a peace deal over an initial ceasefire. In the New York Post, Douglas Murray argued the Alaska meeting was a start, but Putin is still up to his old tricks and Trump knows it. Trump came into office saying that the war would never have started if he had been the US president in 2022 and yesterday. Putin was careful to stress that this was a point of agreement between the two sides, murray wrote. Trump was careful not to fall for the flattery. Throughout the joint press appearance while Putin was speaking, Trump maintained his careful, thoughtful listening face he knows that even a smile in the wrong place can be deadly when dealing with a negotiating partner like Putin, not just because of the man standing beside him on the stage, but for the world's media camped out in front of them both, many of whom would love to revive the Putin puppet. Memes about Trump Trump was in Alaska to get a deal done. Whether Putin was there for the same thing they were remains to be seen. But in an expert piece of Stagecraft, an American B2 stealth bomber flew overhead as Trump and Putin walked to the first photo opportunity. Murray said Trump had a careful game to balance in Alaska. He managed to encourage Vladimir Putin to the negotiating table and he did get Putin to say that he is sincerely interested in ending the conflict. If the two leaders can have further meetings which can help bring an end to the war, then that could be a good thing. In the Wall street journal, former U.S. national Security Advisor John Bolton wrote about the silver lining of the summit. The crucial news underlining the Monday meeting's Importance came after Mr. Trump left Alaska. The he wrote on Truth Social that the best way to end the horrific war between Russia and Ukraine is to go directly to a peace agreement. Bolton said that directly contradicts the unanimous pre summit European view that a ceasefire must be in place before substantive discussions begin. It was unclear how European leaders reacted. Their post summit statement was silent on the subject. While it is a minority view, I believe Mr. Trump's announcement is positive news for Kyiv, although not for the reason he gives. Ceasefire lines typically fall along existing military front lines when negotiations follow a ceasefire, particularly when accompanied by the deployment of peacekeeping forces. As has also been suggested, the ceasefire line often hardens in short order. Ceasefire lines can become de facto borders, Bolton wrote. If a ceasefire line traces what Moscow now holds in phase two and negotiations drag on, Mr. Putin will gain time to restore his economy, rebuild and repurpose his army and navy and prepare for phase three. Kyiv should reject this scenario unequivocally, not embrace it. And finally, here's what writers abroad are saying. Writers abroad are mostly critical of Trump's handling of the summit, describing it as a clear win for Putin. Some say Putin outmaneuvered Trump, but the future of the war is still uncertain. The Kyiv Independent Editorial board called the meeting sickening. In the lead up to the meeting in Alaska, US President Donald Trump declared he wanted a ceasefire today and that his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin would face severe consequences if he didn't go for it, the board said. Yet after a 2.5 hour closed door meeting, Trump and Putin emerged to share nothing. Progress was made and some understanding reached, but the two didn't come to an agreement on the most significant point. Clearly, Ukraine. Trump didn't get what he wanted. But Putin, he sure did. No longer an international pariah, he was finally getting accepted and respected by the leader of the free world. The chummy display stood in stark contrast to Trump's hostile reception of Ukraine's president, Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval Office six months ago. Ukraine's president endured a public shaming. Russia's was pampered. Both episodes were disgraceful. Trump seemed to believe that a warm meeting could appease Putin and make a ceasefire more likely, the board wrote. But there's a lesson Trump still hasn't learned. The Russian leader doesn't really make deals. He takes. He takes what is offered to him and then takes some more. He keeps taking until stopped by force. That is the Russian art of the deal. In the Spectator, Dalabor Rohak explored the good, the bad and the ugly of the Alaska summit. The three hour Friday summit in Alaska between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin ended as well as it conceivably could have ended as a big nothing burger. But that does not mean that Ukraine and its supporters can breathe a sigh of relief, Roch said. Trump may be unhappy that the prospect of his Nobel Peace Prize remains elusive, as Putin has not agreed to an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine. But it is far from clear that he will end up directing his anger against Russia. We can be reasonably confident that Putin would have been happy to agree to an immediate ceasefire in exchange for Ukraine meeting his maximalist demands. The failure to reach a ceasefire deal with Trump suggests that the US Administration has not bought into Russia's interpretation of the war and how to end it, at least not yet, rohak wrote. What lies at the heart of the summit is that the US President neither understands nor cares about understanding Putin's motives and the threat he poses to the world. In contrast, Putin, a former KJB lieutenant colonel, has a solid grasp of what makes Trump and his entourage tick. All right, now I'll send it back over to Isaac for his take.
Isaac Sowell
All right, that is it for with the left and the right and some writers from abroad are saying. Which brings us to my take. So I've been reading Erik Larson's the Splendid and the Vile over the last few months, which is a fantastic retelling of a single year in the life of Winston Churchill during World War II. One idea that Larson's book presses upon me is how fortunes in war can change in a hurry, often because of small details that sideline observers might not. One idea that Larson's story presses upon me is how fortunes and war can change in a hurry, often because of small details that sideline observers might not consider paramount. For example, England's survival depended largely on Churchill's ability to convince Harry Hopkins, a top aide to Franklin D. Roosevelt, that England was desperate but savable. A small factor like winning over Hopkins, paired with a fundamental reality like Hitler's decision to invade the Soviet Union, ultimately cost Germany the war. This story is analogous to the history we're living through now. I still agree with the assessment that the war in Ukraine only has two potential ends. Either Ukraine will lose some land but survive as a sovereign state, or it will lose land and its sovereignty. Yes, fortunes can change in a hurry, and personal relationships still matter. But I think these options still reflect the basic tactical reality of this war. As we sit here today, three and a half years after Russia invaded Ukraine, I commend Trump's ambition to end this war, and heading into the summit, he seemed aligned with our European allies on a major push for a ceasefire. A lot of fuss was made about Trump rolling out a literal red carpet for Putin and then having B2 bombers give him a haircut as they enter negotiations, a mix of pomp and circumstance with military might and intimidation. But I don't think the optics are really that important. Whether Trump is having his intended effect on Putin is what really matters, and I believe the show of strength is much more persuasive than the overture of flattery. By the end of the summit, though, I couldn't say that I believe Trump's approach had worked. To me, Putin seems to have narrowed Trump's lens from ceasefire then discussion to peace agreement, first with Ukraine ceding major territory in exchange for the end of Russia's bombing campaigns. And make no mistake, this framework favors Putin. Over the last three years, Russia has taken control of about 1/5 of Ukraine's land. A peace agreement could formally hand that land over to Russia. Zelenskyy has refused any arrangement with that baseline, and it's not hard to understand why one fifth of the United States land mass would be equivalent to losing California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Nevada, Arizona and Utah to a foreign country. Or alternatively, it'd be like Trump giving up Maine, Vermont, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, West Virginia, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana and Mississippi to a country that attacked us. And this isn't just about losing Landmass In Ukraine, that would mean millions of people unable to return to thousands of homes to rebuild after the war unless they wanted to live in a Putin controlled territory. That Trump's position apparently seem that Trump's position apparently morphed through the summit from ceasefire to peace agreement seemed to confirm some critics assessment that he is getting played by Putin. I don't think the reality is quite that clear cut. As I've said before, I think Trump tends to be most compelled by the last argument he hears. Does Trump really believe that Zelenskyy can end the war today? I think he believed that on Sunday, but I don't know what he'll believe after hosting Zelenskyy and a slate of European leaders at the White House this week. And it could benefit Ukraine that Zelenskyy is meeting Trump second. For Zelenskyy and for all wartime leaders throughout history, his management of the tiny particulars of his relationship with Trump Trump will have grand history changing impacts. Even though Trump is signaling favoritism for Putin's lens, a peace agreement and Russia annexation of Ukrainian land on how to end the war, he's also pushing for a future where Ukraine has robust security guarantees from the United States. United States special envoy Steve Witkoff claimed Russia agreed to such guarantees and Zelenskyy is obviously hoping for them. He described the offer for a mutual defense pact with the U.S. and Europe, like NATO's Article 5 as quote, historic. Zelensky says that he wouldn't trade a fifth of Ukrainian land for an end to the war, but would he make that concession with ironclad security agreements for the future? A sizable portion of the Ukrainian public seems to be open to an arrangement vaguely described in those terms. I think Zelenskyy would ultimately accept such a deal too. Would Putin? I doubt it. He'd end up controlling swaths of Ukrainian land that his army has reduced to rubble while ceding his aspirations to rule over the entirety of the country. The truth is that there is no pause or end to this fighting that is going to satiate Putin's desire to take over Ukraine. On Sunday, hours after Zelenskyy arrived in the United states, Russia bombed two major Ukrainian cities and killed 10 people. To me, the United States and European protection just means Putin will then have to recalculate how serious the US and Europe would be about defending whatever is left. And we'll have to decide what to do when he inevitably tries again. In this most cynical view, the only permanent end to any of this comes when Putin is completely removed from power. The reality of this situation is difficult, but it's a reality that Trump is now facing after seeming totally divorced from it on the campaign trail and in the early days of his presidency. He promised to end this conflict in 24 hours, whether out of arrogance or ignorance. But after giving Putin his best shot, he's now seeing just how fanciful that notion was. Trump is dealing with one leader, Zelenskyy, who obviously wants to do everything he can to avoid sacrificing any portions of his country to an enemy, and another leader, Putin, who believes the entire country belongs to him. For both Putin and Zelenskyy, any kind of middle ground concession is equivalent to a major defeat. Yet a middle ground concession appears to be the only way out, aside from letting the war run on until one country or leader actually falls. All right, that is it for my take. We are skipping today's yous Questions Answered section because of length. I'm going to send it back to Will for the rest of the pod and I'll see you guys tomorrow. Have a good one. Peace. We'll be right back after this quick break.
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Will Kbach
All right, and jumping back in with our under the radar story. Just over a week after leaving his role as Director of the center for Biologics Evaluation and Research at the Food and Drug Administration, the fda, Vinay Prasad has returned to the position. Prasad was named the Center's director in May, but faced scrutiny from public health officials for his handling of a gene therapy for a Duchenne muscular dystrophy that played a role in the death of two minors. Prasad, an oncologist, rose to prominence in recent years as an outspoken critic of the COVID 19 vaccine and associated mask mandates. However, he was targeted in recent weeks by right wing activist Laura Loomer, who called him a, quote, progressive leftist saboteur. Neither the FDA nor the Department of Health and Human Services explained the reason for Prasad's reinstatement, beyond saying that it came at the FDA's request. Reuters has the story and you can find the link to it in today's episode Notes now on to today's Numbers section. The approximate number of years between President Donald Trump's and Russian President Vladimir Putin's last meeting was seven years, and the last meeting before Fridays came at the 2018 Russia United States summit in Helsinki, Finland. The approximate number of years since President Putin had visited the United States prior to Friday's summit was 10 years. Next before Friday, Putin's total number of US visits as Russia's president was seven. The most recent year that a US president has visited Russia was 2013. The year that a summit between President Joe Biden and President Putin was held in Geneva, Switzerland was 2021. And that was the most recent US Russia summit prior to Friday. The approximate narrowest distance in miles between mainland Russia and Mainland Alaska is 55 miles. The percentage of U.S. adults who say they are confident in President Trump's decision making regarding the Ukraine war is 40%, and that's according to an August 2025 Pew Research poll. And finally, the percentage of U.S. adults who say they are not confident in President Trump's decision making about the war is 59%. And finally, here is today's have a nice day story. 18 year old Kayden Ross was at the pool he manages in Pascala, Ohio when he heard a woman and child calling out from the water. At first he thought they were playful screams. Then he realized not only were they cries for help, but they were coming from a creek 150 yards away. After jumping a fence and running the distance, Caden was able to pull the woman from the water and administer CPR to the 7 year old boy. As I was giving CPR, stuff started coming out of his mouth, which is usually a pretty good sign, ross said. I've never had a save like that and I don't think I ever will. ABC6 has this story and again, the link will be in today's Show Notes all right, that is it for today's edition. Great to be back with you after our week off and excited to continue with our coverage of the news of the day for the rest of the week. Until then, have a great day.
Isaac Sowell
Our Executive Editor and founder is me, Isaac Sowell, and our Executive Producer is John Lowell. Today's episode was edited and engineered by Dewey Thomas. Our editorial staff is led by Managing Editor Ari Weitzman with Senior Editor Will Kbach and Associate Editors Hunter Casperson, Audrey Moorhead Bailey, Saul, Lindsey Knuth and Kendall White. Music for the podcast was produced by Diet75. To learn more about Tangle and to sign up for a membership, please visit our website@retangle.com.
Isaac Saul
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Episode Title: Trump and Putin meet in Alaska
Host: Isaac Saul
Date: August 18, 2025
This episode delves into the highly anticipated summit between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, held in Anchorage, Alaska. It examines what transpired during their first in-person meeting since the start of Trump’s second term, especially regarding ongoing efforts to resolve the war in Ukraine. The show provides a balanced overview, presenting perspectives from the political left, right, and international commentators, before Isaac Saul shares his nuanced take.
[24:29]
Consistent with Tangle's mission, the tone throughout is non-partisan, thoughtful, and occasionally candid, particularly in Saul’s personal reflections. The analysis is sober, with an undercurrent of urgency regarding the human and geopolitical stakes.
This episode provides a comprehensive rundown of the outcome (or lack thereof) from the Trump-Putin Alaska summit, why it matters, what different sides think about it, and how high the stakes remain for Ukraine, the US, Russia, and the world. It is essential listening for anyone wanting to understand the current state of Ukraine peace negotiations, US-Russia relations, and the sharply divergent narratives both domestically and abroad.