The Daily Beast Podcast with Joanna Coles
Episode Title: How Trump's War Has Triggered New Axis of Evil
Date: March 3, 2026
Guest: David Rothkopf
Episode Overview
In this urgent and acerbic episode, Joanna Coles is joined by David Rothkopf (Deep State Radio, former Foreign Policy editor, and Clinton-era Commerce Department official) to dissect the shocking escalation in the Middle East. Just three days into the controversial US-Israel bombing campaign against Iran, the duo examines what led to the war, the reckless motivations behind it, and the emergence of a "new axis of evil" — with the United States, Israel, and Russia at its center. With biting humor and alarm, Coles and Rothkopf highlight the lack of strategy, the personal and political incentives driving Trump, the implications for democracy, and the global fallout.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. The “New Axis of Evil”
[00:00, 20:21–23:24]
- Rothkopf opens by reframing Bush’s 2002 “axis of evil”, arguing now “the new axis of evil contains Vladimir Putin, but it's now also Donald Trump and Bibi Netanyahu.”
- Quote: “I think a case can be made if you're looking at the number of innocent deaths and the number of wars of choice that shouldn't be undertaken, that the new axis of evil contains Vladimir Putin, but it's now also Donald Trump and Bibi Netanyahu.” (David Rothkopf, 00:11)
- Coles sums up the new axis: “So the axis of evil changes to Russia, Israel, and incredibly, the United States.” (Joanna Coles, 21:53)
2. Trump’s Reckless Impulsivity and War as Distraction
[01:33–06:54, 16:29–18:01]
- Rothkopf accuses Trump of using war as a domestic distraction (“Operation Epstein Fury”) and acting without any process or rational plan.
- Quote: “This is the most reckless war we have ever seen. Because this president is so ignorant and so immune... He just sort of lurches into these things.” (David Rothkopf, 04:05)
- Trump’s decision-making is depicted as impulsive, personal, and with little to no input from advisors. There is virtually no proper National Security Council function.
- Rothkopf blasts the notion of Trump as a “peace president”: "No president has ever launched more military adventures in more countries in a shorter period of time than Donald Trump." (David Rothkopf, 01:56)
3. Legal and Constitutional Breakdown
[07:24–08:31]
- Rothkopf argues the war is illegal — lacking Congressional authorization and justified only by lies about Iran’s threat.
- Quote: “The Constitution says only the Congress can declare war. He didn't go to the Congress… He has not done that.” (David Rothkopf, 07:24)
- Coles laments the “carelessness and a recklessness, the likes of which we just haven't seen,” especially around US troop deaths and civilian casualties. (Joanna Coles, 18:01)
4. The War’s Dangers and Unintended Consequences
[09:43–14:25, 16:13–18:01]
- Iran’s capacity for chaos and the risk of global terrorism are highlighted. Rothkopf says Iran is not “Venezuela or speedboats in the Caribbean” and predicts serious blowback.
- Quote: “Iran is a country of 93 million people with advanced weapons systems, with advanced allies... The potential for unleashing chaos... is so high.” (David Rothkopf, 09:43)
- The probable retaliations include increased terrorism globally: “They’re gonna start sending groups of people out to blow things up, including here in the United States.” (David Rothkopf, 15:02)
- The war is deeply unpopular domestically and internationally — “It is the least popular military undertaking in the history of the United States.” (David Rothkopf, 17:59)
5. Trump’s Presidency as Performance and Grift
[10:59–12:45, 27:38–31:00]
- Coles humorously analyzes Trump’s costuming during the crisis (bareheaded, wearing a baseball cap) as imitating Obama in the Situation Room: “It felt like costuming... Donald Trump had studied that photo and produced his own version of it.” (Joanna Coles, 11:26)
- Rothkopf calls the war “ramshackle, makeshift,” noting Trump’s cycling between fundraiser, war room, and even dancing to YMCA—a “Seth Rogen version of the American presidency.” (Joanna Coles, 14:25)
- Trump’s pattern of using foreign policy to advance personal, political, and financial interests is dissected, including hints of profiteering and deals made for oil:
- Quote: "We know he profited to the tune of $5 billion in his first year back in office.” (David Rothkopf, 28:51)
6. Collapse of Institutions and the “King President”
[19:29–20:20]
- Rothkopf argues Trump is waging war as though he is a king, due to the abdication of oversight by Congress and the courts.
- Quote: “Donald Trump is waging the first American war... in which the commander in chief thinks he's the king.” (David Rothkopf, 20:17)
7. Netanyahu’s Role and Parallel Motives
[05:38, 21:21–23:24]
- Netanyahu’s own political scandal and need for war are explored. Rothkopf claims Bibi is “the instigator behind this war with Iran.”
- The war serves to distract both Trump and Netanyahu from domestic woes.
8. Outcome Scenarios for Iran
[23:49–27:38, 34:16–35:18]
- Rothkopf admits a democratic outcome in Iran is theoretically positive and possible but highly unlikely; more probable is chaos or installation of another autocrat.
- Quote: “But all of those outcomes are highly unlikely... it's quite likely that there would be strongholds of people who remain committed.” (David Rothkopf, 24:49)
- The specter of installing the son of the Shah is raised, dismissed as “far fetched.” Rothkopf doubts Trump cares about democracy.
9. AI-Driven Misinformation and Memes
[41:49–43:58]
- Coles brings up the viral (false) meme of Mossad dentists placing trackers in Iranian officials’ teeth—Rothkopf uses this to warn about the unprecedented dangers of AI-driven wartime misinformation.
10. The Patchwork of Grievances, Paranoia, and Incompetence
[31:52–32:40, 34:16–35:18]
- Trump’s paranoia post-assassination attempt discussed as a motivational factor in aggression toward Iran.
- Quote: “There may be. I think he is a little pathological on the idea that people are out there killing.” (David Rothkopf, 31:52)
- The panel emphasizes the lack of real planning or structure at the highest levels—"Everything we do is driven by the impulses of one guy.” (David Rothkopf, 35:55)
11. Predictions and What Comes Next
[35:54–38:02, 40:25–41:49]
- Rothkopf predicts the war will be brief (“not going to go on for months and months”) due to the risk of exploding oil prices and Republican electoral concerns.
- He also forecasts a poor, dangerous “deal” in the war’s aftermath regarding Iranian nukes, worse than the 2015 Obama deal.
12. Democratic/Popular Response
[38:02–39:58]
- Democrats oppose the war, viewing it as illegal and destabilizing, and call for investigations, oversight, and congressional hearings.
- Quote: “We should stop this war... return to global leadership based on our example, as opposed to based on bullying, greed, ignorance, and hate.” (David Rothkopf, 39:19)
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
"This is the most reckless war we have ever seen. Because this president is so ignorant and so immune..."
— David Rothkopf [04:05] -
“We are living in a moment where what's going on inside the decaying psyche of Donald Trump is the single most important driver of events in the United States and around the world. And if that doesn't scare the insides out of you, I don't know what else would.”
— David Rothkopf [45:01] -
“It is like a Seth Rogen version of the American presidency at this point.”
— Joanna Coles [14:25] -
"It is the least popular military undertaking in the history of the United States."
— David Rothkopf [17:59] -
"Donald Trump is waging the first American war... in which the commander in chief thinks he's the king."
— David Rothkopf [20:17] -
“If you recall that, mother. But it is a man so unfit to be president of the United States doing the most dangerous and destructive things possible.”
— David Rothkopf [14:55]
Important Timestamps
- 00:00 — Framing “axis of evil”
- 01:43 — War as distraction/“Operation Epstein Fury” concept
- 04:05 — Why this war is so reckless
- 07:24 — Legal/constitutional violations
- 09:43 — Uniqueness of Iran as a target, dangers
- 11:26–12:45 — Trump’s costuming/performance in crisis
- 14:25 — Satire of presidential wartime behavior
- 16:13-18:01 — Impending terror threats, unpopularity of war
- 19:29–20:21 — Trump as “king”, collapse of checks and balances
- 21:53–23:24 — Defining the new “axis of evil”
- 24:49 — Likelihood of democratic change in Iran
- 28:13–31:00 — The grift: personal financial motives
- 31:52–32:40 — Trump’s paranoia re: assassination attempts
- 34:16–35:18 — Regime change history, US failures
- 35:54–38:02 — Why the war won't be drawn out
- 40:25–41:49 — Dangerous “deal” likely to result, history’s warnings
- 41:49–43:58 — Mossad dentist meme, rise of AI-driven misinformation
- 45:01 — Rothkopf’s chilling summary of America’s global predicament
Tone & Style
- Satirical, urgent, sometimes darkly comic
- Candid, critical, with expert-level foreign policy context
- Conversational, but underpinned by deep concern for democracy and rule of law
Summary in a Sentence:
Rothkopf and Coles castigate Trump’s impulsive, self-serving rush to war with Iran — a reckless act enabled by an absent Congress, prosecuted for selfish motives, and likely to lead not to peace or democracy but a new, chilling “axis of evil” comprised of Putin, Netanyahu, and Trump himself, with catastrophic implications for America and the world.