Podcast Summary: "Trump’s Iran Power Play"

Podcast: What A Day
Host: Jane Coaston
Date: February 18, 2026

Overview

This episode of "What A Day," hosted by Jane Coaston, centers on the latest dramatic turns in the U.S.-Iran relationship under President Trump, with a focus on high-stakes nuclear negotiations, military maneuvering, and political unrest inside Iran. To make sense of the confusing and often contradictory moves by both countries, Jane speaks to Nahal Toosi, Senior Foreign Affairs Correspondent at Politico. The episode also touches on domestic political drama, Trump's reaction to a sewage spill in the Potomac, the resignation of a DHS spokesperson, and a tribute to the late Reverend Jesse Jackson.

Main Segments and Key Discussion Points

1. The State of U.S.-Iran Nuclear Negotiations [00:02–02:11]

• No Direct Talks:

  • U.S. and Iranian officials engaged in indirect talks in Switzerland, mediated by Oman’s foreign minister.
  • “Not a great sign when you need an intermediary just to agree on a, quote, set of guiding principles.” — Jane Coaston [01:06]
  • Both sides only established minimal “guiding principles.”

• Mixed Messages & Escalation:

  • Iran’s Supreme Leader threatens U.S. warships publicly, and tension is compounded by Trump sending a second aircraft carrier to the Middle East.
  • Iranian official quote: “The strongest army in the world may sometimes get slapped so hard that it cannot stand up straight.” — CNN Narrator, referencing Ayatollah Khamenei [01:49]

2. Interview with Nahal Toosi: Is This Diplomacy or Brinksmanship? [02:13–11:35]

Military Posturing vs. Diplomacy

• Trump’s Leverage:
  • “I think that Trump sees having military force as a way to show the Iranians that he is serious. And I also think he is very willing to use the military force if there is no deal.” — Nahal Toosi [02:32]

What Does the U.S. Want from Iran Now?

• U.S. Demands:
  • Expand coverage beyond nuclear weapons to include Iran’s ballistic missile program and end financial support for regional militias like Hezbollah and Hamas.
  • Toosi notes that hoping these militias will disappear if funding is cut is “an overstated hope.” [03:16]
  • “Part of the thing about diplomatic talks is you spend a lot of your time in the beginning just talking about what the talks are going to be about.” — Nahal Toosi [03:58]

Turmoil and Protest Inside Iran

• Mass Protests and Repression:
  • Massive protests broke out inside Iran, with up to 30,000 people killed according to estimates.
  • Trump publicly supported protesters but, in practice, “outside of more lip service and sending those aircraft carriers, he hasn’t really done anything.” — Jane Coaston [04:54]
  • Toosi explains U.S. military distractions (focus on Venezuela) and risk of wider conflict limited support for Iranian protesters.

Iran’s Strategy: Delay and Survive

• Iran’s Play:
  • “They seem to be thinking, let’s just buy some time...maybe we can rebuild some of our assets and become more of a threat.” — Nahal Toosi [05:47]
  • Iran may be pushing for a “JCPOA light”—minimal concessions in exchange for modest sanctions relief to shore up its faltering economy.

The Role of Iran’s Exiled Opposition & Shah’s Son

• Reza Pahlavi’s Rising Star:
  • Exiled son of the former Shah, Reza Pahlavi, rallies 250,000 supporters at a Munich event.
  • Toosi observes: “There’s a bit of nostalgia for the Shah era...He is someone that Iranians are very much rallying around. And one thing I’m noticing when I talk to Iranians is, especially in the diaspora, when I raise questions about Pahlavi...they’re like, why would you even question him? He’s the only chance we have right now to take down this regime.” [07:31]

Prospects for Secular Democracy?

• Is Transition Possible?
  • Toosi believes Iranians would be “very, very capable of adopting a secular democracy," arguing most have “lost legitimacy” in the regime’s Islamist experiment. [09:16]
  • Iran already has elections and a parliament, so “people expect a certain level of democracy even within this system.” — Nahal Toosi [09:46]

What Next? Unpredictable Outcomes

• The Trump Factor:
  • Toosi sees unpredictability as the only constant: Trump both struck Iran’s facilities and then claimed he wanted a deal; military build-up could just as easily lead to a new agreement as further conflict.
  • “He has brought so much weaponry out there, we just can’t imagine that he won’t use it somehow...This could go any number of directions.” — Nahal Toosi [10:41]

3. Domestic Political Fights and Notable News [13:40–20:18]

Stephen Colbert, FCC, and Candidate Interview Rules [14:02–15:56]

• CBS’s Stephen Colbert calls out network lawyers on-air for blocking an interview with Texas Democrat James Talarico due to new interpretations of FCC equal time rules.

Trump Attacks Maryland Governor over Sewage Crisis [15:56–16:13]

• Trump blames Maryland Governor Wes Moore for sewage leaks in the Potomac, despite the utility being federally regulated.
• Moore’s office fires back: “Apparently the Trump administration hadn’t gotten the memo that they’re actually supposed to be in charge here.” — Moore’s spokesperson [16:13]

DHS Spokesperson Trisha McLaughlin Resignation [16:33]

• McLaughlin, known for staunchly defending tough Trump immigration policies, leaves DHS; House leader Hakeem Jeffries tweets, “another MAGA extremist forced out of DHS. Gnome next. Keep the pressure on. One down and so many more to go.”

Notable Court Ruling [16:54]

• A U.S. district judge blocks the Trump administration from deporting Kilmar Abrega Garcia, criticizing the administration for making “one empty threat after another to remove him to countries in Africa with no real chance of success.”

Remembering Reverend Jesse Jackson [17:57–20:53]

• Coaston delivers a moving tribute to civil rights leader Jesse Jackson, who died at 84.
• Highlights Jackson’s rise from poverty, work alongside Martin Luther King Jr., and his two presidential campaigns.
• Memorable quote from Jackson’s 1988 DNC speech:

  “Every one of these funny labels they put on you...when you see Jesse Jackson, when my name goes in nomination, your name goes in nomination.” — Jesse Jackson [19:32]

• Audio from Jackson’s 1972 “Sesame Street” appearance included, emphasizing his message of dignity:

  “I am somebody. I may be poor, but I am somebody.” — Jesse Jackson and children [20:22]

Notable Quotes

• Jane Coaston, on lack of direct talks:
  “Not a great sign when you need an intermediary just to agree on a, quote, set of guiding principles.” [01:06]

• Nahal Toosi, on Trump’s strategy:
  “I think that Trump sees having military force as a way to show the Iranians that he is serious. And I also think he is very willing to use the military force if there is no deal.” [02:32]

• Nahal Toosi, on Iranian public sentiment:
  “At the end of the day, they blame the regime way, way, way, way, way more than they blame Trump or the United States.” [04:54]

• Nahal Toosi, on regime survival tactics:
  “They seem to be thinking, let's just buy some time...maybe we can rebuild some of our assets and become more of a threat.” [05:47]

• On Reza Pahlavi’s support:
  “There’s a bit of nostalgia for the Shah era...He is someone that Iranians are very much rallying around.” — Nahal Toosi [07:31]

• On prospects for change:
  “What you hear is like, look, we will make a deal with the devil. We don’t care. We just have to get rid of this regime. I can't stress enough how upset and angry and desperate the Iranian people are.” — Nahal Toosi [09:46]

• Jane Coaston on the Trump administration’s threats:
  “One empty threat after another with no real chance of success. Sounds like the Trump administration in a nutshell.” [16:54]

• Jesse Jackson (1988 DNC):
  “When you see Jesse Jackson, when my name goes in nomination, your name goes in nomination.” [19:32]

Episode Timestamps

| Time | Segment | |--------------|----------------------------------------------------------| | 00:02–01:06 | Introduction, indirect U.S.-Iran nuclear negotiations | | 01:06–02:11 | Tensions and tough talk from Tehran & Washington | | 02:13–11:35 | Jane Coaston interviews Nahal Toosi (main discussion) | | 13:41–16:33 | Domestic political stories: Colbert, Trump, DHS | | 17:57–20:53 | Tribute to Reverend Jesse Jackson |

Tone & Style

Jane Coaston's signature tone blends sharp, irreverent wit (“Sounds like he still hasn't figured out how to drain the swamp”), direct questioning, and a clear-eyed pursuit of facts, balanced by Nahal Toosi’s forthright, nuanced insight into foreign policy. The episode moves swiftly from international intrigue to domestic drama to heartfelt remembrance, making complex events accessible and engaging for all listeners.

For those who missed the episode:
You’ll come away with a comprehensive understanding of the U.S.-Iran nuclear drama, why even hardline posturing might still be about buying time (on both sides), the current mood inside Iran, and how the legacies of activism and political resistance still echo in today’s headlines.