Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said that the U.S. could maintain a blockade of Iran “indefinitely,” suggesting that President Trump is trapped in another so-called forever war. Join moderator Jeffrey Goldberg, Elisabeth Bumiller of The New York Times, Adam Harris of The Atlantic, Dan Lamothe of The Washington Post and Liz Landers of PBS News to discuss this and more.
Full Episode: Washington Week with The Atlantic full episode, 8/14/26
Aug. 14, 2026 AT 9:26 p.m. EDT
FROM THIS EPISODE
Clip: Carrier conditions become symbol of Iran war miscalculation
The Iran war is a shadow over President Trump and over the Republican Party. The USS Abraham Lincoln has been at sea since last November, and reports from sailors and their families describe concerning conditions. The panel discusses the political impact as the conflict drags on.
Clip: Trump’s secret flight
As if Trump needed reminding that Iran now shadows his presidency, we learned this week that he had to be secretly moved – by catering truck, no less – off of Air Force One, which was allegedly being targeted by Iranian agents. It raises questions about Iran’s continued ability to wreak havoc on the U.S. and its friends.
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