Background Briefing with Ian Masters

How far could the war with Iran spread?

Journalist Jonathan Guyer joins Background Briefing to discuss the widening conflict, Trump’s dealings with Putin, and why analysts warn the war could spiral far beyond the region.

Listen to the full interview at kpfa.org

#KPFA @ianmastersmedia.bsky.social

What Can Be Done To Reign In If Not Abolish DHS Background Briefing goes far beyond the headlines and deep under the radar to bring forward truths unheard elsewhere in American media. Background Briefing features international and national news, ex

Democrats have been holding up funding for DHS during this partial shutdown for over 25 days now — but the question remains: how can they reign in, if not abolish DHS? Joining us NYTimes’ bestseller Mike Lofgren.
on.soundcloud.com/UGpozCAKvJyn...

Trump has already declared victory in Iran — despite the war raging on. Now, he’s vowed that Cuba is Next. Joining us is to discuss U.S. military intervention in Cuba is American University’s William LeoGrande. on.soundcloud.com/fM29JbIACQDH...

A Military Analysis of the Iran War and the Russia/Ukraine War Background Briefing goes far beyond the headlines and deep under the radar to bring forward truths unheard elsewhere in American media. Background Briefing features international and national news, ex

We’re joined by @jekavanagh.bsky.social for a military analysis of both the Iran war and the Russia/Ukraine war and we discuss her article at @quincyinst.bsky.social, “Is Ukraine peace toast, now that the Middle East is on fire?” soundcloud.com/user-8304426...

A Lawless World Trump is Dragging Us Into Based on Force and His Whims March 9, 2026 - Oona Hathaway backgroundbriefing.org/donate x.com/ianmastersmedia bsky.app/profile/ianmastersmedia.bsky.social facebook.com/ianmastersmedia

We’re joined by @oonahathaway.bsky.social discussing her recent Foreign Affairs article, “A World Without Rules: The Consequences of Trump’s Assault on International Law,” and the the lawless world Trump is plunging us into, based on force and subject to his whims. soundcloud.com/user-8304426...

Former CIA officer Robert Baer warns that a war with Iran could spiral into a long conflict with global consequences — destabilizing the Middle East, disrupting energy markets, and reshaping global power.

Listen to the full Background Briefing interview.

#kpfa @ianmastersmedia.bsky.social

How Relying on Regime Decapitation Could Backfire Background Briefing goes far beyond the headlines and deep under the radar to bring forward truths unheard elsewhere in American media. Background Briefing features international and national news, ex

With the U.S./Israeli war underway against Iran, we spoke with @kenklippenstein.bsky.social about his Substack articles, “Why We Struck Iran” and “Congress to America: What War?” soundcloud.com/user-8304426...

Right Wing Trump-Friendly Billionaires Are Buying Up the Mainstream Media Background Briefing goes far beyond the headlines and deep under the radar to bring forward truths unheard elsewhere in American media. Background Briefing features international and national news, ex

Free Press co-CEO @jgo4justice.bsky.social joined Ian Masters of @ianmastersmedia.bsky.social to discuss how right wing Trump-friendly billionaires are buying up mainstream media.

Listen in: https://soundcloud.com/user-830442635/bbriefing_2026_03_01c_jessica-gonzalez-1

We’re joined by @stephenwertheim.bsky.social discussing how the U.S. is continuing to resort to force, at growing cost, in a region of diminishing importance as Trump issues megalomaniacal orders to the Iranians that he will choose their next leader. soundcloud.com/user-8304426...

Could Kristi Noem be the First in the Trump Kakistocracy's Clown Car Cabinet to be Impeached? Background Briefing goes far beyond the headlines and deep under the radar to bring forward truths unheard elsewhere in American media. Background Briefing features international and national news, ex

We speak with @nicholsuprising.bsky.social about the grilling of DHS Sec Kristi Noem before the House & Senate Homeland Security Committees and whether the apparent lies she told about Corey Lewandowski not handling contracts could add to the case for her impeachment. soundcloud.com/user-8304426...

Trump Urges Iranians to Protest Despite Government Killing Thousands Background Briefing goes far beyond the headlines and deep under the radar to bring forward truths unheard elsewhere in American media. Background Briefing features international and national news, ex

We spoke w/ @sinatoossi.bsky.social about his @thenation.com article “The Iranian Voices the US Isn’t Hearing” as well as Trump’s cynical call for Iranians to take over their gov, inviting them on a suicide mission after thousands were just gunned down by that same gov soundcloud.com/user-8304426...

The US/Israeli War on Iran Expands Across Middle East Background Briefing goes far beyond the headlines and deep under the radar to bring forward truths unheard elsewhere in American media. Background Briefing features international and national news, ex

We were joined by @tcambanis.bsky.social discussing his article at @centuryintl.bsky.social, “Attacking Iran Is a Guaranteed Disaster” as well as how the war has expanded into Lebanon. soundcloud.com/user-8304426...

Right Wing Trump-Friendly Billionaires Are Buying Up the Mainstream Media Background Briefing goes far beyond the headlines and deep under the radar to bring forward truths unheard elsewhere in American media. Background Briefing features international and national news, ex

We were joined by @jgo4justice.bsky.social, Co-CEO of @freepress.bsky.social, discussing how right wing Trump-friendly billionaires buying up the mainstream media. soundcloud.com/user-8304426...

The DoJ Leaks the FBI Reports Bondi Held Back to Discredit Trump's Then 13 Year Old Rape Accuser Background Briefing goes far beyond the headlines and deep under the radar to bring forward truths unheard elsewhere in American media. Background Briefing features international and national news, ex

We spoke with @ninaburleigh.bsky.social about her article on Substack, “Where Are The FBI’s Missing Interviews with a Woman Who Named Trump?” soundcloud.com/user-8304426...

Trump's Reality TV War and the Prospect He Will Sell Out The Iranian People Background Briefing goes far beyond the headlines and deep under the radar to bring forward truths unheard elsewhere in American media. Background Briefing features international and national news, ex

We spoke with @naderhashemi.bsky.social about the ongoing U.S./Israeli strikes on Iran, what kind of government will be left to make a deal with Trump and the likelihood that the IRGC will hold onto power in Iran. soundcloud.com/user-8304426...

ICE contracts surge.
Political donations follow.
Budgets and weapons expand.

Nick Schwellenbach investigates the enforcement machine behind the headlines.

Listen @ kpfa.org

@pogo.org @ianmastersmedia.bsky.social #kpfa #immigration #oversight #ice #dhs #trump

How Boycotts of Companies Doing Business With ICE Are Working Background Briefing goes far beyond the headlines and deep under the radar to bring forward truths unheard elsewhere in American media. Background Briefing features international and national news, ex

We spoke with @ericblanc.bsky.social about how boycotts of companies doing business with ICE are working and whether a general strike will be necessary to bring down the Trump regime. soundcloud.com/user-8304426...

A Cartel Leader is Killed But Mexico's Network of Corruption Remains Untouched Background Briefing goes far beyond the headlines and deep under the radar to bring forward truths unheard elsewhere in American media. Background Briefing features international and national news, ex

We spoke yesterday with @gcorreacabrera.bsky.social, author of Cartels Inc, about the killing of “El Mencho” by the Mexican Military and how killing a cartel leader does little to nothing to roll up the real network of criminals, politicians and corrupt bankers. soundcloud.com/user-8304426...

Trump's Tariff Meltdown and What the Supreme Court Ruling Does and Doesn't Do Background Briefing goes far beyond the headlines and deep under the radar to bring forward truths unheard elsewhere in American media. Background Briefing features international and national news, ex

We spoke with @justinwolfers.bsky.social about the Supreme Court ruling striking down Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariffs which prompted a meltdown from Trump who accused the court’s 3 conservatives who rebuked him of being “rinos.” soundcloud.com/user-8304426...

Will the Environmental Movement Become More Radical as Trump Kills Off Climate Efforts? Background Briefing goes far beyond the headlines and deep under the radar to bring forward truths unheard elsewhere in American media. Background Briefing features international and national news, ex

With Trump killing off efforts so far to deal with climate change, we looked into the possibility of environmental movements becoming more radical with @zeitzoff.bsky.social, author of No Option But Sabotage: The Radical Environmental Movement and the Climate Crisis. soundcloud.com/user-8304426...

Why the US Media is in Crisis and How to Rescue It Background Briefing goes far beyond the headlines and deep under the radar to bring forward truths unheard elsewhere in American media. Background Briefing features international and national news, ex

We spoke with @victorpickard.bsky.social about his article at Yale's Law and Political Economy Project, “The American Media Polycrisis: Cascading Layers of Capture.” soundcloud.com/user-8304426...

The Bloodbath at The Washington Post and Censorship at CBS February 17, 2026 - Paul Farhi backgroundbriefing.org/donate x.com/ianmastersmedia bsky.app/profile/ianmastersmedia.bsky.social facebook.com/ianmastersmedia

We spoke w/ @farhip.bsky.social about his article at The Washingtonian, “Actually, the Washington Post Layoffs Were a Bigger Bloodbath Than You Thought,” as well as what happens when Trump-friendly billionaires like Larry Ellison buy CBS and now try to buy WB and CNN. soundcloud.com/user-8304426...

The Trump/Republican Crackup Has Begun February 17, 2026 - Sasha Abramsky backgroundbriefing.org/donate x.com/ianmastersmedia bsky.app/profile/ianmastersmedia.bsky.social facebook.com/ianmastersmedia

We spoke with @sashaabramsky.bsky.social about his latest book American Carnage: How Trump, Musk and DOGE Butchered the US Government and as well as his article at @thenation.com, “The Republican Crack-Up Has Begun.” soundcloud.com/user-8304426...

Will the Environmental Movement Become More Radical as Trump Kills Off Climate Efforts? Background Briefing goes far beyond the headlines and deep under the radar to bring forward truths unheard elsewhere in American media. Background Briefing features international and national news, ex

I spoke yesterday with @ianmastersmedia.bsky.social about how this playbook that the FBI is using echoes the post-9/11 targeting of radical environmental activists. But also what's different this time. soundcloud.com/user-8304426...

Bottom Up Authoritarianism From America's Police Forces and Police Unions February 16, 2026 - Stuart Schrader backgroundbriefing.org/donate x.com/ianmastersmedia bsky.app/profile/ianmastersmedia.bsky.social facebook.com/ianmastersmedia

We’re joined by @stschrader1.bsky.social discussing his article at @nybooks.com “Authoritarianism from Below” and the how Trump’s top-down fascism has melded with bottom-up authoritarianism from America’s police forces and police unions. soundcloud.com/user-8304426...

Trump Issues a Death Sentence on Our Children & Planet With His Payoff to the Fossil Fuel Industry Background Briefing goes far beyond the headlines and deep under the radar to bring forward truths unheard elsewhere in American media. Background Briefing features international and national news, ex

We’re joined by @michaelemann.bsky.social discussing Trump’s payoff to the fossil fuel industry in which he has delivered a death sentence to our children and grandchildren and the planet by ending efforts to deal with global warming. soundcloud.com/user-8304426...

Trump and Rubio Turn the Screws of Collective Punishment on the Cuban People Background Briefing goes far beyond the headlines and deep under the radar to bring forward truths unheard elsewhere in American media. Background Briefing features international and national news, ex

We spoke with @mjbusta.bsky.social about the culmination of seven decades of collective punishment of the Cuban people with the Trump administration now cutting off oil and causing blackouts as Cubans run out of food, water and electricity. soundcloud.com/user-8304426...

February 11, 2026 - Adam Klasfeld | David Daley | Charles Derber Trump Has Finally Found His Roy Cohn in the Disgraceful and Corrupt AG Pam Bondi | The Trump and Republican Plan to Prevent a Blowout Electoral Loss in November: The SAVE Act | How to Fight the Oligar

AG Bondi's disgraceful behavior in front of the house oversight committee included tracking Democrats searches through the Epstein files. Joining us is to discuss her appearance is @allrisenews.com's @klasfeldreports.com. on.soundcloud.com/MG8NuFHwDyfX...

February 9, 2026 - Luis Martinez-Fernandez | Reece Jones | Stephen Walt America's Cultural/Political Divide on Display at the Super Bowl's Halftime With a Wildly Popular and Joyous Bad Bunny Versus a Washed Up Right Wing MAGA Relic Kid Rock | The History of the Border Pat

I spoke with @ianmastersmedia.bsky.social about why the racism, violence, and constitutional violations of the Border Patrol mean it cannot be reformed or simply sent back to the border soundcloud.com/user-8304426...

Gabbard Covered Up an NSA Intercept of Someone Close to Trump Colluding With Foreign Intelligence Background Briefing goes far beyond the headlines and deep under the radar to bring forward truths unheard elsewhere in American media. Background Briefing features international and national news, ex

The DNI and Tulsi Gabbard Covered up a whistleblower report of an NSA intercept of someone close to Trump colluding with foreign intelligence. Joining us to discuss why the administration may have buried such explosive information is USC's Gregory Treverton. on.soundcloud.com/I1BNl4nwGUNi...