Sep 11, 2026 · 1h 7m
Listen from 21:28
Listen at 21:28
The post-9/11 politics still shapes war, immigration and dissent
Mehdi Hasan: 9/11's Fallout 25 Years Later
The conversation connects Islamophobic rhetoric and U.S. intervention abroad to today’s immigration enforcement, Gaza debate and partisan realignment.
- 1Post-9/11 demands for Muslim communities to disavow terrorism still influence public debate and political attacks.
- 2The hosts argue that Democrats left an anti-war, pro-Palestinian political lane open to figures such as Tucker Carlson.
- 3Partial policy victories, including sanctions on settlement goods, can matter even when they fall short of activists’ goals.
Don't miss
Hasan argues that Democrats and liberals abandoned an anti-war, pro-Palestinian political lane, helping figures such as Tucker Carlson attract disillusioned voters.
The brief
Recording on September 11, Mehdi Hasan and Tim Miller examine how Islamophobic attacks on Zohran Mamdani revive an old demand that Muslims accept collective responsibility for terrorism.
They connect the post-9/11 wars to Trump’s conflict with Iran and to an Iranian family detained by ICE, arguing that intervention abroad and ancestry-based enforcement share a political logic.
The discussion turns to Gaza and the 2024 election, where Hasan and Miller debate Democratic accountability, protest voting and the cost of leaving anti-war politics to the right.
Tucker Carlson’s anti-war messaging attracts some disillusioned voters despite his record of bigotry, while J.D. Vance tries to inherit that lane without breaking with Trump.
The hosts close by arguing that activists should recognize incremental wins, such as sanctions on settlement goods, and build from them rather than dismissing incomplete progress.
What was said on this episode
23 statements · 3 positive · 18 negative · 2 neutral
Zohran Mamdani’s approval rating is nearly 70% and rising.
“his approval ratings meanwhile go up and up. I think it's nearly 70% right now.”
Listen at 6:16
Muslims universally condemned the 9/11 attacks.
“Muslims universally condemned it.”
Listen at 12:42
Israel killed hundreds of Palestinians within 24 hours after October 7.
“Israel killed hundreds of Palestinians within 24 hours of October 7th.”
Listen at 15:20
The Iran war will worsen after current escalation.
“I think it's only going to get worse, Tim.”
Listen at 19:03
Iran is larger, stronger, and more economically consequential than Iraq.
“Iran is not Iraq. It is bigger. It is stronger. It has more options. It has much more impact on the global economy.”
Listen at 19:40
Donald Trump will portray reopening the Strait of Hormuz as victory.
“Donald Trump will say victory.”
Listen at 21:13
A 1952 immigration provision empowers Marco Rubio to detain, deport, or revoke visas based on foreign-policy threats.
“They're using this very obscure amendment to the 1952 Immigration Act, which allows Marco Rubio, Secretary of State, to detain and deport and strip of visas anyone he says is a threat to the foreign policy objectives of the United States.”
Listen at 25:29
Mainstream media treats Trump’s immigration campaign as legitimately targeting criminals.
“the mainstream media has bought into the narrative that underlying Trump's abuses and cruelty is a legitimate campaign to deport criminals.”
Listen at 28:29
The Trump administration detains people without crimes and indefinitely through executive action.
“they are just going to round people up for no crimes, hold them indefinitely, and the Secretary of State's going to do it with the stroke of a pen.”
Listen at 30:43
The Gaza genocide continues and has worsened in several respects.
“the genocide's still happening and it's worse in many ways now”
Listen at 32:33
Gaza was among the five leading reasons Kamala Harris lost the election.
“I would put Gaza in the top 5 reasons of why she lost.”
Listen at 33:40
Democratic leaders delayed ceasefire calls and still oppose an arms embargo.
“Democrats won't even call for a ceasefire till 2 years in, still won't call for arms embargo.”
Listen at 38:07
Tucker Carlson continues promoting Great Replacement rhetoric.
“He says stuff like Great Replacement.”
Listen at 41:13
Mehdi Hasan doubts Tucker Carlson’s political realignment is substantive.
“My worry is like yours.”
Listen at 43:02
J.D. Vance will not become the 2028 Republican nominee.
“I strongly believe he will not be— I don't do predictions anymore, but I personally, gun to my head, I don't think he will be the 2028 Republican candidate.”
Listen at 46:46
The Trump presidency will be disastrous by 2028.
“I think the Trump presidency is going to be such a car crash, such a pile of shit in 2028.”
Listen at 47:01
The 2028 Republican nominee cannot run without distancing from Trump.
“There's no way that he can run without disowning Trump.”
Listen at 47:05
Anti-immigrant rhetoric contributes to political violence.
“There are consequences to this rhetoric.”
Listen at 51:03
J.D. Vance’s claim that immigrants make America dirtier has become normalized.
“The Vice President of the United States can say the same line. No one blinks. It's just normalized.”
Listen at 51:16
U.S. involvement in the Middle East contributed causally to 9/11.
“I'm of the view that 9/11 happened because we were in the Middle East”
Listen at 55:40
AIPAC spent $30 million in Michigan.
“In Michigan, AIPAC spent $30 million.”
Listen at 58:40
AIPAC-linked funding made Israel an issue in Michigan’s race.
“Haley Stevens taking money from a massive pro-Israel group to fund her campaign, dark money from Republicans, by the way, who fund AIPAC, that makes it an issue.”
Listen at 58:52
People should not buy from Hunter Biden or Tucker Carlson.
“I would recommend that everybody not do that, or from his friend Tucker Carlson.”
Listen at 1:03:58
Statements are attributed to the speaker as said on the episode and reflect their view at the time, not PodLume's. They are not advice.
