The economics and morality of placing bets on war

The war in Iran has economic consequences in terms of the region's oil exports. But how could prediction markets change the picture? On Today's Show: John Cassidy, staff writer at The New Yorker and the author of Capitalism and Its Critics: A History: From the Industrial Revolution to AI (Macmillan, 2025), talks about his recent story, "How to Prevent Insider Trading on Trump’s Wars" and other news related to the economic repercussions of the Iran war.

As the war in Iran and across the region continues, a renowned global geopolitics analyst weighs in. On Today's Show:Christiane Amanpour, chief international anchor and host of CNN's "Amanpour" and PBS' "Amanpour & Company," talks about the recent social and political history of Iran, and the latest news on the war with Iran.

Prior to today's war in Iran, the geopolitically powerful nation has been on the radar of certain hawkish US lawmakers. On Today's Show:Sabrina Siddiqui, national politics reporter at The Wall Street Journal, talks about the latest news from Washington, especially related to the war with Iran.

The war in Iran could have global implications on trade, including the critical energy market, which draws much of its inventory from Iranian oil. On Today's Show:Lydia DePillis, New York Times reporter covering the American economy, talks about how the war with Iran could affect the economy at home, as issues with oil prices, supply chains and the massive cost of the war begin to pile up.

The Pentagon is reconsidering its relationship with artificial intelligence company Anthropic, after the company has stated it doesn’t want its technology used in autonomous weapons or government surveillance, and explains the way that AI is reshaping national defense. On Today's Show:Steven Levy, editor at large for Wired, breaks down the latest reporting on this story.

The primaries in Texas and North Carolina illuminate some political factors that could be at play in the midterms this November. On Today's Show:Lisa Lerer, national political correspondent for The New York Times, talks about the primary results and issues at play.

Active duty veteran and now member of the House Armed Services committee talks about the parallels between Trump's recent actions against Iran, and the circumstances that led to the invasion and occupation of Iraq.  On Today's Show: Rep. Pat Ryan, U.S. Representative (D, NY-18), offers his take on the conflict, the upcoming vote in the House on war powers and more.

The killing of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei leaves many questions unanswered about the future of Iran and the region. On Today's Show:Robin Wright, contributing writer and columnist for The New Yorker, talks about what might come next for Iran after its Supreme Leader was killed in an Israeli air strike, as the war continues to widen and the country remains divided politically.  

With President Trump's recent moves to federalize certain election regulations, what do we mean by 'voting rights' and 'election integrity?' On Today's Show:Anne Applebaum, staff writer at The Atlantic, historian and author of Autocracy Inc. (Penguin, 2024), offers her analysis of how President Trump and his administration are seeking to control elections, as well as science and culture, and why.  

Recent changes at the Washington Post's newsroom and opinion section point a spotlight at the relationship between owner Jeff Bezos and President Trump. On Today's Show:Ruth Marcus, a contributor to The New Yorker and a former columnist for the Washington Post and the author of Supreme Ambition: Brett Kavanaugh and the Conservative Takeover (Simon & Schuster, 2019), comments on national politics and the state of journalism.