Saudi Crown Prince Visit, GOP Realignment, and the Performative Male

12 snips

Nov 21, 2025

Guest

Elizabeth Neumann, a national security expert, unpacks the complexities of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s human rights issues and the motives behind his recent White House visit. David French, a New York Times columnist, explores the shifting dynamics within the GOP post-government shutdown, hinting at a possible break from Trump's influence. Finally, Sho Baraka, an insightful culture commentator, discusses the TikTok trend of the 'performative male' and how initiatives like jujitsu training for boys emphasize emotional maturity alongside strength.

Ask episode

AI Snips

Chapters

Books

Transcript

Episode notes

INSIGHT

MBS Rules Behind The Throne

Mohammed bin Salman has effectively run Saudi Arabia for about a decade while the king remains head of state.
Elizabeth Neumann warns his reign has been vicious on human rights including disappearances and killings tied to him.

INSIGHT

Reform To Preserve The Regime

MBS pushed cultural and economic liberalization to modernize Saudi Arabia and counter internal extremist threats.
Mike Cosper explains such reforms were aimed at preserving the House of Saud's power amid a changing global economy.

INSIGHT

State Pageantry Whitewashes Abuses

The White House treated MBS like a full state guest despite U.S. intelligence linking him to atrocities.
Neumann says that theatrical welcome risked whitewashing his reputation and undermining American values.

Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode

Get the app

This week, President Trump hosts the Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman for a formal White House visit, despite the prince’s responsibility for numerous human rights abuses. National security expert Elizabeth Neumann joins Mike Cosper and Clarissa Moll to discuss how to interpret this visit. Then, New York Times columnist David French stops by to talk about shifts in the Republican party as the U.S. emerges from the government shutdown. Finally, CT’s Sho Baraka joins us to talk about the TikTok trend of the performative male, and how one man in Detroit is using jujitsu to teach boys and men to control their strength and be emotionally open.

REFERENCED IN THIS EPISODE:

-Mastering Masculinity with Jason Wilson by Sho Baraka

GO DEEPER WITH THE BULLETIN:

-Join the conversation at our Substack.

-Find us on YouTube.

-Rate and review the show in your podcast app of choice.

ABOUT THE GUESTS:

David French is a columnist for The New York Times. He’s a former senior editor of The Dispatch and author of Divided We Fall: America’s Secession Threat and How to Restore Our Nation.

Elizabeth Neumann is a national security expert who has served across three presidential administrations: on the inaugural staff of the White House Homeland Security Council under President George W. Bush, as an advisor to the office of the director of national intelligence during the Obama Administration, and as the Department of Homeland Security’s deputy chief of staff and assistant secretary for counterterrorism and threat prevention in the Trump administration. Neumann is also a national security contributor for ABC News.

Sho Baraka is a recording artist, performer, culture curator, activist, and writer. Baraka is an alumnus of Tuskegee University and the University of North Texas. He is a cofounder of Forth District and the And Campaign, and he has served as an adjunct professor at Wake Forest University School of Divinity. He was an original member of influential hip-hop consortium 116 Clique, recording with Reach Records. In 2024, Baraka became the Big Tent editorial director for Christianity Today.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices