Dave Davies

And the fact that Iran has these alliances with Russia, right, and China, does that make it trickier?

We are speaking with David Sanger. He's a White House and national security correspondent for The New York Times. His book published last April is New Cold Wars, China's Rise, Russia's Invasion, and America's Struggle to Defend the West. A paperback edition will be coming out later this spring. We'll continue our conversation in just a moment. This is Fresh Air.

We are speaking with David Sanger. He's a White House and national security correspondent for The New York Times. His book published last April is New Cold Wars, China's Rise, Russia's Invasion, and America's Struggle to Defend the West. A paperback edition will be coming out later this spring. We'll continue our conversation in just a moment. This is Fresh Air.

We are speaking with David Sanger. He's a White House and national security correspondent for The New York Times. His book published last April is New Cold Wars, China's Rise, Russia's Invasion, and America's Struggle to Defend the West. A paperback edition will be coming out later this spring. We'll continue our conversation in just a moment. This is Fresh Air.

Well, let's talk a little bit about the Middle East and specifically Israel. You know, it's interesting that I think you wrote that at Donald Trump's news conference in Mar-a-Lago last week. Four times he repeated what he has said, that if the hostages taken by Hamas are not out by Inauguration Day, quote, all hell will break out in the Middle East, unquote. Do we know what that means?

Well, let's talk a little bit about the Middle East and specifically Israel. You know, it's interesting that I think you wrote that at Donald Trump's news conference in Mar-a-Lago last week. Four times he repeated what he has said, that if the hostages taken by Hamas are not out by Inauguration Day, quote, all hell will break out in the Middle East, unquote. Do we know what that means?

Well, let's talk a little bit about the Middle East and specifically Israel. You know, it's interesting that I think you wrote that at Donald Trump's news conference in Mar-a-Lago last week. Four times he repeated what he has said, that if the hostages taken by Hamas are not out by Inauguration Day, quote, all hell will break out in the Middle East, unquote. Do we know what that means?

Do you have a sense of how he's going to approach this?

Do you have a sense of how he's going to approach this?

Do you have a sense of how he's going to approach this?

You know, there's still these huge questions that remain, even if there's a truce and return of some hostages, like who's going to govern Gaza in the future and what sort of autonomy will Israeli forces give it? And what about the broader question of the Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza?

You know, there's still these huge questions that remain, even if there's a truce and return of some hostages, like who's going to govern Gaza in the future and what sort of autonomy will Israeli forces give it? And what about the broader question of the Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza?

You know, there's still these huge questions that remain, even if there's a truce and return of some hostages, like who's going to govern Gaza in the future and what sort of autonomy will Israeli forces give it? And what about the broader question of the Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza?

I mean, you know, Trump has gotten some credit for the Abraham Accords, which established relations between Israel and some Arab states. Do you have any sense that there's any commitment to or prospect of broader progress on these issues?

I mean, you know, Trump has gotten some credit for the Abraham Accords, which established relations between Israel and some Arab states. Do you have any sense that there's any commitment to or prospect of broader progress on these issues?

I mean, you know, Trump has gotten some credit for the Abraham Accords, which established relations between Israel and some Arab states. Do you have any sense that there's any commitment to or prospect of broader progress on these issues?

You know, David Sanger, before I let you go, I want to just ask you a bit about the reporting process here. I mean, you've covered five presidents and one of them was Trump in his first term. You've written that one of the characteristics of Trump's presidency is conspiracy theories and made up facts.

You know, David Sanger, before I let you go, I want to just ask you a bit about the reporting process here. I mean, you've covered five presidents and one of them was Trump in his first term. You've written that one of the characteristics of Trump's presidency is conspiracy theories and made up facts.

You know, David Sanger, before I let you go, I want to just ask you a bit about the reporting process here. I mean, you've covered five presidents and one of them was Trump in his first term. You've written that one of the characteristics of Trump's presidency is conspiracy theories and made up facts.

How do you deal with facts that are made up, particularly if you have a press office that, you know, isn't going to run to try and clarify or, you know, walk them back at all?