Ben Rhodes Talks Russia, The Iran Deal And His Time In The White House

Ben Rhodes Talks Russia, The Iran Deal And His Time In The White House

By Chance Seales

and Megan Smith

By Chance Seales

and Megan Smith
June 19, 2018

June 19, 2018

His new memoir, "The World As It Is," dives deeper into his time as a top adviser in the Obama White House.

SHOW TRANSCRIPT

Ben Rhodes served the White House for all eight years of Barack Obama's presidency. He sat down with Chance Seales, looking back on the Obama White House and at how America is changing.

TRENDING IN Politics NEWS

Joe Biden Officially Clinches The Democratic Nomination For President

Military police

Jose Luis Magana / AP

Democrats Aim To Curb President's Power Under Insurrection Act

Ballot counting machines

Gene J. Puskar / AP

Judge: All TN Voters Should Be Allowed To Vote By Mail Due To Virus

Mount Rushmore National Memorial in the Black Hills of South Dakota

Mike Stewart / AP

Social Distancing Not Required When Trump Visits Mount Rushmore

"Now Hiring" sign

Economy Unexpectedly Adds 2.5 Million Jobs In May

Members of the DC National Guard, U.S. Park Police and U.S. Secret Service watch from Lafayette Park as demonstrators gather

Alex Brandon / AP

Demonstrators Sue Trump Administration Over Crowd-Clearing Tactics

The Rev. Al Sharpton at George Floyd's memorial service

Politicians, Activists And Celebrities Gather To Remember George Floyd

Demonstrators protest over the death of George Floyd

AP Photo/Alex Brandon

Lawmakers Unveil Flurry Of Police Reform Bills

In this image from video provided by My Brother's Keeper Alliance and The Obama Foundation, former President Barack Obama

My Brother's Keeper Alliance and The Obama Foundation / AP

Former President Barack Obama Speaks Out On Police Reform

Nearly 43 million Americans are out of work

1.87 Million Americans File Jobless Claims Amid State Reopenings

Defense Secretary Jim Mattis waits outside the Pentagon.

Pablo Martinez Monsivais / AP

Mattis And Other Former Military Leaders Criticize Trump

Walmart storefront

Julio Cortez / AP

Some Walmart Stores Remove Guns From Sales Floors Amid Protests

People near a fire during a protest.

Who Is Sowing Chaos At The George Floyd Protests?

A medic moves a gurney at Queens Hospital Center in the Jamaica neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York

Mary Altaffer / AP

Health And Human Services Hasn't Allotted Most Hospital Relief Funds

Congressional Black Caucus Chair Karen Bass

House Television / AP

Congressional Black Caucus Focusing On Police Reform Legislation

James N. Miller

U.S. Department of Defense

Pentagon Adviser Resigns, Says Esper Violated His Oath Of Office

Voters cast ballots while wearing masks.

Andrew Shafer / Newsy

7 States, D.C. Hold Presidential Primaries Amid Protests And Pandemic

Gov. Roy Cooper

Ethan Hyman / The News & Observer / AP

North Carolina Governor Rejects GOP's Plan For 'Full Convention'

Attorney General William Barr in Lafayette Park

Alex Brandon / AP

AG William Barr Made Decision To Clear White House Protesters

President Donald Trump

Patrick Semansky / AP

Republican Senators Split On President Trump's Response To Protests

President Trump holds a Bible at St. John's Episcopal Church

Faith Leaders React To President's Bible Gesture Amid Protests

Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla.

Evan Vucci / AP

Twitter Flags Florida Congressman's Tweet For "Glorifying Violence"

Military vehicle in Washington, D.C.

AP / Alex Brandon

At Least 200 Active-Duty Military Police To Be Deployed In D.C.

Andrew Harnik / AP

DOJ Appeals To Supreme Court To Block Access To Mueller Documents

AP Photo/Matt Rourke

Biden: 'Donald Trump Has Turned Our Country Into A Battlefield'

Protestor runs with American flag upside down in front of burning building in Minneapolis

AP / Julio Cortez

Pres. Trump Wants Supreme Court To Revisit Flag Burning Case

The Moratorium On Evictions Ends Next Month. Is The U.S. Ready?

George Floyd Independent Autopsy Lists Asphyxia As Cause Of Death

President Trump walks past police in riot gear after he spoke outside St. John's Church across from the White House

Patrick Semansky / AP

President Trump Threatens Insurrection Act Amid Protests

AP Photo/Patrick Semansky

President Trump Aims To Use Active Duty Military Amid Unrest

Protesters hold posters caying "I can't breathe"

U.S. Adversaries Seize On Turmoil From George Floyd Protests

President Donald Trump

Patrick Semansky / AP

President Trump Urges Governors To Crack Down On Protests

Protesters in Los Angeles

President Trump And VP Joe Biden Take Different Approaches To Protests

White House national security adviser Robert O'Brien

AP / Alex Brandon

Trump Adviser Says Racism In Police Not Systemic

President Donald Trump

Patrick Semansky / AP

President Trump Postpones G-7 Summit Until Fall

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis

Wilfredo Lee / AP

Florida Governor To Appeal Court Decision On Felon Voting

Former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn

Evan Vucci / AP

Transcripts Released Of Calls Between Flynn And Russian Diplomat

Chief Justice John Roberts

Leah Millis / Pool / AP

Supreme Court Upholds California's Religious Gathering Restrictions

President Donald Trump

Alex Brandon / AP

U.S. To End Special Treatment For Hong Kong

Jacquelyn Martin / AP

Campaign 2020 Remains Virtual — For Now

President Donald Trump

AP Photo / Evan Vucci

Twitter Flags President Trump's Tweet For Glorifying Violence

Journalist wearing a mask being handcuffed by police

Reporter's Arrest During Protest On Police Brutality 'Inexcusable'

Attorney General William Barr

U.S. Department of Justice

AG Announces Civil Rights Investigation Into George Floyd's Death

confetti and balloons fall during celebrations at the Republican National Convention

Matt Rourke / AP

RNC Sends Safety Proposal To North Carolina For National Convention

U. S. Sen.Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nevada speaks.

Rich Pedroncelli / AP

Nevada Senator Pulls Her Name From Biden VP Consideration

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi

Manuel Balce Ceneta / AP

U.S. House Approves Uighur Human Rights Bill

A photo of Trump's Twitter feed

AP Photo / J. David Ake, File

Trump Signs Order That Targets Legal Protections for Social Media

Demand at food banks has risen amid high unemployment

Susan Montoya Bryan / AP

Over 40 Million Americans Are Unemployed As COVID-19 Layoffs Continue

Mourners at a funeral for Syrian Democratic Forces fighter who was killed by ISIS

ISIS Makes A Comeback During The Coronavirus Pandemic

Jerry A. Mann, center, watches as his grandmother, Sylvia Rubio, is tested for COVID-19.

Eric Gay / AP

Expert Tells House: This is A Racial Pandemic Within A Viral Pandemic

President Donald Trump answers questions in the Rose Garden at the White House on May 26, 2020.

AP / Evan Vucci

Trump Lashes Out After Twitter Applies Warning Label To His Tweets

President Donald Trump

Evan Vucci / AP

Lawmakers Urge White House To Cancel D.C. July 4th Celebration

Riot police in Hong Kong

Vincent Yu / AP

Hundreds Arrested In Hong Kong Over National Security Law Protests

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy of Calif., speaks during a news conference on Capitol Hill

Susan Walsh / AP

House Republicans Sue To Block Proxy Voting In The Chamber

President Donald Trump

Evan Vucci / AP

Twitter Adds First Fact-Check Label To President Trump's Tweets

Deputy Inspector General Glenn Fine

Carolyn Kaster / AP

Pentagon Deputy Inspector General General Glenn Fine Resigns

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp

Elijah Nouvelage / AP

Gov. Kemp Offers To Host Republican National Convention In Georgia

AP/ House Television

Ousted Acting HHS IG: We Follow The Facts, We Are Impartial

Gov. Roy Cooper and President Donald Trump

Political Battle Brewing Over GOP Convention Location

Workers from the New Mexico Department of Health and the U.S. Indian Health Service test members of Native American community

Morgan Lee / AP

Trump Administration Says Testing Responsibility Falls On States

North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper (L) and President Donald Trump (R)

Evan Vucci / AP

President Trump Threatens To Relocate Republican Convention

Gov. Gavin Newsom

Rich Pedroncelli / Pool / AP

Republicans Sue California Governor Over Vote-By-Mail Executive Order

The Capitol in Washington

J. Scott Applewhite / AP

GOP Faces Pressure To Pass Second Coronavirus Relief Package

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell

AP/ Patrick Semansky

Senate May Take Up COVID-19 Relief After Memorial Day

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer

Michigan Office of the Governor / AP

Michigan Gov. Whitmer Extends State Stay-At-Home Order Until June

President Donald Trump

Alex Brandon / AP

President Trump Calls On Governors To Let Churches Reopen

AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File

Biden Apologizes For Interview Remarks About Black Voters

A sign is posted on a closed store in North Miami, Florida.

AP / Wilfredo Lee

Bipartisan Group Of Lawmakers Pushes For PPP Flexibility

A person is injected with a vaccine as part of the first human trials in the UK to test a potential vaccine

Oxford University Pool via AP

U.S. Pledges $1.2 Billion For Experimental Vaccine Doses

AP/Alex Brandon

Trump Tours Ford Plant In Michigan, Touts Ventilator Production

Andrew Harnik / Pool / AP

Senate Confirms John Ratcliffe As Director Of National Intelligence

Police investigate a crime scene

Reed Saxon / AP

Has The Coronavirus Pandemic Impacted Gun Violence In America?

A hiring sign in Florida

Another 2.4 Million Workers File For Jobless Claims

Sen. Ron Johnson

Andrew Harnik / AP

Senate Orders Subpoena Into Hunter Biden's Ties To Ukraine Company

Cover page of Mueller report

Jon Elswick / AP

Supreme Court Temporarily Blocks House From Viewing Mueller Materials

Incomplete ballots in bin

Trump Denounces Mail-In Voting As Pandemic Threatens Nov. Election

Absentee ballot

AP / Mike Stewart

Judge: All Texas Voters Should Be Allowed To Vote By Mail Due To Virus

Former NSA Inspector General: Trump Wants 'Lapdogs For Watchdog Job'

St. Patrick Church in North Hollywood, California.

Damian Dovarganes / AP

Justice Department Wants Churches In California To Reopen

Central American migrants seeking asylum, some wearing protective face masks, return to Mexico

AP / Christian Chavez

Trump Admin. Extends Order To Reject Migrants Without Asylum Process

Richard Vogel / ASSOCIATED PRESS

Why Marijuana Banking Reform Is In The New Coronavirus Stimulus Bill

President Donald Trump

Evan Vucci / AP

Medical Journal Refutes Allegation Trump Made In Letter To WHO

Matt Rourke / AP

Appeals Court Rules New York Must Hold Democratic Presidential Primary

A technician prepares a COVID-19 collection vial

As Coronavirus Testing Ramps Up, Labs Struggle To Keep Up

President Donald Trump and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin

AP / Evan Vucci

Mnuchin: Jobs Numbers Will Get Worse Before They Get Better

President Trump

Duane Burleson / AP

Pres. Trump Threatens To Permanently Pull Membership From WHO

Sen. Marco Rubio

Susan Walsh / AP

Sen. Marco Rubio Tapped To Lead Senate Intelligence Committee

Matt Rourke / Associated Press

Sidelined By COVID-19, Joe Biden Struggles To Make Gains With Latinos

President Donald Trump

Evan Vucci / AP

President Trump Says He Is Taking Hydroxychloroquine

Health care workers at a COVID-19 testing station

Wilfredo Lee / AP

Survey Finds Physician Assistants Lack PPE; Thousands More Sidelined

file photo the Dome of the US Capitol building

Andrew Harnik / AP

Mnuchin And Powell To Testify Remotely On Coronavirus Relief

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Joe Biden Building Digital Team To Reach Young Voters At Home

Attorney General William Barr

J. Scott Applewhite / AP

Attorney General Doesn't Expect Criminal Probes Of Obama, Biden

Charlie Riedel / AP

Newsy Poll: Democrats Most Excited About Harris, Warren For Biden's VP

White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett

Alex Brandon / AP

White House Adviser Says 4th Stimulus Package May Not Be Needed

Man receives a shot in the first-stage safety study clinical trial of a potential vaccine for COVID-19

Ted S. Warren / AP

Health And Government Officials Hopeful For Vaccine Before 2021