Topic: State Sponsored

A Chinese envoy visits Pyongyang as Donald Trump pressures China to use its influence on North Korea's nuclear program. The hosts discuss the possibility of the U.S. designating North Korea as a state sponsor of terrorism and suggest that establishing an embassy could be a more effective diplomatic tool. They envision a future where North Korea is transformed into a billboard-free tourist attraction for wealthy Westerners.

President Obama argued that JASTA undermines the executive branch's authority to designate state sponsors of terrorism. He used a controversial example involving potential lawsuits against Great Britain for radicals living there, a comparison that critics found insulting to the U.S.-UK "special relationship."

Yahoo disclosed a massive data breach affecting 500 million accounts, blaming a "state-sponsored actor." The hosts suggest the timing of the disclosure, occurring over a year after the hack, may impact Verizon's pending acquisition of the company.

Former UN Ambassador John Bolton criticizes the Obama administration for removing Iran and Hezbollah from the list of states and groups that sponsor terrorism. Bolton characterizes the move as a "lying weasel" tactic and a major concession intended to facilitate the nuclear negotiations. The discussion focuses on how these changes might lift 30 years of sanctions unrelated to the nuclear program.

The discussion shifts to the Sony Pictures data breach and the subsequent cancellation of the film "The Interview." Alan Dershowitz appears on CNN characterizing the threats against movie theaters as an attack on Christmas and a form of state-sponsored terrorism. The U.S. government is reportedly preparing to formally name North Korea as the culprit behind the cyberattack.