As US journalist Azadeh Moaveni was writing her latest book, The East Wing, a history of America's first ladies and their staff, President Donald Trump’s demolition of that very part of the White House was underway. Moaveni presents her book as a “parallel women’s history,” tracing how the wives of US presidents, who traditionally had offices in the now-vanished annex, helped shape alliances at home and abroad as their roles evolved along with American society. Moaveni, a journalism professor at New York University, is a longtime reporter on Iran and the Middle East. She explains in her conversation with Mishal Husain how when she took on the project, Iran seemed unusually quiet. Then the US and Israel attacked. Here, she reflects on a seismic year in the US and around the world. 00:00 Introduction from Mishal Husain 03:45 “What are the wives of the big powerful men doing?” 04:22 The East Wing staff 06:29 First female chief of staff, Susie Wiles 07:10 Demolition of the East Wing 09:35 Melanie Trump, first lady for a second time 11:20 Eleanor Roosevelt establishing the East Wing 15:26 Jackie Kennedy’s diplomatic achievements 18:15 Reporting on the Middle East for 25 years 19:29 “I didn’t expect Iranians to turn out against the regime” 25:26 Has Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi’s moment passed? 27:37 The role of women in Iran and the Middle East 32:40 US presence in the Middle East 36:16 The Iranian diaspora 37:10 “Iranian leaders are responsible for the welfare of Iranians” Contact The Mishal Husain Show mishalshow@bloomberg.net Read Mishal’s reflections on this conversation in her notes https://www.bloomberg.com/mishal Other episodes of The Mishal Husain Show you might find interesting https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E0Um9KyI5mc&list=PLe4PRejZgr0Ns_wjGlmjlPz0cded0nTYS&index=32 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yIo2tU2fSC4&list=PLe4PRejZgr0Ns_wjGlmjlPz0cded0nTYS&index=33 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uq74d3xVbbw&list=PLe4PRejZgr0Ns_wjGlmjlPz0cded0nTYS&index=28 Watch Bloomberg Vodcasts: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLe4PRejZgr0MS0Tqk_zQl1LVVTdWuH2Di Subscribe to Bloomberg Podcasts: https://bit.ly/BloombergPodcasts Visit us: https://www.bloomberg.com/podcasts Visit our other YouTube channels: Bloomberg Television: https://www.youtube.com/@markets Bloomberg Originals: https://www.youtube.com/bloomberg For coverage on news, markets and more: http://www.bloomberg.com/video