Gideon talks to Ray Dalio, founder of Bridgewater Associates, the world’s largest hedge fund and author of a new book: How Countries Go Broke . They discuss the size of the US debt and what history tells us about identifying warning signs. Clip: CBS Free links to read more on this topic: Is Donald Trump’s ‘big, beautiful bill’ a political curse for Republicans? Fears over US debt load and inflation ignite exodus from long-term bonds Donald Trump’s big, beautiful act of self-harm The fall in the ...
Jul 03, 2025•24 min
Gideon discusses whether the fragile ceasefire between Israel and Iran can hold with Vali Nasr, Professor of Middle East Studies at Johns Hopkins University. Can anyone claim victory from the war? Where does this leave the battered regime in Tehran and its nuclear ambitions? And what will the US need to do to ensure that intense fighting doesn’t break out again? Clips: Channel 4 News; BBC Free links to read more on this topic: Best summer books of 2025: Politics How Donald Trump brokered a shaky...
Jun 24, 2025•25 min
Israel has launched an aerial bombardment of Iran, with the aim, it says, of ending Iran’s nuclear ambitions. Gideon talks to Philip Gordon, who was national security adviser to former US vice-president Kamala Harris, about how realistic Israel’s aims are, Iran’s capacity to fight back, and whether the US is about to be drawn into another conflict in the Middle East. Clips: Channel 4 News, The Independent Free links to read more on this topic: War on Iran is splitting Trump’s Maga movement Can a...
Jun 18, 2025•30 min
Gideon talks to Oana Lungescu, Nato's former and longest-serving spokesperson, about what to expect from this month’s summit and what's at stake? Can Europe convince the Trump administration that Russia is a risk they need to take seriously, and will an agreement to increase defence spending be enough to satisfy the US president? Clips: Sky; Channel 4, Aljazeera Free links to read more on this topic: Europe, the US and the question of values Europe confronts Trump’s triple threat on Ukraine, Nat...
Jun 12, 2025•29 min
Gideon Rachman and China historian Rana Mitter discuss the evolution of Xi Jinping from internal exile, to party apparatchik, to strongman leader. What motivates Xi and what’s behind his friendship with the Russian leader? This episode is an edited recording of an event organised by Intelligence Squared that took place in central London late last month. Clip: CGTN Free links to read more on this topic: Donald Trump says China’s Xi Jinping is ‘hard to make a deal with’ Xi’s history shapes China’s...
Jun 05, 2025•31 min
In a special six-part series of The Economics Show, Martin Wolf, the FT’s chief economics commentator, and Nobel Prize-winning economist Paul Krugman discuss the economic events reshaping the world in the wake of US President Donald Trump’s election. Subscribe and listen to this series on The Economics Show on Apple Podcasts , Spotify , Pocket Casts or wherever you listen to podcasts. Episodes will also be available on the FT’s YouTube channel . If you’d like to get in touch and ask Martin and P...
Jun 04, 2025•2 min
President Biden’s time in office was a momentous period in world affairs and American foreign policy. The Taliban returned to rule Afghanistan, Russia invaded Ukraine, and Hamas attacked Israel all on the watch of National Security Adviser, Jake Sullivan. Gideon talks to Sullivan about the Biden legacy and hears how and why events unfolded and what the Trump administration is doing now. Clips: BBC, CBS, Sky News, The Guardian, Radio Free Europe, CGTN Follow Gideon on Bluesky or X @gideonrachman....
May 29, 2025•52 min
The EU is in Donald Trump’s cross hairs. So how should it respond? In this week’s episode, Paschal Donohoe, Ireland’s finance minister and president of the Eurogroup of finance ministers, discusses whether the euro can challenge the dollar. He tells Gideon that European integration should go even further - and makes the case for immigration and a new relationship between the EU and the UK. Clips: Euronews,PBS Newshour Follow Gideon on Bluesky or X @gideonrachman.bsky.social , @gideonrachman More...
May 22, 2025•27 min
After a short but intense clash, a ceasefire is holding between India and Pakistan, but tensions remain high. Both sides claim victory, but the rapid escalation in the conflict bodes ill for future diplomacy between the two countries. Gideon talks to Professor Sushant Singh, lecturer in south Asian Studies at Yale University, about the conflict and what’s at stake if tensions escalate again. Clips: Times of India, Fox News Follow Gideon on Bluesky or X @gideonrachman.bsky.social , @gideonrachman...
May 15, 2025•22 min
Donald Trump continues to issue a blizzard of controversial statements and executive orders. His political opponents often seem confused, even stunned. So how should the Democratic party take on the US president? Gideon talks to Senator Andy Kim, a new Democrat from New Jersey, on the merits of different approaches to opposition and what is needed to win back voters. Clips: KTVU Fox This is Gavin Newsom Follow Gideon on Bluesky or X @gideonrachman.bsky.social , @gideonrachman More on this topic:...
May 08, 2025•28 min
US efforts to end Russia’s war in Ukraine have so far not yielded anything close to a peace deal. Both Russia and Ukraine have objected to some aspects of the Trump administration’s plan. What – if anything – might make a lasting peace possible? Gideon Rachman speaks to Sir Lawrence Freedman, emeritus professor of war studies at King’s College London, about what each party wants from a peace deal. Free links to read more on this topic: Podcast: Future weapons: Ukraine’s army of drone: https://on...
May 01, 2025•21 min
Gideon talks to the FT’s Michael Stott about Nayib Bukele, president of El Salvador, whose friendship with Donald Trump has been in the spotlight over his willingness to imprison US deportees, notably Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia. Clip: The White House Follow Gideon on Bluesky or X @gideonrachman.bsky.social , @gideonrachman Free links to read more on this topic: Nayib Bukele: the TikTok authoritarian feted across Latin America El Salvador’s Bukele refuses to repatriate man wrongly deported from...
Apr 24, 2025•26 min
Nuclear talks between the US and Iran began last weekend in Oman, and are set to continue in the coming weeks. President Trump has warned that if the talks fail the US could take military action against the Islamic republic – an idea that Israel's government is pressing for. What might a new nuclear deal with Iran look like – and how might it change the geopolitical picture in the Middle East? Clip: The Express Tribune Follow Gideon on Bluesky or X @gideonrachman.bsky.social, @gideonrachman Free...
Apr 17, 2025•24 min
Gideon talks to the economic historian Harold James about the economic and political implications of Donald Trump's tariffs. What are the similarities with the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act of 1930? What kind of forces will his decision to smash the global economic order unleash? Clip: CBC Follow Gideon on Bluesky or X @gideonrachman.bsky.social , @gideonrachman Free links to read more on this topic: It falls to Congress to unravel Trump’s reckless tariffs Trump’s ‘reshoring’ ambitions threatened by t...
Apr 10, 2025•28 min
German businessman Joerg Wuttke has been an observer of China since the 1980s, watching it evolve from backwater to superpower. He talks to Gideon about US-China rivalry and how Europe can find its place as a trading partner to both powers. Clip: CNBC Free links to read more on this topic: China launches large-scale military exercises around Taiwan China’s Xi Jinping tells top global CEOs to use their influence to defend trade China is suffering its own ‘China shock’ BASF’s Joerg Wuttke: ‘The es...
Apr 03, 2025•29 min
Gideon talks to Russia experts Catherine Belton and Arkady Ostrovsky about Vladimir Putin’s goals. They discuss his early ambition to restore Russia’s status as a global superpower. And they go on to analyse why, after a quarter of a century in power, Putin may see his best chance yet of achieving that goal - at a cost of hundreds of thousands of Russian lives. This episode is an edited recording of an event organised by Intelligence Squared that took place in central London earlier this month. ...
Mar 27, 2025•29 min
Thirty years ago Mexico made a fateful decision to open its economy and engage with the US. Now that decision is being tested by Donald Trump’s tariff threat. Gideon talks to Mexican economist Luis de la Calle about the impact this could have on his country's economy and that of the US. Clips: ABC News; Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo Free links to read more on this topic: How Trump could destroy his own political movement Half of Mexico’s exports to US risk steep tariffs Mexico’s Claudia Sheinbaum is r...
Mar 20, 2025•28 min
Europe is facing its biggest defence challenge since the second world war. This is compounded by the destabilising impact of US tariffs. So how is it measuring up? Gideon puts this question to Arancha González Laya, dean of the Paris School of International Affairs at Science Po and a former foreign minister of Spain. Clip: Emmanuel Macron Free links to read more on this topic: EU retaliates after Donald Trump’s steel and aluminium tariffs take effect Trump is making Europe great again How Europ...
Mar 13, 2025•28 min
Canada’s Liberal party will elect a new leader this weekend and Chrystia Freeland is running to replace Justin Trudeau as prime minister. Donald Trump’s belligerence towards his northern neighbour seems to have restored the party’s popularity ahead of a general election this year. Chrystia tells host Gideon Rachman that Canadians are sticking together and that they have some strong cards to play. Follow Gideon on X @ gideonrachman or Bluesky @gideonrachman.bsky.social . Gideon Rachman is the chi...
Mar 06, 2025•22 min
Gideon tests the mood in Kiev three years after the Russian invasion as the Trump presidency upends previous tenets of international politics. He talks to Ukrainian MP Lesia Vasylenko and Oleksandr Khomiak, director of Drone Space Labs, a defence start-up. Clip: European Commission Free links to read more on this topic: Ukraine agrees minerals deal with US US drives Ukraine war measure through UN with Russian backing Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s toughest battle begins Now is the time for Europe really ...
Feb 27, 2025•22 min
Gideon dissects US vice-president JD Vance’s incendiary speech at the Munich Security Conference with German businessman Mathias Döpfner. They discuss the state of the transatlantic relationship and how Donald Trump’s actions towards Russia and Ukraine could mark a turning point. They are then joined by FT colleague Laura Pitel to talk about Döpfner’s media empire Axel Springer and the cancellation of federal government subscriptions to the Politico Pro news service. Clip: The White House Free l...
Feb 20, 2025•34 min
Gideon talks to Daniel Drezner, a professor of international politics at Tufts University in the US, about why it’s no longer possible to trust America and what the rest of the world can expect from the Trump presidency. Clip: CBC Free links to read more on this topic: Tariffs won’t bring back America’s unipolar moment 'Cost and chaos’: Donald Trump’s metal tariffs sweep across corporate America Trump is giving a green light to corporate corruption abroad Trump is forcing Europe to a reckoning o...
Feb 13, 2025•22 min
Gideon talks to Andrew England, the FT's Middle East editor, about the US president's 'crazy' plan for a takeover of the Gaza Strip. And he talks to Iraqi President Abdul Latif Rashid about the prospects for his country as it finally returns to peace and stability. Free links to read more on this topic: Middle East and Europe condemn Donald Trump’s plans to take over Gaza Donald Trump’s Gaza plan resurrects grandiose Middle East playbook The deceptively negotiable Donald Trump Subscribe to The R...
Feb 06, 2025•27 min
Gideon talks to Muhammad Yunus, interim leader of Bangladesh, who was invited by students to take charge after their revolution last July. He describes the alleged corruption that took hold when Sheikh Hasina was in office and his vision for a better future for the country. Clip: AP Free links to read more on this topic: Bangladesh hires Big Four audit firms to review ‘robbed’ banks Tycoon threatens international legal action against Bangladesh over ‘destroyed’ investments Bangladesh’s unlikely ...
Jan 30, 2025•20 min
As Donald Trump begins his second term as US president, and Russia presses forward in Ukraine, Gideon Rachman speaks to Finland’s President Alexander Stubb about Europe’s place in the world. They also discuss the risk of strategic irrelevance in Europe, the rise of the far right, Finland’s position in Nato – and whether other European countries need to be a bit more like Finland. Clip: Reuters Follow Gideon on X @ gideonrachman or Bluesky @gideonrachman.bsky.social . Gideon Rachman is the chief ...
Jan 23, 2025•25 min
Gideon talks to Michael Ignatieff, the former leader of Canada’s Liberal party, about how the country will deal with its newly-hostile southern neighbour when it is undergoing a change of leadership at home. They discuss Donald Trump’s threat to raise punitive tariffs on Canadian imports and how to respond to his suggestion that Canada should become the US’s 51st state. Clip: Global News Follow Gideon on X @ gideonrachman Free links to read more on this topic: Canada warns of ‘tit-for-tat’ tarif...
Jan 16, 2025•27 min
Gideon talks to the FT's Christian Davies about President Yoon’s thwarted attempt to impose martial law in South Korea. What lies behind the shock move, and what does it tell us about the underlying problems of a country better known for the global success of its entertainment industries? Clip: Washington Post Follow Gideon on X @ gideonrachman Free links to read more on this topic: South Korea crisis mounts as clock ticks on arrest warrant for president The resilience of South Korea’s democracy...
Jan 09, 2025•30 min
Gideon hosts an end-of-year discussion with Alexander Gabuev of the Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center, Jeremy Shapiro of the European Council on Foreign Relations, and Karin von Hippel of the Royal United Services Institute. They discuss what we can expect from the incoming Trump presidency, the prospects for peace in the Middle East and Ukraine, and China’s strengthening ties with Russia. Clip: Fox 13 News Free links to read more on this topic: FT Person of the Year: Donald Trump Putin says Trump’...
Dec 26, 2024•28 min
Gideon talks to FT Middle East correspondent Raya Jalabi about what she found when she drove from Beirut into Damascus shortly after the toppling of President Assad. What signs are there that the rebel group HTS will be able to manage a peaceful transition of power and end the country’s civil war? Clip: AFP Free links to read more on this topic: Netanyahu and Erdoğan compete to be the Middle East’s strongman Assad dispatched $250mn of Syria’s cash to Moscow Now Syria can dream of a future again ...
Dec 19, 2024•22 min
One of the most important groups of advisers around Donald Trump are the 'restrainers'. They want to radically reduce America’s commitments to global security alliances. Gideon talks to Dan Caldwell, a leading restrainer and military veteran who believes the Iraq war was a 'monstrous crime'. Clip: Face the Nation Free links to read more on this topic: Foreign Affairs article: Trump Must Not Betray “America First” The tragedy of Iraq, 20 years on Nato chief warns Donald Trump of ‘dire threat’ to ...
Dec 12, 2024•29 min
