The Rachman Review
Gideon Rachman, the Financial Times chief foreign affairs columnist, talks to the decision-makers and thinkers who are shaping world affairs.
Episodes
Britain’s post-Brexit policy options
Where should Britain stand in the great power struggle between the US and China? Does the special relationship with Washington mean anything anymore or do all roads lead back to Europe? Gideon discusses these questions with Ben Judah, former special adviser to deputy prime minister David Lammy.Clip: Channel 4 NewsFree links to read more on this topic:Donald Trump warns US will soon hit Iran ‘hard’
Mideast war: The view from Tehran
What is life like in the Iranian capital and is the regime ready to compromise to achieve a lasting peace? Gideon discusses the mood in Tehran and the changing political landscape in the country with the FT’s Tehran correspondent, Najmeh Bozorgmehr. Clips: AP, Reuters, Bloomberg.Free links to read more on this topic:Greek shipping tycoon Evangelos Marinakis ready to pay Strait of Hormuz transit fe
The backlash against AI
Gideon talks to Sebastian Mallaby, author of The Infinity Machine, a book about the career of Demis Hassabis and his AI company, Google DeepMind. They discuss the growing backlash against AI, why people are worried, and what governments can do to mitigate the risks of the coming technological revolution. Clip: WSJFree links to read more on this topic:OpenAI’s foundation to spend $250mn on research
Mitsotakis on Hormuz, Iran and how to escape a debt trap
Gideon talks to Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis about the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and its impact on Greece as a leading shipping nation. They discuss Greece’s recovery from the financial crisis of 2015, how to achieve European strategic autonomy and the best way to bring the war in Ukraine to an end. Clip: France 24Free links to read more on this topic:Three supertankers attempt S
Trump returns to Beijing: what’s at stake
Gideon Rachman speaks to James Crabtree, former head of the Asia programme at the International Institute for Strategic Studies and author of The Perimeter, about Donald Trump’s visit to Beijing, his first in a decade. What do Washington and Beijing hope to gain, and what does the trip reveal about the evolving balance of power between the world’s two leading superpowers?Free links to read mo
Lloyd Austin on Ukraine, Iran and the lessons of war
Gideon talks to Lloyd Austin, who served as US defence secretary under the Biden administration, about the need to adapt to new forms of warfare, accusations that he presided over a ‘woke military’ and how he headed off a nuclear threat from Russia in the early days of the Ukraine conflict. Clip: APFree links to read more on this topic:US pauses ‘Project Freedom’ as Trump seeks way out of Hormuz i
Ukraine’s ‘existential’ battle with Russia
Gideon talks to Dmytro Kuleba, former Ukrainian foreign minister, about the current state of Russia’s war against Ukraine. What would it take to break the stalemate and how has the conflict been impacted by the US-Israeli attack on Iran? Clips: DW; ReutersFree links to read more on this topic:Vladimir Putin pares back Victory Day parade over fear of Ukrainian strikes US ambassador to Ukr
Introducing: The Story of Money
Those who do not study history may be destined to repeat it . . . and lose money. The Story of Money is a new podcast from The Financial Times exploring the past to see where the next opportunities — and disasters — may lie. Hosted by FT columnist Gillian Tett and FT Alphaville editor Robin Wigglesworth, The Story of Money explores the history of global finance through the people, ideas, events, a
Trump finds it’s easier to start a war than to end one
Gideon discusses why the Iran conflict is proving so difficult to end with Michael Singh and Dana Stroul of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. What are the options on the table for both sides and can America’s allies play a useful role? Clip: New York PostFree links to read more on this topic:The Iran crisis has not yet peakedIranian tankers bypass US blockadeMacron and Starmer to hold
Iran war: What does Tehran want and will it get it?
Gideon discusses possible negotiated solutions to the Iran war with Suzanne Maloney of the Brookings Institution. What do Tehran's leaders want and how long can they hold out for a winning settlement that will ease the country’s economic pain? What are the stakes for Trump and the global economy? And what role, if any, can Gulf countries play in curbing the regim
Is it possible to negotiate with Iran?
What is it like to negotiate with Iran and what are the key issues that need to be resolved if the war is to end? Has the war permanently reshaped the relationship between the US and Europe? Gideon talks to Baroness Catherine Ashton, who was the EU’s high representative for foreign policy from 2009 until 2014 and played a leading role in negotiations with Iran.More on this topic:Armagedd
Trump says the Iran war may be ending soon: mission accomplished?
Donald Trump has said the US military action against Iran may be coming to an end. If so, what would it have achieved and where does this leave the key question of safe passage for shipping through the Strait of Hormuz? Gideon discusses the consequences of the war for the US and its allies with Philip Gordon of the Brookings Institution. Clip: NBC NewsFree links to read more on this topic:Tru
Hungary’s pivotal election
Viktor Orbán has been a thorn in the side of the EU and a favourite of Donald Trump. But his party is now behind in the polls ahead of next month’s Hungarian elections. So could this mark the end of the Orbán era? Gideon discusses this with Zsuzsanna Végh, an analyst at the German Marshall Fund. They also discuss Orbán's close relationship with Russia and hostility to Ukraine. Clip: APTFree l
The heavy cost of the war on Iran
Gideon discusses the Iran war with defence analyst Jack Watling, author of Statecraft - The New Rules of Power in a Divided World. Why did the US fail to foresee the need to protect the vital Strait of Hormuz shipping route? What options are there to bring the war to a close?Clip: NYTFree links to read more on this topic:Iran vows retaliation against energy sites across Gulf after largest gasfield
Introducing Untold: Opus Dei
Introducing Opus Dei, a new season of Untold from the Financial Times. Host Antonia Cundy uncovers the cultural and political influence of a controversial Catholic organisation in America. Opus Dei exists to help people get closer to God, but some members say they found other agendas – and unexpected harm – entangled in that spiritual mission. The first episode of Untold: Opus Dei launches March 2
Formidable US firepower fails to unseat Iran’s regime
Gideon speaks to Sir Simon Gass, a former UK ambassador to Iran, about why the formidable destructive power of the US and Israel has failed to dislodge the Islamic regime. They discuss how long the war can continue as well as likely outcomes for the US, Iran and the Gulf region. Clip: Middle East EyeFree links to read more on this topic:Trump’s Venezuela strategy has failed in Iran Irani
Iran war risks turning into a battle of endurance
Gideon discusses the US and Israeli war against Iran with Emile Hokayem of the International Institute for Strategic Studies. What are the war aims, can they be achieved and where does this leave the future of the region and its relations with Israel? Clips: CBS; CNN Free links to read more on this topic:Gulf insurance costs soar 12-fold despite Trump guaranteeTrump has no realistic plan for Iran’
Boris Johnson: Pressure on Putin is the price of peace
Gideon discusses the state of peace talks on Ukraine with Boris Johnson at a conference organised by the Yalta European Strategy group in Kyiv. The former UK prime minister offers his view of what needs to be done to bring an end to the conflict: put more pressure on Russia’s President Vladimir Putin. Otherwise, we are “setting a course for years more of conflict”. Clip: BBCFree links to read more
Chrystia Freeland on how to negotiate with autocrats — and allies
Gideon talks to Chrystia Freeland, former deputy prime minister of Canada, about different approaches to negotiating with the Trump administration. They also discuss the current state of the war in Ukraine, her new role as adviser to President Zelenskyy and how to pressure Russia into ending the conflict. Clip: US Department of StateFree links to read more on this topic:Why Rubio failed to re
Trump's predatory foreign policy
Gideon talks to American political scientist Stephen Walt about the phrase ‘predatory hegemon’ that he coined to describe the US administration under Donald Trump. What are the risks and benefits of this policy for the American people, and for those who formerly considered themselves staunch allies? Clip: The White HouseFree links to read more on this topic:A post-Trump restoration is still possib
Can diplomacy avert a US-Iran war?
Andrew England, the FT’s Middle East editor, speaks to Sanam Vakil, director of the Middle East and North Africa Programme at Chatham House, about Iran’s escalating crisis. Can diplomacy prevent a war between the Trump administration and Tehran? What are the prospects for reform of the increasingly unpopular Islamic regime in Iran? Clips: Channel 4 News; CBSFree links to read m
Bill Gates: AI, aid cuts and the fear of speaking out
Bill Gates tells Gideon that a climate of fear has taken hold in the US business community under the Trump administration: “People are afraid to speak out about being afraid to speak out.” He discusses falling aid budgets, why philanthropy cannot replace government funding, and an ambitious new collaboration with OpenAI to improve access to healthcare in Africa. Gates also reflects on th
Mark Carney on a world in rupture — and what comes next
Canada’s Prime Minister, Mark Carney, received a standing ovation at the World Economic Forum in Davos after warning that the global order has entered a period of “rupture”. In a post-speech interview with Gideon, Carney reflects on how globalisation went wrong — and on what can still be salvaged through deeper co-operation among countries and institutions that share common values. Interview and c
Alexander Stubb on Greenland: the good, the bad or the ugly?
Gideon speaks to Finland’s president about how to resolve the stand-off between Europe and the US over Greenland. Alexander Stubb describes the dispute as the "most difficult issue he has faced since taking office", arguing that discreet “back office” diplomacy, rather than public grandstanding, is the best way forward. He also touches on Ukraine, applauding the transatlantic alliance’s achievemen
Sudan: inside the world’s worst humanitarian crisis
Famine, mass killings and the collapse of basic government services have pushed Sudan into what the UN now calls the world’s worst humanitarian crisis. As regional powers across the Middle East fuel the conflict by backing rival factions, civilians have largely been left to fend for themselves. Gideon speaks to Sudanese political analyst Kholood Khair and Sudan expert Alex de Waal to understand ho
‘Regime roulette’ in Venezuela: Is Greenland next?
Now that the Trump administration has fully embraced the ‘Donroe Doctrine’ - a policy claiming the western hemisphere as a US sphere of influence - which country will be next in the line of fire? Gideon discusses this with Ian Bremmer, president of the Eurasia Group consultancy, which has just published its top risk report for 2026.Free links to read more on this topic:Venezuela and the trouble wi
2025: a year of chaos and confusion
Gideon and guests look back at 2025 as well as forward to the year ahead in an FT Live discussion for the Global Boardroom. Donald Trump set the tone of world politics this year from his tariff wars to his efforts to make peace in the Middle East and Ukraine, while also bombing Iran and threatening Venezuela. In a bid to make sense of the contradictions, Gideon is joined by Leslie Vinjamuri, presi
Trump takes aim at South Africa
Donald Trump has accused South Africa of carrying out a genocide against its white population. He also says the nation does not deserve to be a member of the G20, which it hosted last month. FT Africa editor David Pilling - standing in for Gideon - puts these allegations to two South Africans, Lawson Naidoo, a civil society activist, and Elizabeth Sidiropoulos, a foreign policy expe
Europe’s rocky relations with Donald Trump
Gideon talks to Jens Stoltenberg, Nato's former secretary-general, about Ukraine and Europe's strategic priorities after recent scathing criticism from US president Donald Trump over its failure to end the war: ‘They talk but they don’t produce.’ Clip: PoliticoFree links to read more on this topic:The White House’s rupture with the western allianceTrump pushes for ‘free economic zone’ in Donbas, s
Splits in the Maga movement
Gideon talks to Jacob Heilbrunn, editor of the National Interest, about the rows over racism, Epstein and Israel that have broken out in Donald Trump’s Make America Great Again movement. Clips: Tucker Carlson, Right wing watch, Dana LoeschFree links to read more on this topic:Marjorie Taylor Greene to resign from Congress after clash with Donald TrumpTrump’s Maga coalition fractures over far-right
The voice of moderate America
Gideon talks to Senator Jeanne Shaheen, the senior Democrat on the US Senate Committee on foreign relations, about Donald Trump’s foreign policy. Can Congress stop the president from making big concessions to Russia and attempting regime change in Caracas? Clip: ABC NewsFree links to read more on this topic: Ukraine has no choice but to engage with US peace planRussia pursues peace deal — on
Coming soon from Tech Tonic: Defying death
Investors are spending billions of dollars on novel ways to extend human life through inventive treatments, therapies, and even manipulating our genes. And increasingly, it seems as though anti-ageing efforts have moved from the super rich to a mass market consumer industry. In this series, we’re covering the past, present and future of the longevity movement. We’ll be looking at where the fixatio
Europe’s triple shock: Putin, Trump and Xi
The French pioneer of European integration Jean Monnet believed that Europe would be ‘built in crisis’. The war in Ukraine is putting this theory to the test, once again. Gideon discusses with historian Timothy Garton Ash how European leaders are responding to this latest crisis after the brief ‘holiday from history’ that followed the fall of the Berlin Wall. Clip: ITVFree links to read more on th
The battle for AI supremacy
Gideon Rachman sits down with the FT's innovation editor John Thornhill and Caiwei Chen, China reporter for the MIT Technology Review, to discuss the race between China and the US to become the 21st-century AI superpower. The west is used to hearing about the might of the Silicon Valley giants, US cutting-edge research and chip dominance. But China has a different approach. Will its use of a cheap
Donald Trump and autocracy in America
Gideon Rachman talks to historian and author Anne Applebaum about the Trump presidency. The US president is increasingly accused of being a would-be dictator, but is it fair to compare Donald Trump to authoritarian leaders such as Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping? This episode is an edited recording of an event organised by Intelligence Squared that took place in central London last month.
US versus China: a test of strength
Gideon talks to former US trade representative Michael Froman about Donald Trump’s visit to Asia this week, culminating in a meeting with Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the Apec summit in South Korea. What does it tell us about US trade priorities in the region and who is best placed to win the contest of strength between the US and China? Clips: NST online; Times Now Free links to read more
Nuclear weapons and the balance of terror
Gideon talks to the historian and author Serhii Plokhy about how Russia’s invasion of Ukraine changed our calculations about the risk of nuclear war. They discuss the history of the atom bomb from its first use in 1945 to the risk of a resurgence of proliferation. Clip: Harry S Truman Library Free links to read more on this topic: The Nuclear Age by Serhii Plokhy — why nations want the bombUS offe
Introducing Untold: Toxic Legacy
Introducing Toxic Legacy, a new season of Untold from the Financial Times. Host Laura Hughes uncovers a lead poisoning epidemic across the UK. You might be living with lead and not know it: the toxin is often invisible to the human eye, but wreaks havoc on our bodies once we’re exposed. The first episode of Untold: Toxic Legacy launches October 22. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Ca
Taiwan under threat: how strong are its defences?
Gideon talks to Taipei-based policy analyst J Michael Cole about how the Taiwanese are handling the threat of invasion from Beijing. Clips: APT News; RTI English.Free links to read more on this topic:TSMC’s stock market rally is a triumph of need over fearTaiwan accelerates ‘T-dome’ missile plan against China threatTaiwan backtracks on chip export curbs to South Africa after China spatTaiwan becom
What chance for Trump’s Gaza peace plan?
Gideon talks to former White House official and Middle East expert Philip Gordon about Donald Trump’s plan for a peaceful end to the Gaza conflict. What are the chances that it can succeed and what are the main stumbling blocks? Clip: TRT WorldSteve Witkoff and Jared Kushner join Israel-Hamas talks in EgyptWhat remains of Gaza?Trump goes mainstream on the Middle EastHow Donald Trump’s Gaza deal ca
Coming soon from Tech Tonic: Mission to Mars
US President Donald Trump has pledged to “plant the stars and stripes on the planet Mars”, China could send its first crewed mission to Mars within a decade, and Elon Musk wants people to actually settle on Mars, transforming the human race into an interplanetary species. In a new series of Tech Tonic, the FT’s Peggy Hollinger asks if we’re really about to land, and even live, on the red plan
David Lammy on the fight for democracy
Gideon interviews Britain's deputy prime minister David Lammy at the Labour Party conference at a meeting hosted by the Tony Blair Institute. They discuss how the Starmer government, which has had a tough first year in office, can turn things around, as well as the Gaza peace plan, ties with the Trump administration and how to fight 'the politics of grievance'. Clip: Keir StarmerFree links to read
How to fix America
Gideon talks to Matt Duss, former adviser to Senator Bernie Sanders and executive vice-president of the Washington-based Center for International Policy. They discuss recent curbs on free speech, former president Joe Biden’s foreign policy mistakes, and how identity politics has been used to distract voters from the ever widening gap between rich and poor. Clips: DRM News; ForbesFree links to read
Russia’s drone incursions put Baltics on alert
Gideon talks to former Lithuanian foreign minister Gabrielius Landsbergis about Russia’s recent drone incursion into Polish airspace. What message should Europe and Nato take from this? How worried are the Baltic states about a possible expansion of Vladimir Putin’s war aims? And how vulnerable are they to attack? Clips: BBC, BFBSFree links to read more on this topic: What is Vladimir Putin’s game
Israel's man without a plan
Gideon talks to journalist Anshel Pfeffer about Israel’s ‘strongman’ Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. They discuss how his ‘brazen disregard’ for international norms has helped him to cling to power, but also left him at the mercy of more and more extreme forces in Israel. This episode is an edited recording of an event organised by Intelligence Squared that took place in central London earlier
Lea Ypi on parallels between the 1930s and today
Gideon talks to Albanian academic Lea Ypi about her book Indignity. In the book, she describes how living first under the Ottoman empire, then as part of fascist Italy and later in a post-war communist state affected the lives of her grandparents. They discuss possible parallels between the first half of the 20th century and the times we are living in today and ask what lessons can be drawn f
Taiwan’s Trump problem
The longheld US position to defend Taiwan’s independent status in the face of Chinese aggression is looking shaky under the Trump administration, in spite of Taiwanese efforts to court the American president. This week, Gideon talks to analyst and author James Crabtree - former director of the Asia office of the International Institute for Strategic Studies - about why the US now seems more intere
Trump ‘plays into Putin’s hands’
Gideon discusses the outcome of the recent Alaska and Washington summits with Alexander Gabuev, director of the Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center. Has Russia emerged as a clear winner? What can be achieved without more pressure on Vladimir Putin? How effective would western security guarantees be to prevent future Russian aggression?Clip: Sky NewsFree links to read more on this topic:Ukraine talks ex
What next for India as Trump-Modi friendship sours?
The Trump administration has hit India with 50% tariffs. And just after a short military conflict between India and Pakistan, President Trump played host to Pakistan’s army chief of staff at the White House. Gideon discusses what this means for India and for the region with Tanvi Madan, author of a noted history of the US-India relationship. Clip: WION. Weekend Festival linkFree links to read more
The cold war guru whose warnings on Russia still stand
Zbigniew Brzeziński was one of the most influential statesmen of the cold war. But many of the geopolitical problems he wrestled with in Russia, China and the Middle East, have returned with a vengeance. Among his many prescient ideas, ‘Zbig’ as he was known, predicted that American hubris might lead to an ‘alliance of the aggrieved’ between Russia, China, Iran and North Korea. Gideon discusses hi
Can Israel translate power into peace?
Israel has demonstrated its capacity to strike at its enemies far and wide since the Hamas attacks of October 7 2023. But what will it do with this military dominance? The FT’s Charles Clover puts this question to Palestinian historian Yezid Sayigh. They discuss the weakness and instability of neighbouring Arab states and how the Netanyahu government’s moves to prevent Palestinian s
Our shrinking and ageing world
Humans have never been healthier or better fed. We’re living longer, but having fewer children - and many countries’ populations are now shrinking. Gideon discusses these trends with demographer Nicholas Eberstadt. Have smartphones played a role in our declining fertility? How will we look after our elderly people? Is migration the answer? Clip: CBCFree links to read more on this topic:The fight t
The war in Gaza - what do Israelis want?
Israel’s military victories have brought little comfort to Israelis who are focused on the fate of those hostages still in Gaza. Sasha Polakow-Suransky, FT executive opinion editor, talks with Dahlia Scheindlin, Israeli pollster and author of The Crooked Timber of Democracy in Israel: Promise Unfulfilled about what Israelis want. Why has widespread opposition to many of the Netanyahu government’s
Putin steps up summer offensive against Ukraine
Russia’s attacks on Ukraine are escalating, both on the front lines and across urban centres. Ben Hall, the FT’s Europe editor, talks to military analyst Franz-Stefan Gady about Ukraine’s battle to hold onto territory until a ceasefire can be agreed. Clips: Channel 4; ABCFree links to read more on this topic:Russia attacks Ukraine’s draft officesRussia hits Ukraine with biggest air attack of the w
Is the US heading for a debt crisis?
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: CBSFree 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 i
Too soon to celebrate peace between Iran and Israel?
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 lin
Israel goes to war with Iran
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&n
Nato’s moment of truth
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, AljazeeraFree links to read more on this
What drives China’s strongman?
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: CGTNFree links to read more on this to
Coming soon: The Wolf-Krugman Exchange
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. Epis
A foreign policy debrief with Jake Sullivan
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:
Is Trump a threat or an opportunity for the EU?
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:
India and Pakistan: what now?
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
How can Democrats combat Donald Trump?
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 FoxThis is Gavin Ne
Are we any closer to peace in Ukraine?
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.
El Salvador’s ‘jailer for hire’
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 HouseFollow Gideon on Bluesky or X @gideonrachman.bsky.social, @gideonrachmanFree links to read more on this topic:Nayib Bukele: the TikTok authoritarian
Iran’s nuclear talks could reshape the Middle East
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? Cli
The end of globalisation as we know it
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, @gideonrachmanFree links to read more on this topic: It f
China in the age of Trump 2.0
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: CNBCFree links to read more on this topic:China launches large-scale military exercises around TaiwanChina’s Xi Jinping tells top global CEOs to use
The making of Vladimir Putin
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
Mexico hopes to stave off Trump tariffs
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 PardoFree links to read more on this topic:How Trump could destroy
Europe's response to the threat from Trump
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 MacronFree links to read more on this topic:EU retaliates after D
How should Canada react to Trump’s threats?
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.F
Ukraine weathers new geopolitical climate
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 CommissionFree links to read more on this topic:Ukraine agrees minerals deal with USUS drives Ukraine war measure through UN wit
Mathias Döpfner: Transatlantic alliance in danger
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 Spr
US systems unravel under Trump
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: CBCFree 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 AmericaTrump
Trump sets his sights on Gaza property deal
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 GazaDonald Trump’s Gaz
Bangladesh students win a chance for change
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: APFree links to read more on this topic:Bangladesh hires Big Four audit firms to review ‘robbed’ banksTycoon threa
Finland's president on Europe in a Trumpian world
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: Reuter
Does the Trump administration pose an existential threat to Canada?
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 NewsFollow Gid
