Latest Interviews
Showing 16–30 of 34 interview transcripts.
Clear all filters- The Economist23 min
Spy-fall: Trump imperils intelligence pact
Trump, Rosie Bloor, Shashank Joshi, Shalas Chitnis, Alexandra Suech-Bass
Amidst a restructuring of US intelligence leadership under Donald Trump and potential disruptions to the Five Eyes alliance, China has surged to become the world's second-largest drug developer, offering Western pharmaceutical companies critical intellectual property to navigate an upcoming patent cliff. Concurrently, The Economist has launched a curated weekly film and television guide designed to highlight globally diverse, notable titles while explicitly advising against unworthy viewing, complementing its subscriber-only coverage of unique international social experiments. These developments collectively reshape intelligence security, biotech market dynamics, and cultural consumption within a rapidly evolving geopolitical landscape.
- The Economist28 min
Pompcast: Trump rallies Congress
Trump, Jason Palmer, Rosie Bloor, John Priddow, Ana Lankes, Alex Hearn
President Donald Trump suspended military aid to Ukraine following a dispute with Volodymyr Zelensky, triggering retaliatory 25% tariffs from Mexico and Canada and prompting Zelensky to signal readiness for a new minerals deal. In his first congressional address, Trump claimed record-breaking approval swings and erroneously contrasted European and American aid contributions while asserting he ranks alongside George Washington. Simultaneously, Ecuadorian Attorney General Diana Salazar continues high-stakes investigations into corruption linking drug cartels to former President Rafael Correa, with the outcome threatening to determine whether the nation remains a democracy or becomes a narco state before upcoming elections.
- The Economist25 min
Love match: Modi-Trump’s tariffs tussle
Modi, Trump, Jason Palmer, Rosie Bloor, Kira Khuyu, Leo Morani, John Fassman
At the White House, President Trump and Prime Minister Modi advanced a "mega-prosperity" partnership marked by the "MIGA" slogan, even as trade tensions over reciprocal tariffs and immigration enforcement disputes threaten the $200 billion bilateral relationship. Concurrently, global aviation faces a decade-long crisis of eroding safety and shrinking airspace due to geopolitical conflicts, granting non-Western carriers a competitive edge while forcing Western airlines to cancel routes. In the entertainment sector, *Saturday Night Live* celebrates its 50th anniversary by maintaining structural consistency under Lorne Michaels' leadership, successfully adapting its political satire for the digital age to sustain high ratings during election cycles.
- The Economist23 min
With this ring: Trump and Putin omit Ukraine
Trump, Putin, Rosie Bloor, Shashank Joshi, Rachel Lloyd
In a significant geopolitical shift, Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin initiated direct diplomatic talks to end the Ukraine war, with a newly formed US negotiating team excluding Ukraine and European allies while signaling a move away from NATO membership guarantees. Simultaneously, the Rwandan-backed M23 rebel group captured the eastern Congolese city of Goma, prompting a regional military escalation and raising concerns about further advances toward Kinshasa despite a lack of immediate negotiation prospects. In the cultural sector, the *Bridget Jones* franchise is returning with a fourth film that explores themes of bereavement and relatable imperfection, continuing the series' legacy of commercial success and social relevance over two decades.
- The Economist22 min
Thy neighbours, beggared: Trump’s opening tariffs
Trump, Rosie Bloor, Jason Palmer, Henry Kerr, Jeff Carr, Andrew Miller, Tom Trevithan, Jonathan Brown, Stephen Katz
President Trump has declared a national emergency to impose sweeping tariffs on Canadian, Mexican, and Chinese imports, prompting Canada to enact immediate countermeasures targeting Republican states while the administration seeks to leverage economic disruption for border security and industrial goals. Simultaneously, Denver-based Boom Supersonic successfully demonstrated its XB-1 aircraft breaking the sound barrier, advancing plans for commercial supersonic travel by 2029 through advanced carbon fiber and engine technologies. In the cultural sector, London's West End and other British venues have seen a post-pandemic surge in obligatory standing ovations, a phenomenon critics argue has diluted the meaning of applause into a coercive ritual driven by ticket costs and restored social habits.
- The Economist23 min
Putty people: can Trump get his picks?
Trump, Rosie Bloor, Adam O'Neill, Avantika Chirkotty, Luke Lithgow
The Trump administration is advancing controversial cabinet confirmations, including Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Tulsi Gabbard, while facing judicial and legislative resistance to executive overreach and potential pardons. Simultaneously, the global luxury market is contracting as aspirational brands struggle with economic headwinds, prompting a strategic pivot toward exclusivity and ultra-high-end clientele. In Australia, scientists are deploying genetic modifications and tadpole trapping to control the invasive cane toad population, which currently threatens native predators with lethal toxins.
- The Economist25 min
Executive orders of magnitude: Trump’s day one
Trump, Jason Palmer, Rosie Bloor, John Prudhoe, Edward Carr, Nicole Phan
During his second-term inauguration held indoors due to extreme cold, Donald Trump delivered an address centered on reclaiming the Panama Canal, reviving Manifest Destiny, and announcing a goal to plant an American flag on Mars while key Silicon Valley leaders like Elon Musk attended. On his first day in office, he signed executive orders establishing a two-gender policy, declaring a national emergency at the southern border to halt illegal entry, and withdrawing from the World Health Organization and Paris Climate Agreement. Although Trump currently holds peak approval ratings and dominates the Republican Party, legislative constraints from narrow majorities in Congress and potential Supreme Court challenges may limit the long-term durability of his aggressive tariff threats and immigration reforms.
- The Economist20 min
Legally bombed: Trump cases dropped
Trump, Rosie Bloor, Adam O'Neill, Dina Musa, Andrew Palmer
Special Counsel Jack Smith moved to dismiss two federal cases against former President Donald Trump, citing presidential immunity and the constitutional policy barring the prosecution of sitting presidents, while Trump simultaneously declared a 25% tariff on Canadian and Mexican imports. Concurrently, a New York court found Trump guilty on all 34 felony counts regarding hush money payments, though sentencing was indefinitely postponed to prevent the conviction of an active president. Legal analysts note that while these federal cases can be refiled depending on future political control, Trump and his allies view the dismissals as a definitive victory against politically motivated prosecutions.
- The Economist25 min
Up and atom: can Trump stop Iranian nukes?
Trump, Rosie Bloor, Greg Kallstrom, Jason Chow, Avantika Chirkotty
Geopolitical tensions regarding Iran's nuclear program have intensified as its enriched uranium stockpile reaches 6,000 kilograms while a potential second Trump administration prepares to reimpose "maximum pressure" sanctions aimed at regime change or a new comprehensive agreement. Simultaneously, China confronts a demographic collapse with a fertility rate of 1.1 by enforcing aggressive pro-natalist policies that link housing loans and taxes to family size, marking a stark return to state-controlled reproduction. In the commercial sector, the $400 billion global sportswear market is undergoing significant disruption as Nike and Adidas lose ground to agile competitors like On and Hoka, who capitalize on low entry barriers and a shifting consumer preference for performance footwear over lifestyle brands.
- The Economist25 min
Kyiv calm and carry on: Trump’s win may benefit Ukraine
Trump, Jason Palmer, Rosie Bloor, Oliver Carroll, Katherine Nixie
Amidst a deteriorating military situation in Ukraine characterized by Russian offensives toward Pokrovsk and internal morale crises, the incoming Trump administration's potential peace plans, including neutrality proposals from J.D. Vance, face skepticism regarding their feasibility within a 24-hour window. Simultaneously, African diaspora churches are experiencing rapid global expansion and financial integration through tithes and digital innovation, while the release of *Gladiator II* sparks cultural debate over its departure from the original film's democratic optimism in favor of modern themes like anti-elitism and racial diversity. These divergent developments highlight a geopolitical landscape shifting under new leadership, a religious sector adapting to Western demographics, and entertainment reflecting contemporary societal anxieties about institutional trust.
- The Economist24 min
Some like it hot: could Trump derail climate talks?
Trump, Jason Palmer, Rosie Bloor, Oliver Morton, Henry Tricks, Catherine Nixie
Microsoft and OpenAI are exploring a shift away from exclusive Azure partnerships to host OpenAI models on Amazon Web Services, a move driven by revenue diversification and regulatory pressures that align with Microsoft's broader AI portfolio expansion. Simultaneously, COP29 in Baku confronts the urgency of 2024's record-breaking heat and potential US withdrawal under a second Trump administration while attempting to establish new climate finance baselines to replace the 2015 Paris Agreement's ad hoc targets. In cultural affairs, the Remembrance Day poppy has evolved from a unifying WWI memorial into a contested symbol of modern identity politics, with its commercial sales and varying interpretations now sparking polarized public debates as living historical memory fades.
- The Economist23 min
Don of a new age: Trump’s decisive win
Trump, Jason, John Prudhoe, Charlotte Howard, Idris Kalloun, Tamara Gilkes-Boer, Adam O'Neill, Aaron Braun
Donald Trump is projected to secure the presidency and a unified Republican trifecta, becoming the only president since Grover Cleveland to win non-consecutive terms while defeating Kamala Harris across key swing states. The campaign's "base-first" strategy drove significant gains among working-class and cross-racial demographics, allowing Trump to potentially appoint new Supreme Court justices and pursue an unchecked legislative agenda. Conversely, the Democratic Party faces intense internal scrutiny over its nomination process and policy failures as Republicans prepare to leverage their control of Congress and the judiciary for a second term.
- The Economist23 min
Coming up Trump: our election model puts Harris behind
Trump, Harris, Rosie Bloor, Jason Palmer, Dan Rosenheck, Simon Wright, Shailesh Chitnas
The Economist's latest forecasting model has shifted to give Donald Trump a 56% probability of winning the U.S. presidency, narrowing the Electoral College gap in key swing states after consolidating undecided and third-party voters. Meanwhile, Tesla introduced its autonomous Cyber Cab and RoboVan with plans to undercut competitors on price, though the event triggered a 9% stock decline due to investor skepticism over regulatory hurdles and a lack of concrete deployment timelines. Finally, Microsoft marked Excel's 40th anniversary by integrating AI assistants to maintain its dominance among 400 million paid users despite the software's historical role in significant data processing errors.
- The Economist23 min
Foiled again: a second attempt on Trump
Trump, Rosie Bloor, John Priddo, Paul Markely, Anne Rowe
Former President Donald Trump survived an assassination attempt by former activist Ryan Wesley Routh, sparking renewed scrutiny over Secret Service protocols and prompting Republicans to leverage the incident for fundraising while media narratives shifted toward security. Concurrently, the expanding utility of digital twin technology is transforming sectors from Formula One racing to medical diagnostics by enabling real-time virtual simulations that predict maintenance needs and test surgical procedures. In a separate cultural development, Brazilian bossa nova legend Sergio Mendes died at 83, leaving behind a legacy of blending global pop hits with Brazilian rhythms and maintaining a strong national identity despite decades in the United States.
- The Economist53 min
Open to debate: Harris and Trump clash
Harris, Trump, John Prideaux, Charlotte Howard, Adam O'Neal, James Bennet, Lane Greene, Owen Winter, John Priddow
The September 2024 presidential debate between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump drew over 67 million viewers and established a critical juncture in a historically tight election. Analysis indicates that Harris successfully employed a prosecutorial strategy to expose Trump's policy vagueness and age-related concerns, earning a post-debate victory according to 63% of surveyed viewers. Consequently, major forecasting models have adjusted the race to a near toss-up with Harris's probability rising to 49% amidst her campaign's significant financial advantage and the strategic deployment of debate moments against her opponent.