Latest Interviews
Showing 1–13 of 13 transcripts.
Clear all filters- The Economist7 min
Why Russia is building its own version of Starlink | The Economist
Russia is advancing a non-functional satellite network projected for operational status within a year to enable precise targeting, while simultaneously executing terror campaigns with FPV drones and absorbing massive casualties estimated at 40,000 monthly to sustain a war-of-attrition strategy. Although Ukraine has secured limited territorial gains and developed innovative drone tactics, it faces constraints on striking Russian soil due to Elon Musk's refusal to authorize such operations and significant disparities in military resources. Meanwhile, recent diplomatic efforts involving Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff have failed to produce immediate breakthroughs, as political calculations and Putin's focus on inflicting maximum damage suggest a prolonged conflict with no significant peace progress anticipated before winter.
- The Economist10 min
How Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown is making America weaker | The Economist
Recent administrative actions have redirected deportation efforts from the southern border to the U.S. interior while simultaneously halting asylum requests and freezing visa processing for dozens of countries, resulting in near-zero irregular border crossings. These restrictive policies, which include revoking temporary protected status and raising fees for student and work visas, have coincided with a one-million-person contraction in the labor force and a 29% decline in student visa issuance. Critics warn that the resulting hostility toward specific ethnic groups and nations threatens long-term economic growth by deterring high-skilled talent and shifting the burden of national debt to a shrinking workforce.
- The Economist7 min
Why Le Pen is keeping Trump at a distance | The Economist
Le Pen, Trump, Edward Carr, Adam Roberts, Sophie Pedder
France currently stands as Europe's only power combining significant military spending with the operational will to deploy forces globally, fostering a strong strategic partnership between President Macron and Prime Minister Starmer. Conversely, the rise of the far-right National Rally under Marine Le Pen threatens to fracture the EU's core France-Germany axis by prioritizing national sovereignty over integration, potentially clashing with Berlin on Ukraine policy and demanding fiscal concessions. While Le Pen's administration seeks to reduce EU contributions and rollback regulations, the French public's reluctance toward total withdrawal may force the party to adopt a more restrained, albeit disruptive, approach to European reform.
- The Economist7 min
Should Latin America replicate El Salvador’s President Bukele’s crackdown on gangs? | The Economist
Bukele, Zanny Minton Beddoes, Edward Carr
El Salvador has dramatically reduced its murder rate to levels comparable to Canada by imprisoning 2% of its adult population while systematically dismantling democratic institutions, including the legislature and judiciary, to consolidate power under President Nayib Bukele. This authoritarian security model exploits the distinct economics of extortion, which relies on civilian reporting, unlike drug trafficking operations where high profits from prohibition incentivize continued cultivation and recruitment. While experts debate the exportability of Bukele's tactics, the consensus identifies the legalization of cocaine and the shift from military eradication to financial investigation as the only viable long-term strategies to dismantle illicit trade networks.
- The Economist9 min
Will China be the real winner from the Iran war? | The Economist
Edward Carr, David Rennie, Adam Roberts, Zanny Minton Beddoes, Ed
Chinese strategic leadership now prioritizes establishing new economic chokeholds in pharmaceuticals and chemicals while explicitly exploiting Donald Trump's transactional nature to secure high-end chip access, fearing that his potential political decline would empower hawkish rivals like Marco Rubio. This approach is underpinned by a cynical calculation that the United States is losing global favorability and alliance cohesion, prompting Beijing to cautiously normalize relations with Southeast Asian partners and free-ride on the existing US-led security order. Despite acknowledging the need for systemic adaptation, China's strategy remains paralyzed by an internal contradiction, lacking a viable plan for a destabilized "law of the jungle" environment while simultaneously avoiding the risks required to lead a new global order.
- The Economist10 min
What would Kevin Warsh’s Federal Reserve look like? | The Economist
Kevin Warsh, Zanny Minton Beddoes, Edward Carr, Henry, Zannie, Archie
President Trump has nominated former Federal Reserve Governor Kevin Warsh as the next Chair, contingent on the White House removing a Senate blockade led by Senator Tom Tillis regarding the investigation into current Chair Jerome Powell. Warsh's proposed strategy, termed "Warshonomics," seeks to lower interest rates by coupling an anticipated AI-driven productivity surge with balance sheet contraction to offset inflationary risks, despite his historical reputation as a hawk. While experts predict Warsh will implement a slightly more dovish policy yielding one or two rate cuts, his ability to align the FOMC with President Trump's demands remains a significant governance risk complicated by potential political backlash.
- The Economist9 min
Why are ICE agents targeting Minneapolis?
The administration targeted the Democratic stronghold of Minneapolis for immigration enforcement to politically polarize voters and challenge officials like Governor Tim Walz, despite the city's small immigrant population creating logistical challenges for meeting enforcement quotas. This strategy follows disputed border agent shootings, including the killing of Alex Preti, where conflicting narratives between officials and video evidence have fueled public opposition and shifted polling toward abolishing ICE. As Minnesota leaders face federal investigations and federal agents preempt local inquiries, escalating tensions between state and federal authorities are driving potential government shutdowns while large protests continue in freezing conditions to contest the administration's monopoly on defining the facts.
- The Economist6 min
Binyamin Netanyahu on how Israel justifies its war in Gaza
Binyamin Netanyahu, Zanny Minton Beddoes, Edward Carr
In a strategic discussion regarding the Israel-Gaza conflict, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defends Israel's military conduct as a necessary defense of modern civilization against radical Islam while disputing casualty ratio claims by citing specific urban warfare constraints. Conversely, the dialogue highlights a growing international backlash regarding civilian losses and presents a counter-narrative warning that Israel's operational approach risks long-term isolation and reputational damage in Western democracies. The exchange concludes by contrasting Israel's successful hostage recovery operations with allegations of Hamas atrocities, framing the dispute as a fundamental clash over global security values and the legitimacy of proportional force.
- The Economist10 min
Is China the new superpower?
Zanny Minton Beddoes, Edward Carr, Ant, David, Ed, Alice
The analysis examines the People's Liberation Army's advanced regional military capabilities and manufacturing dominance while highlighting severe internal economic stagnation, including three years of deflation and rising youth unemployment. Although China lacks the global projection power of the United States, its strategic focus on national security and superior hypersonic technology positions it to dominate the Indo-Pacific region. Experts conclude that while Beijing will achieve significant geopolitical strength, its long-term stability faces challenges from domestic discontent and an overreliance on foreign markets that it cannot fully control.
- The Economist10 min
Were we wrong about Trump's tariffs?
Zanny Minton Beddoes, Edward Carr, Henry, John, Ed
Recent trade policies have established the highest tariff levels in ninety years, creating a significant gap between announced rates and effective collection due to supply chain shifts and business cost absorption. While the U.S. economy experienced its weakest half-year growth since 2012 with rising inflation, political dynamics are shifting toward protectionism across both parties despite bipartisan opposition from key figures like Mitch McConnell. Experts warn that arbitrary policy implementation and entrenched lobbying interests will likely create long-term structural damage and market isolation, even if an immediate recession is avoided.
- The Economist10 min
Covid-19: what will happen to the global economy?
Zanny Minton Beddoes, Edward Carr
The pandemic has triggered the deepest global recession since the 1930s, establishing a permanent "90 economy" where behavioral shifts rather than lockdown mandates drive lasting contraction in sectors like tourism and manufacturing. While the United States has retreated from global coordination, China is expanding its digital financial influence, though a full displacement of the US dollar remains a prolonged process due to historical inertia. Concurrently, developing nations face acute vulnerability from debt burdens and export shocks, while youth unemployment risks causing long-term labor market scarring that necessitates diversifying supply chains rather than abandoning globalization.
- The Economist12 min
Covid-19: more questions about coronavirus, answered
Ed Carr, Alok Jha, Edward Carr
Policymakers and economic analysts are addressing the severe trade-off between strict disease containment and deepening economic contraction, with US Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin warning that unemployment could reach 20% without intervention. The event evaluates the likely L-shaped recession trajectory while examining how global aid, healthcare disparities, and the virus's seasonal mutation patterns will shape long-term recovery. Ultimately, the discussion emphasizes the necessity of international cooperation to restore scientific trust and accelerate vaccine development within an 18-to-24-month window despite rising nationalistic trends.
- The Economist17 min
Covid-19: your questions about coronavirus, answered
Ed Carr, Alok Jha, Edward Carr
A unique global crisis combining simultaneous supply and demand shocks has erased $23 trillion in market value while disproportionately devastating developing nations and specific industries like aviation and hospitality. Political risks are rising as states consolidate emergency powers in countries such as Hungary and China, even as health systems struggle with limited testing data and varying mortality rates. Although vaccines remain the primary long-term solution, interim strategies are shifting toward oscillating lockdowns, targeted antibody testing, and urgent clinical trials involving existing antiviral drugs.