Latest Interviews
Showing 1–12 of 12 transcripts.
Clear all filters- The Economist8 min
Can Trump's UFC fight restore his popularity among men? | The Economist
Trump, James Bennett, John Prideaux, Charlotte Howard
The administration's strategy of framing political support for President Trump as a performance of masculinity, exemplified by a scheduled White House UFC event, is failing to retain young male voters who prioritize tangible economic improvements. Despite efforts to rally this demographic through masculine posturing, the lack of a manufacturing renaissance and persistent issues with affordable housing have weakened the correlation between voting for Trump and feelings of manliness. Consequently, the political landscape reflects a deeper structural crisis where the administration's narrative of blaming external forces contradicts the lived reality of job markets and challenges the historical Republican archetype of the protective "daddy party."
- The Economist10 min
What can Donald Trump get from Xi Jinping? | The Economist
Donald Trump, Xi Jinping, Jeremy Page, John Prideaux, James Bennet
Donald Trump's administration faces a complex landscape in US-China relations where both nations share AI safety concerns regarding nuclear weapons and cyber fraud despite deep trust deficits and divergent strategic priorities. Simultaneously, geopolitical tensions over Taiwan persist as President Xi Jinping demands extreme caution regarding arms sales following record-breaking approvals, while direct negotiations between the two leaders challenge previous diplomatic assurances. Economic negotiations may pivot toward establishing a Trade Board to resolve export overcapacity, with Beijing likely to authorize purchases of American soybeans and beef only in exchange for tangible reductions in US trade restrictions.
- The Economist6 min
Why does political violence seem to be getting worse in America? | The Economist
During the White House Correspondents' Dinner, 31-year-old Cole Thomas Allen breached the Hilton Hotel security checkpoint to attempt an attack on President Trump before being tackled by police. The incident forced an immediate evacuation of the ballroom, resulted in an officer injury, and triggered a review of Secret Service protocols following the shooter's prior claims of lax access measures. While President Trump utilized the event to advocate for new defensive infrastructure and praised the agency's response, experts warn that despite a perceived rise in political violence, the long-term impact on governance and approval ratings will likely remain tied to broader economic conditions rather than the assault itself.
- The Economist52 min
A key Keystone: the race for Pennsylvania
John Prideaux, Charlotte Howard, Idrees Kahloon, John Priddo, Idris Kalloun
Pennsylvania has emerged as the critical 2024 election tipping point, where a predicted 30% probability of determining the presidency drives over $138 million in campaign spending and a tightening polling race between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump. Strategic efforts by both campaigns now target specific swing counties and demographic shifts, as Harris attempts to restore coalition numbers among younger and female voters while Trump leverages heavy advertising to appeal to rural and working-class constituents concerned with inflation and trade. This contest is further complicated by deep regional divides between Philadelphia's educated suburbs and the state's conservative interior, alongside structural election law challenges that heighten voter anxieties regarding results and integrity.
- The Economist51 min
Woke croaks: “peak woke” has passed
John Prideaux, Charlotte Howard, Idrees Kahloon, Ainslie Johnstone, Sacha Nauta, Musa al-Gharbi, John Priddo, Idris Kalloun, Ainsley Johnston
Analysis indicates that the height of "woke" ideology occurred between 2021 and 2022, after which a distinct decline in public opinion, media usage, and corporate diversity discourse has reshaped the American political landscape. This retreat correlates with Musa Al-Ghabi's "elite overproduction" theory and the Democratic Party's strategic pivot toward a broader electoral coalition to counter Republican mobilization against perceived social extremism. While the movement fostered positive workplace changes and heightened equity awareness, its current fragmentation faces future volatility contingent on Gen Z's moderation and potential political triggers like a Trump reelection.
- The Economist49 min
Election rejection: fears of a contested result
John Prideaux, Charlotte Howard, Idrees Kahloon, Geoff Duncan, Jamie Raskin, John Priddo, Idris Khaloun
Drawing parallels to the 1960 Nixon concession and the 2020 "Stop the Steal" playbook, the Republican Party is preparing legal and political strategies to challenge a potential 2024 loss for Donald Trump by exploiting decentralized election systems and filing lawsuits to manufacture doubt. While reforms like the Electoral Count Act and audit results in states like Georgia aim to secure certification, experts warn that the primary risk remains the creation of lasting public mistrust and governance paralysis rather than a successful legal overturn of the results. Concurrently, the political landscape faces internal fragmentation, exemplified by figures like Jeff Duncan urging the removal of Trump from the party, as both sides brace for an election defined by procedural ambiguities and competing narratives of integrity.
- 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.
- The Economist12 min
How Biden can be a global leader
Biden, Donald Trump, John Prideaux
The Biden administration seeks to restore America's diminished global standing by rejoining international bodies like the WHO and Paris Climate Accord while reversing the isolationist "America First" policies of the Trump era. Facing a fragile domestic political landscape with slim congressional majorities, President Biden aims to stabilize diplomatic relations through predictable multilateralism, including a planned global democracy summit and strategic continuity in containing China. Ultimately, the administration recognizes that healing domestic division and successfully navigating congressional hurdles are prerequisites for proving US democratic resilience and rebuilding trust with allies.
- The Economist6 min
Election 2020: How do America's presidential primaries work?
Presidential candidates navigate a fluid nomination landscape defined by primaries and a declining number of caucuses to secure delegates for the summer national convention. The 2020 cycle highlighted the volatility of this process, marked by administrative failures in Iowa and the strategic consolidation of delegate allocation on Super Tuesday, where over one-third of Democratic delegates are now distributed. While conventions typically ratify predetermined outcomes, contested scenarios remain possible through unbound delegate voting, after which the focus shifts immediately to securing the general election.
- The Economist11 min
Election 2020: What could Super Tuesday mean for the future of the Democratic Party?
John Prideaux, Jon Priddow, Charlotte Howard, Jon Fassman
Bernie Sanders' insurgent campaign has capitalized on the collapse of traditional Democratic establishment structures to challenge a fragmented moderate field, effectively reversing the 2008 consensus that party endorsement guarantees delegate success. Despite Joe Biden's decisive South Carolina victory creating a potential two-horse race, a dominant performance by Sanders on Super Tuesday—particularly in California and Texas—could secure an uncatchable delegate lead that forces the party toward a contested convention in Milwaukee. While some donors remain ideologically opposed to the progressive nominee, the shared imperative to defeat Donald Trump is increasingly driving financial support toward Sanders despite the absence of a unified moderate alternative.
- The Economist11 min
How to help America's poor
Idris Kahloun, Lauren Jones, John Prideaux
A recent analysis reveals that the United States relies on an obsolete 55-year-old poverty metric that fails to account for modern expenses like childcare and housing, leaving one in six Americans, particularly children, trapped in geographically concentrated deprivation. Field observations in suburban communities like Waukegan illustrate how the "working poor" face severe instability despite owning assets, as rising costs for diapers, internet, and rent force families into desperate survival strategies. To address these systemic failures, experts propose replacing fragmented subsidies with universal child benefits, a policy shift argued to be both more cost-effective and politically viable than current means-tested approaches.
- The Economist7 min
Who will challenge Donald Trump in 2020?
The 2020 Democratic primary acts as a decisive ideological referendum that will narrow a large field to a nominee by September. Vice President Joe Biden leads as the moderate frontrunner focused on electability, while Senator Bernie Sanders and Senator Elizabeth Warren compete for progressive voters with distinct policy platforms. Secondary contenders including Mayor Pete Buttigieg, Senator Kamala Harris, Senator Amy Klobuchar, and Senator Cory Booker seek to capitalize on the race's central tension between generational change and broad electoral appeal.