The Inquiry

Earlier this month President Trump announced radical new taxes on foreign imports amounting to what he described as ‘Liberation Day' for the United States. It was a promise he made to American voters during last year’s election campaign but the scale of the tariffs caught many countries by surprise. Global financial markets plunged as investors braced themselves for a shock to the flow of international trade. Faced with prolonged market turmoil, within days the US president paused most of his plans. A to-and-fro between Washington and Beijing has left many world leaders confused who to side with, as many look towards the White House wondering if there is a detailed plan at the heart of these unprecedented few weeks. Contributors: ● Carla Sands, Vice Chair for the Center for Energy and Environment at America First Policy Institute and former US Ambassador to Denmark ● Emily Kilcrease, Senior Fellow and Director of the Energy, Economics and Security Program at the Center for a New American Security ● Victor Gao, Chair professor at Suzhou University and Vice President at the Center for China and Globalization ● Gillian Tett, Provost of King’s College at Cambridge University and Financial Times columnist Presenter: Tanya Beckett Producer: Daniel Rosney Researcher: Katie Morgan and Ben Hughes Sound engineer: Nicky Edwards Production co-ordinator: Liam Morrey Editor: Tara McDermott (Photo: US President Donald Trump holds a chart and delivers remarks on reciprocal tariffs at an event entitled Make America Wealthy Again, at the White House, Washington DC, 2 April, 2025. Credit: Brendan Smialowski/Getty Images)

For Russia’s President Putin, the return of President Donald Trump to the White House ushered in a new world order. This has created new diplomatic space for Russia, as Trump’s world view seems more closely aligned with Moscow’s ambitions. Support for Ukraine has diminished, peace talks have been floated, and speculation has grown about a lasting ceasefire. While the relationship between Washington and Moscow appears to be warming, recent tensions show how unpredictable diplomacy between the two leaders can be. Putin’s ambition for Russia as an influential superpower remains but with shifting global alliances how much potential leverage does Putin have to reshape the international order? Contributors: • Kadri Liik, Senior Policy Fellow, European Council on Foreign Relations • Maria Snegovaya, Senior Fellow, Center for Strategic and International Studies • Ivan Klyszcz, Research Fellow, International Centre for Defence and Security • Mark Galeotti, Director, Mayak Intelligence; Honorary Professor, University College London Presented by Victoria Uwonkunda Produced by Louise Clarke Researched by Katie Morgan Technical producer James Bradshaw Production Co-ordinator Liam Morrey Editor Tara McDermott Image credit GAVRIIL GRIGOROV via Getty Images

On the first day of his second term in office, President Donald Trump signed an executive order that paused funding for USAID, the US government’s main foreign aid agency, for a 90-day review. While the long-term effects remain unclear, the order has already frozen vital programs relied on by millions of people globally, forced the closure of USAID’s overseas offices, and jeopardised thousands of jobs. As one of the world’s largest foreign aid providers, the US plays an essential role with no other country or organisation fully able to fill the gap. But some recipient countries see this move as an opportunity to seek solutions closer to home. This week on The Inquiry, Charmaine Cozier explores the consequences of this shift in US foreign policy, asking “What is filling the USAID funding gap?” Presenter: Charmaine Cozier Producer: Matt Toulson Researcher: Katie Morgan Editor: Tara McDermott Production Co-ordinator: Liam Morrey Technical Producer: Richard Hannaford Contributors to this programme: Fatema Sumar, Executive Director of the Harvard Center for International Development (CID) and an Adjunct Lecturer in Public Policy at Harvard Kennedy School, US Michael Jennings, Professor of Global Development at SOAS University London, UK Francisca Mutapi, Professor of Global Health Infection and Immunity and Deputy Director TIBA Partnership at the University of Edinburgh, UK George Ingram, Senior fellow in the Center for Sustainable Development at Brookings Institution, US

SpaceX has revolutionised space travel, making reusable rockets a reality and dramatically reducing the cost of reaching orbit. But two high-profile Starship explosions have raised concerns about the company’s approach to innovation and risk. Commercial spaceflight has rapidly expanded, with private companies looking to harness space resources and build new economies beyond Earth. Reusability has been a game-changer, significantly lowering launch costs and enabling more ambitious missions. SpaceX operates with a philosophy of rapid iteration, treating test failures as learning opportunities rather than setbacks. While this approach has led to major breakthroughs, repeated failures raise questions about long-term reliability and safety. Meanwhile, growing competition from other private space firms suggests the industry is no longer dominated by a single player. With rivals gaining ground and technological hurdles ahead, does SpaceX still have the edge in the new space economy? Contributors: Professor Michelle Hanlon, Executive Director of the Center for Air and Space Law at the University of Mississippi School of Law in the USA Jack Burns, Professor Emeritus in the Department of Astrophysical and Planetary Sciences and Professor Emeritus in the Department of Physics in the USA Dr Ella Atkins is Fred D. Durham Professor and Head of the Kevin T. Crofton Aerospace and Ocean Engineering Department at Virginia Tech in the USA David Thomas is Director of the Thunderbird School of Global Management's Initiative for Space Leadership, Policy and Business at Arizona State University. Presenter Charmaine Cozier Producers Vicky Carter and Louise Clarke Researcher: Katie Morgan Editor Tara McDermott Production co-ordinator Liam Morrey Technical producer Matthew Dempsey Image credit: Brandon Bell via Getty Images

In November, a far right, pro-Russia figure came from almost nowhere to become favourite for the presidency. Calin Georgescu, with no affiliated political party and whose campaign had been largely on social media, won the first round of Presidential elections in Romania. The result sent shockwaves across the continent. But serious allegations surfaced over the legitimacy of Georgescu’s campaign, resulting in Romania’s Constitutional Court annulling the vote and barring Georgescu from standing. After mass demonstrations across the country, it’s clear Romania’s political landscape has been upended. Ahead of the rerun of the vote for president on 4 and 18 May, what will happen now with Romania’s elections? Will the country lean towards a more nationalist future or back the mainstream parties that were previously in power? Contributors: Veronica Anghel, assistant professor at the Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies at The European University Institute, Italy Oana Popescu-Zamfir, director of the GlobalFocus Center, associated expert at Carnegie Europe and associate researcher for the European Council on Foreign Relations, Romania Dr Radu Cinpoes, associate professor of politics and international relations at the University of Greenwich, United Kingdom Costin Ciobanu, political scientist with Aarhus University, Denmark Presenter: Tanya Beckett Producer: Vicky Carter Researcher: Katie Morgan Production Co-ordinator: Liam Morrey Technical producer: Nicky Edwards Editor: Tara McDermott