The Rachman Review

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: CBS Free links to read more on this topic: Is Donald Trump’s ‘big, beautiful bill’ a political curse for Republicans? [https://on.ft.com/4nw8XA6] Fears over US debt load and inflation ignite exodus from long-term bonds [https://on.ft.com/3TQLwUn] Donald Trump’s big, beautiful act of self-harm [https://on.ft.com/4l8qtbU] The fall in the dollar is not scary [https://on.ft.com/4nB76u2] Subscribe to The Rachman Review wherever you get your podcasts - please listen, rate and subscribe. Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Breen Turner and the executive producer is Flo Phillips. Follow Gideon on Bluesky or X @gideonrachman.bsky.social [https://bsky.app/profile/gideonrachman.bsky.social], @gideonrachman [https://twitter.com/gideonrachman] Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com [https://www.ft.com/content/0b9ed184-4490-43bd-b9d1-f02478c3f260] ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

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 links to read more on this topic: Best summer books of 2025: Politics [https://on.ft.com/4k5aytC] How Donald Trump brokered a shaky Israel-Iran ceasefire [https://on.ft.com/3GcexXu] Gulf expat bubble punctured by missiles [https://on.ft.com/40lrJjw] Where is Iran’s uranium? Search continues for 400kg stockpile [https://on.ft.com/3HUuNgq] Iran’s supreme leader faces his defining moment [https://on.ft.com/3HWFoYf] Subscribe to The Rachman Review wherever you get your podcasts - please listen, rate and subscribe. Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Simon Panayi and the executive producer is Flo Phillips. Follow Gideon on Bluesky or X @gideonrachman.bsky.social [https://bsky.app/profile/gideonrachman.bsky.social], @gideonrachman [https://twitter.com/gideonrachman] Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com [https://www.ft.com/content/fe71ecfa-1aaa-42cc-b6d1-95aba02cf8c0] ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

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 East. Clips: Channel 4 News, The Independent Free links to read more on this topic: War on Iran is splitting Trump’s Maga movement [https://on.ft.com/4jPWuUJ] Can an American bunker-buster destroy Iran’s nuclear mountain? [https://on.ft.com/3HNoifl] Could strikes on Iran cause a nuclear disaster? [https://on.ft.com/4ne6sT4] Let them kill us’: millions of Iranians refuse to leave Tehran [https://on.ft.com/4n8tvhO] Subscribe to The Rachman Review wherever you get your podcasts - please listen, rate and subscribe. Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Breen Turner and the executive producer is Flo Phillips. Follow Gideon on Bluesky or X @gideonrachman.bsky.social [https://bsky.app/profile/gideonrachman.bsky.social], @gideonrachman [https://twitter.com/gideonrachman] Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com [https://www.ft.com/content/25bae5f4-0a78-4f23-be61-9e806e37f1ca] ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

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, Aljazeera Free links to read more on this topic: Europe, the US and the question of values [https://on.ft.com/401EnEd] Europe confronts Trump’s triple threat on Ukraine, Nato and trade [https://on.ft.com/3HDAVcU] Europe has a weaker hand than it thinks on Ukraine [https://on.ft.com/4kFkgnR] Nato defence ministers to discuss path to 5% military spending [https://on.ft.com/4l15FCM] Subscribe to The Rachman Review wherever you get your podcasts - please listen, rate and subscribe. Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Simon Panayi and the executive producer is Flo Phillips. Follow Gideon on Bluesky or X @gideonrachman.bsky.social [https://bsky.app/profile/gideonrachman.bsky.social], @gideonrachman [https://twitter.com/gideonrachman] Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com [https://www.ft.com/content/e30fa451-7a0b-47dd-adc3-5b5770cb1ee6] ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

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: CGTN Free links to read more on this topic: Donald Trump says China’s Xi Jinping is ‘hard to make a deal with’ [https://on.ft.com/4jAZRyY] Xi’s history shapes China’s diplomatic strategy [https://on.ft.com/3FGaS3W] Chinese defence minister set to skip security forum in Singapore [https://on.ft.com/43rZ6mX] China’s Xi Jinping likens ‘US hegemony’ to ‘fascist forces’ ahead of Vladimir Putin summit [https://on.ft.com/4jzxQaK] Xi and Putin are the greatest beneficiaries of Trump’s chaos [https://on.ft.com/4kOn1mh] Subscribe to The Rachman Review wherever you get your podcasts - please listen, rate and subscribe. Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Breen Turner and the executive producer is Flo Phillips. Follow Gideon on Bluesky or X @gideonrachman.bsky.social [https://bsky.app/profile/gideonrachman.bsky.social], @gideonrachman [https://twitter.com/gideonrachman] Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com [https://www.ft.com/content/2c420584-0344-4eec-8599-82c36124eaec] ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.