It's now widely acknowledged we are in a multipolar world, but the definition of "multipolarity" is not clear. Donald Trump and Marco Rubio think it means a return to great power competition with imperial spheres of influence, whereas China and much of the Global South say "equality among all countries regardless of size". Ben Norton explains the geopolitica ... Show More
Jul 1
Dedollarization: How Iran challenges US dollar dominance and the petrodollar system
Iran has used its status as a leading oil and gas producer to promote dedollarization, rejecting the US dollar and trading with China, Russia, India, and other BRICS members in their national currencies. Ben Norton explains the Western economic war on Iran, and Tehran's response. ... Show More
24m 1s
Nov 2024
Trump to Reward Rubio with SecState Nod
Donald Trump, looking to stack his White House with staunch defenders, is expected to tap Senator Marco Rubio to be the nation's top diplomat. Meanwhile, the DOJ braces for the retribution and potential revenge Trump has promised for his political enemies. And as Republicans scra ... Show More
49m 33s
Feb 2025
Trump’s tariffs, Rubio in Panama, Grammys and a reservation’s fentanyl crisis
President Donald Trump says sweeping tariffs that he has imposed on Mexico, Canada and China may cause "short term" pain for Americans, with global stock markets tumbling over concerns of a damaging trade war. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has urged Panama to reduce what Tr ... Show More
12m 42s
Apr 8
SCOTUS on deportations, China tariffs, Trump adviser spat and Iran
The U.S. Supreme Court has cleared the way for the Trump administration to keep deporting alleged Venezuelan gang members using a 1798 law, but with certain limits. China refuses to bow to what it called "blackmail" from the U.S. over tariffs - which have also sparked White House ... Show More
12m 8s
Apr 10
Trump U-turn, China tariffs hit Christmas and Moon vs. Mars
President Donald Trump’s stunning reversal on tariffs brings relief for investors, even as he ratchets up a trade war with China - where producers of artificial Christmas trees report no U.S. orders as tariffs bite. Plus, Trump’s nominee to lead NASA says simultaneous missions to ... Show More
12m 28s
Feb 2025
Elon Musk’s DOGE Dorks Gut USAID
Tommy and Ben discuss the assault on USAID by Trump and Elon Musk, how Democrats can best make the argument to support it, and why putting it under the purview of the State Department is a bad idea. They also discuss a purge at the FBI, Marco Rubio’s first overseas trip as Secret ... Show More
1h 33m
May 7
Little Marco’s big portfolio
A former rival of President Donald Trump’s now holds four positions in his administration. How Marco Rubio became important at work. This episode was produced by Devan Schwartz, edited by Jolie Myers, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Patrick Boyd and Andrea Kristinsdo ... Show More
27m 51s