The Rachman Review

Gideon discusses possible negotiated solutions to the Iran war with Suzanne Maloney of the Brookings Institution. What do Tehran's leaders want and how long can they hold out for a winning settlement that will ease the country’s economic pain? What are the stakes for Trump and the global economy? And what role, if any, can Gulf countries play in curbing the regime’s power to blight progress in the region? Clip: Fox News Free links to read more on this topic: Why time is on Iran’s side Iran is America’s Suez crisis — and just as ridiculous Iran used Chinese spy satellite to target US bases Iran faces halt to oil production within weeks if US blockade succeeds Life inside Iran’s internet blackout 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 Sean McGarrity. Follow Gideon on Bluesky or X @gideonrachman.bsky.social, @gideonrachman Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What is it like to negotiate with Iran and what are the key issues that need to be resolved if the war is to end? Has the war permanently reshaped the relationship between the US and Europe? Gideon talks to Baroness Catherine Ashton, who was the EU’s high representative for foreign policy from 2009 until 2014 and played a leading role in negotiations with Iran. Follow Gideon on Bluesky or X @gideonrachman.bsky.social, @gideonrachman More on this topic: Armageddon is off . . . for now US and Iran agree 2-week ceasefire that will open Strait of Hormuz Has Trump officially united Europe Trump’s threats to pull out of Nato leave alliance exposed Subscribe to The Rachman Review wherever you get your podcasts - please listen, rate and subscribe. Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Nisha Patel. Sound design is by Sean McGarrity. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Donald Trump has said the US military action against Iran may be coming to an end. If so, what would it have achieved and where does this leave the key question of safe passage for shipping through the Strait of Hormuz? Gideon discusses the consequences of the war for the US and its allies with Philip Gordon of the Brookings Institution. Clip: NBC News Free links to read more on this topic: Trump threatened to stop weapons for Ukraine unless Europe joined Hormuz coalition Shutting Hormuz is a template for China in Taiwan Iran could emerge from the war stronger and more dangerous UK to host coalition talks on securing Strait of Hormuz One battle after another: Netanyahu’s new security doctrine Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Sean McGarrity. Follow Gideon on Bluesky or X @gideonrachman.bsky.social, @gideonrachman Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Viktor Orbán has been a thorn in the side of the EU and a favourite of Donald Trump. But his party is now behind in the polls ahead of next month’s Hungarian elections. So could this mark the end of the Orbán era? Gideon discusses this with Zsuzsanna Végh, an analyst at the German Marshall Fund. They also discuss Orbán's close relationship with Russia and hostility to Ukraine. Clip: APT Free links to read more on this topic: ECB warns Hungary’s seizure of Ukraine cash risks euro credibility Hungarian opposition groups quit to make way for Orbán challenger Kremlin backs covert campaign to keep Viktor Orbán in power The riches of Viktor Orbán’s home village How Viktor Orbán’s oligarchs reaped billions in public contracts 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 Sean McGarrity. Follow Gideon on Bluesky or X @gideonrachman.bsky.social, @gideonrachman Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Gideon discusses the Iran war with defence analyst Jack Watling, author of Statecraft - The New Rules of Power in a Divided World. Why did the US fail to foresee the need to protect the vital Strait of Hormuz shipping route? What options are there to bring the war to a close? Clip: NYT Free links to read more on this topic: Iran vows retaliation against energy sites across Gulf after largest gasfield hit Trump ally warns US economy not strong enough to cope with Iran war Iran still seen capable of escalating attacks on Gulf’s energy Israel says it has killed Iran’s top security official Top US counterterrorism official resigns over war against Iran 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 Sean McGarrity. Follow Gideon on Bluesky or X @gideonrachman.bsky.social, @gideonrachman Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Introducing Opus Dei, a new season of Untold from the Financial Times. Host Antonia Cundy uncovers the cultural and political influence of a controversial Catholic organisation in America. Opus Dei exists to help people get closer to God, but some members say they found other agendas – and unexpected harm – entangled in that spiritual mission. The first episode of Untold: Opus Dei launches March 25. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts or wherever you get your podcasts. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Gideon speaks to Sir Simon Gass, a former UK ambassador to Iran, about why the formidable destructive power of the US and Israel has failed to dislodge the Islamic regime. They discuss how long the war can continue as well as likely outcomes for the US, Iran and the Gulf region. Clip: Middle East Eye Free links to read more on this topic: Trump’s Venezuela strategy has failed in Iran Iranians rethink the price of regime change Iran official says new supreme leader is ‘fine’ despite absence from view Drones, lasers and radars: Middle East war spurs hunt for cheaper air defence Taco on Iran will come too late for Trump 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 Sean McGarrity. Follow Gideon on Bluesky or X @gideonrachman.bsky.social, @gideonrachman Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Gideon discusses the US and Israeli war against Iran with Emile Hokayem of the International Institute for Strategic Studies. What are the war aims, can they be achieved and where does this leave the future of the region and its relations with Israel? Clips: CBS; CNN Free links to read more on this topic: Gulf insurance costs soar 12-fold despite Trump guarantee Trump has no realistic plan for Iran’s future Military briefing: how Iran could wage a new ‘tanker war’ The cynical opportunities of ‘Epic Fury’ The influencers leaping to Dubai’s defence 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 Sean McGarrity. Follow Gideon on Bluesky or X @gideonrachman.bsky.social, @gideonrachman Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Gideon discusses the state of peace talks on Ukraine with Boris Johnson at a conference organised by the Yalta European Strategy group in Kyiv. The former UK prime minister offers his view of what needs to be done to bring an end to the conflict: put more pressure on Russia’s President Vladimir Putin. Otherwise, we are “setting a course for years more of conflict”. Clip: BBC Free links to read more on this topic: Volodymyr Zelenskyy says war in Ukraine at ‘beginning of the end’ European leaders express solidarity with Ukraine as US hangs back Ukraine’s economy shows grit amid lasting war damage Europe re-arms as US slows defence spending 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 Sean McGarrity. Follow Gideon on Bluesky or X @gideonrachman.bsky.social, @gideonrachman Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Gideon talks to Chrystia Freeland, former deputy prime minister of Canada, about different approaches to negotiating with the Trump administration. They also discuss the current state of the war in Ukraine, her new role as adviser to President Zelenskyy and how to pressure Russia into ending the conflict. Clip: US Department of State Free links to read more on this topic: Why Rubio failed to repair the transatlantic rift Carney’s new global order needs a huge shift in political will Russia-Ukraine talks yield ‘some progress’ on ceasefire, says Zelenskyy Europe’s path to security without the US 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 Sean McGarrity and the executive producer is Flo Phillips. Follow Gideon on Bluesky or X @gideonrachman.bsky.social, @gideonrachman Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Gideon talks to American political scientist Stephen Walt about the phrase ‘predatory hegemon’ that he coined to describe the US administration under Donald Trump. What are the risks and benefits of this policy for the American people, and for those who formerly considered themselves staunch allies? Clip: The White House Free links to read more on this topic: A post-Trump restoration is still possible Why Maga loathes London Trump and the normalisation of deviance 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, @gideonrachman Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Andrew England, the FT’s Middle East editor, speaks to Sanam Vakil, director of the Middle East and North Africa Programme at Chatham House, about Iran’s escalating crisis. Can diplomacy prevent a war between the Trump administration and Tehran? What are the prospects for reform of the increasingly unpopular Islamic regime in Iran? Clips: Channel 4 News; CBS Free links to read more on this topic: US and Iran set to meet in Oman as Middle East tensions spiral ‘The game is over’: critics of Iranian regime seize on killings to push for change Iran’s people stand to lose whether or not talks succeed Arab and Muslim powers mount last-ditch effort to avert US-Iran conflict Subscribe to The Rachman Review wherever you get your podcasts - please listen, rate and subscribe. Presented by Andrew England. 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, @gideonrachman Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Bill Gates tells Gideon that a climate of fear has taken hold in the US business community under the Trump administration: “People are afraid to speak out about being afraid to speak out.” He discusses falling aid budgets, why philanthropy cannot replace government funding, and an ambitious new collaboration with OpenAI to improve access to healthcare in Africa. Gates also reflects on the more destabilising uses of artificial intelligence and his past association with the disgraced financier and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Clips: NBC4, Bill Gates Free links to read more on this topic: Bill Gates and OpenAI back $50mn AI rollout in African health clinics Tech titans lined up for Trump’s second inauguration. Now they’re even richer Bill Gates and Sergey Brin among newly released Epstein photos Bill Gates warns aid cuts risk big increase in child deaths 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, @gideonrachman Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Canada’s prime minister, Mark Carney, received a standing ovation at the World Economic Forum in Davos after warning that the global order has entered a period of “rupture”. In a post-speech interview with Gideon, Carney reflects on how globalisation went wrong — and on what can still be salvaged through deeper co-operation among countries and institutions that share common values. Interview and clips courtesy of the World Economic Forum Free links to read more on this topic: Mark Carney warns of ‘rupture’ to global order as Donald Trump rattles allies Donald Trump’s ‘wrecking ball’ set to touch down in Davos Republicans begin to push back against Donald Trump’s pursuit of Greenland America’s barbarians inside the gates Subscribe to The Rachman Review wherever you get your podcasts - please listen, rate and subscribe. Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Breen Turner and Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Breen Turner and the executive producer is Flo Phillips. Follow Gideon on Bluesky or X @gideonrachman.bsky.social, @gideonrachman Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Gideon speaks to Finland’s president about how to resolve the stand-off between Europe and the US over Greenland. Alexander Stubb describes the dispute as the 'most difficult issue he has faced since taking office', arguing that discreet “back office” diplomacy, rather than public grandstanding, is the best way forward. He also touches on Ukraine, applauding the transatlantic alliance’s achievements far but cautioning that the Greenland row is beginning to sap momentum from efforts to advance peace talks.. Clips: DWS; BBC Free links to read more on this topic: Greenland is ground zero for Arctic ‘Great Game’ How the Greenland deployment of a few European troops enraged Donald Trump Trump’s Arctic ambitions torch the most important US asset Russia knocks out power, heating and water to Ukraine’s freezing capital 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, @gideonrachman Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Famine, mass killings and the collapse of basic government services have pushed Sudan into what the UN now calls the world’s worst humanitarian crisis. As regional powers across the Middle East fuel the conflict by backing rival factions, civilians have largely been left to fend for themselves. Gideon speaks to Sudanese political analyst Kholood Khair and Sudan expert Alex de Waal to understand how the country reached this point — and where the country and its people go from here. Clips: Sky News; Africa News Free links to read more on this topic: There is already an answer to securing Sudan’s future US rebukes backers of Sudanese paramilitary force behind ‘horrific’ atrocities The human cost of a world without rules How the UAE-Saudi Arabia alliance ruptured Israel’s Horn of Africa gamble raises tension with Arab and Muslim rivals 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. Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Now that the Trump administration has fully embraced the ‘Donroe Doctrine’ - a policy claiming the western hemisphere as a US sphere of influence - which country will be next in the line of fire? Gideon discusses this with Ian Bremmer, president of the Eurasia Group consultancy, which has just published its top risk report for 2026. Free links to read more on this topic: Venezuela and the trouble with the Donroe doctrine Greenland’s future must be decided by island and Denmark, Starmer warns Trump Donald Trump’s imperial Venezuela folly will leave America no richer The gangs, goons and guerrillas running swaths of Venezuela No, Trump is not a fascist 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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Gideon and guests look back at 2025 as well as forward to the year ahead in an FT Live discussion for the Global Boardroom. Donald Trump set the tone of world politics this year from his tariff wars to his efforts to make peace in the Middle East and Ukraine, while also bombing Iran and threatening Venezuela. In a bid to make sense of the contradictions, Gideon is joined by Leslie Vinjamuri, president of the Chicago Council on Global Affairs, Dan Drexner, professor of international politics at the Fletcher school at Tufts university in Boston, and James Crabtree, author of an acclaimed book on Modi's India and a forthcoming book on US-China tensions in the Pacific. Clip: PBS Free links to read more on this topic: When business and democracy don’t mix The AfD’s love-in with Maga Open source could pop the AI bubble — and soon China is making trade impossible 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, @gideonrachman Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Donald Trump has accused South Africa of carrying out a genocide against its white population. He also says the nation does not deserve to be a member of the G20, which it hosted last month. FT Africa editor David Pilling - standing in for Gideon - puts these allegations to two South Africans, Lawson Naidoo, a civil society activist, and Elizabeth Sidiropoulos, a foreign policy expert. What is the state of race relations in the country and how are South Africans reacting to the allegations? Clip: CNN Free links to read more on this topic: South Africa arrests Kenyans working at US-run Afrikaner ‘refugee’ centre The ‘pampered princess’ accused of trafficking South Africans to Russia How South Africa’s underworld infiltrated its government South Africans question future of Black empowerment policies South Africa’s credit rating upgraded for first time in two decades Subscribe to The Rachman Review wherever you get your podcasts - please listen, rate and subscribe. Presented by Devid Pilling. 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, @gideonrachman Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Gideon talks to Jens Stoltenberg, Nato's former secretary-general, about Ukraine and Europe's strategic priorities after recent scathing criticism from US president Donald Trump over its failure to end the war: ‘They talk but they don’t produce.’ Clip: Politico Free links to read more on this topic: The White House’s rupture with the western alliance Trump pushes for ‘free economic zone’ in Donbas, says Zelenskyy Friedrich Merz offers to host Ukraine talks so deal not done ‘above Europe’s head’ Ukraine’s ‘fortress belt’ that Donald Trump wants to trade for peace 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, @gideonrachman Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.