The U.S.-China trade war has rattled the global economy, and there’s little sign of de-escalation. What does this mean for their respective economies? Where does this end? The Council on Foreign Relations’ Zongyuan Zoe Liu and the Center for Strategic and International Studies’ Scott Kennedy join FP Live to discuss.
We want to hear from you! Help us shape the future of FP Live by sharing your thoughts on the show by clicking here.
Suggested reading (FP links are paywall-free):
Scott Kennedy: Why Beijing Thinks It Can Beat Trump
Deng Yuwen: Why Beijing Is Standing Up to Trump
Howard W. French: Trump’s Tariffs Are a Gift to Xi
Lili Pike and Christina Lu: Can Washington and Beijing Walk Back Their Trade War?
Lizzi C. Lee: How China Should Handle Trump’s Tariffs
James Palmer: China May Have a Revenge List for Tariff Wars
Cameron Abadi and Adam Tooze: How Tariffs on China Brought Back Decoupling With a Vengeance
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38:30
The Geopolitics of AI
The race is on to dominate the artificial intelligence economy, making the need for safeguards ever more pressing. Jared Cohen, the president of global affairs at Goldman Sachs, joins FP Live to discuss the potential risks and benefits of this growing market—and how so-called geopolitical swing states play an increasingly important role. This conversation was taped earlier this week, before the Trump administration's announcement of the 90-day suspension of reciprocal tariffs.
We want to hear from you! Help us shape the future of FP Live by sharing your thoughts on the show by clicking here.
Note: This discussion is part of a series of episodes brought to you by the Goldman Sachs Global Institute.
Suggested reading (FP links are paywall-free):
Jared Cohen: The AI Economy’s Massive Vulnerability
Jared Cohen: The Next AI Debate Is About Geopolitics
Becca Wasser and Josh Wallin: Build Allied AI, or Risk Fighting Alone
Peter Dombrowski and Bruce Jones: A New Era of Undersea Conflict Is Here
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38:30
The Tariff Debate
Two leading economists debate the potential trade-offs of the Trump administration’s tariffs that are now roiling markets. Oren Cass, the founder of American Compass, joins Kimberly Clausing, a professor at UCLA, to discuss what this all means for the United States and the global economy.
We want to hear from you! Help us shape the future of FP Live by sharing your thoughts on the show by clicking here.
Suggested reading (FP links are paywall-free):
Wendy Cutler: How Countries Should Respond to Trump’s Tariffs
Bob Davis: Trump Has the Whole Global Trade System in His Sights
Michael Hirsh: Tariffs Can Actually Work—if Only Trump Understood How
Lili Pike: Trump Threatens China With New 50 Percent Tariffs
Joseph Rachman: Trump’s Tariffs Crush the ASEAN Economic Model
Transcript: The Case for Trump’s Tariffs
Edward Alden: Trump’s Wanton Tariffs Will Shatter the World Economy
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47:29
Trump vs. the Courts: Lessons From Abroad
Legal scholars argue that the Trump administration’s push to curtail the power of the U.S. judiciary mirrors moves by several authoritarian governments around the world. What does this mean for the United States’ court system and the rule of law? And what can be learned from global advocacy and civil society defying these trends?
Political scientist Andrew O’Donohue joins FP Live to share his findings.
Suggested reading (FP links are paywall-free):
Andrew O’Donohue: The U.S. Judicial Crisis Is Uniquely Dangerous
Julian E. Zelizer: Why Republicans Love Strong Presidents
David E. Rosenberg: Can Israel’s Highest Court Stop Netanyahu?
Halil Karaveli: Erdogan Is Trying to Divide and Conquer Turkey’s Opposition
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43:45
FP’s New Print Issue: Billionaire Rule
Several of the world’s wealthiest men stood behind Donald Trump as he was inaugurated for a second term, contradicting his image as a populist president. This prompts the question, how much influence do the wealthy have on U.S. politics?
Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy joins FP Live to share his take on the state of U.S. democracy, and whether the United States is becoming more corrupt, to mark the launch of Foreign Policy’s latest print issue: “Billionaire Rule.”
Suggested reading (FP links are paywall-free):
Spring 2025 Print Issue: Billionaire Rule
Jodi Vittori: Is America a Kleptocracy?
Adam Tooze: Elon Musk’s First Principles
James Crabtree: How Modi and Trump Treat Billionaires Differently
Priya Satia: The Deep Roots of Oligarchy
James Palmer: Did China Get Billionaires Right?
Andrew O’Donohue: The U.S. Judicial Crisis Is Uniquely Dangerous
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Each week, Foreign Policy Live will feature a substantive conversation on world affairs. Host and FP editor in chief Ravi Agrawal will be joined by leading foreign-policy thinkers and practitioners to analyze a key issue in global politics, from the U.S.-China relationship to conflict and diplomacy. FP Live is your weekly fix for smart thinking about the world.
Foreign Policy magazine subscribers can watch these interviews live and submit questions and suggestions by going to https://foreignpolicy.com/live/.
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