UnHerd with Freddie Sayers

• Helen Thompson: Rare earths - the next war?

  Freddie Sayers, UnHerd’s Editor-in-Chief, sits down with Helen Thompson – Professor of Political Economy at Cambridge University and author of Disorder: Hard Times in the 21st Century – to dive into the high-stakes geopolitics of rare earth elements.As China tightens its grip on the global supply of these critical minerals—vital for everything from electric vehicles to military tech—the West scrambles to catch up. Helen unpacks how China’s dominance, built through strategic foresight and control of refining, has left the US and Europe vulnerable. From trade wars to green energy ambitions, they explore whether the West can break free from China’s chokehold or if a rare earths crisis is looming.Helen reveals why rare earths are the hidden battleground of global power, what’s at stake if the West loses, and whether the moon holds the keys to the future. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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• Michael Tracey: Jeffrey Epstein and the end of the conspiracies

  Freddie Sayers, UnHerd’s Editor-in-Chief, interviews journalist Michael Tracey to unpack the recent Jeffrey Epstein files news, and the use and proliferation of conspiracy theories.The Trump administration’s hyped-up promise of explosive Epstein revelations, including a “client list,” has fallen flat. The Department of Justice and FBI now confirm there is now list and Epstein’s death was indeed suicide, pushing back against years of wild speculation. Michael examines whether Trump, JD Vance, Pam Bondi, Kash Patel, and Dan Bongino, naively, or cynically, fuelled Epstein conspiracy theories – namely, that “Epstein didn’t kill himself”, and more – to rally their base, only to now face flak for either hiding the truth or admitting there was nothing to reveal.Freddie and Michael draw parallels with the JFK files, where declassification also disappointed, offering little new insight. Touching on Israel, UFOs, the military industrial complex, they explore how Trump’s administration has leaned into conspiracies for political gain and now faces the fallout when the “truth” underwhelms. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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• Grindr CEO: Are gays behaving more like straights?

  Freddie Sayers, Editor-in-Chief of UnHerd, interviews George Arison, CEO of Grindr, tracing his remarkable journey from growing up in the Soviet Union to leading the world’s largest dating and hookup app for the LGBTQ+ community in the U.S. Openly gay, Arison shares insights into his personal life with his partner and family, reflecting on how his background shapes his leadership at Grindr. The conversation dives into Grindr’s pivotal role in transforming the hookup and dating scene for gay men, its ongoing evolution, and its future direction as it adapts to the changing needs of its users, particularly as gay relationships increasingly embrace traditional aspirations like marriage, partnership, and family life.The interview explores the shifting dynamics of gay culture, questioning whether gay men are becoming more conservative in their life goals, seeking settled lives with husbands and children, and how Grindr is responding to these trends. Arison and Sayers also tackle the evolving politics of gay men, contrasting the U.S. and UK landscapes, with a focus on the surprising absence of openly gay Republican elected officials despite strong LGBTQ+ representation within the broader party and voter base. With a humorous nod to the alleged Grindr app crash during the Milwaukee RNC convention—prompting former presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg to quip, “Grindr is for Republicans”—they discuss the pro-gay stance of Donald Trump’s administration, potential threats to LGBTQ+ healthcare, and the broader representation of gay men in Western politics. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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• Fiona Hill: The West must wake up

  Freddie Sayers, Editor-in-Chief of UnHerd, interviews Dr Fiona Hill, renowned Russia expert and former Senior Director for European and Russian Affairs in the first Trump administration (2017–2019). A senior fellow at the Brookings Institution and Chancellor of Durham University, Dr Hill has advised three U.S. presidents (including George W. Bush and Barack Obama) on foreign policy, and recently guided UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, authoring the UK Strategic Defence Review 2025, shaping UK defence policy and supporting NATO’s increased spending commitments.Dr Hill analyses the ‘12-day war’ between Israel and Iran in June 2025, ended by U.S. airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, resulting in a fragile ceasefire. She explores the risks of increasing global nuclear proliferation and the defence ties among China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea, and debates NATO’s 2025 Hague Summit pledge to raise defence spending to 5% of GDP and Western military preparedness against these threats.Dr Hill and Freddie Sayers examine whether foreign policy is turning more hawkish and realist, ask whether today’s volatile world of hybrid warfare and global instability brings us closer to World War III. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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• Pentagon insider Dan Caldwell: How the hawks won

  UnHerd’s Freddie Sayers interviews Dan Caldwell about the recent US strikes on Iranian nuclear sites - Dan is the former senior adviser to U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Iraq War veteran, and a leading voice in the “restrainer” faction skeptical of U.S. military overreach in the Middle East.Caldwell’s extensive experience in the Trump administration, where he served as a key defense adviser until he was put on leave and then terminated following an investigation into Pentagon leaks after the ‘Signalgate’ scandal. His insights, recently articulated in his UnHerd article “How the War Could Spin Out of Control,” offer a critical lens on the recent U.S. strikes on Iran’s nuclear sites and their far-reaching implications.In this in-depth conversation, Caldwell breaks down the motivations behind the U.S. strikes, questions whether they achieved their objectives, and evaluates their alignment with America’s interests. He explores the behind-the-scenes dynamics, the risk of escalation into a regional crisis or even World War III, and what Iran and the U.S. might do next—whether Iran will retaliate or seek de-escalation. Drawing on his Marine Corps service and Trump administration tenure, Caldwell provides a sobering analysis of the Middle East’s volatile trajectory and the potential for catastrophic blowback. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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