Episodes

  • The ‘Ask-Me-Anything’ Episode

    The ‘Ask-Me-Anything’ Episode
    Nov 26 2025
    It’s time for another Ask-Me-Anything edition of FP Live. Executive Producer Dana Sherne puts your questions to host Ravi Agrawal. Alexandra Sharp: Ramaphosa Capitalizes on Trump’s Absence at G-20 Summit Christian Caryl: Don’t Call This a ‘Peace Plan’ Rachel Oswald and John Haltiwanger: Trump’s Ukraine Peace Effort Devolves Into Chaos Over Conflicting Stories Ryan C. Berg: Toppling Maduro Without Boots on the Ground James Palmer: China-Japan Rift Deepens Over Taiwan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    41 mins
  • Can Solar Energy Save the Planet?

    Can Solar Energy Save the Planet?
    Nov 21 2025
    Climate summits such as the ongoing COP30 conference can often seem like a place where countries agree to disagree and little gets done. But Bill McKibben says there’s one key reason for hope: the sun. New advances in panels and battery technology mean solar power will soon provide a growing share of our electricity consumption. McKibbon is the author of the new book Here Comes the Sun: A Last Chance for the Climate and a Fresh Chance for Civilization. Plus Ravi’s One Thing on Iran’s water crisis. Nik Kowsar and Alireza Nader: Tehran’s Residents Are Panicking as the Taps Run Dry Christina Lu: How China Became a Solar Power Joseph Rachman and Indra Øverland: A Power-Hungry Southeast Asia Wants China’s Energy Nigel Pruvis: Will Belém Kill Paris? Jason Bordoff and Jack Andreasen Cavanaugh: AI’s Rapacious Appetite for Electricity Can Accelerate Clean Energy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    43 mins
  • Is Trump Angling for Regime Change in Venezuela?

    Is Trump Angling for Regime Change in Venezuela?
    Nov 14 2025
    As the United States points its biggest warship at Venezuela, what is the White House trying to achieve in Caracas? How does it fit into the Trump administration’s broader Latin America policy? And how is the region responding? Host Ravi Agrawal sits down with scholar Oliver Stuenkel for answers. Stuenkel is a leading Latin America scholar and senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Plus Ravi’s One Thing on COP30. FP Columnists: 5 Novelists on Their Favorite Climate Fiction Oliver Stuenkel and Adrian Feinberg: Milei’s Midterm Miracle Matthew Kroenig: Trump Should Oust Maduro Carlos Ruiz-Hernández: The Nostalgic Delusion of 1989 Philip A. Berry: The Use and Abuse of ‘Narco-Terrorism’ John Haltiwanger: Latin America’s Disjointed Reaction to Trump’s Drug Boat War Geoff Ramsey: What’s the U.S. Endgame in Venezuela? Ryan C. Berg: Toppling Maduro Without Boots on the Ground Catherine Osborn: How Migration Became a U.S. Foreign-Policy Priority Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    45 mins
  • Unpacking the Trump-Xi Meeting

    Unpacking the Trump-Xi Meeting
    Nov 4 2025
    China analyst and former policymaker Elizabeth Economy sits down with Ravi Agrawal to unpack the meeting that took place last week between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping. What was agreed to? What does it mean for the broader trajectory of the world’s most important bilateral relationship? Plus, Ravi’s One Thing on Trump threatening military action in Nigeria. Kọ́lá Túbọ̀sún: Why Is Trump Suddenly Talking About Invading Nigeria? Wall Street Journal: Lingling Wei: China’s New Strategy for Trump: Punch Hard, Concede Little Rishi Iyengar, Christina Lu, and Keith Johnson: What Trump and Xi Did—and Didn’t—Agree to James Palmer: Trump and Xi Step Back From the Brink—for Now Alasdair Phillips-Robins: Xi May Have Miscalculated on Rare Earths Christina Lu: Will Trump’s Critical Minerals Blitz Pay Off? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    38 mins
  • Is the AI Economy a Bubble?

    Is the AI Economy a Bubble?
    Oct 30 2025
    Is the AI boom a bubble? What happens if it pops? Economist Jared Bernstein joined FP Live to sound the alarm on the growth and investment in the AI sector. Plus, Ravi’s One Thing on the first Trump-Xi meeting in six years. James Palmer: Trump and Xi Step Back From the Brink—for Now Rishi Iyengar, Christina Lu, and Keith Johnson: What Trump and Xi Did—and Didn’t—Agree To Sahil Shah: Trump’s Vagueness Over Nuclear Testing Could Fuel an Arms Race New York Times: Jared Bernstein and Ryan Cummings: Warning: Our Stock Market Is Looking Like a Bubble Ravi Agrawal: Is the AI Economy a Bubble? Bhaskar Chakravorti: 10 New AI Challenges—and How to Meet Them Bhaskar Chakravorti: American AI Is High on Its Own Supply Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    42 mins
  • What’s Behind Trump’s Expansionist Instincts?

    What’s Behind Trump’s Expansionist Instincts?
    Oct 24 2025
    How can history help make sense of U.S. President Donald Trump’s foreign policy? Pulitzer Prize-winning author and historian Greg Grandin shares how Trump’s imperialist impulses may be inspired by the country’s Founding Fathers, and that he “rummages around the trash bag of history to find what’s useful at any given moment.” Plus, Ravi’s One Thing on the recent U.S. sanctions on Russian oil companies. Keith Johnson: Will Trump’s Russia Oil Sanctions Finally Sway Putin? Greg Grandin: America, América: A New History of the New World Ravi Agrawal: Why Trump Is a ‘Scarcity President’ Syrus Solo Jin: With Territory Comes Torment Stephen M. Walt: Donald Trump Will Never Be a Restrainer Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    37 mins
  • The Road Ahead for Palestine

    The Road Ahead for Palestine
    Oct 17 2025
    With the cease-fire more than a week old, Palestinians now turn to what comes next: rebuilding and governing. Former spokesperson for the Palestine Liberation Organization Diana Buttu sits down with Ravi Agrawal to share her perspective. Plus, Ravi’s One Thing on the Trump administration’s moves on Venezuela. Diana Buttu: A ‘magic pill’ made Israeli violence invisible. We need to stop swallowing it. Omar H. Rahman: Can Palestinians Trust Donald Trump? Daniel Byman: One Question Looming Over the Gaza Deal: Why Now? Michael J. Koplow: Three Reckonings the Gaza Deal Will Force Christopher Sabatini: Will Venezuela’s Nobel Peace Prize Winner Stick With Trump? Geoff Ramsey: What’s the U.S. Endgame in Venezuela? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    43 mins
  • Are Young Americans Swinging Right?

    Are Young Americans Swinging Right?
    Oct 9 2025
    43 percent of voters under 30 supported U.S. President Donald Trump in the 2024 election, a 7 percent jump in support from both the 2016 and 2020 elections. What’s underpinning this rightward shift among young voters? Conservative commentator and journalist Emily Jashinsky shares her take. Plus, Ravi’s One Thing on the Israel-Hamas deal over hostages and an end to hostilities. Megan DuBois: The Shape-Shifting MAGA Hat Adrian Karatnycky: An Emerging Trump Doctrine? Emma Ashford: Four Explanatory Models for Trump’s Chaos Emma Ashford: If Trump Is Neither Hawk nor Dove, What Is He? Howard W. French: Trump Is Ushering in the Era of the Strongman Stephen M. Walt: How Assassinations Became Normal Again Julian E. Zelizer: Why Don’t Younger Americans Vote? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    48 mins