Advertise on podcast: Guide to the Global Economy

Just as the US celebrates its 250th birthday, some age-old economic debates are back in the spotlight: industrial policy, tariffs, and protectionism. Instead of a break from the past, are we witnessing the return to a more interventionist economic tradition? Rana Foroohar, global business columnist and associate editor at the Financial Times, joins Josh and Jessie for a tour de force through US economic history, from Hamilton to Reagan to Trump II.

Bond yields have spiked, especially in advanced economies. But why is that? And what does that actually mean? Alice Fulwood, US business editor at the Economist and co-host of the podcast Money Talks, joins Josh and Jessie to decode the signals in the global bond market—from Iran inflation concerns to growing government debt.

After months of anticipation, US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping finally met in Beijing. But beyond a few concrete announcements—including a Chinese pledge to buy two hundred Boeing jets—the summit raised more questions than it answered. Together with Melanie Hart, senior director of the Atlantic Council’s Global China Hub, Josh and Jessie unpack what actually came out of the meeting: from purchase commitments and assurances around critical minerals to Trump’s controversial comments on Taiwan.

With US President Donald Trump’s visit to Beijing less than two weeks away, Josh and Jessie sit down with the Wall Street Journal’s chief China correspondent, Lingling Wei, to break down what issues will shape the agenda: from the Iran war to Washington’s push for “rules of origin,” which could fundamentally reshape trade relations. They also dig into the backroom drama of past high-level visits, including shouting matches and fistfights.

Last month, when Iran effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, reports emerged that it was charging some tankers massive fees to transit. Though a ceasefire has now been brokered, Tehran’s "tollbooth" is still open for business. Alisha Chhangani, associate director of the Future of Money at the GeoEconomics Center, joins Josh and Jessie to break down the Iranian strategy—and why China’s renminbi payment system may be central to it.

In this episode, Josh and Jessie get into the supply shock caused by the Iran war and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, from Asia's energy crunch to US dependencies. Senior Director of the Atlantic Council Global Energy Center, Landon Derentz, joins us to discuss the scale and duration of this energy crisis and what that means for the global energy landscape.

From tariffs to sanctions, the Trump administration relied heavily on the geoeconomic toolkit in 2025. With the war in Iran and capture of Nicolás Maduro in Venezuela, has President Donald Trump lost his patience with these tools? Josh and Jessie debate this question with Shawn Donnan, senior writer for economics at Bloomberg. They discuss the use of economic statecraft in the US-Israel-Iran conflict, how these tools developed, and the ever-shifting intersection between economic statecraft and national security. For more, read Shawn’s Bloomberg newsletter, which sparked this debate: “Trump Ditches Economic Statecraft for the Power Politics of War.” Linkj: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/newsletters/2026-03-02/trump-and-economic-statecraft And check out Josh’s Wall Street Journal op-ed: “To Squeeze Iran, Trump Reaches Into the Geoeconomic Toolkit” Link: https://www.wsj.com/opinion/to-squeeze-iran-trump-reaches-into-the-geoeconomic-toolkit-9ec8d9f3

It’s been four years since Moscow launched its invasion of Ukraine and the G7 responded with an unprecedented level of coordinated economic statecraft measures. Where is Russia's economy now? Josh Lipsky and Jessie Yin are joined in this episode by director Kim Donovan and associate director Maia Nikoladze of the Atlantic Council's Economic Statecraft Initiative to tackle the energy dimension of Russia's wartime economy. From sanctions to shadow fleets, we discuss evasion tactics and how Russia could benefit from an extended conflict in the Middle East that boosts oil prices. Note: This episode was recorded on March 3, 2026.

In this special episode of Guide to the Global Economy, Josh Lipsky and Sophia Busch test the GeoEconomics Center’s predictions for the 2026 global economy with Goldman Sachs Chief Economist Jan Hatzius. The conversation explores where politicians and economists may be talking past each other when it comes to trade, AI, China, and the broader global outlook.

Recently, Washington has been buzzing with news of the dollar, specifically concerns around a weaker dollar. But what does a “weak dollar” actually mean? And what are the implications for a trade-focused administration and for international investors? Joined by Dan McDowell, senior fellow at the Atlantic Council’s GeoEconomics Center and professor at Syracuse University, this episode breaks down how a sustained dollar depreciation could impact trade, investment, national security, and the average consumer, as we try to answer the question: Is a dollar vibe shift underway?

In this episode of Guide to the Global Economy, we assess the significance of the US Justice Department’s investigation into Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell and growing tensions between the White House and the Fed over interest rates, diving into why markets aren’t reacting to the clash and what’s at stake for US economic credibility and the US economy as a whole. The Atlantic Council GeoEconomics Center’s Charles Lichfield joins to discuss the impacts of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's latest actions to exercise influence over Turkey’s central bank and whether there are any lessons that US leaders can learn from Turkey’s years-long effort to rebuild credibility.