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Americano
Does Pete Hegseth know what he's doing?
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Pete Hegseth has declared war on 'fat generals' and DEI in the US army - but why have standards slipped? Chris Caldwell joins Freddy Gray to discuss why the current administration feels so passionately about forcing a 'major cultural shift' in the military, plus the legacies of Bill Clinton's 'don't ask, don't tell' policy and Joe Biden's acceptance of transgender troops. They also talk about the differences between America's 'Marshal spirit' and British 'obsession' with World War Two, and why one country is more deferential to their veterans than the other.
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Is the Greenland drama a new Suez crisis?
38:21|Freddy Gray is joined by Jacob Heilbrunn, Editor of The National Interest, and David Whitehouse, science journalist and former BBC Science Editor, to discuss Donald Trump’s threat to annex Greenland and the potential rupture in transatlantic relations. They also discuss Greenland’s strategic importance for missile defence, the 'Golden Dome', Arctic shipping routes and space-based surveillance; and how Russia and China’s expanding presence in the Arctic, in space and in critical minerals is reshaping global security.
What will Donald Trump say at Davos?
24:36|Freddy Gray is joined by John Carney, who leads finance and economics news for Breitbart, to discuss what Donald Trump will say at the World Economic Forum. Will the president 'stick it to Davos man' about tariffs and the world's trade reliance on China? They also discuss how Trump's quest to resolve the cost of living crisis has led him to find common ground with unlikely figures: Zohran Mamdani and Elizabeth Warren.
What’s really going on in Iran?
24:35|Spectator contributor Charlie Gammell and Freddy Gray discuss what is really happening as protests play out on the streets of Iran. They discuss imams turning on the Shah, whether Trump could actually be seeking talks rather than war, what the Middle East wants from a fractured Iran, and what issues could arise from replacing the regime with Reza Pahlavi.
Is Trump going for Iran next?
23:45|Donald Trump’s stunning attack on Venezuela has the world wondering what his next move might be. What does it mean for Iran, Russia, and the future of the global order? Freddy Gray is joined by Owen Matthews and Paul Wood to discuss.
Does America need Venezuela’s oil?
34:40|Freddy Gray is joined by Robert Bryce, energy expert and author of Robert Bryce’s Substack, to discuss what America’s strike on Venezuela has to do with energy and oil. They examine the strategic importance of heavy crude, the role of China and Russia in the Western Hemisphere, and why electricity grids – not democracy – may be the real battlefield.
Which Latin American narco-state will Trump topple next?
24:23|Freddy Gray is joined by Joshua Trevino, Chief Transformation Officer at the Texas Public Policy Foundation and Senior Director of the Western Hemisphere Initiative at the America First Policy Institute. They discuss the complex history of so-called 'narco-states' and how they came to dominate vast parts of Latin America. Trump’s assault on Venezuela may prove to be the first of several military operations – which states could come next? And how significant has Marco Rubio been in shaping this policy priority?
What is the Donroe Doctrine's plan for Venezuela?
27:24|The US launched a military operation in Venezuela, targeting the regime in Caracas and detaining President Nicolás Maduro, who has been transferred to New York where he faces charges of narcoterrorism. Donald Trump has described the move as a decisive defence of American interests, but critics point point to the double standards when it come to Trump's ‘America First’ doctrine.Jacob Heilbrunn, editor of The National Interest, joins Freddy Gray to discuss the strategic importance of Venezuela’s oil reserves, the role of socialism in the country’s collapse, and how Trump may seek to manage the risk of regional backlash and a counter-insurgency.
Why is the West ignoring Jimmy Lai?
15:27|Father Robert Sirico joins Freddy Gray to discuss the imprisonment of Jimmy Lai – the British passport holder and Hong Kong media tycoon facing life in jail for opposing the Chinese Communist Party. Sirico reflects on Lai’s rise from poverty, his Catholic faith, the collapse of freedoms in Hong Kong, and why the West has failed to mount a serious campaign for his release.
Why did Susie Wiles talk to Vanity Fair?
29:14|Freddy Gray speaks to Vanity Fair's Washington correspondent Aidan McLaughlin about their latest two-part interview with one of Trump's closest allies Susie Wiles. As chief of staff to the White House, she has given some of the most candid quotes about what really happens inside Trump's regime.