The David McWilliams Podcast

Trump is back, and in just 75 days, he’s issued half as many executive orders in two months than Biden did in four years. Beyond the chaos, there’s a bigger story: what happens when a country, like Ireland, finds itself up against a global heavyweight? From Trump’s tariffs and economic incoherence to America's shift toward isolationism, We argue it’s time for smaller nations to find their rope-a-dope—a strategy borrowed straight from Muhammad Ali’s legendary win over George Foreman - who just died. Meanwhile, are we looking at a US recession? Markets slumping, second-hand designer gear is flooding resale apps, and dreadful survey data hint at a looming Trump Slump. Plus: a trip to Wales, the wisdom of Gus O’Donnell, and why Foreman’s grill might have more to teach us than we think.

Ukraine is being carved up—again. This week, Trump and Putin are discussing Ukraine’s future, and the Ukrainians aren’t even invited to the table. We explain why the Congress of Vienna 1815 is the framework through which we should look at the new world order being torn up and rewritten, where might is right and small nations; whether in Eastern Europe or the West of Ireland, are left to fend for themselves. Enter Conor McGregor, backed by MAGA kingmaker Steve Bannon and bankrolled by Elon Musk, McGregor’s potential bid for the Irish presidency is no joke. It’s part of the same global chaos strategy that has seen Trump cozy up to Putin and turn on America’s allies. The playbook is simple: disrupt, distract, divide. In this episode, we speak to Ukrainian historian Olesya Khromeychuk about what’s really happening behind closed doors in Washington and Moscow, why European leaders are scrambling, and what it means when small nations lose their voice. If you’re not at the table, you’re on the menu, and right now, Ukraine is the main course.

St. Patrick’s Day diplomacy, a shifting global order, and Trump whispering in Micheál Martin’s ear; he's nursing more than a hangover with his front-row seat to the chaos economy of Trump’s America. This week, we break down the Irish leader’s White House shindig, the Doonbeg-ification of Irish diplomacy, and why Trump sees Ireland as a useful pawn in his battle with Europe. Meanwhile, Brexit is floundering, Germany is rearming, and Britain is quietly edging back toward the EU. Could Keir Starmer be the man to undo Brexit? And why does Trump’s economic vision for America sound suspiciously like Ireland in the 1970s; low-wage, low-productivity, and stuck making three-in-one stereos? From the horse whisperer to the Trump whisperer, from NATO to Naas Road manufacturing, this one has it all.

In a week where the U.S. stock market has been rocked by recession fears and escalating trade tensions, we sit down with renowned author Michael Lewis, known for works like Liar's Poker, The Big Short, and Moneyball, to dissect the economic landscape. The S&P 500 plummeted 5.7%, marking its worst week since September, while the Nasdaq Composite saw a 4% drop, largely due to concerns over trade wars and slowing economic growth. Tesla's stock took a significant hit, falling 15% in a single day and marking a 50% decline from its all-time high in December. Michael Lewis shares his insights on how trust, or the lack thereof, shapes financial markets, especially under the unpredictable policies of the Trump administration. We delve into the psychology driving economic decisions and explore whether America's current trajectory mirrors the conditions that led to previous financial crises. So, is the U.S. economy teetering on the edge of another "big short"? 

For 70 years, Germany kept its head down; an economic juggernaut, but a military lightweight, happy to let America call the shots. Not anymore.J.D. Vance’s off-the-cuff dismissal of Europe as a lost cause, combined with Trump’s America First foreign policy, has done something extraordinary: it’s forced Germany to step up. And when Germany steps up, the whole world shifts. And one of the shifts could well be, the UK running back to the EU and for the first time in 10 years Britain needs Europe and Europe need Britain. The great reconciliation is next!

Neo-imperialism is marching, loud and proud, straight into the heart of global politics. Between Trump’s quiet dealmaking in Riyadh, to his open musings about annexing Canada, the last few weeks have shattered the illusion that the age of empire is behind us. The world order of the last 70 years is crumbling, replaced by raw, transactional power. Trump and Putin are set to carve up Ukraine, billionaires are circling mineral-rich territories like vultures, and Washington’s foreign policy has been reduced to a simple equation: If you have resources, we’ll take them. This episode draws an eerie parallel between Trump’s tactics and one of the most brutal imperial heists in history; King Leopold’s reign of terror in the Belgian Congo. Just as European powers once justified plunder with the rhetoric of “civilization,” today’s resource grabs are wrapped in the language of “economic deals.” And at the heart of exposing that brutality was Roger Casement, a man who paid with his life for revealing the truth.

What do DIY stores, French financial bubbles, and Elon Musk have in common? Kicking off with a detour into The Pope’s Children and the perils of being a DIY impostor, we quickly shift gears to the real story: the Trump Dump. As financial markets recoil from the chaos of MAGA economics, we dive into history for a striking parallel: John Law, the 18th-century financial mastermind who convinced France to bet everything on his wild vision of a new economic order. Law promised a dazzling future, just as Musk does today, but his empire of speculation collapsed, taking the French monarchy down with it. What happens when the richest man in the world gets inside the head of a leader hungry for power? Are Trump and Musk unwittingly following the script of Law and the Duke of Orléans? Are we on the brink of a modern-day financial reckoning? With markets tanking, Bitcoin crumbling, and the spectre of stagflation looming, we explore the dangerous dance between speculative hype and economic reality. Will history repeat itself, first as tragedy, then as farce? Buckle up.

Germany’s latest election has sent shockwaves across Europe. The CDU has reasserted itself, but the far-right AfD continues to gain ground, fuelled by economic anxieties and social media echo chambers. Meanwhile, younger voters are breaking in radical new directions, young men shifting right, young women embracing the far left. With NATO under strain, America’s global leadership in question, and the war in Ukraine forcing Germany to confront its historical reluctance to lead, Berlin is at the heart of an unfolding geopolitical realignment. As German arms manufacturers see their stock prices soar, the Bundeswehr prepares to fill the security vacuum left by the U.S. withdrawal from Europe. Will Germany finally embrace its role as the continent’s dominant power, or is it doomed to remain an economic giant but a political pygmy? Historian Katja Hoyer joins us to break down the election results, the shifting tides of power in Berlin, and what it all means for the future of the European project. Is this the moment Germany finally steps up, or is Europe heading for a deeper divide?

Anxiety is in the air. Trump's latest outbursts underscore America’s shifting economic stance. Who knows if there is a method to the madness? In this episode, we break down the logic of MAGA economics, tracing its roots back to mercantilism; the imperialist trade philosophy that once fuelled global empires. We dissect Trump’s obsession with trade surpluses, the inevitable clash between MAGA and Wall Street, and why Ireland might be enemy number one in the next trade war. Just when you think things can't get more chaotic, we explore the looming "mass extinction event" set to shake Silicon Valley and the tech elite. From tariffs to TikTok bans, economic history to geopolitical strategy, this is a no-holds-barred deep dive into the forces reshaping the world, whether we like it or not.