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The United States will no longer play global policeman, and no one else wants the job. This is not a G-7 or a G-20 world. Welcome to the GZERO, a world made volatile by an intensifying international battle for power and influence. Every week on this podcast, Ian Bremmer will interview the world leaders and the thought leaders shaping our GZERO World.

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Trump vs higher education, with Harvard's Noah Feldman

Trump vs higher education, with Harvard's Noah Feldman

Harvard Law's Noah Feldman unpacks the Trump administration’s legal and political escalations with elite US universities.

From lawsuits and executive orders to funding cuts tied to antisemitism claims, the Trump White House is targeting institutions like Harvard and Columbia in what Feldman calls an effort to undermine independent centers of truth. “Trump's gone after universities, he's gone after media, and he's going after courts,” Harvard Law professor Noah Feldman tells Ian Bremmer in the latest episode of the GZERO World podcast. “Each in its own way is an independent institutional voice telling people, ‘This is the way things are.’”

Feldman explains why this isn’t just about cancel culture or campus politics—it's about whether universities will remain places where truth is pursued freely, or "knuckle" under political pressure. He discusses Harvard’s legal fight with the administration, growing antisemitism on and off campus, and the deeper risks for American democracy if academic independence erodes.

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Europe under pressure, with Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski

How worried should Europe be that Russia’s war in Ukraine could spill beyond its borders? For nearly five years, the war has largely stayed where it started: inside Ukraine. But Russia is increasingly taking the fight beyond the battlefield. Moscow has stepped up a campaign of hybrid warfare across Europe—arson, cyberattacks, disinformation, even assassinations. Where is the line between a war in Ukraine and a wider war in Europe? And what happens if that line is crossed?

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Russia is ramping up hybrid attacks across Europe, could full-scale war be next? Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski joins Ian Bremmer on the GZERO World Podcast to explain why defending... More >

Middle East elections and escalation, with Brett McGurk

As Israel and the US head toward elections, the Middle East faces the prospect of further escalation. The Iran war has no clear endpoint, Houthi attacks are threatening US partners, and governments across the region are questioning whom they can count on.

On the GZERO World podcast, Ian Bremmer speaks with Brett McGurk, former White House Middle East coordinator, about Washington’s objectives and the difficult choices ahead. Drawing on his experience negotiating with Iran, McGurk explains why economic pressure needs to serve a realistic diplomatic goal. But he is skeptical that an agreement is close: “They will wait out the Americans.”

McGurk also considers what an Israeli government led by Gadi Eisenkot could change, particularly in the West Bank, and shares a personal encounter that shaped his understanding of the former military chief. He explains why Israel’s security doctrine after October 7 is likely to endure regardless of who becomes prime minister.

With American voters weary of foreign entanglements, McGurk argues that pulling back can create new dangers. The challenge is to maintain partnerships and diplomatic engagement without repeating the mistakes of past interventions.

Can Washington turn military pressure into a diplomatic strategy? Brett McGurk joins Ian Bremmer on the GZERO World podcast to discuss the Iran war, Houthi attacks, and how elections in Israel and... More >

2026 Midterms and the battle for Congress, with Amy Walter and Liam Donovan

Could a blue wave be coming in November? With the 2026 midterms approaching, Democrats are hoping to flip both chambers of Congress, while Republicans are fighting to hold onto their narrow majorities. But the battle for the House and Senate looks very different, and even with voter frustration mounting, the outcome is far from certain.

On the GZERO World podcast, Ian Bremmer sits down with Amy Walter, editor-in-chief of the Cook Political Report, and Republican strategist Liam Donovan to examine the state of the midterm races. They discuss why the Iran war and rising gas prices have become major political liabilities for Republicans, whether Trump can mobilize his base despite his declining popularity, and why Democrats are focusing on affordability, corruption, and voter frustration rather than cultural issues.

But the stakes extend well beyond November. What would a Democratic-controlled Congress actually mean for the final two years of Trump's presidency? Could a major Democratic victory change the party's direction, or simply reinforce its opposition to Trump? And as both parties look toward 2028, is JD Vance positioned to inherit the Republican nomination, and what kind of candidate could emerge for Democrats?

With the midterms just weeks away, Democrats are eyeing control of Congress as Republicans struggle with the political fallout from the Iran war, rising prices, and Trump's unpopularity. Amy Walter... More >

Three years after October 7, with Aaron David Miller


Three years after October 7, Gaza remains locked in conflict, Israel is heading into a pivotal election, and its relationship with the US is under growing strain. Former US Middle East negotiator Aaron David Miller joins Ian Bremmer to discuss what comes next for Israel and a rapidly changing Middle East.

Gaza remains divided and without a clear path forward. Hamas has been severely weakened militarily but retains significant influence, while Palestinians continue to face difficult humanitarian conditions and little prospect of a political breakthrough.

On the GZERO World Podcast, Ian Bremmer sits down with former US Middle East negotiator Aaron David Miller to take stock of Israel and the region three years later. They discuss why Hamas has proven so difficult to dislodge, what Israel’s October 27 election could actually change, and why a new government may look different at home without dramatically changing Israel’s approach to Gaza, Lebanon, and Iran.

They also examine the changing US-Israel relationship as bipartisan support erodes, Israel’s shifting image among Americans, and a regional balance increasingly shaped by Israel, Turkey, and Iran. Miller argues that changing leadership could improve Washington’s relationship with Israel – but that the broader Middle East remains deeply fragmented, with few signs of an easy way out.

Subscribe to the GZERO World Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your preferred podcast platform, to receive new episodes as soon as they're published

Three years after October 7, Gaza remains locked in conflict, Israel is heading into a pivotal election, and its relationship with the US is under growing strain.... More >

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Russia is ramping up hybrid attacks across Europe, could full-scale war be next? Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski joins Ian Bremmer on the GZERO World Podcast to explain why defending... More >

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