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PODCAST

Independent Thinking

Chatham House director Bronwen Maddox hosts conversations with leading policymakers, journalists and Chatham House experts to provide insight into the latest international political issues. Independent Thinking gives listeners the opportunity to engage with the high level conversations hosted by Chatham House.

news politics

All Episodes

34:41

Is the shock of the US-Iran war helping Europe come...

Independent Thinking ·

2026/04/24

EU expansion, energy shocks, and uneasy alliances: will the conflict in the Gulf – and other crises – force a more unified European strategy? This week's episode comes from the Delphi Economic Forum in Greece, where host Bronwen Maddox is joined by Grégoire Roos, director of our Europe, Russia and Eurasia programmes. As the fallout from the US-Israel war on Iran ripples through global markets, Europe finds itself under renewed pressure. Recorded on location amid the activity and discussions of

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33:17

Iran, Pope, Economy: How many battles can Trump fight...

Independent Thinking ·

2026/04/17

From Hormuz to Hungary and the Vatican to the Federal Reserve, it has been an unusually contentious week for the White House, even by the standards of President Trump's second administration. This week's podcast comes from the US, where our analysts assess the political and economic state of the US as it begins gearing up for the midterm elections. From New York, Chatham House Director Bronwen Maddox and Director of the US and North America Programme, Laurel Rapp, are joined by David Lubin, Senior

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34:29

What lessons will China, India and other Asian...

Independent Thinking ·

2026/04/10

China prepared in advance for a US attack on Iran. But many of its Asian neighbours have been hit hard because their economies were heavily reliant on energy imports from the Gulf. In the short-term, the near-closure of the Strait of Hormuz has triggered rationing, and shortages of diesel, gas and fertiliser. Does that set a negative precedent for other choke points across the world? In the longer-term the war may force Asian nations into deeper reckonings: to reassess supply chains, economic

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38:14

Why are UK energy costs so high? And how to bring...

Independent Thinking ·

2026/04/01

An earlier than usual episode of the Independent Thinking podcast, ahead of the Easter break. In a one-on-one conversation, Chatham House Director Bronwen Maddox discusses energy with Sir Dieter Helm, Professor of Economic Policy at the University of Oxford, who has been advising governments and writing on energy, water and the environment for decades. They examine how energy policies of different governments over decades led to the UK's energy costs being so high. And what the government should do

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30:15

Iran war: regional shock or global crisis?

Independent Thinking ·

2026/03/27

One month on from the start of the US and Israeli war on Iran, governments worldwide are trying to assess the scale of its long-term impact on the global economy and political system. Much will depend on how long the conflict continues, and how long Iran blocks fuel exports and other cargo vessels from passing through the Strait of Hormuz. The White House and Iran have sent conflicting signals about whether negotiations are under way, even as thousands of US troops head to the Middle East. And even

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36:29

Is Iran one crisis too many for Trump?

Independent Thinking ·

2026/03/20

The US-Israel war on Iran is straining Trump's alliances, at home and abroad. Three weeks into exactly the kind of war of choice that he spent years decrying, US President Donald Trump is not getting the amount of international support that he seeks for his campaign of air strikes on Iran. There is also reluctance among NATO and other allies to be drawn into the political and economic turmoil caused by the US-Israeli campaign, and Tehran's region-wide retaliation. Our experts discuss the state of

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32:59

AI wars: Anthropic battles the Pentagon as China...

Independent Thinking ·

2026/03/13

The US military's AI provider Anthropic is feuding with the Pentagon after the company tried to impose 'red lines' over the use of its artificial intelligence products for lethal autonomous weapons and mass surveillance of Americans. President Trump accused the US firm of being 'radical left' and designated it a 'supply chain risk' – usually reserved for Chinese or Russian firms who could compromise US security. Our panel discusses the dispute, the battle to control artificial intelligence

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35:39

Iran: Will Trump declare early victory and risk...

Independent Thinking ·

2026/03/06

What does President Trump hope to achieve in Iran – a quick show of force, or long-term regime change? The US and Israel's long-threatened air strikes on Iran have materialized, and the Middle East is facing widespread disruption and a mounting death toll as the war spills across borders. In this episode of Chatham House's international affairs podcast, our expert panel analyses the Trump administration's many stated motivations for the attack, whether there can be a clear-cut end game, and who is

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29:25

Trump's tariffs: Are they here to stay?

Independent Thinking ·

2026/02/27

The US Supreme Court ruled against President Donald Trump on his first justification for tariffs, but he says he will push them through by other means. On this week's Independent Thinking podcast, our experts analyse why Trump is wedded to tariffs as an economic and political tool, and what effect they will have on the US and global economies. They also discuss whether tariffs have ended globalization for good even after the Trump era ends. Joining regular host Bronwen Maddox are Creon Butler,

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36:44

As Ukraine peace talks stall, can Europe step up in...

Independent Thinking ·

2026/02/19

Negotiations to end the Russia-Ukraine war do not appear to have made significant progress. In the meantime, the focus of US President Donald Trump's 'lighthouse diplomacy' appears to have switched to Iran. Chatham House analysts discuss the state of the talks, and whether Europe will step up to provide the weapons and military support that Ukraine needs. They also examine how the Russia-Ukraine conflict fits into the wider superpower competition between the US, Russia and China. Joining host

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14:02

Rubio to Europe: A softer tone than Vance. But same...

Independent Thinking ·

2026/02/16

In a special edition of Chatham House's Independent Thinking podcast recorded at the Munich Security Conference 2026 over the weekend, Chatham House Director Bronwen Maddox and Grégoire Roos, Director of the Europe and Russia and Eurasia Programmes, unpack the key issues that emerged from this year's forum. The main speaker, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, adopted a different tone from Vice President JD Vance, who shocked many in the audience last year when he delivered a verbal broadside against

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29:41

As the UK lurches from crisis to crisis, is it...

Independent Thinking ·

2026/02/13

As Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer ploughs through crisis after crisis, his Labour Party faces multiple threats in upcoming local elections. Our Chatham House analysts examine whether having six prime ministers in a decade is a sign that Britain, like some of its neighbours, has more fundamental underlying problems that make it increasingly hard to govern. Host Bronwen Maddox is joined by Olivia O'Sullivan, Director of the UK in the World Programme at Chatham House and Grégoire Roos,

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31:34

Oil, regime change, and what's next in Trump's MAGA...

Independent Thinking ·

2026/02/06

After the US capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, our analysts discuss where in the Western Hemisphere US President Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio may turn their attention to next. Host Bronwen Maddox is joined by Laurel Rapp, director of Chatham House's US and North America Programme, and Dr Christopher Sabatini, Senior Fellow for Latin America. They dissect the so-called 'Donroe Doctrine', Marco Rubio's project to reform Cuba's regime, Haiti, and why oil is central to the

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35:32

UK in China: Hard choices between rival superpowers

Independent Thinking ·

2026/01/30

Host Bronwen Maddox is joined by Ben Bland, head of our Asia-Pacific Programme, and Dr Yu Jie, senior research fellow on China. They discuss the opportunities and risks of closer engagement between the UK and China, and why the opacity of Chinese elite politics makes them an unpredictable security actor. Read our latest: EU leaders echo de Gaulle, saying Europe must depend on no-one. But where should autonomy begin? UK ratification of the Chagos Archipelago treaty will not violate international

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35:13

Trump vs Carney at Davos - One summit, two visions

Independent Thinking ·

2026/01/23

Chatham House Director Bronwen Maddox joins the Independent Thinking podcast from the World Economic Forum in Davos. In London are guest host David Lubin, a Senior Research Fellow in Chatham House's Global Economy and Finance Programme; and Grégoire Roos, Director of the Europe and Russia and Eurasia Programmes. They examine the implications of President Trump's speech for Greenland, NATO, Europe, China and others after Trump pulled back from using force in Greenland, but left allies with a loss of

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27:43

Greenland in the cross hairs of Trump's bid for...

Independent Thinking ·

2026/01/16

Host Bronwen Maddox is joined in the studio by Laurel Rapp, Director of Chatham House's US and North America Programme; Marc Weller, Director of the International Law Programme and down the line by Juno Berthelsen, of Greenland's opposition Naleraq party, which favours independence. Read our latest: Who owns Greenland? As Carney visits China to diversify Canada's trade, the 'Donroe Doctrine' further strains US relations US intentions towards Greenland threaten NATO's future. But European

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36:58

Does Venezuela usher in an era of might is right?

Independent Thinking ·

2026/01/07

Bronwen Maddox is joined by Marc Weller, Director of Chatham House's International Law Programme; Laurel Rapp, Director of the US and North America Programme; and Christopher Sabatini, Senior Fellow for Latin America. They discuss the failure of regional diplomacy that preceded the 3 January 2026 attack by the US on Venezuela, the tentative response of the international community in its aftermath, the domestic impact on American politics, historic precedents like the 2003 invasion of Iraq, and how

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40:06

Trump Year One – China's economic rivalry with the US...

Independent Thinking ·

2025/12/15

In the last Independent Thinking podcast of 2025, host Bronwen Maddox is joined by David Lubin, Senior Research Fellow with Chatham House's Global Economy and Finance Programme; Marion Messmer, Director of the International Security Programme; and Yu Jie, a senior research fellow on China in Chatham House's Asia-Pacific Programme. For further analysis read 'The economics of the new Monroe Doctrine' by David Lubin, examining how President Trump's actions seem to indicate the emergence of a

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29:06

What does Trump's national security strategy mean for...

Independent Thinking ·

2025/12/08

This is a special edition of Chatham House's Independent Thinking international affairs podcast, recorded at the Doha Forum 2025. Many of the official and backroom discussions at Qatar's annual gathering of more than 5,000 world leaders, policymakers, dialogue, corporate and humanitarian organizations from 162 countries were dominated by discussions of President Donald Trump's National Security Strategy, which was released on the eve of the forum. At one of the first events in the Doha Forum,

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28:09

Europe scrambles to avoid being sidelined on Ukraine

Independent Thinking ·

2025/12/05

How are Europe and Ukraine reacting after the US and Russia sought to strike their own deal, and Putin warned that Moscow – while not planning for war with Europe – is 'ready right now'. Host Bronwen Maddox is joined by Grégoire Roos, Director of the Europe and Russia and Eurasia Programmes; Natalie Sabanadze, a Senior Research Fellow and former Georgian Ambassador, and Jaroslava Barbieri, Research Fellow with our Ukraine Forum. Read Chatham House's report 'Tightening the oil-price cap to

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160 results

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