CSIS Podcasts

On this episode of the Trade Guys, we look at ongoing challenges to the EU-U.S. trade relationship, the early data on the macroeconomic impacts of the tariffs both home and abroad, and a recent executive order zeroing out tariffs on a select range of goods deemed not available in the United States. Trade continues to be the hottest policy topic in Washington, which is why we’re bringing back our ⁠Crash Course: Trade Policy with the Trade Guys⁠ this fall. If you missed our spring course, now is the perfect time to register. The course runs from October 8-9 at CSIS Headquarters or via Zoom. Registration is open until October 3.

Seven countries in Latin America and the Caribbean recognize Taiwan in lieu of the People’s Republic of China, the most of any other region in the world. However, the number of formal Taiwan allies has been in steady decline, particularly since 2017 when Panama changed its diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing and joined the Belt and Road Initiative. Today, Taiwan’s status among its remaining allies appears to be under increasing pressure. In this episode, Ryan C. Berg sits down with Henry Large, a Rhodes Scholar and Doctoral candidate in Latin American Studies at the University of Oxford. Together, they discuss the history behind Panama's 2017 switch, the state of Taiwan's relationships with the region today, and why diplomatic allies matter for Taipei. They also discuss how the United States, which itself does not formally recognize Taiwan, can be a better partner in promoting ties with the region.

This week Mike speaks with Richard Rossow, an esteemed expert who has focused on U.S.-India Relations for over 25 years. He is currently Senior Adviser and Chair on India and Emerging Asia Economics at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. They discuss the activities of the Quad, U.S.-India relations, how India could grow its trade partnership with the United States, and more.

On this episode of the Trade Guys, we walk through decisions by two federal courts blocking the Trump administration's use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). We then look at the president's recent threat of 50% tariffs on the EU and the "Big Beautiful" budget reconciliation bill moving through Congress.

On this episode, Max and Donatienne cover the first round of the Romanian presidential election, where George Simion, a hard-right candidate, soared to a first-place finish ahead of the second round on May 18. Since recording this episode on May 5th, major developments, including the resignation and Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu and rapid capital flight, have sparked a political crisis. This story is still developing. The hosts then break down British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s attempt to reset relations with the European Union ahead of a May 19 Brexit summit, and welcome Abe Newman, professor in the School of Foreign Service and Government Departments at Georgetown University and Director of the BMW Center for German and European Studies, for a conversation about coming collisions in transatlantic tech.

Prime Minister Mark Carney led the Liberal Party to a narrow victory in Canada’s pivotal election in April 28. Running a campaign centered on uniting Canadians against U.S. President Trump’s annexation threats and punitive tariffs, Mr. Carney orchestrated a remarkable political comeback for the Liberals, who had been expected to suffer a landslide defeat until a few months earlier. Despite the win, Mr. Carney now faces the steep challenge of governing with a minority. His ability to deliver on domestic issues will shape his legacy as much as his handling of relations with Washington. Balancing these priorities will not be an easy task, and Prime Minister Carney has no time to waste. In this episode, Christopher Hernandez-Roy sits down with Andrew Potter, author and associate professor at the Max Bell School of Public Policy at McGill University. Together, they discuss the factors that shaped the election, and the challenges confronting Prime Minister Carney, and Canada as a whole. They also discuss the future of the Canadian Conservative Party under the continued leadership of Pierre Poilievre.

On this week's episode of the Trade Guys, Bill and Andrew give their first takes on the April 2 tariff announcements from the White House.

Catherine Nzuki is joined by Naa Laryea, a software engineer living in Accra. She walks us through what apartment hunting is like in Accra, why some landlords ask for a year or two years’ worth of rent up front, and the causes of the housing crisis in Accra. Nelson C.J., West Africa Correspondent at OkayAfrica, joins the Afropolitan and zooms out to discuss the common drivers of the housing crunch in major West African cities. Nelson shares his findings from his recent article with OkayAfrica, examining how the National Tenants Union of Ghana is advocating for affordable housing and rent control. Lastly, as Africa’s population grows, Nelson unpacks how investing in small and mid-sized cities can help decongest cities like Accra, Dakar, and Lagos. You can read Nelson C. J.’s work on OkayAfrica and follow Nelson C.J. on X (@nelsoncj3) and Instagram (@nelsonfromnorman____).

This week Mike joins Victor Cha, President, Geopolitics and Foreign Policy Department and Korea Chair. From 2021 to 2025, he was appointed by Joseph R. Biden administration to serve on the Defense Policy Board in an advisory role to the secretary of defense. From 2004 to 2007, he served on the National Security Council (NSC) and was responsible for Japan, Korea, Australia/New Zealand, and Pacific Island nations. They discuss South Korea's recently failed coup in 2024, and the future of South Korean international relations in the region.

In this episode of the ChinaPower Podcast, Dr. Jeffrey Ding joins us to discuss U.S.-China artificial intelligence (AI) competition and his book, Technology and the Rise of Great Powers: How Diffusion Shapes Economic Competition. Dr. Ding describes the framework he uses to understand the competition between the US and China on AI and explains that while many assume leading a technological competition comes from developing the next breakthrough invention, it should actually be centered around the diffusion of these technologies throughout their population of users. Technological leadership, therefore, depends on which country can best transfer and spread innovation from its top firms to the entire economy more effectively. Dr. Ding notes that China prioritizes an innovation-centric approach while neglecting broad-based technical and STEM education. He finds that the United States is better positioned than China to adopt and diffuse AI across a broad spectrum of sectors, given that more U.S. training institutions meet a quality baseline compared to China’s. Dr. Ding advises that since the United States is better positioned to diffuse AI technologies throughout its economy, it should focus on “running fast” rather than restricting China’s access to advanced technologies. Finally, Dr. Ding recommends that Washington focus on education policy, widening the base of AI engineers by increasing training sites, supporting public-private partnerships, and helping SMEs develop their AI capabilities. Dr. Jeffrey Ding is an Assistant Professor of Political Science at George Washington University, and the author of Technology and the Rise of Great Power: How Diffusion Shapes Economic Competition. Previously, he was a postdoctoral fellow at Stanford's Center for International Security and Cooperation, sponsored by Stanford's Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence. His research has been published or is forthcoming at European Journal of International Security, Foreign Affairs, Review of International Political Economy, and Security Studies, and his work has been cited in The Washington Post, The Financial Times, and other outlets. He also writes a weekly "ChinAI" newsletter, which features translations of Chinese conversations about AI development, to 12,000+ subscribers including the field's leading policymakers, scholars, and journalists. Dr. Ding holds a Ph.D in international relations from Oxford University, where he studied as a Rhodes scholar.

Mike Brown, Partner at Shield Capital and former Director of the Defense Innovation unit, joined Navin Girishankar on this episode of Betting on America to explore the role of venture capital in growing our technological and industrial base, and ensuring our economic security.

Dr. Jeffrey Gold, President of the University of Nebraska system, testified recently before the House Committee on Veteran Affairs Health Subcommittee on plans to replace a 1950 VA hospital with a hospital on the university grounds, with projected savings of half a billion dollars. Since the Trump administration began two months ago, it has been “a day-by-day, week-by-week course adjustment,” featuring ongoing court deliberations, cuts to programs, and the rollout of tariffs, amid great uncertainty. Anxiety has risen due to the unusual speed of change, which has permitted little time to prepare. In the meantime, the decline in the price of corn and soy jeopardizes the economy. The university system and hospitals account for 8.5-9% of the state’s GDP, the highest level per capita in the country. They also depend on $700 million of extramurally funded research. For the past nine years, Dr. Gold has led the highly successful weekly cable broadcast, ‘Rural Health Matters’ on Monday nights on RFD TV. Its mandate is to create awareness among farmers and ranchers, reaching over 15 million households, of the most impactful health matters.

The Trade Guys are joined by the new Scholl Chair in International Business, Dr. Philip Luck, to provide an update on tariffs on Canada and Mexico and to discuss the Mar-a-lago Accords.