Intrigue Outloud

Welcome back to Intrigue Outloud! The US has officially entered its Trump 2.0 era, so we decided to have a chat to reflect on his predecessor's foreign policy legacy. We talk about Biden's approach in Ukraine, whether he was played by Bibi Netanyahu in the Israel-Hamas conflict, and how the last four years of US-China competition is setting Trump up for a tumultuous second term.

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Happy New Year! To get settled in 2025 we thought we'd record a special episode to discuss the year ahead. John, Helen, and Jeremy trade takes on the future of Maduro's Venezuela, whether ISIS is making a comeback in post-Assad Syria, the prospects for a hot conflict between China and Taiwan, and much more. Stick around for the end to see Helen and JD go head to head in a legendary geopolitical trivia showdown.

Subscribe to International Intrigue, the 5-minute daily global news briefing: https://www.internationalintrigue.io/

Summary

In this special edition on Syria one week after Assad's downfall, Helen, John and Jeremy discuss:

• The recent developments in Syria following Assad's flight to Russia, the role of HTS in governing Idlib, and the implications of regional powers' involvement.
• The complexities of the Syrian conflict, the potential for civil war, and the skepticism surrounding HTS's ability to govern effectively.
• We also give the view from Israel and Iran as well as Turkey's strategic gains and the shifting geopolitical landscape.

This week, John and Kristen discuss developments in Rome at a conference attracting numerous foreign ministers as the G7 meets right next door, closing Italy’s hosting year.

John dives into what Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy’s proposed Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, would mean for Washington and the country, plus what some of the 47ths cabinet picks could mean for Trump’s policy.

We hate to be the bearers of bad news, but our expert co-host and chief executive, John Fowler, has lost his voice! This means today’s edition of the pod is postponed—but don’t worry, we’ll be back as soon as he’s ready to speak again.

Thanks for your patience, and stay tuned!