Podcast · News
by The Chicago Council on Global Affairs · English · News
Deep Dish on Global Affairs helps you make sense of our rapidly changing world. Join host Leslie Vinjamuri, President and CEO of the Chicago Council on Global Affairs, as she speaks with thought leaders, journalists, and experts shaping foreign policy and global events. Together, they go beyond the
8 Oct 2026 · 23 min
Three years after the October 7 attacks, RAND's Shira Efron says Israel is "still in the trauma phase." With the country now heading into its first national election since the attacks, what could the outcome mean for Gaza and the West Bank? Efron explains what's at stake, why Israel is facing growing pressure at home and abroad, and whether a new government could put the country on a different path.
1 Oct 2026 · 26 min
As Brazil heads into an essentially tied presidential election, award-winning journalist Patrícia Campos Mello explains what's driving voters, how President Lula and Senator Bolsonaro offer very different visions for the country's place in the world, and what the outcome could mean for its relationships with the United States and China. Plus, why even a Trump-aligned government may find it difficult to pull away from China.
24 Sep 2026 · 21 min
As Trump and Xi meet in Washington, Apple in China author Patrick McGee explains why he's "a little more hopeful" about what could come out of the summit, where the United States and China could find common ground on AI , and what could still get in the way. Plus, how Apple's bet on China helped build the manufacturing powerhouse the US is now competing against.
17 Sep 2026 · 22 min
What happens when countries can no longer take the old international order for granted? Ishaan Tharoor of the Council on Foreign Relations and The New Yorker joins Leslie Vinjamuri to discuss how US allies and middle powers are adapting, what Canada's changing relationship with the US could signal, and whether there's any going back to the way things were.
10 Sep 2026 · 20 min
The US and China have plenty of reasons to avoid a war , but international relations historian Odd Arne Westad says the years before World War I show how quickly tensions between great powers can escalate. Westad joins Leslie Vinjamuri to discuss what could trigger a wider conflict, why economic ties may not be enough to prevent it, and what today's leaders can learn from the mistakes of the past.
20 Aug 2026 · 21 min
More than 300 million people need emergency humanitarian support as some of the world's biggest donors scale back their aid. Mercy Corps CEO Tjada McKenna joins Leslie Vinjamuri to discuss who steps in when governments pull back, whether new donors, private capital, or advancing technology can help fill the gap, and why ending conflicts may be just as important as funding the response. With the old model of humanitarian aid under pressure, McKenna says "the world is not returning to what it was before." Deep Dish will be on a two-week break. New episodes return September 10, and we look…
13 Aug 2026 · 21 min
Nearly five years after the United States withdrew from Afghanistan, former US Ambassador Ryan Crocker joins Leslie Vinjamuri to reflect on America's longest war and what its ending revealed about American power . Crocker argues that the withdrawal emboldened America's adversaries and sent a dangerous message about its willingness to stay the course. "We went into Afghanistan for the right reasons," he says. "We came out for the wrong ones."
6 Aug 2026 · 24 min
Five months after the conflict between the United States, Israel, and Iran began , Council on Foreign Relations' Edward Fishman joins Leslie Vinjamuri to explain how strategic "chokepoints" — from the Strait of Hormuz to the US dollar — have become powerful tools of geopolitical competition. They discuss what makes a true chokepoint, why tariffs aren't always effective, and how the United States can compete in a more fragmented global economy.
30 Jul 2026 · 26 min
Britain's new prime minister, Andy Burnham, takes office amid sluggish growth, political uncertainty, and intensifying global competition. Financial Times columnist and King's College Cambridge Provost Gillian Tett joins Leslie Vinjamuri to discuss what's holding Britain back and what it will take to restore growth, compete in AI, attract global talent, strengthen ties with Europe, and navigate an increasingly unpredictable relationship with the United States.
23 Jul 2026 · 28 min
Artificial intelligence is reshaping cybersecurity, military strategy, and the competition between the United States and China. Former Deputy National Security Advisor Anne Neuberger joins Leslie Vinjamuri to discuss what it will take for the US to lead in AI and why staying ahead means more than building the most advanced models.
16 Jul 2026 · 27 min
As America marks its 250th anniversary, The Economist 's John Prideaux retraces Alexis de Tocqueville's famous journey across the United States to see what has changed over the past two centuries. Starting from the East Coast then across and down the entire country , he joins Leslie Vinjamuri to discuss what those conversations reveal about the state of American democracy today.
9 Jul 2026 · 24 min
Turkey is playing an increasingly important role inside NATO, but its relationships with Russia, Europe, and the United States are more complicated than ever. Brookings Institution ' s Aslı Aydıntaşbaş joins Leslie Vinjamuri to discuss President Trump's relationship with President Erdoğan, Turkey's balancing act between Russia and the West, and what Ankara's growing influence means for NATO, transatlantic security, and US foreign policy.
2 Jul 2026 · 21 min
As the United States marks 250 years of independence, its allies are reassessing America's role in the world. Journalist and military historian Mark Urban joins Leslie Vinjamuri to discuss US foreign policy, NATO, Europe's security, growing competition with China, and what America's changing role could mean for the international order in the years ahead.
25 Jun 2026 · 26 min
In this special Deep Dish LIVE episode, Leslie Vinjamuri sits down with New York Times White House and National Security Correspondent , David Sanger, who recently spoke with President Trump about the Iran deal. Together, they unpack how the United States got to this moment with Iran, what the dea l does a nd doesn' t accomplis h , and what to watch next for the Middle East, US foreign policy, and America's role in the world. Prefer to watch? T he full live conversation is available o n our YouTube channel .
18 Jun 2026 · 27 min
China's annual Summer Davos meeting comes at a complicated moment: consumer demand is weak, manufacturing is booming, and tensions with the United States and Europe are rising. Simon Rabinovitch, Beijing bureau chief at The Economist, discusses how China sees the global economy, why businesses continue to engage with China, and what Beijing ultimately wants .
11 Jun 2026 · 25 min
Economic security has become a major focus ahead of next week's G7 summit in France. A rare call between G7 leaders and China, convened by President Macron, underscores just how central the issue is . G overnments are looking for ways to strengthen supply chains, secure access to critical minerals, and reduce economic risks. But at a time of growing geopolitical tensions, can they make meaningful progress? Dr. Mathieu Duchâtel of the Institut Montaigne explains why economic security has risen to the top of the agenda , where allies stand on China, and whether this moment can generate results.
4 Jun 2026 · 28 min
The world's great powers still dominate the headlines, but they may not be the only countries shaping what comes next within the international order . Anne-Marie Slaughter joins Deep Dish to discuss the rise of middle powers, the future of global cooperation, and why she believes a new order may already be taking shape.z
28 May 2026 · 33 min
Can America's allies still count on the United States? As the Trump administration pulls troops from Europe and reshapes America's defense strategy, former Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Michèle Flournoy explains what's changing and what's at stake. From China and Taiwan to NATO, AI warfare, and the ongoing Iran conflict, she breaks down how America's shifting priorities could reshape global security for years to come.
21 May 2026 · 31 min
President Trump brought some of America's biggest tech leaders — including Elon Musk, Tim Cook, and Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang — to Beijing for a high-stakes summit with Chinese leader Xi Jinping. Council on Foreign Relations' Chris McGuire explains what the talks revealed about AI, export controls, and why the fight over advanced AI chips is becoming one of the most important national security issues facing the US.
14 May 2026 · 32 min
As Trump and Xi meet for a high-stakes summit amid rising tensions over trade, technology, and Taiwan , the US-China relationship is entering another uncertain phase. Stanford University's Oriana Skylar Mastro explains what China ultimately wants , why Beijing may view the United States as increasingly distracted, and what the summit could mean for the future balance of power.
7 May 2026 · 26 min
The Quad was meant to anchor stability in the Indo-Pacific—a way for the United States, India, Japan, and Australia to stay aligned in a rapidly changing region. But shifting US priorities under the second Trump administratio n ar e putting it to the test. Derek Grossman of the Center for a New American Security explains how countries across Asia are adapting, what it means for the Quad, and where US alliances could be headed next.
30 Apr 2026 · 32 min
There seems to be no shortage of global challenges, from aging populations to political gridlocks to immigration. But solutions are emerging in unexpected places. John Kampfner, author of Braver New World , shares what he discovered traveling to 10 countries , including Japan, Estonia, and India , in search of ideas that are actually working . A self-described former "professional pessimist, " he explores what countries can learn from each other an d what 's standing in the way.
23 Apr 2026 · 26 min
The war with Iran isn't just a Middle East story anymore. As a ttacks on s hip s in the Strait of Hormuz disrup t global energy market s , t he economic impacts are being felt by Europe, the United States, and especially the Indo-Pacific. Does the ongoing conflict provide a strategic opening for China ? And h ow is India navigating this new era of complicate d alliances ? James Crabtree, d istinguished f ellow in the Asia p rogram at the European Council on Foreign Relations, break s it down.
16 Apr 2026 · 29 min
As the US-Israel war on Iran continues , the international rules , laws, and norms meant to govern it are collapsing and being rewritten . Does international law still matter? And h ow a re modern conflicts reshaping accountability and impunity ? Former UN High Commissioner for Human Righ ts Lou ise A rbour br eaks d own w hat's changing, whether law s and norms are eroding, and if the se d on't hold—what comes next.
9 Apr 2026 · 24 min
As the United States tightens sanctions and cuts off oil to Cuba, the island is facing deepening economic and humanitarian strain. President Trump has signaled he wants regime change, but what would that actually mean for Cuba, its people, and the region? María de los Angeles Torres of the University of Illinois Chicago unpacks the real impact of US pressure, why sanctions may be backfiring, and what could happen if this crisis deepens.
2 Apr 2026 · 27 min
"This is no longer an Iran war. This is a region-wide war." Fawaz Gerges , of the London School of Economics and Political Science , explains why he believes the conflict has expanded far beyond Iran, what Israel is trying to achieve in Lebanon, and why the search for security may be driving the Middle East toward deeper instability.
26 Mar 2026 · 32 min
Gas prices may be the first way Americans feel the war in Iran, but Catherine Bertini, former executive director of the United Nations World Food Programme, and Michael Werz of the Council on Foreign Relations explain why the deeper impact could unfold across global food systems—where rising energy costs and supply chain disruptions could drive prices higher, worsen hunger, intensify humanitarian pressures, and destabilize vulnerable regions far beyond Iran.
19 Mar 2026 · 28 min
Trump said he would stop wars, not start them. But as the conflict with Iran widens, that promise is under strain. Matt Duss of the Center for International Policy explores what this moment reveals about presidential war powers, the limits of military force, and what this war could mean for the next chapter of US foreign policy.
12 Mar 2026 · 36 min
Just days after US and Israeli strikes on Iran, global leaders gathered in New Delhi for the Raisina Dialogue. As tensions escalated, conversations quickly shifted to urgent questions about war, energy shocks, and the future of the global order. Harsh Pant of the Observer Research Foundation and Karim Haggag of the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute unpack how the world is reading the Iran conflict and where it could be headed next.
4 Mar 2026 · 24 min
US and Israeli strikes on Iran have triggered retaliation across the region, with drones, missiles, grounded flights, and rising oil prices. But what's the actual goal? Is this a short, decisive campaign or the start of something bigger? And if the fighting stops, does the region return to normal or just settle into a tense pause before the next round? From Tel Aviv, former US Ambassador to Israel Daniel Shapiro breaks down what the US and Israel are trying to achieve, the risks involved, and why the outcome is far from clear.
Deep Dish on Global Affairs helps you make sense of our rapidly changing world. Join host Leslie Vinjamuri, President and CEO of the Chicago Council on Global Affairs, as she speaks with thought leaders, journalists, and experts shaping foreign policy and global events. Together, they go beyond the
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