BRICS grows stronger: US threats unify China, India, Russia, as they challenge dollar system

BRICS grows stronger: US threats unify China, India, Russia, as they challenge dollar system

Author: Ben Norton September 13, 2026 Duration: 43:22
Trump's attacks on BRICS have backfired, forcing China, India, and Russia closer together. The Global South-led organization held a summit in New Delhi, where leaders discussed plans to challenge the US dollar system, by connecting new payment systems using local currencies. Ben Norton explains. VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=feQmxuMB2xw Topics 0:00 Rise of BRICS 1:04 BRICS summit in New Delhi 2:52 China and India improve relations 5:10 Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) 7:28 BRICS challenges US dollar system 9:32 Local currency payment systems 14:13 Debates about replacing US dollar 16:19 Central banks stockpile gold 17:43 Gold overtakes US Treasuries in reserves 18:40 Trump threatens BRICS 19:10 Trump's aggression against India 20:29 US strategy to recruit India against China 23:28 Modi, BJP, and Congress 25:41 US attacks on BRICS backfire 27:18 India-Russia relations 29:40 BRICS+: 10 members and 10 partners 30:28 BRICS: 56% of world population 30:51 BRICS: 44% of global GDP 31:56 BRICS overtakes G7 in economy 33:21 Indonesia's PM Prabowo 33:55 Ethiopia's PM Abiy Ahmed 34:35 Vietnam participates in BRICS summit 35:52 Malaysia's PM Anwar supports Iran 37:20 India balances between Iran and Israel 38:27 Internal conflict: UAE attacks Iran 39:43 BRICS agrees to joint statement 40:46 Reform of UN Security Council 42:32 US unilateralism strengthens BRICS 43:12 Outro

Trying to make sense of international headlines often feels like seeing only the ripples on the water's surface, without understanding the powerful currents moving beneath. Geopolitical Economy Report, hosted by journalist Ben Norton, dives into those deeper forces. This isn't just a recap of the day's events; it's a dedicated exploration of how economic systems, historical context, and raw power politics fundamentally shape global conflicts and alliances. Each episode builds on the work of the independent news outlet of the same name, translating its original journalism and analysis into a compelling audio format. You'll hear detailed discussions that connect financial policies to social movements, or trace the historical roots of a modern trade war, always with an eye toward understanding the larger, changing structure of the world. For anyone tired of superficial news cycles and seeking a more substantive, connected perspective on why nations and institutions act the way they do, this podcast offers a crucial and clarifying lens. Tune in for a regular dose of context that the mainstream frequently overlooks.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

Geopolitical Economy Report
Podcast Episodes
Iran war expands: Oil market in crisis as Yemen enters conflict [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:27
The US war against Iran is expanding into a larger regional conflict. After Trump sabotaged a diplomatic agreement, Tehran closed the Strait of Hormuz. Now Yemen's Ansar Allah (known commonly as the Houthis) has declared…
This country is resisting US meddling, and fighting back! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:42
US global dominance is rapidly declining, as China rises. So Washington wants to forcibly impose its hegemony in Latin America, invoking the colonial Monroe Doctrine. However, people are fighting back. Nicaragua's Sandin…
Trump restarts war on Iran, but has no way out: The US lost [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:04
Donald Trump violated the diplomatic agreement and restarted the war, bombing Iran and re-imposing a naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. Ben Norton explains why the US government will fail, because it has no plan and…
Americans are NOT wealthy: The truth about the US economy [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:27
Many Western economists and media outlets claim that Americans are wealthier than Europeans, but this is not true; it's based on a misunderstanding of the difference between average wealth and median wealth. Ben Norton e…
He accidentally revealed the truth about the US strategy for Iran [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:13
What is the US strategy in its war against Iran? Is the Trump administration seriously committed to negotiations to make a deal? JD Vance accidentally exposed the USA's plan, to use the talks to buy time to refill oil re…
This scandal says everything about the West's hypocrisy [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:30
The US-based right-wing Chinese billionaire Miles Guo (Guo Wengui), who worked closely with Donald Trump advisor Steve Bannon, was sentenced to 30 years in prison for committing $1 billion of fraud. Ben Norton explains h…
The real reason US Big Tech corporations fear China [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:07
US Big Tech corporations are paying influencers to spread anti-China, pro-AI disinformation on social media. Ben Norton explains why Silicon Valley fears Chinese competition and seeks to monopolize artificial intelligenc…
Will Israel sabotage the Iran deal? Will Trump allow it? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 19:58
The USA and Iran are holding negotiations to end the war, but Tehran condemned Washington for violating the agreement, because Israel keeps attacking Lebanon. US Vice President JD Vance appeared to criticize Israel, but…
It's official: Iran won the war, and the US lost. This is how [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:13
The US government has signed an agreement to end its war on Iran. It is now widely admitted that Washington lost, and Tehran won. Ben Norton explains why Donald Trump failed, and how this has massive geopolitical implica…