Trump's tariffs: Are they here to stay?

Trump's tariffs: Are they here to stay?

Author: Chatham House February 27, 2026 Duration: 29:25

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, director of the Global Economy and Finance programme at Chatham House, and down the line from Washington, Heather Hurlburt, a consulting fellow in our US and North America Programme.

 

Presented by Bronwen Maddox. Produced by Sara Seth and Stephen Farrell.

 

Subscribe to Independent Thinking wherever you find your podcasts.

 

Chatham House's latest:

Comment | Trump's tariff strategy is alive and well by Jennifer Lind

Video | Roberta Metsola – A new Westphalia to avoid western failure

Video | Al Carns – Acting on the SDR: Britain's defence in 2026 at Chatham House's Security and Defence conference


Hosted by Chatham House director Bronwen Maddox, Independent Thinking brings the institute’s private deliberations into the public ear. This isn’t a rehearsed lecture series, but a direct channel into candid, high-level discussions typically held behind closed doors. Maddox guides conversations with a carefully selected mix of leading policymakers, frontline journalists, and Chatham House’s own deep bench of experts, focusing on the international political issues that are shaping headlines and rewriting global strategies. The tone is analytical yet accessible, privileging substance and nuance over soundbites. Each episode feels like a privileged seat at a crucial roundtable, where complex topics-from shifting alliances and economic sanctions to climate diplomacy and conflict-are unpacked with clarity and intellectual rigor. Listeners gain a clearer understanding of the forces driving world events, hearing diverse perspectives clash and converge in real time. For anyone looking to move beyond the superficial news cycle and engage with the substantive arguments defining our geopolitics, this podcast offers an essential and thoughtful resource. It’s where informed opinion meets the pressing questions of our moment, fostering a deeper kind of political literacy.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Independent Thinking
Podcast Episodes
Will the US continue to support Israel? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:58
In this special episode, Bronwen Maddox interviews a key figure in US foreign policy to the Middle East for over a decade, Ambassador Dennis Ross. Ambassador Ross engaged directly with both Israeli and Palestinian partie…
Which country is next to go nuclear? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 40:30
This week, Bronwen Maddox discusses whether we are seeing a resurgence of the threat posed by nuclear weapons, given recent events in the Middle East and rhetoric from world leaders. She is joined by Robert E Kelly, Prof…
Is time running out for Ukraine? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:48
Bronwen Maddox is joined this week by journalist Oz Katerji and Phillips P. O'Brien, a Professor of Strategic Studies at the University of St Andrews. Joining them both in the studio is Ukrainian journalist Olga Tokariuk…
Are Israel and Iran on the brink of all out war? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:07
Bronwen Maddox is joined this week by Sanam Vakil, the director of our Middle East programme to discuss Iran's missile attack on Israel and the possible consequences across the region. Joining them both are Professor Yos…
Has the world forgotten Sudan? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:51
Bronwen Maddox is joined this week by Mohammed al-Ta'ishi, a civilian member of Sudan's Sovereignty Council - where he served as the chief negotiator and main architect of the Juba Peace Agreement. Joining them both are…
Has Turkey turned against Recep Tayyip Erdoğan? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:33
Bronwen Maddox is joined by Soli Özel, a Professor of International Relations at Istanbul Kadir Has University, and Hürcan Aslı Aksoy, the Head of the Centre for Applied Turkey Studies at the German Institute for Interna…
Can Germany lead in a divided Europe? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:21
Bronwen Maddox is joined this week by Mujtaba Rahman, the Managing Director Europe of the Eurasia Group and Georgina Wright, a Senior Fellow with Institut Montaigne. Joining them all is journalist John Kampfner, the form…
Senegal, Nigeria and the Sahel: can democracy deliver in West Africa? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:39
Bronwen Maddox is joined from Dakar, Senegal by Gilles Yabi, the founder and CEO of WATHI, the West Africa Citizen Think Tank and Idayat Hassan, a Senior Associate with CSIS. Joining them in the Chatham House studio is P…
China's National People's Congress: the view from Japan [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:48
Bronwen Maddox is in Japan this week, and is joined from Taipei by journalist Bethany Allen to discuss China's National People's Congress and the political calculations of Beijing's neighbours. Joining them are Robert Wa…

«1...678910