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CATEGORY: INTERNATIONAL (10 MIN)

America’s New Tone with Europe

President Donald Trump’s administration has created much division of opinion abroad. Some media outlets in major European allies of the U.S. have blasted America’s leadership for taking an aggressive stance towards the Old World’s traditional powers. But other nations and leaders have praised the results of the 2024 election and the new administration’s policy positions. These all agree on one thing: Trump has brought major change to America’s relationship with Europe.

Sohrab Ahmari, writing in UnHerd, discusses his recent interview with Vice President JD Vance on the Trump administration’s dealings with Europe. Ahmari and Vance talked about the recent increase in tariffs on European nations, which were followed by a partial reduction. Vance said the goal of the tariff policy is to reduce trade deficits that have allowed countries to make American markets “absorb their surplus exports.”

Ahmari asked Vance about the overall reasons for the Trump administration’s harsher tone in cross-Atlantic affairs. Vance argued that Europe’s current position as the “permanent security vassal of the United States” is a bad thing, and he hopes European leaders plan to take their role and their voters’ motivations more seriously. Vance emphasized that this is especially important in regard to their nations’ militaries and immigration.

Ahmari’s conversation with Vance touched on many other topics, such as the Ukraine-Russia war, immigration policy, and even Vance’s social media habits. To learn more, read Ahmari’s piece right here. ​

Weekly Poll

Should the US pressure European leaders to take more responsibility for their nations?

[A] Yes
[B] No
[C] Unsure

RESULTS: 4/10/2025

Should the US focus more on trade with India?

[A] Yes - 57.1%
[B] No - 25.7%
​​​​​​[C] Unsure - 17.1%

CATEGORY: ECONOMY (36 MIN)

Trades and trade-offs

The global marketplace has entered a time of major uncertainty in the wake of the Trump administration’s recent tariff increases. Some scholars argue that the tariffs are a net negative for both the American and the world economy, while economists and policymakers on board with the changes have argued they will bring long-term success.

For The New York Times and his podcast Interesting Times, ISI alum Ross Douthat interviews Oren Cass, the economist who founded American Compass, on the advantages and disadvantages of the Trump tariff policies. Cass argues that although the stock market has been successful in recent years (with the major exception of the pandemic), “the actual well-being and flourishing” of middle-class Americans has declined.

Douthat questions the connection between this concept of human flourishing and trade policy. Cass answers by pointing to the loss of manufacturing jobs that diversify opportunities for young men and provide good wages for those with less education. Cass places much of the blame for this trend with globalization, which he believes has generated “well-placed frustration” with working Americans.

Douthat also asks whether an overall drop in economic prosperity, especially as measured by usual metrics, is worth the effort to help blue-collar America. Cass replies that it is a “trade-off we should be willing to make,” arguing that the direction tariffs take the country in is “much stronger and healthier” in the long run.

To learn more, listen to the podcast episode (or read the transcript) with our NYT guest link here.​​​​​​