Why the Xi–Trump Meeting Still Matters Strategically

Power tilts, voter moods, and economic pressures collide as shifting swing-state margins, rising price levels, and clashing visions of populism redefine the boundaries of U.S. politics. Marko Papic and Jacob Shapiro traces how competing narratives on inflation, governance, and national identity shape the struggles within both major parties, while global tensions - from tariff battles to uneasy U.S.-China rapprochement - raise the stakes. At its core lies a question: can the political center hold when every lever of power is pulled toward extremes?

--

Timestamps:

(00:00) - Introduction

(00:58) - Personal Anecdotes and Flu Game Discussion

(02:43) - Client Call Story and Michael Jordan Stats

(04:32) - Health Updates and Podcast Menu

(05:14) - Democratic Election Victories Analysis

(06:20) - Republican Challenges and Latino Vote Shift

(08:19) - Potential Democratic Presidential Nominees

(17:27) - Inflation and Economic Policies Debate

(27:12) - Populism and Fiscal Policies

(42:24) - Supreme Court and Tariff Discussions

(45:56) - Uncertainty in Trade Policies

(46:42) - US-China Trade Deal Breakdown

(47:56) - Global Reactions and Comparisons

(49:06) - Public Opinion on Trade

(50:47) - Trump's Trade War and Its Implications

(52:03) - US-China Relations and Future Prospects

(01:11:58) - Venezuela and US Foreign Policy

(01:22:57) - The Future of Global Geopolitics

(01:34:06) - Conclusion and Upcoming Episodes

--

Referenced in the Show:

Communist Reagan - https://x.com/aidannonx/status/1982662832521875962?s=20

--

Geopolitical Cousins is produced and edited by Audiographies LLC. More information at audiographies.com

--

Jacob Shapiro is a speaker, consultant, author, and researcher covering global politics and affairs, economics, markets, technology, history, and culture. He speaks to audiences of all sizes around the world, helps global multinationals make strategic decisions about political risks and opportunities, and works directly with investors to grow and protect their assets in today’s volatile global environment. His insights help audiences across industries like finance, agriculture, and energy make sense of the world.

Jacob Shapiro Site: jacobshapiro.com

Jacob Shapiro LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jacob-l-s-a9337416

Jacob Twitter: x.com/JacobShap

Jacob Shapiro Substack: jashap.substack.com/subscribe

--

Marko Papic is a macro and geopolitical expert at BCA Research, a global investment research firm. He provides in-depth analysis that combines geopolitics and markets in a framework called GeoMacro. He is also the author of Geopolitical Alpha: An Investment Framework for Predicting the Future.

Marko’s Book & Newsletter: www.geopoliticalalpha.com/marko-papic

Marko’s Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marko-papic-geopolitics/

Marko’s Twitter: https://x.com/Geo_papic

Marko’s Macro & Geopolitical Research at BCA: https://www.bcaresearch.com/marketing/geomacro