The Rachman Review 2025: a year of chaos and confusion
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Dec 25, 2025 
In this intriguing discussion, Dan Drezner, a political economy expert from Tufts, Leslie Vinjamuri, president of the Chicago Council, and Asia analyst James Crabtree dive into the tumultuous geopolitical landscape of 2025. They explore Trump's contradictory policies—from his tariff wars to efforts for peace in the Middle East and Ukraine, and shifts in US-China and US-India relations. Public opinion on tariffs, the impact of AI investment, and looming challenges for the 2026 midterms add layers to their analysis of a chaotic year.
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Tariffs Revealed Fragile Rules
- Trump's Liberation Day tariffs exposed a norms-based world order fragile without enforceable rules.
- Dan Drezner argues the tariffs showed Trump's unilateral, slapdash approach and raised US average tariff rates to post-Cold War highs.
Inauguration Signalled Alliance Shift
- Leslie Vinjamuri highlights the inauguration speech as a pivot away from long-standing allied commitments.
- She sees Trump's attack on Canada as a signal that decades of US alliance priorities have shifted.
US-China Improving, US-India Declining
- James Crabtree notes a role reversal: US-China ties improved while US-India relations worsened.
- He attributes this to Trump's tariffs on India and personal diplomatic spats diminishing a decade of positive momentum with New Delhi.