The Monocle Daily A political scandal shakes the White House. Plus: the UK rejoins the EU’s Erasmus scheme
Dec 17, 2025
Join Rebecca Tinsley, a journalist and human rights advocate, and Michael Peel, the science editor at the Financial Times, as they dive into the political fallout from a revealing Vanity Fair interview with Donald Trump’s chief of staff. They explore the implications of USAID cuts on nonprofits and discuss the UK’s return to the Erasmus exchange, debating whether this signals renewed cooperation with Europe. With insights on refugee rights and the evolving political landscape, it's a lively conversation filled with pressing global issues.
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Public Remarks Match Known Patterns
- Susie Wiles' Vanity Fair interview revealed candid criticisms of colleagues and policy that align with existing reporting rather than being inexplicable slip-ups.
- Michael Peel suggests the extensive, formal interviews make it hard to reframe her comments as out-of-context remarks.
How One NGO Gamified A Funding Test
- Rebecca Tinsley described how the Free Yazidi Foundation lost US State funding on inauguration day and had to stop projects.
- They answered a 32-point Musk-era questionnaire by marking "Christian" for all items and regained funding as the only Middle East NGO to do so.
Foundations Can't Substitute State Aid
- Private foundations cannot replace large government aid cuts and struggle to fill resulting gaps.
- Michael Peel and Rebecca Tinsley both note that systemic, ideologically driven reductions in state aid cause lasting damage NGOs cannot remedy alone.