New Year on The Brink: War, Lies, Power and the Collapse of Trust

In this special end of year episode of The Brink, Andrew and Jake look back on 2025, reflecting on the moments, conversations, and events that defined the year and shaped the world we are heading into in 2026.

We revisit some of the standout interviews from the past twelve months, including conversations with Yoav Gallant, Yossi Cohen, Bari Weiss, Tom Holland, Neil Ferguson, and Nick Timothy. From Israeli intelligence and the war in Gaza to extremism in Britain, media failure, and the collapse of Western confidence, we discuss what these guests revealed about the moment we are living through.

The conversation ranges across the year’s biggest themes, including leadership, war, antisemitism, media bias, protest movements, and the growing instability in the Middle East and the West. We also give our picks for moments of the year, figures of the year, and the decisions that left us shaking our heads.

Finally, we look ahead to 2026. We discuss what gives us hope, what worries us most, and whether the West still has the moral and cultural foundations to recover from the crises it faces.

This is a wide ranging and honest reflection on a turbulent year, and a look at what may lie ahead as the world stands once again on the brink.

Don't forget to check out our merch store: https://www.thebrinkmerch.com/

Chapters

00:00 – Looking Back on 2025

04:28 – Israel, War Leadership & October 7

06:07 – Extremism in Britain & Political Failure

09:47 – Immigration, Social Media & Cultural Fragmentation

11:57 – Gaza Protests & Progressive Radicalism

15:06 – Media, Antisemitism & the Trust Crisis

19:43 – Sh*t of the Year

25:17 – Man of the Year

31:13 – Woman of the Year

36:06 – Moment of the Year

39:27 – WTF of the Year: Strategic Blunders

44:04 – Laughter in a Dark Year

45:23 – Hopes, Fears & the World Heading into 2026

52:28 – Final Reflections & What Comes Next

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.