Is America’s place in the world at a crossroads? The New York Times’ Michael D. Shear returns to unpack the first two weeks of Trump's second term and the domestic and international response to an emboldened executive branch wielding unprecedented power.

Ravi and Michael first review the administration’s high-stakes opening moves, from sweeping tariffs to an immigration crackdown, and discuss how a GOP-controlled Congress could enable some of Trump’s most aggressive policies yet. They also examine the Biden administration’s final days and the evolving dynamic between Trump and Obama.

Finally, they turn to the international fallout: Mexico has already deployed troops, Canada is preparing economic retaliation, and China is purported to be weighing its response to an economic showdown, all while Europe braces for its own clash with Washington. Is this a strategic reindustrialization effort or a political gamble with global consequences? With world leaders recalibrating their approach to a more focused and forceful Trump, Ravi and Michael discuss whether we’ve entered a new era of uncertainty.

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Notes from this episode are available on Substack: https://thelostdebate.substack.com/

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