The More Freedom Foundation Podcast

In this episode of The More Freedom Foundation Podcast , Rob Morris challenges the familiar story of an isolationist America standing on the sidelines between the First and Second World Wars. His argument is that the United States had enormous economic and political influence over Europe after 1918 — and that a series of American decisions helped create the conditions in which Adolf Hitler rose to...

Rob Morris and Ruairí examine one of Rob’s longest-running predictions: that Saudi Arabia's government will not survive in its current form beyond 2030. With Saudi Arabia facing renewed conflict with Yemen’s Houthis, missile and drone attacks, and mounting pressure on its ambitious economic transformation plans, is the kingdom approaching a crisis that even its vast oil wealth cannot overcome?...

Rob Morris is joined by Dr. Jennifer Kavanagh , Senior Fellow and Director of Military Analysis at Defense Priorities, to discuss why the United States needs to rethink its military commitments in Asia — and whether its current approach to China is making the world more dangerous. Drawing on her report, A Second Island Chain Strategy for Asia , Kavanagh challenges the conventional wisdom that Amer...

What happens when the institutions shaping American foreign policy have a financial and ideological interest in seeing the world through the lens of endless conflict? On this episode of The More Freedom Foundation Podcast , Rob Morris takes a deep dive into the Hudson Institute, a Washington think tank with a history stretching back to the Cold War and the nuclear strategists who sought to make nu...

With Saudi Arabia launching a renewed offensive against the Houthis, and comparisons being drawn with the rapid fall of Assad, Rob and Ruairí explore why these two conflicts are fundamentally different. From the Houthis’ roots in Yemeni society and their relative independence from Iran to the fractured opposition they face, there are plenty of reasons to be sceptical of predictions that they will...

Pakistan has spent much of its modern history caught between powerful neighbours, competing foreign powers and an enormously influential military establishment. In this episode of The More Freedom Foundation Podcast , Rob Morris and Ruairi take a deep dive into how Pakistan got here — and why the country remains so politically fragile. The conversation goes all the way back to British India and Pa...

Rob and Ruairi take a deep dive into the renewed Saudi-Yemen conflict and the rapidly changing situation on the ground in Yemen. Why did Saudi Arabia restart its war with the Houthis? What does the Houthis’ recent territorial advance mean for the conflict, and for Saudi Arabia itself? And why has a war that has dragged on for more than a decade suddenly become so important for oil markets and glob...

Why is Western democracy struggling — and is the problem bigger than Donald Trump? Rob Morris and Ruairi discuss Les Coleman’s Aeon essay Why Western democracy is ailing and how to fix it , examining the legacy of Reaganism and Thatcherism, deregulation, privatisation, inequality, corporate power, rising debt and the weakening of public institutions. They also get into the 2008 financial crisis, w...

Tom Cotton is an unusual figure in American politics. Harvard-educated, a former Army officer who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, highly disciplined and seemingly determined to succeed, he has built what looks like the perfect résumé for a Republican politician. So why does Rob Morris think Tom Cotton should never become President? In this episode of The More Freedom Foundation Podcast, Rob takes...

In this episode of The More Freedom Foundation Podcast , Rob Morris and Ruairi take a deep dive into the Trump administration's savage approach to Latin America, arguing that U.S. policy has shifted toward a far more confrontational and coercive model than at any point in almost a century. The conversation explores the historical roots of U.S. involvement in the region, from the Monroe Doctrin...

Six months after the outbreak of the Iran war, the conflict has entered a new phase. Initial predictions have given way to a more complex reality, with the United States, Iran, Israel, China, and the global economy all facing consequences that few anticipated. Other than us, that is. In this episode, Rob Morris provides a comprehensive update on the state of the war, examining why the United State...

In today's episode Rob & Ruairi discuss the rise of Japan at the beginning of the 20th century. We are aided in our discussion by the extraordinary book The Other Great Game: The Opening of Korea and the Birth of Modern East Asia By Sheila Miyoshi Jager. The Sino -Japanese War (1894-1895) and the Russo-Japanese War (1904-1905) are commonly discussed as brief coming out parties for Japanese...

In this episode of The More Freedom Foundation Podcast , hosts Rob Morris and Ruairi unpack one of the most overlooked stories in global economics: America's intervention to support the Japanese yen. Was it an act of solidarity with a key ally—or a desperate move to protect the U.S. economy as fears of a global recession continue to grow? The discussion explores the unique economic relationship be...

We’re celebrating roughly 200 episodes of The More Freedom Foundation Podcast with a special Q&A episode. Rob and Ruairi answer questions sent in by listeners on Discord and Twitter, covering everything from war and geopolitics to travel, politics, the future of the podcast and the differences between the two hosts. Among the questions discussed: Have you started supporting Ukraine now? What w...

Spain is quietly becoming one of Europe's biggest success stories. While much of the continent struggles with political instability and economic stagnation, Spain is enjoying some of the fastest growth in Europe, driven by migration, renewable energy, and a surprisingly resilient political system. In this episode, Rob and Ruairi explore how Spain has transformed from one of Europe's "...

Is Marco Rubio really the Republican Party's "safe pair of hands" for 2028—or is that just wishful thinking? In this episode of The More Freedom Foundation Podcast , Ruairi and Rob Morris take a deep dive into the life, career, and political evolution of Marco Rubio. From his family's Cuban roots and his rise through Florida politics to his central role in the Trump administration, they examine wh...

Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has transformed Turkey from a fragile democracy into an increasingly authoritarian state. His grip on power may be stronger than ever. The discussion explores Erdoğan's political legacy, the collapse of Turkey's democratic opposition, the imprisonment of Istanbul's mayor, and how conflicts in Syria , Ukraine , and the wider Middle East have reshaped Turkey's ge...

Sudan is facing one of the worst humanitarian catastrophes of the 21st century, yet much of the world is barely paying attention. In this episode, we examine the brutal civil war between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), why many analysts argue this is no longer simply a civil war but a regional proxy conflict, and how foreign powers have helped fuel the violence....

Just two years after leading Labour to a historic 2024 election victory, Keir Starmer is facing mounting criticism, declining public support, and growing speculation about his political future. What went wrong, and what does it reveal about the deeper problems facing Britain? In this episode of the More Freedom Foundation Podcast , we go beyond the headlines to examine Starmer's political jour...

We take a closer look at the recently announced Memorandum of Understanding between the United States and Iran and what it could mean for the future of relations between the two countries. We break down what the agreement contains, the events that led to it, and the potential implications for regional security, diplomacy, sanctions, and international politics. We also discuss the reactions from su...

Rob Morris sits down with military historian Anusar Farooqui to discuss the geopolitical implications of the Iran War and what it reveals about the changing balance of power in the international system. The conversation explores why conventional assumptions about American military dominance may no longer hold, the strategic challenges facing the United States in its confrontation with Iran, and ho...

We take a closer look at the headlines surrounding Peter Thiel's reported move to Argentina and ask whether one of Silicon Valley's most influential billionaires is really relocating, or simply spending a few years abroad while maintaining the ability to move wherever he chooses. We explore why Argentina has become a magnet for libertarian investors and political figures, the relationship between...

Is the time finally right for a lasting peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine? In this episode of The More Freedom Foundation Podcast, host Rob Morris examines the state of the war, the geopolitical forces that helped shape the conflict, and the growing case for a negotiated settlement. Drawing on Ukraine's complex post-Soviet history, Rob explores how decades of competition between Russia an...

Rob Morris is joined once again by political commentator and cultural critic JJ McCullough for a wide-ranging conversation on global politics, public opinion, and the future of American power. The discussion begins with JJ’s scepticism toward the politics and growing popularity of Zohran Mamdani, exploring what his rise says about modern progressive movements and the changing political culture in...

We’re joined once again by JJ McCullough for a wide-ranging conversation on Iran’s nuclear program, nationalism, and the global politics of proliferation. JJ explores why Iran’s nuclear ambitions cannot simply be understood through the lens of regime ideology or Western security concerns, but instead as part of a deeper story about national identity, prestige, and geopolitical insecurity. We discu...