Ian Bremmer - Top Geopolitical Risks of 2025 | Prof G Conversations

Ian Bremmer, the president and founder of the Eurasia Group, joins Scott to discuss what he believes are the year’s top geopolitical risks. These risks include the breakdown of the global order, Trump’s return to office, along with escalating tensions between major powers all over the world.

Follow Ian, @ianbremmer.

00:00 Introduction
00:20 Eurasia Group's 2025 risks report says we're heading back to the 'law of the jungle.' What does that mean?
5:50 Given how we're handling Iran, Russia, and China, do you think the U.S. is still the king of the jungle?
10:59 Given the U.S. dominance, do you think our alliances, like NATO, are weakening and making the world more dangerous?
14:26 Trump’s tough talk got allies to spend more, but will it take them a long time to catch up to the U.S. in defense?
17:50 With big donors calling the shots, has America become a kleptocracy?
20:53 Do you think what happened in Syria is a net positive or negative for the West, especially with Assad gone?
23:40 Do you think Israel’s actions will make the Middle East safer and more pro-West?
29:12 Do you think Israel is waging this war more humanely than any Western nation has?
33:15 Is there a double standard in how we view violence by Israel versus others, like in Syria or Yemen?
36:24 How can TikTok stop being used to spread division and foreign influence?
39:19 Is Ukraine headed for partition?
43:21 What’s exciting and what's worrying you about your business in 2025?

#scottgalloway #podcast #tiktok #middleeast #ukrainewar #israle #hamasvsisrael #nato #geopolitics #war #iranisraelwar #russiaukrainewar #profg #scottgalloway #profgmarkets

[flyoutchase]

Prof G views on Israel always make my stomach hurt…overall good discussion

[THEAWESOMEGHOST]

I’m a gulf Arab living in the Middle East, American educated. The gulf was ridiculously pro US and culturally the most popular restaurants were McDonald’s and Starbucks, the most popular cars GMCs, the most popular second (or even first) language of the younger generations English. Everyone watches Hollywood movies and plays American video games.

Scott is really, REALLY underestimating the effect Palestine has had on American perception in the Arab world. Starbucks sales fell by 90% in multiple GCC countries (not to 90%…. By 90%). McDonald’s is boycotted. Even Pepsi and Coke are losing market share to local brands. America had a complete cultural victory in the gulf and wiped it out within a year.

Sure it affects pockets and people can vote with their wallets, but this will affect the perception of “the west” for generations to come, and China is ready to fill that gap immediately here.

[zekliv]

Great points from Ian Bremmer on the Israel - Palestine issue. Very well said

[Michael-ntrp]

Ian, you are on the right track. It’s an American tragedy to let a man like Trump destroy what we stand for.

[higgleopss]

"Our political system is increasingly not representative, it is increasingly captured by money" This is not just immoral, it is dangerous.

[debborodin]

Isreal struggles eith support because of their own actions. As holocaust survivors it is inexplicable to me that they are treating Palestinians the way they are. Netanyahu is a far right, war criminal who deserves to be put under trial, of course that won't happen

[sannip]

The reason the Euro allies are spending more on defense has nothing to do with Trump, but with Putin's invasion of Ukraine.

[IanJames]

What a load of BS, Israel is strong due to US dollars and military equipment. Period!

[donjuan_]

calling Israel's actions precise or saying they will make the west world a better place is so deeply embarrassing of Scott to say. It's shocking how someone who is normally so intelligent can be laid so low and made such a buffoon in his shameless unconditional support for Israel even as it kills far in excess of what is necessary. Shocking.

[sosofilms]

As a Georgian, Eastern European International student studying in US, I'm genuinely surprised by the number of Americans romanticizing The Soviet Union and socialism in opposed to capitalism, I'm even more surprised by the level of Incompetency of American politicians who after so many Russian assaults towards its neighbours, including Georgia, they still call Putin a president not a terrorist and push Zelensky to seat at "peace" negotiations with a world criminal Putin who voluntarily sends Russian troops as War meat to Ukraine.
How many times should we see Putin attack Eu til we as a humanity condemn him ?! in his lifetime he has started more than 4 wars on its bordering neighbours, the fact that the West is willingly pushing Zelensky to deal with the DEvil already makes me vomit to 2025 mankind rules
It's insane, disrespectful and inhumane, who is going to built Ukraine? Putin destroyed so many cities and will go out without any punishment? that's absurd, of course soon after he will start another war.

[mats]

I lost all trust in Scott Galloway in this video. What a completely heartless stance towards the Palestinians.

[CuriousPersonUSA]

29:12 Do you think Israel is waging this war more humanely than any Western nation has?
1- The US claims that the number of Civilian killed during the 20 years war in Afghanistan is about than 46K which is less than the civilians killed in gaza within 1 year. So your argument is factually wrong!

2- I really find it funny that you are equating Palestinians to the Nazis. They are not an aggressive superpower hell bent on conquering the world. They are occupied people for 76 years. When people are occupied with ethnic cleansing an apartheid as official policy they will never lose. Look at the history of European colonization in Algeria and Libya for example where millions of civilians were killed and it never ended well for the occupier. You can go back as far as the crusades.

33:15 Is there a double standard in how we view violence by Israel versus others, like in Syria or Yemen?
You are arguing that Israel should have a license to kill civilians and you are offended that they don't. Maybe you should re-examine your moral values!

[relicreturns]

Scott's takes on the middle East are a nice reminder that despite the access to the best people, news, information and resources that immense wealth cannot be bought

[mike]

The debatable but glaringly obvious counterargument to allies arming themselves being good is that it undermines a monopoly on force. It's good in the present, but not always guaranteed in the long term.

[Kalyanraj]

Ian Bremmer unlike a lot of geopolitics expert is always nice to hear. Logical, full of great theories and insight full takes

[debborodin]

What about the collateral damage in these conflicts? It's people, ordinary people who are being killed every day

[christopherchomiuk]

I'd argue that the primary incentive for criticism of Israel from the West is less based on the concept that they're Jews and Jews face more criticism from everybody, and it's more about the fact that people criticize Democracies more because we expect better of them than we do Dictatorships. We expect more of ourselves in the US than we do dictatorships too. Israel being Jewish doesn't exempt it from that rule. Netanyahu would like us to believe that the primary motivation for criticism from the West is antisemitism, but he uses that every time he gets criticized on anything from the West because he knows we're very sensitive to being called antisemites and we back off. It's the same strategy Putin uses to keep the US from getting more deeply involved in Ukraine... "war is bad and this is somehow the West's fault because we felt threatened by them and thought NATO would invade"... Putin doesn't believe any of this, but believes that we might believe it about ourselves, and it might inhibit us.

[samuele.marcora]

Spending more money in the military instead of health and education is not a net benefit. It's a tragedy

[USAelder]

Mr. Bremmer's view of the world almost perfectly expresses my own view, especially regarding the Palestinians. Prof G's - not even close.

[a.bodhichenevey]

Outstanding podcast. I am 75 year old Vietnam Combat Veteran and I need men like you two to help me understand how the world has changed since my younger, productive days! Thank you!