Let's talk about the National Security Strategy! American policy is entering its “choose-your-own-adventure” era, where fiscal dreams meet bond-market reality, and every global problem looks oddly like a mortgage-rate issue. What happens when primacy of nations collides with actual nations... some of which are run by people you wouldn’t trust with your lawnmower? Marko and Jacob step up to trade pitches on Trump’s “peace,” Venezuela’s theatrics, Honduras’ magical disappearing red lines, and whether geopolitics is now basically just offshore balancing with better PR. Enjoy!

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Timestamps:

(00:00) - Geopolitical Cousins

(01:14) - Raccoon Story and Algorithm Talk

(02:40) - Basketball and Leadership Analogies

(05:54) - Geopolitics Starts lol

(06:10) - Trump Accounts and Economic Policies

(21:17) - National Security Strategy Discussion

(47:04) - Critique of US Foreign Policy Rigidity

(47:18) - Pragmatism in US Foreign Policy

(47:35) - US Stance on Iran and Social Issues

(48:33) - Historical Context and Containment Policy

(49:24) - Flexible Foreign Policy and Realism

(50:37) - US Actions in Venezuela and Honduras

(56:38) - Venezuela's Oil and US Interests

(58:44) - Honduras' Strategic Importance

(01:01:55) - US Hypocrisy in Foreign Policy

(01:03:19) - National Security Strategy and Global Military Presence

(01:08:11) - Debate on Multipolar World and US Strategy

(01:23:14) - AI, Crypto, and National Security

(01:29:32) - Conclusion and Final Thoughts

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Referenced in the Show:

National Security Strategy Document - https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/2025-National-Security-Strategy.pdf

--

Geopolitical Cousins is produced and edited by Audiographies LLC. More information at audiographies.com

--

Jacob Shapiro is a speaker, consultant, author, and researcher covering global politics and affairs, economics, markets, technology, history, and culture. He speaks to audiences of all sizes around the world, helps global multinationals make strategic decisions about political risks and opportunities, and works directly with investors to grow and protect their assets in today’s volatile global environment. His insights help audiences across industries like finance, agriculture, and energy make sense of the world.

Jacob Shapiro Site: jacobshapiro.com

Jacob Shapiro LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jacob-l-s-a9337416

Jacob Twitter: x.com/JacobShap

Jacob Shapiro Substack: jashap.substack.com/subscribe

--

Marko Papic is a macro and geopolitical expert at BCA Research, a global investment research firm. He provides in-depth analysis that combines geopolitics and markets in a framework called GeoMacro. He is also the author of Geopolitical Alpha: An Investment Framework for Predicting the Future.

Marko’s Book & Newsletter: www.geopoliticalalpha.com/marko-papic

Marko’s Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marko-papic-geopolitics/

Marko’s Twitter: https://x.com/Geo_papic

Marko’s Macro & Geopolitical Research at BCA: https://www.bcaresearch.com/marketing/geomacro

Rising political extremes, shifting alliances, and competing visions of global order collide as leaders improvise their way through economic anxiety and geopolitical recalibration. Matt Gertken hops into the fray to help the cousins probe the uncomfortable overlap between left-wing populism and right-wing nationalism, the strategic ambiguity surrounding Taiwan, and the high-stakes bargaining shaping the future of Ukraine. What happens when power politics, domestic fragility, and global insecurity all peak at the same time?

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Timestamps:

(00:00) - Introduction and Episode Setup

(00:40) - Trump and Momani's Unlikely Friendship

(02:17) - Analyzing Trump's Political Moves

(13:05) - Japan-China Tensions Escalate

(17:54) - Geopolitical Implications for Taiwan

(30:20) - Russia-Ukraine Peace Plan Discussion

(37:19) - Europe's Commitment to Ukraine

(38:34) - Ukraine's Strategic Calculations

(39:21) - Ukrainian Public Sentiment

(40:43) - Debating Russia's Military Competence

(43:10) - The 28-Point Plan and Zelensky's Political Future

(43:34) - Economic Interests and Rebuilding Ukraine

(44:38) - Security Guarantees and Diplomatic Challenges

(56:50) - Trump's Role and Strategic Ambitions

(01:01:39) - Conspiracy Theories and Speculations

(01:02:40) - Debating China's Role in the Russia-Ukraine Conflict

(01:03:50) - Speculating on Ukraine's Future and European Dynamics

(01:05:36) - Potential Outcomes of a Russia-Ukraine Peace Deal

(01:11:16) - Historical Analogies and Russia's Political Future

(01:21:06) - Geopolitical Shifts and the Role of China

(01:26:49) - Thanksgiving Anecdotes and Closing Remarks

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Referenced in the Show:

--

Geopolitical Cousins is produced and edited by Audiographies LLC. More information at audiographies.com

--

Jacob Shapiro is a speaker, consultant, author, and researcher covering global politics and affairs, economics, markets, technology, history, and culture. He speaks to audiences of all sizes around the world, helps global multinationals make strategic decisions about political risks and opportunities, and works directly with investors to grow and protect their assets in today’s volatile global environment. His insights help audiences across industries like finance, agriculture, and energy make sense of the world.

Jacob Shapiro Site: jacobshapiro.com

Jacob Shapiro LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jacob-l-s-a9337416

Jacob Twitter: x.com/JacobShap

Jacob Shapiro Substack: jashap.substack.com/subscribe

--

Marko Papic is a macro and geopolitical expert at BCA Research, a global investment research firm. He provides in-depth analysis that combines geopolitics and markets in a framework called GeoMacro. He is also the author of Geopolitical Alpha: An Investment Framework for Predicting the Future.

Marko’s Book & Newsletter: www.geopoliticalalpha.com/marko-papic

Marko’s Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marko-papic-geopolitics/

Marko’s Twitter: https://x.com/Geo_papic

Marko’s Macro & Geopolitical Research at BCA: https://www.bcaresearch.com/marketing/geomacro

Jacob and Marko finally caved to the mob on X and did what everyone (one guy who asked nicely) keeps yelling at them to do - rank the top five geopolitical U.S. presidents and the bottom five disasters. Not the best presidents. Not the most “inspirational.” The most geopolitically competent… and the ones who should never have been allowed within 500 feet of foreign policy.

It gets spicy. Lincoln shows up with ruthless brilliance, Polk rolls in like the ultimate expansionist psychopath, Teddy swings a big stick (and probably breaks a few ribs), and then we get to the bottom five - where the real chaos lives.

Why do some leaders bend history while others trip over it? And what happens when the world’s biggest superpower forgets the stakes?

--

Timestamps:

(00:00) - Best Intro Ever

(00:42) - Listener Reactions and Content Expectations

(01:43) - Current Events and Personal Opinions

(02:37) - Coffee Rant and Personal Preferences

(05:07) - Geopolitical Anecdotes and Personal Stories

(09:58) - Top Five Geopolitical US Presidents

(14:10) - Debating Presidential Competence

(46:05) - Reagan's Foreign Policy and the Gulf War

(46:56) - George HW Bush's Strategic Decisions

(48:29) - Bush's Approach to China and Tiananmen Square

(49:54) - Theodore Roosevelt's Foreign Policy Legacy

(50:58) - Comparing Presidential Foreign Policies

(54:50) - Honorable Mentions and Controversial Picks

(01:10:17) - Worst Foreign Policy Presidents

(01:20:14) - LBJ's Economic and War Policies((01:21:14 George W. Bush's Foreign Policy Failures

(01:22:12) - The Impact of Al-Qaeda and the War on Terror

(01:26:07) - Truman's Geopolitical Blunders

(01:32:26) - Bill Clinton's Missed Opportunities

(01:39:36) - Eisenhower's Domino Theory and CIA Operations

(01:48:39) - Biden's Foreign Policy Critique

(01:59:18) - Final Thoughts and Reflections

--

Geopolitical Cousins is produced and edited by Audiographies LLC. More information at audiographies.com

--

Jacob Shapiro is a speaker, consultant, author, and researcher covering global politics and affairs, economics, markets, technology, history, and culture. He speaks to audiences of all sizes around the world, helps global multinationals make strategic decisions about political risks and opportunities, and works directly with investors to grow and protect their assets in today’s volatile global environment. His insights help audiences across industries like finance, agriculture, and energy make sense of the world.

Jacob Shapiro Site: jacobshapiro.com

Jacob Shapiro LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jacob-l-s-a9337416

Jacob Twitter: x.com/JacobShap

Jacob Shapiro Substack: jashap.substack.com/subscribe

--

Marko Papic is a macro and geopolitical expert at BCA Research, a global investment research firm. He provides in-depth analysis that combines geopolitics and markets in a framework called GeoMacro. He is also the author of Geopolitical Alpha: An Investment Framework for Predicting the Future.

Marko’s Book & Newsletter: www.geopoliticalalpha.com/marko-papic

Marko’s Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marko-papic-geopolitics/

Marko’s Twitter: https://x.com/Geo_papic

Marko’s Macro & Geopolitical Research at BCA: https://www.bcaresearch.com/marketing/geomacro

Power tilts, voter moods, and economic pressures collide as shifting swing-state margins, rising price levels, and clashing visions of populism redefine the boundaries of U.S. politics. Marko Papic and Jacob Shapiro traces how competing narratives on inflation, governance, and national identity shape the struggles within both major parties, while global tensions - from tariff battles to uneasy U.S.-China rapprochement - raise the stakes. At its core lies a question: can the political center hold when every lever of power is pulled toward extremes?

--

Timestamps:

(00:00) - Introduction

(00:58) - Personal Anecdotes and Flu Game Discussion

(02:43) - Client Call Story and Michael Jordan Stats

(04:32) - Health Updates and Podcast Menu

(05:14) - Democratic Election Victories Analysis

(06:20) - Republican Challenges and Latino Vote Shift

(08:19) - Potential Democratic Presidential Nominees

(17:27) - Inflation and Economic Policies Debate

(27:12) - Populism and Fiscal Policies

(42:24) - Supreme Court and Tariff Discussions

(45:56) - Uncertainty in Trade Policies

(46:42) - US-China Trade Deal Breakdown

(47:56) - Global Reactions and Comparisons

(49:06) - Public Opinion on Trade

(50:47) - Trump's Trade War and Its Implications

(52:03) - US-China Relations and Future Prospects

(01:11:58) - Venezuela and US Foreign Policy

(01:22:57) - The Future of Global Geopolitics

(01:34:06) - Conclusion and Upcoming Episodes

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Referenced in the Show:

Communist Reagan - https://x.com/aidannonx/status/1982662832521875962?s=20

--

Geopolitical Cousins is produced and edited by Audiographies LLC. More information at audiographies.com

--

Jacob Shapiro is a speaker, consultant, author, and researcher covering global politics and affairs, economics, markets, technology, history, and culture. He speaks to audiences of all sizes around the world, helps global multinationals make strategic decisions about political risks and opportunities, and works directly with investors to grow and protect their assets in today’s volatile global environment. His insights help audiences across industries like finance, agriculture, and energy make sense of the world.

Jacob Shapiro Site: jacobshapiro.com

Jacob Shapiro LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jacob-l-s-a9337416

Jacob Twitter: x.com/JacobShap

Jacob Shapiro Substack: jashap.substack.com/subscribe

--

Marko Papic is a macro and geopolitical expert at BCA Research, a global investment research firm. He provides in-depth analysis that combines geopolitics and markets in a framework called GeoMacro. He is also the author of Geopolitical Alpha: An Investment Framework for Predicting the Future.

Marko’s Book & Newsletter: www.geopoliticalalpha.com/marko-papic

Marko’s Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marko-papic-geopolitics/

Marko’s Twitter: https://x.com/Geo_papic

Marko’s Macro & Geopolitical Research at BCA: https://www.bcaresearch.com/marketing/geomacro

Sanctions, alliances, and power balances are shifting faster than markets can price them. Marko Papic and Jacob Shapiro look at the U.S. Treasury’s crackdown on Russian oil, the fragility of global energy flows, and the illusion of stability in a world built on competing pain thresholds. Between Washington’s brinkmanship, Moscow’s resolve, and Beijing’s quiet calculation, this episode dissects how endurance—not strategy—defines modern geopolitics, and why every great power eventually meets its limit.

--

Timestamps:

(00:00) - Introduction and Podcast Promotion

(00:20) - US-Russia Relations and Sanctions

(02:02) - Ukraine Conflict and Ceasefire Prospects

(06:03) - European Energy Dependence on Russia

(11:36) - Trump's Foreign Policy and Strategic Goals

(26:55) - Canada-US Trade Tensions

(40:39) - The Limits of Military Power

(41:10) - China's Economic Leverage

(41:39) - The Trade War Dynamics

(42:26) - China's Manufacturing Dependency

(43:19) - The Challenge of Decoupling

(44:17) - China's Consumer Market Issues

(46:32) - The Future of US-China Relations

(52:42) - The Role of Semiconductors

(57:39) - The Reality of Trade Deals

(01:02:23) - Geopolitical Strategies and Misunderstandings

(01:05:25) - US Military Posturing in Venezuela

(01:15:34) - Trump's Military Strategy and Liberal Media Critique

(01:16:46) - Venezuela and Regime Change

(01:18:13) - North Korea and Trump's Near Miss

(01:19:22) - Maduro's Offer and US Interests

(01:28:11) - China's Role and Global Energy Politics

(01:38:03) - NBA Scandals and Player Dynamics

(01:47:47) - Baseball Playoffs and Personal Anecdotes

--

Referenced in the Show:

--

Geopolitical Cousins is produced and edited by Audiographies LLC. More information at audiographies.com

--

Jacob Shapiro is a speaker, consultant, author, and researcher covering global politics and affairs, economics, markets, technology, history, and culture. He speaks to audiences of all sizes around the world, helps global multinationals make strategic decisions about political risks and opportunities, and works directly with investors to grow and protect their assets in today’s volatile global environment. His insights help audiences across industries like finance, agriculture, and energy make sense of the world.

Jacob Shapiro Site: jacobshapiro.com

Jacob Shapiro LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jacob-l-s-a9337416

Jacob Twitter: x.com/JacobShap

Jacob Shapiro Substack: jashap.substack.com/subscribe

--

Marko Papic is a macro and geopolitical expert at BCA Research, a global investment research firm. He provides in-depth analysis that combines geopolitics and markets in a framework called GeoMacro. He is also the author of Geopolitical Alpha: An Investment Framework for Predicting the Future.

Marko’s Book & Newsletter: www.geopoliticalalpha.com/marko-papic

Marko’s Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marko-papic-geopolitics/

Marko’s Twitter: https://x.com/Geo_papic

Marko’s Macro & Geopolitical Research at BCA: https://www.bcaresearch.com/marketing/geomacro

Global trade isn’t just an economic story - it’s a test of power, pride, and patience. Jacob and Marko dive into the illusion of U.S.-China decoupling, exploring how power, dependency, and ideology are colliding in a world too connected to pull apart. From semiconductor choke points to rare earth retaliation, the United States and China are caught in a feedback loop of control and dependency that neither can fully escape. The cousins challenge the myth of economic sovereignty and ask what it really means to compete when every side still depends on the other to function.

--

Timestamps:

(00:00) - Introduction

(00:38) - Basketball Banter and Podcast Dynamics

(01:31) - Ryan Russillo's Move to Barstool Sports

(04:31) - US-China Trade Relations and Rare Earth Elements

(13:30) - Bureaucratic Inertia and US Foreign Policy

(17:45) - Technological Decoupling and Global Trade

(21:04) - Geopolitical Realities and Future Predictions

(40:15) - Allies and Economic Dependencies

(41:30) - American Public Opinion on Trade and China

(48:04) - Generational Differences in Political Activism

(50:02) - Global Protests and Political Unrest

(01:05:31) - Emergence of New Political Brands

(01:12:38) - Cocaine and Global Trade

(01:16:53) - Conclusion and Final Thoughts

--

Referenced in the Show:

--

Geopolitical Cousins is produced and edited by Audiographies LLC. More information at audiographies.com

--

Jacob Shapiro is a speaker, consultant, author, and researcher covering global politics and affairs, economics, markets, technology, history, and culture. He speaks to audiences of all sizes around the world, helps global multinationals make strategic decisions about political risks and opportunities, and works directly with investors to grow and protect their assets in today’s volatile global environment. His insights help audiences across industries like finance, agriculture, and energy make sense of the world.

Jacob Shapiro Site: jacobshapiro.com

Jacob Shapiro LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jacob-l-s-a9337416

Jacob Twitter: x.com/JacobShap

Jacob Shapiro Substack: jashap.substack.com/subscribe

--

Marko Papic is a macro and geopolitical expert at BCA Research, a global investment research firm. He provides in-depth analysis that combines geopolitics and markets in a framework called GeoMacro. He is also the author of Geopolitical Alpha: An Investment Framework for Predicting the Future.

Marko’s Book & Newsletter: www.geopoliticalalpha.com/marko-papic

Marko’s Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marko-papic-geopolitics/

Marko’s Twitter: https://x.com/Geo_papic

Marko’s Macro & Geopolitical Research at BCA: https://www.bcaresearch.com/marketing/geomacro

What happens when a superpower’s bluff runs out? Jacob and Marko trace Russia’s unraveling - from collapsing refineries and fading deterrence to the myth of its “paper bear” strength. They ask what real power looks like when fear no longer works, why Europe feels emboldened, and how Ukraine’s strategy is quietly rewriting modern warfare. Beyond the battlefield, the cousins explore the rise of “garrison states,” Gen Z unrest, and whether AI is revolution... or just another container ship.

--

Timestamps:

(00:00) - Introduction

(00:54) - Personal Anecdotes and Cultural Observations

(02:28) - Geopolitical Analysis: Russia and Ukraine

(06:19) - Strategic Insights: Ukraine's Tactical Moves

(09:16) - European Union and Ukraine Relations

(14:36) - Potential Outcomes and Future Scenarios

(18:43) - Economic and Political Implications

(32:38) - European Unity and Putin's Miscalculations

(34:21) - European Sentiment on Russia

(34:55) - Middle East Geopolitical Updates

(37:23) - Gen Z Protests Around the World

(41:31) - Generational Politics in the US

(48:44) - AI's Economic Impact

(01:08:02) - Debating the Future of AI and Marketability

(01:08:37) - Nostalgia and the Evolution of Computer Games

(01:10:03) - The Shift in Consumer Preferences

(01:11:52) - AI's Impact on Future Job Markets

(01:14:50) - US vs China: Different Approaches to AI

(01:15:42) - The Role of Tech Companies in AI Development

(01:26:31) - The Overbuild of Data Centers and Energy Needs

(01:30:28) - The Myth of AGI and True Innovation

(01:37:59) - Concluding Thoughts on AI and Innovation

--

Referenced in the Show:

AI Will Not Make You Rich — https://joincolossus.com/article/ai-will-not-make-you-rich/

--

Geopolitical Cousins is produced and edited by Audiographies LLC. More information at audiographies.com

--

Jacob Shapiro is a speaker, consultant, author, and researcher covering global politics and affairs, economics, markets, technology, history, and culture. He speaks to audiences of all sizes around the world, helps global multinationals make strategic decisions about political risks and opportunities, and works directly with investors to grow and protect their assets in today’s volatile global environment. His insights help audiences across industries like finance, agriculture, and energy make sense of the world.

Jacob Shapiro Site: jacobshapiro.com

Jacob Shapiro LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jacob-l-s-a9337416

Jacob Twitter: x.com/JacobShap

Jacob Shapiro Substack: jashap.substack.com/subscribe

--

Marko Papic is a macro and geopolitical expert at BCA Research, a global investment research firm. He provides in-depth analysis that combines geopolitics and markets in a framework called GeoMacro. He is also the author of Geopolitical Alpha: An Investment Framework for Predicting the Future.

Marko’s Book & Newsletter: www.geopoliticalalpha.com/marko-papic

Marko’s Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marko-papic-geopolitics/

Marko’s Twitter: https://x.com/Geo_papic

Marko’s Macro & Geopolitical Research at BCA: https://www.bcaresearch.com/marketing/geomacro

Marko and Jacob dive into the latest twists of the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Marko makes the case that Russia’s size—once its biggest advantage—is now a glaring weakness, as Ukraine’s drones expose just how fragile pipelines, refineries, and infrastructure really are. Along the way, they poke fun at NATO’s cautious responses, revisit Poland’s not-so-quiet history, and question whether Russia is more paper kitty than paper tiger. It’s lively, skeptical, and very Papic.

--

Timestamps:

(00:00) - The AI Adoption Decline

(00:37) - Geopolitical Tensions: Russia, NATO, and Ukraine

(05:06) - The Impact of Drone Warfare

(11:59) - Russia's Strategic Vulnerabilities

(20:44) - Historical Context and Modern Implications

(26:30) - The Future of Russian Aggression

(45:37) - Debating Predictions and Hot Takes

(46:39) - American Foreign Policy and Trump's Role

(50:33) - H-1B Visa Controversy

(52:47) - The Impact on US-India Relations

(56:19) - The Role of Immigration in American Greatness

(01:05:45) - Jimmy Kimmel and Cancel Culture

(01:18:05) - Concluding Thoughts on Media and Politics

--

Geopolitical Cousins is produced and edited by Audiographies LLC. More information at audiographies.com

--

Jacob Shapiro is a speaker, consultant, author, and researcher covering global politics and affairs, economics, markets, technology, history, and culture. He speaks to audiences of all sizes around the world, helps global multinationals make strategic decisions about political risks and opportunities, and works directly with investors to grow and protect their assets in today’s volatile global environment. His insights help audiences across industries like finance, agriculture, and energy make sense of the world.

Jacob Shapiro Site: jacobshapiro.com

Jacob Shapiro LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jacob-l-s-a9337416

Jacob Twitter: x.com/JacobShap

Jacob Shapiro Substack: jashap.substack.com/subscribe

--

Marko Papic is a macro and geopolitical expert at BCA Research, a global investment research firm. He provides in-depth analysis that combines geopolitics and markets in a framework called GeoMacro. He is also the author of Geopolitical Alpha: An Investment Framework for Predicting the Future.

Marko’s Book & Newsletter: www.geopoliticalalpha.com/marko-papic

Marko’s Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marko-papic-geopolitics/

Marko’s Twitter: https://x.com/Geo_papic

Marko’s Macro & Geopolitical Research at BCA: https://www.bcaresearch.com/marketing/geomacro

Pokemon cards outperforming Meta, Cornell students skinning bears, and Elon Musk misusing Orwell... Welcome to this Geopolitical Cousins episode 25. Jacob and Marko continue their conversation about the assassination of Charlie Kirk, arguing that his killing was likely driven less by ideology and more simply a symptom of disaffected young men radicalized by social media and stripped of purpose. Drawing on Dostoevsky’s Raskolnikov and Richard Reeves’ research on boys, they trace how elite overproduction and information overload fuel unrest. Unlike Europe, America lacks historical “inoculation” against extremism. The discussion closed with Bolsonaro’s legal troubles in Brazil and Asia’s simmering political tensions.

--

Timestamps:

(00:00) - Introduction

(01:07) - Banter

(03:00) - Trivia

(09:58) - The Charlie Kirk Assassination Discussion

(12:13) - The Crisis of Manliness and Societal Impacts

(21:00) -Historical Context and Modern Parallels

(33:49) - Global Perspectives and Extremism

(46:11) - Political Turmoil in Asia

(46:47) - Charlie Kirk and Social Media Impact

(48:10) - Historical Reflections on Evil

(52:10) - Personal Anecdotes on Racism and Segregation

(53:35) - US Education Crisis and Ignorance

(57:33) - Civil Wars and State Capacity

(01:04:05) - Brazil's Political Drama: Bolsonaro's Trial

(01:17:27) - Geopolitical Tensions: Venezuela and Beyond

(01:21:10) - China's Moves in the South China Sea

(01:21:54) - Russia's Probing Tactics in Europe

(01:30:53) - Concluding Thoughts and EuroBasket Update

--

Referenced in the Show:

--

Geopolitical Cousins is produced and edited by Audiographies LLC. More information at audiographies.com

--

Jacob Shapiro is a speaker, consultant, author, and researcher covering global politics and affairs, economics, markets, technology, history, and culture. He speaks to audiences of all sizes around the world, helps global multinationals make strategic decisions about political risks and opportunities, and works directly with investors to grow and protect their assets in today’s volatile global environment. His insights help audiences across industries like finance, agriculture, and energy make sense of the world.

Jacob Shapiro Site: jacobshapiro.com

Jacob Shapiro LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jacob-l-s-a9337416

Jacob Twitter: x.com/JacobShap

Jacob Shapiro Substack: jashap.substack.com/subscribe

--

Marko Papic is a macro and geopolitical expert at BCA Research, a global investment research firm. He provides in-depth analysis that combines geopolitics and markets in a framework called GeoMacro. He is also the author of Geopolitical Alpha: An Investment Framework for Predicting the Future.

Marko’s Book & Newsletter: www.geopoliticalalpha.com/marko-papic

Marko’s Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marko-papic-geopolitics/

Marko’s Twitter: https://x.com/Geo_papic

Marko’s Macro & Geopolitical Research at BCA: https://www.bcaresearch.com/marketing/geomacro

Jacob and Marko open up today's emergency episode with a sobering reflection on the assassination of Charlie Kirk, part of a disturbing rise in U.S. political violence. They urge caution against rushing to assign motives before facts emerge, warning that both left and right are exploiting the tragedy for division. From there, the episode dives into another series of crises from Russian drones in Poland to Israeli strikes in Qatar, underscoring how geopolitics often blurs lines between theater and real escalation.

--

Timestamps:

(00:00) - Introduction

(01:23) - Assassination of Charlie Kirk

(02:22) - Political Violence in the US

(07:32) - Social Media's Role in Political Discourse

(17:29) - Poland and Russia Tensions

(33:13) - Israel's Attack on Qatar

(38:47) - Nation Building and Israeli Politics

(39:47) - Israel's Shift from Plausible Deniability

(40:20) - Ethnic Cleansing in Gaza

(40:52) - The Hubris of Israeli Strategy

(44:07) - The Impact on Israel's Brand

(50:16) - Nepal's Gen Z Uprising

(52:14) - Indonesia and South Asian Instability

(59:04) - Argentina's Economic Challenges

(01:09:07) - Trump's Tariffs and Legal Battles

(01:17:17) - Conclusion and Future Topics

--

Geopolitical Cousins is produced and edited by Audiographies LLC. More information at audiographies.com

--

Jacob Shapiro is a speaker, consultant, author, and researcher covering global politics and affairs, economics, markets, technology, history, and culture. He speaks to audiences of all sizes around the world, helps global multinationals make strategic decisions about political risks and opportunities, and works directly with investors to grow and protect their assets in today’s volatile global environment. His insights help audiences across industries like finance, agriculture, and energy make sense of the world.

Jacob Shapiro Site: jacobshapiro.com

Jacob Shapiro LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jacob-l-s-a9337416

Jacob Twitter: x.com/JacobShap

Jacob Shapiro Substack: jashap.substack.com/subscribe

--

Marko Papic is a macro and geopolitical expert at BCA Research, a global investment research firm. He provides in-depth analysis that combines geopolitics and markets in a framework called GeoMacro. He is also the author of Geopolitical Alpha: An Investment Framework for Predicting the Future.

Marko’s Book & Newsletter: www.geopoliticalalpha.com/marko-papic

Marko’s Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marko-papic-geopolitics/

Marko’s Twitter: https://x.com/Geo_papic

Marko’s Macro & Geopolitical Research at BCA: https://www.bcaresearch.com/marketing/geomacro