Stephen Rand

3 weeks ago | thearticle.com | Stephen Rand |Sameer Hinduja |Ali M. Mahmoud

“Liberation Day” saw Trump at his Trumpiest. Made for television, aimed squarely at his populist base. Either you’re with us or against us—and those who are against us are conspirators who will be crushed. The policy itself was blunt: a 10% blanket levy on all imports into the United States, with targeted tariffs of up to 54% for major rivals. It sent a shudder through the global trading system. And yet, for once, Britain appears to have dodged the worst of it.

4 weeks ago | thearticle.com | Stephen Rand |Sameer Hinduja |Ali M. Mahmoud

The Trump administration, it seems, has discovered a novel way to declare war—by texting its plans to the Editor-in-Chief of The Atlantic. Of all the inboxes in all the world, it had to be Jeffrey Goldberg’s. That one of the administration’s most vocal media critics ended up with what appears to be a strategic playbook is almost too surreal to parody. It’s not just a security breach. It’s farce. Texting war plans to a journalist sets a new bar in political stupidity.

2 months ago | thearticle.com | Stephen Rand |Sameer Hinduja |Ali M. Mahmoud

The Bank of England has cut interest rates from 4.75% to 4.5%, a move widely anticipated by everyone. What was surprising, however, was the avalanche of bad news that came with it. Andrew Bailey, the Governor of the Bank of England, told us the UK would narrowly avoid a recession—but it feels like we’re really, really trying to get ourselves into one. Inflation is expected to rise again to 3.7% by late 2025, driven by escalating energy prices, increased water bills, and higher transport costs.