Gideon Rachman
@gideonrachman.bsky.social
FT columnist. Also have podcast. Author of three and a half books. Four kids. Two cats. One wife. Numerous friends. Fulham fan.
Reposted by Gideon Rachman
Three years is a long time in politics
November 27, 2025 at 8:55 PM
Three years is a long time in politics
Reposted by Gideon Rachman
Today in life under competitive authoritarianism
I feel much safer today knowing that we deported a Babson College student back to a country where she hasn't lived since childhood.
She wasn't even flying internationally. She was flying to Texas.
She wasn't even flying internationally. She was flying to Texas.
A Babson College student wanted to surprise her family for Thanksgiving. She was deported instead. - The Boston Globe
Any Lucia Lopez Belloza was at Logan to catch a flight to Texas when immigration authorities detained her as she was about to board the plane.
www.bostonglobe.com
November 27, 2025 at 7:49 PM
Today in life under competitive authoritarianism
Reposted by Gideon Rachman
Russia showing just how serious it is about peace tonight, launching waves of missiles and drones at Kyiv. Air defenses are working to knock them down. A series of explosions just rocked Ukraine’s capital. It’ll be another long night.
November 24, 2025 at 11:45 PM
Russia showing just how serious it is about peace tonight, launching waves of missiles and drones at Kyiv. Air defenses are working to knock them down. A series of explosions just rocked Ukraine’s capital. It’ll be another long night.
Reposted by Gideon Rachman
This is really worth your time - a podcast with @gideonrachman.bsky.social and Timothy Garton Ash that is such great distillation of where we were are in the world. www.ft.com/content/0988...
Europe’s triple shock: Putin, Trump and Xi
The ‘holiday from history’ is over
www.ft.com
November 24, 2025 at 9:02 AM
This is really worth your time - a podcast with @gideonrachman.bsky.social and Timothy Garton Ash that is such great distillation of where we were are in the world. www.ft.com/content/0988...
Reposted by Gideon Rachman
@gideonrachman.bsky.social has a hard but fair assessment. Ukraine is simply running out of people and means.
In retrospect, the west could have trained and equipped Ukraine far more effective, and we'd not be in this spot.
Because we're still stuck with a revanchist Russia
on.ft.com/4obh5oM
In retrospect, the west could have trained and equipped Ukraine far more effective, and we'd not be in this spot.
Because we're still stuck with a revanchist Russia
on.ft.com/4obh5oM
Ukraine has no choice but to engage with US peace plan
The American proposal is biased in favour of Russia. But it is not the final word
on.ft.com
November 23, 2025 at 3:45 PM
@gideonrachman.bsky.social has a hard but fair assessment. Ukraine is simply running out of people and means.
In retrospect, the west could have trained and equipped Ukraine far more effective, and we'd not be in this spot.
Because we're still stuck with a revanchist Russia
on.ft.com/4obh5oM
In retrospect, the west could have trained and equipped Ukraine far more effective, and we'd not be in this spot.
Because we're still stuck with a revanchist Russia
on.ft.com/4obh5oM
Reposted by Gideon Rachman
I keep hearing from people who cancelled their @washingtonpost.com subscriptions. I hope they will reconsider. As stories like this show, the WaPo is still doing great journalism and holding power to account. Please support its vital journalistic mission. www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...
White House blew past legal concerns in deadly strikes on drug boats
The Trump administration sidestepped skeptical lawyers across national security agencies as it pursued a military campaign against alleged narcotraffickers, officials say.
www.washingtonpost.com
November 23, 2025 at 1:06 PM
I keep hearing from people who cancelled their @washingtonpost.com subscriptions. I hope they will reconsider. As stories like this show, the WaPo is still doing great journalism and holding power to account. Please support its vital journalistic mission. www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...
I missed my flight back to London yesterday because my Amtrak Acela to Newark Airport got stuck outside Philadelphia for four hours. It wouldn't happen in China. Thinking nostalgically of the bullet train I took out of Shanghai last month.
November 22, 2025 at 1:22 PM
I missed my flight back to London yesterday because my Amtrak Acela to Newark Airport got stuck outside Philadelphia for four hours. It wouldn't happen in China. Thinking nostalgically of the bullet train I took out of Shanghai last month.
Reposted by Gideon Rachman
We also need to find our hard power, fast, as @gideonrachman.bsky.social recently argued, and find a way to make big decisions in a more agile manner, like our adversaries. More power needs to be delegated to joint decisionmaking, even -- especially! -- in core areas like foreign policy & defence.
The scramble for Europe is just beginning
As the EU struggles to defend its interests, outside powers play divide and rule
www.ft.com
November 22, 2025 at 8:47 AM
We also need to find our hard power, fast, as @gideonrachman.bsky.social recently argued, and find a way to make big decisions in a more agile manner, like our adversaries. More power needs to be delegated to joint decisionmaking, even -- especially! -- in core areas like foreign policy & defence.
Reposted by Gideon Rachman
An X user asks Elon Musk why they’re seeing tweets from left-wing lawmakers.
Musk: “Because we are failing very badly with the recommendations algorithm. Doing my best to address this.”
Musk: “Because we are failing very badly with the recommendations algorithm. Doing my best to address this.”
November 21, 2025 at 12:34 AM
An X user asks Elon Musk why they’re seeing tweets from left-wing lawmakers.
Musk: “Because we are failing very badly with the recommendations algorithm. Doing my best to address this.”
Musk: “Because we are failing very badly with the recommendations algorithm. Doing my best to address this.”
Reposted by Gideon Rachman
My conversation with @gideonrachman.bsky.social about the European crisis – And how to get out of it
open.spotify.com/episode/4Isz...
open.spotify.com/episode/4Isz...
Europe’s triple shock: Putin, Trump and Xi
open.spotify.com
November 21, 2025 at 8:48 AM
My conversation with @gideonrachman.bsky.social about the European crisis – And how to get out of it
open.spotify.com/episode/4Isz...
open.spotify.com/episode/4Isz...
Reposted by Gideon Rachman
🚨🚨 "Brussels is a bureaucracy. It is good at process and law. But it is incapable of acting quickly and ruthlessly like the European great powers of the past, or like the US and China today." Excellent piece by @gideonrachman.bsky.social on the "Scramble for Europe".
November 19, 2025 at 7:42 AM
🚨🚨 "Brussels is a bureaucracy. It is good at process and law. But it is incapable of acting quickly and ruthlessly like the European great powers of the past, or like the US and China today." Excellent piece by @gideonrachman.bsky.social on the "Scramble for Europe".
Lots of talk recently about an AI bubble. But the crypto bubble has been going on longer; is more obviously purely speculative; also involves trillions of dollars of “assets”
And it’s currently deflating fast. And what if they both pop simultaneously?
And it’s currently deflating fast. And what if they both pop simultaneously?
November 18, 2025 at 11:10 AM
Lots of talk recently about an AI bubble. But the crypto bubble has been going on longer; is more obviously purely speculative; also involves trillions of dollars of “assets”
And it’s currently deflating fast. And what if they both pop simultaneously?
And it’s currently deflating fast. And what if they both pop simultaneously?
We were in the same boat. Now we're in a smaller, leakier boat right next to the EU - facing the same turbulent seas. The myopia in both London and Brussels about the urgent need to act together and repair the Brexit rift is depressing.
good piece by @gideonrachman.bsky.social but I have to ask: Where is Britain in this? Surely you are also affected by foreign influence? And your hard power is far from what it once was? I know it is beyond the scope of this piece but I would so like to read more about that.
The scramble for Europe is just beginning on.ft.com/3X16XUC | opinion
November 17, 2025 at 3:16 PM
We were in the same boat. Now we're in a smaller, leakier boat right next to the EU - facing the same turbulent seas. The myopia in both London and Brussels about the urgent need to act together and repair the Brexit rift is depressing.
Reposted by Gideon Rachman
Anyone lacking an FT subscription can register and read three articles monthly free at www.ft.com/register
November 15, 2025 at 9:44 AM
Anyone lacking an FT subscription can register and read three articles monthly free at www.ft.com/register
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Good work by COURIER @couriernewsroom.bsky.social
One of many examples of the new journalistic models evolving to fill existing-journalism voids.
One of many examples of the new journalistic models evolving to fill existing-journalism voids.
This is cool. COURIER has created a searchable database with all 20,000 of the files just released from Epstein’s estate.
Trump's name appears in them more than anyone else, in 1,628 documents.
couriernewsroom.com/news/we-crea...
Trump's name appears in them more than anyone else, in 1,628 documents.
couriernewsroom.com/news/we-crea...
We created a searchable database with all 20,000 files from Epstein’s Estate
Easily find every mention of Trump, Clinton, blackmail, and potential sex crimes in the thousands of private messages between Epstein and his close associates.
couriernewsroom.com
November 14, 2025 at 8:20 PM
Good work by COURIER @couriernewsroom.bsky.social
One of many examples of the new journalistic models evolving to fill existing-journalism voids.
One of many examples of the new journalistic models evolving to fill existing-journalism voids.
Reposted by Gideon Rachman
That @edwardluce.bsky.social ! He must have a crystal ball. Here's his prescient column for today. www.ft.com/content/0fd7...
Epstein is not going away
The issue is Trump’s Achilles heel — and the US president knows it
www.ft.com
November 12, 2025 at 3:18 PM
That @edwardluce.bsky.social ! He must have a crystal ball. Here's his prescient column for today. www.ft.com/content/0fd7...
Reposted by Gideon Rachman
This is the march the Polish president chose to grace with his presence today.
November 11, 2025 at 6:45 PM
This is the march the Polish president chose to grace with his presence today.
Reposted by Gideon Rachman
I feel seen.
Paper gets 2 positive reviews & 1 very critical one
Authors work very very hard on R&R
Journal sends it back to critical reviewer (only) and 1 new reviewer
Critical reviewer is quite positive about revision
New reviewer is negative
Editor sits on reviews for 1 month, then rejects
Authors sad
Authors work very very hard on R&R
Journal sends it back to critical reviewer (only) and 1 new reviewer
Critical reviewer is quite positive about revision
New reviewer is negative
Editor sits on reviews for 1 month, then rejects
Authors sad
November 11, 2025 at 7:34 PM
I feel seen.
Reposted by Gideon Rachman
Looks like the BBC has lost the Kremlin 👀
That renowned and respected lover of truth and journalistic integrity.... THE KREMLIN.... has stepped up to defend Trump in his battle against the BBC.
SO that's Farage, Netanyahu, Putin, and Boris Johnson...
SO that's Farage, Netanyahu, Putin, and Boris Johnson...
November 11, 2025 at 7:34 PM
Looks like the BBC has lost the Kremlin 👀
Reposted by Gideon Rachman
Hiking tax is much more than merely the breach of a manifesto commitment. It is the death of the idea at the heart of Starmer’s project: that Labour would leave its comfort zone and govern by reform and growth, not tax and spend.
economist.com/britain/2025...
economist.com/britain/2025...
November 11, 2025 at 7:44 PM
Hiking tax is much more than merely the breach of a manifesto commitment. It is the death of the idea at the heart of Starmer’s project: that Labour would leave its comfort zone and govern by reform and growth, not tax and spend.
economist.com/britain/2025...
economist.com/britain/2025...
Reposted by Gideon Rachman
Quick thread on the BBC and the political and societal significance of recent developments:
One of the main reasons the UK has historically been so much less polarised than the US, is that Britain has a shared source of information, consumed and trusted by most people regardless of their politics.
One of the main reasons the UK has historically been so much less polarised than the US, is that Britain has a shared source of information, consumed and trusted by most people regardless of their politics.
November 10, 2025 at 1:43 PM
Quick thread on the BBC and the political and societal significance of recent developments:
One of the main reasons the UK has historically been so much less polarised than the US, is that Britain has a shared source of information, consumed and trusted by most people regardless of their politics.
One of the main reasons the UK has historically been so much less polarised than the US, is that Britain has a shared source of information, consumed and trusted by most people regardless of their politics.
Reposted by Gideon Rachman
Reading this @gideonrachman.bsky.social piece, I am reminded that Nena's '99 Luftballons' described the type of accidental incident that almost triggered nuclear war in Operation Able Archer (referred to here) a couple of months later. www.ft.com/content/3c30...
November 10, 2025 at 7:21 PM
Reading this @gideonrachman.bsky.social piece, I am reminded that Nena's '99 Luftballons' described the type of accidental incident that almost triggered nuclear war in Operation Able Archer (referred to here) a couple of months later. www.ft.com/content/3c30...
I think we all need to agree before we can do that
Petition to ban the word groupthink
November 10, 2025 at 1:14 PM
I think we all need to agree before we can do that
Reposted by Gideon Rachman
The fact that the BBC has made serious culpable errors does not negate the point that there is a real and concerted right-wing media campaign to destroy it. Both points can be true at the same time and the campaign would not end even if the errors did.
November 10, 2025 at 1:08 PM
The fact that the BBC has made serious culpable errors does not negate the point that there is a real and concerted right-wing media campaign to destroy it. Both points can be true at the same time and the campaign would not end even if the errors did.