Switzerland with Tom Switzer

Tom Switzer
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A new program about politics, modern history and international relations with host Tom Switzer. 

  1. 1d ago

    John Mearsheimer: Ukraine Can’t Win. Is Trump Right? | Tom Switzer

    John Mearsheimer argues that Ukraine cannot win the war, and that Donald Trump’s pressure on Kyiv and his easing of sanctions on Russia are steps towards ending it. Tom Switzer also asks him whether Washington’s economic war on Iran is working, whether Tehran will spring an October surprise before the US midterms, and what Barack Obama’s Belfast remarks reveal about the debate over Israel. Trump’s growing estrangement from Volodymyr Zelensky has raised fresh questions about the future of the war in Ukraine and the transatlantic alliance. His decisions have once again outraged the proponents of conventional Western wisdom. But John Mearsheimer argues that pressuring Kyiv to accept a settlement is a necessary step towards ending a war Ukraine cannot win. What are the longer-term consequences for American credibility, European security and relations between Washington and its traditional allies? We then examine the latest developments in the US-Iran war. The so-called Economic D-Day was presented as the decisive blow that military operations had failed to deliver. But nearly 50 days later, how effective has Washington’s campaign to bring Iran’s economy to its knees proved? Meanwhile, tensions and attacks are intensifying in the Strait of Hormuz. Will Tehran spring an October surprise ahead of the US midterm elections? What would a peace settlement on unfavourable terms for Washington mean for the regional balance of power? Could it undermine American influence not only across the Middle East but also in East Asia? Finally, we turn to Barack Obama’s recent remarks in Belfast, where the former US president accused Israel of having taken Palestinian land and warned that its reliance on military superiority, without meaningful concessions, had “ceded moral ground”. As Israelis prepare to head to the polls, what do Obama’s comments reveal about the growing debate over Israel’s conduct, its long-term security and the prospects for peace with the Palestinians? About the guest John Mearsheimer is Professor of Political Science at the University of Chicago and the author of The Tragedy of Great Power Politics (2001). Join Tom’s Exclusive Newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/cff5e11f69a3/switzerland-with-tom-switzer Read Tom’s Substack: https://substack.com/@tomswitzershow About the host Tom Switzer is a journalist and broadcaster who has been a prolific commentator on politics and international affairs. His writing and commentary have appeared in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times (international), The Australian, and across ABC and News24 (formerly Sky News), where he has been a regular presenter and panellist. For 30 years, since 1995, he has worked at the Washington-based American Enterprise Institute, the Australian Financial Review, The Australian, the London-based Spectator magazine, and the Sydney-based Centre for Independent Studies, which he headed from 2017 to 2025. He is the host of Switzerland, a long-form interview series exploring global politics, modern history, and the ideas shaping the world. #JohnMearsheimer #Ukraine #Iran #TomSwitzer

  2. 5d ago

    Elisabeth Kendall | Can the U.S. and Saudis defeat the Houthis? | Tom Switzer

    The Houthi rebels of Yemen have become one of the most consequential and disruptive forces in the Middle East. Backed by Iran but pursuing their own political and military objectives, they have survived years of warfare, Saudi-led intervention and an intense American bombing campaign. In this conversation, Elizabeth Kendall, one of the world’s leading experts on the Houthis and Director of Girton College, Cambridge, explains the movement’s origins, ideology and leadership, its relationship with Tehran and its growing role in the wider regional conflict. We also examine the Houthis’ latest escalation, their capacity to threaten Saudi Arabia’s oil infrastructure and their ability to disrupt shipping through the strategically vital Bab el-Mandeb Strait. Can Riyadh defend itself without American military support, and is Donald Trump prepared to help? What would reluctance or refusal to intervene tell America’s Gulf allies about Washington’s credibility and commitment to regional security?  Finally, we consider what the Houthis rebels’ campaign means for global energy supplies and international shipping. Join Tom's Exclusive Newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/cff5e11f69a3/switzerland-with-tom-switzer Read Tom's Substack: https://substack.com/@tomswitzershow Tom Switzer is a journalist and broadcaster who has been a prolific commentator on politics and international affairs. His writing and commentary have appeared in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times (international), The Australian, and across ABC and News24 (formerly Sky News), where he has been a regular presenter and panellist. For 30 years, since 1995, he has worked at the Washington-based American Enterprise Institute, the Australian Financial Review, The Australian, the London-based Spectator magazine, and the Sydney-based Centre for Independent Studies, which he headed from 2017 to 2025. He is the host of Switzerland, a long-form interview series exploring global politics, modern history, and the ideas shaping the world.

  3. Oct 11

    Mearsheimer & Maté: Iran & Houthis strike back | Tom Switzer

    President Donald Trump has turned up the pressure on Ukraine, calling for Volodymyr Zelensky to be replaced as president and urging Kyiv to halt its attacks on Russian oil refineries. The intervention raises fresh questions about Washington’s commitment to Ukraine and the direction of Trump’s strategy towards Moscow. The timing is striking. The Trump administration has also reached an agreement allowing Russia to supply hundreds of thousands of tonnes of diesel fuel to the United States. The deal represents a significant shift in policy towards Moscow, potentially easing pressure on Russia over its war in Ukraine as the White House seeks to contain fuel prices ahead of next month’s US midterm elections. Meanwhile, Iran is looking to regain the initiative in its confrontation with Washington. Having faced a blockade of its ports and growing pressure over the Strait of Hormuz, Tehran is seeking to reassert its influence. This week, Iran and its Houthi allies in Yemen launched separate attacks on Persian Gulf oil producers, sending oil prices sharply higher and renewing concerns about the security of the region’s energy supplies. And in a very different controversy, what are we to make of the Trump administration’s proposal to livestream the execution of Nidal Malik Hasan, the convicted Fort Hood shooter? Tom Switzer discusses these developments with two guests whose perspectives on American power and the Ukraine war promise a lively conversation. John Mearsheimer is a professor of political science at the University of Chicago and the author of The Tragedy of Great Power Politics. Aaron Maté is a Canadian journalist and writer who hosts Pushback with Aaron Maté on The Grayzone. His latest book is Their Blood, Our Bullets: The Hidden Story of the US-Russia War for Ukraine. Join Tom's Exclusive Newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/cff5e11f69a3/switzerland-with-tom-switzer Read Tom's Substack: https://substack.com/@tomswitzershow Tom Switzer is a journalist and broadcaster who has been a prolific commentator on politics and international affairs. His writing and commentary have appeared in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times (international), The Australian, and across ABC and News24 (formerly Sky News), where he has been a regular presenter and panellist. For 30 years, since 1995, he has worked at the Washington-based American Enterprise Institute, the Australian Financial Review, The Australian, the London-based Spectator magazine, and the Sydney-based Centre for Independent Studies, which he headed from 2017 to 2025. He is the host of Switzerland, a long-form interview series exploring global politics, modern history, and the ideas shaping the world.

  4. Oct 10

    Mary Dejevsky: Silencing of dissent over Ukraine war | Tom Switzer

    Mary Dejevsky spent decades at the heart of British journalism, including many years as a columnist for The Independent. But in June she stepped down from her weekly column, in part because she had become increasingly frustrated by the shrinking space for dissenting views on Russia and Ukraine in Britain’s mainstream media. On this episode of Switzerland, she tells Tom Switzer why she believes it has become extraordinarily difficult for British journalists to question the prevailing narrative about the war — and what happened when she suggested the conflict might be more complicated than the conventional wisdom allowed. She says she lost a significant part of her freelance income as a result, while also finding herself in the peculiar position in which writing outside the mainstream could itself be used as evidence that her views were beyond the bounds of respectable debate. Why has Britain become less tolerant of dissent on Russia and Ukraine than other Western democracies? Is there still greater pluralism in the United States? And what does her experience tell us about the state of journalism, free expression and intellectual debate in Britain? Mary Dejevsky is a former columnist with The Guardian and The Independent and a former foreign correspondent in Moscow, Paris and Washington. Join Tom’s Exclusive Newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/cff5e11f69a3/switzerland-with-tom-switzer Read Tom’s Substack: https://substack.com/@tomswitzershow Tom Switzer is a journalist and broadcaster who has been a prolific commentator on politics and international affairs. His writing and commentary have appeared in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times (international), The Australian, and across ABC and News24 (formerly Sky News), where he has been a regular presenter and panellist. Since 1995, he has worked at the Washington-based American Enterprise Institute, the Australian Financial Review, The Australian, the London-based Spectator magazine, and the Sydney-based Centre for Independent Studies, which he headed from 2017 to 2025. He is the host of Switzerland, a long-form interview series exploring global politics, modern history, and the ideas shaping the world.

  5. Oct 6

    Max Hastings: What History Tells Us About Trump and the West | Tom Switzer

    On this episode of Switzerland, Tom Switzer is joined by Sir Max Hastings, one of the world's leading journalists and historians, to ask what a lifetime of studying war and history can tell us about the extraordinarily unsettled world of 2026. They discuss Donald Trump and the future of the Western alliance, the war in Ukraine, Iran and the Middle East, China, and the significance of the recent US decision to abruptly withdraw B-1 bombers from Britain. What does history reveal about the ambitions of great powers, the dangers of miscalculation, and the way wars begin and end? They also discuss Sir Max's new book, Plunder, his gripping account of the final weeks of the Second World War in Europe. It covers the crossing of the Rhine, the collapse of Nazi Germany, the liberation of Belsen and the extraordinary decisions made by commanders such as Eisenhower and Patton as victory finally came into sight. At a time when war has returned to the centre of international politics, Sir Max brings the perspective of a historian who has spent decades trying to understand it. What can the experience of 1945 teach us about the world we are living through today? Sir Max Hastings is a former editor of The Daily Telegraph and the Evening Standard, and the author of 30 books on history, politics and the media. His new book is Plunder: The Last of the War in Europe, 1945. Join Tom's Exclusive Newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/cff5e11f69a3/switzerland-with-tom-switzer Read Tom's Substack: https://substack.com/@tomswitzershow Tom Switzer is a journalist and broadcaster who has been a prolific commentator on politics and international affairs. His writing and commentary have appeared in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times (international), The Australian, and across ABC and News24 (formerly Sky News), where he has been a regular presenter and panellist. Since 1995, he has worked at the Washington-based American Enterprise Institute, the Australian Financial Review, The Australian, the London-based Spectator magazine, and the Sydney-based Centre for Independent Studies, which he headed from 2017 to 2025. He is the host of Switzerland, a long-form interview series exploring global politics, modern history, and the ideas shaping the world.

  6. Oct 4

    Trita Parsi | China could break the US-Iran diplomatic deadlock | Tom Switzer

    Iran’s economy is under extraordinary pressure. Oil exports are being squeezed, sanctions are expanding and Tehran says it is fighting an “economic war”. Is the regime beginning to crack?  Or does Iran still hold considerable leverage because it can threaten shipping through the Strait of Hormuz? The latest evidence, documented in the Wall Street Journal this weekend, suggests the recovery in Gulf oil exports may be more fragile than some people have assumed. How significant is Iran’s ability to disrupt those flows? Meanwhile, China may be the one country capable of breaking the deadlock between Washington and Tehran. Why does Beijing have both the leverage and the incentive to intervene? Trita Parsi is from the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, based in Washington, DC.

  7. Sep 30

    Steve Hanke: Is America Heading for Economic Catastrophe?

    Steve Hanke, the veteran and acclaimed free-market economist, discusses America’s cost-of-living crisis, persistent inflation, the $40 trillion national debt and the warning signs coming from the bond market. Professor Hanke also explains why he thinks the AI boom may be a bubble, why Iran could inflict serious economic damage on the US, and why he has broken with Vice President JD Vance over the future of conservative economics. Steve Hanke is professor of applied economics at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore and a former member of President Ronald Reagan’s Council of Economic Advisers. Join Tom's Exclusive Newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/cff5e11f69a3/switzerland-with-tom-switzer Read Tom's Substack: https://substack.com/@tomswitzer Tom Switzer is a journalist and broadcaster who has been a prolific commentator on politics and international affairs. His writing and commentary have appeared in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times (international), The Australian, and across ABC and News24 (formerly Sky News), where he has been a regular presenter and panellist. For 30 years, since 1995, he has worked at the Washington-based American Enterprise Institute, the Australian Financial Review, The Australian, the London-based Spectator magazine, and the Sydney-based Centre for Independent Studies, which he headed from 2017 to 2025. He is the host of Switzerland, a long-form interview series exploring global politics, modern history, and the ideas shaping the world.

  8. Sep 27

    Mearsheimer & Cockburn | Trump warns he will resume bombing after midterms

    President Trump has rejected Iran’s seven-day plan proposal for a seven-day ceasefire and has told aides he expects to resume bombing Iran after the November midterms.  Tehran’s proposal would have reopened the Strait of Hormuz within a week and resumed nuclear talks in return for the US easing oil sanctions and lifting its blockade of Iranian ports, which is causing deep damage to the country’s economy. Trump says openly that Tehran is begging for a deal after the midterms that dismantles its nuclear program. So is US economic pressure producing Iranian concessions? Patrick Cockburn is Middle East correspondent with the I newspaper in London and author of War in the Age of Trump.  John Mearsheimer is professor of political science at the University of Chicago and author of The Tragedy of Great Power Politics.

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About

A new program about politics, modern history and international relations with host Tom Switzer. 

Information

  • Creator
    Tom Switzer
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    60
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2025 All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    Switzerland with Tom Switzer

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