Shows / The Peter Zeihan Podcast Series
The Peter Zeihan Podcast Series
Welcome to The Peter Zeihan Podcast Series! Geopolitical Strategist Peter Zeihan is a global energy, demographic and security expert. If you want to stay informed on the realities of geography and populations, you've come to the right place. Zeihan's worldview offers insights into how global politics impact markets and economic trends, helping industry leaders navigate today’s complex mix of geopolitical risks and opportunities. Expect a forward-looking approach to what will drive tomorrow’s…
Episodes
The Peter Zeihan Podcast SeriesChina's Power Vacuum Worsens || Peter Zeihan
Xi Jinping has made it clear he plans to ride this ship all the way down. At the latest CCP Congress, more leaders were removed, but one official was elevated…
The Peter Zeihan Podcast SeriesPolish Politics Get Persnickety || Peter Zeihan
Poland’s political landscape is in the midst of a constitutional crisis over the issue of judicial appointments, reigniting a similar dispute from 2015. Join…
The Peter Zeihan Podcast SeriesA New Explosive Threat in the Persian Gulf || Peter Zeihan
For the first time in the 2026 conflict, the Iranians have placed limpet mines on ships. This represents a fundamentally different sort of sabotage that is…
The Peter Zeihan Podcast SeriesBolsonaro Flees Brazil Following Election Loss || Peter Zeihan
Brazil just wrapped up its elections with a presidential victory for Lula over Bolsonaro. And if those names sound familiar, it's because we've seen Lula and…
The Peter Zeihan Podcast SeriesAttacks on Russian Data Centers: It's Not About Bots || Peter Zeihan
If you thought some Ukrainian strikes on data centers could stop the Russians from interfering with the U.S. midterms, you are sorely mistaken. These strikes…
The Peter Zeihan Podcast SeriesWhat's Behind the French Protests || Peter Zeihan
It seems that everyone is dead set on banging their drum about the French protests, but here's what is actually happening. Pre-order Peter's first fiction…
The Peter Zeihan Podcast SeriesFrance and the UK Choose the Nuclear Option || Peter Zeihan
The United Kingdom and France are conducting joint nuclear weapons delivery exercises, but they're not the only countries eyeing nukes. Pre-order Peter's first…
The Peter Zeihan Podcast SeriesEl Salvador Invades Haiti with Help from the Trump Administration? || Peter Zeihan
Wait? What??? Join the Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/PeterZeihan
The Peter Zeihan Podcast SeriesThe Paris Accords Can't Stop Climate Change || Peter Zeihan
The climate thresholds established in the Paris Accords are looking less and less achievable. While developed economies are reducing emissions, the rest of the…
The Peter Zeihan Podcast SeriesIndia Has Three Major Problems (At The Moment) || Peter Zeihan
France isn’t the only one with a protest problem; India is joining in on the fun, too. With fertilizer shortages, voting reforms, and the educated youth…
The Peter Zeihan Podcast SeriesTrump Might Be Onto Something with Data Center Energy || Peter Zeihan
We're back to Trump operating as if 1:37 AM Truth Social posts are policy, but this latest one might actually be worth discussing in the daylight...in front of…
The Peter Zeihan Podcast SeriesHow Will the Elections Impact Serbia and Brazil? || Peter Zeihan
Both Serbia and Brazil just had major elections, but neither is likely to change much. Unfortunately, these are two countries bound by their respective…
The Peter Zeihan Podcast SeriesData Centers: A Necessary Evil...Kinda || Peter Zeihan
While data centers are a massive, loud, and expensive drain on critical resources, they are essential to modern life. I'm not here to argue the downsides of…
The Peter Zeihan Podcast SeriesOil Pricing Is Going Crazy || Peter Zeihan
Oil prices are going crazy, and the current price of ~$102/barrel doesn't even account for all the additional costs incurred along the way. Join the Patreon…
The Peter Zeihan Podcast SeriesThe Great Oil Split Has Begun || Peter Zeihan
Global oil markets are beginning to fragment, and with each added layer, the likelihood of returning to a global unitary price for crude gets further away. But…
The Peter Zeihan Podcast SeriesGround Drones Hit the Frontlines in Ukraine || Peter Zeihan
The Ukrainians have introduced ground drones to the battlefield, attacking Russian positions and disrupting logistics. This is yet another innovation emerging…
The Peter Zeihan Podcast SeriesShould the U.S. Military Invade Yemen? || Peter Zeihan
I've got a bit of a loaded question for everyone today: should the U.S. military get involved in Yemen? Join the Patreon here…
The Peter Zeihan Podcast SeriesThe French Protests Were Inevitable || Peter Zeihan
The protests happening in Paris are an inevitable part of the transition that France is going through. The demographic, political, and historical pressures are…
The Peter Zeihan Podcast SeriesDoes China Have a Succession Plan || Peter Zeihan
Concerns over Xi Jinping's health have begun to spread following his appearance in Washington. Beyond the obvious question of how Xi is doing, let's discuss…
The Peter Zeihan Podcast SeriesChina Gets a New Base in Southeast Asia || Peter Zeihan
The Chinese are laying the groundwork for a new overseas military base in Laos. What makes this so special? Well, it would be the first foreign base that China…
The Peter Zeihan Podcast SeriesThe End of Black Sea Shipping || Peter Zeihan
The Chinese are laying the groundwork for a new overseas military base in Laos. What makes this so special? Well, it would be the first foreign base that China…
The Peter Zeihan Podcast SeriesWhat Happens When India's Water Runs Out? || Peter Zeihan
While the fallout from the Ogallala Aquifer running dry will be rough, it's nothing in comparison to what will happen in the Punjab region of northern India…
The Peter Zeihan Podcast SeriesDefending the Homefront from Cheap Drones || Peter Zeihan
It's one thing for high-tech, expensive strike systems to break through defenses, but when cheap and simple drones can inflict widespread damage...that's a…
The Peter Zeihan Podcast SeriesHow Diesel Could Shape the Ukraine War || Peter Zeihan
A U.S. diesel ban could have reverberating consequences for the Russian energy sector, following the sustained attacks by Ukraine. Russia is now relying on…
The Peter Zeihan Podcast SeriesWhat’s Next for Iraq? || Peter Zeihan
U.S. troops have withdrawn from Iraq, putting an end to American military presence that began following 9/11. So, what's next for Iraq? Join the Patreon here…
The Peter Zeihan Podcast SeriesWill Putin Join the Miami G20 Summit? || Peter Zeihan
The Trump administration has extended an invitation to Putin to attend the G20 summit in Miami. There are several things to watch for, so let's break it down…
The Peter Zeihan Podcast SeriesUkraine Finally Pushes the Frontline Back || Peter Zeihan
Ukraine's new memory drones are beginning to reshape battlefield tactics. For the first time in this war, we're seeing the frontline consistently move in the…
The Peter Zeihan Podcast SeriesSpaceX Deploys 26 Satellites with New Starship || Peter Zeihan
SpaceX has completed its first (mostly) successful Starship test. The ship was able to reach orbit, deploy 26 Starlink satellites, and return home. And while…
The Peter Zeihan Podcast SeriesWhat Happens When Fossil Water Runs Out? Part 1 || Peter Zeihan
Fossil water is ancient water trapped in deep aquifers that take millennia to recharge, rather than the standard seasonal rainfall recharge. So, once you use…
The Peter Zeihan Podcast SeriesBuilding Out the Power Grid: Large Power Transformers || Peter Zeihan
There are three major obstacles to expanding the U.S. electrical grid: generation capacity, permitting, and large power transformers (LPTs). Let's focus on…
The Peter Zeihan Podcast SeriesHow To Ban Diesel Exports || Peter Zeihan
A ban on American crude or diesel exports isn't going to improve energy security; if anything, it will reduce domestic production. The problem lies in…
The Peter Zeihan Podcast SeriesU.S. Sanctions on Iran Take a New Approach || Peter Zeihan
The U.S. has just announced that it will remove any company or country caught servicing Iranian-owned aircraft from the U.S. dollar system. But these sanctions…
The Peter Zeihan Podcast SeriesThe AI Race: U.S. vs. China || Peter Zeihan
The AI race is in full swing. China is chasing digital sovereignty, but there's a glaring hole in that plan...it doesn't have the advanced manufacturing…
The Peter Zeihan Podcast SeriesThe Diesel Shortage Hits America || Peter Zeihan
With Ukrainian attacks limiting Russian refining capacity and the Persian Gulf conflict restricting exports through Hormuz and the Red Sea, a diesel shortage…
The Peter Zeihan Podcast SeriesThe Venezuela Oil Deal Is Just the Start || Peter Zeihan
The recent series of U.S.-Venezuela oil deals is not quite as significant as it was made out to be. Join the Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/PeterZeihan…
The Peter Zeihan Podcast SeriesMy Two Cents on the AI Debate || Peter Zeihan
Hear me out...everyone has been yelling about AI the past few days, and the reality is that everyone is probably right, but it probably doesn't really matter…
The Peter Zeihan Podcast SeriesThe Geography of… Bear Attacks || Peter Zeihan
Everyone is always so worked up about bear attacks while I'm out backpacking. The problem is that people are referencing the rise in bear attacks in Japan, as…
The Peter Zeihan Podcast SeriesChina's Hold on Congolese Cobalt || Peter Zeihan
Cobalt is critical for modern batteries, but with over half of global production coming from the Democratic Republic of Congo, it represents one of the great…
The Peter Zeihan Podcast SeriesPrize Courts Revived for Iran Seizures || Peter Zeihan
The U.S. military has been seizing Iranian shadow fleet vessels at the instruction of the Trump administration. But until now, they couldn't do anything with…
The Peter Zeihan Podcast SeriesHow to Work Together Like Early Rome || Peter Zeihan
As the global order breaks apart, countries and communities that can incorporate the learnings from early Rome can weather the storm much better than others…
The Peter Zeihan Podcast SeriesCan AI-Driven Robots Save Japan? || Peter Zeihan
Japan has long been a pioneer in methodologies and technologies to save society from a demographic crisis. Japan's next endeavour is developing AI-powered…
The Peter Zeihan Podcast SeriesWhat Is Zelensky's Political Future? || Peter Zeihan
Volodymyr Zelensky’s historical legacy is still being written. Sure, he's remained highly popular as a wartime leader and would likely be reelected if…
The Peter Zeihan Podcast SeriesThe Democrats Are Screwed, Too || Peter Zeihan
We discussed the problems with the Republicans; now let's move on to the Democrats. They've got a different set of problems, but make no mistake, they are just…
The Peter Zeihan Podcast SeriesWhat Does Life After Donald Trump Look Like? || Peter Zeihan
Trump has adopted a leadership style similar to that of Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin. That means power is solely concentrated around him, and the party…
The Peter Zeihan Podcast SeriesDoes the Trump Administration Know What's Going On? || Peter Zeihan
On the whole, most presidential administrations have limited awareness of things like demographics, trade, geopolitics, and industrial policy. Naturally…
The Peter Zeihan Podcast SeriesBack to the Glory Days of the Spice Trade || Peter Zeihan
Global trade was once fragmented into many regional economies. Goods like spices traveled overland through countless intermediaries before reaching the gateway…
The Peter Zeihan Podcast SeriesProject Vault Doesn't Solve the Mineral Problem || Peter Zeihan
Project Vault, the Trump administration's initiative to stockpile critical minerals, is just a small step in the right direction. Sure, buying mineral-rich…
The Peter Zeihan Podcast SeriesWhy a Russian-Chinese Pipeline Won't Happen || Peter Zeihan
If China and Russia are so buddy-buddy now, why don't they build pipelines across Siberia to bypass the Persian Gulf? There are more issues than I can cover in…
The Peter Zeihan Podcast SeriesUkraine Is Shooting Fish in a Barrel || Peter Zeihan
Ukraine has created a system to determine which ships belong to the shadow fleet and which belong to one of the major companies. By sourcing ship identities…
The Peter Zeihan Podcast SeriesThe End of U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve || Peter Zeihan
The U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) was created in the 70s as a safeguard against major disruptions in oil imports. Well, those 700 million barrels were…
The Peter Zeihan Podcast SeriesGlobal Shipping Comes Under Attack || Peter Zeihan
While oil is still moving through the Strait of Hormuz, flows remain a fraction of pre-war levels. Join the Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/PeterZeihan…
The Peter Zeihan Podcast SeriesChina’s Real Estate System Is Failing || Peter Zeihan
You know what happens when you do exactly what the Chinese government tells you to do? You get sentenced to life in prison. That just happened to Evergrande's…
The Peter Zeihan Podcast SeriesRussia Is Struggling to Defend Its Own Capital || Peter Zeihan
A leaked Moscow memo stated that Russian air defenses are being concentrated around the Kremlin. This leaves the broader Moscow region, including refineries…
The Peter Zeihan Podcast SeriesTrade War Revival: Trump, Canada, and Tariffs || Peter Zeihan
Crippling one of the world's most deeply integrated manufacturing systems probably isn't a great idea, but here we are again. Join the Patreon here…
The Peter Zeihan Podcast SeriesRelocate or Move On from the Middle East || Peter Zeihan
Following the dumpster fire that was the Iran war, the U.S. is contemplating how and where to redeploy forces to the Middle East. Join the Patreon here…
The Peter Zeihan Podcast SeriesIsrael and Turkey Call Dibs on Syria || Peter Zeihan
It's always something in the Middle East...and today, it's Syria. Israel and Turkey are competing over what comes next for this country. Join the Patreon here…
The Peter Zeihan Podcast SeriesThe U.S. Chooses Favorites: North Korea over South Korea || Peter Zeihan
I'm not sure how crossed your wires have to be to side with North Korea over South Korea, but that's exactly what Trump did over the weekend. So, what will…
The Peter Zeihan Podcast SeriesThe Collapse of the World's Strategic Straits - Part 2 || Peter Zeihan
Should Iran manage to turn the Strait of Hormuz into a toll-based waterway, what does the domino effect look like? Join the Patreon here…
The Peter Zeihan Podcast SeriesUkraine's Flamingos Crush Russia's Space Program || Peter Zeihan
Ukraine sent a flamboyance of Flamingos (cruise missiles, not those pink things) and struck a Russian space complex in Samara. This complex was responsible for…
The Peter Zeihan Podcast SeriesThe Collapse of the World's Strategic Straits || Peter Zeihan
The Strait of Hormuz needs a new model for running things, but copy/pasting the voluntary system used in the Strait of Malacca isn't going to work. Join the…