Donald Trump will mark his 80th birthday with a gladiatorial spectacle next month. The president, a longtime fan of combat sports, is hosting an Ultimate Fighting Championship fight night on the south lawn of the White House. What does the president’s patronage of the sport reveal about America?

Guests and hosts:

• John Prideaux, US editor and host of “Checks and Balance”
• Charlotte Howard, executive editor
• James Bennet, Lexington columnist
• Natalie Adams, professor at the University of Alabama
• Dan Cassino, professor at Fairleigh Dickinson University

Topics covered:

• UFC
• The history of masculinity
• How men vote

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The stakes will be high when Donald Trump visits Xi Jinping next week, the first of four expected meetings in 2026. The coming six months could shape ties between America and China for many years. What can the summit achieve?

Guests and hosts:

• John Prideaux, US editor and host of “Checks and Balance”
• James Bennet, Lexington columnist
• Jeremy Page, chief China correspondent and host of “Drum Tower”
• Sarah Beran, former senior US diplomat and partner at Macro Advisory Partners
• Simon Rabinovitch, Beijing bureau chief

Topics covered:

• AI security
• Taiwan
• US-China Trade

Thank you to the Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum for the archive audio used in this episode.

Transcripts of our podcasts are available via economist.com/podcasts

Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—subscribe to Economist Podcasts+

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Farmers are among Donald Trump’s most loyal supporters. But they have been getting a raw deal from the man they helped re-elect in 2024. First came the trade war that eroded access to key export markets. Then came the Iran war, and rising fuel and fertiliser costs. Meanwhile, Congressional wranglings over food stamps are delaying the new Farm Bill. So what, if anything, would cause rural voters to abandon President Trump?

Guests and hosts:

• Charlotte Howard, New York bureau chief and executive editor
• Rebecca Jackson, Southern correspondent
• Alice Fulwood, Wall Street correspondent; co-host Money Talks
• Nick Levendofsky, executive director of the Kansas Farmers Union

Topics covered:

• Farm Bill / SNAP
• Agricultural trade and tariffs
• Iran War & fuel / fertiliser costs
• Rural politics

Transcripts of our podcasts are available via economist.com/podcasts

Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—subscribe to Economist Podcasts+

For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account.