Podcast Episode

When The Global Economy Becomes a 'Weapon'

Deep Dish on Global Affairs··9 August 2026·24 min

About this episode

Five months after the conflict between the United States, Israel, and Iran began, Council on Foreign Relations' Edward Fishman joins Leslie Vinjamuri to explain how strategic "chokepoints" — from the Strait of Hormuz to the US dollar — have become powerful tools of geopolitical competition. They discuss what makes a true chokepoint, why tariffs aren't always effective, and how the United States can compete in a more fragmented global economy.