Signals, Shocks, Shifts and the State of the Economy
Major forces shaping the U.S. economy are already causing ripple effects across the globe. To say it’s a time of economic uncertainty and transformation may be an understatement. America could see the biggest tariff shock in nearly a century and immigration policy is affecting the labor market. In addition, the Tax Act, or One Big Beautiful Bill, could add trillions to the deficit. Prominent business leaders unpack the situation in a well-rounded discussion on the state of the economy. Zanny Minton Beddoes, editor in chief of The Economist, moderates the conversation that includes Blackrock CEO Laurence Fink, Georgia Governor Brian Kemp, New York Stock Exchange Group President Lynn Martin, and Wells Fargo CEO Charles Scharf.
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How America Recovers
Regardless of one’s politics, most would agree that America is going through a difficult time. Our rifts seem overwhelmingly deep, and it’s not clear how to repair them. New York Times columnist and writer David Brooks has had his idea of what America is supposed to be and stand for upended in recent years. But he also isn’t giving up. In his 20th talk at the Aspen Ideas Festival, he charts a path of recovery. He looks to history for examples of eras when society’s ruptures reached untenable levels, and to psychology, philosophy, theology and other disciplines for clues about how we might move toward a healthy future. His talk was recorded in June at the 2025 festival.
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Assessing the New World Order
The United States is in a pivotal foreign policy moment. What can a zoomed-out view of the current world order tell us about where things are going? Several foreign policy experts come together on stage at the Aspen Ideas Festival for a discussion on the state of the world order. David Petraeus is a former CIA director and Army general, Susan Rice served as an advisor to both Biden and Obama and UN ambassador, and John Bolton was Trump’s national security advisor for part of the president’s first term. CNN journalist and author Fareed Zakaria keeps the conversation on track as moderator.
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Justice Under Pressure
The mission of the U.S. Department of Justice has been tested over the past few months, as the Trump administration has thrust the agency into the center of several politicized debates. In the current atmosphere, can the DOJ fulfill its job of keeping our country safe and upholding civil rights? Former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, who served under President George W. Bush, and former Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates, who served under President Obama, lend their deep experience to this question in a talk at the 2025 Aspen Ideas Festival. CNN journalist and author Fareed Zakaria moderates the conversation, which was recorded at the end of June.
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Possibility and Peril in the Middle East: A Prime Minister’s View
The Middle East is being remade at this very moment. With missiles flying between Iran and Israel with US engagement, and Gaza in rubbles, what will the future hold? Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert says he hopes for peace. In a wide-ranging conversation with CBS Evening News Co-Anchor John Dickerson, Olmert speaks passionately about the state of his region — from Israel’s war with Hamas and the crisis in Gaza to the likelihood that Iran’s nuclear program wasn’t completely wiped out in the June bombing.
Aspen Ideas to Go is a show about bold ideas that will open your mind. Featuring compelling conversations with the world’s top thinkers and doers from a diverse range of disciplines, Aspen Ideas to Go gives you front-row access to the Aspen Ideas Festival.
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