Introducing Swamp Notes: The real cost of gutting USAID
Political Fix8 Aug 2025

Introducing Swamp Notes: The real cost of gutting USAID

Political Fix is on a break this week. In its absence, we're taking the opportunity to introduce you to its sister podcast, Swamp Notes, the weekly US politics podcast from the Financial Times. Six months after the Trump administration gutted the US Agency for International Development, experts are tracking the impact of its absence. The FT’s David Pilling and the Brookings Institution’s George Ingram describe the surprising ways countries are adapting to a world with less resources for the poor, sick and starving.


Mentioned in this podcast:

Email Marc with your questions (Marc.Filippino@FT.com)

What the closure of USAID is really costing the world

USAID cuts threaten 14mn extra deaths by 2030, warns study

The shifting future of foreign aid

Sign up for the FT’s Swamp Notes newsletter here


Listen to Swamp Notes on Acast, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts or wherever you get your podcasts.


Swamp Notes is produced by Henry Larson. Samantha Giovinco mixed this week’s episode. The FT’s acting co-head of audio is Topher Forhecz. Special thanks to Pierre Nicholson.


Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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