Daily Maverick

POWER CHAT | Ferial Haffajee and Breitbart's Joel Pollak on democracy, foreign policy, and power

Episode Summary

In this episode of Power Chat, Daily Maverick Associate Editor Ferial Haffajee sits down with South African-born American conservative political commentator, author and Breitbart News Senior Editor-at-Large Joel Pollak for a conversation on US democracy, the Trump presidency, South Africa’s foreign policy, and the future of US-SA relations. A sharp, high-stakes exchange on power, sovereignty, and ideology in a shifting global order.

Episode Notes

In this episode of Power Chat, Daily Maverick Associate Editor Ferial Haffajee sits down with South African-born American conservative political commentator, author and Breitbart News Senior Editor-at-Large Joel Pollak for a conversation on US democracy, the Trump presidency, South Africa’s foreign policy, and the future of US-SA relations. A sharp, high-stakes exchange on power, sovereignty, and ideology in a shifting global order. 

01:06 Trump's First 100 Days and Executive Orders 
02:59 Legal Challenges and Political Prosecutions 
06:10 Debates on Democracy and Policy 
11:20 Government Spending and Efficiency 
17:09 US-South Africa Relations and Ambassadorship 
20:14 Diplomatic Relations and Misinformation 
24:26 Documenting Dissidents' Visit to South Africa 
25:08 Legal Jeopardy and Freedom of Speech 
26:22 The African Growth and Opportunities Act (AGOA) 
27:46 US-South Africa Relations and Trade 
29:12 South Africa's Foreign Policy and the ICC 
30:39 South Africa's Stance on Israel and Palestine 
38:25 Personal Reflections and South Africa's Future 
43:51 Conclusion and Final Thoughts 

Produced by: Emilie Gambade & Bernard Kotze 

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