Fareed Zakaria GPS — November 2, 2025

Episode Title: Exclusive Interview with the Qatari PM; The Changing Trump-Putin Relationship
Host: Fareed Zakaria
Main Guests:

• Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman Al Thani (Qatar’s Prime Minister and Foreign Minister)
• Michael McFaul (Former U.S. Ambassador to Russia)
• Scott Galloway (NYU professor, author)
• May Hassan (MIT professor, Sudan analyst)

Episode Overview

This episode of Fareed Zakaria GPS dives into the most volatile foreign policy challenges today: the precarious ceasefire in Gaza and prospects for Palestinian governance; the shifting dynamic between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin and implications for Ukraine; the root causes and prospects for peace in Sudan’s catastrophic civil war; and a societal reflection on the crisis facing young men in America. The episode features in-depth interviews with the Qatari Prime Minister, an expert on Russia, and a leading Sudanese academic, as well as a frank discussion about modern masculinity with Scott Galloway.

Key Discussions and Insights

1. Fareed’s Opening Take: U.S.-China Rivalry and Strategic Choices

[00:02 – 08:17]

• The recent Trump–Xi summit in South Korea led to a ceasefire in the trade war, but not a real peace framework.
• Fareed critiques the U.S. trend towards centralized economic control—a strategy that imitates China, arguing it undermines America’s fundamental strengths:

  “No democracy wins by imitating autocracy. America’s strengths lie in rules, predictability, and openness.” ([06:06])

• Central Thesis: America’s path to success isn’t in matching China’s opaque interventionist methods, but in doubling down on openness, competition, and alliances—the features that made it an innovation leader.

2. Gaza Ceasefire Fragility and the Future of Palestinian Governance

Interview: Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman Al Thani (Qatar’s PM/FM)
[08:17 – 19:50]

The State of the Ceasefire

• Complex, Fragile Truce:
  Ceasefire brokered by Qatar, Egypt, & U.S. remains highly fragile, with daily violations registered.

  “Yes, there was a violation at the beginning, but then the attack was really disproportionate and was about to jeopardize the deal.” — Sheikh Mohammed ([08:38])

• Qatar operates a deconfliction/operations room registering each violation, working to de-escalate both sides.

Who Secures Gaza After the War?

• No Appetite for Arab Troops Fighting Palestinians:
  Arab states (like Jordan) oppose sending in troops that would need to suppress Palestinians.

  “No one expects from an Arab force or an Islamic force to go there and to shoot on Palestinians, but the role of guaranteeing security should be taken care by the Palestinian police, which will be formed in Gaza.” ([11:05])

• International Presence:
  International forces (if deployed) should secure both Palestinians and Israelis, but only as guarantors while Palestinians maintain local agency.

The Palestinian Authority Debate

• Sheikh Mohammed endorses reformed Palestinian Authority (PA) governance over both Gaza & West Bank as the legitimate path toward statehood:

  “We want the Palestinian Authority to be the single agency for the Palestinians...Those are the future Palestinian state...There is no solution except the two state solution.” ([12:35])

• The vision: a technocratic, apolitical committee to govern Gaza in transition, eventually linking to a reformed PA.

Qatar’s Regional Mediation Approach

[15:06]

• Qatar’s small size has led to its identity as a “mediator,” enshrined in its constitution, enabled by maintaining lines with all sides.

  “We found ourselves that we are able to convene between conflicted parties and...built a track record of credibility and honesty and transparency.” ([15:06])

Relations with Iran

• Qatar’s strategic location and shared gas field with Iran necessitate diplomatic pragmatism:

  “Iran is my neighbor...Of course, we don’t want to see an arm race in our region. That’s why we’ve been supporting diplomacy all the time...” ([16:49])

On U.S. Security Guarantees and Criticism

• Qatar dismisses claims that recent U.S. security guarantees are a ‘payback’ for transactions, pointing to longstanding strategic ties and shared interests—especially the major U.S. air base in Qatar.

  “When you look at the security guarantees that we got from United States, this is a guarantee for United States interests as well, which are in the region, which are in Qatar.” ([18:15])

3. Trump-Putin Relations and the Future of Ukraine

Interview: Michael McFaul (Former U.S. Ambassador to Russia)
[19:53 – 25:43]

The End of Trump-Putin “Bromance”

• Trump has made a sharp turn against Putin, shown by sanctions and a canceled summit after years of personal affinity.

  “Trump, he doesn’t divide the world between autocrats and Democrats like I do. He divides the world between strong leaders and weak leaders...But lately, Putin has been playing him. And I think President Trump has finally figured out that Putin is playing him.” — McFaul ([21:21])

Underlying Worldview

• Trump’s perspective shaped by an admiration of “strongmen,” but McFaul argues Putin is, in fact, a “weak leader wielding brute tactics.”

Prospects for Ukraine

• Stalemate Likely:
  Neither Russia nor Ukraine stands to win outright; yet Putin is determined and faces no internal opposition.
• Need for Western Support:
  For a ceasefire, Ukraine must be better armed to halt Russian advances—only then will Putin negotiate.

  “He wants to keep fighting. He faces no domestic opposition...Putin’s trying to wait us out. We get bored with this, we move on, and then he conquers all of the pieces of Ukraine that...he’s already annexed.” ([24:13])

• Outlook:
  No quick peace in sight—conflict is likely to drag on.

4. The Male Crisis: Loneliness, Purpose, and the Modern Role of Men

Interview: Scott Galloway (NYU Prof., author “Notes on Being a Man”)
[26:59 – 32:49]

The Loneliness & Purpose Deficit

• Stark Data:
  • 1 in 4 young men in the U.S. report feeling lonely; men are nearly four times more likely than women to commit suicide.
• Political Observations:
  • The political right has gained traction by recognizing men’s loss of purpose, though Galloway warns against reverting to regressive ideals.

  “I worry that sometimes their solution is to take us back to the 50s where women and non-whites didn’t have as much opportunity.” ([28:15])

  • The left’s reply—to tell men to “just act more like a woman”—is also unhelpful.

Modern Masculinity: The Path Forward

• Three Pillars:
  1. Provider:
     • Value economic viability, but be willing to play a supporting role when needed.
  2. Protector:
     • Adopt a protective attitude towards others and community.
  3. Procreation:
     • Channel the urge for romance and sex productively—“dress better, be stronger, have a plan, demonstrate kindness...”
• Role Models:
  Galloway emphasizes the power of presence over advice:

  “The moment a boy loses a male role model, he becomes at that moment more likely to be...incarcerated than graduate from college. So a lot of it for you is just showing up.” ([30:55])

• Parental Insight:
  Kids respond to lived example more than words.

5. Sudan: A Humanitarian Catastrophe and the Road to Peace

Interview: May Hassan (MIT Political Science Professor, Sudanese Native)
[33:45 – 39:19]

The Devastation

• Over 150,000 killed and over 14 million displaced in two years of civil war.
• Recent Atrocity:
  Hundreds massacred in Al Fashr—worst escalation yet.

Collapse of Democratic Hopes

• After ousting dictator Bashir in 2019, hopes for democracy were dashed by a 2021 military coup, fragmenting the security sector.
• Current Fault Lines:
  Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) vs. Rapid Support Forces (RSF), each backed by outside actors.

Foreign Involvement

• UAE supports RSF (for gold and agricultural interests); Egypt and Saudi back the SAF; Russia is also involved due to strategic interests (Red Sea routes, regional influence).

Possibility of “Forever War”

• Ongoing conflict is fueled by both internal rivalry and unabated external support, making a resolution very difficult.

Prospects for Peace

• Long-term solution requires:
  • Civilian leadership at the negotiating table
  • Robust Western diplomatic pressure on the region's backers

  “This war started because of Sudanese actors. But given the leverage that the west has...especially the US...I really think...the US has quite a bit of leverage to force the regional backers to force their belligerents to...negotiate.” ([38:22])

• Hassan is cautiously optimistic that Sudan—unlike Gaza or Ukraine—could resolve more quickly if outside pressure is applied.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• Fareed Zakaria:

  “No democracy wins by imitating autocracy. America’s strengths lie in rules, predictability, and openness.” ([06:06])

• Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman Al Thani:

  "No one expects from an Arab force or an Islamic force to go there and to shoot on Palestinians...the role of guaranteeing the security should be taken care by the Palestinian police..." ([11:05])
  "There is no solution except the two state solution." ([12:35])

• Michael McFaul:

  "Putin has been playing him [Trump]. And I think President Trump has finally figured out that Putin is playing him." ([21:21])
  “He wants to keep fighting. He faces no domestic opposition...Putin’s trying to wait us out.” ([24:13])

• Scott Galloway:

  “The moment a boy loses a male role model, he becomes at that moment more likely to be...incarcerated than graduate from college.” ([30:55])
  "...there definitely seems to be a vacuum of establishing a more aspirational form of masculinity." ([28:15])

• May Hassan:

  "I think...the US has quite a bit of leverage to force the regional backers to force their belligerents to come to the table and negotiate something." ([38:22])

Key Timestamps & Segments

• [00:02 – 08:17] Fareed’s take: U.S.-China rivalry mistakes
• [08:17 – 13:47] Gaza ceasefire, postwar governance, two-state solution — Qatar PM
• [14:37 – 19:50] Qatar’s diplomacy, Iran ties, US criticism — Qatar PM
• [19:53 – 25:43] Trump-Putin dynamic and Ukraine prospects — Michael McFaul
• [26:59 – 32:49] Crisis of masculinity & modern manhood — Scott Galloway
• [33:45 – 39:19] Catastrophe and prospects in Sudan — May Hassan

Tone & Language

The episode balances policy analysis with personal insight, retaining Fareed's measured, analytical style while highlighting emotional realities (in Sudan, Gaza, and the male loneliness crisis). Guests offer candid, pragmatic assessments—with empathy for those affected by war and dislocation, and urgency about political choices being made.

Summary

For listeners seeking to understand both global hot spots and domestic crises, this episode unpacks the fragile state of peace in Gaza via Qatar’s unique mediation; traces the breakdown of the Trump-Putin relationship and its consequences for Ukraine; explores the roots and possible solutions for Sudan’s civil war; and challenges assumptions in the mounting crisis among young men in America. The discussions are nuanced, grounded in current reality, and at times—especially on Sudan and Gaza—offer rare, hopeful glimpses of solutions amid deeply set conflict.