The Monocle Daily – December 17, 2025

Episode Overview

In this episode of The Monocle Daily, host Andrew Muller is joined by journalist and human rights campaigner Rebecca Tinsley and Financial Times science editor Michael Peel. The panel delves into the latest political scandal shaking the Trump White House, explores the implications of the UK’s re-entry into the Erasmus scheme, examines challenges in funding international aid and refugee inclusion, and closes with a scientific discussion on animal monogamy and an arts segment on Sarkis' London exhibition. The tone is sharp, conversational, and tinged with Monocle's characteristic wry humor.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. White House Scandal: Susie Wiles’ Candid Comments

• Scandal Overview (04:10):
  • White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles was interviewed by Vanity Fair, where she made highly indiscreet remarks about key figures in the Trump administration, including President Trump, Vice President J.D. Vance, and Elon Musk.
  • Wiles is attempting to claim her comments were "taken out of context" despite having been given in multiple formal interviews.
• Analysis & Reactions:
  • Michael Peel notes, "It’s hard to see what would change it…many of the observations are not necessarily a great surprise given what we know" (05:06).
  • Andrew remarks on the incredulity of such candor from a senior staffer: "She is by common repute, one of the more sensible and professional people in Trump's orbit…how can somebody in her position be this indiscreet?" (05:40).
  • Rebecca Tinsley empathizes: "Imagine it. You work in this madhouse environment, surrounded by lunatics and people who are utterly incompetent…a cup of hot matcha and a sympathetic ear, I can imagine she felt able to unburden..." (06:09).
  • The prevailing sense is that the White House will rely on its usual PR tactic: wait for the news cycle to move on (07:28).

Notable Quotes:

• Rebecca Tinsley: "Trump has already said that he agrees that he does have an alcoholic personality" (07:03).

2. Humanitarian Aid Cuts & Consequences

• Aid Cuts’ Impact (07:49):
  • Wiles criticized the gutting of USAID and related international aid. Tinsley, drawing from her work, describes the dire impact: "So many NGOs have lost funding…Those of us still standing are now fighting each other for private foundation money. And it's getting quite bloody" (08:23).
  • She recounts a bizarre experience with Musk-affiliated oversight: "Jeremy, age 29, with no background in international development…and it had questions like, ‘Will the Free Yazidi Foundation guarantee American energy efficiency and security?’…We realized…we just put ‘Christian’ as an answer for all 32 questions. And guess what? We are the only NGO in the Middle East to get our money back" (09:11).

Notable Quotes:

• "You would need to [unburden yourself] if you were in that environment." – Rebecca Tinsley (06:09)
• "Even Bill Gates has been explicit that if governments don’t do it, private foundations can’t fill the gap." – Michael Peel (10:22)

3. The Global Refugee Crisis & Policy Dilemmas

• UNHCR Global Refugee Forum (10:54):
  • UN Secretary General Guterres calls on wealthy countries to "boost refugee inclusion and self-reliance," but panelists are skeptical about global willingness.
  • Tinsley gives a "real world" example: "The Refugee response plan…for all of these Sudanese is funded 4.7%. That’s it.…So if you were a refugee, are you going to hang around in this camp? Of course you're not..." (11:42–13:20).
  • Peel unpacks the UK dilemma: the failure of processing and work policies creates the appearance of chaos, which politicians fear more than migration itself (15:16).
  • Tinsley agrees, stressing that most refugees “are desperate to work. They want to be seen to contribute to society" (15:55).
  • The panel criticizes Labour’s strategy of trying to win over Reform Party voters by mimicking their rhetoric on refugees, arguing "it’s absolute madness as a political strategy" (17:17).

Notable Quotes:

• "If you had half a brain and you were a refugee, are you going to hang around in this camp?...Of course you are [going to try to leave]." – Rebecca Tinsley (12:38)

4. UK Rejoins Erasmus: Steps Toward Europe?

• Return to Erasmus+ (18:30):
  • The UK rejoins the European student exchange program after a post-Brexit hiatus, at a cost of £570 million—below the usual non-EU rate.
  • Peel frames the departure as "part of the general sort of scorched earth policy towards Europe" by previous Conservative governments (19:26).
  • Tinsley welcomes the return: "I hope it really is a slippery slope [back into the EU]…it’s cheap at any price" (21:02).
• Political Timidity & Potential for More Integration:
  • Tinsley criticizes PM Keir Starmer for being too cautious on Europe: "It's as if he's utterly deaf to the fact that a huge number of British people now…regret having voted Brexit" (22:16).
  • Peel notes the broader context, suggesting the UK's pathologies are intertwined with wider European challenges (22:42).

Notable Quotes:

• "Some major promoters of Brexit said that the UK was not going to leave the single market. Daniel Hannan, for example." – Michael Peel (19:26)
• "I hope it really is a slippery slope." – Rebecca Tinsley (21:02)

5. Science Segment: Animal Monogamy

• New Research on Monogamy (24:36):
  • Cambridge University study ranks species by monogamy, with humans near the top—just below the Ethiopian wolf and above the white-handed gibbon.
  • Michael Peel highlights, "One of the best performers on monogamy is the African wild dog, thus striking a blow for stereotypes about wild dog behaviour" (25:31).
  • Rebecca Tinsley delivers a memorable fact: "Having encountered a few [African wild dogs]…Did you know that the female has a penis?" (26:32).
• **Lively banter on methodology, animal behaviors, Darwinian constraints, and the fun lifestyle of dolphins.

Notable Quotes:

• "If you don't happen to speak Ethiopian wolf or bottlenose dolphin…" – Andrew Muller, riffing on the challenges of self-reporting animal sexuality (26:06).

6. Culture: Sarkis Exhibition in London

• Profile of Turkish Armenian Artist Sarkis (28:48):
  • Joanna Moser reports from the opening of Sarkis Zabunyan's (Sarkis) first major London show in over 50 years.
  • The exhibition is described as “an invitation to look and to imagine,” with no labels or explanations—emphasizing radical artistic freedom (29:17).
  • Sarkis' identity, bridging Turkish and Armenian roots, is highlighted as a quiet but bold statement in reconciliation, especially at the Venice Biennale (30:17).
  • Curator Levin Osman notes, "He refused the idea of taking part from one side or another…he said he can represent both at the same time, which still resonates in Istanbul" (30:17).

Notable Quotes:

• Sarkis: "I’m completely free to use all the materials that I want.…It's a miracle all comes together. This is my book, perhaps created miracle." (29:17)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Rebecca Tinsley, on maneuvering US aid algorithms:
  "We realized…we just put ‘Christian’ as an answer for all 32 questions. And guess what? We are the only NGO in the Middle East to get our money back." (09:11)

• Michael Peel, on UK refugee policy:
  "The idea was that [slow processing] would discourage people from coming. Well, there’s no evidence that has worked." (14:23)

• Rebecca Tinsley, on Brexit regrets:
  "So many Brexit voters have died since 2016 that we would be back in the European Union. Why doesn't he [Starmer] get that?" (22:16)

• Highlight on animal sexuality:
  "Did you know that the [African wild dog] female has a penis?" (26:32, Tinsley)
  "Now you do. I have to say I found this really encouraging…I'm hoping that I come back as a dolphin in my next life." (26:40, Tinsley)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [04:10] White House scandal: Susie Wiles’ Vanity Fair interview
• [08:23] US & global aid cuts; NGO struggles with new priorities
• [10:54] Global refugee crisis, UNHCR forum, UK migration policies
• [18:30] UK rejoins Erasmus+
• [24:36] Animal monogamy: findings and lively panel discussion
• [28:48] Sarkis exhibition feature

Conclusion

This episode offers a pointed, insightful, and often wry rundown of pivotal political, humanitarian, scientific, and cultural developments. From the White House’s latest PR headache to a quietly radical art show in Mayfair, The Monocle Daily panel brings context, debate, and humor, providing an essential catch-up for listeners across Europe and beyond.