Following the activities of Pope Leo XIV in early June 2026, podcasters have turned their attention to Europe's struggling geopolitical autonomy. On The Rest Is Politics, Rory Stewart questioned whether the continent still governs itself or has become a vassal to the US due to its reliance on American artificial intelligence. Scott Galloway highlighted this digital deficit on The Prof G Pod, noting that if a leading AI firm like Anthropic were based there, it'd be one of the five most valuable companies on the continent.
This sovereignty deficit is forcing a hard look at defense. Rory Stewart argued that Europe must build its own frontier AI models despite critics calling it a moonshot, while also warning of the immediate threat of Russia to Europe. Meanwhile, on The Tucker Carlson Show, Israeli journalist Gideon Levy argued that Europe is paralyzed by fear of the United States when it comes to shifting foreign policy, adding that European politicians are uniquely constrained by guilt feelings about the Holocaust.
Yet, other hosts point to areas where Europe remains a global leader. On Pivot, Scott Galloway praised its aggressive approach to tech regulation, remarking that Europe is leading on this when it comes to banning social media for minors. Health regulations tell a similar story: on The Joe Rogan Experience, author Rowan Jacobsen noted that Europe has safely permitted advanced sunscreen ingredients for decades while the US FDA dragged its feet.
Looking forward, Europe's economic gravity continues to dictate terms for its neighbors. Reporting on the Global News Podcast, Imogen Foulkes explained that Switzerland recently voted to protect its access to Europe's single market because losing it would devastate their export economy. As geopolitical pressures mount, the continent must decide whether to build its own independent tech and defense stack or remain comfortable as a highly regulated, secondary power.