Freddy Gray, Author at The Spectator

Yesterday

July 10, 2026

America is still gripped by the gerontocracy

What do senior Republican Senator Mitch McConnell and Iran’s new Supreme Leader have in common? Not a lot, except that both men are currently being hidden from public view – and nobody seems to know for sure if either Mitch or Mojtaba Khamenei is alive or dead. Iran is a brutal theocratic regime where the truth tends to be suppressed. America is meant to be a free and democratic society. Yet the 84-year-old Senator for Kentucky has been in hospital since June 14 and rumors are spreading that he is brain-dead, on life-support, or possibly worse, and the party leadership appears to be covering up the facts about his health.

Freddy Gray

How America views Britain’s right-wing circus

From our UK edition

Both Nigel Farage and Rupert Lowe have been in the America, telling the political elite all about Britain's demise. Freddy Gray is joined by The Times Washington editor Katy Balls to discuss how the right-wing insurgence in British politics translates to an American, the difference between how the online right, versus a typical Republican may see Farage vs Lowe, and how significant Trump has been to British politics.

Wednesday

July 8, 2026

Freddy Gray

Why is the Iran war back on?

As the NATO summit in Ankara draws to a close today, it wouldn't be a Donald Trump summit without a few shocks. The ceasefire between the US and Iran has collapsed, and Trump has branded the Iranians "scum". But what does this mean for NATO and the rest of the world? Freddy Gray and Owen Matthews discuss what the end of the US-Iran ceasefire means for Trump's presidency, why the agreement broke down so quickly, and what NATO's reluctance to provide military support to the US could mean for the wider conflict. Freddy Gray is joined by The Spectator's Owen Matthews, an expert on Russia, Ukraine and Turkey, to analyse the latest developments.

Tuesday

July 7, 2026

Freddy Gray

Will the ‘anti-Trump playbook’ work in Britain?

Commentators were so busy fulminating against Trump’s FIFA shenanigans yesterday they mostly missed his intervention in the big story now roiling British politics. "They’re Running the 2024 Anti-Trump Playbook on Nigel Farage," the President posted on Truth Social, linking to an article on the National Pulse, an American media site founded by Farage’s old mucker Raheem Kassam. The point, now being repeated by Reform’s talking heads on TV, is clear. "They" – the SW1 elite – are trying to stop Nigel Farage, just as the Washington establishment mounted a ridiculously elaborate lawfare campaign to try to stop Donald Trump.

Saturday

July 4, 2026

Freddy Gray

Anthony Scaramucci on Trump, Corruption & America at 250

From our UK edition

35 min listen

As Americans mark the 250th anniversary of the 1776 Declaration of Independence, Anthony Scaramucci joins the Spectator to provide his assessment of the health of the nation. As we approach the halfway point of the second Trump presidency, what's his impact been on America's reputation? Will the Democrats' attempts to emulate Trump help or hinder them? And why are American conservatives so obsessed with Britain – or rather, Britain's supposed decline? Declaring Trump 'an ageing queen' under whom 'the spirit of hypocrisy lives on' in America, the former White House communications director joins Freddy Gray and Tim Shipman for this special Coffee House Shots / Americano crossover to mark the 4th of July. Produced by Patrick Gibbons and Natasha Feroze.

Anthony Scaramucci on Trump, Corruption & America at 250

Freddy Gray

Anthony Scaramucci on Trump, Corruption & America at 250

37 min listen

As Americans mark the 250th anniversary of the 1776 Declaration of Independence, Anthony Scaramucci joins The Spectator to provide his assessment of the health of the nation. As we approach the halfway point of the second Trump presidency, what's his impact been on America's reputation? Will the Democrats' attempts to emulate Trump help or hinder them? And why are American conservatives so obsessed with Britain – or rather, Britain's supposed decline? Declaring Trump 'an ageing queen' under whom 'the spirit of hypocrisy lives on' in America, the former White House communications director joins Freddy Gray and Tim Shipman for this special Coffee House Shots / Americano crossover to mark the 4th of July. Produced by Patrick Gibbons and Natasha Feroze.

Friday

July 3, 2026

Freddy Gray

A golden age… for Trump

"You can do two things," Donald Trump told reporters as he stood beside the new retrofitted Air Force One on Wednesday. "You can low-key it, or you can show it." He always does the latter. The presidential plane is, as everyone knows, a $400 million present from Qatar. The famous light blue hull is gone. It is painted in Trump’s preferred color scheme – navy blue, red, gold stripes. The Air Force says it spent less than $400 million implementing "security upgrades." And the aircraft began active service this week and will be used by the President until the end of his second term at least. It’s hard to know if Americans really care about their Commander-in-Chief flying around in a jet given to him by a sheikh who didn’t need it.

Freddy Gray

Labour’s ‘total failure’ on defence – and why Boris shouldn’t come back

From our UK edition

30 min listen

For this week’s Edition, Lara Prendergast is joined by the Spectator’s deputy editor Freddy Gray, assistant content editor John Power and former Leader of the House of Commons Penny Mordaunt. This week: Labour’s lame duck period drags on, with Keir Starmer searching for a legacy before he leaves office. This week he has announced more money for Defence, though with several caveats, the biggest of which is unfunded billions left for the (presumably) incoming Burnham administration to fix. Penny Mordaunt, a former Conservative Defence Secretary, explains why Starmer has been a ‘total failure’ on Defence, saying Labour have failed to take Defence seriously and need to explain to the country that tough choices lie ahead.

Wednesday

July 1, 2026

Freddy Gray

The secrets of the Spectator summer party

From our UK edition

17 min listen

As the nation holds its breath to see if England will be progressing in the World Cup, the bottles of Pol Roger are on ice for the post-match after party: the Spectator's summer party, taking place this evening. Opening the doors of the Spectator to listeners of Coffee House Shots, James Heale, Freddy Gray, Noa Hoffman and Tim Shipman talk about their favourite memories, how to survive events like this – and which politicians handle their drink best. Plus, with Starmer on the way out, will Labour politicians be partying – or plotting? Produced by Patrick Gibbons.

The secrets of the Spectator summer party

Tuesday

June 30, 2026

Freddy Gray

The truth about Gavin Newsom

Gavin Newsom has spent the last two years building a national profile for himself beyond his controversial leadership of California as its Governor. But is he equipped to take on the challenges that would be faced by a presidential run in 2028, that go beyond the left-wing political bubble of the Golden State? Freddy Gray speaks to Christopher Rufo, author of the Christopher Rufo Substack and a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute, about the real Gavin Newsom and the decay of California under his watch. Learn how to earn yield on gold, paid in gold, at Monetary-Metals.

Saturday

June 27, 2026

Freddy Gray

Why is America’s radical left winning?

After success in the New York democratic primaries for far-left candidates, President Trump says 'the game is on. Enjoy Watching.' Freddy Gray speaks to Spectator columnist, Roger Kimball, about how Trump plans to deal with the radical left, the lawlessness of New York under Mamdani, and how artificial intelligence is changing politics. Learn how to earn yield on gold, paid in gold, at Monetary-Metals.

Friday

June 26, 2026

Freddy Gray

Is Trump’s quest for peace doomed?

J.D. Vance jokingly compared himself to Richard Nixon yesterday. "Young senator, vice president, writes some bestselling books, is hated by the media... kinda sounds like J.D. Vance," he said at the Richard Nixon Library and Museum in Yorba Linda, California. "I’ve always liked Richard Nixon." At the same time, 8,000 miles away, in the Strait of Hormuz, Iranian forces struck another ship, further undermining what critics have called "the Vance deal" – the "Memorandum of Understanding" between Tehran and Washington. And that suggests, at a foreign-policy level, the Nixon-Vance parallel is more apt than the 50th Vice President realizes. Of course, Nixon was Commander-in-Chief and Vance is not. And the Vietnam War is very different to America’s current fight with Iran.

Monday

June 22, 2026

Freddy Gray

Has America really lost to Iran?

Vice President JD Vance is returning from the Swiss Alps having concluded the opening phase of the Iran talks with a view to achieving a peace deal. Are critics right to claim that the whole war has been a humiliation for America? Freddy Gray speaks to Stanford Professor Victor Davis Hanson about MAGA foreign policy, the midterms, why oil is so important to the American voter & the right wing realignment in Latin America. Learn how to earn yield on gold, paid in gold, at Monetary-Metals.

Freddy Gray

Who is really behind the plots to kill Trump?

Freddy is joined by Ken Silva, Author of 'The Trump Assassination Plots' and Editor of Headline USA. They discuss the mysteries around Trump's assassins, how they came so close to killing him, and whether or not it was an inside job. Learn how to earn yield on gold, paid in gold, at Monetary-Metals.

Friday

June 19, 2026

Freddy Gray

Freddy Gray, Matt Ridley, Peter Parker & Lloyd Evans

From our UK edition

30 min listen

On this week’s Spectator Out Loud: Freddy Gray asks whether the Iran deal will destroy J.D. Vance; Matt Ridley argues that Britain must finally embrace gene editing; Peter Parker explains the problem with ‘queer art'; and finally, Lloyd Evans says the NHS treats everyone fairly – with contempt. Produced and presented by Patrick Gibbons.

Freddy Gray

Will Vance regret being the face of the Iran deal?

After a week of international agonizing, it looks as if the first round of the latest peace talks between America and Iran will not begin today – at least, not formally. The Memorandum of Understanding has been signed – electronically by Iran and by Donald Trump’s hand in Versailles on Wednesday. But J.D. Vance’s big Switzerland trip, originally planned to kick off the talks, has been put on hold as the Lebanon issue reared its troublesome head overnight. Late yesterday afternoon, Hezbollah fired several salvoes of rockets at IDF targets, killing four soldiers. Israel responded with a wave of airstrikes in Southern Lebanon, killing 18 and wounding 33, according to the Lebanese ministry of health.

Wednesday

June 17, 2026

Freddy Gray

Will the Iran deal destroy J.D. Vance?

When it comes to foreign policy, Donald Trump is neither hawk nor dove. He’s a dealmaker who plays differing sides off each other. In so doing, he ends up disappointing warmongers and peaceniks in equal measure. In March, opponents of the war were accused of cowardice and disloyalty. This week, it’s the peace-sceptics being called ‘Panicans’ On 28 February, when he launched Operation Epic Fury, Trump’s more dovish supporters felt betrayed. The president who had campaigned against regime-change wars began a new conflict by channelling George W. Bush. ‘To the great, proud people of Iran I say tonight that the hour of your freedom is at hand,’ he said.

Monday

June 15, 2026

Freddy Gray

Can Trump forge a lasting peace?

22 min listen

Freddy is joined by Daniel McCarthy, US columnist for The Spectator and the editor of Modern Age: A Conservative Review. They discuss the US-Iran peace deal, whether a lasting peace is possible in the region, and what's at stake for Iran and leaders in the Persian Gulf.

Friday

June 12, 2026

Freddy Gray

Will peace be the perfect gift for the President?

Donald Trump’s 80th birthday is this weekend, and what better present for a struggling octogenarian Commander-in-Chief than a peace deal with Iran, signed if not quite yet sealed and delivered. There is, I’m told, some late scrambling over "semantics" in the so-called "memorandum of understanding" between America and Iran, and lingering issues over the language concerning the "nuclear dust" – i.e., Iran’s enriched uranium. But the rest is all but agreed. J.D. Vance could fly to Europe to sign a deal tomorrow – or if not it will be Trump as he attends the G7 in Evian near the Swiss Alps on Monday. Trump really wanted to stage a peace photo-op with Iran’s new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei but had to be told that would not be possible.

Wednesday

June 10, 2026

Freddy Gray

How to save American farming

Farm bankruptcies in the US have risen by 50 percent in the past year. Soybean farmers lost an average of $100 per acre in 2025, according to the Department of Agriculture, while corn growers are set to lose $150 per acre this year. Meanwhile, the national beef herd is at its lowest level since 1950 and retail prices have jumped by 40 percent in the past 18 months. Freddy Gray is joined by author and farmer Joel Salatin who wrote about this in the Spectator World magazine.