What the HELL is happening around the world right now?! | The Tom Bilyeu Show

Protests and riots have spread across France, Italy, Belgium, Albania, Spain, Argentina, India and Brazil, with the unrest concentrated in Europe. Tom Bilyeu cited more than 500,000 people marching in France on October 17, 1,200 arrests, about 150 injured police officers and more than 2,000 businesses destroyed. Reports that Jewish-owned businesses were specifically targeted were described as early and questionable: a Jewish group found no aggregate evidence of serious targeting, despite anecdotes. French mayors have sought partial curfews, while Albania experienced five consecutive days of street battles.

The discussion treated economic distress as a central driver, while also pointing to political culture, energy costs and strained public services. Speakers connected pressure on household finances to shutdowns, money creation, constrained goods flows and fraud, and cited Eurozone inflation of 3.8% in September, a three-year high, with nearly half attributed to an Iran-war energy shock; EU diesel prices were said to be up 39% since January. One speaker argued that France’s centralized system leaves people few productive local routes to influence policy, and cited public spending at 57% of GDP, one in five workers being a civil servant, and pensions consuming nearly 14% of output. The speakers also noted that organized groups facing reforms can mobilize more readily than dispersed beneficiaries such as young workers and future taxpayers.

Immigration and cultural conflict were discussed as contributing issues, not complete explanations. Speakers argued that debate over religion, national identity and the structure of countries is needed, and warned that dismissing critics as racist can obstruct discussion of causes and solutions. Polls cited broad French concern: an Odoxa poll in January found 70% said there were too many immigrants, including 67% of Emmanuel Macron’s Renaissance supporters; a September 2025 CSA poll found 79% wanted tougher immigration policy, up from 70% three years earlier. Another speaker cautioned against predictions of imminent civil war, saying peace would eventually return but economic and cultural tensions could worsen over the next decade or two. The discussion also stressed that shared national identity can help diverse communities coexist.

On Russia and Ukraine, Donald Trump said he was negotiating peace and did not want to push Russia away from the table. He accused Volodymyr Zelensky of not wanting to end the war and of targeting Russian diesel refineries, while saying Russia was still sending millions of barrels at low prices. The speaker called Trump’s shifting messages chaotic but said the strategy could not be assessed without knowing the negotiations’ inner workings. He doubted Vladimir Putin was simply seeking peace, arguing that Putin wants an end on Russia’s terms and could use concessions to rebuild before fighting again. Trump’s pressure on NATO members to pay more for defense is prompting European rearmament, but the speaker questioned whether Europe could defend itself without US support.

A Russian military satellite, Cosmos 2612, reportedly moved to about three miles from a radar satellite used to provide imagery to Ukraine, after being more than 200 miles away the previous day. Astronomer Jonathan McDowell reportedly described the maneuver as a possible first unapproved rendezvous between active low-Earth-orbit satellites. The discussion noted that the radar satellite can image through clouds and at night, and that no laser or missile was involved; the purpose and potential for disruption or interception remain unclear. Separately, US embassies across the Middle East warned of possible flight cancellations and airspace closures amid concerns involving Yemen and Iran. The reason for the alerts was unclear, while an airport attack in Saudi Arabia reportedly killed at least 12 people and wounded more than 300.

US household strain was another concern: lenders repossessed 5,794 homes in August, up 42% year over year and 22% from July, while foreclosure filings rose 13%. Speakers also cited rising car-loan defaults, weaker discretionary spending as gas costs rise, and downward revisions to jobs figures, warning that recession fears could reinforce a pullback in spending. Reuters put the auto-loan market at $1.7 trillion and reported one in five Americans behind on at least one loan; the average car on the road is nearly 13 years old. Oil reportedly rose about 10%, possibly reaching 102, amid friction and concerns about a Strait closure; gold and Bitcoin pulled back, with Bitcoin having traded sideways for about six months.

The AI discussion centered on where economic value will accrue, rather than whether the technology itself is real. Speakers said returns could flow to AI firms such as OpenAI and Anthropic or to chip, construction and data-center suppliers, while debt could burden infrastructure firms such as CoreWeave before revenue catches up. OpenAI has pushed its IPO to 2027; Anthropic was reportedly targeting a mid-November 2026 IPO at a valuation of $1.5 trillion to $2 trillion, despite investor concerns about slower growth. Tim Sweeney’s plans for Unreal Engine were cited as an example of AI handling routine coding so developers can focus on creative work. Bilyeu argued that AI will give entrepreneurs leverage, provided they maintain human-level standards for finished products.