Tim Hirschel-Burns

Global development policy. Past: @YaleLawSch, 🇧🇯. Views mine. Subscribe to my Substack:

[Tim Hirschel-Burns @TimH_B]

Lots of ppl have focused in on voters citing corruption as a top priority, but I do wonder how much it’s about corruption narrowly defined (Trump admin conflicts of interest, shady deals etc) vs “corruption” capturing a generalized sense that the government works for the powerful

[Tim Hirschel-Burns @TimH_B]

@rglenner In what way is bringing back USAID (and a grant-focused component of U.S. foreign assistance) mutually exclusive with sovereign lending?

[Julian Brave NoiseCat @jnoisecat]

Actual progressive and moderate politicians have shown they can work together so many times since at least the 2020 Bernie-Biden task force. The problem is that social media incentivizes influencers and media to dig into conflict and controversy to drive attention and engagement.

[Martin Austermuhle @maustermuhle]

Bro WHAT: "No. 3 seed Washington Spirit also cannot host a semifinal at Audi Field on Nov. 14 due to a Division III football game that is being played in the venue that day."

So the Spirit, should they get to the semifinals next week, could play at Northwest Stadium in Landover.

[Tim Hirschel-Burns @TimH_B]

Abdul hadn’t quite gotten to an affirmative vision for foreign policy yet. He did now and absolutely nailed it.

For those of us who want a foreign policy that lives up to our values and makes people safer everywhere, this is how you do it

[Dr. Abdul El-Sayed @AbdulElSayed]

My vision for diplomacy and USAID.

[Tim Hirschel-Burns @TimH_B]

This century, Dems have held a trifecta for just four years. Two of those were under Biden, when getting to 50 votes depended on Manchin and Sinema.

Well, everything suggests Dems will have a trifecta in 2029, and maybe even with 60 Senators. Get planning people

[Tim Hirschel-Burns @TimH_B]

Even for people who follow politics closely, I'm not sure it has fully sunk in how much everything revolves around 2029.

For any policy dream you have, if it's going to happen, it will be in 2029/30. We should all be planning accordingly.

I wrote about why:

[Tim Hirschel-Burns @TimH_B]

Last year, low and middle-income countries paid $425 billion just on the *interest* on their debts to foreign creditors.

To be clear, this isn't counting repayments of principal. This is saying they repaid what they borrowed AND nearly half a trillion dollars on top of that

[World Bank Group @WorldBankGroup]

NEW REPORT | External debt of developing countries jumped 5.5% to a record $9.4 trillion in 2025, the fastest pace since 2021, and about four times the 2022–24 average.

Access to international finance has improved, but the price of finance has not.

Read #IDR2026 ➡️ https://t.co/JTqnDVx92t

[Nicholas Wu @nicholaswu12]

new - House Dems are weighing changes to select China cmte next year. One option, per ppl familiar, is to broaden focus beyond China to explore issues related to other bad foreign actors. Jeffries has final decision over select committees

More in @semafor newsletter tomorrow am

[Tim Hirschel-Burns @TimH_B]

@tobitac Agree it’s not set in stone, but still the case that everything turns on 2029-30z How useful 2031-32 can be is dependent on getting first two years right

[Tim Hirschel-Burns @TimH_B]

Even for people who follow politics closely, I'm not sure it has fully sunk in how much everything revolves around 2029.

For any policy dream you have, if it's going to happen, it will be in 2029/30. We should all be planning accordingly.

I wrote about why:

[Tim Hirschel-Burns @TimH_B]

And we need to make sure that opportunity is created for 2029 and Dems don't waste it.

If that which has not been possible will become possible, and if we are to build a future that enables yet more possibility, it will be in 2029.

Read full piece here https://t.co/4KR1dSAPi8

[Tim Hirschel-Burns @TimH_B]

What does it mean to live with that knowledge?

If there are policies it hasn't been possible to get adopted, make a plan *now* so that they can move fast in 2029.

If you work in policy, align your career for 2029-30. The two years could be frantic in the best way