How the Strong Dollar Became the Weaponized Dollar

Saleha Mohsin on how the strong dollar became the weaponized dollar. Over the last few decades, the Department of Treasury has transformed from an institution that managed the dollar, government budgets, and issued bonds into an institution playing a critical role in US national security. At the heart of this transformation was cast of characters—legislators and bureaucrats—who realised the immense power that the U.S. government could wield through the use of sanctions, including the power to wage economic war. Saleha Mohsin has covered the Treasury Department for Bloomberg since 2016. Her new book, tilted, Paper Soldiers: How the Weaponization of the Dollar Changed the World Order, was published last week and draws on interviews with more 100 current and former officials and diplomats.  The Sanctions Age is hosted by Esfandyar Batmanghelidj and Josefine Petrick.To receive an email when new episodes are released, access episode transcripts, and read the hosts reflections on each episode, sign-up for the The Sanctions Age newsletter on Substack: https://www.thesanctionsage.com/