The Bunker – News without the nonsense Trump vs. Venezuela and Greenland: America gonna America! – Weekly Wrap-Up with Alex von Tunzelmann
Jan 9, 2026
Alex von Tunzelmann, a historian and broadcaster, joins to discuss Trump's dramatic first week of 2026, including his controversial military plans for Venezuela and fixation on Greenland. The conversation dives into historical patterns of U.S. interventions and the possible pitfalls ahead. They also explore Keir Starmer’s attempts to reset the UK-EU relationship and an alarming proposal in Texas to ban teaching Plato, highlighting the cultural clashes in education today. Alex raises concerns about the implications for academic freedom and critical debate.
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Episode notes
Greenland Obsession Is Personal, Not Strategic
- Greenland has long hosted US military sites and could be reactivated through diplomacy rather than seizure.
- Alex von Tunzelmann warns Trump's desire to "own" Greenland is personal legacy-building, not strategic necessity.
US Intervention Has Long Historical Precedent
- US interventions in Latin America have long bipartisan roots and repeat harmful patterns.
- Von Tunzelmann notes interventions from Roosevelt to LBJ show imperialism's recurring brutality and failure.
Military Interventions Tend To Become Quagmires
- Imperial interventions typically become messy, brutal, and hard to sustain.
- She warns Venezuela risks a quagmire and confusion within Trump's team over aims and outcomes.
