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The Morning Edition

A 'madman' or a player: Trump and the Nixon ploy at work

Feb 16, 2025
15:09

"I call it the madman theory, Bob”

These words, supposedly uttered by Richard Nixon, and recounted by his chief-of-staff Bob Haldeman, have perhaps never been as relevant as they are today. 

And they go to the question: Can a powerful leader who we think is a bit crazy, actually make the world a better place? As Nixon thought he might be able to achieve?

Enter Donald Trump. 

The current president of the United States is set to put to the test what’s dubbed the ‘madman theory’ like never before.

Today, foreign affairs correspondent Matthew Knott on whether Trump’s volatile approach to geopolitics will produce vital victories, or whether his perceived crazy is just a little too…mad.

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