Deadline: White House "A child play with fireworks"
Jan 20, 2026
In this discussion, journalist Anne Applebaum, former ambassador Michael McFaul, legal expert Ian Bassin, and ex-DHS official Jason Hauser analyze President Trump's erratic communications regarding Greenland. Applebaum highlights his alarming detachment from diplomacy, while McFaul warns of European responses to perceived U.S. instability. The panel also delves into immigration enforcement tactics under DHS, critiquing their impact on communities and calling for reform, as well as examining constitutional checks on presidential power.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Erratic Leadership Sparks Global Alarm
- Nicolle Wallace frames Trump's behavior as erratic and destabilizing, comparing it to "a small child play[ing] with fireworks."
- She says a string of texts and posts from the West Wing has created a transatlantic crisis that alarms allies.
Reality Detachment Creates Real Risk
- Anne Applebaum highlights the Norway text as a turning point showing Trump detached from reality and grammar.
- She warns that because he controls the military, his separate reality is dangerous and could lead to violence.
Greenland Talk Is Personal Vanity, Not Strategy
- Michael McFaul argues Trump's Greenland interest is personal vanity, not national security.
- McFaul says annexation talk reflects a desire for legacy-building rather than any legitimate defense need.
