School of War Ep 269: Walter Russell Mead on Donald and Davos and Greenland, Oh My!
20 snips
Jan 26, 2026 
Walter Russell Mead, Wall Street Journal columnist and Alexander Hamilton Professor of Strategy and Statecraft, offers sharp takes on Davos, transatlantic power shifts, and Europe's realist turn. He dissects Trump’s Greenland fixation as media strategy and coalition management. Conversation also covers the limits of European influence and Zelenskyy’s role on the world stage.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Europe's Lost Power To Shape The World
- Europeans are realizing they lack the power to shape global events and have no reliable plan B to influence American policy.
- That loss forces Europe back into classic geopolitics, choosing between the U.S. and China rather than leading a liberal international order.
Europe's Strategic Dilemma Between U.S. And China
- Turning to China while denouncing American 'impurity' is hypocritical and strategically fraught for Europe.
- Europe now risks choosing between an "illiberal monster" and a "totalitarian monster" as it loses capacity to build a liberal international order.
Greenland As A Trump Attention Strategy
- Trump's Greenland fixation fit his pattern of juggling many negotiations and using provocative moves for attention rather than a coherent strategic plan.
- He tries things that create headlines, then abandons them when costs outweigh benefits.
