The David Lin Report

Invading Greenland? Economist Warns Of War Fallout, Fed Chaos & Inflation Surge | Hanke

Jan 20, 2026
Guest
Steve Hanke
Steve Hanke, a currency and inflation expert from Johns Hopkins University, discusses the questionable motivations behind the U.S. interest in buying Greenland, emphasizing the economic versus national-security debate. He warns that U.S. provocations may be pushing allies closer to China and Russia. Hanke critiques the Fed's monetary policy and advocates for auditing it, expressing concerns over rising inflation risks. He also highlights investment opportunities in hard assets like gold and lithium amidst ongoing monetary issues.
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INSIGHT

Threats Undermine Long‑Standing Alliances

  • Threatening an ally damages cooperation and invalidates trust built over centuries between countries like the U.S. and Denmark.
  • Steve Hanke argues gunboat diplomacy toward allies (Greenland) is geopolitically suicidal and harms U.S. influence.
INSIGHT

Provocations Push Allies Toward China

  • Provoking NATO allies benefits rivals like China by pushing partners to pivot toward Beijing for trade and stability.
  • Hanke notes Canada's pivot to China after repeated U.S. threats as concrete evidence of lost influence.
INSIGHT

Powell Subpoena Viewed As Political Pressure

  • The DOJ subpoena of Jerome Powell looks like a political maneuver to force easier monetary policy, not a pure oversight action.
  • Hanke calls the renovation overrun pretext a ruse aimed at loosening policy to suit presidential preferences.
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