
The Socialist Program with Brian Becker Trump Threatens Greenland: The Start of World War 3? w/ Richard Wolff
Jan 21, 2026
In this engaging discussion, Richard Wolff, co-founder of Democracy at Work and a prominent economist, dives into the implications of Trump's controversial Greenland proposal. He draws parallels between imperialism now and in the early 20th century, highlighting competitive pressures reminiscent of past world wars. Wolff explores the declining power of the U.S. and how military threats are increasingly seen as necessary. The risks of nuclear brinkmanship and the deteriorating U.S.-European alliances add urgency to this critical analysis of global dynamics.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Historical Context: Greenland And Colonial Sales
- Brian Becker recounts Greenland's colonial history and past territorial transfers like the Danish West Indies sale.
- He frames Trump's Greenland interest against a history of colonialism and U.S. territorial acquisition.
Capitalist Competition Fuels Great Power Conflict
- Capitalist imperial competition drove World Wars I and II and shaped 20th-century global conflict dynamics.
- Richard Wolff warns modern capitalist rivalry is reviving those same imperial pressures today.
Unilateralism Mirrors Interwar Danger
- Trump withdraws from international agreements and threatens unilateral action rather than multilateral conflict resolution.
- Wolff cautions this revival of unilateralism resembles interwar imperial behavior and risks global instability.




