Breaking Points with Krystal and Saagar 1/13/26: Yanis Varoufakis On Trump, Venezuela, The Fed & MORE!
Jan 13, 2026
Yanis Varoufakis, a prominent economist and former Greek finance minister, dives into a range of compelling topics. He critiques Trump's strategy regarding Venezuela and how it reflects broader global dynamics. Varoufakis connects Trump’s chaotic tariff policies to historical precedents, while also discussing the Federal Reserve's politicization and its implications for everyday citizens. The conversation shifts to deepfakes and the risks associated with technological ownership, warning of a potential future marked by techno-feudalism and inequality.
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Strategic Grandstanding
- Yanis Varoufakis argues Trump's territorial and resource claims are strategic, not random theatrics.
- He views the behavior as a reputation-building play to attract deals for his clique.
A New Dollar Strategy
- Varoufakis links Trump's plan to a desire to remake currency power like the 1971 Nixon shock.
- He says Trump aims to privatize fiat via stablecoins and weaken the Federal Reserve's role.
Tariffs As Negotiation Tools
- Varoufakis sees tariffs as deliberate bargaining tools, not random moves.
- He argues tariffs were set proportional to U.S. trade deficits to pressure separate negotiations.
