The Trump doctrine at NATO; Dems in disarray pick a radical new face

Summary

10 Minute Drill Podcast Summary: “The Trump Doctrine at NATO; Dems in Disarray Pick a Radical New Face”

Release Date: June 26, 2025

Hosted by veteran political strategist Matt Whitlock, 10 Minute Drill delivers a comprehensive and engaging rundown of the most pressing news and political stories. In the June 26, 2025 episode titled “The Trump Doctrine at NATO; Dems in Disarray Pick a Radical New Face,” Whitlock delves into President Trump’s recent NATO summit, the shifting dynamics within the Democratic Party, and other critical developments impacting U.S. politics and international relations.

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1. President Trump's Resounding Impact at NATO

The episode opens with a focus on President Trump's recent summit at NATO, where his approach, dubbed the "Trump Doctrine," has significantly influenced the alliance's financial commitments.

Mark Ruda, NATO Secretary General, lauded Trump’s leadership, stating at [00:37] "Your leadership on this has already produced $1 trillion in extra spending from European allies since 2016. And the decisions today will produce trillions more for our common events to make us stronger and fairer by equalizing spending between America and America's allies." This marks a notable shift as NATO allies have committed to increasing their defense spending to 5% of GDP—a milestone influenced heavily by Trump’s persistent pressure.

Whitlock highlights the positive reception Trump received, contrary to previous years where Democrats criticized his approach to Europe. The enhanced defense commitments reflect Trump's strategy to ensure NATO members contribute more equitably to shared security responsibilities.

Further emphasizing Trump’s decisive actions, Whitlock references Ruda's remarks during the summit at [02:16] "Daddy has to sometimes use strong language to impress," a humorous nod to Trump's forthright demeanor. This firm stance extends to Trump’s actions against Iran’s nuclear facilities, which have garnered bipartisan support within the Republican base.

2. Europe’s Digital Services Tax and US Industry Challenges

Shifting focus, Whitlock discusses a report by Public Policy Solutions titled “Europe's Attack on American Industry Bad Allies Undermining US Digital Services Leadership.” The report critiques Europe’s imposition of the Digital Services Tax on US tech giants while allegedly offering leniency to Chinese firms, thereby disadvantaging American companies and strengthening China's foothold in critical infrastructure sectors like 5G and cloud services.

Joe Grogan from Public Policy Solutions articulates the issue, mentioning that Europe’s policies not only create barriers for US businesses but also heighten security vulnerabilities by deepening ties with China-linked companies. The report urges the Trump administration and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessant to address these imbalances in ongoing trade negotiations, ensuring that such taxes are eliminated to level the playing field.

Whitlock underscores the strategic importance of this issue, noting that while the Biden administration previously engaged diplomatically with Europe, it inadvertently allowed Europe to exploit these tax policies to the detriment of US industries.

3. Public Support for Trump’s Iran Policy vs. Democratic Fragmentation

Public opinion on Trump’s Iran strategy presents a stark contrast between the Republican and Democratic responses. Whitlock cites recent polls indicating overwhelming Republican support for Trump’s decision to carry out airstrikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities. According to [04:21], one poll shows 76% of Republicans approving the airstrikes, while a CBS poll reveals a staggering 94% of MAGA Republicans supporting the action.

Conversely, Democrats are portrayed as being in disarray regarding Iran policy. Antony Blinken’s op-ed in the New York Times criticizes Trump’s approach for its lack of diplomacy yet acknowledges shortcomings in Biden’s previous policies, such as the removal of Iranian proxies from terror watch lists and inadequate responses to Iran’s role in funding Hamas. Whitlock argues that despite bipartisan support for Trump’s actions, Democratic leaders are embroiled in internal conflicts and impeachment maneuvers, undermining a unified stance on national security.

4. Radical Shift in New York City Mayoral Race

A significant highlight is the surprising outcome of the New York City mayoral race, where a radical anti-Semitic socialist narrowly defeated incumbent Andrew Cuomo. Whitlock details the candidate’s extremist positions, including calls to abolish the NYPD, prisons, private health insurance, and firearms, alongside advocating for policies like legalizing sex work and ending cash bail. This victory underscores a troubling shift within the Democratic Party, where the radical base's influence is increasingly driving candidate selection, potentially alienating moderate and working-class voters.

Whitlock analyzes the demographic breakdown of the vote, referencing data from the New York Times that shows middle and higher-income white liberals predominantly supported the socialist candidate, while poor working-class voters favored Cuomo. This dynamic poses challenges for Democrats in neighboring states like New Jersey, where governors must navigate the fallout from New York’s radicalization, potentially impacting regional political landscapes.

5. China’s Strategic Moves Against the US Energy Sector

The podcast also covers a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing addressing China’s alleged tactics to undermine the US energy industry. A report from State Armor reveals that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) collaborates with American climate radicals to launch litigation aimed at bankrupting US energy companies.

During the hearing, Whitlock cites Host 2 at [10:21] "We're witnessing right now a systematic campaign against American energy. There is a coordinated assault by the radical left backed and paid for by the Chinese Communist Party." The testimony highlights how groups like Energy Foundation China redirect funds to environmental organizations targeting US energy firms, thereby weakening the domestic energy sector and facilitating China’s dominance in the global energy market.

Democratic Senator Sheldon Whitehouse pushes back, claiming "Renewable energy is now the cheapest form of energy on the planet," to which Host 1 promptly counters by exposing Whitehouse’s financial dealings with entities linked to the CCP, questioning his credibility and the integrity of his arguments.

6. The Big Beautiful Bill: Analyzing CBO’s Critique

In the episode’s concluding segment, Whitlock addresses the controversial Big Beautiful Bill, defending it against a critical analysis by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO). The CBO report suggests the bill imposes cuts to Medicaid and SNAP, disproportionately affecting lower-income Americans.

Whitlock challenges this interpretation, arguing that the targeted cuts primarily impact illegal immigrants or ineligible individuals, thereby freeing up resources for genuine beneficiaries like widows, orphans, and the disabled. He criticizes the CBO for not accounting for the misuse of programs by certain demographics, thereby misrepresenting the bill’s impact.

Furthermore, Whitlock disputes the CBO’s portrayal of the bill as favoring the wealthy, explaining that the reported increase in government resources for the top 10% refers to tax savings rather than direct transfers. He emphasizes that allowing higher-income individuals to retain more of their earnings stimulates economic growth, countering the CBO’s narrative of unequal resource distribution.

Whitlock fervently supports the bill, highlighting its provisions for middle-class tax cuts, border security enhancements, and streamlined Medicaid services, positioning it as a beneficial measure for the broader economy and national security.

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Conclusion

In this episode of 10 Minute Drill, Matt Whitlock provides a thorough examination of President Trump’s strategic maneuvers at NATO, the internal crises plaguing the Democratic Party, and the broader implications of these developments on American politics and international relations. Whitlock’s insightful analysis, bolstered by direct quotes and pertinent data, offers listeners a nuanced understanding of the current political landscape and its potential trajectories.

Transcript

[Host 1]

President Trump's reception at NATO. Dems are in disarray over Iran. A radical anti Semitic socialist is one step away from becoming mayor of New York City. All that and so much more today on 10 Minute Drill.

[Host 2]

Everybody get up. Get up. The story of America is the story of an adventure. I can hear you. The rest of the world hears you. We are a nation under God, and I believe God intended for us to be free.

[Host 1]

Yesterday, President Trump was at NATO and he got a very surprising reception.

[Mark Ruda]

President Trump. Dear Donald, you made this change possible. Your leadership on this has already produced $1 trillion in extra spending from European allies since 2016. And the decisions today will produce trillions more for our common events to make us stronger and fairer by equalizing spending between America and America's allies.

[Host 1]

That was NATO Secretary General Mark Ruda, who was praising what we are calling the Trump Doctrine, which has been for the last several years, calling on America's NATO allies to invest more in their own defense. Here's President Trump talking about the commitments that came out of this summit.

[Host 2]

In a very historic milestone this week, the NATO allies committed to dramatically increase their defense spending to that 5% of GDP.

[Host 1]

This is particularly notable because we've heard from Democrats for several years that Europe and our friends and allies around the world don't really care for President Trump. But the reception he got, and particularly his reception he got after the pressure that he has put on Europe to invest more in their own defense with all of the conflicts around the world, got incredible praise.

[Mark Ruda]

I mean, would you ever think that this would be the result of this summit if he would not have been reelected president? Do you really think that seven or eight countries who said, yes, somewhere in the2030s we might meet the 2% we've now all decided in the last four or five months to get to 2%. So doesn't he deserve some praise?

[Host 1]

President Trump was also praised for his decisiveness on Iran and the Israel situation and the decisiveness with which he took out Iran's nuclear facilities. In a lighthearted moment, there was a discussion again with NATO Secretary General Ruda where he said this, then it's easier to stop him.

[Mark Ruda]

And then daddy has to sometimes use strong language to impress.

[Host 2]

You have to use strong language. Every once in a while, you have to use a certain word.

[Host 1]

I think we're going to be hearing about that Daddy Trump line for a very long time. Speaking of the Trump Doctrine with regard to Europe, and particularly taking a stronger posture with Europe, a new report from a group called Public Policy Solutions Titled Europe's Attack on American Industry Bad Allies Undermining US Digital Services Leadership, the report highlights the ways Europe is targeting US Companies with absurd fees and taxes like the digital services tax, while letting China off the hook to gain ground within their countries. That report was sent to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessant, who has spoken about this issue before.

[Host 2]

Some of the European countries have put on an unfair digital service tax on our big Internet provider.

[Host 1]

Fox Business had great coverage of this report. Public Policy Solutions, Joe Grogan said, while raising barriers against its closest economic partner, Europe has simultaneously deepened its exposure and relations to Chinese Communist Party linked companies in critical infrastructure, including 5G and cloud services. The resulting vulnerabilities cut against the shared security interests of the United States and its allies. One thing Joe Biden constantly talked about with regard to foreign policy was his experience, and his diplomatic success led to the fact that Europe would always take his calls. European leaders loved him and would praise him, but the main reason that they did that was because he allowed Europe to roll over America with so many of these absurd taxes and fees that allowed them to take advantage of our country. So Public Policy Solutions is urging the Trump administration and Secretary Besant to ensure that things like the digital services tax are included in these trade negotiations that are trying to level the playing field between the United States and Europe. One thing we've been tracking for several weeks now is how public opinion is reacting to President Trump's posture on Iran. One thing that we've consistently seen is Republicans are united behind President Trump's first position that Iran can't be allowed to have a nuclear weapon, but second, taking decisive action to take those out. Here's two of those polls. That's what I think is so important to note.

[Host 2]

GOP on the US airstrikes in Iran 76% on the average of the two.

[Host 1]

Polls approve, compared to just 18% who disapproved. So that of course was CNN, which we always love to hearken back to. But here's CBS's poll. 85% of Republicans approve of the airstrikes against Iran's nuclear facilities. 94% of MAGA Republicans support the U.S. airstrikes on Iran's nuclear facilities. So again, there's been a lot of conversation about a Republican civil war, about Republican debate. But I think that that's largely been media giving outsized attention to what from this poll appears to be a tiny segment, about 5% of Republicans who oppose President Trump's decisive action to take out Iran's nuclear capabilities. However, on the other side, there is not the same level of unanimity. We have a case of Dems in disarray. First, an op ed from an unexpected source. Antony Blinken, who was Joe Biden's Secretary of state, has had an op ed in the New York Times, both criticizing President Trump for taking out Iran's nuclear facilities, but also taking credit. So Blinken criticizes President Trump for his failure of diplomacy while failing to acknowledge what Joe Biden left behind first with his appeasement strategy of not answering back when Iran for several years through their proxies attacked US Military personnel around the world. Something that we talked about in great detail in our last episode, but also Iran's role in funding HAMAS in the October 7 attacks, President Biden's decision to delist Iranian proxies from terror watch lists, things like that. So as you consider the last several years and how we got to this point, but also the fact that Americans overwhelmingly support the actions that President Trump took to take out Iran's nuclear facilities, I think we can all agree nobody really cares about hearing from Anthony Blinken or anyone else from the Biden or Obama administrations that left this terrible situation in place. But as we look at Democrats on Capitol Hill, we talked last episode about how Democrat members like Alexandria Ocasio Cortez were calling for an impeachment. That escalated with an impeachment motion filed by Representative Al Green, who you may remember from waving his cane and trying to shout down President Trump's joint address. He filed a motion to force a vote in the House of Representatives on an impeachment measure and Democrats were not happy about it. Only 79 Democrats joined Al Green. Democrats seethed to Axios. One called it a completely unserious and selfish move. Most people think it's unhelpful. What a message to China and Russia. After we take military action, we try to impeach the president. This disarray is going to continue to cause problems for Democrats around the country who have to acknowledge the fact that taking out Iran's nuclear facilities was a popular move, but also are feeling so much pressure from the most radical parts of the Democrat base to continue doing everything they can to impeach President Trump. They that energy, that energy carried into a New York Democrat primary for mayor. Last night, New York City Democrats advanced a self proclaimed socialist in their primary for mayor. In addition to being overtly and proudly anti Semitic, calling numerous times to globalize the intifada, which again is calling for violence against Israel and against Jewish people, he's taken a number of other radical positions this From Bill Milugian from Fox News. He's previously called for abolishing the nypd, abolishing prisons, abolishing medical bills, abolishing private health insurance, banning all guns, legalizing sex work, calling for safe injection sites, ending cash bail, decriminalizing drug possessions, ending sentencing enhancement, ending all cooperation with ice. Now, to be fair to the people of New York, he was up against Andrew Cuomo, who is famous right now for two major things. One, a series of complaints about sexual harassment, and two, his role during the coronavirus pandemic where he was responsible for the deaths of thousands of senior citizens. So in a choice between a serial sexual harasser who killed grandparents and a radical socialist, the people of New York picked a radical socialist. But let's get to know him a little bit better from some of his past tweets. Queer liberation means defund the police. Defunding the police is a feminist issue. Our prison system relies on dehumanization and brutality. So the goal must be to abolish this exploitative system entirely. One thing that's interesting about his election results is how he represents what we've described as the New Democrat Coalition. Look at the demographic breakdowns, particularly among income levels. As you see here in a helpful graphic from the New York Times, poor working class voters did not vote for Mamdani. They voted for Andrew Cuomo. But when you look at middle income, he won by 10% and higher income 13%. So again, as Joe Biden spent the last four years overwhelmingly targeting his agenda to higher income white liberals, Mamdani is following a very similar model of catering to, again, college educated white liberals. So this is a tough fight for Democrats in a number of New York area swing districts, but also the New York governor's race for Kathy Hochul, who has largely been seen as a failure, who has a very difficult governor's race coming up, but also in neighboring New Jersey, where a number of New Jerseyans work in New York and have to deal with New York's policies. So this will likely be an issue in the New Jersey governor's race where Democrat Mikey Sherrill will have to answer whether or not she stands with this anti Semitic radical socialist who wants to end the entire law enforcement program in the United States. So we will watch all this closely and see the impact of this massive result in New York City. Last week, we talked about a bombshell report from a group called State Armor about how the Chinese Communist Party is working with American climate radicals to try and hurt America's energy industry. Yesterday in the Senate Judiciary Committee. They held a hearing focused on how China is also trying to harm the US Energy industry through litigation supporting a number of radical lawsuits against energy companies in an effort to bankrupt the energy resources America relies on, which, as we know, downstream will help China in a big way as they continue to grow that industry and try and own more and more of that market worldwide. Here are some highlights from that hearing.

[Host 2]

We're witnessing right now a systematic campaign against American energy. There is a coordinated assault by the radical left backed and paid for by the Chinese Communist Party Energy Foundation China channels tens of millions of dollars to numerous environmental groups. Yes. Now, Mr. Walter, my Democrat colleagues have said that's a crazy conspiracy theory. What is the basis for saying that Energy Foundation China is funneling so many millions of dollars into these suits? Well, their own IRS filings because they're a 501C3 registered in San Francisco.

[Host 1]

Now, as we would have expected, there was some pushback from Democrat Senator Sheldon Whitehouse.

[Host 2]

Renewable energy is now the cheapest form of energy on the planet.

[Host 1]

Sheldon was swiftly reminded of the numerous times he has voted to divert tax dollars to his own wife's dark money group that also is working alongside the Chinese Communist Party to hurt US Energy interests. For today's you can't make it up segment, we want to take a small 2 by 4 to some CBO analysis about how President Trump's big beautiful is going to impact people. This analysis finds the biggest driver of loss for lower income families is cuts to Medicaid and snap. But as we've talked about in almost every episode here, I know I sound like a broken record. Those cuts to Medicaid and SNAP overwhelmingly impact illegal immigrants. Both Medicaid and SNAP are giving resources to illegal immigrants, but also men in their 20s, 30s and 40s playing video games in their underwear at home, choosing not to work. We know from CBO's own analysis that there is a large, large, large number of people using those programs and taking the benefit. And that is what these cuts are for. But CBO does not include that in their analysis. So as CBO talks about cutting 1600 per year from the lowest income Americans, you have to again remember that the people that are being targeted with that are either ineligible people from the programs, who your senior citizen grandma is having to compete with to get basic care, or illegal immigrants. The other part of this analysis that really bothered me was this particular line from CBS's coverage of the report. The analysis also argues that the one big beautiful bill boosts the government resources going to the highest earning 10% of U.S. households by 12,000 per year. But as you read that analysis a little bit further, those government resources going to the wealthy that they're referring to aren't some kind of gift or handout. They're referring to how much those people are taxed. So they're referring to our private income that hasn't even been taxed yet as a government resource that should be considered here. So again, just consider how absurd that is. The money we haven't even been made yet, CBO is using to score as a resource to give out or take back. I think that's outrageous and un American. So again, as you learn more about the big beautiful bill, you will overwhelmingly hear negative coverage because reports like this, reports that suggest it is a major cut to lower income people when you remove illegal immigrants and ineligible people from SNAP and Medicaid, they consider it gifting resources to higher income people when they're allowed to keep more of the money they made to spend in the economy, which is incredibly good for the economy. And you'll see these same reports from CBO talk about how the distribution of these resources is not even. But that's because the collection of taxes is not even. People that make more money pay overall a lot more taxes. And so letting more people keep more of their own money across the board is an incredibly good thing. The bottom line here, the big beautiful bill is full of incredibly positive things that you're never hearing about in media. A middle class tax cut that people desperately need right now, funds to close the border and continue to carry out the deportation of dangerous criminal illegal immigrants that 70 to 80% of the country overwhelmingly supports, fixes to Medicaid that will allow people that you care about to access Medicaid more easily because they're taking people like illegal immigrants and men in their 20s, 30s and 40s who are choosing not to work and playing video games off the program so that your people that you care about that deserve to be on the program, the widows, the orphans, the disabled, the people that actually need it can get that care without having to compete. So again, as you see this coverage and you hear Democrats talk about the one big beautiful bill, remember that context, the media and the Congressional Budget Office and everybody else is actively working against things that make this a very, very good bill. That is all the time we have today. Thank you so much for joining us on 10 Minute Drill. Please like subscribe, tell your friends, leave us a review. Thanks again. We'll see you next time.