Europe Scrambles as Trump Turns Up the Heat Over Greenland: Will NATO and European Leaders Cave?

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Morning Meeting

Episode Title: Europe Scrambles as Trump Turns Up the Heat Over Greenland: Will NATO and European Leaders Cave?
Date: January 19, 2026
Host: Mark Halperin (with Larry and Yemassi)
Panelists/Contributors: Keith Sterman, Professor Kenny, UK Prime Minister, and callers

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Overview

This episode dives into escalating tensions between the U.S. (under President Trump), European allies, and Greenland, focusing on Trump’s pressure for a new status for Greenland, U.S.-Europe relations, and NATO’s unity. The panel unpacks European outrage, the potential consequences for transatlantic relations, and ripple effects on global security—against the backdrop of a politically fraught Davos, ongoing protests in Minnesota, and the rising influence of China and Russia in the Arctic.

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Key Discussion Points & Highlights

1. Setting the Stage: Greenland, NATO & Trump's Gambit

[04:25–12:18]

• Trump's Greenland Strategy:

  • No president's appearances scheduled directly on Greenland, but the issue is driving the news.
  • Trump administration is pushing hard for new influence or possible acquisition of Greenland, leveraging tariffs against European allies.
  • Upcoming NATO foreign ministers’ meeting will address the crisis.
  • UK and European leaders voicing strong objections to Trump’s tactics.

• Panel Tone:

  • Europe feels “anger and outrage” but “recognizes that if they fight with Trump, they'll probably lose” ([08:55]).
  • Europe seeks principled opposition—without blowing up NATO.
  • “He's got them by what we say in England are called the bollocks.” — Mark ([08:52])

2. British & European Official Responses

[08:55–11:12]

• UK Prime Minister's Statement ([08:55]):
  • Urges “calm discussion between allies.”
  • Reaffirms Greenland’s security importance due to climate change, strategic sea routes, and great power competition.
  • “Any decision about the future status of Greenland belongs to the people of Greenland and the Kingdom of Denmark alone. That right is fundamental and we support it.”
  • Strong opposition to U.S. tariffs:
    • “Tariffs against allies is completely wrong. It is not the right way to resolve differences within an alliance.”

3. How Will This End? Panel Predictions

[13:23–16:17]

• Yemassi: Predicts a “whimper” not a “bang”—likely to end in tariffs and tough rhetoric but “not the kind of support behind him that there has been in situations like Venezuela.” Greenland is important, but not crucial enough to fracture NATO. ([13:44])
• Larry: The outcome is “through negotiation,” with eventual increased U.S. presence and strategic mineral rights but not annexation ([15:34]).
  • “The only difference is this is our hemisphere, and President Trump is going about it in an unorthodox way. There’s something shocking. He does everything unorthodox.” ([16:07])

4. Broader Geopolitics: Davos & America First

[17:39–20:13]

• Davos Focus:
  • U.S. President expected to focus on the “America First” agenda, but panel predicts the Greenland issue will overshadow all else at Davos.
  • Mark: “If you want to talk about Trump dominating the international conversation for a decade plus, get ready for this week.” ([17:30])
  • Larry thinks Trump will stay on the agenda he wants; Yemassi counters that “Greenland’s going to be a cloud hanging over it” ([18:49]), expecting Trump to be at his “most combative.”

5. Iran: After the Uprising

[21:07–22:25]

• Recent protests & cyberattacks in Iran receive fleeting attention; U.S. government likely remains engaged covertly.
• Yemassi voices fatigue: “I would like to posit a question of who cares what happens in Iran—it has nothing to do with anybody in America.” ([21:45])
  • Larry: Pushes back, “they’re the number one state sponsor of terror and have been for three decades.” ([21:59])

6. Minnesota, ICE, and Political Fallout

[24:09–28:42]

• Ongoing protests and political polarization around immigration enforcement in Minneapolis after ICE shootings.
• Don Lemon’s visit and activism spark both left and right-wing criticism for exacerbating tensions.
• Polls show rising disapproval of ICE—even in private GOP polling—while both panelists bemoan the “loss of the plot.”
• On leadership and rhetoric:
  • “We are devolving… it’s a little bit of a repeat of what I saw… with BLM.” — Yemassi ([28:09])

7. Spotlight: Cabinet Scandals & Democratic 2028 Maneuvering

• Labor Secretary In-Fighting ([39:12])
  • New York Post exposes, leaks, and oppo dumps suggest “an internal fight that spilled over.” Panel suspects MAGA-aligned political appointees are involved.
• Kamala Harris, Shapiro, and 2028 ([33:41–36:13])
  • Harris, despite elite skepticism, holds significant base support among Southern Black voters.
  • Shapiro’s book tour seen as a strategic positioning for 2028, attempting to define himself as the “reasonable moderate.”
  • Speculation on future Democratic stars: Andy Beshear, Gavin Newsom, and Kamala Harris rated as strongest in the South.

8. Listener Q&A on Greenland, China, and Strategy

[46:39–55:45]

• Professor Kenny and Carly both highlight China’s rising influence in the Western Hemisphere, especially via “soft power” in the Caribbean and Latin America.
  • “What the hell is China doing in Antigua?” — Larry ([50:44])
• Debate over whether U.S. should pursue annexation of Greenland or just increased security ties.
• Environmental concerns: Extraction of rare minerals and oil in Greenland and the risk of U.S., European, or Chinese exploitation.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Europe’s Dilemma:
  • “He’s got them by what we say in England are called the bollocks.” — Mark ([08:52])
• UK Prime Minister (on U.S. approach):
  • “Any decision about the future status of Greenland belongs to the people of Greenland and the Kingdom of Denmark alone. That right is fundamental and we support it.” ([09:15])
• On Trump’s methods:
  • “This is again a glaring example of why Donald Trump’s companies all went bankrupt. Because he’s a rotten businessman.” — Keith Sterman ([12:18])
• Davos forecast:
  • “Greenland’s going to be a cloud hanging over it. I think that the President will be at his most combative.” — Yemassi ([18:49])
• On mainstream culture:
  • “What would please [Dr. King] most is the complete integration, if not dominance, of African American arts and culture in mainstream American culture.” — Larry ([40:40])
• On Christian nationalism and black political power:
  • “What would most displease [Dr. King] is probably Christian nationalism… What would most please him is the prominence of the Congressional Black Caucus and black voters in Democratic primaries.” — Yemassi ([42:11])
• Real Housewives Moment:
  • “[Trump] decided… flip the table up like it’s Real Housewives of New Jersey.” — Larry ([47:00])

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Important Timestamps

| Time | Segment Summary | |---------|----------------| | 04:25 | Mark prefaces day’s agenda: focus on Greenland, NATO, and world events | | 08:55 | UK Prime Minister’s statement outlining European opposition to Trump’s tactics | | 11:12 | Keith Sterman rebukes Trump’s business-style pressure approach | | 13:44 | Yemassi predicts crisis will end quietly, with a negotiated settlement | | 15:34 | Larry emphasizes Greenland’s strategic value and predicts a new alliance (not annexation) | | 17:39 | Davos preview—can Trump set the agenda, or will Greenland overshadow? | | 21:07 | Discussion of Iran’s protest fallout and U.S. covert involvement | | 24:09 | Deep dive on Minnesota/ICE protests and polling on immigration enforcement | | 33:41 | Kamala Harris’s position going into 2028, grassroots vs. chattering class support | | 39:12 | Labor Secretary scandal—suspicions of internal leaks and MAGA sabotage | | 46:39 | Professor Kenny and Carly raise concerns about China’s expansion in the Americas | | 55:32 | Discussion on the future of health care subsidies and Obamacare’s limits | | 57:28 | Environmental fears around Greenland’s mineral and oil reserves | | 60:55 | Larry revises his answer on Dr. King, emphasizing role of black fathers |

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Closing Thoughts

• Broad Takeaway: Trump’s Greenland gambit roils foundational alliances and brings home anxieties about U.S. leadership, European unity, and the vulnerabilities exposed by strategic land grabs in an era of global power competition.
• Panel Consensus: More heat than light around tariffs and territory, but both sides know outright rupture is unlikely—expect noisy negotiation and the emergence of deeper U.S.–Greenland ties.
• Listener Pulse: Widespread apprehension about Chinese and Russian influence, fatigue with endless foreign entanglements, and skepticism over politicians using high-drama tactics at home and abroad.

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For listeners wanting a deep, real-time pulse on U.S.–European relations, the geopolitics of the north, and the 2028 campaign chessboard, this episode is essential listening—wry, informed, unsparing, and packed with context you won’t get anywhere else.

Transcript

[Larry]

This is it.

[Mark]

The world as you know it is over.

[Professor Kenny]

Completely done. It's not about to be over.

[Mark]

It's over.

[Keith Sterman]

Some of the scientists who helped build AI are now sounding the alarm.

[Lance]

I was selling AI as a great.

[Larry]

Thing for decades and I was wrong. I was wrong.

[UK Prime Minister (or UK Official)]

There's a longer term existential threat that.

[Professor Kenny]

Will arise when we create digital beings.

[UK Prime Minister (or UK Official)]

That that are more intelligent than ourselves. We have no idea whether we can stay in control.

[Keith Sterman]

While others say that AI will usher in unfathomable abundance, I've always believed that.

[Mark]

It'S going to be the most important invention that humanity will ever make.

[Larry]

This really will be a world of abundance.

[Keith Sterman]

And among these fears and these fantasies, we seek the story of our future. Listen to the last invention on Apple, Spotify, Amazon Music, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[James Patterson]

I'm James Patterson. I write way too many books. Welcome to Hungry Dogs. The title comes from my maternal grandmother, Isabel Zelvis Morris. Nan used to always say, hungry dogs run faster, James. And I've been running fast ever since. Here's what will be coming your way soon, and this is a really terrific list. I think you'll hear from some incredible people like Stacey Abrams.

[Mark]

Yay.

[James Patterson]

BJ Novak.

[Yemassi]

Yay.

[James Patterson]

Kathy Bates, Dolly Parton, Josh Gad. And Pope Leo. Okay, maybe not Pope Leo, but who knows, maybe he'll show up. Hungry dogs run faster. Thank you, Grandma for turning me into a hopeless obsessive compulsive. Listen to Hungry Dogs with James Patterson. That'd be me on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. Thank you, thank you, thank you, Foreign.

[Mark]

Welcome to the morning meeting. Thank you for being here. Embassy and Larry are here with you to run us through the day. We're excited to meet and greet and discuss so many interesting topics. As always, this program is based on the Network News Division's morning meetings, which they have on holidays because the news never rests.

[Larry]

So.

[Mark]

So we'll be running through the daybook and then talking about stuff, then taking your questions. If you're here in the two way platform, if you're watching on X or YouTube, in the spirit of Dr. King, peace, love and understanding, bending towards justice, just no smack in the chat today. One day only. Put your smack in a band.

[Larry]

In the immortal words of Reverend Martin Luther King, no smack in the.

[Yemassi]

No smack in the chat.

[Mark]

It was either Elvis Costello or Dr. King who said peace, love and understanding. Or Nick Lowe. Once Cokie Roberts was on World News Tonight with Peter Jennings and she had this giant brooch on and it was incredibly Distracting and and rude. Arledge said never wear anything distracting on the air because that's people won't listen to what you're saying. Well, this handsome piece from Fairway and green, I know it's distracting you all because this color blue is mesmerizing. So all I'll just say is go to fairway and green.com or two way, two way TV fairway and use the promo code twoway20 for 20% off. But if you buy this handsome piece with or without the two way logo, don't wear it on camera. It's too distracting. All anybody's gonna say in the chat today is, my God, Mark, what are you wearing? That thing is driving me crazy.

[James Patterson]

I'm James Patterson. I write way too many books. Welcome to Hungry Dogs. The title comes from my maternal grandmother, Isabel Zelvis Morris. Nan used to always say, hungry dogs run faster, James. And I've been running fast ever since. Here's what will be coming your way soon. And this is a really terrific list. I think you'll hear from some incredible people like Stacey Abrams.

[Mark]

Yay.

[James Patterson]

BJ Novak.

[Mark]

Yay.

[James Patterson]

Kathy Bates, Dolly Parton, Joss Gad, and Pope Leo. Okay, maybe not Pope Leo, but who knows? Maybe he'll show up. Hungry dogs run faster. Thank you grandma, for turning me into a hopeless obsessive compulsive. Listen to Hungry Dogs with James Patterson. That'd be me on Apple, Apple, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

[Mark]

Anyway, welcome in the two of you. Let's run through the daybook quickly and then go right to, right to everything because there's a lot to discuss, particularly Greenland and NATO and of course Minnesota. The President today, nothing on the schedule that relates to any of those things, but I bet he stops and talks when he heads down to Florida for the college football championship game. Indiana versus Miami in Miami. Miami has the home field advantage and Indiana has the point spread. So the President will be there. Marco Rubio, Giant football fan and Giant Miami everything fan will both be there. This says the game starts at 7:50. Michael says the game kickoff is 7:30. So all I'm telling you is before 8:00 you better be nestled in because it's going to be amazing to watch Indiana score 52 points and Mark Caputo on Twitter say game's over before it started. Thank you for attention to that matter. I bet the President talks on the way out. That'd be my guess, but I don't know what time he's wheels up. But well before two Way tonight, which isn't on tonight so I have no coverage of that. Don't know what the vice President's doing. Senate and House out this week. World Economic Forum kicks off today. The president tomorrow has an interview with News Nation scheduled Wednesday. He's speaking at Davos and then doing an interview with Joe Kernan. So look forward to that. Lots of Martin Luther King Day activity today. National Action Action Network 8:30 started their breakfast. Their speakers include Martin Luther King III and Larry's favorite former Attorney General Eric Holder is in in in Harlem today. Wreath laying the Memorial Foundation 10 o' clock today at the National Mall Memorial. Maryland Senator also Brooks will be there during the keynote address. Reverend Warnock, Senator Warnock, eight o' clock tonight. Spec reflects on the role of spirituality in American life and conversation with NBA player and podcaster Matt Barnes. Speaker of the House with a little bit of awkward timing is in the UK tomorrow. First speaker of the House to address Parliament, Nick Mikey Sherrill inaugurated tomorrow. Jimmy Kimmel's guests this week include Martin Short and Judd Apatow. Jimmy Fallon's guests include Dr. Henry Louis Gates and Natalie Portman and Stephen Colbert, Bernie Sanders and Jane Fonda. Ladies and gentlemen, it's going to be quite a week in the Davos thing will be front and center. Also Thursday, NATO ministers are supposed to foreign ministers are supposed to meet to decide what to do next month. They said about this crisis. I love how NATO operates like the president's on social media operating in real time and NATO's meeting every few days to plan some future meetings to discuss how to deal with this. Maybe they'll move quicker than that. One person moving both quick and slow is the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. Prime Minister of the United Kingdom this morning spoke great length about Greenland and we're going to play the whole thing for you in just a moment. A few other elements from that and then to our discussion. First, a quick word from our sponsor, Cozy Earth. Cozy Earth is going to make available to you right now everything on the website for 20% off using the promo code 2WMM. Go to cozyearth.com get it all 20% off. Start your new year off right. Give your home the luxury it deserves and make home the best part of your life again. Cozyearth.com promo code 2 WMM. What kids, what's included in the 20% off? The bubble cuddle, blanket, the towels, the sheets, the pillows, the not the pillows, the pants, everything 20% off right now. I don't know. Do they have pillows? I think they do now, actually. It's part of the Baja bedding set. It comes with everything. Anyway, go to cozyearth.com right now. 20% off. 2 WMM is your promo code. Everything on there is nice. You can buy stuff for yourself and buy stuff for other people, but don't miss this opportunity to get 20% off. And as Professor Kenny will tell you, the pants will change your life forever. Not momentarily, but forever, in a sustained fashion. Buy multiple pairs, even though because there's multiple styles. Again, code0.com, promo code TWMM. All right, right away to Keith Sterman. This is a long sound bite, but it perfectly encapsulates the anger and outrage that Europe feels, but at the same time, the recognition that if they fight with Donald Trump, they'll probably lose. And so they're looking for a way to make a principled stand without causing a rupture in NATO. He's got them by what we say in England are called the bollocks. Mr. P.m.

[UK Prime Minister (or UK Official)]

On Greenland, the right way to approach an issue of this seriousness is through calm discussion between allies. And let's be clear, the security of Greenland matters. And it will matter more as climate change reshapes the Arctic. As sea routes open and strategic competition intensifies, the high north will require greater attention, greater investment and stronger collective defence. The United States will be central to that effort, and the UK stands ready to contribute fully alongside our allies through NATO. But there is a principle here that cannot be set aside because it goes to the heart of how stable and trusted international cooperation works. And so any decision about the future status of Greenland belongs to the people of Greenland and the Kingdom of Denmark alone. That right is fundamental and we support it. Denmark is a close ally of the United Kingdom and of the United States, a proud NATO member that has stood shoulder to shoulder with us, including at real human cost, in recent decades. Alliances endure because they're built on respect and partnership, not pressure. That is why I said the use of tariffs against allies is completely wrong. It is not the right way to resolve differences within an alliance. Nor is it helpful to frame efforts to strengthen Greenland security as a justification for economic pressure. Such measures hurt British workers, British businesses and the British economy. And that is why I've been so clear on this issue. A trade war.

[Mark]

Asian Prime Minister seeming to connect. Not seeming, connecting, his failure to get the Nobel Prize with what he's doing. He says, considering your country decided not to give me the Nobel Peace Prize for having stopped eight wars, plus, I no longer feel an obligation to think purely of peace, although it will always be predominant. This is pissing off a lot of people. Now lastly, before we go to Embassy and Larry for their thoughts on what's how this is going to be resolved. If you are we, we showed Stermer at the top bookending the reaction from the world. The Wall Street Journal editorial page is against this. New York Post editorial pages against this. Most many members of Congress are against this. All of Europe is against this. All my friends who spent the weekend in Europe are sending me some sob emails about how they're so embarrassed I told them to put Canadian flight decals on their backpack and they can say they're from Canada. Here is speaking on behalf of planet Earth, ladies and gentlemen, the spokesman for the opposition, the resistance, the anti Trump Pro NATO position 109 please.

[Keith Sterman]

You know, White Houses sometimes can become one ball jugglers. All this energy on Greenland comes at a cost to somewhere else where you're not focused. Japan and Korea got together and the United States was the missing party. China, if you look at the testimony by the head of indopacom, is very aggressive about the Philippines, a treaty ally country. And the United States isn't at full value. Our military was not in the Mediterranean and not in the region because, because they're all in the Caribbean. So you know, you have to allocate resources based on strategic opportunity. We are not going to invade Grenada, Grenada, Greenland. And you are not and never should pay a full price for something the country with Denmark and the rest of you will give you basically for free. They want a closer relationship with the United States. So to me this is again an example, glaring example of why Donald Trump's companies all went bankrupt. Because he's a rotten businessman.

[Mark]

All right, big wind up for now for our two geopolitical strategists to solve this. Yemen see. How does this end?

[Yemassi]

How does it end with Grenada?

[Mark]

Well, let's do, let's do Greenland first. We'll do Grenada later in the show.

[Larry]

I want to invade Grenada again. That was fun.

[Mark]

That worked out. How does this end? Whimper bang Are there going to be tariffs? How does this end?

[Yemassi]

I think there will be tariffs, but I think this subsides that we come to some kind of agreement. I believe that this is a nothing burger, but not in the fact that Greenland itself is a nothing burger. I think Greenland matters. That big, huge, beautiful chunk of ice does matter when it comes to China's economic encroachment, Russia, militarization, those things matter. They do not matter enough for us to Take it on. I think, you know, I've mentioned before, Congressman Randy Fine has a wackadoodle bill where he wants to make Greenland another state. I think there are so many opposing sides to this. The congressional delegation that was led by Senator Chris Coons that went over there had a really good conversation. I think even Senator Kennedy said that it would be crazy to have any kind of US Invasion of Greenland. His. His language was incredibly specific, but I just don't think that there's the kind of support behind him that there has been in situations like a Venezuela. And frankly, people are more comfortable with our NATO allies. So I think this all ends in a little bit of a whimper. I think it's more ego driven.

[Mark]

Okay. And how long. How long before it's resolved? Weeks, Months.

[Yemassi]

That. I mean, however long the President wants to play, play this game.

[Mark]

All right, Larry, How, Larry, when and how.

[Larry]

I. When and how. How is through negotiation, which is what we're witnessing right now. It's out in the open and public for us all. There are some key concessions there in Keir Starmer's remarks, if you can stay awake through them, not least of which he conceded that the security here and Greenland's role in securing this hemisphere is vitally important. And that was something that was not even discussed for the last four or several years. Greenland is vital. It is important. We need to secure it. We need to keep China and Russia away from it. The only question is how are we going to get there?

[Mark]

And.

[Larry]

And that's what this negotiation looks like right now. And it's ugly. And people don't like the language being done when I'd say by the middle of this year, we're going to either have. I don't think we're taking ownership of Greenland, but I think that we are going to have much increased strategic alliances with Greenland, and our presence there will increase, and we'll probably get the rare mineral rights as well. You know, the last time the US Acquired territory, it was from Denmark. It was in our hemisphere, and it was strategic. For World War I, it was the US Virgin Islands. So it's not unprecedented. The only difference is that this is our hemisphere, and President Trump is going about it in an unorthodox way. There's something shocking. He does everything unorthodox.

[Mark]

All right, I basically agree with you guys. But I do think that if Europe invokes this bazooka, which they might, although I don't think they will, but if they do, it escalates things quite a bit, because then American businesses are going to be really concerned about it. Very disruptive for them. All right. If I'm eager to hear what the community thinks. So when we get to questions and comments, please feel free to weigh in on that. But let's talk about Davos. You know, I talk often about Elvis Costello's interpretation of Nick Lowe's Peace, Love and Understanding. Well, of course, you also know Elvis Costello's interpretation of the animals. Don't let me be misunderstood. I'm so badly misunderstood by my friends. I can't tell you how many people over the weekend texted me, called me, emailed me and said, well, Mark, are you going to Davos? No, no, no. Ladies and gentlemen, you misunderstand my life. I have no connection to Davos, except I find it fascinating. Here the president goes, big speech on Wednesday. Lots of senior people in the government are going. Here is a New York Times. They've written seven stories already about this. They'll write more this week. Headline as Davos. Davos Convenes Deference to Trump has replaced everything. If you, if you want to talk about Trump dominating our international and national conversation for a decade plus, get ready for this week because he will be the dominant figure at Davos, along with members of his Cabinet. Larry, what will be the Trump headline coming out of Davos? I think he's supposed to talk about housing, too, by the way.

[Larry]

Well, yeah, they've suggested that he's going to be talking about his America first agenda, of course, but he's also going to talk about affordability and housing policies. And.

[Mark]

But will all that, will all that be overwhelmed by Greenland and so nobody's going to pay attention to anything else? That's my question.

[Larry]

No, I don't. I think that Trump decides what, overwhelms what, and I think that he's going to, basically, I think that the message is going to be very much what our agenda is, what our priorities are, and challenging the World Economic Forum and whatever other countries that want to do business with us to figure out what they can partner up with us on. And if not, that's fine, too. But don't try to get in our way with any kind of globalization efforts to suggest that we can't pursue our agenda and what we want and what's in our best interest. And he will concede and, and properly say, by the way, France should be able to do the same thing. Germany should be able to do the same thing. Japan should be able to do the same thing. Each country has an obligation to pursue their own policies. And I think that they'll make sure that this is the dominant message for them and not get overshadowed by Greenland unless they want Greenland to be the top story.

[Mark]

I couldn't disagree more, Yemeni. I think Larry's wrong.

[Yemassi]

I think this, I think Greenland's gonna be a cloud hanging over it. I think that the President will be at his most combative. I actually enjoyed a speech he gave where he completely went in on everybody about climate change. And I just thought that here is somebody who doesn't care about winning the room. So I think this is going to be a really interesting one to watch.

[Mark]

Yeah, I agree, Larry. I respectfully disagree. And don't forget, both Gavin Newsom and Al Gore will be there to bracket the president. Don't forget. Well, I mean, I just think. I just think everybody's going to want to talk about Greenland because then it won't be resolved. And the President's views on housing and the Fed Chair and all that, I just don't think is going to be breakthrough, no matter how they, no matter what they want. I may be wrong, but that's what I think.

[Larry]

If past is prologue, Trump has a pretty keen ability to change the subject and make everybody follow along.

[Yemassi]

How much do we think he brings up the Nobel Peace Prize?

[Larry]

Oh, I don't know.

[Mark]

Seems under his skin.

[Larry]

And it will be raised. It will.

[Mark]

As somebody, as somebody just reminded me, Newsom is going, going to go and try to do what Barack Obama did so cleverly in 2008 and outflank his opposition to the right. He's going to go there and say he's the free market candidate and Trump is the candidate of crony capitalism and, and extortion of private businesses, etc.

[Larry]

If, if Trump wants to push the Greenland issue and make that. I mean, right now the White House is not indicating that that's what their agenda is and the whole coalition that they're bringing over there. But if that's what they want, that's what.

[Mark]

Yeah, all right. Remember, remember. Seems like 40 years ago is four days ago, there was a giant demonstrations in the streets of Iran and people thought we might be on the precipice of one of the most cataclysmic changes in the world since 9 11. And instead it all seems to have disappeared. Here's one of the few headlines out of Iran over the weekend. 113, please. This is interesting. Hackers target Iran state TV satellite transmission to broadcast exiled crown prince hackers disrupted Iranian state television satellite transmission to air footage supporting the country's exiled crown Prince and calling on security forces to not, quote, point your weapons at our people, at the people online video showed. This is from the Associated Press. Larry, where did this all go?

[Larry]

Well, I think I mentioned last week that there's still going to be US Pressure, but it's going to be mostly covert stuff and stuff that happens that you don't necessarily, that we don't necessarily see. And I think this could be an example of that. We have a pretty strong cyber war ability in this country and that, that could very well be exact.

[Mark]

But are the demonstrations over?

[Larry]

So I didn't see, I saw some video of some of the demonstrations, but it's very hard to understand exactly what's contemporary and what's, what's video. So I'm not sure. I can't answer that.

[Mark]

Yes, I know. I don't know. Is this over? Is this story done?

[Yemassi]

For now, I would like to posit a question of who cares what happens in Iran has nothing to do with anybody in America. That's, that's where I'm at with Iran. I just, I just they're the number.

[Larry]

One state sponsor of terror and have been for three decades.

[Yemassi]

I just don't think it has to do with the everyday life of Americans. And I hope when the president goes and gives his America first speech that it recenters back on America. So I mean, they're a theocracy. Whatever we do, if we depose of their leaders, I think they'll just have another one with the same kind of mindset. So who are we to solve the world's problems?

[Mark]

All right. That is a point of view that speaks for tens of millions. Yes, it does. All right, let's talk about Minnesota. There's so many things we could bring up over the weekend that occurred. 2 I want to highlight, first of all, Don Lemon went into a St Paul church and you may, that may be on your radar or not. But all I can tell you is that is one of many things that happened over the weekend that has the right fired up and believing that the left is going to screw this up. That as much as people like Eric Erickson and others, including Republican members of Congress, some publicly, some privately think that this images coming out of Minnesota are bad politics. There's plenty happening that they think is good politics and they're happy to have the fight. On the other hand, lots of Republicans are now saying, some to me, they say, mark, do you think the polls are right? These polls can't be right. They're looking for all these excuses to deny poll after Poll, including more over the weekend that show the shooting is very people are upset about the shooting and people are very unhappy with ice. And people believe consistently that ICE is not making people safer. Here's the headline from the Washington Post. And again, folks, if you're on the left, on the right, and you want to say, oh, it's the Washington Post talking about fake polls, I'm telling you, private Republican polls show the same thing. Voters oppose ICE amid shootings in Minneapolis. Polls show as President Trump cracks down on immigration in Minneapolis, a majority of voters disapprove of Immigration and Custom Enforcement's work. That is just a fact. That's not fake news. It's not fake polls. It's a reality. So both sides have things to point to that suggests that this story is not going away anytime soon. Yemassi, what is happening next in Minnesota? Which strands will dominate this week?

[Yemassi]

Well, we've reached the point of any kind of political hoopla where people who don't even live in the city and the state are now joining for the content. And I think Don Lemon going to be boots on the ground is a sign of the rising outside voices that are going to come in and kind of muddy the waters. I do not think what happened with Don Lemon and the church was helpful whatsoever to a lot of the work that I think Governor Tim Walls and the mayor have been doing to help de escalate when they say go home every night. Do not feed into the rhetoric. Please do not engage in anything violent. I think disrupting a church service was not helpful. I don't understand what the purpose of it is. And I think this is the part of any kind of social protest where it starts to spiral. This happened with Black Lives Matter, where now we had all of these people who are a bit more professional in nature when it comes to social commentary, coming in, joining not a part of the community, and I don't think helping move anything forward. Don Lemon will leave. What, Tomorrow? Maybe he's already left. He'll leave tomorrow, next week. I fail to see what was helpful about his engagement there.

[Mark]

Well said, Larry.

[Larry]

I think it was clarifying. It's one of those moments where a lot of times these issues come down to whose side do you want to be on? On the side of the people who go and interrupt people in the middle of their church worship on Sunday and start screaming at them, or do you want to be on the side of the worshipers? And I'll take that argument any day of the week. The polls, it's interesting. One of the big polls that I saw over the weekend was CBS News YouGov, I think, and the question was, is ICE making communities safer? Which, you know, and then 51% said no. What's interesting to me is they're never asked, do the professional disruptors and agitators who are getting in the way of ICE carrying out their job make the community safer? I'd love to see the answer to that poll question. I'd like to see that question asked in a poll. I think if Republicans who might be concerned about the images and it's not great politics. It isn't. But worse politics is retreating and pulling back and saying, okay, nevermind, we're not gonna enforce immigration laws in that state as long as enough people take to the streets and cause disruptions. What they need to do is focus on the actual arrests that are being made and the deportations made. Over 2,000 have been deported from that area. Criminals, including gang members, including people who are wanted for murder. They need to focus on that because that's not what Tim Walls and Mayor Frey have done. And Yemenzi, I mean, as much as you like the fact that they've now suddenly said, don't go out, go home at night, don't cause any violence. That wasn't their first first message. They were, they were adamantly, you know, riling up the mobs at the beginning and also the mob right now or the rioters. They're not heeding their advice. They're still out there every night. Regardless of whether Tim Walsh said go home and don't go out there at night. They're still out there and they're still wreaking havoc and they're still causing dangerous situations and in vandalizing the city. So what's the point of them saying something if no one listens? That's not leadership.

[Yemassi]

Yeah, well, I think it also, I don't think that Governor Tim Walz was riling people up to be outside in the streets. I think he's actually played it in comparison, especially to the mayor, Jacob Fry. I think he's played it very, very neutral, especially from months ago where he spent a lot of 2025 being a main messenger of riling folks up.

[Larry]

I just, forgive me, he was invoking Gettysburg and the Civil War with his rhetoric. The first day after the, the incident.

[Yemassi]

Last week, I think the first day after the incident emotions were at an all time high and he's done a very job since that tempering. So I'm going to give credit where it's due. I think especially the situation with Don Lemon, I just watched, and I thought, okay, this undermines if. A lot of. If, if a lot of the community saying to us as Christians, we believe in compassion, then the antithesis of that is interrupting a church service because what was it? The pastor is like an ice field. Well, that has nothing to do with the congregation. And when I'm watching that video, I watched the entire livestream with Don Lemon. I'm watching children in the congregation crying. And so what does it do? It, just like you said, it creates these lines of what side do you want to be on? We're also seeing videos of people harassing people inside of coffee shops because they appear to be ICE agents because they have rental cars in the air. We are losing the plot. And it's just. It's a little bit of a repeat of what I saw, you know, all those years ago with blm. It's, it's, it's. It's. We're devolving a little bit. And I just think folks got to get a handle if you want the message to come through.

[Mark]

Well said. So Kristi Noem, Secretary Noem was spoofed again on Saturday Night Live. Neither side on this has a monopoly on not telling the truth, but she has been particularly promiscuous in making public statements that don't bear out every time. And she is a senior government official. She's a big face of this operation. And I think just as regardless of party, it would be better for people to be more careful. So here's. Here's a headline from the New York Times. 116. She was on Face the Nation denies use of chemical agents in Minnesota. Then backtracks said officers had not used pepper spray and similar measures limited by a judge's order. Then was confronted with a video that showed chemical agents deployed. Here's a bit of that from face the nation. 117. Please.

[Christine Noem]

Your agents has asked him to. Sorry. With the federal order on Friday to not use chemical agents. That federal order was a little ridiculous because that federal judge came down and told us we couldn't do what we already aren't doing. We are. Well, we just saw video of chemical agents being used. We only use those chemical agents when there's violence happening and perpetuating. And you need to be able to establish law in order to keep people safe. That's the only situation. So that judge's order didn't change anything for how we're operating on the ground, because it's basically telling us to do what we've already been Doing.

[Mark]

Matt, it's hard to calculate this, but in the great abacus in your mind, you see, is she as a public spokesperson for this in Minnesota? Is she a net positive as a spokesperson, net positive or net negative? Politically negative. Why negative?

[Yemassi]

And I have said this time and time again, I do not think she is the right face for a deconstructed organization like DHS that has to have, that has multiple other agencies under it like FEMA and ice. I've said again and again, I believe executive style leadership can come from other Republicans like Glenn Youngkin. I just think there are more level headed people that are better at communicating this, especially in places like CBS on cnn, than a Christino.

[Mark]

Larry, is she a good spokesperson? Net. Net.

[Larry]

Well, to be fair, and I just want to comment on that clip real fast because one of the things that people should do when they're spokespeople for an organization or for a government agency, especially at times like this, is to be as clear and thorough as possible. That federal judge's order was not just about chemical agents. It specifically said that they can't use these tactics against peaceful protesters. And so when Secretary Noem said, you know, we're already not doing that, what she should have said is what I just said, which is the federal judge's order had to do with peaceful protesters. And all the peaceful protesters are being left alone. We are using, you know, legal, lawful interventions against people who are not being peaceful. And that's where this comes in. It made it look like she was saying, oh, we're not using.

[Mark]

Understood. In general, one word answer, Larry. Is she, is she a net positive spokesperson or net negative?

[Larry]

I think right now Tom Holman is.

[Yemassi]

The most positive spokesperson and I will give you that. Larry, I think they need to push.

[Larry]

I think he's doing more than Christine.

[Mark]

Larry, Larry, Larry, what a dog dodge. Is she net positive or net negative?

[Larry]

I don't have, I have a good, I don't have a good feel for that. I'll be honest with you. I, I know, I know who's good, not who's bad.

[Mark]

All right, all right. Harris versus Shapiro. This is an incredible story. First of all, Axios had an item in their weekly 2028 newsletter last night correctly pointing out those of you who are dismissing Kamala Harris's support at the grassroots are wrong. And, and they, and the item said, well, electability. Here's the headline. Harris's Divide, Democrats divide over Harris Surfaces as she looks like a 2028 contender. Alex Thompson went on part of her book tour and he sees what is obviously the case. She had massive support amongst young people, people of color, women. All of this, particularly in primaries in the south, would put her in good standing and strong position compared to other Democrats. The item talked a lot about, well, electability. Well, yeah, donors in New York and LA don't think she's electable because they don't want to waste more money on her from their point of view. But if she runs, she's much stronger than a lot of the chattering class think, I believe. And this item suggests then paired with that a number of news organizations got Josh Shapiro's book. Josh Shapiro in his book complains less about Kamala Harris, although he's complaining about her, trust me, than about the vetting process where he did like some of the questions he was asked, including about whether he had ties to Israel or Israeli security or whether he was a spy. Here's the headline. Josh from New York Times, Josh Shapiro writes that Harris team asked if he had ever been an Israeli agent. And he's pretty, the tone is pretty, is pretty combative and it's pretty clear that those two are not necessarily best of friends. So, Larry, what is Josh Shapiro up to? Why is he going out of his way to say that the Harris folks did not do him right?

[Larry]

Well, this is his lane.

[Mark]

Is it to sell books? Is it for politics? Is it.

[Larry]

Oh, no, it's for politics. I think that this is the lane that he's carving out for himself, that he's the reasonable moderate, the middle. And the fact, and despite what the base might think, I don't think Tim Walls is super popular right now. And the choice of Tim Walls is not looking like a real brilliant move by Kamala Harris in retrospect. And so I think by saying, yeah, you could have had me and that might have made a difference, I think is a smart political move for him.

[Mark]

Yeah, Missy, yeah.

[Yemassi]

I mean look at Tim Walls got picked. Look where he is now. Josh Shapiro was not. And he's about to embark on a book tour that's going to launch him into the 2028 run. So he's in a much better position and he's in a much better position than Harris is because she might be doing a sold out book tour right now, but she still has to contend with ghosts of the past. And he declares running. There are going to be so many clips of her from her first campaign that they're gonna run that they're just not gonna be able to do with Shapiro. So he's got a better head start Here.

[Mark]

All right. Of the universe of people who might run, which three? You don't need to name them in order. Yemen. See you first. Which three are the strongest among southern black voters? Which three potential Democratic candidates are the strongest among southern black voters in primaries and caucuses? Of the, of the. Of the 20 people who might run, who are the three who go into it with the greatest prospect of support amongst black voters in the South?

[Yemassi]

Andy Beshear.

[Mark]

Yeah.

[Yemassi]

Gavin Newsom, based on his current standing right now.

[Mark]

Yeah. And Kamala Harris.

[Yemassi]

And Kamala Harris.

[Mark]

Okay. Larry, what do you think of that list?

[Larry]

Yeah, I mean, I would say the same three, assuming Jasmine Crockett is not running.

[Mark]

All right, what, what, what, what makes you, what makes you say Bashir? Because Kentucky has a pretty small percentage of African American voters as compared to.

[Yemassi]

He did a South Carolina trip and it went really, really well. Yeah, he did a trip with Clyburn. Everybody was incredibly impressed by him. He speaks the most about his faith. And we're talking about the black demographic lead first with that. I. He just, he pulls much better. I think JB Pritzker totally whiffed it when the National Guard was coming to Chicago and he walked through Southside Chicago, he said, everything's fine. Everything's fine. Remember, messaging on crime to a black demographic, you have to acknowledge it exists.

[Larry]

Yeah.

[Yemassi]

Walk through and show black mothers on TV talking about, I don't see crime. That doesn't play with that.

[Mark]

Totally.

[Larry]

Yeah.

[Mark]

Totally agree.

[Larry]

If, if the first primary ends up being South Carolina, Gavin Newsom, by the time the campaign is over, will have been born a poor black child. That, that's, that's what kind of chameleon he is.

[Mark]

Built in a lot. Built in a log cabin he built himself. And he built himself.

[Yemassi]

Can I just say about his. Shapiro, sit down.

[Mark]

Yeah.

[Yemassi]

I do not see the benefits and the positives of him having done that. Sit down with Ben Shapiro.

[Mark]

Did you guys, did you. I agree. Did you guys watch Ben's hour long deconstruction of the conversation? I recommend it. I recommend it to you. I, I stumbled upon it on YouTube and it was quite good. All right, a few more quick topics then to your question. So please raise your hand if you want in on the conversation. If you've never raised your hand. Today's today. Let's get one new person or the show will be canceled. This will be the last episode of the show unless one person who's never raised their hand before raises their hand to ask a question. Republicans, there's a Senate race in Louisiana this year. Bill Cassidy's the incumbent. The seat will be held by the Republicans, but the question is, which Republican will win the seat? Julia Letlow, Congresswoman got Donald Trump's endorsement over the weekend. It's Politico reports she may enter the race as early as today. Pretty good trick to get the endorsement without being a candidate. Larry, who will win the Louisiana Senate seat in November of this year?

[Larry]

If she decides. Listen, you're never, you're going to give.

[Mark]

Her a name, Larry. Just looking for a name.

[Larry]

If she gets in, she will win. She's got the Trump endorsement. He is undefeated in primary primaries.

[Mark]

Yeah. Okay.

[Larry]

Well, not entirely close to close.

[Mark]

Close to undefeated. Yeah. Missy, who will, who will win that race?

[Yemassi]

I, I think Trump's endorsement does it, but unfortunately, I think you're primary a candidate. I'm an incumbent. That's fine.

[Mark]

Yeah. I think Cassidy will win. I'm going against all conventional wisdom. Then Cassidy will win. Okay. Why?

[Larry]

Just, just because of the money and the, and the name.

[Mark]

Because the money. Because of Thune. And, and the, the incumbency protection effort and, you know, she's a fine candidate, but I think they're gonna go after her pretty hard, and I think they may find some and protect incumbents. Yeah. And Louisiana's. Louisiana is kind of an establishment state. All right. The Secretary of Labor. Either of you guys met her? Lori Chavez, Der Rimer. Is that how you pronounce it?

[Larry]

What are you suggesting? I was never at that swimming pool.

[Mark]

Okay, here, here's the second in a row. Second in about a week. New York Post story, exclusive information. Here's the headline. 121. They had one last week about, about allegations about the personal life and, and financial stewardship of the secretary. Here's another one. IG Proof uncovers Office Booze Stash and Strip Club Visit with Subordinates. Here's my question. Where is this coming from? Who has the motive to hand the New York Post all this oppo to try to force her out? The President's still standing behind her, according to Caroline Levitt. But who's, who's doing this? Is this Democrats? Is it someone who wants the job? Is it is just like a whistleblower. You have to see who's doing this.

[Yemassi]

I tell you what, it's not Democrats because when that story broke, so many group chats, it got dropped in and people were like, I had to remind myself who this, who this was. I mean, it's just, I mean, obviously she's not one of the loudest people in the Cabinet. And that is. Okay. Plenty of loud voices.

[Mark]

But I know you don't know. I know you don't know who the source is, but. But who would you nominate as the most likely?

[Larry]

Not.

[Mark]

You don't need to name a person, but what's the category of who's trying to force around? Go ahead, Larry.

[Larry]

You asking me? I'd like to know how many New York Post editors have a private booth stash in their office, by the way. Just.

[Mark]

They're not in the government. They're not in the government. Big difference. That's true.

[Larry]

I would expect it's a political appointee in the Department of Labor who is more. More leaning, more MAGA leaning. And it's coming internally because they did put that.

[Yemassi]

The chief of staff on leave, too. I was like.

[Mark]

And the deputy.

[Yemassi]

Yeah. This feels like an internal fight that spilled over, and we're just watching something.

[Larry]

She is the least popular of all of the cabinet picks to conservatives and MAGA supporters.

[Mark]

All right, again, raise your hand. If you've never raised your hand, save the show. We need one new person. All right, lastly, in commemoration of the King holiday, two questions. I didn't warn either of you, so you're going to be quick on your feet here. What's the thing in America today that would most, in terms of race, that would most please Dr. King, and what would most disappoint him? What would most please him, and what would most disappoint him? Larry?

[Larry]

First, I think what would please him most is the complete integration, if not dominance of African American arts and culture in mainstream American culture. I mean, where we are now compared to where we were in the early 60s with regard to the. Not just acceptance, but celebration of the African American artistic and talent infusion into mainstream performing arts is just incredible across the board. What would displease him is probably the growth of the. The. Of the LGBTQ agenda within not just mainstream politics, but specifically within one dominant political party. He was not. Not a fan.

[Mark]

Yeah, Missy. Yeah.

[Yemassi]

Well, most please at zero percent.

[Mark]

So, yeah, most. Most, most pleasing. Most disappointing.

[Yemassi]

I think what would most please him is. I mean, I think he would look at Washington, a place that he involved himself with so much, and he would be most pleased to see the prominence of the Congressional Black Caucus. We're talking about South Carolina. How much a state like South Carolina, which is just code for how much the black demographic matters to the Democratic Party. I mean, he couldn't have imagined that he would grow politics in a way where it would be so consequential to The Democratic Party. And I think what would most displease him is probably the Christian nationalism, the rise of Christianity. Christian nationalism would probably most displease reverend.

[Mark]

Dr. Yeah, I would say number one would be the rise of Barack Obama, Hakeem Jeffries and other black leaders to just, you know, the highest levels of American government on the doorstep of having.

[Yemassi]

Maybe I think the back end.

[Mark]

Yeah. And then, and then I think most displeased, despite the gains, the economic disparities, the educational opportunity disparities are still shockingly big as compared to all the other areas of advance that, that you guys named it. Just still, it's just still. It's just still, still too big a gap. All right, can I just, just realize.

[Larry]

Yemen. See, just because you mentioned Christian nationalism and you emphasized that he was a reverend, it always drives me nuts. If you go to the MLK memorial in D.C. do you ever notice that none of the, you know, famous quotes from Reverend King up on the marble walls there, none of them mention his faith? If you were from another country and you came and saw the MLK Memorial, you would never actually know that he was a pastor, that he was a Christian. In fact, it always bothered me about that.

[Yemassi]

Yeah, I'm going to walk there this week. I'm going to look at it.

[Larry]

Go check it out.

[Mark]

Go take a look. He's right.

[Larry]

Beautiful memorial.

[Mark]

All right, one word from a sponsor and then raise your hand if you want to get in the conversation. We need one new person or this last episode of the show. CB distillery. 25% off everything on the site. Promo code two WMM. If your new Year's resolution was to get more sleep, and that's good. One, imagine how much more energy you'll have if you sleep longer and better. Less stress. Here's a way to start 2026 to achieve that goal. CB Distilleries products CBD from CB Distillery. Over 90% of their customers say that they sleep better. Over 2 million people, happy customers of the product already 100% money back guarantee. So if you're ready for better sleep, less stress, and to feel good in your own skin, again, try the CBD products from CB Distillery right now. Save 25 off everything on there. If you want to give this a try, as more than 2 million people have already done, use the promo code [e-mail] Again, the promo code [e-mail] to save an extraordinary 25 off everything on the site. We'll go to your questions. Still Waiting to make sure the program is saved. Roger, welcome in. Thank you for being part of two way on mute. Tell everybody what's on your mind. For Yemenzi and for Larry. Yes, from the MacArthur group. On the scale of 1 to 10, how would you rate Kamala Harris as being the New York jets of American politics? Roger, have you, have you asked a question on this show before? Yes. Yes. All right. I thought so. Just making sure because I'm already making plans for what I'm going to do the rest of the week at 9am Yemassi, how do you like that metaphor? New York jets and Kamala Harris.

[Yemassi]

I don't understand the metaphor with the New York Jets. You guys might have to mansplain this one to me.

[Mark]

Roger, Roger, elucidate your metaphor, please. The New York jets are the worst franchise in the history of the national football. Complete disgrace. They're an embarrassment.

[Keith Sterman]

They never win.

[Yemassi]

I'm so glad I asked for clarification. So how would I rate Harris if she was the New York jets of politics?

[Mark]

Do you think, do you think the metaphors app that she's, that she's just a perennial loser?

[Yemassi]

No, I think, no, I wouldn't rate her high on the loser scale whatsoever. I think if anything she's come out better looking than Biden. I mean, she, she had us, she had a book come out. It raised a lot of buzz. She's doing a success. She's doing the second part of the successful sold out book tour. I mean, on the scale of being a loser, it's just not that high for me, Larry.

[Larry]

Well, the jets at least won one Super Bowl. I mean, the Browns have never even been to a Super bowl, nor have my Detroit Lions. So I don't know if it's completely apt.

[Mark]

All right, Roger, thank you. Maybe she's more, maybe she's more like the, I don't know, the Bengals. I don't know.

[Larry]

The Bengals have been to two Super Bowls.

[Mark]

I know she was vice president, United States.

[Yemassi]

My contribution to that is that Joe Burrow is attractive. And that's, and that's what I have to say.

[Larry]

Wow, like the cut of his jib.

[Mark]

Professor Kenny, welcome in. Thank you for being here.

[Professor Kenny]

Good morning, everyone. My question today for the panel is why does Donald Trump have to take Greenland? Can he just talk to the Danes and ask him for whatever he wants and they'll give it to him?

[Mark]

That is an off asked question these days. Which of you can better explain that one?

[Larry]

I mean, I don't know if I can explain it, but I have no doubt that those discussions had already taken place and they weren't going anywhere. So he sort of drove the issue and sort of reset the table from a position of dominance in the negotiations. But again, this is not unprecedented. This goes back to Truman acknowledging that Greenland was important. And I think it's more important for the EU to explain the rationale why a European country has the God given right to a piece of territory in our hemisphere. It's not even in their hemisphere, for God sake. So my guess is the negotiations and discussions weren't going anywhere and he decided, I said reset the table. What I meant was flip the table up like it's Real Housewives of New Jersey.

[Professor Kenny]

Well, listen, I understand the importance of Greenland. I think, you know, people who are into this do understand that. But I think this is all about distraction and bloviating and keeping the left crazy, you know, in terms of how he goes about his things and then keeping Russia and China on their toes. And I think in the end he's going to make a deal and we'll be, whatever, whatever that deal is, will have more influence over there.

[Larry]

If you're right, in keeping Russia and China on their toes and on their back heels right now as part of the strategy. That's not a distraction. That's, that's part of the goal.

[Professor Kenny]

Not a distraction on the left for the. Politically on the left. That's what I was talking about. Yemen. Do you think this is a distraction on the left for the, for the people on the left who, you know, anything Trump does is, is, you know, it's crazy. So this just adds to the craziness.

[Yemassi]

Well, I think a lot of Republicans also think it's a little bit crazy, but when I watched the delegation that went to talk about Greenland, the, the best part was all of the Democratic members like Senator Chris Coons and Gregory Meeks said Republicans and the President have to explain what the benefits are and they just have to own it. And so the great part is like, we don't have to make the case for him. He's just going to have to make the case himself. I'm just not sure it's selling as strongly across the aisle.

[Mark]

Yeah. Professor. Thank you, grateful ladies and gentlemen. You've got 13 minutes to save the show. One person who's never raised their hand before needs to ask a question today or this will be the final episode.

[Yemassi]

And can we also do things in comparison to the Real Housewives model? Because I immediately got Larry's.

[Mark]

There you go. Yeah. Yes.

[Larry]

No more NFL.

[Mark]

No More Bravo tv. Exactly. Carly, welcome in. On mute. Tell folks who don't know where you are what's on your mind for Yemen, for Larry.

[Carly]

Hi, good morning. I'm in New Jersey. So the question is, why do they think that we don't need Greenland and Trump should not be making such a big deal out of it. And I will tell you, as I mentioned before at the show, I'm from Latin America and I travel there often. And the influence that the Chinese have in Central America and the Caribbean, it is incredible in subtle ways, in strong ways.

[Mark]

And give an example that strikes you when you're there.

[Carly]

Well, do you know there's a Chinatown in Panama. There's people in the government. They have a lot of Chinese roots and they own business, they own industries, they do construction. They bring products into Latin America as much as they do into the U.S. they want to really outnumber the U.S. and they want to take a hold of Latin America. And in some parts they have. So why do they think it's a big deal? We need to get Greenland. We need to get the Chinese out of our hemisphere because they do not belong around here. I'm not against anyone, but this is us.

[Larry]

And Carly, you are so correct. I'll give you an example. I took a vacation in Antigua last year. They have built a new embassy there that is like four blocks long. And it's a fortress in Antigua, this little Caribbean island. And the way they do it is they built a new cricket stadium. They're nuts for cricket in Antigua. And they built a cricket stadium for them and all the local politicians. And the prime minister is like, oh, thank you for our new cricket stadium. And then they gave them this foothold. What the hell is China doing in Antigua? You're absolutely right, Carly. And that's another reason why, again, I just want to get back to this. From the prime minister of the United Kingdom to most of the countries in Europe to most of the commentators here in America, unless you're an elected official for the Democrats, everyone has at least agreed to the fundamental truth that is Greenland is essential for this hemisphere safety and for our country's safety, not just for the natural resources, but the strategic positioning of it. Why Democrats can't get there as well is odd, other than they're just opposition to anything Trump embraces.

[Yemassi]

Larry, I said at the beginning when.

[Larry]

We started, you're not elected official yet.

[Yemassi]

No, but the elected officials have said Russian militarization and China's economic encroachment matter. You just don't have to take Over Greenland to address those things. Isn't that the difference of. Sure, but address those things.

[Larry]

But your party just had the White House for four years and they had control of our foreign policy. Can you name me one thing that the Biden administration did with regard to that in Greenland?

[Yemassi]

Taking over Greenland was not a priority.

[Larry]

I'm not saying taking over, but. But you just said China and Russia's encroachment here is a priority. So what did they do to. To quell that?

[Yemassi]

I think that President Biden had great relationships with NATO and with our allies, and that joint partnership is what puts the guardrails on Russia and on China concerning Greenland.

[Larry]

Well, under his watch, they invaded Ukraine and Europe became more dependent on Russian oil and gas. And under Trump, those relationships didn't go very far.

[Yemassi]

Putin has left Ukraine alone under Trump's watch. He's fixed it.

[Mark]

Carly, thank you. Lance, welcome in. Thank you for being here. Unmute. Tell folks what's on your mind.

[Yemassi]

Okay.

[Lance]

Okay. Good morning. Two thoughts. Well, two issues on my mind this morning. We just coming. Since you just been talking about Greenland, let me just say that I don't think we should take in any way, shape or form take the bottom 20% of Greenland while the people are at. Because they're getting lofty social benefits. And I don't think American taxpayers should have to foot the bill for that. And I don't think we should have to foot the bill to get them to accept annexation or anything like that, anything along those lines.

[Mark]

All right, Lance, hold on. Let's, let's let them comment Yemen. See then. Larry, thoughts on that?

[Yemassi]

Yeah, I mean, to me, the president's kind of becoming a little bit of a welfare queen if he wants to own Greenland. I mean, we're taking on a lot there, Larry.

[Larry]

Larry, I don't know about that. Listen, again, the ideal end game here is that we do, in fact, take ownership of Greenland as a new territory of the United States States. I don't know if that's going to be the end game, but I think that the approach that he's taking will at the very least increase our relationship there, increase our ability to mine rare minerals and build more and more and more military bases there to keep those shipping lanes clear.

[Yemassi]

Delegate, if we, if we get Greenland, you know how Stacy Plaskett is the delegate for the US Virgin Islands. Who, who becomes the delegate for Greenland?

[Larry]

A, a, a Greenlander.

[Yemassi]

Greenlander.

[Mark]

Yeah.

[Larry]

Greenlander. To be named later.

[Mark]

All right, Lance, second question again. Still looking for a hand of someone who's never Asked a question on the show before.

[Lance]

Okay, so this is more about, this is about health care. So, so I was trying to talk over you, Mark.

[Mark]

That's okay. All good, go ahead.

[Lance]

Okay, so I think the healthcare issue would not be so much of an issue in regards to the subsidies. They are not a long term solution either. And they have been contributing to rising health care costs as well because the health care providers, health insurers, have been gaming the subsidies to raise prices. So what I think would have been the best solution was just to phase them out. But that was not done in the bill and now the subsidies expire. Now Americans are paying much more and all the cost of getting rid of the subsidies are now front loaded. So once again, I think the solution was to just phase them out. But I think right now the solution maybe phase them out with price caps.

[Larry]

Yeah.

[Mark]

Okay, hold on.

[Lance]

Several years now. I think I hate price caps like the devil himself. But I think that you, that.

[Yemassi]

I.

[Lance]

Think that you have to. That there has to be, there has to be a solution that we can put on the table. I think Americans, if they see their incomes rising, they won't particularly incomes rising and prices in other regards to other things dropping, I think they're not going to so much mind it. But I do think the president's solution is a little bit. Well, it is inadequate unless he's going to increase the amount of money he's given them by six times.

[Mark]

All right, let's stand by. Thank you for that, guys. We sort of lost track of this. The deadline's coming, coming up. If the last, maybe final deadline. So how will health care be resolved, if at all, either in January or in a reconciliation package? Embassy.

[Yemassi]

I think it gets, I think it gets stalled. We do it in a reconciliation package. But I mean, to Lance's point about, I think it introduces a larger conversation about Obamacare. I think we were like at the end of the road as Democrats with Obamacare. If you have to subsidize it constantly, it means something's wrong. And I think health care is going to continue to be the issue as we lean into the midterms. And so I don't know. I think Dems are at the end of the road right now with health care.

[Mark]

Larry?

[Larry]

Yeah, I hope you're right, Yemassi. The instinct to constantly prop it up is what's harming us, I think right here. And for some reason, I think it's because Republicans were so dead set against Obamacare that Democrats don't want to let it go. They don't want to concede this. Like, oh, maybe there was a problem there. And sadly, I think that it will be kicked out the canal, be kicked down the road a little bit further with more subsidies which won't actually press anybody in this town to actually fix anything.

[Mark]

Jacqueline, welcome in. Thank you for being here. Tell folks what's on your mind. I've been wondering why there hasn't been.

[Yemassi]

Any environmental movement discussion around how Greenland.

[Mark]

Might probably has oil reserves because Arctic.

[Christine Noem]

And has a lot of coastline because.

[Mark]

Of how there are the hazards to.

[Christine Noem]

When you do Arctic drilling.

[Mark]

There could be more accidents because it's hard to enforce regulations around pipes in the ocean.

[Yemassi]

Yeah, there's always really cold.

[Mark]

It's a great, it's a great series of questions that has not been much discussed. Either of you want to weigh in on that?

[Larry]

Well, I would just say that if that is a concern and I don't know enough about it, but if it is, then you're in no better hands than the United States States in being responsible and in charge of that exploration. You don't want the Chinese to do it because their environmental, you know, disaster, the way that they go about strip mining and doing the work that they do.

[Yemassi]

Yemassi, I don't know enough about that.

[Mark]

Yeah. I just know from the articles that I've read and done any reporting on it that it is a concern and somebody's going to have to address it. If there's going to be that kind of exploration for the rare earth minerals, for the energy, it's going to have to, it's going to have to be addressed as a very combustible situation. Thank you for the question.

[Larry]

If you look at China's efforts in, in Africa going after the rare minerals and it's just awful. It's, it's, it's terrible what they've done to some of those countries.

[Mark]

Yeah. No two way tonight. Tonight we're off for the holiday. This program will be back in 23 hours and a couple minutes. Lifelong is on this evening. Ethan Supley, 7:00pm tonight, his guest, Ethan Bernard. If you've not experienced lifelong yet with Ethan, simply please join him tonight, 7 o' clock Eastern Time for the program. Real health, Real community, no bs. Ethan is a, is a veteran actor who's lost an enormous amount of weight and now dedicates much of his life to helping others understand how to lose weight and live a healthy life and still enjoy life. It's an interesting concept, interesting dynamic. He's a compelling guy. So please join Ethan tonight Received a word from the governor right before we leave the air clemency for the program. Even though we did not have anyone new raised their hand. The governor says the show will go on. So the governor's spared the governor of the governor of Two way.

[Larry]

Oh, okay.

[Yemassi]

In the spirit of mlk, yes.

[Mark]

Up for reelection. But I am disappointed because normally when I've asked that, I've asked for three new people, we got none. So I ask everybody, particularly if your voice is a little different than a lot of the voices you hear on the show. The whole point of this platform is for everybody to get a chance to talk. So even if you don't necessarily agree with other people, you hear speaking about things, opportunity to be part of the conversation. And instead of emailing me and saying, mark, the show should have more diversity of voices, do it yourself. Come on, raise your hand. And we'd love to see you here tomorrow when we'll be back at 9am Eastern time. New episode next up tomorrow, which I'm excited to tell you about tomorrow. And as always, you can watch the program on YouTube, watch it on X or listen to it as a podcast. Please tell all your friends, enemies, relatives, associates and people you meet when you go out with the Secretary of Labor. Larry, thank you for being here. Yemen. Thank you for being here. Yes, sir.

[Larry]

Can I amend my answer that I gave on the fly about Martin Luther King?

[Mark]

Well, you can, you can, but you can. We have time, but it's going to be an interesting concept if people want to edit their answers on this show.

[Larry]

I just disappointed.

[Mark]

No, absolutely. Please do. Please do.

[Larry]

We're doing this on the fly. It's unscripted.

[Mark]

So it's untried, live and unscripted. And I didn't warn you. Go ahead.

[Larry]

I should have said that Martin Luther King's biggest disappointment now would be the role of the black father in the family unit of the African American families in this country. And the lack of the father. I think that he would be very sad and would be sort of trying to reinspire involvement of black men in their families.

[Mark]

Is the data in that area changed at all in the last 10 years?

[Larry]

In the last 10 years? Yeah, I don't, I don't know. I know that it's drastically different from the early 60s.

[Mark]

Yeah, yeah. Okay. You have missed anything you want to edit from your previous answers. Revise an extent.

[Larry]

Anything about the jets.

[Yemassi]

I said, I said about Iran, that I just wasn't that nonplussed about it.

[Larry]

Am I the only one that I.

[Yemassi]

Think everybody should actually watch Tim Miller to talk about it. I watched it and I went, agreed.

[Mark]

All right, maybe we'll add a new segment. The last two minutes of the show is everybody can do a take back at Mulligan. Thank you all for watching. We'll see you tomorrow, 9aM Eastern time here on the morning meeting. Have a great day, everybody.