The Line That Should Terrify Europe

Summary

Podcast Summary: Bulwark Takes

Episode Title: The Line That Should Terrify Europe
Date: February 17, 2026
Host: Will Saletan (Bulwark)
Theme: Critique of U.S. Leverage Over Europe—Trump, Rubio, and the Myth of “Western” Security

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Episode Overview

Will Saletan dissects recent statements by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and contrasts them with President Trump’s overt threats and extortion tactics toward Europe and other allies. The episode scrutinizes the underlying dangers of Europe’s reliance not just on China, but on the United States—arguing that, under Trump, American behavior increasingly mirrors the predatory leverage Rubio warns about in China.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

Rubio’s Warnings About Dependence on China

• Rubio’s Thesis: At recent press conferences and the Munich Security Conference, Rubio warns Europe about the risks of depending on China for critical supply chains—especially minerals and industrial goods.
  • “[Today it’s] heavily concentrated in the hands of one country. And that lends itself to, at worst case scenario, being used as a tool of leverage in geopolitics.” (Rubio – 02:05)
  • “It was a foolish but voluntary transformation of our economy that left us dependent on others for our needs and dangerously vulnerable to crisis.” (Rubio – 02:35)
• Proposed Solution: A “Western supply chain” free from foreign extortion.
  • “Together advancing our mutual interests in new frontiers, creating a Western supply chain for critical minerals ... not vulnerable to extortion from other powers.” (Rubio – 03:02)

The Hypocrisy: U.S. Exercising the Same Leverage

• Saletan’s Argument: The U.S. already wields—and abuses—the very kind of leverage Rubio attributes to adversaries. Europe is at risk not only from China but from American coercion under Trump.
  • “There’s another country that also has way, way too much leverage over Europe ... and that country is us, the United States.” (Saletan – 01:00)

Trump’s Pattern of Economic and Military Threats

Venezuela as a “Demonstration”

• Military Power Used for Economic Gain: Trump orders an attack on Venezuela, topples Maduro, and seizes the country’s oil.
  • “That whole place could have been obliterated with one more strike. And we didn’t want to do that.” (Trump – 05:55)
• Saletan’s Take: This signals to all nations that failure to comply with U.S. demands can lead to military destruction.

The Greenland Gambit

• Explicit Threats: Trump declares intentions to acquire Greenland from Denmark—by force if necessary.

  • “We are going to do something on Greenland, whether they like it or not ... Either the nice way or the more difficult one.” (Trump – 06:41)
  • “We’re going to have Greenland one way or the other.” (Trump – 07:11)
  • "How far are you willing to go to acquire Greenland?"
    “You’ll find out.” (Trump – 10:12)

• Economic Leverage as Coercion: Tariffs threatened against European countries who resist U.S. interests (e.g., over Greenland, drug prices, or cooperation with peace plans).

  • “And I may do that for Greenland too. I may put a tariff on countries if they don’t go along with Greenland because we need Greenland for national security.” (Trump – 09:28)
  • "If they feel like costume, I’ll put a 200% tariff on his wines and champagne and he’ll join." (Trump – 09:48)

The Broader Message to Europe (and Canada)

• Trump’s World Economic Forum Speech: He publicly brags about unmatched U.S. military might and pressures Europe to cede Greenland.
  • “[Europe] probably won’t get anything unless I decide to use excessive strength and force where we would be, frankly, unstoppable. But I won’t do that.” (Trump – 11:49)
  • “They have a choice. You can say yes, and we will be very appreciative, or you can say no, and we will remember.” (Trump – 12:25)
• On Betraying Trust: Trump mocks Denmark’s decision to trust the U.S. in WWII, arguing the U.S. was “stupid” to return Greenland rather than keep it.
  • “After the war, we gave Greenland back to Denmark. How stupid were we to do that?” (Trump – 13:11)
  • "If he had been president ... he would have kept Greenland." (Trump – 13:44)
• Hostile Comments Toward Canada: Trump extends this rhetoric to Canada, highlighting a willingness to use U.S. economic dominance as a form of extortion.
  • “Canada lives because of the United States. Remember that, Mark, the next time you make your statements.” (Trump – 14:33)

Saletan’s Critical Assessment

• Europe’s Dilemma: The promise of a “Western supply chain” (Rubio’s solution) is a false security blanket. The U.S., under Trump’s leadership, has proven itself willing to employ exactly the same bullying tactics as China against Europe and other partners.
  • “Europe cannot rely on a Western supply chain if that supply chain is primarily American, because Trump will do exactly what China would do. If he feels like it. He will use our economic power and our military power to force Europe to give him whatever he wants.” (Saletan – 16:06)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Rubio’s Warning About Dependence:
  • “That lends itself to, at worst case scenario, being used as a tool of leverage in geopolitics.” (02:05)
• Trump on Venezuela:
  • “That whole place could have been obliterated with one more strike. And we didn’t want to do that.” (05:55)
• Trump’s Threat to Greenland/Denmark:
  • “We are going to do something on Greenland, whether they like it or not.” (06:41)
  • “You’ll find out.” (10:12)
  • “We probably won’t get anything unless I decide to use excessive strength and force where we would be, frankly, unstoppable. But I won’t do that.” (11:49)
  • “They have a choice ... say no, and we will remember.” (12:25)
• Trump’s View on Wartime Trust:
  • “After the war, we gave Greenland back to Denmark. How stupid were we to do that?” (13:11)
  • “They should have kept it after World War II, but they had a different president.” (13:44)
• Trump on Canada:
  • “Canada lives because of the United States. Remember that ... the next time you make your statements.” (14:33)
• Summary Point from Saletan:
  • “The whole lesson of the last month and a half is that that is a lie. Europe cannot rely on a Western supply chain if that supply chain is primarily American, because Trump will do exactly what China would do.” (16:06)

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Key Timestamps for Reference

| Timestamp | Segment / Topic | |-----------|--------------------------------------------------------| | 01:00 | Introduction to Rubio’s Europe warnings | | 02:05 | Rubio on China’s critical mineral leverage | | 03:32 | Rubio on Western dependency and defense | | 04:22 | Rubio on avoiding extortion, even from “anyone” | | 05:55 | Trump on Venezuela: linking military and oil control | | 06:41 | Trump threatens Greenland via force or “deals” | | 09:28 | Trump proposes tariffs to coerce Europe on Greenland | | 11:13 | Trump’s extortion at the World Economic Forum | | 13:11 | Trump questions past U.S. trustworthiness (Greenland) | | 14:33 | Trump’s warnings/threats to Canada | | 15:59 | Trump on economic war with Europe: “We have all cards” | | 16:06 | Saletan’s closing assessment |

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Final Takeaway

This episode challenges the comforting narrative of Western alliances and shared supply chains. Will Saletan exposes the reality that, under Trump, the United States is wielding its military and economic power as a tool of extortion—making it, in practice, no less a threat to Europe’s autonomy than China. The line that should truly terrify Europe isn’t just its reliance on Chinese minerals—it’s the prospect that, when it comes to leverage and coercion, its oldest ally may now be its greatest risk.

Transcript

[A]

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[B]

Hey, it's Will Saletan from the Bulwark. So this weekend, Marco Rubio, the Secretary of State, went to Germany, and he told our European allies to watch out. He told them that they were too dependent on one country and that that country could use its leverage to extort them. Now, he was talking about China. But what I want to show you is what Rubio didn't say. There's another country that also has way, way too much leverage over Europe, and that country is already extorting the Europeans, and that country is us, the United States. So let me show you first what Rubio said, and then I'm going to show you Rubio's boss, Donald Trump, who is exactly the kind of predator Rubio was talking about. Let me take you back two weeks. Now, this is Rubio at a press conference in Washington. He's talking about the world's dependence on China.

[C]

That's the key goal of critical mineral supply. And today it's heavily concentrated in the hands of one country. And that lends itself to, at worst case scenario, being used as a tool of leverage in geopolitics.

[B]

So there's the warning. One country has too much leverage. Okay, so now let's fast forward to Saturday when Rubio spoke at the Munich Security Conference. Here he is telling the Europeans that their dependence on China has made them.

[C]

Vulnerable and the loss of our supply chain sovereignty was not a function of a prosperous and healthy system of global trade. It was foolish. It was a foolish but voluntary transformation of our economy that left us dependent on others for our needs and dangerously vulnerable to crisis.

[B]

And specifically, Rubio said that Europe should work with America to reduce our dependence on China and to avoid Chinese extortion.

[C]

It should also be focused on together advancing our mutual interests in new frontiers, creating a Western supply chain for critical minerals natural, not vulnerable to extortion from other powers.

[B]

A Western supply chain. Remember that line? Okay. But Rubio wasn't finished. He also talked about China's military buildup. And he warned the Europeans that China would use that military power to pursue its own interest at their expense.

[C]

We increasingly outsourced our sovereignty to international institutions, while many nations invested in massive welfare states at the cost of maintaining the ability to defend themselves. This even as other countries have invested in the most rapid military buildup in all of human history and have not hesitated to use hard power to pursue their own interests.

[B]

So that was Rubio's message at the security conference. And then he gave an interview to Bloomberg News. And in that interview, he repeated his warnings about China. But he added that it wasn't just about China. Rubio said Europe should also worry about any country that could use its leverage to extort the Europeans.

[C]

And so I do think, yes, it would be ideal to have a Western supply chain that is free from extortion from anyone. Leave aside China, anybody else, we should never have to. We should never be in a situation where our alliance and our respective countries are vulnerable to extortion or blackmail because someone controls 99% of something that's critical to national life.

[B]

So Rubio's answer to this extortion problem was a Western supply chain. But there's a small problem with that answer. And the problem is that the Western supply chain runs through us, the United States, and our President Trump is using that power to extort Europe. Let's go back a month. At the beginning of January, Trump ordered a military attack on Venezuela, and he captured their dictator, Nicolas Maduro. But he didn't stop there. Trump also seized control of Venezuela's oil. Why? Because he could. Because he had the incredible military power of the United States. Here's Trump at a roundtable with oil executives at the White House. This is six days after the attack on Venezuela. He's bragging that after we hit them the first time, the government of Venezuela gave us control of their oil, because if they didn't, Trump had the power to destroy them.

[D]

No, no, we're going to be. We're dealing with the people from Venezuela. We're dealing with them very well. I think they've been very smart in the way they've dealt with us, frankly, because that whole place could have been obliterated with one more strike. And we didn't want to do that.

[B]

So Venezuela was a demonstration of our military power. It was a warning to every country that if they didn't give us what we wanted, we could destroy them. And then at the same meeting with the oil executives, this is just 10 minutes later. In that meeting, Trump turned his attention to another target, Greenland. And here's what he said about people in Greenland and its parent country, Denmark, who opposed an American takeover of Greenland.

[D]

We are going to do something on Greenland, whether they like it or not. I would, I would like to make a deal, you know, the easy way. But if we don't do it the easy way, we're going to do it the hard way. So we're going to be doing something with Greenland, either the nice way or the more difficult one.

[B]

The message there is very clear. If you don't give us what we want, we can do to you what we did to Venezuela. And then two days later, Trump repeated his threat.

[A]

Deal they can offer you.

[D]

They're like, yeah, sure, I'd love to make a deal with them. It's easier. But one way or the other, we're.

[B]

Going to have Greenland one way or the other. One way might be using our military, but another way might be using our economic power. Remember, that was Rubio's warning about China. China had too much economic leverage over Europe and that meant that China could extort Europe. Well, guess who else has economic leverage.

[E]

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[B]

Here's Trump at the White House on January 16th. This is a week after he warned Europe that he might have to take Greenland the hard way. First, he brags that he's already used tariffs to bully France and Germany into raising their drug prices so we can lower our drug prices here in America. Then, then he brings up Greenland and.

[D]

And I may do that for Greenland, too. I may put a tariff on countries if they don't go along with Greenland because we need Greenland for national security.

[B]

Then three days later, Trump threatened to use tariffs again, this time to force Emmanuel Macron, the president of France, to join Trump's Board of Peace in Gaza.

[D]

What I'll do is if they feel like costume, I'll put a 200% tariff on his wines and champagne and he'll join.

[B]

You can see how casually Trump flexes our economic power to squeeze Europe. And then the next day at the White House, Trump issued another warning to Europe about Greenland.

[E]

How far are you willing to go to acquire Greenland?

[D]

You'll find out.

[B]

So all of that is a prelude to what happened on January 21, when Trump went to the World Economic Forum in Switzerland to flaunt, to flaunt his power over Europe. Now, first he pointed to the attack on Venezuela just to remind everybody how strong our military is.

[D]

We're a great power, much greater than people even understand. I think they found that out two weeks ago in Venezuela.

[B]

In fact, Trump told the Europeans that he was increasing our military budget to one and a half trillion dollars. So never mind what Rubio said about China doing the biggest military buildup in history. Trump, Trump was bragging about us, us doing the biggest buildup in history. And then, and then came the extortion. Here is what Trump told the Europeans.

[D]

And that's the reason I'm seeking immediate negotiations to once again discuss the acquisition of Greenland by the United States, just as we have acquired many other territories throughout our history.

[B]

Now, Trump actually told the Europeans that he wouldn't use, he would not use our military power to take Greenland. But he made it really clear that that was his choice, and he lorded his power over them, and he told them that he could take Greenland anytime he wanted to. But for now, he said he would be nice.

[D]

We probably won't get anything unless I decide to use excessive strength and force where we would be, frankly, unstoppable. But I won't do that. Okay? Now everyone's saying, oh, good. That's probably the biggest statement I made, because people thought I would use force. I don't have to use force. I don't want to use force. I won't use force.

[B]

And just in case anybody thought that Trump was done threatening the Europeans, here's the last thing he said in that speech about his proposal to acquire Greenland.

[D]

They have a choice. You can say yes, and we will be very appreciative, or you can say no, and we will remember.

[B]

Now, you might say, look, America isn't China. I mean, we've been friends. We've been friends with Europe for a long, long time. They can trust us. Right? But I want you to see what Trump said in that speech about a time when the Europeans did trust us. So he reminded them that During World War II, Denmark entrusted America with control of Greenland to protect it, to protect Greenland from the Nazis. And here's what Trump said about that.

[D]

After the war, we gave Greenland back to Denmark. How stupid were we to do that?

[B]

That is the President of the United States telling Europe, you trusted us and we honored your trust and that we were stupid to do that. According to Trump, we should have betrayed you. In fact, two minutes later, Trump explicitly said, if he had been president when Denmark entrusted Greenland to us, he. He would have kept Greenland.

[D]

That's why American presidents have sought to purchase Greenland for nearly two centuries. You know, for two centuries, they've been trying to do it. They should have kept it after World War II, but they had a different president.

[B]

So, yeah, Europe could trust America back in the old days, but now, under Trump, you can't trust China and you can't trust America either. And I hate saying that because, look, despite all of America's sins, I love America. But you heard what Trump said. He would have used our military power to keep Greenland and betray Denmark. And Trump wasn't finished lording his power over those countries. Here's what he said later in that speech about Canada.

[D]

Canada gets a lot of freebies from us, by the way. They should be grateful also, but they're not. I watch your prime minister yesterday. He wasn't so Grateful, but they should be grateful to us. Canada. Canada lives because of the United States. Remember that, Mark, the next time you make your statements.

[B]

Canada lives because of the United States. Look, that is just one in a long, long series of threats that Trump has issued against Canada. He constantly tells them, look, we have the power to destroy you, not by invading them, but by choking off their economy. We have the kind of economic power over Canada that Rubio says China should never be allowed to have over Europe, because it's dangerous, because a country with that kind of power can use it to threaten you. And that is exactly what Trump is doing to Canada, and he's doing it to Europe. In fact, here's Trump the day after his speech at the World Economic Forum. He's doing an interview with Maria Bartiromo, and she asks him what will happen if America and Europe get into an economic war over Greenland. European countries hold trillions of stocks and bonds from the U.S. do you worry that they would start selling those in retaliation?

[D]

If they do, they do. But, you know, if they that would happen, there would be a big retaliation on our part. And we have all the cards.

[B]

We have all the cards. I mean, there it is. That is exactly what Rubio was warning about. He said it's dangerous to leave too much economic power in the hands of one country. And he said that country could use its power to extort other countries. And if that country also has huge military power, it can use that leverage, too. And Rubio's answer to all of that was a Western supply chain so Europe wouldn't have to rely on China. But the whole lesson of the last month and a half is that that is a lie. Europe cannot rely on a Western supply chain if that supply chain is primarily American, because Trump will do exactly what China would do. If he feels like it. He will use our economic power and our military power to force Europe to give him whatever he wants. See you next time.