Newscast — The Week: Trump Dominates Davos, Carney's Resistance & That Greenland 'Deal'

Date: January 23, 2026
Host(s): Adam Fleming, Chris Mason, Lys Anzia, Katrina Manson, Faisal Islam

Overview

This episode of Newscast delivers a fast-paced, insightful round-up of a tumultuous week in global politics and economics. The focus is on Donald Trump’s provocative presence at the World Economic Forum in Davos, his controversial communications with world leaders, and the fallout from his dramatic attempts to secure a ‘deal’ with Greenland. The Newscast team also unpacks Mark Carney’s punchy speech on the changing world order, and considers implications for UK and international politics—including the domestic soap opera brewing in Labour with Andy Burnham’s possible return to Westminster.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Trump’s International Drama: From Nobel Peace Prize Tantrum to Greenland Gambit

• Trump’s Messages & the Nobel Peace Prize

  • Adam Fleming frames the week’s drama with Trump's leaking of messages to the Norwegian PM—expressing anger over not being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize and linking it to his approach to world peace.
    • “Was Donald Trump leaking those messages he’d sent to the Norwegian Prime Minister... basically accusing the Norwegian government of intervening or failing to give him the Nobel Peace Prize. And he then said… he wasn’t that bothered about peace in the world anymore. That was kind of like the opening salvo of this incredible week.” (02:10)
  • Lys Anzia lampoons the credibility:
    • “If you went to a book agent and offered this as a story, they’d say, ‘no, that’s just too outlandish.’ And yet there it is... he wants the Nobel Peace Prize. He’s really, really upset he didn’t get it because he believes, after all, he ended eight wars by his account.” (02:58)

• Escalations Over Greenland

  • Trump’s subsequent actions included the publication of private NATO-related messages and an audacious claim over Greenland, sparking consternation across Europe.
  • “He released the messages that were sent, private messages by the NATO Secretary General, Mark Rutter... And here’s President Trump releasing them.” (03:34)

• European & UK Response

  • Chris Mason reflects on UK PM Keir Starmer’s balancing act:
    • “He’s made such an effort to not publicly cross the President... but on this, he concluded there was a bottom line principle that he had to set out, which is the sovereignty of Greenland... knowing there might be some return of rhetorical anger.” (04:38)
  • UK toughens language but stops short of aggressive action, in contrast to Macron and the EU.
    • “While he toughened the language... he didn’t toughen the actions. While some European leaders said, right, we're going to... retaliatory tariffs... Sir Keir Star said, no, no, we shouldn't go for retaliatory tariffs.” (06:08, Lys Anzia)

2. Davos: Tension, Spectacle, and World Order Redrawn

• The Mood at Davos

  • Faisal Islam provides the inside view:
    • “A moment that you’d get here that you’d get nowhere else is, for example... Rachel Reeves playing the previous prime minister, Rishi Sunak, at chess at one in the morning... I think sort of high tension and high farce.” (11:11)
  • As world leaders fret over Greenland and Trump's “rambling” speech, diplomatic nerves run high.

• Trump’s Aggressive Posturing

  • His Davos speech blusters threats but stops short of military action, though the implied menace is palpable.
  • “He started by saying... we are unstoppable and often that’s the only way for us to get what we want... But then he kind of said, I won’t use force. I could, but I won’t...” (09:02, Lys Anzia)

• Managing and Containing Trump

  • Faisal Islam:
    • “The whole exercise is designed to manage and contain one man and what he thinks and what he shoots from the hip and to try somehow to channel that into policy that can function.” (12:25)

3. A “New World Order”: Carney Sets Out the Opposition

• A Post-American-Centric Order?

  • Adam Fleming: Defines emerging global teams—Trump’s allies vs. a “potentially” Mark Carney-led alternative.
  • Lys Anzia:
    • “This Board of Peace has put President Donald J. Trump as the president, Chairman for life... It’s absolutely breathtaking.” (16:55)

• Mark Carney’s Call to Arms

  • Carney’s speech is a standout moment, emphasizing rupture, not transition, in world dynamics:
    • Quote: “Let me be direct. We are in the midst of a rupture, not a transition... Great powers have begun using economic integration as weapons, tariffs as leverage, financial infrastructure as coercion, supply chains as vulnerabilities to be exploited.” — Mark Carney (17:40)
  • Lys Anzia lauds the clarity:
    • “He was absolutely clear, his words, this is not a transition, it is a rupture... The hypocrisy of this rules based order. So he, you know, called it for what it was.” (18:07)
  • Carney appeals for middle powers to join forces, though notably avoids naming Trump directly.

• China’s Role in the New Order

  • Chris Mason outlines growing diplomatic exchanges with China, with Mark Carney, Macron, and Starmer all set to visit.
  • Debates swirl over the UK’s new Chinese embassy—raising both spy fears and practical diplomatic arguments.

4. American Checks and Domestic Distractions

• Checks on Trump’s Power

  • Katrina Manson:
    • “In the old days, you would have relied on Congress, even on the Supreme Court, to have a check on this president’s power. Well, the Supreme Court has said he has immunity, so he has almost a limitless amount of power here.” (23:22)
  • Her verdict: Congressional and legal checks seem mostly symbolic right now. Growing anxiety among European leaders about relying on an unpredictable America.

• Zelensky’s Rebuke to Europe

  • Zelensky (Quoted by Katrina Manson):
    • “President Trump says he loves Europe, but he won’t talk to a Europe that cowers from him and backs down at every point… and he had really strong words, really critical of Europe.” (24:35)

• US Domestic Focus

  • Worries Trump’s obsession with foreign drama means “taking his eye off the ball” on cost of living issues, energy, and ICE raids—worries reflected in new polls.

5. A Note on UK Domestic Politics: Andy Burnham’s Soap Opera

• Andrew Gwynne’s Departure & Burnham’s Ambitions

  • Chris Mason brings the focus back to Westminster, assessing how Andrew Gwynne’s resignation could turbo-charge Andy Burnham's ambition for a parliamentary comeback—and potentially even a Labour leadership bid.
    • “So now begins an extraordinary domestic political soap opera which may or may not last a long time. Does he want to run? ... If he does win... is there then a leadership race with him as a candidate? ... Do you want to be Prime Minister? That could be spectacularly distracting.” (26:03 - 28:28)

• Memorable Observation

  • Lys Anzia:
    • “Thank God we only have to talk about it, we don’t have to fix it.” (28:33)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Lys Anzia on Trump’s Tactics:
  “He was just intent on kind of insulting everyone and showing everyone that he’s the biggest kid in the yard and he was in charge. And this is his way of doing foreign policy...” (07:44)

• Faisal Islam on Davos:
  “You get this sort of vibe of this place, high thinking, a bit of high farce.” (11:11)

• Mark Carney at Davos:
  “We are in the midst of a rupture, not a transition... the risks of extreme global integration...” (17:40)

• Chris Mason on the politics of trust:
  “When you’re in this world... where somebody you are dealing with in a private exchange starts publishing those messages and where that leaves your trust even in your day to day interactions, let alone on political outlook...” (04:38)

• Yo Yo Ma cameo:
  Faisal Islam:
  “That is Yo Yo Ma playing in the background of newscast for the first time... That’s literally what’s happening.” (15:33)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Trump’s Nobel/Greenland Antics Begin: 02:10–04:25
• Starmer’s Response & UK Politics: 04:25–07:44
• Davos Overview & Trump’s Speech: 08:31–12:05
• World Order & Davos Fallout: 12:05–15:18
• Carney’s Speech and ‘New World Order’: 16:55–18:45
• China Diplomacy & Embassies: 20:39–21:43
• American Checks and Zelensky Speech: 23:01–25:08
• Domestic Politics: Burnham’s Opportunity: 26:03–28:28

Tone & Style

The episode is lively, witty, and marked by the characteristic dry humour and bemused realism of leading BBC journalists. The team relays global upheaval with a blend of seriousness and irony, mixing high-stakes geopolitics with flashes of personality and banter.

For Further Listening

To hear similar global and political analysis, the BBC team recommends checking out “Americast,” “Ukrainecast,” and “The Global Story.”

Summary by: BBC Newscast Summarizer — Covering everything from Davos drama to Downing Street soap operas, so you stay ahead of the news.