PODCAST SUMMARY

Podcast: Pod Save the World
Episode: Has the World Finally Decided to Stand Up to Trump?
Hosts: Tommy Vietor & Ben Rhodes (Crooked Media)
Date: January 28, 2026

Episode Overview

This episode unpacks a dramatic week in global affairs centered on former President Donald Trump’s “climb down” from aggressive threats against Greenland and NATO, the global response to his posture, and the rise of new voices in international leadership. The hosts break down the implications for US alliances, pushback from world leaders, and shifting geopolitical dynamics, including developments in China, Gaza, and Iran. Special guest Kenneth R. Rosen joins to discuss the real stakes in the Arctic.

KEY DISCUSSION POINTS & INSIGHTS

1. Trump's Greenland "Framework" and NATO Backlash

[09:33 - 16:14]

• Trump’s Threats: Trump recently threatened military action and tariffs to force Denmark into handing over Greenland, even posting a (AI-generated) photo of himself staking a US flag there.
• The "Deal" Explained: Ultimately, Trump walked back military threats and touted a "framework" deal giving the US expanded military rights in Greenland—rights the US effectively already had since a 1951 agreement.
• Impact on Alliances: The whole episode seriously damaged America’s global standing.
  • “All we had to give up was our standing in the world and relationships with our closest allies. That was the only downside. It was all upside, except for the part where everyone thinks we're crazy.” (Tommy, 11:53)
• Why the Walkback? Likely drivers: market downturn, internal GOP and polling feedback, and—crucially—unaccustomed unity among European allies. Even far-right EU leaders denounced Trump.

Notable Quote:
"If you show, if he feels limits, like, he can pull back. He listens to markets, he listens to resistance. There is some political gravity." (Ben, 14:41)

2. Offending NATO: Trump’s Comments and International Fury

[16:14 - 23:28]

• Fox Interview Fallout: Trump disparaged NATO’s military contributions, especially on Afghanistan, dismissing allies’ sacrifices.
• Fact Check: NATO invoked Article 5 only to defend the US after 9/11; non-US NATO troops suffered hundreds of deaths in Afghanistan.
• Furious Pushback: British PM, UK oppositional leaders, King Charles, and Rod Stewart (!) all denounced Trump’s comments.

International Reaction:
Kemi Badenoch: "I think those comments are absolutely appalling. They are untrue and he should absolutely not have said that." (18:14)

• Trump Walks Back Comments: Over the weekend, Trump posted a message on Truth Social praising UK troops—a rare public reversal.
• Lesson: Standing up to Trump, not appeasing him, is what works, say the hosts.

Notable Quote:
"If you want Trump to stop doing something you don't like, don't kiss his ass, stand up to him. And you know what? He tends to back down." (Ben, 23:23)

3. Mark Carney and a New World Order

[23:28 - 34:27]

• Carney's Speech at Davos: Canadian PM Mark Carney’s sharp address declared the post-WWII order “over” and called out weaponization of globalization.
• Key Soundbites:
  • "Nostalgia is not a strategy." (Carney, 25:28)
  • "We are in the midst of a rupture, not a transition." (Carney, 24:34)
• Trump's Retaliation: Trump fired back, rescinding Carney’s “Board of Peace” invite, and threatened tariffs when Canada struck a vehicle trade deal with China.
• Geopolitical Realignment: Carney (and Canada) pushing for mid-power coordination, hedging against US instability, and deeper engagement with EU, China, and India.
• The Hosts’ View: Carney is “the right guy at this time,” symbolizing global movement away from US economic dominance.

Notable Quote:
"This is exactly the right guy at this time. You might take some hits... but you’re going to be much healthier in the long term by not being perpetually at the risk of some nutcase in the United States." (Ben, 31:06)

4. Shifts in Global Alliances and Trade

[34:27 - 36:40]

• EU and India announced a major trade deal, further proof that nations are preparing for a world less reliant on the US.
• Macrons, Starmer (UK PM), and other European leaders are striking their own pacts or seeking business with China.
• Clean energy collaboration and even progressive migration policies are being advanced in Europe, all as the US turns inward.

Notable Moment:
“We’re losing out on all these trade deals that are being made without us. We’re going to be totally absent from the EV market, because [Trump] hates EVs.” (Ben, 33:37)

5. China: Military Purge Rumors and Xi Jinping's Consolidation

[40:46 - 48:49]

• Weekend Speculation: Rumors of a failed coup against Xi Jinping abound but lack evidence; purges of top generals are real.
• Significance: Even Xi’s childhood friends aren’t safe; the Communist Party’s top military oversight body has been gutted.
• What’s Next? Power is now ultra-centralized under Xi. The main threat: Will this facilitate a more aggressive Chinese posture, especially towards Taiwan?

Quote:
“This really is now like a one-man ruling system more than the collective decision-making Communist Party... That just the fact that could be the case is... unnerving.” (Ben, 47:04–47:10)

6. Crisis in Gaza and Kushner's "Fantasy" Davos Pitch

[48:53 - 57:14]

• Gaza Humanitarian Crisis: Despite a supposed ceasefire, violence continues, infrastructure is devastated, and few solutions exist.
• Jared Kushner’s Plan at Davos: He presented a glossy, futuristic “New Gaza” redevelopment vision at Davos—lambasted by both attendees and the podcast hosts for ignoring the dire, immediate realities.
• Blistering Critique:
  • “You'd basically be making all of that land Israel's, but maybe you'd carve out Gaza... and then, what, you're going to build some skyscrapers? I mean, it's just an insane, inhumane plan.” (Ben, 56:16)
• Tim Dillon’s Satire [57:42]: A notable moment where a Trump-aligned comedian mocks the absurdity of Kushner's proposal, underscoring rare bipartisan skepticism.

7. Iran: Repression and Risk of Airstrikes

[66:04 - 70:30]

• Brutal Crackdown: Iranian regime massacred thousands of peaceful protesters; Trump did nothing despite previous promises.
• Now: US naval and air power has surged in the region, leading to fears Trump may now pursue airstrikes to strengthen his legacy.

Three Possible Scenarios:

• Armament is posturing for a diplomatic deal
• Venezuela-style blockade and attempted regime decapitation
• Targeted “symbolic” airstrikes to claim toughness then disengage

8. FBI Under Kash Patel: Dysfunction and Danger

[70:30 - 75:12]

• Leadership Issues: Patel, the controversial Trump-appointed FBI director, treats important intelligence summits as vacation, more focused on workouts and social media than public safety.
• Operational Threat: Significant diversion of FBI resources from counterterrorism, organized crime, and cyber threats to immigration enforcement and personal PR.

9. The Saudi Real Estate Conference: Elites and Reputational Risk

[75:20 - 80:38]

• Riyadh Real Estate Forum Speakers: A who’s who of ex-Western leaders (Clintons, Blairs, Kerry) and right-wing celebrities will speak at a Saudi megaproject summit, despite Saudi’s human rights record and the Khashoggi murder.
• Hosts’ View: This “boondoggle” tarnishes democratic credentials for fleeting financial gain and exemplifies the worst of global elite hypocrisy.
  • “Do you really need this fucking money? Is this money worth the reputational hit to you?... It impacts the entire Democratic Party’s reputation.” (Tommy & Ben, 77:17–78:54)

INTERVIEW: Kenneth R. Rosen on Polar Geopolitics and “The Melting Arctic”

[84:28 - 99:09] (Main interview: 84:28 – 99:09)

Subject: Why Greenland and the Arctic matter; military, economic, and indigenous perspectives

Key Points:

• Why the Arctic? The receding ice opens access to previously unreachable minerals, rare earths, energy, and new shipping lanes.
• US vs. Russia/China: Russia has been dominant in the Arctic for decades; the US military is ill-prepared for cold weather conflict and lacks critical infrastructure.
• China: While rhetorically “a near-Arctic state,” China’s actual presence is mostly as financier with Russia; not much naval footprint near Greenland for now.
• Indigenous Concerns: Arctic communities feel sidelined and demoralized—Trump and other world powers treat the region as territory to be exploited rather than communities to be consulted.
• First-Person Reporting: Rosen shares intense experiences of Arctic fieldwork, such as a harrowing vessel boarding with the Norwegian Coast Guard, and emphasizes the human toll and stakes.

Memorable Quote:
"For all President Trump’s bellicose rhetoric about climate change not being real, there's an admission there underneath it all to say, well, something’s happening up north and we’re going to go after it." (Kenneth Rosen, 86:54)

NOTABLE QUOTES & MEMORABLE MOMENTS

• "There has always been this kind of, you know, Trump has this kind of...old Trump’s the kind of guy that would go to like, you know, the French event and be like, we bailed you out of the two big ones." (Ben, 22:22)
• "Standing up to Trump, not appeasing him, is what works." (Paraphrase of show consensus, recurring throughout)
• Rod Stewart calls Trump a "draft dodger" and asks UK's PM to demand an apology (19:15–19:25)
• Comedian Tim Dillon’s send-up: “It is very hard to go kill a bunch of people and their families and then get them really excited to work in your hotels…” (57:42)
• "The fact that that is possible as a presentation and that people have to sit and watch a slide that has Board of Peace on the top of it… there’s something so dystopian.” (Ben, 57:14)

TIMESTAMPS FOR IMPORTANT SEGMENTS

• 09:33 – Trump’s Greenland 180 & implications
• 16:14 – Trump insults NATO veterans; international response
• 23:28 – Canadian PM Carney’s seismic Davos speech
• 34:27 – Global realignment: EU-India, UK-China deals
• 40:46 – China’s military purges and Xi Jinping’s grip
• 48:53 – Gaza update, Kushner’s Davos “plan” shredded
• 57:42 – Tim Dillon roasts Kushner’s Gaza development pitch
• 66:04 – Iran crackdown and risk of US airstrikes
• 70:30 – Kash Patel’s FBI: Absurdity and danger
• 75:20 – The Saudi conference and reputational risks
• 84:28 – Interview: Kenneth R. Rosen on the Arctic

OVERALL TONE & TAKEAWAYS

The tone swings from deeply frustrated (with the recklessness and hypocrisy of global elites and Trump’s foreign policy) to darkly humorous (Rod Stewart’s intervention, Tim Dillon’s roast, derision of “Board of Peace” PowerPoints). The hosts combine exasperation, insider insight, and moral urgency in arguing that only collective pushback can restrain today’s autocrats—and that the world is, awkwardly but unmistakably, learning this lesson.

For those seeking clarity on why global alliances are shifting and why standing firm matters, this is a can’t-miss episode—a perfect blend of urgent political analysis, candid storytelling, and memorable moments.