EZRA LEVANT | Davos reveals how far Canada has drifted from press freedom

Summary

Podcast Summary: EZRA LEVANT | Davos reveals how far Canada has drifted from press freedom

Podcast: Rebel News Podcast
Host: Ezra Levant
Date: January 23, 2026
Theme: Press freedom from a Canadian perspective, experiences at the World Economic Forum in Davos, and critical interviews with global figures.

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Episode Overview

Ezra Levant and the Rebel News team share behind-the-scenes reflections from their reporting at the 2026 World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland. Ezra uses these dispatches to draw stark comparisons between press freedom in Canada and abroad, and to challenge the secrecy and influence wielded by elites meeting in Davos. The episode is interspersed with street interviews, candid reactions from global leaders, and commentary on the Canadian government’s approach to media access.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Reporting from Davos: The Grind and the Mission

• Ezra and Abi describe the daily routines, physical exhaustion, and the hurdles of chasing down global power players for impromptu interviews (00:31–03:50).
• Emphasizes the challenge and absurdity of having to travel halfway around the world to access Canadian government officials who avoid Rebel News at home.
• Ezra underscores the unofficial power of the WEF: ideas formed there echo worldwide, shaping government agendas through closed-door, unregistered meetings.

“It’s insane... we are not normal as a country. We have restrictions on our press that are not normal.”
—Ezra Levant (03:50)

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2. Press Freedom: Contrasts Between Switzerland and Canada

• Ezra recounts an encounter with Swiss police after a tense street interview with Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland, highlighting how Swiss authorities respected his rights—unlike what would happen in Canada (04:49–05:49).

“I support freedom of speech. Do you? Yes, of course. Okay, good, then we’re friends.”
—Ezra Levant with Swiss police (04:49)

• Expresses envy and frustration at how Canadian police would have handled similar situations, stating arrests and charges would be likely back home.

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3. Elite Access & Hypocrisy at the WEF

• The episode features hard-hitting, sometimes confrontational interviews (or attempted interviews) with figures like BlackRock CEO Larry Fink, whose “spirit of dialogue” slogans are contrasted with evasive non-answers and thick security (09:39–13:55).

• Memorable exchanges with Larry Fink:

  “What about the spirit of dialogue, sir? Did you mean it or was that another lie?”
  —Ezra Levant (09:47)

  “Why are your bodyguards such thugs? Sir, isn’t that the true Larry Fink?... Underneath it you’re a thug.”
  —Ezra Levant (10:55)

• Ezra presses Fink on ESG, DEI mandates, climate hypocrisy, and the acquisition of homes for profit—eliciting only silence or deflection from the billionaire.

• The team also attempts walk-and-talk interviews with UK PM Rishi Sunak and Brexit architect Nigel Farage, who both avoid substantive engagement.

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4. Global Politics: U.S., Canada, and Responses to Trump

• Discussions with figures like Ian Bremmer (Eurasia Group) and unnamed U.S. officials cover the ongoing tensions between the U.S. and Europe, Trump’s disruptive influence, and concerns regarding defense and trade (14:45–17:56).

• Ian Bremmer on U.S.-UK relations:

  “It’s a time for us to earn our money, it’s a time for us to get serious about what’s happening. And I’m regretfully [sure] there are no easy solutions.”
  —Ian Bremmer (15:27)

• Brian Bessen, a U.S. government figure, discusses solutions for Ukraine, U.S. interests in Greenland, and the expectation that Trump will challenge the “globalist elite order”—with special attention to Trump’s bragging rights after his past legal and political adversaries’ failed attempts to sideline him (19:15–23:23).

  “He’s going to throw a couple of thunderbolts... challenge the global, globalist elite order.”
  —Brian Bessen on Trump (22:09)

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5. Canadian Politics and Press Freedom

• Ezra repeatedly returns to his concern: Why is it easier for Rebel News to confront Canadian cabinet ministers in Europe than in Canada?
• Critiques Mark Carney’s anti-American positioning and the state of Canada’s economy, military, and global standing (05:49–08:00).
• Suggests Liberal elites seek to leverage anti-American sentiment for electoral advantage.

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6. Free Speech & Social Media: The European Challenge

• Matt Taibbi voices concerns about increasing censorship on digital platforms in Europe and efforts by EU authorities to regulate or punish tech companies like X (Twitter), as contrasted with stronger speech protections in the U.S. (29:28–30:09).

  “I don’t think that the bureaucratic oligarchs in the EU are ever going to stop until free speech is extinguished.”
  —Matt Taibbi (29:42)

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7. University of Austin: A New Model for Higher Education

• Short interview segment about the University of Austin, highlighting its growth, commitment to intellectual freedom, and goals to become an alternative to establishment academia (24:51–26:44).

“The established institutions just failed so badly in the last 10 years that they all benefit from our kind of competition.”
—Patrick Courrielche (25:54)

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8. Miscellaneous: Global Interactions

• Snippets of conversations with representatives from the Bank of Palestine about anti-terror compliance, and with various ambassadors and dignitaries, often in a light or sardonic tone.
• Will.i.am of the Black Eyed Peas makes a brief appearance reflecting on his interest in AI and technology in music. (30:09–30:45)

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Notable Quotes & Moments by Timestamp

• 03:50 – Ezra Levant on the abnormal restrictions on Canadian press.
• 04:49 – “I support freedom of speech. Do you? Yes, of course.” (Ezra and Swiss police)
• 09:47 – Confronting Larry Fink: “What about the spirit of dialogue, sir? Did you mean it or was that another lie?”
• 10:55 – “Isn’t that the true Larry Fink? ... underneath it you’re a thug.” (Ezra to Fink)
• 15:27 – “It’s a time for us to get serious... there are no easy solutions.” (Ian Bremmer)
• 22:09 – “He’s going to throw a couple of thunderbolts... challenge the global, globalist elite order.” (Brian Bessen on Trump)
• 29:42 – “...until free speech is extinguished. But you can count on the Americans to fight that every step of the way.” (Matt Taibbi)

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Final Reflection

Ezra closes the episode reflecting on the exhausting but satisfying nature of real journalism at Davos. He points to the freedom and openness of access in Switzerland compared to Canada, laments the drift from press liberty at home, and encourages ongoing resistance against censorship and establishment hypocrisy.

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:31–03:50 – Daily reporting life in Davos; Canadian press accessibility issues
• 04:49–05:49 – Swiss police and press freedom vs. Canada
• 09:39–13:55 – Street interview montage: Larry Fink, Rishi Sunak, others at WEF
• 15:05–17:56 – Geopolitical context and Trump’s impact discussed with Ian Bremmer
• 19:15–23:23 – U.S. official on Ukraine, Greenland, and Trump’s agenda
• 24:51–26:44 – University of Austin: vision for higher education
• 29:28–30:09 – Matt Taibbi on social media censorship in the EU
• 30:09–30:45 – Will.i.am and AI in music

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Tone:
Critical, combative, unapologetically conservative, blending investigative grit with sardonic humor reflective of Rebel News’ house style.

Recommendation:
The episode is essential listening for those concerned with media freedom, Canadian politics, and who want to hear unvarnished interactions with global elites—delivered with a rebellious edge.

Transcript

[Ezra Levant]

You're listening to a real news podcast. Shame on you, you sensorious.

[Abi Amini]

Foreign. Oh, hi everybody. I'm recording this just before 11pm at night. We're still working. We get up very early in the morning, as you know, we take a train from the town of Clusters to Davos. Then we spend the day walking up and down the promenade looking for vvips and oligarchs to talk to. Then basically at sunset, we do the reverse, come back to the town we're in called Klosters. This is our Airbnb, and the lads just edit. We grab a bite of lunch or dinner rather, and all the stories that we recorded during the day, the same guys who videotaped them now edit them and send them back to Toronto, where at our office, we upload them to the web. So it's a whole busy process. I was talking to a team and I think this Davos mission is the hardest of all the missions we do. We go to some exotic places sometimes at Rebel News, but this isn't just a very far flight away, so we're all jet lagged. It's physically strenuous. You're doing a lot of waiting, which is standing around and then you're basically running to catch up with the oligarchs you spot on the street, the cameramen have to run backwards. And even, I mean, I hop and puff because I'm not in great shape. But also when you're trying to talk while running, I don't know, it's actually a pretty exhausting thing. I think we're all looking forward to going home, but we had a lot of success, not just today, but over the past few days. And I've always said that the World Economic Forum has no official power. It doesn't pass laws, for example, but it has enormous influence. That is, the ideas that are generated here are widely adopted and shared by World Economic Forum members. All sorts of quasi governmental things happen. Lobbying, schmoozing for contracts, meetings beyond the gaze of the media. Because when you have meetings in Parliament or Congress, there's a record of them, there's minutes, there's a transcript. There's a lobbyist registry, a foreign agent registry. There's so many things that are checks and balances and you have an independent press snooping around, making sure nothing untoward is happening. None of that is the case at Davos. Well, at least we are independent journalists, even though we're given no official access to it. There are a few other citizen journalists here, and I think it's fun to see Them because it would be too depressing if we were literally the only ones. But going to the World Economic Forum is pretty much a rebel news franchise, if I may call it that, that our people love. And there's a reason for that, as we come as prepared as we can be to ask tough questions to people from a whole different range of walks of life. And over the past few days, Justin Trudeau and Christia Freeland were very high on our list. Lots of other little people. I don't mean little people. Little stories, little interviews along the way. But as I was remarking to my colleagues here, and I think I mentioned on the show yesterday, it's sort of crazy that we have to fly halfway across the planet in order to interview our own country's MPs in one day. I talked to Justin Trudeau, Christia Freeland, who? Francois Philippe Champagne, and Melanie Jolie, or at least in the space of 24 hours, which is more access than rebel news is allowed to have of our government in 10 years. And it's insane. And it's a reminder that we are not normal as a country. We have restrictions on our press that are not normal. That are not normal. I mean, another thing you saw when I was walking or running down the street talking to Christia Freeland, she said, oh, stop harassing me. You're a Putin spy, or whatever. She said I could ignore her. And the police were somewhat alarmed. They pulled me over when we were done the interview. But after we just showed them our ID and they made some phone calls, they said, okay, you can go. Just, you know, take it easy. And if we had been in Canada, we would for sure have been arrested, possibly taken to jail, handcuffed, and most likely charged with some offense. The fact that the police here just said, hey, just make sure everything's okay, like they were. You probably saw that question I asked the police, I said, I support freedom of speech. Do you? And he said, yes, of course. He was almost slightly surprised I would have to ask. Remember that clip? Take a look.

[Ezra Levant]

Ezra Levant, a journalist doing journalism. Okay, we need an ID now. I'll show you an ID now. Yes, I believe in freedom of speech. Do you? Yes, of course. Okay, good, then we're friends. This is all being recorded. Just for the record.

[Patrick Courrielche]

Okay.

[Ezra Levant]

I'm more handsome now. I'm more handsome than I used to be. Thank you very much. Can you stay here, please? Sure. How are you?

[Abi Amini]

Fine, thanks.

[Ezra Levant]

Good. How are you? Nice to meet you. I'm Ezra. It's my friend Lincoln. How are you? It's very nice. Have a nice day. Just leave. If people don't want to speak with you, they don't have to. You have to understand that. Okay. That's their liberty. She was suffering with firm most of that time. Yes. Just so you know, she didn't look that happy. No, she was not happy at all. Okay, so have a nice day.

[Abi Amini]

I'm sorry, but in none of my interactions with police in Canada over the past five or 10 years is that script there even remotely possible that I would say I believe in freedom of the press. Do you? Of course. Like it was, it was almost like he was upset by that. I doubted him. And sure enough, he was correct. I can't imagine the Calgary police, the Edmonton Police, the Ottawa Police, the Toronto Police, the rcmp, the opp, the Quebec Police, the Surete de Montreal. I can't imagine any of those police forces having as respectful an approach towards civil liberties as the Swiss police. I'm sort of jealous. It was interesting because of course Donald Trump was here and his speech, his 90 minute speech dominated. His presence here, dominated. Mark Carney gave a speech that was well received by World Economic Forum delegates. But as I tweeted, you know, it's a nice speech, very poetic, but how about read that out at the Algoma Steel Mill in Sault Ste. Marie. How about read that out in one of the car factories in the Greater Toronto area when you're losing jobs because you can't get a deal with the United States because you're constantly picking ideological fights. Sure. Giving a lovely speech about, hey, let's all rally together against the big bag in the United States. You'll get an applause. Absolutely. You'll get a round of applause. And I talked to the rapper Will I Am, who really loved Mark Carney's speech and I like Will I Am. He was in the band the Black Eyed Peas and I really enjoyed talking with him. But he's not a normal Canadian looking for work. He's a zillionaire rock star who travels the world. So he has the luxury of being inspired by Mark Carney's poetry. The rest of Canadians have to live in a country where food inflation is amongst the highest in the G7, where our economy is weak, where the per capita GDP is weak in part due to mass immigration. We have a lot of problems and sort of daydreaming about, well, what if Canada was super duper strong? Well, we're not really. And we can't replace the United States as our market. We can't become our own market. It's just not 80% of our exports go to the U.S. we can't, you know, we can't find a replacement for those sales within Canada. It may sound good on paper, but it cannot happen militarily. Same thing. First of all, don't believe the statistics that Canada is ramping up on military spending. They're doing that by calling certain bureaucratic spending military spending. It's an accounting trick. But even if it were true, Canada simply can never match the United States militarily. And we shouldn't try to. Rather, we should try to be good allies and hammer things out behind closed doors, not fight in public or Donald Trump fights in public. But Mark Carney, in his own way, has been continuously prickling and poking the United States. And I think it's for very suspicious reasons. I think it's because he wants the United States to poke back. So there's a wave of anti Americanism that Mark Carney can ride into a majority government. Oh, my God, we have a crisis. The Americans are out of control. We need a snap election now. Give me a majority government. I'm the only one who can take on the evil Donald Trump. That's basically how he won his first election. Anyways. It's been a bit exhausting. I'm a little bit tuckered myself. Although I love these trips, I hope you've enjoyed them, too. Like I say, it's amazing how many people you could just approach at the World Economic Forum. There are few bodyguards. There are some bodyguards, especially around some fancy, super fancy VIPs, but even then, you can still talk to the people. No one's going to arrest you just for talking to them. We can only dream. Without further ado, here's a compilation of some of the videos we put out today. Take a look.

[Larry Fink]

Larry, how you doing? This year, in the spirit of dialogue, that's. Can we have a conversation this year? Are you out for a conversation?

[Ezra Levant]

What about the spirit of dialogue, sir? Did you mean it or was that another lie?

[Larry Fink]

Obviously, since last year you've been, I guess, promoted to the co chair. Is that because if you want a job done right, you might as well do it yourself?

[Ezra Levant]

Last year. Last year you took photos of us, sir. What did you do with those photos?

[Larry Fink]

Why are you so quiet? What does spirit of dialogue actually mean, Larry? Does it mean anything? Is it like pretending you care about the carbon footprint? Coming here on a private jet?

[Ezra Levant]

Why is your bodyguard pushing me into the street? Sir? Just asking you to keep your distance.

[Abi Amini]

Excuse me, sir.

[Ian Bremmer]

Watch the baby.

[Ezra Levant]

Why was the would be assassin of Donald Trump in one of your corporate videos, sir, isn't that a bit weird?

[Larry Fink]

Do you feel any responsibility as a Jew in the current climate where there's a rise in anti Semitism and people blame blame Jews for everything, saying they want to control the world and when they need evidence, they point to you? You're the example every anti Semite gives and it's hard to fight. Do you feel any responsibility for that? Don't touch my mic, mate.

[Ezra Levant]

Keep your distance. Why are your bodyguards such thugs? Sir, isn't that the true Larry Fink? You have all this BS about conversations and dialogue, but underneath it you're a thug.

[Larry Fink]

Spirit of dialogue. Spirit of dialogue. This is what it looks like here in Davos.

[Ezra Levant]

How do you feel about Donald Trump saying you can no longer buy up residential homes and rent them out for profit? Did you talk to him about that? Do you agree with them that you've been predatory in your pricing for residential houses in America?

[Larry Fink]

Have you consolidated power by. Have you consolidated power at WEF now that you're the co chair? What did you do with Klaus Schwab? What did he do wrong? The spirit of dialogue.

[Ezra Levant]

This is it.

[Larry Fink]

Welcome to Davos 2026. The WEF. The biggest pack of hypocrites, evil hypocrites like Larry Fink who tell us how we gotta live. When it comes to your carbon footprint, you gotta eat bugs. But old mate here gets to fly in his private jet. And when that one got tired, he's moved on to the spirit of dialogue. Now we gotta talk to opposing voices. Just like this. It means being surrounded by your goons. This year he's not taking photos of us, but just as quiet. No shame. What's your next project, Larry? Your silence says everything, you know that. Why do you suddenly not care about climate change here at wef? Why does it seem like nothing here is about carbon footprint? Is that because the AI data centers kind of destroyed that narrative? Will you admit that it was all a scam?

[Ezra Levant]

Why do you force DEI on the companies in which you invest? Isn't that putting your own ideology ahead of shareholder rate of return? Isn't your fiduciary to get the best your fiduciary duty to get the best rate of return instead of imposing your ideology on the companies you invest in.

[Larry Fink]

Are you still pushing esg? I see it everywhere. What score do you think you get this year? What's your social score? You've got fans everywhere, Larry.

[Ezra Levant]

When was the last time you flew commercials, sir? Or is that Just for the little people.

[Larry Fink]

Is blackrock. And with just the same, just the one organization. Now, Larry, final word to the world. This is your chance. This is your chance, Larry. No, you don't want to say anything in the spirit of dialogue. There you go.

[Ezra Levant]

What do you think of the defections to Reform uk? Would you ever consider defecting? Where do you live most of the time? Are you in California these days?

[Larry Fink]

Days, Rishi, is K. Starmer doing a good job?

[Ezra Levant]

Mr. Sunak, do you like Keir Starmer because he makes your poll numbers look good?

[Larry Fink]

In retrospect, do you think Nigel Farage will make a better Prime Minister than you? What's your biggest regret as Prime Minister, Rishi? Biggest regret? What do you think his biggest regret? Are you here on an official. In an official capacity, Rishi? Are you trying to find support for the Conservatives, which look like they're dying?

[Ezra Levant]

How's it looking this year, boss?

[Ian Bremmer]

That's an interesting question. Interesting question. Much more difficult. Much more challenging. Much more nuanced. Very, very difficult this year.

[Ezra Levant]

No, but that's very nice of you to offer. Well, thank you, Richard.

[Ian Bremmer]

Very difficult this year. And anybody who says that there's any simple or obvious or easy answers is a fool or an idiot or both.

[Ezra Levant]

It's a feast for journalists, though, isn't it?

[Ian Bremmer]

I'm not trying to stuff what you mean by that.

[Ezra Levant]

Well, there's so much to cover, so much to analyze and interpret.

[Ian Bremmer]

Yeah, I agree with you on that. Whether or not it's a time for us to do our jobs, it's a time for us to earn our money, it's a time for us to. To get serious about what's happening. And I'm regretfully that there are no easy solutions. I always remember. I always remember John Major saying that to me once in an interview. He said, are there any easy answers? Don't you think we'd have found them by now?

[Ezra Levant]

Huh? Do you think in some ways you're a bridge between the UK and the US because you've got a foot in both?

[Ian Bremmer]

Oh, I think that's a very grand statement.

[Ezra Levant]

Well, I mean, you understand both sides and, and there's sometimes a. An ideological or philosophical divide.

[Ian Bremmer]

I'll take you on that. I agree with you on that.

[Abi Amini]

Yes.

[Ian Bremmer]

Having been covered transatlantic issues and transatlantic alliances and business for the last 35 years, yes. Do I understand it more? Who the hell knows, you know? Who the hell knows? At the end of the day, do.

[Ezra Levant]

You think that some of Trump's challenges to the UK are just puffery or do you take them seriously?

[Ian Bremmer]

Oh, you have to take them seriously.

[Ezra Levant]

Seriously or literally? Maybe there's a difference.

[Ian Bremmer]

There's a huge difference. Yeah. Look, just this morning I'm reading Scott Besant, US Treasury Secretary, is telling everybody to chill.

[Abi Amini]

Right.

[Ezra Levant]

He's pretty chill himself.

[Ian Bremmer]

Right, but how. But what does that mean in reality? When you're actually. When the threat is actually being made, what does it actually mean? How do you not take a threat seriously? If you don't take it seriously and it true and it transpires to blow up in your face, should you have taken it more seriously? It's very easy to say chill, don't take it seriously. It's very easy to say the President's not serious on this point or it's a negotiating position. But the reality is, even if it is a negotiating position, what is the destruction of trust that's taken place as a result? That's the problem.

[Ezra Levant]

There's a lot of truth there.

[Ian Bremmer]

Now I've got to keep moving.

[Ezra Levant]

Okay, well, listen, it's nice to chat with you.

[Ian Bremmer]

Go on. You look like you need to have one of those for later.

[Ezra Levant]

Well, you know what, Richard, it's very nice of you.

[Abi Amini]

Thank you.

[Ezra Levant]

Thank you for that. Take care of yourself. I'll share mine with him. Thanks, Richard. Mr. Ryan. Ezra Levant. We spoke last year. Do you think Donald Trump deserves the Nobel Peace Prize? Every time I ask you these softball questions, do these interviews and walk, yes, you do. You just won't do it with me because I'm asking you questions you don't like.

[Brian Bessen]

What's the.

[Ezra Levant]

What's a Republican doing at a globalist swamp like this anyways? Are you here to watch Donald Trump? Your front row seats.

[Larry Fink]

This is a spirit of dialogue. This year you're here every year. Spirit of dialogue. You're not really participating or is there only dialogue for some? See you later.

[Ezra Levant]

That's Paul Ryan. He was a high ranking congressman in the Republican Party. He was actually on the presidential ticket and he's been a bit pouty ever since. Donald Trump won. When I talked to him last year, he said the same thing. I don't do interviews. You're a politician.

[Abi Amini]

That's it.

[Ezra Levant]

Interviews are all you do. He made a quick getaway, bravely running away. For Rebel News, I'm Ezra Levant with my friend Abi Amini. Why are you so hostile? The questions from the press? Is it because I'm conservative? I just don't get that about you, Paul. Were you ever really a conservative? Or were you maybe just a pre lobbyist who's bloomed into a lobbyist. This is your true self. Like a butterfly. Are you still working out?

[Ian Bremmer]

Watch yourself.

[Ezra Levant]

You're gonna eat.

[Abi Amini]

Yeah. The beds. Yeah.

[Ezra Levant]

How do you think the World Economic Forum is reacting to Trump? Because on the one hand, they're all.

[Brian Bessen]

Excited to have him here. Obviously he'll be the star of the show.

[Ezra Levant]

Are they going to push back on Greenland?

[Brian Bessen]

Who's they? Europe?

[Ezra Levant]

Well, NATO. I mean, they sent one troop from the U.K. that's terrifying.

[Brian Bessen]

So as Secretary Bessen said just this morning in an open press avail, no one wants a confrontation here. But I wonder why the same people getting upset that, that the US has an interest in buying Greenland fairly and squarely aren't upset that China and Russia are already there.

[Ezra Levant]

You know, they want American money for Ukraine, but they don't want America to call the shots in Greenland. I don't know, maybe you have to be European to understand how to reconcile that.

[Brian Bessen]

Well, it's well said. And the other thing is we love our European allies. The fact is they're still buying Russian oil. Four years, nearly four years after the invasion. Invasion Ukraine. So as of last year, we were in for 350 billion. Europe is in for about 100 billion. Last time I looked at a map, Ukraine is in Europe. So obviously many people mispredicted last year at west. And then the Munich security Conference that President Trump was going to, quote, abandon Ukraine. It has not gone that way at all. He's been highly engaged. He's trying to bring a peace there. He's got his peace board signing an event in two days here.

[Ezra Levant]

Oh, good.

[Brian Bessen]

And so that's exciting. Obviously, the President will be talking about Greenland as well because it is strategic for its minerals. We have defense interests there. And as the Arctic continues to melt, there's more passageways, there's infrastructure concerns. And the President wants to make sure that part of his legacy is bucking up the Western hemisphere and keeping, as you said in Venezuela and keeping China out.

[Ezra Levant]

We're from Canada. And some Canadians have been worried about what the Greenland approach to our country. What would you have to say to ordinary Canadians? Should they be worried? What should they be doing?

[Brian Bessen]

Well, Canada is a great ally of the US And President Trump is highly engaged with Carney.

[Ezra Levant]

Think about his trip to China. He just went to China.

[Brian Bessen]

He just went to China. I know, it's. But Secretary Bessen said just this morning in a forum I attended that he Great, let Canada trade with China. That's, that's great. But the fact is that we're all allies. And I think that there's always going to be. People are always going to complain about President Trump because he has. Has totally upended the elites and the establishment order. And people like to strike back against that.

[Ezra Levant]

Last question. You've been very generous with me. Thank you for this. The World Economic Forum is globalist. There's lots of big socialists involved here. It's very un. Trumpy. Do you think he's going to sort of fire a few thunderbolts at the folks here? What do you expect from his speech?

[Brian Bessen]

Could you get a little of this? So he's going to throw a couple of thunderbolts. I think he's going to challenge the global, globalist elite order. And remember, if you're President Trump and two years ago, people were promising, promising, if not hoping, you'd never again be in the White House. In fact, you'd be in the big house. You get to swagger into Davos and you get to talk about all the great direct foreign investment that he's attracted. 18 trillion accounting in his first year. He's got going to talk about making housing more affordable and accessible to Americans. He's going to talk about, obviously, economic security, national security, him trying to get more trade deals, more peace deals. He will talk about China, he will talk about Ukraine, he will talk about Iran and Israel, but he's also going to talk about cooperation. And yes, he has Greenland very much on his mind. And it shouldn't surprise anyone because China's already there. And look what China did in. In Latin America, they basically promised all kinds of money and, and infrastructure and other goodies to some of these countries if they would just not deal with Taiwan. So. And then that just all disappears when Maduro is extracted.

[Ezra Levant]

So thank you for this. Nice to talk Cubans.

[Brian Bessen]

If I were the Cubans, I'd feel good, too, because the Cuban people, because remember what President Trump, that he signed an executive order just a few short days after Maduro was taken out of Venezuela, that there'll be a fund for the oil profits for the Venezuelan people. That's important, too.

[Ezra Levant]

So thanks very much. Vo Soot says hello from Canada.

[Brian Bessen]

God bless Canada.

[Ezra Levant]

Thank you very much. Bye Bye, guys.

[Abi Amini]

Thanks.

[Ezra Levant]

You think Evan's doing?

[Larry Fink]

I. I hope he's doing well. I love Evan.

[Ezra Levant]

Do you follow him at all?

[Larry Fink]

Not closely, but, I mean, I think he's a friend.

[Ezra Levant]

You know, obviously he was.

[Brian Bessen]

We missed him from Gzero Media, but.

[Ian Bremmer]

He'S a fantastic guy.

[Ezra Levant]

And how about the Prime Minister himself? How do you grade him?

[Larry Fink]

This Week.

[Abi Amini]

Right.

[Ezra Levant]

And how do you think he did? Yeah.

[Abi Amini]

I gotta go. Okay.

[Ezra Levant]

Cheers. That's Ian Bremner. He's the boss of the Eurasia Group, which is a lobby group and a government relations group based in the States. Incredibly, it's where Evan Solomon worked. Jerry Butts, the former senior advisor to Justin Trudeau. And it's where, I think, until this day, Mark Carney's wife works. The first question I asked him was, are you part of Canada's Cabinet? Because really, half of the senior decision makers in Canada's cabinet work for that American. He's a friendly guy, which I think masks just how powerful he is, at least in our country.

[Patrick Courrielche]

Extremely. Well, we have defied the skeptics and critics because the university, four years after its foundation, is thriving. And anybody who visits our campus can see what fantastic students we have and what a great atmosphere of intellectual freedom that we've created. I'm hugely proud of the University of Austin and especially of the students.

[Ezra Levant]

Right now, it's sort of an entrepreneurial place. The students themselves are building the university. What do you expect it to look like in 25 years when there's a bit more of a culture that's set.

[Patrick Courrielche]

I think, even sooner than 25 years. In just a few years, we'll be a much larger institution. I've often said we have as a role model the early years of the university, Chicago, which grew extraordinarily rapidly in student numbers in its first 10 years. 10 years from now, I hope we'll have thousands of students and we'll occupy a larger footprint in downtown Austin.

[Ezra Levant]

What's the number one challenge you face?

[Patrick Courrielche]

Any startup is a challenge, but to do a startup in academia is really difficult because there's a lot of skepticism from the established institutions. But the established institutions just failed so badly in the last 10 years that they all benefit from our kind of competition. We're trying to reinvent the university, reinvent governance, create new rules around the way a university works. And I think within 10 years, people will see that we've been a force for good, not just in Austin, but across America.

[Ezra Levant]

I hope you'll allow foreign applicants as well from Canada one day.

[Patrick Courrielche]

Well, we were constrained by the accreditors and not allowed to do that at first, but that is about to change.

[Ezra Levant]

Outstanding.

[Patrick Courrielche]

It's great news.

[Ezra Levant]

Yep. Thanks for taking the time with me.

[Ian Bremmer]

My pleasure.

[Ezra Levant]

All the best.

[Abi Amini]

Good luck.

[Ezra Levant]

Thank you.

[Patrick Courrielche]

Thanks so much.

[Abi Amini]

Thank you.

[Larry Fink]

How you doing, sir?

[Patrick Courrielche]

Hey.

[Larry Fink]

You're from the bank of Palestine?

[Abi Amini]

Yes.

[Larry Fink]

What are you guys doing in Davos?

[Abi Amini]

Networking.

[Larry Fink]

What do you want to achieve?

[Abi Amini]

Investments.

[Patrick Courrielche]

Networking.

[Larry Fink]

What do you guys do to ensure that money doesn't flow on to terrorists in Gaza or the West Bank?

[Patrick Courrielche]

Follow KYC compliance procedures.

[Matt Taibbi]

What are those?

[Larry Fink]

What procedures exactly? International standards. Are you confident that none of your money goes to Hamas or Hamas affiliated groups?

[Patrick Courrielche]

Of course. Compliance is king.

[Larry Fink]

Do you think there's going to be peace in the Middle east this year?

[Patrick Courrielche]

That's what we work for. Everybody should work for it, inshallah.

[Ezra Levant]

Thank you, Mr. Rad Azra Levant from Canada. I had already done my Rebel yesterday.

[Ian Bremmer]

Financial Times.

[Ezra Levant]

I'm from Canada, though I know very little about Australia. But I wonder, I wonder if you have views.

[Ian Bremmer]

I know the M.O.

[Ezra Levant]

Well, actually, I have totally different questions than my colleague. Oh, no, they won't be. They absolutely are just a rebellious guy. Give me a word on the President Trump speech. Just give me a. Give me your take on it.

[Ian Bremmer]

Well, all I can say if you're.

[Ezra Levant]

From Canada is as follows. Oh, Canada. Hey, maybe you have a diplomatic future in Ottawa. It's very cold there compared to Washington. Well, this is quite. This is quite summery here in Davos. This is training. Training for Ottawa. Or maybe do you think being appointed to nuke in Greenland would be a hardship post posting these days? Yeah, nice try. I love you guys from Rebel. You're permanently rebellious. Well, thank you, Ambassador. Nice to meet you. Thank you. Bye bye. Nice to see you here. Obviously you're here because of Trump's visit.

[Matt Taibbi]

Correct. The President will come in here in a couple of hours. I'm really looking forward to his remarks and I was going to talk about how the US is back in business and we're number one and can always be. A couple of surprises isn't what the President speaks on today.

[Ezra Levant]

I bet. Now we've been coming to Davos for five years in a row and being anti Trump and anti Elon Musk is something that I think is the consensus here. So you've got oil and water that are going to be mixed today. What's going to happen? Do you think there's going to be people converted to Trump's way of thinking? Do you think they'll rebel against him? What's your hunch about the delegates here? The vvips?

[Matt Taibbi]

Yeah, I'd push back on that a bit and say that even last night as I was walking on my first night here in Davos, there were a lot of people who are very interested in what the administration is doing, what the President's going to have to say and in particular the fact that the US is still the best place in the world to do business, That's a place where all the capital is moving to and everything that the President does becomes a top of the fold, front page story the next day. So everyone wants to hear it. By the way, there are a lot of Trump supporters here, way more than I would have thought.

[Ezra Levant]

Well, that's good to hear. Last question for you. I know you have a freedom of speech background. You've worked to make social media more free. Are you worried about the trend in Europe to become more censorious and this battle with the US over platforms like X?

[Matt Taibbi]

Absolutely. So obviously we see what's going on with Ofcom in the uk, which is a massive issue. And I know the Vice President and the President have both spoken out on this, but very concerned about the EU and where they're going in their efforts to punish some of the American tech companies. This isn't done. This is going to continue to be a fight. I don't think that the bureaucratic oligarchs in the EU are ever going to stop until free speech is extinguished. But you can count on the Americans to fight that every step of the way.

[Ezra Levant]

Great to see you here. Thanks for your time. My bandmate, co founder of the Black Eyed Peas, best friend. You know. You know what? One line I've loved for 20 years is? I'm so 2008. You're so 2000 late. So what we were talking about back then was AI and the video that came right after that was a song called Imma Be Rockin that body that, you know, low key, high key predicts like text to music. Before there was LLMs and diffusion models and I was creepy Rockin, rockin'. Yeah, yeah. Boom, boom.

[Abi Amini]

Well, that's our show for the day. Until next time, on behalf of all of us here in Davos, Switzerland and around the world, to you at home, good night and keep fighting for freedom.