WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.040 --> 00:00:02.560 Podzave America is brought to you by Simply Safe. It's summer. 2 00:00:02.799 --> 00:00:05.400 Chances are you're leaving your house unattended for longer stretches 3 00:00:05.440 --> 00:00:07.839 during these months, even just for a long weekend. So 4 00:00:07.879 --> 00:00:09.919 the question is do you have a home security system 5 00:00:09.960 --> 00:00:12.320 that has your back when you're out enjoying all this 6 00:00:12.400 --> 00:00:15.640 season has to offer. Most home security systems only alert 7 00:00:15.640 --> 00:00:17.960 you after a break in has already begun, and that's 8 00:00:17.960 --> 00:00:21.519 too late. Simply Safe is different. Using the outdoor camera 9 00:00:21.600 --> 00:00:24.719 Series two and Advanced AI Alert, Simply Safe's US based 10 00:00:24.760 --> 00:00:28.760 live agents identify threats on your property and help deter them, 11 00:00:29.000 --> 00:00:32.719 stop in crime before it starts. That's real peace of mind. 12 00:00:32.719 --> 00:00:35.759 Simply Safe home security systems are fast and easy to 13 00:00:35.759 --> 00:00:37.920 set up on your own, no drilling required, no waiting 14 00:00:37.920 --> 00:00:40.200 around for a technician to show up. The app guided 15 00:00:40.240 --> 00:00:43.119 installation walks you through the process so you can get 16 00:00:43.119 --> 00:00:45.240 your system armed in less than an hour. And best 17 00:00:45.240 --> 00:00:48.240 of all, Simply Safe is actually affordable. Monitoring plans start 18 00:00:48.240 --> 00:00:50.399 affordably at a round a dollar a day, no long 19 00:00:50.479 --> 00:00:53.640 term contracts or cancelation fees. Is it true that you 20 00:00:53.679 --> 00:00:57.439 do not have to use a drill to install your simply. 21 00:00:57.200 --> 00:00:58.920 Safe, no drill. You don't need to use a drill. 22 00:00:58.960 --> 00:01:01.359 You can just use your fingers and as really easy 23 00:01:01.359 --> 00:01:02.960 to do. You set it up yourself in a matter minutes, 24 00:01:03.000 --> 00:01:05.000 customizes your house. Then you have a great app. You 25 00:01:05.040 --> 00:01:07.120 have the peace of mind of a good security system. 26 00:01:07.159 --> 00:01:09.599 The customer support's reliable, it's great. 27 00:01:09.480 --> 00:01:10.480 Beautiful, beautiful. 28 00:01:10.719 --> 00:01:12.959 Don't miss out on this extended Fourth of July deal 29 00:01:13.120 --> 00:01:14.959 just for our listeners. Right now you can get a 30 00:01:15.040 --> 00:01:17.840 massive seventy percent off your new system at simply safe 31 00:01:17.840 --> 00:01:20.159 dot com slash crookeet. That's an incredible seventy percent off 32 00:01:20.200 --> 00:01:23.079 your home security at simply safe dot com slash crooket. 33 00:01:23.280 --> 00:01:26.000 Hurry because there's no safe like simply Safe. 34 00:01:27.000 --> 00:01:31.760 As Americans, we're constantly grappling with a fundamental question. Do 35 00:01:31.840 --> 00:01:34.840 we settle for the world as it is? Or do 36 00:01:34.920 --> 00:01:37.319 we strive to create the world as it should be. 37 00:01:37.719 --> 00:01:40.760 Our answers tend to ebb and flow through the decades. 38 00:01:41.159 --> 00:01:44.920 But once, just after a war that nearly tore us apart, 39 00:01:45.200 --> 00:01:47.959 we came as close as we've come to answering it. 40 00:01:48.319 --> 00:01:52.200 And it's a story worth a closer look. I'm Michelle 41 00:01:52.239 --> 00:01:56.040 Obama and I'm proud to announce Higher grounds new podcast, 42 00:01:56.519 --> 00:02:02.239 Reconstruction The Unfinished Promise. Dighted by best selling author Malcolm 43 00:02:02.280 --> 00:02:07.040 Gladwell and featuring my husband, Barack Obama. This limited series 44 00:02:07.200 --> 00:02:11.520 uncovers the untold stories of Reconstruction, what they mean for 45 00:02:11.639 --> 00:02:15.240 us today, and how our past can shape the future 46 00:02:15.479 --> 00:02:20.680 we choose to build. Reconstruction The Unfinished Promise is available 47 00:02:20.759 --> 00:02:24.439 now on Audible or wherever you get your podcasts. 48 00:02:48.560 --> 00:02:49.639 Welcome to Pod Save America. 49 00:02:49.680 --> 00:02:51.039 I'm John lovit Im Tommy Beetor. 50 00:02:51.439 --> 00:02:53.479 John is taking some much needed time off to tweet 51 00:02:53.479 --> 00:02:56.439 with his family. On today's show, Donald Trump is working 52 00:02:56.479 --> 00:02:58.120 the refs at the World Cup. If we're heading to 53 00:02:58.159 --> 00:03:01.000 a NATO summit in Turkey. We've got two big developments 54 00:03:01.000 --> 00:03:04.319 in the Democratic Senate primaries and main Grand platinir faces 55 00:03:04.360 --> 00:03:07.759 serious and disturbing allegations of sexual assault in Michigan. Mallory 56 00:03:07.840 --> 00:03:10.080 mcmarrow drops out, making that one a two way race. 57 00:03:10.319 --> 00:03:12.439 We also look at the conservative freak out over a 58 00:03:12.479 --> 00:03:16.080 patriotic speech in New York Marizona Mandani, and we asked 59 00:03:16.080 --> 00:03:18.159 the question the mainstream media is afraid to ask. Is 60 00:03:18.199 --> 00:03:21.199 Mitch McConnell alive currently I've. 61 00:03:21.080 --> 00:03:26.199 Been wondering that too, depend on which Twitter you read him. 62 00:03:26.280 --> 00:03:29.560 Yeah, I mean it's an important question. Yes, all right, 63 00:03:29.639 --> 00:03:31.520 let's get to the news, starting with the World Cup 64 00:03:31.599 --> 00:03:33.719 last week, when the US played Bosnia and hurts A 65 00:03:33.759 --> 00:03:37.000 Govina star forward Flow Balligan got a red card for 66 00:03:37.039 --> 00:03:40.560 stepping on a defender's ankle. I said Bosnia and Herzegovina, 67 00:03:41.000 --> 00:03:42.759 because I remember that. That's how it was said in 68 00:03:42.800 --> 00:03:47.280 the nineties when Bill Clinton was a bombing from the sky, 69 00:03:47.319 --> 00:03:49.400 so that during that era. I remember that from when 70 00:03:49.400 --> 00:03:49.800 I was a kid. 71 00:03:49.879 --> 00:03:50.560 Remember that NATO. 72 00:03:50.639 --> 00:03:53.080 But I remember that Nato. But now I'm being told 73 00:03:53.080 --> 00:03:54.319 it's Bosnia and hurts a Goovina. 74 00:03:54.520 --> 00:03:55.000 It's tough. 75 00:03:55.319 --> 00:03:57.479 UNDERFIFA rules, when a player gets a red card, they 76 00:03:57.479 --> 00:03:59.159 have to leave the game, their team has to finish 77 00:03:59.199 --> 00:04:01.000 the match with only ten players, and the player who 78 00:04:01.000 --> 00:04:03.240 got the red card has to sit out the next game. 79 00:04:03.240 --> 00:04:06.159 But we found out on Sunday afternoon that FIFA was 80 00:04:06.199 --> 00:04:09.280 suspending that second part of the punishment for Balligan after 81 00:04:09.280 --> 00:04:13.039 a call from Trump to FIFA President Johnny Infantina. Now 82 00:04:13.080 --> 00:04:15.400 in a long Twitter post on Monday, Infantino said the 83 00:04:15.439 --> 00:04:18.720 decision had been made by the association's independent judicial body, 84 00:04:19.040 --> 00:04:21.680 but declined to give any specifics. Then again, this is 85 00:04:21.720 --> 00:04:24.040 the guy who warded Trump the first ever FIFA Peace 86 00:04:24.079 --> 00:04:26.920 Prize last December. Whatever happened on the call, it seems 87 00:04:27.040 --> 00:04:31.319 unlikely that Trump's deep knowledge of the sports changed any minds. 88 00:04:31.560 --> 00:04:34.600 I think the referees call was horrible, and nobody talks 89 00:04:34.600 --> 00:04:37.040 about that. They talk about the red card like it's fine. 90 00:04:37.439 --> 00:04:41.319 Nobody talks about the referees decision to red card. I 91 00:04:41.319 --> 00:04:42.920 didn't know what the hell of red card was. When 92 00:04:42.920 --> 00:04:45.120 I found out, I said, you gotta be kidding. This 93 00:04:45.160 --> 00:04:47.759 guy just hands up. Okay, your best player is not 94 00:04:47.839 --> 00:04:50.120 going to play next week. Good in the next game. 95 00:04:51.000 --> 00:04:53.199 I said, wow, that's a lot of power. That's terrible. 96 00:04:53.480 --> 00:04:58.360 So yes, I asked for a review by FIFA. I 97 00:04:58.399 --> 00:05:00.279 had nothing to do with the decision. What I did 98 00:05:00.279 --> 00:05:02.720 have to do is I said, I think they should 99 00:05:02.720 --> 00:05:06.319 be reviewed because I watched the play and he didn't 100 00:05:06.360 --> 00:05:07.079 do anything wrong. 101 00:05:07.759 --> 00:05:12.639 Okay, so the red card seems pretty wrong, but so 102 00:05:12.759 --> 00:05:14.560 does Trump's meddling. What do you think? 103 00:05:14.759 --> 00:05:15.839 Yeah, I'm no. 104 00:05:15.839 --> 00:05:17.959 Ref but the red card seems like it was bullshit. 105 00:05:18.040 --> 00:05:20.040 A lot of people I follow talk about the stuff 106 00:05:20.040 --> 00:05:21.000 all the time. I think it was it worth a 107 00:05:21.040 --> 00:05:23.360 yellow card. Lionel Messi did something very similar in a 108 00:05:23.399 --> 00:05:25.839 different game in this World Cup didn't get carded at all. 109 00:05:26.040 --> 00:05:29.199 It's also seems like they use the video review improperly 110 00:05:29.639 --> 00:05:33.319 so on like a karmic level, this is the right outcome, 111 00:05:33.439 --> 00:05:37.120 like Flowbalgan deserves to play, He's an incredible player. What 112 00:05:37.279 --> 00:05:40.839 makes it like headspinning is all the reporting after the 113 00:05:40.879 --> 00:05:43.319 red card was that there was no way to review. Yes, right, 114 00:05:43.360 --> 00:05:44.920 so we all were like, oh man, we're just we're 115 00:05:44.920 --> 00:05:47.600 screwed here. And then apparently it turns out like the 116 00:05:47.600 --> 00:05:49.639 president could just call the head of FIFA his old buddy, 117 00:05:49.959 --> 00:05:52.439 and so I am like, I have a lot of 118 00:05:52.439 --> 00:05:54.879 feelings about this. I'm annoyed that the conversation about this 119 00:05:54.959 --> 00:05:57.759 team and their success because they're awesome, they're so good, 120 00:05:58.319 --> 00:06:03.000 is now kind of like tainted by this bullshit. I 121 00:06:03.040 --> 00:06:07.120 think it is obviously bad, like well for the Trump 122 00:06:07.120 --> 00:06:10.800 point of view, like it's not necessarily bad for him 123 00:06:10.800 --> 00:06:12.959 to advocate on behalf of his country, right, Like you 124 00:06:12.959 --> 00:06:16.120 could imagine another president doing this in a way that 125 00:06:16.279 --> 00:06:21.160 just seemed less corrupt like here. Starmer apparently weighed on 126 00:06:21.240 --> 00:06:23.680 the start time of the England Mexico game because he was. 127 00:06:23.639 --> 00:06:24.279 Worried about that. 128 00:06:24.439 --> 00:06:26.399 So I think, like, mostly this is just really really 129 00:06:26.399 --> 00:06:28.040 bad for FIFA. It's par for the course for them, 130 00:06:28.079 --> 00:06:30.879 because they're a terrible corrupt organization. Twenty fifteen, a bunch 131 00:06:30.879 --> 00:06:33.160 of people were indicted on like one hundred and fifty 132 00:06:33.199 --> 00:06:35.480 million in bribes and kickbacks related to the World Cup. 133 00:06:36.199 --> 00:06:38.879 The former head of FIFA, Set Bladder, was banned from soccer. 134 00:06:38.920 --> 00:06:41.120 He's now on Twitter criticizing this decision. So that's when 135 00:06:41.120 --> 00:06:43.879 it's getting a little weird. But like, it's just impossible 136 00:06:43.920 --> 00:06:47.319 to separate this decision from the very long standing, very weird, 137 00:06:47.399 --> 00:06:51.199 very corrupt relationship between Trump and Johnny and Fantino. Trump's 138 00:06:51.240 --> 00:06:53.519 a corrupt person. We know that his like one speed 139 00:06:53.560 --> 00:06:56.040 when he wants something is brute force. So we don't 140 00:06:56.079 --> 00:06:58.079 know what happened any of these calls, but we know 141 00:06:58.120 --> 00:06:59.480 that he got the outcome that he wanted. 142 00:07:00.079 --> 00:07:03.120 So a lot of the coverage has been around the 143 00:07:03.120 --> 00:07:06.639 call itself, but this was there was a shocking amount 144 00:07:06.639 --> 00:07:09.959 of administrative focus on the red card in a very 145 00:07:09.959 --> 00:07:13.680 short period of time. Andrew Giuliani, who's Rudy Giuliani's son 146 00:07:14.360 --> 00:07:17.040 was appointed to lead some kind of World Cup task 147 00:07:17.079 --> 00:07:19.639 for see. Apparently, according to the Politico, has been talking 148 00:07:19.639 --> 00:07:22.600 to Trump several times a week about the World Cup. 149 00:07:23.240 --> 00:07:25.199 You have Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnik, who. 150 00:07:25.160 --> 00:07:28.639 Was at the game saying sitting next to Infants. 151 00:07:28.680 --> 00:07:30.000 Was sitting next I didn't realize it was just saying 152 00:07:30.040 --> 00:07:33.399 right next to him, saying that he was offering White 153 00:07:33.399 --> 00:07:36.000 House lawyers to assist the US team and trying to 154 00:07:36.000 --> 00:07:38.360 fight this. There was other threats from the US team 155 00:07:38.360 --> 00:07:40.560 and from the administration behind the scenes around other ways 156 00:07:40.560 --> 00:07:44.279 they could challenge this rule and through other kinds of 157 00:07:45.319 --> 00:07:48.279 means that I guess the pressure mounted, and then there 158 00:07:48.360 --> 00:07:52.040 was this call on top of it. Yeah. It on 159 00:07:52.079 --> 00:07:55.079 the one end, it does feel like another story where 160 00:07:55.079 --> 00:07:59.279 you have the president he's he's focused on the biggest fireworks, 161 00:07:59.319 --> 00:08:03.160 the ballroom, the reflecting pool, the statues, the arches, all 162 00:08:03.199 --> 00:08:06.160 that he's focused on sports, not on the actual substance 163 00:08:06.199 --> 00:08:07.920 of the job and the things that people want him 164 00:08:07.920 --> 00:08:10.079 to pay attention to. But I had the same feeling 165 00:08:10.199 --> 00:08:13.040 as you, which is of all the ways in which 166 00:08:13.079 --> 00:08:17.199 Trump could be a bully, bullying to have an advantage 167 00:08:17.240 --> 00:08:21.079 removed from Belgium. The expense of a corrupt group of 168 00:08:21.120 --> 00:08:23.600 European chauvinists is like not that big of a sin. 169 00:08:24.000 --> 00:08:25.879 No, no it's not, and like for what it's worth. 170 00:08:25.920 --> 00:08:27.800 The New York Post had this reporting that US Soccer 171 00:08:27.879 --> 00:08:31.199 was already preparing to fight the decision. They were especially 172 00:08:31.199 --> 00:08:34.039 focused on the var system, the video review system, and 173 00:08:34.039 --> 00:08:36.360 that it was improperly used to make this call, and 174 00:08:36.399 --> 00:08:39.240 they were preparing to appeal to something called the Court 175 00:08:39.279 --> 00:08:41.879 of Arbitration for Sports. Yes, I don't know what that is, 176 00:08:42.120 --> 00:08:44.519 but apparently it would have taken the decision out of 177 00:08:44.519 --> 00:08:47.919 FIFA's hands. So maybe they acted to preempt that. So 178 00:08:47.960 --> 00:08:49.720 there's a chance here that Trump is taking credit for 179 00:08:49.799 --> 00:08:52.759 something that was already in motion, which is something presidents get. 180 00:08:52.639 --> 00:08:53.759 To do, good or bad. 181 00:08:54.759 --> 00:08:57.440 All that said, Belgium has a right to be pissed off. 182 00:08:57.519 --> 00:08:59.480 Other teams have a right to be pissed off. They 183 00:08:59.480 --> 00:09:01.559 want one clear set of rules. They never get it 184 00:09:01.600 --> 00:09:05.080 from FIFA. Imagine though, if this was the twenty eighteen 185 00:09:05.120 --> 00:09:07.960 World Cup in Russia, putin lobs in a call to 186 00:09:08.000 --> 00:09:10.600 FIFA to overturn some ruling, we'd all be like ripping 187 00:09:10.600 --> 00:09:13.120 our hair out and screaming about injustice and corruption and 188 00:09:13.200 --> 00:09:15.960 oligar key. FIFA has made similar exceptions, including one for 189 00:09:16.039 --> 00:09:18.519 Christiano Ronaldo to make sure he didn't miss a game 190 00:09:18.720 --> 00:09:20.720 in the tournament. So I think just like the way 191 00:09:20.759 --> 00:09:24.279 to ultimately understand FIFA is it's basically a criminal organization 192 00:09:24.320 --> 00:09:26.120 that just cares about money, And like the way to 193 00:09:26.159 --> 00:09:29.600 understand Infantino is he just sucks up to the most 194 00:09:29.600 --> 00:09:32.320 powerful person he needs at all times. So I think everyone, 195 00:09:32.440 --> 00:09:34.919 of course assumes that he viewed this as doing a 196 00:09:34.960 --> 00:09:37.240 favor for Trump, even if it hurt his reputation. 197 00:09:37.440 --> 00:09:39.960 Yeah, it's it's like I can see, like you can 198 00:09:40.039 --> 00:09:42.159 imagine Obama at a press conference getting a question like 199 00:09:42.200 --> 00:09:44.440 that was bullshit, man, like that sucks, and then yeah, 200 00:09:44.720 --> 00:09:49.679 but you this is where having independent, trustworthy organizations is important, right, 201 00:09:49.679 --> 00:09:52.399 because sure, an American leader should put pressure for the 202 00:09:52.399 --> 00:09:54.519 American team, but you need to trust that the other 203 00:09:54.600 --> 00:09:57.000 side of it will not let that influence the decisions. 204 00:09:57.000 --> 00:09:58.720 But you can't trust that here. You also can't trust 205 00:09:58.720 --> 00:10:00.759 that Trump is not abusing his relation ships and his 206 00:10:00.879 --> 00:10:05.080 financial entanglements with Infantino and all the rest. So anyway, 207 00:10:05.240 --> 00:10:06.759 Trump made soccer about him somehow. 208 00:10:07.320 --> 00:10:08.960 For what it's worth, we're recording this at like three 209 00:10:08.960 --> 00:10:12.600 o'clock on Monday Pacific times of two hours before the game, 210 00:10:12.639 --> 00:10:15.639 so we don't know the outcome right now. We'll find 211 00:10:15.639 --> 00:10:17.279 out excited to watch and I just. 212 00:10:17.200 --> 00:10:19.879 Want I watch angel City, all right. I am a 213 00:10:19.919 --> 00:10:22.159 season ticket holder, so I'm not I am like getting 214 00:10:22.200 --> 00:10:22.720 into soccer. 215 00:10:22.759 --> 00:10:23.799 Have you been watching these games? 216 00:10:24.240 --> 00:10:26.639 You know? Here's what my problem is with the way 217 00:10:26.679 --> 00:10:28.080 that we because you have it on and I see 218 00:10:28.120 --> 00:10:31.120 you getting into it. I finally with soccer, I either 219 00:10:31.120 --> 00:10:33.600 want to watch the whole game or I want to 220 00:10:33.600 --> 00:10:35.519 see highlights at the end. But I have trouble dipping 221 00:10:35.559 --> 00:10:38.360 in and out because for me, it's about like the 222 00:10:38.519 --> 00:10:40.480 way like you can watch a team. And even if 223 00:10:40.559 --> 00:10:42.519 I didn't understand this till I started watching soccer, that 224 00:10:42.559 --> 00:10:44.720 even if a goal isn't scored during an entire half, 225 00:10:44.960 --> 00:10:47.360 you're still like understanding the way the teams are going 226 00:10:47.440 --> 00:10:48.799 up against each other. And I feel like it's hard 227 00:10:48.840 --> 00:10:50.399 to get that when you're just looking up for a computer. 228 00:10:50.919 --> 00:10:51.159 Yeah. 229 00:10:51.200 --> 00:10:54.480 I have to say this has been one of the 230 00:10:54.480 --> 00:10:57.000 best World Cups I've ever seen. Every game has been 231 00:10:57.039 --> 00:10:58.679 like down to the wire and exciting. There's been all 232 00:10:58.679 --> 00:11:01.080 these late goals, there's been like lake goals called back, 233 00:11:01.159 --> 00:11:03.120 incredible header, some of the best goals I've ever seen, 234 00:11:03.159 --> 00:11:05.440 Like the Cabo Verde goal to tie it up the 235 00:11:05.519 --> 00:11:07.919 second time in overtime against Argentina was like one of 236 00:11:07.960 --> 00:11:11.039 the most incredible shots ever. So just like the storylines, 237 00:11:11.399 --> 00:11:15.279 the gameplay itself, the big players delivering in big moments 238 00:11:15.279 --> 00:11:17.000 has just been incredible. And that's why it was like 239 00:11:17.039 --> 00:11:19.559 particularly annoying to all of a sudden have to talk 240 00:11:19.600 --> 00:11:21.720 about Trump again because it was just a reprieve from him. 241 00:11:21.840 --> 00:11:25.240 He like, interestingly, despite the Cup being in the United States, 242 00:11:25.399 --> 00:11:27.639 what's Canada and Mexico too, He just like hadn't made 243 00:11:27.679 --> 00:11:29.399 himself a part of it. He will at the end 244 00:11:29.519 --> 00:11:32.799 till I'll give out the trophy to the winner with Infantino, 245 00:11:33.080 --> 00:11:34.840 but like he'd kind of stayed away from it, and 246 00:11:34.840 --> 00:11:35.879 now it's just like him again. 247 00:11:36.000 --> 00:11:38.000 And some of the worst like concerns about what would 248 00:11:38.000 --> 00:11:39.840 happen with people traveling to the US, haven't. I mean, 249 00:11:39.840 --> 00:11:42.159 we haven't seen that much of what we the worst possible, 250 00:11:42.399 --> 00:11:44.600 like people being stopped, being unable to come see the games. 251 00:11:44.799 --> 00:11:47.960 You did have this moment with the Iranian team protests 252 00:11:47.960 --> 00:11:50.039 in the US, which I thought was in my way 253 00:11:50.039 --> 00:11:51.200 were in Mexico and they did it, but I thought 254 00:11:51.240 --> 00:11:52.279 it was like particularly moving. 255 00:11:52.480 --> 00:11:54.799 Yeah, we were real dicks to the Iranians for no 256 00:11:54.919 --> 00:11:56.399 good reason, like we would let them stay in the 257 00:11:56.480 --> 00:11:58.159 United States and make them like fly back and forth 258 00:11:58.159 --> 00:11:59.919 from Mexico to games. There were some issues with like 259 00:12:00.080 --> 00:12:02.399 one of the African refs was denied entry into the 260 00:12:02.440 --> 00:12:06.080 country for some like vetting reason that seems like mostly bullshit. 261 00:12:06.840 --> 00:12:09.879 But the level of anxiety going into the World Cup 262 00:12:10.320 --> 00:12:12.000 was way higher. 263 00:12:11.440 --> 00:12:13.639 Than kind of the level of the problem. 264 00:12:13.720 --> 00:12:13.879 Yeah. 265 00:12:13.879 --> 00:12:15.480 In fact, it's like the opposite. It's like all these 266 00:12:15.519 --> 00:12:18.080 foreigners coming to America kind of nervous and feeling like 267 00:12:18.120 --> 00:12:19.759 they love it and like going to waffle House for 268 00:12:19.799 --> 00:12:22.039 the first time and making viral videos, and it's just 269 00:12:22.039 --> 00:12:24.720 been like this fun, like joyful melting of cultures. 270 00:12:24.960 --> 00:12:28.399 We have beautiful cultures combining in the US. Meanwhile, Trump 271 00:12:28.440 --> 00:12:31.039 is heading to Turkey for the annual NATO summit, and 272 00:12:31.080 --> 00:12:34.080 Trump intervening with one of his reputedly corrupt pals to 273 00:12:34.120 --> 00:12:37.240 remove what would have been an advantage for Belgium seems 274 00:12:37.240 --> 00:12:41.240 like a pretty good metaphorm for European frustrations with American andngemony. 275 00:12:41.600 --> 00:12:43.919 There will be a lot of discussion of defense spending 276 00:12:44.000 --> 00:12:47.159 and of ending the war in Ukraine Russia. Russia was 277 00:12:47.159 --> 00:12:50.120 striking at civilian targets in key of this week, and 278 00:12:50.240 --> 00:12:52.279 Ukraine is actually less able to defend itself in part 279 00:12:52.320 --> 00:12:54.799 because of a shortage of interceptor missiles made worse by 280 00:12:54.799 --> 00:12:58.000 Trump's war in Iran. What are you watching for in 281 00:12:58.039 --> 00:13:00.440 this summit and what are you hoping for around this? 282 00:13:00.679 --> 00:13:02.159 Yeah, I mean you got at the top line, which 283 00:13:02.200 --> 00:13:04.919 is like the signs that the divide between the US 284 00:13:04.960 --> 00:13:08.519 and Europe are widening or narrowing. Trump is still furious 285 00:13:08.519 --> 00:13:10.879 about the lack of support from Europe when it came 286 00:13:10.919 --> 00:13:13.679 to the war with Iran, and Europeans are still rightly 287 00:13:13.720 --> 00:13:16.320 furious that we started a war with Iran and made, 288 00:13:16.399 --> 00:13:18.720 you know, harm them in the process. So we could 289 00:13:18.720 --> 00:13:20.960 see more discussion about whether the Trump administration is going 290 00:13:21.000 --> 00:13:23.200 to pull US troops out of Europe to punish countries 291 00:13:23.279 --> 00:13:25.679 like Spain that opposed the war. Remember, like at some 292 00:13:25.720 --> 00:13:27.679 point Pete Hegseth was floating that We're going to like 293 00:13:27.679 --> 00:13:29.559 pull troops out of Poland than Trump heard about it, 294 00:13:29.559 --> 00:13:30.000 he got mad. 295 00:13:30.039 --> 00:13:31.879 So it's like been all over Rubio that too. 296 00:13:31.919 --> 00:13:35.600 Yeah, Ruby apparently spiked it as well, and like kind 297 00:13:35.600 --> 00:13:38.240 of the best, Like you know, there's competing world views 298 00:13:38.240 --> 00:13:39.720 out there. There's like that it's time to move on 299 00:13:39.799 --> 00:13:42.519 from America worldview that you're hearing from Mark Karney in Canada, 300 00:13:42.759 --> 00:13:46.080 and then Mark Ruta, the NATO Secretary General, is more 301 00:13:46.120 --> 00:13:48.360 of the ass kisser, like keep Trump on side, Skuy. 302 00:13:48.840 --> 00:13:50.759 So the other thing Trump loves to do with these 303 00:13:50.840 --> 00:13:53.919 NATO summits is browbeat these countries about defense spending. He's 304 00:13:53.960 --> 00:13:56.879 now demanding that countries spend five percent of GDP on 305 00:13:56.919 --> 00:14:00.759 defense by twenty thirty five. Now, before him, Obama, Bush 306 00:14:00.759 --> 00:14:03.559 others were critical of NATO countries for not spending enough, 307 00:14:03.559 --> 00:14:04.960 but they wanted to get to like two percent. 308 00:14:05.480 --> 00:14:07.200 Ten is five percent is absurd. 309 00:14:07.759 --> 00:14:10.440 That said, it's like a fake target because three point 310 00:14:10.480 --> 00:14:12.759 five of the five percent goes to military spending, and 311 00:14:12.759 --> 00:14:15.840 then one point five percent is defined his security related 312 00:14:15.879 --> 00:14:19.679 investments and that could mean like roads, right, yes, cybersecurity. 313 00:14:19.840 --> 00:14:23.080 So for the record, I wanted to talk about NATO. 314 00:14:23.559 --> 00:14:26.759 I was pumped and in part because so last year 315 00:14:26.960 --> 00:14:29.879 this was the summit where Mark Ruta, who's the Secretary 316 00:14:29.919 --> 00:14:32.039 General of NATO, this is where he called Trump daddy. 317 00:14:32.320 --> 00:14:33.840 I think it was a low moment for him. It 318 00:14:33.879 --> 00:14:36.480 was not great, and it came to represent like the 319 00:14:36.600 --> 00:14:39.240 root to strategy, which is you just suck up to 320 00:14:39.320 --> 00:14:41.960 him in public and you do your best to mitigate 321 00:14:42.000 --> 00:14:44.960 the damage in private. But in the year since that summit, 322 00:14:45.000 --> 00:14:47.480 you have Trump threatening tariffs over Greenland, you have the 323 00:14:47.519 --> 00:14:51.080 war in Iran, the administration has proposed and actually enacted 324 00:14:51.080 --> 00:14:55.879 some triop drawdowns, are threatening more. And then six months 325 00:14:55.879 --> 00:14:58.600 ago that's when Mark Karney gives this speech laying out 326 00:14:58.639 --> 00:15:00.399 I think for the first time in a really I 327 00:15:00.399 --> 00:15:03.879 think in a way that felt like a legitimate alternative. 328 00:15:04.200 --> 00:15:07.600 All Right, the sucking up approach while trying in private 329 00:15:07.639 --> 00:15:09.960 to persuade him doesn't seem to be working. There was 330 00:15:10.159 --> 00:15:12.639 a really deeply reported story in the Wall Street Journal 331 00:15:12.759 --> 00:15:15.919 about the European view of America, and there was a 332 00:15:15.919 --> 00:15:18.919 lot in there, but the experience of Europeans coming to 333 00:15:18.960 --> 00:15:23.200 the US beseeching Trump to defend Ukraine, him seeming to agree, 334 00:15:23.320 --> 00:15:25.639 and then an hour long conversation with Putin wipes the 335 00:15:25.679 --> 00:15:30.120 fucking thing clean and so we're at this moment where 336 00:15:30.440 --> 00:15:33.480 there does seem to be a real possibility of Europe 337 00:15:33.519 --> 00:15:37.000 actually viewing this is not a Trump problem but an 338 00:15:37.039 --> 00:15:38.039 America problem. 339 00:15:38.480 --> 00:15:43.440 Yeah, it's really it's troublely look the on the Ukraine piece, 340 00:15:43.759 --> 00:15:46.960 I mean, Trump is going to meet with Zelenski. We'll 341 00:15:46.960 --> 00:15:49.120 see what comes out of that. It' Zelenski's wish list 342 00:15:49.240 --> 00:15:52.320 is like, I want to be able to manufacture patriot 343 00:15:52.320 --> 00:15:54.240 missile interceptors in my country. 344 00:15:54.440 --> 00:15:55.360 Feels like a win win. 345 00:15:56.159 --> 00:15:58.519 The Ukrainians have done all this really important stuff with 346 00:15:58.639 --> 00:16:03.480 drone technology and using that to using drones intercept drones, 347 00:16:03.480 --> 00:16:05.759 so you're not spending like three million dollars on an 348 00:16:05.799 --> 00:16:08.120 interceptor missile to take down a thirty thousand dollars shit 349 00:16:08.159 --> 00:16:10.720 head drone. So there's the areas of coordination there, like 350 00:16:10.720 --> 00:16:13.200 hopefully Trumble just do no harm when it comes to Zelensky, 351 00:16:13.279 --> 00:16:17.159 not pull back support intelligence support for them. Hopefully we'll 352 00:16:17.200 --> 00:16:20.559 like recommit to a serious peace process and stop whatever 353 00:16:20.600 --> 00:16:23.399 this joke is that's being led by Steve Wikoff and 354 00:16:23.600 --> 00:16:26.679 Jared Kushner and the Russian oligarch of the day that's 355 00:16:26.720 --> 00:16:30.360 seemingly just about deal making for those guys. There's also 356 00:16:30.440 --> 00:16:32.559 this whole like subplot a NATO about Turkey and whether 357 00:16:33.240 --> 00:16:35.679 Airdwan is a reliable partner, whether the US should sell 358 00:16:35.720 --> 00:16:38.000 Turkey F thirty five. The Israelis really don't want that 359 00:16:38.039 --> 00:16:40.399 to happen. And then there's just like the petty shit 360 00:16:40.679 --> 00:16:43.720 like cure. Starmer and Trump don't really get along. As 361 00:16:43.840 --> 00:16:48.480 Starmer's last NATO Georgia Maloney and Trump the Italian leader 362 00:16:48.559 --> 00:16:51.159 prime minister. There was a back and forth where he 363 00:16:51.200 --> 00:16:53.279 claimed she wanted a picture with him, and she was like. 364 00:16:53.240 --> 00:16:56.639 What the fuck are you talking about? So we'll see. 365 00:16:56.679 --> 00:16:58.639 I mean, it's just this could be nothing, or it 366 00:16:58.679 --> 00:17:00.200 could be him just picking a fight with a bunch 367 00:17:00.200 --> 00:17:00.600 of Euros. 368 00:17:00.679 --> 00:17:02.120 There's a way, which is they're just sick of it. 369 00:17:02.200 --> 00:17:03.919 That just seems like they're sick of it. And because 370 00:17:03.960 --> 00:17:07.559 the root of thing, right is, hey, guys, uh, he's 371 00:17:07.559 --> 00:17:10.319 demanding five percent. You can count a bridge. Just shut 372 00:17:10.400 --> 00:17:11.319 up and say you're doing it right. 373 00:17:11.640 --> 00:17:13.640 It's by twenty thirty five, it's never going to happen. 374 00:17:13.640 --> 00:17:14.519 He's prey long gone. 375 00:17:14.680 --> 00:17:17.000 Just say you're going to meet the commitment, put forward 376 00:17:17.039 --> 00:17:18.720 some way of proving it right like that, and then 377 00:17:19.160 --> 00:17:22.680 and will he wants the flattery in public, he wants 378 00:17:22.680 --> 00:17:24.640 the great headline, and we can slow roll it and 379 00:17:24.680 --> 00:17:26.319 deal with it after he's gone. But there seems to 380 00:17:26.359 --> 00:17:29.720 be in like a like the a shift in which 381 00:17:29.920 --> 00:17:33.079 they're just no longer willing to play along as much 382 00:17:33.079 --> 00:17:35.680 as they were before. And in the Wall Street Joeneral 383 00:17:35.680 --> 00:17:38.720 report there was that Europeans are also removing American tech 384 00:17:38.759 --> 00:17:40.759 from their systems. They're urging civil servants to no longer 385 00:17:40.839 --> 00:17:43.279 use Microsoft teams or office. They're spending hundreds of billions 386 00:17:43.279 --> 00:17:45.400 of dollars to try to boost Europe's own private space firms, 387 00:17:45.480 --> 00:17:49.440 AI companies, and data centers. And it seems like I 388 00:17:49.480 --> 00:17:51.839 was interested in this big part because it seems as 389 00:17:51.880 --> 00:17:55.799 though Trump's his bravado, his bullying, It is predicated on 390 00:17:55.839 --> 00:17:58.640 America being indispensable and it's too hard to shift away 391 00:17:58.640 --> 00:18:01.480 from US. Yeah I can. That is only true if 392 00:18:01.480 --> 00:18:02.720 they treat it as if it is true. 393 00:18:02.799 --> 00:18:03.640 Yeah, yeah, true. 394 00:18:03.640 --> 00:18:05.720 I mean I think they're kind of waking up to 395 00:18:06.319 --> 00:18:08.599 how many different ways they're reliant on the US. Like 396 00:18:08.640 --> 00:18:10.200 the NATO piece is obvious, Like the US is what 397 00:18:10.279 --> 00:18:12.279 like seventy percent of NATO, Right, if the US pulls 398 00:18:12.319 --> 00:18:15.000 out of that. If we refuse to honor the Article 399 00:18:15.079 --> 00:18:17.559 five commitment within NATO, NATO kind of falls apart. So 400 00:18:18.079 --> 00:18:20.759 that's been an anxiety for a while. I think they're 401 00:18:20.799 --> 00:18:23.599