Overview of The Rest is Politics — Davos special: "491. Trump at Davos: Rory and Alastair React"
Hosts Rory Stewart and Alastair Campbell record an on-the-ground reaction to Donald Trump’s Davos speech. Both were in the audience and describe the delivery, content, atmosphere and wider implications — focusing especially on Trump’s repeated remarks about Greenland, his broader political worldview, the reaction of other world leaders, and what Europe and middle powers should do in response.
Key takeaways
- Delivery vs. content: Trump’s language was aggressive, nationalistic and full of repeated false or exaggerated claims, but his delivery was flat, rambling and often bland — which made the performance oddly humiliating and sometimes surreal.
- Greenland episode: Trump repeatedly suggested the US wants Greenland (and even mentioned Iceland), framing it as a legitimate US interest. Hosts saw this as petulant grandstanding and a dangerous example of transactional geopolitics; European leaders’ deference risked normalising it.
- Falsehoods and exaggerations: Rory and Alastair counted many demonstrable misstatements (e.g., exaggerated figures about Ukraine spending, US military spending/investment, inflation/growth claims), noting that fatigue makes constant fact‑checking difficult.
- Audience reaction: World leaders mostly chuckled, many attendees were bored/checked phones, applause was tepid, people left before the end. Rory heckled briefly when Trump insulted Somalis.
- Markets and theatre: The speech affected markets intraday; the hosts suggested some actors in the Davos ecosystem trade on anticipated market moves when Trump speaks.
- Bigger danger: Trump’s rhetoric resonates with a substantial minority (they estimate ~30–40% of US voters); his worldview (tariffs, isolationism, punitive deals) could be recycled by successors. Appeasement and deference are risky.
- Alternative leadership: Mark Carney’s Davos speech is contrasted positively — presented as a coherent argument and call for multilateral action — which Rory and Alastair think better fits the moment.
Topics discussed
- Trump’s tone and rhetorical style (narcissism, rambling, repetition)
- Specific claims: Greenland, Iceland slip, NATO/Article 5 mischaracterisation, tariffs tied to personal slights, wind farms and energy claims, alleged oil reserves
- Audience and leaders’ behaviour (deference, chuckling, walking out)
- Market reactions and possible profiteering around statements
- International strategy: need for European/middle-power unity; suggestions to be bolder (e.g., quicker enlargement, joint statements)
- Domestic UK politics: criticism of appeasing postures (references to Boris Johnson, Keir Starmer’s caution)
- Reference to Moisés Naím’s “three Cs”: crime, corruption, cruelty — hosts highlight cruelty as a feature of Trumpism
Notable quotes and claims highlighted by the hosts
- “We’re having Greenland” — framed by hosts as emblematic of the transactional, imperious stance.
- Trump lines the hosts flag as misleading or false: “virtually no inflation, extraordinarily high growth”; “record‑breaking $18 trillion investment”; inflated Ukraine spending figures (hosts dispute the $350bn claim).
- Audience/host reaction line: Rory and Alastair describe the speech as “blithering, slightly senile, flaccid, loose, dishonest” and identify cruelty and narcissism as defining features.
- Hosts recall Mark Carney’s speech as “an argument” and a respectful model of leadership lacking in Trump’s performance.
Implications and recommendations
- Europe and “middle powers” should coordinate more robustly — joint statements and united action are needed to resist divide‑and‑rule tactics.
- Avoid appeasement and transactional compromises that cede sovereignty for short‑term promises (hosts criticize suggestions of trading territory/sovereignty).
- Don’t normalise or become habituated to repeated falsehoods — keep fact‑checking and expose the pattern rather than treating individual claims as isolated gaffes.
- Political imagination: consider faster, strategic responses (the hosts mention accelerating relationships/enlargement with vulnerable partners as one idea).
Atmosphere and anecdote highlights
- Rory and Alastair queued and sat behind figures including Marco Rubio and Al Gore; they tried to heckle Trump (Rory booed when Trump insulted Somalis).
- Many world leaders appeared deferential; Al Gore advised against heckling.
- Applause was muted, some people left early; the hosts describe a mix of laughter at outrageous lines and visible boredom.
- The episode includes concerns that Davos-style deference can reinforce dangerous behavior and rhetoric.
Final assessment
Rory and Alastair view the Davos speech as a dangerous mix: familiar populist, protectionist content packaged in a rambling, performative delivery that nevertheless has real geopolitical consequences. They warn against appeasement and urge Europe and other democracies to respond with strategy, unity and imagination rather than deferential politeness.
Other notes
- Episode opens with an ad for Fuse Energy (smart EV chargers).
- Ends with a promo for Goalhanger’s related podcast “The Rest is Classified,” a series on Jeffrey Epstein and intelligence links (hosts Gordon Carrara and David McCloskey).