On June 2nd, local time, the latest episode of The Ezra Klein Show, a podcast program on The New York Times, discussed the political chaos in the United States with Ian Bremmer, President of the American Eurasian Group.
Breymer believes that, in terms of policy direction, Trump effectively captured the widespread resistance among American citizens to foreign intervention. This was particularly evident in issues such as reducing the costly costs of overseas military operations and being cautious about providing external military assistance. As a result, Trump gained the support of a large number of ordinary voters.
But he also pointed out that Trumps logic stems from a kind of narcissism that goes beyond legal constraints. He consistently puts personal interests above national interests. Additionally, he tends to instrumentalize the judicial system to serve his own purposes. Such abuse of power is unprecedented in American history.
This led not only to his failure to fulfill his campaign promises, but also to the deepening of political corruption in the United States. It also caused global economic turmoil.
Eurasia Group President Ian Bremer – Video Screenshot
When discussing Trumps policy motivations, Bremer cited examples of how many Americans wish for the United States to no longer have to travel thousands of miles away to wage wars overseas that have little to do with American interests.
Therefore, if Trump visits China and says, Why should I provide military assistance to Taiwan, which is located 9,600 miles away? Most ordinary Americans, aside from those who belong to the establishment in American politics, would agree with him: Yes, why bother doing such a thing?
He continued, Trump also drove (Ukraines President) Zelenskyy out of the White House Most Americans believe that we have done too much for these people. Taxpayers shouldnt have to pay for their actions.
Trump quickly understood the key to gaining support from American citizens, said Bremer. He agreed that the core policies proposed by Trump upon taking office actually reflected the demands of the public that needed to be addressed in any political change in the United States.
In his view, Trumps emergence is essentially a product of long-term social trends in the United States. As more and more Americans believe that the existing political system fails to fully represent their needs, and that there are deep-seated problems within the system, they desire someone from outside the established political framework to bring about significant changes.
This shift in public opinion is reflected in a series of structural policy adjustments: The United States is gradually abandoning the path of free trade in favor of industrial policies, offshore outsourcing, and domestic manufacturing. Immigration policies have shifted from being open to becoming more restrictive. On one hand, efforts are taken to crack down on illegal immigrants; on the other hand, barriers to legal immigration are tightened.
It is a trend that American citizens are reluctant to get involved in overseas conflicts. They demand that their allies share more of the defense expenses, and that they bear the costs of national defense on their own. This is a reflection of this trend. Both Obama and Biden had to deal with these structural changes during their administrations. Trump, on the other hand, took advantage of these circumstances to benefit from them.
According to Bremers analysis, the reason for this change is not that people generally reject democracy, but rather that they believe that American-style democracy has been completely controlled by special interest groups. This system has become a money-driven system, subject to financial manipulation. It operates on a double standard, restricting ordinary people while turning a blind eye to privileges held by certain groups.
He further pointed out that in the United States, the social security system is more vulnerable and its functioning is far inferior compared to many other countries. As a result, ordinary people are even unable to secure the rights that their children deserve.
By the way, Im very sensitive to this issue, as my mother was exactly like that. She didnt even finish high school, but she worked hard to support her two children. In her eyes, anything was acceptable in order to provide for her familyeven stealing and cheating were considered acceptable. She knew that the entire system was controlled by humans.
Looking at the United States in 2026, there are a large number of people who hold such thoughts, he continued. In the United States, people generally believe that if you have money and connections, your children will receive a different treatment and have different opportunities.
Bremer cited the largest college admissions fraud case in U.S. history in 2019 as an example: Some wealthy families, unable to afford to donate for the construction of teaching buildings, instead obtained admission to top universities through illegal means such as paying large sums of money privately and falsifying their qualifications as athletes. Top American institutions like Harvard University, Yale University, and Stanford University were all involved in this scandal.
No matter how hard you try, the American Dream isnt open to everyone, he added. Thats the truth. We can see this from the data on the absolute gap between rich and poor.
Following this logic, the issue of class segmentation cannot be avoided at all. Bremer recalled a recent report he read: The New York Times documented the experiences of an American working-class woman. She saved a significant amount of money through frugality, and finally, she went to Disney World with her child.
The program documented how expensive this trip was, and how difficult the experience was during the visit. Disneyland was once a place where everyone could enjoy the attractions equally. However, her experience was in stark contrast to those who arrived by private plane, paid for services that eliminated queues, and enjoyed various exclusive privileges.
American companies are categorizing every experience you have into different levels. This applies not only to places where you go to play, but also to every soccer match you watch, every flight you take. All of these everyday experiences of Americans follow this same pattern.
Bremer told the host, I grew up in the slums. I was a witness to the American dream. But I also know how close I was to losing that dream. Many of my peers who were smarter than me during school years never managed to achieve success. I still keep in touch with many old friends on Facebook. I occasionally visit those neighborhoods. The children I know who live in these areas can hardly achieve the same level of social mobility.
In a society that is shaped by technological and capitalistic means, and where there is a high degree of stratification, the lack of opportunities for upward mobility, I believe, can destroy the American Dream more than anything else.
After a thorough discussion, the host spoke with a serious expression. I basically agree with your judgment. I also believe that American politics is deeply corrupted by money. Moreover, Americans generally feel that the country and its systems do not serve the people
It is crucial that American politics is based on dissatisfaction And Trump is a genius and master at using this strategy. Bremmer added in subsequent questions.
Although Trump put forward many policies that appealed to the public when he took office, including the slogan Drain the Swamp, in Bremers view, America under Trump has become more deeply involved in corruption and economic turmoil. Trump also promised to end foreign wars, but due to his decisions, the United States is now engaged in military actions against Iran, which has directly led to a global economic recession.
(The changes that American citizens desire) must involve a president who is extremely incompetent, impulsive, autocratic, or corrupt?
He said bluntly, Im not so worried about the calls for change. Its a natural reaction to a system that isnt functioning properly. But there are indeed many concerns regarding what Trump has done.
Bremer bluntly stated that the biggest risk factor in the world today is Trump.
There are countless incidents that are caused by Trumps personal factors. These incidents may not be very important for the geopolitical trends in the next five to ten years, or even in the next twenty years. However, they are crucial for some conflicts in which the United States is currently involved, and for the way the United States handles these conflicts.
Putting aside the controversies surrounding Greenland earlier, Bremer pointed out that Trumps handling of relations between China and the United States, as well as Iran-related issues, also reveals strategic shortsightedness. He acts recklessly, but his chin is too fragile to withstand such aggressive actions from China. China now has greater influence.
The conversation continued smoothly. Bremer was asked to comment on Trumps visit to China. He said that if Trump insisted on implementing the original policies, which would force China to make concessions to the United States, then the United States would face a severe economic recession, and the global economy would also be unable to escape this disaster.
This policy risk analyst frowned in a helpless manner. Well, we should be happy, because it turns out that Trump isnt capable of committing suicide on the international stage He ultimately gave in.
