Lindsey Graham Berated Denmark’s Prime Minister (w/ Frank Dikötter) | Shield of the Republic

Senator Lindsey Graham reportedly shouted and used expletives at Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Greenland's Prime Minister at the Munich Security Conference. He demanded they 'get over it' if Donald Trump wanted to take over Greenland, making demeaning comments. This incident is framed by the hosts as an example of 'jackassery' and a symptom of political figures with 'extremely weak character' succumbing to populist pressures, damaging diplomatic relations.

Graham 'shouted repeatedly at Danish Prime Minister Meta Friedrien and the poor hapless prime minister of Greenland...telling them if Donald Trump wanted to take over Greenland, they should just get get over it.' (03:54)

Senator Marco Rubio's speech at the Munich Security Conference was interpreted differently by the hosts. Elliot Cohen viewed it as a 'virtuoso performance' for its ability to speak to multiple audiences, including Trump and Europeans, and to 'smooth things over' after diplomatic incidents. Eric Edelman, however, criticized it as 'Trumpism with a human face,' lacking substance, avoiding mention of Russia, and implicitly defining 'Western civilization' as Christianity while ignoring Enlightenment values and democratic principles, ultimately undermining the transatlantic alliance.

Cohen: 'It was a virtuoso performance given the audiences he has to deal with beginning with uh the the orange-haired guy in the White House.' (12:20) Edelman: 'It is what I suggested...the more imolient face of Trumpism, Trumpism with a human face.' (08:20)

The hosts express deep concern over the US military buildup in the Gulf region and the lack of clear objectives for potential action against Iran. They question whether the goal is regime change, punishment, dealing with nuclear remnants, or satisfying Israeli interests. The absence of congressional consultation and public explanation, combined with the risk of miscalculation and escalation, creates a 'huge foreboding' about where the situation is heading, especially given Trump's aversion to appearing weak after recent political setbacks.

'I have no idea what any of this is and I have a huge forboding about where it's heading.' (22:36) 'None of this has had even the slightest discussion with the people's representatives in the United States or any explanation to the public of what our objective is.' (22:04)

A Supreme Court decision that knocked down Trump's tariffs is seen as a significant blow to his power and reputation. The ruling limits the president's ability to use emergency powers for levying tariffs, which is constitutionally a congressional responsibility. This event undermines Trump's image as a 'master of the universe' who can wield economic power 'at whim,' potentially weakening his influence both domestically and abroad.

'This actually in the long run a major blow to Trump's power...all of a sudden it looks like this is not a guy who's a master of the universe and can wield an enormous amount of in this case economic power at whim.' (26:34)

Historian Frank Dikötter argues that the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) ascent to power was not a popular social revolution driven by peasant support, but rather a military conquest heavily reliant on Soviet backing. He highlights the CCP's minimal popular appeal, with only 40,000 members by 1936 in a country of 500 million, and its land policies that alienated farmers by seizing property from 'rich' and 'middle' peasants. The decisive factor was the Soviet Union's intervention, providing weapons, training, and strategic guidance, particularly after 1945 when the Red Army handed over Manchuria to Mao's forces.

'By 1936...they represent 40,000 people in a country which has grown to about half a billion.' (31:42) 'The true reason is that they had very little popular appeal.' (33:52) 'No Stalin, no Mao.' (48:33)

Dikötter details the CCP's 'incredible barbarity' and 'unrestricted warfare' tactics, which involved fighting 'without any consideration for moral principles or attrition rates.' These tactics included using villagers as human shields, deploying barrier troops to prevent desertion, and deliberately starving entire cities into surrender. The siege of Changchun, where 160,000 ordinary people died of hunger and disease, is cited as a stark example of this brutality, which made it 'very difficult to fight that kind of those kind of tactics.'

'The extent to which the communists use tactics uh which are absolutely devastating...unrestricted warfare means that you fight without any consideration for moral principles or attrition rates.' (45:48) 'The siege of Changuin...is encircled, blockaded by the communists for eight months. Limba, the man in charge, uh establishes a perimeter around that city. uh 160,000 ordinary people die of hunger and disease during that siege.' (46:45)