
About this episode
David Rothkopf and Daily Beast executive editor Hugh Dougherty break down Donald Trump’s lackluster China trip, the explosive fallout from his Iran crisis, and the growing signs that the president is struggling to maintain control on the world stage. From tense meetings with Xi Jinping to Trump’s angry outbursts aboard Air Force One, the conversation tracks a presidency that increasingly looks weakened, isolated, and consumed by chaos. Rothkopf details how China dictated the terms of the summit, why Trump came home empty-handed on Taiwan, trade, and Iran, and how the president appeared both physically and metaphorically diminished beside Xi as America’s stature seemed to shrink alongside him. The episode also digs into Trump’s public meltdowns, mounting questions about his mental decline, and why even some longtime observers now believe the Trump era is entering its final unraveling.
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