Ian Bremmer

In fact, they've dug hundreds of thousands of them over the last four years of the war in Ukraine.

They are weaker as a consequence.

Their economy is weaker.

Their security environment is weaker.

Their diplomacy is weaker.

They're basically becoming, you know, a second-rate state that has to follow the lead of China.

And that's not where Putin wants to be, clearly.

Where China is actually, in so many ways, taking advantage of the United States being seen as unreliable, in part that is directly related

uh reaching out to countries to improve their bilateral relations and in part it's stepping up china's role in these old institutions that the americans don't value much anymore so you will have noticed the americans pulled out of the world health organization they convinced argentina to join them nobody else did china immediately stepped up how much money they were giving to the who to 500 million dollars why would they do that

Because if America's out, they get to be number one in influence.

When Trump announced the Board of Peace, not just in terms of Gaza coordination, but as potentially a replacement to many of the operating principles that the United Nations has, the Chinese immediately said, we don't want to join that.

Well, if Trump is followed by a much more predictable and reliable leader in the eyes of allies, then I think you will be able to normalize those relations from a very different base.

In other words, permanent damage will have been done.

Diversification efforts will be in place.

The Americans won't be leading the world the way they used to, but you won't see the continued trajectory towards chaos.

If, on the other hand, Trump is replaced by a leader that is seen as not only more unilateralist, but also just as unpredictable and just as willing to use American power against allies and adversaries alike, then, of course, that trajectory will continue to deteriorate.

Well, they can't do worse than the Patriots did this Sunday, one of the worst games I've ever seen.

But, you know, you've got to be hopeful for my Red Sox.

I've got to be one of the only Red Sox out there that's also capable of rooting for the Yankees when I see them in New York.

It's a weird position to be in.