Molly Ball
👤 SpeakerAppearances Over Time
Podcast Appearances
The argument that I've been hearing is that it is de facto permanent because no matter what happens next, people's sort of faith in the U.S. has been shattered. That having now elected Trump twice, it doesn't matter if the next American presidents are staunch internationalists because they just can't trust us not to do something like elect a Trump who has... Opposite views, right?
The argument that I've been hearing is that it is de facto permanent because no matter what happens next, people's sort of faith in the U.S. has been shattered. That having now elected Trump twice, it doesn't matter if the next American presidents are staunch internationalists because they just can't trust us not to do something like elect a Trump who has... Opposite views, right?
Like, as you were alluding to, there was this idea that sort of politics stops at the water's edge. But we now see sort of definitively that there's a new Republican Party that doesn't believe that and that is poised to be the either ruling or opposition party in the U.S. for the next generation.
Like, as you were alluding to, there was this idea that sort of politics stops at the water's edge. But we now see sort of definitively that there's a new Republican Party that doesn't believe that and that is poised to be the either ruling or opposition party in the U.S. for the next generation.
Like, as you were alluding to, there was this idea that sort of politics stops at the water's edge. But we now see sort of definitively that there's a new Republican Party that doesn't believe that and that is poised to be the either ruling or opposition party in the U.S. for the next generation.
Thanks for the question, William. It's a really interesting one. I will say, I don't know if I've ever heard Trump utter the words spheres of influence, right? But I do think there's an interesting point to be made here about sort of the tension between isolationism and nationalism, right? Because you have Trump saying that America first means America looks out for its own interest.
Thanks for the question, William. It's a really interesting one. I will say, I don't know if I've ever heard Trump utter the words spheres of influence, right? But I do think there's an interesting point to be made here about sort of the tension between isolationism and nationalism, right? Because you have Trump saying that America first means America looks out for its own interest.
Thanks for the question, William. It's a really interesting one. I will say, I don't know if I've ever heard Trump utter the words spheres of influence, right? But I do think there's an interesting point to be made here about sort of the tension between isolationism and nationalism, right? Because you have Trump saying that America first means America looks out for its own interest.
Other countries are free to do the same. But inevitably, it comes into tension, right, when America has interest in these other places, but they are pursuing single-mindedly their own self-interest. So if you retreat from the world and say, no, no, we're only about America first now, you don't get to say what Russia does in Europe. You've sort of forfeited your part of that argument.
Other countries are free to do the same. But inevitably, it comes into tension, right, when America has interest in these other places, but they are pursuing single-mindedly their own self-interest. So if you retreat from the world and say, no, no, we're only about America first now, you don't get to say what Russia does in Europe. You've sort of forfeited your part of that argument.
Other countries are free to do the same. But inevitably, it comes into tension, right, when America has interest in these other places, but they are pursuing single-mindedly their own self-interest. So if you retreat from the world and say, no, no, we're only about America first now, you don't get to say what Russia does in Europe. You've sort of forfeited your part of that argument.
I think the answer is yes to both. And it's nothing new. And I think there's also a third option to which the answer is also yes. And that option is, or is this about the expansion of executive power in a way that many, particularly Republicans, have sought for many years? And the answer to that is also yes.
I think the answer is yes to both. And it's nothing new. And I think there's also a third option to which the answer is also yes. And that option is, or is this about the expansion of executive power in a way that many, particularly Republicans, have sought for many years? And the answer to that is also yes.
I think the answer is yes to both. And it's nothing new. And I think there's also a third option to which the answer is also yes. And that option is, or is this about the expansion of executive power in a way that many, particularly Republicans, have sought for many years? And the answer to that is also yes.