Rory Stewart

It is also fascinating because I think we're also learning that, of course, we're very dependent on the US, but the US is actually quite dependent on us.

It's no accident that he went ballistic when the Spanish Prime Minister didn't let him use his airbases, or that he put so much pressure on Starmer to let him use British airbases.

The idea that the US can just do what it wants around the world isn't quite true.

It does depend on allies, and that gives the allies more leverage than they realize.

We've got to do two things.

We've got to be able to not be dragged into whatever mad adventures Trump or his successors want to pursue if they're not in our interests.

And secondly, we've got to slowly be able to become more independent of the US, stand and run two feet, tech, AI, defense, et cetera.

And we need a narrative.

We need some way of respectfully saying to the US,

We're distancing ourselves.

We're not going to be your lackeys anymore.

You don't get to help yourself to Greenland.

And we're going to start separating ourselves from US AI tech defense.

What's the best communication strategy for that?

What's the best way of articulating that?

And we've got to do it together because if we don't do it together and we don't have a joint

statement from Europe, UK, and Canada, what he'll do is he'll divide and rule.

What we'll find is when it suits him, he'll offer a nice trade deal to Keir Starmer and make Starmer feel he's got a special relationship.

And when it suits him, he'll sit down with Metz, the German chancellor in the White House, and Metz will say supportive things.

And goodness knows, he may even be able to get Mark Carney to say supportive things.