Psaki: Donald Trump is addicted to power; planning, not so much
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What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
The U.S. military deployed on the streets of America. Whole communities targeted for removal. And when accountability finally came knocking, the Burn Order to cover it all up.
So Donald Trump, we know this, he doesn't drink, he doesn't smoke, he doesn't take any recreational drugs that we know of, but Donald Trump has a different kind of addiction, I guess we could call it. He's addicted to feeling like he is powerful, even if he's not really powerful, often he's not. He lives, lives for the dopamine rush that comes with big public displays that make him feel strong and important. Actions that feed his fragile ego and quell all of his insecurities, and there are many. I mean, he kind of suggested as much last month, saying out loud, when he publicly admitted to having a possessive and addictive type personality. Just the kind of person you want in the White House, right?
Now, Trump craves the high that comes from the public displays of power so much that he doesn't concern himself with the consequences of his actions. Because by the time the dust finally settles, he's already chasing his next dopamine hit. And Donald Trump's decision to invade a foreign country and arrest its president is kind of a perfect example of this. I mean, he relished the images of the dramatic overnight raid to capture Nicolas Maduro, who I would note is not a good guy. He's a very bad guy and a very corrupt guy, but still.
What addiction does Donald Trump have according to Jen Psaki?
Trump loved the scene of Maduro being perp walked off a plane in his tracksuit into an American prison. He even told his favorite Fox Morning program, quote, I watched it like I was watching a television show. The speed, the violence, it was an amazing thing. That's the president of the United States, everybody, saying that. See, for him, this is all about the spectacle, about the images of toughness and conquest. It's why he's obsessed with the idea that the U.S. is now going to take their oil. It's a fantasy he's been fixated on for almost 40 years, seizing oil wherever the U.S. can flex its military might.
We got to go in and take over their oil. I have no doubt about it. Other people would say, oh, Donald, that might start a war.
How does Trump's craving for power affect his actions?
We're going to have a war through weakness. You go and you take over the oil. Let them have the rest of their country. We just want the oil. Why aren't we getting it? Why don't we get some of it? Why don't we just take over the oil? We should take it over. You have to go in and take the oil.
Knock the hell out of them. Take the oil. We thereby take their wealth. We take all their wealth.
If we're going to get out, take the oil. The great oil companies, they'll rebuild that sucker brand new. It'll be beautiful. And I'd ring it, and I'd take the oil.
Okay, so Trump has clearly fantasized about doing this for a very, very long time. That goes back many, many years. Well, tonight in a post-untruth social, Trump announced that Venezuela would be turning over between 30 to 50 million barrels of, quote, high-quality sanctioned oil to the United States of America. And that money from that oil will be, in his words, controlled by him. Now, there's so many questions here. For context, though, 30 to 50 million barrels of oil is roughly equivalent to the amount of oil the U.S. produces every three to four days. So this is not exactly a huge windfall to start with. But setting that aside, how is this supposed to work? What legal basis does the U.S. have to seize any country's oil?
What does he mean when he says it will be controlled by him? And what does Venezuela get in return, which I expect a lot of national security reporters are looking into right now? None of this feels particularly well thought out. Lots of questions. Trump doesn't care, though, because just like with everything else he does, once the high of the announcement wears off, there is no plan for what comes next. Which is why three days after their attack on Venezuela, the Trump administration still hasn't given us any clear indication of what their long-term plan is for the country they're apparently pillaging for oil.
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Chapters
7 chapters
1
What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
0:00–1:31
2
What addiction does Donald Trump have according to Jen Psaki?
1:31–2:18
3
How does Trump's craving for power affect his actions?
2:18–5:26
4
What international actions of Trump are discussed in relation to Venezuela?
5:26–14:13
5
What are the implications of Trump's plans for Venezuelan oil?
14:13–15:32
6
What questions arise about the U.S. legal basis for seizing Venezuela's oil?
15:32–39:06
7
How does Nancy Pelosi describe the aftermath of January 6th?
39:06–43:06
Speakers
5 identifiedMore from The Briefing with Jen Psaki
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