Chapter 1: What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
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Chapter 2: Why did Trump insult NATO troops?
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Welcome to The Rest Is Politics with me, Alistair Campbell.
And welcome to The Rest Is Politics US with me, Anthony Scaramucci.
And the reason that we're doing this joint collaboration live on a Friday is we've both been in Davos. I, for one, was up for a very nice, quiet day, catching up with everything back home, added to which both of us have been putting out a lot of content this week.
But I'm afraid I, for one, cannot stay silent on something Donald Trump said on his beloved Fox News last night as he continues to denigrate NATO and their allies. Let me just read you what he said. Talking about Afghanistan and NATO and the Alliance. Will they, troops, be there if we ever need them? We've never needed them. We've never really asked anything of them.
They'll say they sent some troops to Afghanistan or this or that. And they did. They stayed a little back, a little off the front lines. But we've been very good to Europe and many other countries. Now, this from a man who famously avoided the draft via his so-called bone spurs. So a few facts just before we let rip.
One, the only time Article 5, which means an attack on one is an attack on all, has ever been invoked was by the states in the wake of 9-11 and the Afghanistan war that followed. The one he now says we held back from the front line. Two lost soldiers in that war. In our case, 457. Only America suffered a greater numerical loss.
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Chapter 3: What was the reaction of NATO leaders to Trump's comments?
Second thing I would say is that this son of a bitch is going to fall. And it may be three years, but I really doubt it at this point. Because if you look at what's going on, the mania has gotten exponentially worse, Alistair. And by the way, you know and I know there is something in the Epstein files. If there wasn't something in the files... Why are 98% of the files not released yet?
And why are we always... He's got a PhD in sideshows. He's got a PhD in distractions. So you're talking about, I'm talking about the denigration of our alliance and veterans that have died on behalf of America and the alliance. We're not talking about Epstein. I was on TV this morning with Ro Khanna, and Ro Khanna's like, hey, 98% of this hasn't been released.
We're going to impeach Pam Bondi because it's her responsibility to release this. And Trump is telling Pam Bondi, NFW, you can't release this. And let me encourage people for a second, because there were hard right people in Davos this week. And they were walking on the streets on that promenade. Some of them bumped into me and said, hey, Mooch, how you doing? I'm fine. You know what?
I'm against Trump right now. You're against Trump? I thought you were Mr. Alt-Right. He said, hey, he has broken every single promise to us. What were the promises, Alistair? No more forever wars. Let's take the Venezuelan dictator. Let's bomb Iran. Release the Epstein files. End all of this nonsense. He hasn't done any of those things.
He is fracturing his alliance is what I'm saying to you, sir. And I believe this is going to end badly for him.
Well, I certainly hope that's true. But I want to stick with this subject of NATO and the alliance because I completely understand that what I'm saying now is probably very different to what I'd have been saying if I was in my old job inside Downing Street.
However, I just think there are some occasions, and I think this is one of them, when a British prime minister or a French president or a German chancellor who just say, bite your tongue, let it ride. I just think there are some issues that get right to the core of a national identity. And I think British people... will be absolutely sickened by this.
Now, most of our right-wing media won't go to town on it because they don't want to upset the right wing. Nigel Farage, that great fake patriot, who never misses a chance to stand alongside British troops and say how patriotic he is, I haven't noticed that he said a word yet.
So, but I just think this is one of those issues where Keir Starmer should say publicly, he should privately call for an apology. And if he doesn't get it, he should publicly just say what he said goes beyond the power.
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Chapter 4: How has Trump's behavior affected the perception of NATO?
So there's a general absurdity that's going on. You've got guys like Coons and Newsom going around Europe saying, this is not us. Scott Galloway, one of my buds, said yesterday, which I totally agree with, you fools, you trusted us. We put you in a sacred position where you trusted us, and now we've disavowed your trust. Do you think I want that?
I mean, that's the most heartbreaking thing that anybody could say to somebody like me. I'm a European by descent. I'm an American by birth, and I love- You're a Brit by fame? We've made you famous and popular? I'm definitely a Brit by fame. You caused that, by the way. And hopefully I've improved dentistry UK-wide. That's what my real hope is.
Somehow dentistry has been approved as a result of my arrival on the island.
You mentioned Mark Carney there, who I thought was just... I was having an exchange with him this morning because I just sent him a message for the end of the week. And I said, I just thought your contribution was extraordinary. And I said, I see the orange man boy has responded in a typically petulant, narcissistic way.
And I said, but I cannot tell you, I've got to hear, including in the queue for the Lido this morning, just how many people you've impressed and inspired. And he said... He says, the image of the Lido Q consensus on a cold winter's January morning is wonderfully reinforcing.
Carney came to our wine party. I know. He sat with me in the back room, and he reads Trump better than anybody. By the way, because we're on a live stream right now, Renee Christensen, 3297. These are real teeth, Rene Christensen, okay? There's no Yankee fake teeth in this mouth, okay? I just want to make sure everybody knows that, okay?
Yeah, but they're expensive. They're very expensive.
They're expensive. They're expensive. We do a lot of teeth whiting in this country. They're expensive choppers, but they're real. I know you do. But Carney's got it right, and I would tell every European leader, call for executive coaching, get on the phone, do a 30, 40-minute call with Carney, because the tougher you are on Trump, the more responsive he is to you.
The weaker you are on Trump, the more he will roll you. He laughs at Lutnick. He laughs at these sycophants. Trust me. Alistair doesn't reflect well on me. I work for this son of a bitch. I know you did. No follow. He would come up the airplane. He would look at a guy like me who's a fellow New Yorker, and he would go, can you believe this guy? Can you believe the way this guy's ass kissing me?
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Chapter 5: What does Trump's rhetoric reveal about his leadership style?
You're listening to the Mooch because he knows Donald Trump better than I do. And also because he's an honorary Brit and the people of Britain love him. I appreciate that.
Much more than they love Donald Trump. I need love at this point in my career. Trust me.
All right. I want to thank everybody for tuning in. I want you to spread the word that we're doing these lives from time to time. But, you know, Mooch and I can have a laugh. But honestly, this is one of those days where I felt sick in the stomach all day. Who this guy is, how he operates, what he says is disgusting. And I, for one, will not allow it to become normalized. See you soon. Amen.
Thank you.