This is How Trump Just Got Triply Humiliated | The Daily Beast Podcast

Trump may think it's all about him. But it's it's not. His response, however, it's like a little high school kid. feeling isolated. and is coming up with his own truth social burn book like in Maine girls. And and you know, if you like, fires out, you know, I mean, he says some of the most remarkable things. I'm Joanna Coles, this is the Daily Beast podcast. And can you imagine what it must be like to be Donald Trump? Think your new best friend is Vladimir Putin.

You've just hosted him in Alaska. You've hung out, you've given him a special ride in the beast. And now it turns out he was best friends all along with XI Jinping in China. And they're hanging out without you. Who better to talk about this with than David Rothkopf, who worked. in the Clinton administration and was the editor of Foreign Policy magazine? David has been talking to his sources, and he's here to tell us what's actually going on in China. But before we jump in with David Rothkopf, with thrilled.

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growing the Daily Beast community on YouTube now, remember that party that's going on in China without Donald Trump? Let's get into it with David Rothkopf. David Rothkopf could not imagine anybody. I more want to speak to about On Earth is going on with this Shanghai conference. And just to set the stage for a second. and then you can tell me I'm completely wrong about this. It feels like Donald Trump.

invited his new best friend, Vladimir Putin, to Alaska. They hung out. Donald Trump was overheard on a hot mic. later in the week, telling Emmanuel Macron. that he thought that Putin was going to do a deal for him, and it sounded crazy, but he thought it was going to happen. And now it looks like, in fact, Vladimir Putin's back with his old best friend. And they are cool on hot mic again. You gave me this tip,

talking about organ transplants and living to 150 without Donald Trump, who frankly, wouldn't be a good candidate for any kind of organ transplant. at this point. But what the hell is going on? What is going on? David, explain. Well, it's been it's been a bad back to school week for Donald Trump, son. Because. Because, you know, he's gone back and he wants to go to school. He wants to hang out with the cool kids and all the kids he thinks are cool, who are really the the bad kids, but all the kids who thinks are cool.

don't want to have anything to do with him. And he has not only alienated them, but he has elevated them. And, you know, you mentioned XI Jinping, who's the big host of this and is the big winner of Trump. You know, everything Trump does, we can see United States and strength in China. That's just the punch side of all of this. And of course we talk about Putin because Trump is so closely. associated with Putin, because, you know, in some respects, you know, Trump is a is a is a creation of a Vladimir Putin.

But the really interesting one there is is is Narendra modi there? The the the head of India who Trump just months ago he they were best friends. He liked Modi. He was his kind of guy because Modi is kind of a racist himself. He doesn't really like democracy very much. Trump thought this was going to, you know, that was the foundation. for a good relationship. But Modi did this terrible thing to Trump.

He said, you know, Donald, you keep saying you solved the India-Pakistan war. You didn't. And, and and he's pulling the rug out. from Trump's myth of himself as a peacemaker. And this pissed off Trump. And so he imposed all these, trade sanctions, tariffs on India. And India is like, well, we may have hated China for the past. several thousand years, but enough is enough. We are going to go over and we are going to get together.

in a way that we haven't gotten together before. And in fact, it's not just XI and Putin and and Modi. There are dozens of world leaders. in China right now saying. we think the the world's changing. and the we think it's going to be more China centric. Of course, Trump, who has no sense of geopolitics at all. and sees everything in personal terms but sees everything as,

oh my God, oh my God, you know, I have FOMO. They're leaving me out of this. I'm not in the center of this. I said I loved Kim Jong UN, but he doesn't love me back. I said, I love Vladimir Putin, but he doesn't love me back. You know, I, we I did all this stuff and. I am sure this is crushing for Trump now, none of that matters, because what really matters is China.

is on the rise and we are on the decline. By the way, one last thing on this. Can you imagine what it was like for Donald Trump. to look at the military parade that took place in China yesterday. after, you know, you had squeaky tanks going by him in Washington. at the worst military parade in history. and on his on his birthday. And all of a sudden, China puts on a display. like we have not seen in decades in the world of advanced.

technology, armies marching and step perfect uniforms. just it was just it was like muscle flexing. And Donald is sitting there going, you know, how do I get in with the good kids again? I mean, he's and and there's talk about and we're going to live forever. Well the headlines in the United States are is the president even alive anymore? I mean, it's it's really. Well be. It something.

You I mean, you said that it was a bad back to school week and it. this really does feel like high school all over again. for men in their 70s and 80s. And of course, there was the Truth Social post that Donald Trump. put out saying, well, I hope you're all having a really good time. while you conspiring against the United States. And you're like, oh my goodness, how have we got to this point? I mean, there are so many questions I have for you.

Not least you talk about other world leaders, you know, putting their heads up, sniffing the air and realizing that America. may not have their back anymore. And so they at least have to start talking to China. That said, and I am not in any way an expert on world leaders, but when I was. looking through the rows of them, I couldn't identify very many of them. I mean, obviously there was well, and I also want to talk to you about the handshake, the handshake, where, Modi clutched.

the hands of XI and of Putin, and they sort of had a weird, almost sort of fraternity brother handshake. It was it was bizarre. So I want to I want to ask you about the symbolism of that, but who were some of the other world leaders? We know Kim Jong UN was there, but who else were there? Who were those people. That the Iranians were there a lot of the other countries. that support them were there this, by the way, you know, I don't think. you know, everything in Donald Trump's mind is is Trump centric.

Everything in the world is not Trump centric. You know, the the rise of these big emerging powers. has been going on since I was in the Clinton administration in the 90s. In fact, I, I led something called the Big Emerging Markets Initiative. And then a couple of years later, a guy called Dan Sacks came up with this idea. called the BRICs great, which was Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. And the BRICs took this and they said, yeah, let's. let's turn this into something which is now a group of, of I think,

but I don't know, but maybe, maybe 20 countries. And, you know, they're saying. the world is not all about the U.S. it's not all transatlantic anymore. We have power. And of course, India and China alone are 40% of the world's population. And, and, and and you've got to go through us to get things done. And this has been an effort that has appealed to Russia.

It's appealed to India. It's appealed to Iran. It's appealed to the Brazilians who right now. hate the United States because of Donald Trump and. and his, you know, attacks on Brazil and his tariffs in order, support his, you know, a mini. me in Brazil, Jair Bolsonaro. But but at the center of it all, it's about the rise of China, something that's been going on since 1979, something that's actually gone on throughout history for all of history,

until the early part of the 19th century, China was the biggest economy. in the world. India was the second biggest, where the industrial revolution, they caught up. And we're now moving back into an era. where they are going to be in a much greater leadership position. So, you know, Trump may think it's all about him. But it's it's not his response. However, it's like a little high school kid who, you know, is just, you know,

feeling isolated and is coming up with his own truth. social burn book, like in Maine girls and and, you know, he, like, fires out, you know, I mean, if he says some of the most remarkable. things, you know, like, oh, well, China ought to really then, you know, we were the ones who supported them when they faced an unfair, very unfriendly foe, you know, meaning the Japanese, I assume. Well, I assume that referred to the end of the Second World War, right? When he said that. Right. Well, it right I did.

We supported them when the Japanese attacked them and so forth. But, you know, he said. this other thing the other day, which is so Trumpian because, you know, every day he seems to search for, hyperbole that exceeds all hyperbole that has ever existed in history. And yesterday's, which. Is a very Trumpian phrase in itself, actually. You're you're picking up his hat, but I'm. Channeling that. Thing, and.

But but, you know, he said if it weren't for the United States, everybody else in the world would be dead. And I just thought, oh my God. I miss that, I missed that. Did he? Truth social that. I think he said it in some, in some press event, but it was like, really but this is such a, you know, this is a narcissist. It's like I the world is only me. It's only my perceptions of the world. And if I cease to exist, it ceases to exist.

Which is why a declining Donald Trump, the guy you write about what the cankles and the thing on his hand and everything. Why that's so dangerous for the world. Because the more. he thinks he's on his way out, the less he cares about everybody else. And, well, that's a great point. And also, he's so thin skinned. Imagine what he must have felt like. And you sent me the clip, I think, from the Japan Times, which had the hot like of Jinping and Putin.

talking together about the possibility of having an organ transplant, which would mean they could live until they were 150. And I just thought, gosh, if you're Donald Trump and you're hearing, is everyone hanging out and having fun without me? That must have been what it felt like. He's already so alone. He cut such a lonely figure, even when surrounded. by his cabinet that we know hate him and hate each other. And I just thought, gosh, this is this is going to end badly. Well, it's gonna it's going to end badly for sure.

But but you know, she must listen to this stuff. even as he is in these like in the press event he had yesterday. to talk about the nonevent of moving Space Command from Colorado to. Total Nonevent table on event. But he just he's desperate for attention, but even very good. He said four times while I'm still alive, you know. And it's like. As if to prove it since. But what you're still alive.

And so they're going to live to 150. And he's like having to prove he's still alive and he's, he's he's also saying, you know, he's doing this weird stuff. I don't know, you may have a theory about it, but where he's going, I, I'm trying to get into heaven. I want to legacy building. Right. Is that legacy building? Because, you know, I says he. Thinks he's going to die and he doesn't want to go to hell for all eternity. I think he's like, no, no, I, I'm the. I got to start thinking about the next chapter here.

It's sad. It's it's really, really sad. Meanwhile, you know, it's such a great metaphor because the Chinese and the Russians. and all these other people, they're like, we have moderated. They were talking about biotech right there. They were. And Putin, who's a little obsessed with this, has invested like $1 billion into biotech. And he's trying to, you know, stay fit and whatever. And and she is also they're investing a ton into this. But it's also saying we have a future.

And and Donald Trump, who's all about bringing. not just the world to bad Donald Trump, but to his values, which are sort of more in the 18th and 19th century. He's where he wants to go backwards. They want to go forwards. He's dying. They want to live forever. He's got less and less power. They have more and more power. It's the contrast that, you know, as the middle of this thing is huge. It's true. Although we might now think after the hot mic that Putin.

was investing all that money because he just wants to live until 150, because as much as Donald Trump thinks the world about Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin may think that the world is actually about him. and Jinping may think the world is about is about them. I guess that can we talk about the parade for a moment? Because, as you said, it was beautifully choreographed. I couldn't help thinking, well, first of all, I couldn't. help thinking about how Donald Trump had dreamed about Pete Tanks. because his big, beautiful birthday parade turned out to be such a disappointment.

And people sitting with Trump were yawning, sitting with him, were yawning because at this point they really didn't care. And and the army, well, Donald Trump I think doesn't realize is the army, you know, is run by consultants now and they want to be friendly and smiling. They want people to go into the army for a career path, not sort of look intimidating and be goose stepping around. The park and in DC.

But I did think also that all the machinery looked. fantastically new and shiny and all the uniforms did too. And you thought, well, this isn't a country. that's actually been to war for a long, long time. Unlike American, the American Army, which has been dispatching. soldiers right, left and center since the second mobile. I mean, I don't think China has been to war since Korea. Right. Well, yeah. And, you know, China has never been despite, you know, everybody's terror about China. It's never been kind of the big imperial power.

It's never really tried to project its force. It's always really focused on, defending and maintaining control. over the area that it sees as, as China. And so one of the things that's happening in China, which is new under XI. Jinping, is really kind of embracing the idea. of being a world leading power, and trying to shape the global community in a more Chinese direction.

I don't personally think this means they want to conquer the planet, but the contrast was really striking. I mean, I don't know if you remember from the Trump SAS. embarrassment of, parade in June, but, you know, they had a guy from, I don't know, the drone corps or something in his baggy fatigues walking down, the street in Washington, holding a little drone over. his head, like like, you know, it was the picture was like. It's like flying a little monoplane and and then, you know,

the Chinese yesterday had these giant advanced drones and massive, seagoing drones that to destroy Alicia's. 60ft long ones. Right. They go under the water. Yeah. And, you know, they have a lot of tech now. There's going to be a whole bunch. of people in Washington are like, well, the Chinese don't really have this. And they don't really that. They are way ahead of wherever they were. They're in the middle of the single biggest ramping up.

of nuclear power that we've seen since. Since the U.S. and and Russia were in the arms race in the 50s and 60s, that they're planning to try to get to a thousand nuclear warheads. They're still way, way behind the U.S. and Russia and that. But, they've they've built now, I think, two ocean, to, aircraft carriers. They didn't have that before. They're building a blue water navy. They didn't have that before. And she's message was, you can't bully us.

You can't intimidate us. And I think that message came through loud and clear. Meanwhile, you know, the United States is run. by, you know, this desiccated old felon, sex trafficker, a racist, and he's got his military being run. by a drunken frat boy idiot who can't even organize a parade. It's it's set. It is a bit sad, isn't it? I mean, it's hard not to laugh at it, and it's hard not to laugh at it in.

terms of just the personalities involved and the way that Trump appears. to be regularly maneuver or regularly outmaneuvered, I should say, by this axis, axis of of upheaval. Last time we were talking, you poured scorn. on something that Donald Trump had said, which is that shaking paying. I had said to to him that he wouldn't invade Taiwan. while Donald Trump was president.

Did you think that there was any. was there any flexing directly over Taiwan? Yesterday, did you think? Well, I mean, look, the the one conflict that most people assume. that China is preparing for is one that has to do with Taiwan, although I still think it's kind of 5050 about, you know, how Taiwan. returns to China and not if, by the way, I think it'll happen eventually. But, I, you know, I, you know, XI Jinping,

clearly is trying to send the message that that issue. will be resolved by China on Chinese terms, on China schedule. I frankly think Trump's okay with that. I don't think Trump really gives a shit about Taiwan. And I don't think he. gives a shit about any place except for Trump in the white House. Maybe his ballroom, maybe. Maybe his paved over rose garden where he seems to be very concerned.

this past weekend that a contractor scraped. the limestone in his rose garden. This is what he's devoting himself to. And and, you know, the contrast. between XI Jinping standing there. saying, look at what we have built here in China, and Trump. and true social going. And then this contractor scraped the rose garden pavement, and we have to have the whole thing repaved.

But I'm on it, folks. I assumed that he'd he'd noticed a nick. in the limestone and that this was simply a way. of getting out of paying the contractor, which felt like typical Trump behavior. It's a to look, Trump is a cheese. ball developer from Queens, New York. That is all he is. That is all he will ever be. And when he looks at things, he looks at it and says, you know, how can I put my stamp on that?

And ideally in big gold letters and, he has terrible taste. Yeah. I mean, you know, he took the elegant rose garden. He paved it over. He wants to put the ballroom of the Borgata. on the white House, which it certainly does not need. But he does what he does with everything. I mean, you know, there was a memo last week that came out. from the State Department that said they are talking about. how do you get all the Gazans to leave Gaza,

so that they can. proceed with this plan to turn it into a resort, you know, which Trump has called the, Gaza, Riviera. And it's like, I mean, you can't make it up. It is the worst dark comedy in the world. Here is a site of a holocaust of, genocide, where the world's. genocide scholars just floated last week and said, yeah, this is a genocide. And Trump's like, yeah, you know what?

That would be good. Let's, let's, let's put casinos. Let's let's have a buffet. You have famine. And he's like, I can only imagine the buffet line at the Trump casino. Guys, it's almost too bad. Taste to laugh about it. And meanwhile, this behavior gives China an open door. to change the new world, to change the world order. Well, look, China's built China is a deeply flawed country, and XI Jinping is a,

authoritarian leader of the worst sort. And there's all sorts of oppression going on there. But I don't think we should take a view of it that is black and white. The reality is China is leading the way in lots of kinds of technology, from environmental technology to a high technology to some. AI technologies to some biotechnologies. The economy is vibrant. It is growing. You know, most Americans would go to a Chinese city right now.

and they would go, oh my God, this is the future. They, you know, this is there's holograms, there's apps. People don't use money things. It's it's I'm not saying it's Paradise. Deeply flawed people are in prison camps. This is a terrible place in some respects. But this country is growing and it's about tomorrow. And the United States has lost the plot where we're trying to turn back. time, we're trying to get rid of voting rights, and we're trying to get rid of immigrants who drove it.

And we're trying to push away the smartest people in the world. And say, don't come study at our schools. And we're shutting down scientific research, and we've got. people in charge of our health agencies who don't actually believe. in the medical science of the 18th century. And we get people in charge of our, you know, environmental agencies. who don't actually believe in the science that every scientists in the world. believes. And so we're going backwards fast, and they're moving forward,

and the world is looking at it going, you know, which which, you know, do I want to be associated with going forward? David, I did notice, and I guess this is because she was hosting the conference. that she wasn't in Western, suit and tie, as you normally was. We've sort of gotten used to seeing him. He was actually wearing a more sort of Chinese jacket with a round collar. Well, it evokes Mao.

And I think for the Chinese people who are watching, that was intentional. She has been in this sort of, years. long process of elevating himself above. all Chinese leaders except Mao, to be sort of seen as a special level, a leader for life. And I think this evokes that. But of course, this was a big national, a spectacle, and dressing in a more Chinese way, a way. more associated, with the China over the recent decades,

I think sends a message that he is not catering. He's not tailoring himself to Western images. Literally, he is, embodying, Chinese identity as it exists right now. So, you know, I, I think it's stagecraft. And when you see them all talking together, like Modi and Kim. Jong un and Vladimir Putin and Jinping, what language are they speaking?

Do they have one common language? And, no they don't. They're mostly they they speak through translators. And I mean, if you look at the images, there's always a guy leaning in with Putin, you know, or or or or leaning in with, Besi Jinping and and and and the others, they maybe speak some bits and pieces, fragments of, of of their own,

Chinese or Russian as many of them have been, schooled in that. But but almost all of this is through translators and that also helps. them, sort of control, what's being said and keeping it on script. So, David Rothkopf, you've just laid out the Democrats case for them. Where are they? Where are they? Who should we be paying attention to? Good question. I you know, it's certainly not a Kim Jefferies who over the weekend said,

well, we have to, you know, you want to improve housing. Let's work together on that, Donald, as if Donald Trump will ever work together. with the name Jeffords. Well, he's also working on housing in Gaza. Right. He wants to put in a luxury Lando's. He wants to put he's got Donald Trump Jr and Eric going around the world. with a tin cup saying, do you want a little good action with the U.S.? Put your Bitcoin right here, buddy. And The New York Times yesterday said, what did they make, $5.1 billion.

Yeah. Yeah. In eight months. The greatest shakedown corrupt. act in the history of probably of all corrupt acts so far. Although Putin may have something going on the side that's bigger than that. But you know, this is a, administration that is. all about solving the, the, the, the monetary ambitions of the, of the president and not anything about, about the country.

We're about to have, RFK Jr. effectively ban certain vaccines in this country. So I'm, I'm bringing you back to where are the Democrats? Because this should be easy pickings for them. No, no, you should you should bring me back a bit. But, you know, I think JB Pritzker over the weekend was saying. we're not going to play. And he's been pretty good about it. And Gavin Newsom, who I personally for me is like,

you know, too slick by half on everything. And, you know, with the whole Kimberly Guilfoyle past, I don't really. trust his motives or the podcasting, but he's been pretty solid on. Yeah, trust his motives. Do you think he wants Kimberly back? No, I think. I think his true love has always been Gavin Newsom. And I think, you know, he just wants to advance Gavin Newsom. But it's so short. His social media play is cutting through, isn't it? It is, it is. It's it's making a point. Just like mom,

Donnie is making a point in New York or just, like, you know, young voices. Jasmine Crockett cuts through all of this, and you actually hear. what she has to say. And, you know, there's some encouraging signs. I thought it was an encouraging sign that Jerry Nadler, congressman. from New York City, who is the same age as Trump, said, no, I'm too old. I shouldn't run anymore. And I think he's the 30 terms. Yeah, well, yeah. You know, it's been around for a long time. But here's the thing. He,

he he, is a kind of a man shy guy. And he is saying, no, we need generational change. And and the more people who get that message, the better. There have been a bunch of special elections in Florida recently. In the Midwest. Democrat are winning the special elections. There are two gubernatorial elections this year, in Virginia and in new Jersey. The Democrats are going to win those elections. So there are little signs of life.

But I'll tell you, it's not coming from the baby. boom vintage leaders of the Democratic Party. It's coming from green shoots out there. across the country, new voices, which is that to say, some of the, you know, it's a couple people, Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren are still. scoring points better than their colleagues in the Senate. But but the real hope here. is that in the run up to the 2026 election,

you're going to see a lot of new voices who are addressing new issues. And new way is, and and that's why I don't put much stock in this. Well, the Democratic brand is dead. Nobody votes for a brand. They vote for people. And I think over the course the next couple of years, people are going to stand up to Trump. They're got a message better than Trump. And people are going to say, yeah, I'll take some more of that. David. That's a very positive note on which to end. I wasn't expecting that we were going to get.

to a positive note from you, but that is positive. And obviously we'll be talking to again and we'll watch. the fallout of this Shanghai conference. And and watch Truth Social. as Donald realizes everybody's hanging out and having much more fun without him. It's. Yes. Well, I look forward to I look forward to following up. on all of that and continuing our conversation. David, thank you. Thank you.

So there you have it. Donald Trump thinks only about himself and about his impacts. And as David Rothkopf says and has said before, Donald Trump really thinks that. foreign relations, international relations is really about his relationships. with other world leaders and that that's the only thing that matters. Well, let's see if he's right. At least Europe is paying a little bit more for its own security.

But what you saw in China this week. was the development of a new world order. So keep watching for more of David Rothkopf insightful. analysis and commentary. And if you have been, thank you for joining us. Share this episode with your friends, with your enemies, with people you want to get back in touch with and need an excuse to. And don't forget to subscribe to The Daily Beast. You can leave a comment for us on YouTube and please subscribe to our podcast. wherever you get your podcast Apple, Spotify, wherever.

And don't forget, as our First lady, wherever she may be. would have us be beast. And thank you to our production. team Devin, Roger Reno, Anna Von Ersan, and our editor, Jesse Millwood.