The Bunker – News without the nonsense Trump’s blackmail: A fool’s ransoms – Start Your Week with Rafael Behr and Jacob Jarvis
Jan 19, 2026
Rafael Behr, a Guardian columnist and political commentator, joins Jacob Jarvis to dissect Trump’s recent international maneuvers. They delve into the seriousness of Trump's tariff threats and explore Europe's response options, weighing appeasement against retaliation. The discussion highlights making Trump uncomfortable through economic strategies and critiques his tyrannical tendencies. They also address the hollow nature of Trump's Greenland ambitions and the implications for UK politics, including Keir Starmer's strategic choices.
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Escalate Calmly Like China
- China handled trade pressure by calmly using economic levers rather than rhetorical escalation.
- Europe could emulate measured escalation to deter repeated US coercion even if it costs them short-term.
Leverage His Aversion To Discomfort
- Making Trump uncomfortable may curb his impulses because he avoids prolonged painless defeat.
- Targeted tariffs that hurt his political supporters can create domestic pressure to reverse course.
Weakening Power Can Mean More Risk
- As Trump’s domestic authority weakens, his foreign interventions may increase because they are areas of swift executive control.
- That creates risk of more erratic or aggressive external actions as his stay in power looks brittle.