
The Glenn Show TGS Live: Elon Musk's Identity Politics + Robert Wright and John Mearsheimer on the Future of the International Order
37 snips
Feb 2, 2026 John Mearsheimer, a University of Chicago realist on great-power politics, and Robert Wright, author and commentator on religion, tech, and world affairs, discuss the unraveling rules-based international order. They debate US hypocrisy, Trump’s unilateralism, Gaza and international law, NATO’s future, Greenland and Venezuela, and how identity politics shapes global and domestic tensions.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Rules‑Based Order Was A Hegemonic Facade
- The so‑called rules‑based international order often masked American hegemony and hypocrisy.
- Robert Wright and others say candid acknowledgment of that hypocrisy matters but doesn't justify unilateral law‑breaking.
Great Powers Make The Rules
- Great powers write and enforce international law to serve their interests.
- John Mearsheimer frames institutions and law as tools powerful states use rather than neutral constraints.
Plan For The Term, Not The Template
- Treat Trump as an anomaly, not the new normal, but plan for his remaining term.
- Mearsheimer advises vigilance because three years of his behavior can still do lasting damage.










