Anne Applebaum: Globalized MAGA Kleptocracy

About this episode

In Greenland, the Trump administration has got tech bros and hedge fund guys running an influence operation there. The aim may be to fulfill Trump's territorial ambitions—or to create a sovereign state run by CEOs. In Venezuela, the administration is imperialistically seizing its gold, oil and other assets with no oversight. And in Brazil, the White House is trying to bring the Bolsonaro family back to power—which may or may not have something to do with Elon being angry about the country's tech regulation laws. In Trump 2.0, informal envoys, private companies, and hardened ideologues are turning American diplomacy upside down. Plus: Putin has played Kushner like a fiddle, don't let the story of Don Jr.'s Russian gangster-funded wedding die, new additions to the Applebaum book club, and we're going to have to bulldoze the ballroom. Anne Applebaum joins Tim Miller for the weekend pod. show notes: • Anne’s Atlantic cover story, “Empire of Grift” • “Whistler: A Novel,” Anne's latest book recommendation • Tim’s book recommendation, “The Disappearers: A Novel” • The Bulwark’s campaign to help the Haitian community of Springfield • The Bulwark store • Tim’s playlist • Closin