ABOUT THIS EPISODE
Professor Scott Lucas examines what Xi Jinping’s visit to the U.S. suggests about the shifting balance of power and Trump's conflicting, multifaceted presidency.
Scott sees China as pursuing long-term economic influence while signalling that rivalry need not lead to conflict, despite President Xi Jinping's repeated references to the "Thucydides Trap" in his speeches directed at Trump. That contrasted with Trump's focus on strongman appearances and political spectacles.
We also discussed Trump's rhetoric about inviting Iran to bomb Los Angeles and San Diego, killing millions of fellow Americans, and the crowd's shocking celebratory reaction. What unsettled me was how easily talk of violence against Americans could become rally entertainment.
We also considered how Brexit weakened cooperation between the UK and Europe, and how difficult rebuilding those ties can be, even though they are critical for the future of both the UK and the EU.
Join the conversation and tell us whether democratic systems can withstand this damage and whether competence and resilience can matter more than slogans in the post-MAGA world.
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Episode Notes & Citations:
https://theretort.com/podcasts/ceoretort/2026/10/12/scott-lucas-trumps-incompetence-is-bad-for-america-but-great-for-china-the-eu-and-the-rest-of-the-world/
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