'Don't believe your lyin' eyes' in Davos or Minneapolis: Episode 38

Last week at the World Economic Forum (#WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, prominent world leaders including #Trump, #Carney, Macron, and Zelensky spoke about the current state of European/#NATO and American relations, shedding some light on where we stand globally — even as they sowed new confusion.Macron even did it wearing reflective aviator sunglasses, which surely cannot be a metaphor for the lack of transparency and back channeling at these elite conferences. Luckily, we are here to break down what they did say publicly, and to point out the contradictions between their public remarks and their behind-the-scenes strategies (including some leaked text messages). Trump repeatedly mixed up Iceland and Greenland in his speech (it happens to the best of us — except most of us don't have a press secretary who will deny it ever happened!). Fortunately, Trump said he is not planning imminent military action against Greenland — though he could always change his mind.Finally, as protests continued against ICE and immigration enforcement in Minneapolis, a few notable incidents occurred, angering both sides — mostly along partisan lines. We discuss a handful of such incidents, including a protest inside a Minneapolis church during service, which led to three arrests, plus competing narratives around a 5-year-old boy detained by immigration officials. This episode was recorded on Jan. 24, 2026, amid breaking news of the shooting and killing of Alex Pretti, 37, by federal agents in Minneapolis. More commentary to follow next week, on this tragic and evolving story. All opinions are our own and do not reflect those of any institution or affiliation