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Lesser-Known, Under-the-Surface Truths About the Davos 2026 Speeches

Four speeches at Davos 2026, by Larry Fink (BlackRock CEO and WEF interim co-chair), Ursula von der Leyen (European Commission President), Mark Carney (Canadian Prime Minister), and Donald Trump (U.S. President), were publicly framed as forward-looking calls for adaptation in a fractured world.

Mainstream coverage emphasised themes such as dialogue, autonomy, and economic revival, aligning with the WEF’s “Spirit of Dialogue” theme. However, beneath the surface lie truths that challenge the dominant narratives of global cooperation, democratic progress, and equitable capitalism.

These are rarely shared publicly because they expose elite hypocrisy, geopolitical manipulation, and systemic flaws that could erode public trust in institutions such as the WEF, the EU, and national governments.

They remain hidden due to media self-censorship (often tied to corporate sponsors like BlackRock), political expediency (e.g., avoiding backlash from powerful allies), and narrative control (e.g., suppressing views that label leaders as opportunistic rather than visionary).

Below, I outline one or two key under-the-surface truths per speech, substantiated with historical context, real-world examples, and explanations for their obscurity.

1. Larry Fink’s Speech: BlackRock’s “Evolution of Capitalism” Is a Veiled Defence of Cronyism, Not Reform. Fink’s address critiqued globalisation’s wealth concentration and AI’s risks, positioning the WEF as needing to “regain trust” through inclusivity. The under-the-surface truth is that this is a strategic rebranding to protect BlackRock’s role as a de facto global economic controller, profiting from the very inequalities it decries, and to challenge the mainstream view of Fink as a progressive capitalist.

  • Historical Context: This echoes the “robber barons” of the late 19th-century U.S., like John D. Rockefeller, who amassed fortunes through monopolistic practices (e.g., Standard Oil’s control of 90% of U.S. refining) while publicly advocating “scientific philanthropy” to deflect antitrust scrutiny. Similarly, BlackRock manages over $10 trillion in assets and influences corporate governance through proxy voting on issues such as ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance), which critics argue enforces ideological conformity rather than genuine reform.
  • Real-World Examples: BlackRock has been accused of exacerbating housing crises by buying up single-family homes post-2008, turning them into rentals and driving up prices—directly contradicting Fink’s call for “broad participation in gains.” In 2023, it faced lawsuits for misleading ESG funds that underperformed while charging premiums. finance.yahoo.com +1 At Davos, Fink hosted anti-globalist figures like Elon Musk, but this “inclusivity” masks BlackRock’s lobbying against regulations that would limit its asset-hoarding power.
  • Why It Remains Hidden: Exposing this would undermine the WEF’s image as a neutral convener and Fink’s as a benevolent leader, given BlackRock’s media investments (e.g., stakes in major outlets) that soften coverage. It challenges the mainstream “stakeholder capitalism” narrative, which portrays asset managers as societal stewards rather than profit-maximisers, risking backlash from investors and regulators.

A secondary truth: Fink’s push to “decentralise” Davos (e.g., events in Detroit) is less about listening and more about evading protests, as the forum has faced growing anti-elite demonstrations since the 2000s. facebook.com +12. Ursula von der Leyen’s Speech: “European Independence” Masks a Push for Supranational Control Over National Sovereignties.

2. Von der Leyen’s emphasis on EU autonomy (e.g., trade deals, Energy Union) and defiance against US tariffs was hailed as bold leadership. The hidden truth is that this “independence” centralises power in Brussels, eroding member states’ sovereignty and challenging the mainstream portrayal of the EU as a democratic union of equals.

  • Historical Context: This parallels the Holy Roman Empire’s (800-1806) facade of decentralised authority, where emperors like Charlemagne imposed unity through supranational edicts, often at the expense of local rulers. Post-WWII, the EU’s origins in the 1957 Treaty of Rome were driven by elites like Jean Monnet, who envisioned a “United States of Europe” to prevent nationalism, but critics argue it evolved into a bureaucratic empire, as seen in the 2005 French/Dutch referendums rejecting the EU Constitution amid fears of lost autonomy. politico.eu +1
  • Real-World Examples: Von der Leyen’s “EU Inc.” proposal for uniform company rules across states echoes the 2020 COVID recovery fund, which tied billions in aid to Brussels’ oversight, leading to accusations of “fiscal federalism” in Hungary and Poland. Her Greenland stance defends Danish sovereignty but ignores EU overreach in Arctic policy, where Brussels has pushed environmental regulations that override national interests (e.g., 2019 fishing bans protested by Greenlanders). weforum.org +2 Ukraine’s €90 billion loan reinforces EU military integration, but hides how it burdens taxpayers in poorer states like Greece.
  • Why It Remains Hidden: Revealing this would fuel Euroscepticism (e.g., Brexit-like movements), as the EU narrative relies on “unity” to justify expansion. Media, often EU-funded, downplays critiques, and von der Leyen’s family ties to German nobility (descended from aristocrats who centralised power) add a layer of elite continuity that’s politically toxic.

3. Mark Carney’s Speech: “Value-Based Realism” Is a Euphemism for Moral Compromise in Pursuit of Elite Interests. Carney’s call for middle powers to reject “living within the lie” and build coalitions was praised as pragmatic. The under-the-surface truth is that it rationalises deals with authoritarian regimes (e.g., China), prioritising economic leverage over human rights, challenging Canada’s mainstream image as a principled global actor.

  • Historical Context: This mirrors 1930s appeasement, where Britain’s Neville Chamberlain compromised with Nazi Germany for “peace in our time,” ignoring atrocities for strategic gains—a policy later discredited but hidden initially to avoid public panic. Carney’s banking background echoes the Bank of England’s pre-WWII gold dealings with Nazis, prioritising stability over ethics.
  • Real-World Examples: Carney’s China/Qatar partnerships overlook Uyghur genocides and labour abuses, as did his 2021 COP26 role, in which he praised China’s “green” efforts despite coal expansion. His “New World Order” slip in a Li Qiang meeting (framed as trade governance) fuels theories of globalist alignment. Canada’s Huawei leniency under Carney echoes this, trading security for economic ties.
  • Why It Remains Hidden: It undermines Canada’s “moral superpower” brand, which is vital to soft power. Carney’s WEF/Brookfield ties (managing $600 billion) suggest conflicts, suppressed by media to avoid labelling him a “globalist wing nut.”

4. Donald Trump’s Speech: Economic “Miracles” Rely on Distorted Facts and Unsustainable Debt, Masking Long-Term Decline. Trump’s boasts of US revival (e.g., 5.4% growth, deficit cuts) were touted as triumphs. The hidden truth is that these rely on cherry-picked data and ballooning debt, perpetuating a cycle of bubbles, challenging the mainstream MAGA narrative of unassailable American exceptionalism.

  • Historical Context: Similar to the Roaring Twenties of the 1920s, when Coolidge’s tax cuts fueled growth but masked speculative excesses, leading to the 1929 Crash. Trump’s tariffs echo the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act of 1930, which worsened the Depression by sparking trade wars.
  • Real-World Examples: Trump’s Greenland claims distorted history (US bases were WWII defensive, not ownership); NATO critiques ignored US benefits from alliances. Economic figures exaggerated: Inflation claims overlooked core vs. headline mismatches, and “eight wars” under Biden were false. Wind farm attacks ignored the role of subsidies in US energy jobs.
  • Why It Remains Hidden: Fact-checks are downplayed in pro-Trump media to sustain the “winner” image; exposing debt reliance (e.g., $35 trillion national debt) risks economic panic. It challenges bipartisan fiscal irresponsibility, hidden to maintain voter confidence.

These truths, if mainstreamed, could dismantle elite facades, but their suppression preserves stability until ruptures force a reckoning.

List of Sources for the Analysis of Lesser-Known Truths in the Davos 2026 Speeches. Below is a compiled list of sources referenced or used to support the claims in the blog post. These are drawn from credible reports, articles, fact-checks, and analyses that align with the historical context, examples, and criticisms discussed. I’ve grouped them by speech for clarity, including titles, publication dates (where available), URLs, and brief descriptions of relevance. Note that some sources were selected for their direct relevance to the “under-the-surface” truths that challenge mainstream narratives. If a source is cited inline in the list, it uses the render component for proper attribution.

  1. Tennessee sues BlackRock over ‘misleading’ ESG strategy – Banking Dive (Dec 19, 2023) – https://www.bankingdive.com/news/tennessee-sues-blackrock-esg-strategy-larry-fink/702949 – Details lawsuits against BlackRock for misleading ESG claims, highlighting politicization and underperformance.
  2. BlackRock Gets Legal Warning Over ESG Funds From Mississippi – Insurance Journal (Mar 28, 2024) – https://www.insurancejournal.com/news/southeast/2024/03/28/766782.htm – Covers warnings and criticisms of Fink’s ESG push as hypocritical amid backlash.
  3. BlackRock hit by suit over ESG from Tennessee attorney general – Pensions & Investments (Dec 18, 2023) – https://www.pionline.com/esg/esg-suit-filed-against-blackrock-tennessee – Reports on legal actions accusing BlackRock of deceptive ESG practices.
  4. BlackRock CEO Larry Fink, who faced intense backlash for championing ESG, says he’s ‘ashamed’ the topic has become politicized – Yahoo Finance (Jun 26, 2023) – https://finance.yahoo.com/news/blackrock-ceo-larry-fink-championed-185205296.html – Discusses Fink’s retreat from ESG amid criticisms of cronyism.
  5. Court Says Inclusion of ESG Funds Could Breach Duty of Loyalty – PSCA (Jan 13, 2025) – https://www.psca.org/news/psca-news/2025/1/court-says-inclusion-of-esg-funds-could-breach-duty-of-loyalty – Links ESG activism to potential fiduciary breaches.
  6. Blackrock CEO Thinking Twice on Discriminatory ‘ESG’ Strategy? Hardly – NSSF (Jul 5, 2023) – https://www.nssf.org/articles/blackrock-ceo-thinking-twice-on-discriminatory-esg-strategy-hardly – Critiques BlackRock’s ESG as profit-driven despite public reform rhetoric.
  7. BlackRock CEO Larry Fink pushed to exit over ESG ‘hypocrisy’ – New York Post (Dec 7, 2022) – https://nypost.com/2022/12/07/blackrock-ceo-larry-fink-pushed-to-exit-over-esg-hypocrisy – Highlights calls for Fink’s resignation over perceived ESG hypocrisy.
  8. Mississippi hits BlackRock with cease and desist order over ESG investments – Legal Dive (Mar 28, 2024) – https://www.legaldive.com/news/mississippi-hits-blackrock-with-cease-desist-over-esg-investments-larry-fink/711662 – Legal actions against misleading ESG claims.
  9. BlackRock CEO Larry Fink warned over ESG – The Corporate Governance Institute – https://www.thecorporategovernanceinstitute.com/insights/news-analysis/blackrock-ceo-larry-fink-gets-a-warning-on-esg – Warns of criticisms on both sides of ESG debate.
  10. BlackRock’s Claim of Green Investment Has Always Been a Sham – Jacobin (Dec 19, 2023) – https://jacobin.com/2023/12/blackrock-larry-fink-green-investing-fossil-fuels-cryptocurrency – Accuses BlackRock of greenwashing while investing in fossils.
  11. Facts on BlackRock Buying Houses – BlackRock Official Site – https://www.blackrock.com/corporate/newsroom/setting-the-record-straight/buying-houses-facts – BlackRock’s denial, but contextually linked to criticisms.
  12. BlackRock house-buying conspiracy theory – Wikipedia – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BlackRock_house-buying_conspiracy_theory – Explains criticisms and partial truths behind housing accusations.
  13. Is BlackRock buying single family homes made up or are they lying? – Reddit r/FirstTimeHomeBuyer – https://www.reddit.com/r/FirstTimeHomeBuyer/comments/1ff07fj/is_blackrock_buying_single_family_homes_made_up – Community discussion on indirect involvement via REITs.
  14. No, BlackRock Isn’t Buying All the Houses—Here’s What’s Really Driving Up Your Rent – Rutgers Bloustein (Oct 8, 2025) – https://bloustein.rutgers.edu/no-blackrock-isnt-buying-all-the-houses-heres-whats-really-driving-up-your-rent – Debunks but acknowledges real issues in corporate housing investments.
  15. No, BlackRock Isn’t Buying All the Houses—Here’s What’s Really Driving Up Your Rent – Investopedia (Oct 7, 2025) – https://www.investopedia.com/no-blackrock-isnt-buying-all-the-houses-heres-whats-really-driving-up-your-rent-11811479 – Similar analysis on fractional ownership.

Ursula von der Leyen’s Speech (Focus on Sovereignty Erosion)

  1. Special Address by the President von der Leyen: World Economic Forum – European Commission – https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/da/speech_26_150 – Official transcript, including EU Inc. proposal.
  2. EU Inc: Von der Leyen’s 2026 Plan to Boost European Tech Innovation and Startups – Contextual Solutions (Blog) – https://www.contextualsolutions.de/blog/eu-inc-2026-european-tech-innovation-startups – Analysis of EU Inc. as centralizing tech power.
  3. The European Commission launches EU Inc., the long-awaited ’28th regime’ for startups – Tech.eu (Jan 20, 2026) – https://tech.eu/2026/01/20/the-european-commission-launches-eu-inc-the-long-awaited-28th-regime-for-startups – Details on unified structure’s potential sovereignty impacts.
  4. EU Inc.: Between Competitiveness Rhetoric and Institutional Reality – Central European Lawyers Initiative – https://ceuli.com/eu-inc-between-competitiveness-rhetoric-and-institutional-reality – Critiques EU Inc. as overriding national standards.
  5. Von der Leyen Reveals Three-Point Strategy to Secure Europe’s Global Power – AQ1B (YouTube) – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-3uNbQl45Y – Video on centralization implications.
  6. Von der Leyen launches EU-Inc. at Davos as implementation fight looms – EU Perspectives (Jan 2026) – https://euperspectives.eu/2026/01/eu-inc-at-davos – Discusses potential national resistance.
  7. Sovereignty Crisis – Unleashing Europe’s Innovation Power – Bondo Foundation – https://bondo.foundation/sovereignty-crisis – Links competitiveness to sovereignty tensions.
  8. Europe to create “EU Inc” standard company structure – The Stack – https://www.thestack.technology/pan-european-legal-entity-eu-inc-go-ahead – Explains uniform rules’ impact on member states.
  9. EU Inc Unveils Policy Blueprint: Shaping the 28th Regime – Have Your Say! – The Recursive (Dec 4, 2024) – https://therecursive.com/eu-inc-policy-proposal-ecosystem-feedback-andreas-klinger – Pre-Davos proposal on pan-European model.
  10. What is digital sovereignty and how are countries approaching it? – World Economic Forum (Jan 10, 2025) – https://www.weforum.org/stories/2025/01/europe-digital-sovereignty – Broader context on EU sovereignty debates.
  11. Poland joins Hungary in threatening to block EU’s budget and coronavirus recovery package – POLITICO (Sep 18, 2020) – https://www.politico.eu/article/poland-joins-hungary-in-threat-to-block-eus-landmark-budget-and-recovery-package – On recovery fund’s rule-of-law conditions eroding sovereignty.
  12. Hungary, EU at odds over billions of euros of COVID funds – Reuters (Apr 28, 2022) – https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/hungary-says-no-obstacles-signing-agreement-eu-recovery-funds-2022-04-28 – Disputes over fund management and control.
  13. Rule of law-related ‘super milestones’ in the recovery and resilience plans of Hungary and Poland – European Parliament Briefing (2023) – https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/BRIE/2023/741581/IPOL_BRI(2023)741581_EN.pdf – Analysis of conditions as supranational overreach.
  14. Money for nothing? EU institutions’ uneven record of freezing EU funds to enforce EU values – Taylor & Francis (2024) – https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13501763.2024.2406275 – Critiques uneven enforcement leading to federalism accusations.
  15. ECJ dismisses Hungary and Poland’s complaints over rule-of-law measure – The Guardian (Feb 16, 2022) – https://www.theguardian.com/law/2022/feb/16/ecj-dismisses-hungary-poland-complaints-eu-rule-of-law-measure – Legal battles over fund ties to democracy.
  16. Hungary, Poland, and Access to EU Funding: The EU Charts a New Course Under The Necessity of Legislation, Conditionality – University of Miami (PDF) – https://repository.law.miami.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1400&context=umiclr – Academic paper on rule-of-law backsliding and fund controls.
  17. Hungary, Poland vow to veto EU COVID fund mechanism – DW (Nov 26, 2020) – https://www.dw.com/en/hungary-poland-vow-to-veto-eu-covid-recovery-fund-mechanism/a-55742560 – Veto threats over sovereignty concerns.
  18. 100-suspension-Hungary.pdf – Daniel Freund (Jul 2022) – https://danielfreund.eu/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/100-suspension-Hungary.pdf – Report on fund suspensions and university control issues.
  19. EU budget blocked by Hungary and Poland over rule of law issue – BBC (Nov 16, 2020) – https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-54964858 – Blockade due to perceived overreach.
  20. Poland is obligated to investigate the potential misuse of funds from the EU’s Recovery and … – TVP World (Facebook) – https://www.facebook.com/tvpworldcom/posts/poland-is-obligated-to-investigate-the-potential-misuse-of-funds-from-the-eus-re/1364125085716147 – On misuse investigations tied to federalism.

Mark Carney’s Speech (Focus on Moral Compromises and China Ties)

  1. Canada’s deal with China signals it is serious about shift from US – BBC – https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cm24k6kk1rko – On strategic shift, including human rights “red lines.”
  2. Mark Carney in China positions Canada for ‘the world as it is, not as we wish it’ – The Guardian (Jan 17, 2026) – https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jan/17/mark-carney-in-china-positions-canada-for-the-world-as-it-is-not-as-we-wish-it – Critiques pragmatism over principles.
  3. Joe Varner: Praising Beijing’s ‘new world order’ a costly misstep for Carney — and Canada – National Post – https://nationalpost.com/opinion/praising-beijings-new-world-order-a-costly-misstep-for-carney-and-canada – Direct criticism of moral compromises.
  4. Carney asked about human rights after announcing preliminary deal with China – Reddit r/CanadaPolitics – https://www.reddit.com/r/CanadaPolitics/comments/1qeo07e/carney_asked_about_human_rights_after_announcing – Community debate on rights vs. trade.
  5. Carney asked about human rights after announcing preliminary deal with China – CBC (Video) – https://www.cbc.ca/player/play/video/9.7048072 – Interview on human rights concerns.
  6. What’s edging Canada and China close? – Al Jazeera Inside Story (YouTube) – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=42lTdHP0G8Y – Analysis of “historic” deals amid criticisms.
  7. Mark Carney Heads to Beijing to Discuss Canada-China Relations as U.S. Outlook Darkens – The New York Times (Jan 14, 2026) – https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/14/world/canada/carney-trip-china-relations-trump.html – Human rights groups’ petitions against compromises.
  8. Mark Carney must explain how he has gone from saying China was Canada’s ‘biggest … – Glen Motz (Facebook) – https://www.facebook.com/GlenMotz/posts/mark-carney-must-explain-how-he-has-gone-from-saying-china-was-canadas-biggest-s/1319642096634181 – Calls out interference and abuses.
  9. Canada-Trump tensions grow after Carney ‘rupture’ speech – The Hill – https://thehill.com/policy/international/5703219-carney-trump-tensions-rise – Links to opposition criticism of China deals.
  10. A moment worth watching. Mark Carney just delivered the kind of clear‑eyed, unapologetically Canadian leadership the world needs – Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/reel/DTvzhpUkZ59 – Praise but context on human rights in global order.
  11. Canada’s Carney says ‘new world order’ still being determined – Yahoo – https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/canada-carney-says-world-order-191243142.html – On “new world order” reference raising eyebrows.
  12. Canada PM Mark Carney spoke at the World Economic Forum, calling on “middle powers” to … – Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/reel/DTxrjFrFU-8 – Ties to China partnership and “new world order” slip.
  13. Canada’s PM Carney, China’s Premier Li confirm cooperation on economy, trade – NHK World (Jan 15, 2026) – https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20260116_02 – Meeting details with Li Qiang.
  14. Canada-China partnership ‘sets us up well for the new world order’, says Mark Carney – Irish Times (Jan 16, 2026) – https://www.irishtimes.com/world/asia-pacific/2026/01/16/canada-china-partnership-sets-us-up-well-for-the-new-world-order-says-mark-carney – Direct quote on “new world order.”
  15. Mark Carney is leaning into a “new world order.” Canada and China struck new trade and energy deals in Beijing as Ottawa adapts to shifting global power dynamics: bloom.bg/4t0ENrF – Bloomberg (Facebook) – https://www.facebook.com/bloombergbusiness/posts/mark-carney-is-leaning-into-a-new-world-order-canada-and-china-struck-new-trade-/1302333451752745 – Meeting with Li Qiang and Xi.
  16. in terms of the way that our relationship has progressed in recent months with china, it is more predictable (than the united states), and you see results coming from that. – Ian Bremmer (Facebook) – https://www.facebook.com/ianbremmer/posts/extraordinary-statement-by-canada-pm-mark-carney-in-beijing-inconceivable-a-year/1434614898029643 – Statement on predictability vs. US.
  17. Canada’s Carney says ‘new world order’ still being determined – NewsNation – https://www.newsnationnow.com/politics/carney-new-world-order-being-determined – Eyebrows raised over phrasing.
  18. Chinese leader Xi Jinping hails ‘turnaround’ in China-Canada ties as Mark Carney visits Beijing – BBC (Jan 15, 2026) – https://www.bbc.com/news/live/c9dvev9230gt – Prior meetings with Li Qiang.
  19. euronews | Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney urged “middle powers” to move beyond nostalgia for the old global order and build new alliances to… – Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/reel/DTxR8ehFORr – Ties to WEF speech and China context.
  20. Carney calls it a new world order, investors see an old question on China risk – Wealth Professional – https://www.wealthprofessional.ca/news/industry-news/carney-calls-it-a-new-world-order-investors-see-an-old-question-on-china-risk/391357 – Investor concerns over phrasing and risks.

Donald Trump’s Speech (Focus on Economic Distortions and Greenland Claims)

  1. Fact-checking Donald Trump’s Davos speech – BBC – https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c301jgd1qj6o – Broad fact-check of claims.
  2. Fact-Checking President Trump’s Davos Speech – The New York Times (Jan 21, 2026) – https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/21/us/politics/fact-check-trump-davos-speech.html – Misleading Greenland and NATO history.
  3. Fact check: Trump’s speech at the World Economic Forum – DW – https://www.dw.com/en/fact-check-trumps-speech-at-the-world-economic-forum/a-75601073 – Debunks Greenland, NATO, and China wind claims.
  4. Fact check: Trump’s barrage of false claims in Davos about Greenland and NATO – CNN (Jan 21, 2026) – https://www.cnn.com/2026/01/21/politics/trump-davos-nato-greenland-fact-check – Falsehoods on history and alliances.
  5. Eight wars settled and Chinese windfarms: factchecking Trump’s Davos claims – The Guardian (Jan 21, 2026) – https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jan/21/trump-davos-speech-factcheck – Dubious claims on wars and windfarms.
  6. Fact-checking Donald Trump’s Davos speech on Greenland – DW News (YouTube) – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e12yopQGrWk – Greenland and tariffs fact-check.
  7. From Wind Farms to Stolen Elections: Fact-Checking Donald Trump’s Speech at Davos – Time – https://time.com/7355689/trump-davos-fact-check – Wind farms and election claims.
  8. CNN Fact Checker: Trump’s Davos Speech ‘Barrage Of False Claims’ – Forbes (Jan 21, 2026) – https://www.forbes.com/sites/markjoyella/2026/01/21/cnn-fact-checker-trumps-davos-speech-barrage-of-false-claims – Rigged election and wars falsehoods.
  9. Fact-checking Donald Trump’s Davos speech on Greenland, US economy – PolitiFact (Jan 21, 2026) – https://www.politifact.com/article/2026/jan/21/live-fact-check-trump-davos-speech – Greenland and housing market claims.
  10. FACT FOCUS: Trump highlights familiar false claims as he reviews his first year back in office – AP News – https://apnews.com/article/fact-check-trump-rigged-election-eight-wars-inflation-220f515728383d5205c3748259b2cc0f – Stagflation and inflation distortions.
  11. Fact-Checking President Trump’s Davos Speech – The New York Times (Jan 21, 2026) – https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/21/us/politics/fact-check-trump-davos-speech.html – Greenland history distortions.
  12. President Trump’s Davos remarks on Greenland misrepresented US and Danish history – Poynter (2026) – https://www.poynter.org/fact-checking/2026/did-greenland-ever-belong-to-usa – WWII bases not ownership.
  13. Fact-checking Trump’s Greenland-focused Davos speech – PBS News – https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/fact-checking-trumps-greenland-focused-davos-speech – Misleading on Denmark/US history.
  14. Trump’s Greenland Envoy Called Out for Embarrassing WWII Mistake – Yahoo (Jan 13, 2026) – https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/trump-greenland-envoy-called-embarrassing-224349874.html – Historical inaccuracies.
  15. Trump’s stated reasons for taking Greenland are wrong – but the tactics fit with the plan to limit China’s economic interests – The Conversation – https://theconversation.com/trumps-stated-reasons-for-taking-greenland-are-wrong-but-the-tactics-fit-with-the-plan-to-limit-chinas-economic-interests-273548 – Coercive diplomacy critiques.
  16. The trouble with maps: Greenland’s allure for Trump is based on an illusion – AFR – https://www.afr.com/world/europe/the-trouble-with-maps-greenland-s-allure-for-trump-is-based-on-an-illusion-20260122-p5nw68 – Map distortions inflating importance.
  17. Greenland Is a Lot Smaller Than You—and Trump—Probably Think. Allow Me to Explain. – Reddit r/TrueReddit – https://www.reddit.com/r/TrueReddit/comments/1qk0jgc/greenland_is_a_lot_smaller_than_youand – Map projection illusions.
  18. Trump’s new ‘gangster’ threats against Greenland, allies, cross line – Responsible Statecraft – https://responsiblestatecraft.org/trump-greenland-tariffs – Aggressive tactics criticism.
  19. Trump’s Greenland Obsession Is Madness. Can’t We Just Say That? – Foreign Policy (Jan 22, 2026) – https://foreignpolicy.com/2026/01/22/trumps-greenland-obsession-media-analysis-sanewashing-cognitive-bias – Media misrepresentation of actions.
  20. WATCH: Scholar Criticizes US Rhetoric on Greenland, Says It Threatens Global Stability – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zyk2Obt0h5o – Rhetoric and stability threats.

The New American Empire Is Here. And It Hates You

Fortress America: The White House’s Terrifying Plan to Partition the World

Government white papers are usually excellent cures for insomnia. They are typically filled with bureaucratic grey noise, polite diplomatic fictions, and the sort of tentative language that allows civil servants to sleep at night. You expect them to be dull. This document, the newly published “National Security Strategy of the United States,” is far from dull. It reads like a manifesto blending a victory speech, an ideological tract, and a corporate hostile takeover bid for the planet written by a dementing Darth Vader screaming ‘I want’ 47 times throughout the US ultimatum to the world.

We need to talk about the sheer psychological force radiating from these pages. The opening letter sounds like a rally. Written with a cadence of superlatives and moral binaries, it presents a “President of Peace” who has single-handedly resolved eight global conflicts in eight months from Gaza to the Congo while obliterating drug cartels now designated as terrorists. It is a form of myth-making that borders on confabulation. It uses the proper nouns of diplomacy to create an impression of global reach while demanding total suspension of disbelief. The message is clear. Institutions failed you. Elites betrayed you. Only the Great Man can save you.

This narrative of betrayal is the engine driving the entire strategy. The text paints a vivid picture of a “Grievance Narrative” where the American people have been sold down the river by post-Cold War elites. These elites, the document argues, pursued an impossible dream of global domination through “transnationalism” that only served to hollow out the American heartland. It is a diagnosis that will resonate with populists from the Rust Belt to the Red Wall. The proposed cure is a regression to a hierarchical empire. The United States is defending the nation-state. But it is doing so by ruthlessly asserting its own sovereignty while treating the sovereignty of others as a conditional privilege.

Nowhere is this double standard more glaring than in the “Trump Corollary” to the Monroe Doctrine. This new corollary goes far beyond the gunboat diplomacy of the past. It declares a total economic exclusion zone. The document explicitly targets Chinese-owned ports and Russian investment as “hostile foreign incursions” that must be uprooted. It threatens to rip up the commercial fabric of Latin America to deny competitors a foothold. It is a demand that the entire hemisphere disconnect from the global economy and plug solely into the American grid. The hypocrisy is staggering. The United States demands an “open door” in Asia while slamming the door shut in the Americas. It treats the people of the Global South not as partners with agency, but as inventory in a warehouse owned by Washington. By carving out this exclusive zone, the White House is effectively telling Beijing and Moscow that the world is being partitioned. It is an invitation for every great power to ring-fence their own neighbourhood.

We must catch the signal amidst the noise here. For the first time in living memory, an American security strategy ranks the Western Hemisphere as the absolute top regional priority. It sits above the Indo-Pacific. It sits well above Europe. This is the blueprint for “Fortress America” where the drawbridge is permanently up. The strategy outlines a plan to “enlist and expand” local deputies to do the heavy lifting of border security. It treats the entire continent south of the Rio Grande as a defensive buffer zone against migration and narcotics. By focusing so intently on its own backyard, Washington is implicitly telling its allies in Europe and Asia that the lease is up. They are seceding from the global order they built, taking the keys to the economy with them.

Then we reach the section that should send a chill through the chancelleries of Europe. The document explicitly links national security to demographics in a way that is profoundly disturbing. It frames migration as an “invasion” and a primary threat to the state. It warns of “civilizational erasure” in Europe and openly questions the future loyalty of NATO allies whose populations might become “majority non-European.” This is the “Great Replacement” theory codified into superpower statecraft. It explicitly racialises the Atlantic Alliance, suggesting that a diverse Europe is a weak Europe. It signals to London, Paris, and Berlin that Washington no longer views them as partners in democracy. It views them as racial traitors to a shared “civilizational” project.

The strategy brings the American culture wars directly into the situation room. “Radical gender ideology” and “woke lunacy” are identified as threats on par with ballistic missiles. It vows to root out “DEI” initiatives as anti-meritocratic dangers to military readiness. Most dangerously, it dismisses climate change as an “ideology” that subsidises adversaries, pivoting back to fossil fuels with aggressive enthusiasm. This is the weaponisation of resentment. By attaching physical danger to cultural grievances, the administration creates a permission structure for purges within the military and the civil service. They are walling themselves in while the planet burns.

For the United Kingdom and Europe, the bill for this new worldview has arrived. The “Hague Commitment” demands that NATO allies spend 5 per cent of GDP on defence. It is a figure designed to break the back of the European welfare state. But the financial cost is secondary to the political threat. The strategy explicitly states a preference for working with “patriotic parties” over the current EU establishment, which it views as illegitimate. It is a divide-and-conquer approach. The goal is to strengthen NATO’s military utility for American ends while weakening the European political project.

We must also notice the pivot on democracy. The document abandons the “hectoring” of authoritarian regimes. It signals a willingness to accept Gulf monarchies and regional strongmen as they are, provided they align with U.S. interests. Stability has replaced liberty as the currency of the realm. It is a transactional realism that strips away the veneer of American moral leadership to reveal the raw power dynamics underneath.

It is easy to recoil from the brutality of this text. It is a mirror that exposes Western hypocrisy, revealing an imperialism that was often masked as a “rules-based order.” It diagnoses real failures in the hubris of the last thirty years. Yet the solution it offers is a retreat into a fossil-fueled, ethno-nationalist fortress.

We have a choice. We can panic, or we can look at this landscape with clear eyes. This document forces us to grow up. We can no longer rely on a benevolent protector. We must rediscover a European project that stands for something more than trans-Atlantic subservience. If America is retreating behind its walls, we cannot simply wait outside the gates. We must build a new coalition of the willing. We need an architecture based not on shared heritage, but on the shared reality that climate change and inequality care little for borders, even ones guarded by a Golden Dome. America has stated clearly what it wants. Now we must decide what we are willing to build to replace it.

Read it and weep https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/2025-National-Security-Strategy.pdf