July 8, 2025 • 22 mins
What do you get when Chinese trade reroutes itself in fake mustaches, Texas floods kill dozens in their sleep, and Elon Musk casually launches a political party that tanks his stock?
You get madness in America -- and this episode of A World Gone Mad.
Jeff Alan Wolf returns with a sharper, more caustic edge as he dives headfirst into the surreal headlines we're all supposed to accept as "normal." From tariff threats dressed up as diplomacy, to summer camps drowning while systems sleep, to billionaires breaking the economy and reality -- this isn't just news, it's the unraveling of a national psyche.
No detailed summaries here. No spoiler alerts for the punchlines. If you want the full picture -- you'll have to listen.
Sharp analysis.
Snark with a pulse.
And a listener question that might haunt you more than the headlines:
What moment finally breaks this country -- or have we already passed it?
Want to weigh in?
Leave a voicemail anytime:
833-399-9653
Or email: AWorldGoneMadPodcast@gmail.com
Been doing A World Gone Mad 3 times a week - 144 episodes a year - with zero ads, just truth.
I’ve launched my Ko-fi page to help grow it even further.
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Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
This is a world gone mad.
This is a world gone mad, mad,mad, mad, mad.
It's another day in a worldgone mad where the headlines
read like satire, the leaderssound like open mic comics and
reality feels like it's beingscripted by a half-drunk AI with
(00:21):
a grudge.
I'm Jeff Alan Wolf, yourreluctant narrator, semi-retired
idealist and full-time witnessto the slow-motion collapse of
whatever this used to be.
Thanks for being here, althoughhonestly, screaming into your
pillow might be the healthierchoice.
But if you're still tuned in,you're either a masochist or
(00:46):
someone who actually wants tounderstand what the hell is
going on beneath the noise.
Let's start with China, who'snow playing hide and seek with
US tariffs by shipping goods toother countries, because nothing
says global trade like aninternational show game.
Nothing says global trade likean international show game.
China's global tariff duck andcover now with extra loopholes.
(01:10):
Let's play a game.
It's called who's Screwing whoin Global Trade Spoiler.
You're not the winner.
So here's what's happening.
Chinese exporters you know thefolks we've slapped with tariffs
big enough to bankrupt amid-sized state are now shipping
(01:31):
their goods through Vietnam andother Southeast Asian countries
.
Because when you build a wall,the smart money goes around it.
New trade data shows that whiledirect exports from China to
(01:53):
the US dropped by 43%, chineseexports overall rose by nearly
5%.
Why?
Because they're reroutingthrough third-party countries,
repackaging goods and pretendingthey're not made by China.
You know, it's like putting afake mustache on a shipping
container and hoping no onenotices.
The US, apparently not amused,just announced a 40% tariff on
(02:14):
re-exported goods from placeslike Vietnam.
Because nothing saysinternational diplomacy like
torching your relationships withsmaller trade partners to
punish a bigger one.
That's right, vietnam getspenalized, china keeps selling
and we keep pretending this isstrategy.
Meanwhile, american businessesare panicking.
(02:37):
Manufacturers who rely onChinese components are either
eating the cost or passing it on, which means you, dear listener
, are about to pay $39.99 for aphone charger that breaks in
three weeks, instead of $12.99for the same one that broke last
(02:59):
year.
And here's the kicker.
Nobody's denying it.
This rerouting tactic iswell-known, widely used and
apparently completely legal,which is adorable, if you like
your global economics sprinkledwith slapstick irony.
China's playing chess.
We're playing Connect Four,blindfolded underwater and
(03:24):
arguing about whether the boardis woke.
Imagine trying to explain thisto your 10-year-old.
Well, tommy, the US tried tostop buying cheap stuff from
China, so now China just sendsit through someone else and
pretends it's a surprise giftand that's not a loophole.
(03:44):
That's the business model.
So just to recap, we're taxingthe box, not the contents.
It's like banning cocaine bymaking sure it comes in brown
paper bags.
And speaking of diplomacy beingweaponized like a Nerf bat,
let's talk trade threats andceasefires in the same breath,
(04:08):
because that's where we're atnow.
Us is to roll out trade policychanges and gaza ceasefire talks
, aka let's raise tariffs andmaybe end the war before lunch.
Let's say you're trying to fixa broken global economy and a
brutal war, so naturally you doboth in the same week.
(04:31):
Because if there's one thingwe've learned from recent
history, it's that nothingbrings clarity like chaos on two
continents.
Treasury Secretary ScottPesence said the US is sending
out a batch of friendly tradeletters to 12 to 5 countries
telling them make a deal byearly July or say hello to
(04:54):
tariffs starting August 1st.
So basically, nice little tradesurplus you've got there.
Shame if something happened toit.
The new tariffs range from 10%to 50%, depending on how
cooperative or annoying yourcountry's been lately.
These aren't just economicpenalties, they're geopolitical.
(05:17):
Yelp reviews Five stars you geta deal.
One star enjoy your new exporttax and a call from your
panicked finance minister.
And while that's happening,benjamin Netanyahu is en route
to the White House to talk Gaza,because when you're managing
global trade threats, whatbetter time to also wrangle a
(05:40):
ceasefire in a war zone?
Seriously, we're one cabinetmeeting away from adding extreme
weather and AI rebellion to theagenda.
Talks are happening in Qataragain, where Israeli and Hamas
negotiators are reportedlyshowing signs of movement.
But let's not get too excited.
(06:01):
These ceasefire talks have morefalse starts than your cousin's
side hustle.
And even if an agreement lands,it's likely to be temporary,
fragile and about as durable asa Waffle House napkin.
You ever try to solve a toxicmarriage and rewrite your taxes
in the same afternoon.
(06:21):
That's where US diplomacy isright now.
In the same afternoon, that'swhere US diplomacy is right now.
It's multitasking for peoplewho enjoy failure in stereo.
So to recap, we're threateningour trade partners and
refereeing the Middle East, andif that doesn't scream totally
under control, I don't know whatdoes.
(06:43):
Meanwhile, while world leadersdebate tariffs and truces,
entire towns are underwater, butsure let's keep pretending the
infrastructure is resilient.
Texas floods kill a hundred andcounting, because apparently
(07:03):
July needed a horror moviesubplot.
Horror movie subplot.
So you're sitting in a summercamp fireflies, s'mores, a
little kumbaya, and then theriver rises 29 feet in under an
hour and swallows your cabinwhole.
Welcome to Kerr County, texas,where this past weekend's floods
(07:27):
turned the 4th of July into aclimate-fueled nightmare.
And, as of this afternoon, atleast 100 people are dead,
including 28 children, most ofthem from Camp Mystic, a girls'
summer camp that never stood achance.
And just in case you werewondering if someone failed to
sound the alarm, yes, they didfail.
(07:52):
The National Weather Servicedidn't issue an urgent alert
until after the floods hadalready begun, sometime around
4.03 am, when the GuadalupeRiver had already become a
vertical tsunami.
So much for early warning.
This was more like late stageapology.
Families are now demandinganswers, and rightly so.
People didn't just die, theywere blindsided.
They were tucked into bunk bedsand drowned before they had a
(08:16):
chance to scream.
Now, while this is makingheadlines, it still feels like
it's being reported with theemotional urgency of a traffic
jam.
Over a hundred people, andcounting, died, including 28
kids at summer camp, and yetit's not being treated like the
(08:36):
national emergency it is.
We've hit the point where,unless tragedy comes with viral
video or political outrage.
It barely breaks the noiseceiling.
Local officials are calling forfederal disaster aid.
Rescue teams are still pullingbodies from trees, but the
question no one's asking loudenough is why is a major summer
(09:02):
camp in a known floodplainwithout a direct flood
evacuation system in 2025.
I'll tell you why.
Because we fund thoughts andprayers and defund actual
infrastructure.
Hey, here's an idea If yourstate, like Texas, can budget
(09:24):
for stadiums and border walls,it can budget for a goddamn
flood siren.
So, just to recap, 28 kids diedin their sleep and the system
meant to protect them hit snooze.
But hey, let's keep debatingdrag shows and library books.
(09:44):
And in case your blood pressuredipped for a second, don't
worry.
Trump's got fresh tariffs andthreats on deck, all
gift-wrapped in that classictone of sign this or I'll break
your supply chain.
Trump's tariff expansion nowwith 50%, more threats and zero
(10:06):
chill.
More threats and zero chill.
You know what every anxious,inflation-riddled economy really
needs right now More tariffs,and not just any tariffs
randomly distributed and vaguelydefined, but globally
terrifying ones.
Courtesy of Donald J Trump'sthe Art of the Economic Panic.
Courtesy of Donald J Trump's,the Art of the Economic Panic
(10:29):
According to his TreasurySecretary, scott Besant, who
somehow always looks like he'sabout to whisper brace yourself.
The US is preparing to sendformal tariff notices to up to
15 countries and if thesecountries didn't negotiate by
early July, boom, new tariffs gointo effect August 1st, because
(10:51):
nothing screams stability likea one-month ultimatum on global
trade.
Now here's the kicker.
The proposed tariffs range from10% to 50%, depending on how
much Trump likes your countrythat given week.
Allies are panicking, marketsare twitching and international
(11:14):
finance ministers are apparentlyholding Zoom calls with the
emotional tone of a funeral forlogic.
This isn't so much an economicpolicy as it's a hostage
negotiation wrapped in campaigncosplay.
Trump's strategy is threaten,escalate, maybe renegotiate, but
(11:36):
definitely tweet somethingunhinged in all caps between
meetings.
We've entered the tariff hungergames phase of foreign policy.
Good luck, canada.
May the odds be ever in yourfavor.
Wall Street Not thrilled,futures dipped, the dollar
(11:58):
staggered and businesses acrossmanufacturing, tech and retail
are now pricing in tariffanxiety like it's a new seasonal
affective disorder, becausewhen you tell 15 countries that
their economies might implode inthree weeks, hey, they tend to
take it personally.
And keep in mind this ishappening while we're also
(12:22):
threatening BRICS nations,rewriting the US climate policy
and rebooting conflictnegotiations in Gaza.
You know, it's like someonespilled Red Bull on the
Constitution and now we're justwinging it.
At this point, trump's tradestrategy feels like a toddler
playing with light switches.
(12:42):
Let's turn off Europe, nowChina, now Vietnam.
Oops, I flipped the circuit ondomestic agriculture.
So to recap, the US is about topunch 15 countries in the
wallet just to see who flinchesGlobal diplomacy brought to you
(13:03):
by an expired coupon and abullhorn.
Let's leave American ego for amoment and head to Europe, where
leaders are actually trying tostop missiles instead of
tweeting about them.
Zelensky and Starma rally theCoalition of the Willing, now
(13:23):
with extra drone fuel and BlackSea drama, in a move that sounds
like it came straight from aTom Clancy reboot.
Ukrainian President Zelenskyand newly minted UK Prime
Minister Kerstarma have teamedup to build a modern-day
coalition of the willing no, notthe Bush-era one that gave us a
(13:44):
war and a migraine.
This is the other kind, the onethat comes with drone factories
, sanctions and a vague air ofEuropean competence.
The talks are happening in Romebecause of course, they are.
Around 30 countries arereportedly involved, like some
kind of NATO spinoff with fewerstrings and more espresso.
(14:07):
The mission To reinforceUkraine's air defenses, ramp up
drone manufacturing, secure theBlack Sea and send a
not-so-subtle message to Russia.
We're not done and we broughtfriends.
And, yes, the US is invited,but they're not the center of
gravity here.
(14:34):
Here, this is a Europe-led push,signaling frustration with the
lagging pace of American weaponspackages and the mess that is
our own Congress, apparently,please hold your democracy is
buffering and doesn't fly whenmissiles are landing in your
backyard.
Recent Russian drone strikeshave made it clear Ukraine is
still under daily threat and theneed for coordinated defense
(14:57):
isn't optional.
This new coalition is beingdeveloped alongside the Ramstein
format, which is basically theg20 of military aid, except with
fewer speeches and moreexploded hardware.
Zelensky, ever the wartimecommunicator, framed the move as
a pivot toward long-termguarantees, which, as
(15:20):
politicians speak for, we can'tkeep surviving on temporary
favors and old ammo.
Starmer, meanwhile, is usingthis moment to set the tone for
a post-Tory foreign policy, onethat looks less like Brexit
nostalgia and more like grown-upleadership on the world stage.
(15:40):
Imagine that Britain showing upsober and prepared.
It's weird, but refreshing.
What do you call it when 30countries with different agendas
try to align on weapons, warand diplomacy?
A coalition?
What do you call it, when thesame 30 countries try to decide
(16:04):
who's paying for the drones?
An argument.
So to recap Ukraine just joinedforces with the UK's new prime
minister to launch a seriousboots-on-the-ground,
radar-in-the-sky pushbackagainst Russian aggression.
And while the US isn'tsidelined, it's definitely no
(16:26):
longer the only one driving thisconvoy.
And finally, because this weekwasn't weird enough, elon Musk
started a new political party.
No word yet if it runs onelectricity or raw chaos Tesla
tanks as Musk launches theAmerica Party.
(16:46):
Because apparently Twitterwasn't enough, elon Musk,
billionaire CEO, part-time memelord and full-time chaos
generator, has announced thecreation of a brand new
political party, the AmericaParty.
Because if there's one thingWall Street loves, it's tech
(17:07):
CEOs randomly veering intopopulist politics in the middle
of all the other chaos in theworld.
The result Tesla shares felloff a cliff, dropping over 78%
in extended trading.
That's not a typo.
That's investors collectivelysaying hey, elon, maybe stay in
(17:29):
your lane or at least on thehighway.
The announcement blindsidedmarkets, spooked analysts
already worried about Musk'sfocus drift.
Remember, this is a manjuggling Tesla, spacex X,
formerly Twitter, formerly asocial media platform, now a
free speech gladiator arena andnow a third-party political
(17:54):
movement.
Analyst Dan Ives called themove, political overreach on
steroids, adding that investorpatience has a shelf life and
that shelf is looking prettyempty right now.
Former President Donald Trumpnot exactly shy about throwing
his own elbows, chimed in with athis is offrails rebuke,
(18:14):
warning that Musk's new partycould siphon votes, media oxygen
and maybe even donor dollarsaway from MAGA 2.0.
So now we've got a billionairefeud brewing alongside a new
party launch that already lookslike a stockholder lawsuit
waiting to happen.
Musk's team insists this isn'tabout ego, which is so adorable.
(18:39):
They claim the America Partywill focus on innovation,
freedom of expression andbreaking on political monopolies
, which is corporate speak, forwe didn't think this through
enough, but we printed the hatsanyway.
Meanwhile, tesla is getting hitfrom all angles EV tax credits
(19:01):
are being rolled back, newregulations on self-driving tech
are tightening and Q2deliveries were down.
Not surprising when your CEO isbusy tweeting in Morse code
about the First Amendment.
So what do you get when a carcompany becomes a political
party Answer confused customers,panicked shareholders and a
(19:25):
Federal Election Commissionheadache.
Hey, at least the Cybertruckmight double as a campaign RV.
Let's sum it up Musk went fullpolitical disruptor, just as
Tesla needed leadership focusand instead got PR chaos, stock
implosions and public spats withTrump.
(19:48):
Meanwhile, the rest of us arejust trying to figure out
whether our next EV should comewith a constitution in the glove
box.
Ok, before I go, I've asked forfeedback about 100 times now and
let's just say your commentshave been sparse.
We've got billionaireslaunching rockets, ai writing
(20:12):
poetry and half the countrycan't even agree on what day it
is.
Maybe it's time we actuallystarted talking to each other.
So here's what I want to knowWolfpack listeners.
My question for all of youwhat's the moment that finally
makes America snap in half andbreaks our country?
(20:32):
Is it political violence, acomplete media blackout, civil
War 2.0?
Or are we already past thebreaking point and nobody wants
to admit it?
So here's the deal.
Like Biden would say833-399-9653.
(20:53):
That's a toll-free voicemail box.
It's open 24 hours a day, 7days a week.
You won't get a human.
You won't get a chat bot.
Just leave your message.
Say I'm Bob, feel free to use mycomment, or I'm Mary.
Please don't use my name.
I respect that.
No questions asked.
Or email me at aworldgonemadpodcast at gmailcom.
(21:14):
Yes, you have to type the wholething.
Yes, it's long.
Yes, that's how Gmail works.
I'm asking you this questionbecause this show isn't just me
reading the headlines.
It's supposed to be a realconversation and if no one talks
back, then, yeah, I really amjust a guy sitting in a room
(21:37):
talking to myself.
So please, let me hear from you.
Also, please don't forget toleave comments on Apple or
Spotify.
That helps my podcast move upin the rankings and be heard by
thousands more people.
This has been A World Gone Mad.
I'm Jeff Allen Wolfe.
I'll be back Wednesday.
Until then, stay grounded, stayskeptical and if all else fails
(22:04):
, stay hopeful, can't you see?
And we need to stand up andpreserve our democracy.
This is a world gone mad.
This is a world gone mad.
This is a world gone mad.
This is a world gone mad, mad,mad, mad, mad.
It's another day in a worldgone mad where the headlines
read like satire, the leaderssound like open mic comics and
reality feels like it's beingscripted by a half-drunk AI with
(00:21):
a grudge.
I'm Jeff Alan Wolf, yourreluctant narrator, semi-retired
idealist and full-time witnessto the slow-motion collapse of
whatever this used to be.
Thanks for being here, althoughhonestly, screaming into your
pillow might be the healthierchoice.
But if you're still tuned in,you're either a masochist or
(00:46):
someone who actually wants tounderstand what the hell is
going on beneath the noise.
Let's start with China, who'snow playing hide and seek with
US tariffs by shipping goods toother countries, because nothing
says global trade like aninternational show game.
Nothing says global trade likean international show game.
China's global tariff duck andcover now with extra loopholes.
(01:10):
Let's play a game.
It's called who's Screwing whoin Global Trade Spoiler.
You're not the winner.
So here's what's happening.
Chinese exporters you know thefolks we've slapped with tariffs
big enough to bankrupt amid-sized state are now shipping
(01:31):
their goods through Vietnam andother Southeast Asian countries
.
Because when you build a wall,the smart money goes around it.
New trade data shows that whiledirect exports from China to
(01:53):
the US dropped by 43%, chineseexports overall rose by nearly
5%.
Why?
Because they're reroutingthrough third-party countries,
repackaging goods and pretendingthey're not made by China.
You know, it's like putting afake mustache on a shipping
container and hoping no onenotices.
The US, apparently not amused,just announced a 40% tariff on
(02:14):
re-exported goods from placeslike Vietnam.
Because nothing saysinternational diplomacy like
torching your relationships withsmaller trade partners to
punish a bigger one.
That's right, vietnam getspenalized, china keeps selling
and we keep pretending this isstrategy.
Meanwhile, american businessesare panicking.
(02:37):
Manufacturers who rely onChinese components are either
eating the cost or passing it on, which means you, dear listener
, are about to pay $39.99 for aphone charger that breaks in
three weeks, instead of $12.99for the same one that broke last
(02:59):
year.
And here's the kicker.
Nobody's denying it.
This rerouting tactic iswell-known, widely used and
apparently completely legal,which is adorable, if you like
your global economics sprinkledwith slapstick irony.
China's playing chess.
We're playing Connect Four,blindfolded underwater and
(03:24):
arguing about whether the boardis woke.
Imagine trying to explain thisto your 10-year-old.
Well, tommy, the US tried tostop buying cheap stuff from
China, so now China just sendsit through someone else and
pretends it's a surprise giftand that's not a loophole.
(03:44):
That's the business model.
So just to recap, we're taxingthe box, not the contents.
It's like banning cocaine bymaking sure it comes in brown
paper bags.
And speaking of diplomacy beingweaponized like a Nerf bat,
let's talk trade threats andceasefires in the same breath,
(04:08):
because that's where we're atnow.
Us is to roll out trade policychanges and gaza ceasefire talks
, aka let's raise tariffs andmaybe end the war before lunch.
Let's say you're trying to fixa broken global economy and a
brutal war, so naturally you doboth in the same week.
(04:31):
Because if there's one thingwe've learned from recent
history, it's that nothingbrings clarity like chaos on two
continents.
Treasury Secretary ScottPesence said the US is sending
out a batch of friendly tradeletters to 12 to 5 countries
telling them make a deal byearly July or say hello to
(04:54):
tariffs starting August 1st.
So basically, nice little tradesurplus you've got there.
Shame if something happened toit.
The new tariffs range from 10%to 50%, depending on how
cooperative or annoying yourcountry's been lately.
These aren't just economicpenalties, they're geopolitical.
(05:17):
Yelp reviews Five stars you geta deal.
One star enjoy your new exporttax and a call from your
panicked finance minister.
And while that's happening,benjamin Netanyahu is en route
to the White House to talk Gaza,because when you're managing
global trade threats, whatbetter time to also wrangle a
(05:40):
ceasefire in a war zone?
Seriously, we're one cabinetmeeting away from adding extreme
weather and AI rebellion to theagenda.
Talks are happening in Qataragain, where Israeli and Hamas
negotiators are reportedlyshowing signs of movement.
But let's not get too excited.
(06:01):
These ceasefire talks have morefalse starts than your cousin's
side hustle.
And even if an agreement lands,it's likely to be temporary,
fragile and about as durable asa Waffle House napkin.
You ever try to solve a toxicmarriage and rewrite your taxes
in the same afternoon.
(06:21):
That's where US diplomacy isright now.
In the same afternoon, that'swhere US diplomacy is right now.
It's multitasking for peoplewho enjoy failure in stereo.
So to recap, we're threateningour trade partners and
refereeing the Middle East, andif that doesn't scream totally
under control, I don't know whatdoes.
(06:43):
Meanwhile, while world leadersdebate tariffs and truces,
entire towns are underwater, butsure let's keep pretending the
infrastructure is resilient.
Texas floods kill a hundred andcounting, because apparently
(07:03):
July needed a horror moviesubplot.
Horror movie subplot.
So you're sitting in a summercamp fireflies, s'mores, a
little kumbaya, and then theriver rises 29 feet in under an
hour and swallows your cabinwhole.
Welcome to Kerr County, texas,where this past weekend's floods
(07:27):
turned the 4th of July into aclimate-fueled nightmare.
And, as of this afternoon, atleast 100 people are dead,
including 28 children, most ofthem from Camp Mystic, a girls'
summer camp that never stood achance.
And just in case you werewondering if someone failed to
sound the alarm, yes, they didfail.
(07:52):
The National Weather Servicedidn't issue an urgent alert
until after the floods hadalready begun, sometime around
4.03 am, when the GuadalupeRiver had already become a
vertical tsunami.
So much for early warning.
This was more like late stageapology.
Families are now demandinganswers, and rightly so.
People didn't just die, theywere blindsided.
They were tucked into bunk bedsand drowned before they had a
(08:16):
chance to scream.
Now, while this is makingheadlines, it still feels like
it's being reported with theemotional urgency of a traffic
jam.
Over a hundred people, andcounting, died, including 28
kids at summer camp, and yetit's not being treated like the
(08:36):
national emergency it is.
We've hit the point where,unless tragedy comes with viral
video or political outrage.
It barely breaks the noiseceiling.
Local officials are calling forfederal disaster aid.
Rescue teams are still pullingbodies from trees, but the
question no one's asking loudenough is why is a major summer
(09:02):
camp in a known floodplainwithout a direct flood
evacuation system in 2025.
I'll tell you why.
Because we fund thoughts andprayers and defund actual
infrastructure.
Hey, here's an idea If yourstate, like Texas, can budget
(09:24):
for stadiums and border walls,it can budget for a goddamn
flood siren.
So, just to recap, 28 kids diedin their sleep and the system
meant to protect them hit snooze.
But hey, let's keep debatingdrag shows and library books.
(09:44):
And in case your blood pressuredipped for a second, don't
worry.
Trump's got fresh tariffs andthreats on deck, all
gift-wrapped in that classictone of sign this or I'll break
your supply chain.
Trump's tariff expansion nowwith 50%, more threats and zero
(10:06):
chill.
More threats and zero chill.
You know what every anxious,inflation-riddled economy really
needs right now More tariffs,and not just any tariffs
randomly distributed and vaguelydefined, but globally
terrifying ones.
Courtesy of Donald J Trump'sthe Art of the Economic Panic.
Courtesy of Donald J Trump's,the Art of the Economic Panic
(10:29):
According to his TreasurySecretary, scott Besant, who
somehow always looks like he'sabout to whisper brace yourself.
The US is preparing to sendformal tariff notices to up to
15 countries and if thesecountries didn't negotiate by
early July, boom, new tariffs gointo effect August 1st, because
(10:51):
nothing screams stability likea one-month ultimatum on global
trade.
Now here's the kicker.
The proposed tariffs range from10% to 50%, depending on how
much Trump likes your countrythat given week.
Allies are panicking, marketsare twitching and international
(11:14):
finance ministers are apparentlyholding Zoom calls with the
emotional tone of a funeral forlogic.
This isn't so much an economicpolicy as it's a hostage
negotiation wrapped in campaigncosplay.
Trump's strategy is threaten,escalate, maybe renegotiate, but
(11:36):
definitely tweet somethingunhinged in all caps between
meetings.
We've entered the tariff hungergames phase of foreign policy.
Good luck, canada.
May the odds be ever in yourfavor.
Wall Street Not thrilled,futures dipped, the dollar
(11:58):
staggered and businesses acrossmanufacturing, tech and retail
are now pricing in tariffanxiety like it's a new seasonal
affective disorder, becausewhen you tell 15 countries that
their economies might implode inthree weeks, hey, they tend to
take it personally.
And keep in mind this ishappening while we're also
(12:22):
threatening BRICS nations,rewriting the US climate policy
and rebooting conflictnegotiations in Gaza.
You know, it's like someonespilled Red Bull on the
Constitution and now we're justwinging it.
At this point, trump's tradestrategy feels like a toddler
playing with light switches.
(12:42):
Let's turn off Europe, nowChina, now Vietnam.
Oops, I flipped the circuit ondomestic agriculture.
So to recap, the US is about topunch 15 countries in the
wallet just to see who flinchesGlobal diplomacy brought to you
(13:03):
by an expired coupon and abullhorn.
Let's leave American ego for amoment and head to Europe, where
leaders are actually trying tostop missiles instead of
tweeting about them.
Zelensky and Starma rally theCoalition of the Willing, now
(13:23):
with extra drone fuel and BlackSea drama, in a move that sounds
like it came straight from aTom Clancy reboot.
Ukrainian President Zelenskyand newly minted UK Prime
Minister Kerstarma have teamedup to build a modern-day
coalition of the willing no, notthe Bush-era one that gave us a
(13:44):
war and a migraine.
This is the other kind, the onethat comes with drone factories
, sanctions and a vague air ofEuropean competence.
The talks are happening in Romebecause of course, they are.
Around 30 countries arereportedly involved, like some
kind of NATO spinoff with fewerstrings and more espresso.
(14:07):
The mission To reinforceUkraine's air defenses, ramp up
drone manufacturing, secure theBlack Sea and send a
not-so-subtle message to Russia.
We're not done and we broughtfriends.
And, yes, the US is invited,but they're not the center of
gravity here.
(14:34):
Here, this is a Europe-led push,signaling frustration with the
lagging pace of American weaponspackages and the mess that is
our own Congress, apparently,please hold your democracy is
buffering and doesn't fly whenmissiles are landing in your
backyard.
Recent Russian drone strikeshave made it clear Ukraine is
still under daily threat and theneed for coordinated defense
(14:57):
isn't optional.
This new coalition is beingdeveloped alongside the Ramstein
format, which is basically theg20 of military aid, except with
fewer speeches and moreexploded hardware.
Zelensky, ever the wartimecommunicator, framed the move as
a pivot toward long-termguarantees, which, as
(15:20):
politicians speak for, we can'tkeep surviving on temporary
favors and old ammo.
Starmer, meanwhile, is usingthis moment to set the tone for
a post-Tory foreign policy, onethat looks less like Brexit
nostalgia and more like grown-upleadership on the world stage.
(15:40):
Imagine that Britain showing upsober and prepared.
It's weird, but refreshing.
What do you call it when 30countries with different agendas
try to align on weapons, warand diplomacy?
A coalition?
What do you call it, when thesame 30 countries try to decide
(16:04):
who's paying for the drones?
An argument.
So to recap Ukraine just joinedforces with the UK's new prime
minister to launch a seriousboots-on-the-ground,
radar-in-the-sky pushbackagainst Russian aggression.
And while the US isn'tsidelined, it's definitely no
(16:26):
longer the only one driving thisconvoy.
And finally, because this weekwasn't weird enough, elon Musk
started a new political party.
No word yet if it runs onelectricity or raw chaos Tesla
tanks as Musk launches theAmerica Party.
(16:46):
Because apparently Twitterwasn't enough, elon Musk,
billionaire CEO, part-time memelord and full-time chaos
generator, has announced thecreation of a brand new
political party, the AmericaParty.
Because if there's one thingWall Street loves, it's tech
(17:07):
CEOs randomly veering intopopulist politics in the middle
of all the other chaos in theworld.
The result Tesla shares felloff a cliff, dropping over 78%
in extended trading.
That's not a typo.
That's investors collectivelysaying hey, elon, maybe stay in
(17:29):
your lane or at least on thehighway.
The announcement blindsidedmarkets, spooked analysts
already worried about Musk'sfocus drift.
Remember, this is a manjuggling Tesla, spacex X,
formerly Twitter, formerly asocial media platform, now a
free speech gladiator arena andnow a third-party political
(17:54):
movement.
Analyst Dan Ives called themove, political overreach on
steroids, adding that investorpatience has a shelf life and
that shelf is looking prettyempty right now.
Former President Donald Trumpnot exactly shy about throwing
his own elbows, chimed in with athis is offrails rebuke,
(18:14):
warning that Musk's new partycould siphon votes, media oxygen
and maybe even donor dollarsaway from MAGA 2.0.
So now we've got a billionairefeud brewing alongside a new
party launch that already lookslike a stockholder lawsuit
waiting to happen.
Musk's team insists this isn'tabout ego, which is so adorable.
(18:39):
They claim the America Partywill focus on innovation,
freedom of expression andbreaking on political monopolies
, which is corporate speak, forwe didn't think this through
enough, but we printed the hatsanyway.
Meanwhile, tesla is getting hitfrom all angles EV tax credits
(19:01):
are being rolled back, newregulations on self-driving tech
are tightening and Q2deliveries were down.
Not surprising when your CEO isbusy tweeting in Morse code
about the First Amendment.
So what do you get when a carcompany becomes a political
party Answer confused customers,panicked shareholders and a
(19:25):
Federal Election Commissionheadache.
Hey, at least the Cybertruckmight double as a campaign RV.
Let's sum it up Musk went fullpolitical disruptor, just as
Tesla needed leadership focusand instead got PR chaos, stock
implosions and public spats withTrump.
(19:48):
Meanwhile, the rest of us arejust trying to figure out
whether our next EV should comewith a constitution in the glove
box.
Ok, before I go, I've asked forfeedback about 100 times now and
let's just say your commentshave been sparse.
We've got billionaireslaunching rockets, ai writing
(20:12):
poetry and half the countrycan't even agree on what day it
is.
Maybe it's time we actuallystarted talking to each other.
So here's what I want to knowWolfpack listeners.
My question for all of youwhat's the moment that finally
makes America snap in half andbreaks our country?
(20:32):
Is it political violence, acomplete media blackout, civil
War 2.0?
Or are we already past thebreaking point and nobody wants
to admit it?
So here's the deal.
Like Biden would say833-399-9653.
(20:53):
That's a toll-free voicemail box.
It's open 24 hours a day, 7days a week.
You won't get a human.
You won't get a chat bot.
Just leave your message.
Say I'm Bob, feel free to use mycomment, or I'm Mary.
Please don't use my name.
I respect that.
No questions asked.
Or email me at aworldgonemadpodcast at gmailcom.
(21:14):
Yes, you have to type the wholething.
Yes, it's long.
Yes, that's how Gmail works.
I'm asking you this questionbecause this show isn't just me
reading the headlines.
It's supposed to be a realconversation and if no one talks
back, then, yeah, I really amjust a guy sitting in a room
(21:37):
talking to myself.
So please, let me hear from you.
Also, please don't forget toleave comments on Apple or
Spotify.
That helps my podcast move upin the rankings and be heard by
thousands more people.
This has been A World Gone Mad.
I'm Jeff Allen Wolfe.
I'll be back Wednesday.
Until then, stay grounded, stayskeptical and if all else fails
(22:04):
, stay hopeful, can't you see?
And we need to stand up andpreserve our democracy.
This is a world gone mad.
This is a world gone mad.
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