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Daniel Bessner – Making Sense of the Donroe Doctrine

Episode length: 58m

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This conversation with Daniel Bessner is only one segment from last week’s livestream, which also included a conversation with my team about ICE’s action in Minnesota and an appearance by Murtaza Hussain, who came to talk about his reporting on the Epstein Files. The full show is available here, but only for full subscribers. So if you want access to everything—including viewing privileges for new streams and access to video and podcast versions afterward—consider signing up. The Glenn Show is almost entirely audience supported. We need your help in order to keep delivering the show week after week, along with all the other content we post here. So to those of you who are already full supporters: thank you for all you do. And if you’re not yet a supporter, please consider becoming one.

Video Links

0:00 Trump’s ambitions in Venezuela

2:09 The downsides of American empire

5:44 Is Trump protecting US interests or engaging in regime change?

13:42 Ground News ad

15:38 Danny’s critique of realist foreign policy

23:11 The perverse domestic effects of American militarism

32:00 America’s very real but rather weak democracy

35:22 Viewer question: Could wars of conquest revivify America?

38:20 Rob’s question: Won’t a $500 billion increase in the military budget create massive inflation?

42:11 Danny: Why buy Greenland when we already have a military presence there?

47:49 Trump’s real estate instincts on the global stage

51:42 The trials and tribulations of a humble Housing Provider

Recorded January 9, 2026

Links and Readings

Danny’s podcast, American Prestige

Lindsey O’Rourke’s book, Covert Regime Change: America’s Secret Cold War

John Mearsheimer’s book, The Tragedy of Great Power Politics

Michael Sherry’s book, In the Shadow of War: American since the 1930s

Richard Waterman’s book, Constitutional Ambiguity and the Interpretation of Presidential Power

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit glennloury.substack.com/subscribe

Host:
Glenn Loury