This Proves Trump Is Shrinking In Every Way

The Daily Beast Podcast

The Daily Beast

News

4.6 • 8.4K Ratings

🗓️ 16 May 2026

⏱️ 36 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

David Rothkopf and Daily Beast executive editor Hugh Dougherty break down Donald Trump’s lackluster China trip, the explosive fallout from his Iran crisis, and the growing signs that the president is struggling to maintain control on the world stage. From tense meetings with Xi Jinping to Trump’s angry outbursts aboard Air Force One, the conversation tracks a presidency that increasingly looks weakened, isolated, and consumed by chaos. Rothkopf details how China dictated the terms of the summit, why Trump came home empty-handed on Taiwan, trade, and Iran, and how the president appeared both physically and metaphorically diminished beside Xi as America’s stature seemed to shrink alongside him. The episode also digs into Trump’s public meltdowns, mounting questions about his mental decline, and why even some longtime observers now believe the Trump era is entering its final unraveling. Ready to reach your goals? Visit https://hims.com/BEAST to get a personalized, affordable plan that gets you. #ad Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	He's getting twisted around his own axle.
0:03.3	And I think he's a deeply frustrated man right now.
0:07.8	Because for most of his life, he's been able to talk his way out of his problems.
0:11.9	And right now, it's just there piling up and piling up.
0:14.8	And he's just, he's lost that old magic.
0:17.5	He got nothing.
0:18.8	In addition of that, he looked impotent, right? He looked weak.
0:22.7	The subtext of his meeting was America losing stature, and the image that goes along with
0:29.5	that is the president losing stature. He's looking smaller and smaller relative to the president
0:35.2	of China in every way possible, you know, optically,
0:39.8	but also metaphor.
0:43.9	Welcome to the Daily Beast podcast. I'm Hugh Docketty. I'm an executive editor of The Daily Beast.
0:48.6	I'm privileged to be in this chair today for the great Joanna Coles.
0:52.1	We have a brilliant guest coming up,
0:54.5	our indispensable chief global affairs columnist David Rothkoff.
0:58.5	Before we get into the show,
0:59.8	please take a moment, share this podcast with your friends,
1:03.2	invite them to subscribe to the Daily Beast YouTube channel.
1:05.7	We are closing in on 700,000 subscribers,
1:08.8	and with your help, we can get to a million.
1:11.4	And it's thanks to everyone who has subscribed that we have such amazing guests.
1:15.3	So please help us spread the word.
	...

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