Is Chaos a Distraction?

Is Chaos a Distraction?

From Geopolitics with Frank McKenna by TD Securities

January 21, 2026 · 50 min · Episode 74

About this episode

Frank McKenna discusses the chaos in global geopolitics and its implications for US foreign policy.

Two weeks have passed since Frank last spoke to listeners. Since then, it has been chaos in global geopolitical circles, with Frank wondering whether some of this noise is meant to distract from issues the US Administration would prefer to take a back seat in the current news cycle. Trump's consistent musings about owning Greenland have become a major escalation of geopolitical risk, and Frank worries that it is at this juncture in cross-border disputes when mistakes happen, someone says or does the wrong thing, and a situation destabilizes. He is hopeful that cooler heads prevail, and an off ramp can be found in Davos. Frank still wonders why the US Administration claims it needs Greenland, asking "why buy the cow when you already get the milk for free?" This month's podcast also covers tariffs, Iran, Minnesota, Venezuela, the Board of Peace, the Munroe Doctrine, Canada's China pivot, Legault's resignation in Quebec, Powell's Fed Indictment, populist market interventions by Trump and Prime Minister Carney's "sobering" speech to the World Economic Forum. This podcast was recorded on January 20, 2026 Chapter Headings: 01:10 US vs NATO on Greenland 06:04 Study Confirms Cost of…

People in this episode

Host: Frank McKenna

Topics covered

  • geopolitical chaos
  • US foreign policy
  • tariffs
  • Trump's rhetoric
  • Iranian military actions
  • Venezuela's future
  • Canada's China pivot

Keywords

  • geopolitics
  • Trump
  • Greenland
  • tariffs
  • Iran
  • Venezuela
  • Davos
  • Canada
  • populism

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: World Economic Forum, Powell's Fed, Board of Peace

Places: Greenland, US, Iran, Venezuela, Quebec

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