The Putinization of America: Can Trump and Musk Outdo Vladimir Putin? Good morning. If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, then Vladimir Putin must be blushing when he looks at the world stage. The Russian leader’s gangster-like swagger, Mikhail Zygar writes, is slowly becoming the lingua franca of American foreign policy—especially as Donald Trump and Elon Musk call the shots.
From the US president’s imperial designs on Greenland, Canada, and the Panama Canal to Musk’s brazen jabs at Justin Trudeau, the new administration is throwing out a global order in which it would have been unthinkable to openly muse on the idea of annexing another nation. The new rule now appears to be might over right. But will Trump really be able to out-Putin Putin himself? “If we assume that Trump and Musk have learned something from Putin,” one source tells Zygar, “they could very well turn out to be students who surpass their teacher.”
Stateside, Trump’s brash bravado continues to have major implications. As the president takes a wrecking ball to the federal bureaucracy, Eric Lutz pillories Republicans for reportedly whining to the White House instead of mounting a legitimate resistance. Meanwhile, Nick Bilton reports that the tech industry is relishing the sight of the regulatory state’s demise. “The White Houses of the past have always been so anti-tech,” says one venture capitalist. “This administration is doing the complete opposite.”
Looking for a little more levity? Check out Kase Wickman’s chuckle-worthy guide to Musk’s increasingly Byzantine family tree, which includes four “partners in progeny” and 13 children, one of whom he calls X Æ A-12. (Don’t ask me how to pronounce that.)
Plus, if you’re curious about how to tune in to Vanity Fair’s yearly post-Oscars bash next Sunday, Chris Murphy breaks down how to catch all the pomp and circumstance from the comfort of your own home. Thanks for reading.
—Jon Skolnik, associate editor |
