Quote · The Rest Is Politics
544. How Trump Is Weaponising AI and Martial Arts at the White House
Where this was said
Musk, Zuckerberg and the Masculinity Question
At 37:58 · chapter starts 35:10
Rory Stewart uses the UFC spectacle to ask a broader question about masculinity and politics: would this have happened 20 or 30 years ago, and are we becoming more violent? He and Campbell discuss the abandoned Musk-Zuckerberg fight — reportedly cancelled when Musk discovered that Zuckerberg had been training seriously for two hours a day with a martial arts master. Campbell notes polling: only 13% of Americans approved of the White House UFC event, and only one in three Republicans [1] — Alastair Campbell "White House UFC support: 13%: Only 13% of Americans thought the UFC event on the White House lawn was a good use of the venue, with even Re…" 36:15 . The hosts then connect this to a broader question about Trump's birthday priorities: the G7 summit was delayed by a full day because Trump wanted his UFC event first. Rory draws a structural comparison: Trump as Roman emperor, staging spectacles for his own gratification and expecting the world to accommodate his schedule [2] — Alastair Campbell "G7 summit delayed for UFC: The G7 summit started one day later than originally scheduled because Trump wanted to hold his UFC birthday even…" 36:55 .
Only 13% of Americans thought the UFC event on the White House lawn was a good use of the venue, with even Republicans only 1-in-3 in favour.
The G7 summit started one day later than originally scheduled because Trump wanted to hold his UFC birthday event first, illustrating his personal priorities overriding diplomatic schedules.
Alastair Campbell invoked the German concept of 'banalisation' — the process by which the AfD became normalised in German media — and argued Trump has already been fully banalised in the US and UK press. A Democrat friend told him to stop getting angry about the UFC event because that's exactly what Trump wants. Campbell rejected the advice.
