Sachs says “Trump is crazy” and warns of the risk of global war amid the political collapse of the West.

247 - Economist Jeffrey D. Sachs, a professor at Columbia University and policy advisor to the United Nations, offered a scathing diagnosis of the governance crisis in the West, the rise of militarism, and the growing risk of large-scale wars, stating that the world is going through a period of political degradation marked by incompetence, corruption, and the abandonment of international law. According to him, the combination of instability in the United States government, the fragility of European leadership, and the military escalation in strategic regions such as the Persian Gulf creates an explosive environment with the potential to lead the planet to a war of catastrophic proportions.

The statements were made in an interview given to journalist and former British parliamentarian George Galloway, published on YouTube under the title “INTERVIEW: Trump is crazy, Starmer is beyond belief”. In the conversation, Sachs harshly criticized President Donald Trump — the current president of the United States — and also attacked British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, in addition to blaming the capture of the political system by billionaires and the “digital military-industrial complex” as central elements of institutional decay.

"The US economy is very sick."

Early in the interview, George Galloway asked if Sachs agreed with the assessment that the U.S. economy is showing signs of a possible catastrophe. The economist responded by stating that the country is "very sick" in several respects, and highlighted the weight of the public deficit. "Well, she's very ill in many ways. No doubt about it. We have gigantic budget deficits, as you know, around 7% of GDP."

Sachs also pointed to a set of factors that, according to him, could worsen the instability: corruption, mismanagement, and an environment of financial speculation. “We have banditry, corruption, mismanagement. We also have a wild speculative bubble, obviously, in artificial intelligence stocks.” For him, this situation creates a scenario in which "many things can go wrong".

Commenting on Donald Trump's behavior, Sachs stated that the president's erratic behavior is so great that the possibility of cognitive impairment cannot be ruled out. "Trump is so erratic that his question about whether it's dementia is, of course, a very vivid and plausible explanation."

The economist also recalled the 2008 financial crisis and stated that, at the time, the disaster was intensified by decisions he described as absurd, directly citing the bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers. “We must remember that in 2008, when we had the financial crisis, it also depended on practically the stupidest action you could imagine on the part of a Treasury Secretary or any senior official, when the Treasury Secretary at the time, Hank Paulson, deliberately broke up Lehman Brothers in one weekend, and that was a trigger that led to the catastrophe.”

Sachs said that the risk of further destructive decisions exists, especially because, according to him, the current Treasury Secretary is "vicious." "Well, we have a vicious guy as Secretary of the Treasury, so he's capable of all sorts of things."

"Trump is crazy. Starmer is unbelievable."

Next, the interview turned to the broader political crisis. Sachs compared the governments of the United Kingdom and the United States, stating that both were neck and neck for the title of worst government. It was then that he made his most forceful statement: "Trump is crazy. Starmer is unbelievable."

Subsequently, the economist described the current political landscape as a widespread collapse of competence and decency. "It's unbelievable what we have today as supposed governance. It's a completely chaotic collapse of even the most basic competence or decency."

George Galloway agreed and said he remembers a time when the West, even with ideological adversaries, had "great leaders." He cited names like Helmut Kohl, Jacques Chirac, Charles de Gaulle, Margaret Thatcher, and Tony Blair, and stated that today, leadership is "lesser" in every sense. Ironically, Galloway asserted that Tony Blair "makes Keir Starmer look like a plank of wood."

Corruption through money and the "digital military-industrial complex"

Sachs responded that, in the United States, the central explanation for this decline lies in the capture of the political system by money. "I can say that, in the US, the reason is that our political system has become completely corrupted by money."

He said that the state had been taken over by a "digital military-industrial complex" and that foreign policy was being controlled by Silicon Valley. "And it was completely taken over by the digital military-industrial complex. So, in foreign policy, we are now governed from Silicon Valley."

Domestically, according to Sachs, decisions would be dictated by an elite of billionaires. "And, on any domestic issue, we are governed by a small group of billionaires who are the ones who paid for the most recent government."

The economist stated that this structure allows for the election of "detestable" and morally degraded leaders. "So you can elect people as shockingly detestable as Trump, so ignorant and so corrupt, but it's a money game." He then directly accused figures from big business of having "bought" the election and of controlling the White House. "Elon Musk, in this case, and Peter Thiel and others bought this last election. They own the White House now."

Europe is "falling apart" and lacks political courage.

Speaking about Europe, Sachs said the scenario is "hard to believe," especially since it wasn't that long ago that the continent had leaders with political weight. He stated that he had met Helmut Kohl and other European leaders in economic and advisory roles. "They were truly substantial people. Now you can't even get in touch with them, and they're so pathetic they won't even answer a phone call."

According to him, current European leaders avoid any debate outside of their "comfort zone". "They don't want to discuss anything that's outside their comfort zone. And that's really impressive." And he concluded that Europe is "falling apart" in this process. "And Europe, of course, is falling apart in the process."

Sachs stated that the continent seems unsure of where the threat will come from, and that it is wrong to point to Russia as the main risk. "She can't tell if she's going to be invaded from the east or the west. She guessed wrong. Russia is not the threat. The threat is the United States."

He accused Europe of having lost its sense of diplomacy and economics, citing the sanctions against Russia as an example. “They’ve lost all sense of diplomacy. They’ve lost all sense of economics. As if imposing sanctions on Russia wasn’t enough—sanctions that didn’t matter much to Russia, but crushed German and European industry…”

And he pointed to a decision he considered even more absurd: to definitively abandon Russian energy and buy liquefied natural gas from the US at a much higher price. "They even put the cherry on top of that a few days ago, declaring that they would permanently halt all energy imports from Russia and would only buy LNG, which is six times more expensive, from the United States."

In the economist's view, this behavior reveals contempt for the citizens themselves. "These people don't even think for a moment about their own citizens or their own voters." Sachs cited the low popular support for Keir Starmer as a sign of the crisis. "And it's not surprising that Starmer has an 11% approval rating." He also attacked other European leaders: “Macron is perhaps in the single digits now. He is absolutely detested by the population. Merz is in freefall. They all are…”

"Nobody believes in anything": the crisis of politics without values.

George Galloway then hypothesized that the problem might be the death of ideologies and values, recalling that in the 1980s there were political debates based on principles. He stated that today politicians seem to believe in nothing.

Sachs agreed and said that Barack Obama's case illustrates this transformation: a successful campaign, but lacking substance in government. "What was interesting is that the person in whom we placed the most hope, and who wasn't a disaster in the same way that Trump is a disaster, but was a failure, was Obama."

He said he was charmed by Obama during the campaign, but stated that there was no real change afterward. “I was fascinated by Obama during the campaign and thought, ‘Okay, we’re finally going to have a turning point.’ And, of course, there was nothing there afterward.” According to Sachs, Obama maintained deep state policies and aggressive foreign policy. "And he implemented the normal deep state policies of overthrowing governments and tasking the CIA with overthrowing the Syrian government, and many, many disasters occurred during his tenure."

Sachs cited a book by Obama's campaign coordinator as an example of politics reduced to electoral tactics, lacking a national vision. "What was interesting about the book was that it was 100% election tactics, without a single paragraph that made any sense about why the guy really wanted to govern, or what he stood for."

Kennedy, the CIA, and the historic turning point in political assassinations.

The interview progressed into a historical and geopolitical debate. George Galloway said he sees the assassination of John F. Kennedy in 1963 as the "beginning of the end" for the US, and cited past statements by the president about the Middle East and Iran, including his defense of Iranian Prime Minister Mohammed Mossadegh, who was overthrown in an operation by the CIA and MI6.

Sachs responded by saying that he had written a book about Kennedy's last year and considered it a period of "greatest statesmanship" since Franklin Roosevelt. "I wrote a book about Kennedy's last year because I think that Kennedy's year, from the Cuban Missile Crisis to his assassination, was a year of the greatest statesmanship the United States has had since Franklin Roosevelt."

He went further and stated that Kennedy was about to become "the great leader of our era," and that this was why he was assassinated. "And Kennedy was on his way to becoming the great leader of our era. And that is why he was killed, almost certainly by CIA forces and those associated with them."

Sachs also cited Dwight Eisenhower's farewell address, in which he warned of the "military-industrial complex," and said that Harry Truman himself acknowledged that he was wrong to sign the National Security Act of 1947, which created the CIA. "Truman quickly wrote afterward that his biggest mistake was signing the National Security Act of 1947, which created the CIA, in part as a secret army of the United States."

He stated that he was convinced Truman knew Kennedy had "fallen for a coup." "And I am quite convinced that Truman knew that Kennedy had fallen victim to a coup, not the ridiculous story of a lone assassin."

Sachs compared this pattern to other assassinations, such as that of Swedish Prime Minister Olof Palme, and stated that these episodes change the course of entire countries. "These end up not simply being assassinations. They are fundamental turning points in government." He also cited the assassination of Yitzhak Rabin and stated that, after that, Israel had transformed itself into a "genocidal society" and committed genocide in Gaza. "After Rabin's assassination, Israel became a genocidal society."

The war in the Persian Gulf and the risk of a devastating conflict with Iran.

Returning to the international agenda, George Galloway stated that the Persian Gulf could become the stage for the "mother of all wars," with a US offensive against Iran. Sachs agreed that the global trend is toward military escalation and said that the Doomsday Clock is dangerously close to midnight.

He cited an update from the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists, stating that humanity was "85 seconds to midnight," a metaphor for the proximity of a nuclear meltdown. "They moved the clock hand forward four seconds yesterday to say we're 85 seconds from midnight, meaning nuclear Armageddon."

Sachs stated that, since 1992, every US president has pushed the world closer to nuclear war. "This reflects a fact that has been happening since 1992: every American president has pushed us closer to nuclear war." And he listed: “Clinton, Bush Jr., Obama, Trump 1, Biden, Trump 2.”

Regarding Trump, he stated that the current president is "the most unbalanced." "And Trump 2 is by far the most unbalanced." Sachs again mentioned the possibility of "dementia" or psychological instability. "There is probably some dementia or profound psychological deficit or instability at play right now."

He said the backdrop to the war against Iran would be a 30-year effort by Israel to provoke this conflict. "The backdrop to this war that is about to happen is, in itself, a 30-year effort by Israel to create this war." According to him, Israel has fueled conflicts in several countries in the region. "Israel has started virtually all the other wars in the region. It has started wars in Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Yemen, Sudan... Somalia, Libya."

Sachs stated that Israel has always wanted "the great war" against Iran. "I always wanted the big one. I always wanted war with Iran." He stressed that Iran is not a simple target and that it is not a country that can be easily "decapitated". "Iran is not Venezuela. This will not be a simple decapitation attack." And added: "In fact, not even Venezuela is."

He also attacked the idea that Trump "rules" Venezuela. "Trump neither owns nor governs Venezuela, despite any delusions he may have right now."

Sachs noted that Iran is embedded in an environment with multiple relevant actors and nuclear powers, and that countries like Russia and China have direct interests in the region. "Iran is a region where Russia has major interests, where China has major interests, where the Saudis, Turkey, and other very significant countries have enormous interests."

He stated that these countries do not want war and that there is no popular support for it. "They really don't want this war. There's no drumbeat for this war, neither in the American public nor in any country in the region." According to Sachs, the pressure is coming from Netanyahu. "This is a war drumbeat in Netanyahu's deranged psyche."

The economist stated that Trump will attack Iran soon unless the world reacts. "Trump will attack Iran soon, unless by some miracle the rest of the world stands up and says, 'No, you can't do that.'" He argued that the UN Security Council should be forced to hold uninterrupted sessions.

Violation of the UN Charter and European submission

Sachs stated that Trump's threats blatantly violate international law and the UN Charter. "What Trump is doing by violating international law is not even hypothetical." And he quoted the text directly: "The UN Charter could not be more explicit. Article 2, Section 4 states that no country may threaten to use force or use force."

He criticized statements by European leaders, mentioning Chancellor Merz celebrating the fall of a regime. "Someone just quoted Chancellor Merz to me saying how wonderful it is that this regime doesn't have much time left." Sachs reacted with indignation: "My God, the appalling recklessness, the pathetic governance in Europe to say such things..."

In the economist's view, Europe acts as if it has only one principle: not to be attacked, but to support attacks on others. "It seems that Europe has no principles beyond 'don't attack us,' but we'll be happy if you attack someone else."

"Maximum pressure" and economic warfare as state policy.

Sachs also denounced what he called the “extraordinary violence” in the US economic strategy against Iran. He quoted the Treasury Secretary describing in Davos a deliberate campaign to crush the Iranian economy and generate internal revolt. "The US Treasury Secretary proudly describing in Davos last week the US's maximum pressure campaign to crush the Iranian economy and thus put people on the streets."

Sachs stated that the secretary explained that the Iranian crisis is not merely the result of corruption or internal mismanagement, but of a deliberate policy of economic destruction. “He explained everything: that this was in no way the result of Iranian mismanagement or corruption. This was a deliberate campaign by the Trump administration to crush the economy.”

He called this the "art of governing" through economic violence. “This is the 'art of governing' in economics. No shots fired and things are moving in a very positive way here,” says Bessent. Sachs concluded: "Simply unbelievable."

And he criticized the European silence. "And what did Starmer say? What did Merz say? What did Macron say? What did any of these heroes of Western values ​​say? Not a peep, as far as I know."

Is the UN dead or is it still essential?

George Galloway then attacked the loss of relevance of the UN, saying that today almost nobody knows who the secretary-general is, and that the organization seems redundant. Sachs responded in two layers: what it should be and what it is in practice.

He compared the current situation to the failure of the League of Nations in the 1930s. "Perhaps we're in something like 1938 or 39 and we're asking about the League of Nations." He recalled that the League failed to prevent aggression and collapsed during World War II.

Sachs stated that the UN could have been different if Franklin Roosevelt had lived longer. "If FDR had lived, it would have been a very different story." Nevertheless, he insisted that the world needs the UN to survive. "But we need the UN. I fight for it every day."

He said he travels the world and realizes that Africa, Asia, and Latin America want a strong UN. "Almost everywhere in the world—in Africa, Asia, and Latin America—wants a successful UN." According to him, most of the planet desires the rule of law, while the US acts as "the world's biggest bully". "Everyone wants the rule of law, except the biggest bully in the world, which is the United States, who say that's a nicety."

Sachs described the US government as "thugs" and "gangsters". "We have a bandit government, a gangster-style government." But he stressed that the world does not applaud this logic. "But it's not that the whole world is applauding gangsterism."

He stated that international law is fragile but indispensable because a world war in the nuclear age would be the end. "The entire history of humanity is one of world wars, but we have never had a world war in the nuclear age, and this will be the last war we will have, because it will be the end."

Ukraine: "The war would never have happened" without US action.

The interview then turned to the war in Ukraine. George Galloway said he preferred Trump to Kamala Harris because he believed Trump could be less of a threat to the US-NATO-Russia relationship, and reminded the audience that Trump had promised to end the war quickly, but that had not happened.

Sachs responded by stating that the war "would never have happened" without US action. "This war, first of all, would never have happened if the US hadn't conspired to overthrow Yanukovich's government in 2014." He also blamed NATO expansion. "The war would never have happened if the United States hadn't pushed for NATO expansion."

Sachs stated that the conflict could have been ended diplomatically if the US, Germany, and France had upheld the Minsk II agreement, which he described as a UN Security Council agreement. "The war would never have happened if the United States, Germany, and France had upheld the Minsk II agreement, which is a UN Security Council agreement."

According to him, this agreement could have ended the war by granting autonomy to eastern Ukraine. "This would have ended the war through the autonomy of eastern Ukraine, the Donbas region."

Sachs said that there was still a chance to avoid the conflict in December 2021, when Vladimir Putin proposed security arrangements. "The war could have been avoided by December 2021, when President Putin put draft security arrangements with Russia and the United States on the table."

He reported calling the White House and pleading for negotiations. “I called the White House, Jake Sullivan, the national security advisor, and essentially pleaded for an hour: ‘Jake, negotiate. Negotiate.’” And he said that Sullivan replied: "Don't worry, Jeff. There won't be a war." Sachs classified this as incompetence and irresponsibility. "These people are so incompetent and irresponsible."

Negotiations sabotaged and "2 million casualties"

Sachs stated that, a few weeks after the start of the Russian invasion in February 2022, there were negotiations mediated by Turkey. "A few weeks after the start of the Russian invasion on February 22, we know that they went to the negotiating table with Turkish mediators."

He said he went to Ankara to discuss the issue and accused the US and the UK of sabotaging the agreement, mentioning Boris Johnson as the envoy. “Of course, the United States and the United Kingdom — Boris Johnson, in this case as envoy — broke off negotiations, telling Ukraine: 'You don't sign, you fight.'”

Sachs stated that this would have resulted in "probably 2 million Ukrainian casualties." "That's probably 2 million Ukrainian casualties since then." And he mocked the logic: "Our best defense against Ukraine is to kill them all."

The solution: neutrality and an end to NATO expansion.

According to Sachs, the groundwork for ending the war has always existed and hinges on Ukrainian neutrality. "The grounds for ending this war have been there all along. They are Ukraine's neutrality." He stated that NATO expansion was "insane". "Stop the stupid expansion of NATO, which was insane to begin with."

He said that Trump, if he were competent, should explain to the American people that NATO expansion was a provocation and should leave the table. "If Trump were normal, competent, and capable, he would have given a speech to the American people explaining that NATO expansion was a provocation."

Sachs compared the situation to a "replay" of the Crimean War and criticized historical strategies of expelling Russia from the Black Sea. "This is just a repeat of the Crimean War. Exactly."

Trump wants peace, but is incapable of being president, says Sachs.

Despite the criticism, Sachs stated that he believes Trump wants to end the war, but lacks the political capacity to do so. "I really think he wants to end the war, but he's incapable of being presidential in the way that would be necessary to end the war."

He said that Trump is ignorant, incompetent, and surrounded by warmongering figures. "Trump is incompetent above all else. He is ignorant and surrounded by the Lindsey Grahams of the world and the Richard Blumenthals of the world." According to Sachs, these parliamentarians would be financed by the military-industrial complex and would be "promoters of war". "These are people on the payroll of the US military-industrial complex. They are warmongers."

The economist stated that Europe also fuels the war, and that the Ukrainian leadership does not represent the people of the country. "Zelensky is part of a gang. They are gangsters, in my opinion." And added: "They are not representing the interests of the Ukrainian people."

"Nobody wants war, except governments."

Sachs concluded with a bitter vision: according to him, almost all institutional actors want war, except the people. "Everyone wants war, except the people themselves." He said that, meanwhile, young people are being dragged to the front lines and killed. "They are ready to drag anyone off the streets of Lviv or Odessa, or wherever they find a young person, and put them on the front line to die."

According to the economist, the result is a human and political tragedy, driven by governments lacking social legitimacy and by power structures that no longer respond to formal democracy. "This is what's happening now. It's absolutely tragic."