March 27, 2025

Red Hats & Red Flags: America's Global Image Crisis

Show Notes
Transcript

Patrick Gutfield explores America's deteriorating international reputation as countries worldwide issue travel warnings about visiting the US. Meanwhile, Greenland fights back against Trump's annexation desires with viral "Make America Go Away" hats that are giving MAGA a run for its money. We'll dissect the awkward timing of JD and Usha Vance's trip to Greenland right after Trump's "one way or the other" acquisition comments. Plus: Denmark and Finland advise transgender travelers to call ahead before visiting America, the UK warns citizens they risk detention for paperwork errors, and a Canadian woman shares her "kidnapping" experience at the border.

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Calaroga Shark Media from Greenland, the fifty second state. This

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is ballot. That's right.

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I'm Patrick Gutfield and I'm here to make New great again.

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Let's hit this well. The Battle of the red hats

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is officially on.

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A Greenlander named an guach Rhymer Johansson just created what

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might be the hottest fashion accessory of twenty twenty five,

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a red hat with make America go Away emblazoned across

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the front.

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Move over, Maga.

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There's a new acronym in town, Maga, but this time

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it stands for making Americans get anxious. This stylish headwear

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emerged in response to Trump's not at all colonial desire

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to acquire Greenland one way or the other. Because nothing

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says respectful foreign policy like treating an autonomous territory like

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it's a property on Trump Monopoly. Meanwhile, on x formerly Twitter,

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formerly a place where international diplomacy wasn't conducted, people are

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clamoring to buy the make America Go Away hat. One

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user suggested a Canadian version with a maple leaf, because

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nothing says politely asking you to leave like putting it

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on a hat with a maple leaf.

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Vice President JD.

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Vance is joining his wife Usha on the trip to Greenland,

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and the timing couldn't be more awkward if they showed

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up wearing future US territory t shirts.

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This visit comes right after.

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President Trump's threats to take over the island one way

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or the other. Because nothing says diplomacy like telling a

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country you're planning to acquire them like they're a vacation property.

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On HDTV's Island Hunters, Vance posted a video saying he

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didn't want his wife to have all that fun by

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herself in Greenland.

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Yes, nothing says fun vacation.

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Like visiting a military installation in the Arctic while the

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locals are furious about your boss threatening to annex their homeland.

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Vance claims they're going because a lot of other countries

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have threatened Greenland. Meanwhile, Greenland is pointing at the White

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House saying the call.

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Is coming from inside the house.

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Rymer Johansen, the hat Lady isn't buying the innocent tourist act,

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calling Vance's visit a charm offensive and urging his fellow

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Greenlanders not to be swayed. If you smile at them

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or take a selfie with them, you are sending a

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message to the world that you love the USA and

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want to be.

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Part of it.

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It's the international relations version of don't feed the bears

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or they'll keep coming back. The Trump administration wants to

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reinvigorate the security of the people of Greenland, which is

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like saying you want to install security cameras in your

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neighbor's house for their protection. Speaking of travel, people around

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the world are getting travel warnings about America like we're

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some sketchy motel with bed bugs and a murder problem.

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It's true.

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Countries like Germany, the UK, and Canada are telling their

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citizens to have all their paperwork ready when visiting America

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or risk getting detained by ice. Countries are now warning

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their citizens about visiting America, and it's not because of

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our giant sodas or over priced healthcare. The Canadian government

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just updated its travel advice, telling citizens they must register

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with the US government if they plan to stay longer

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than thirty days.

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Failure to comply with the.

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Registration requirement could result in penalties, fines and misdemeanor prosecution.

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Nothing says Welcome to America like the threat of prosecution.

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The UK is warning travelers to comply with all entry conditions,

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otherwise they risk being arrested or detained. Germany notes that

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Germans aren't guaranteed entry even with a visa, after several

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of their citizens were detained. It's like getting bounced from

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a club, except the bouncer puts you in handcuffs. Denmark

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and Finland have specifically worn transgender travelers to contact the

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American embassy before visiting, because nothing says Land of the

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Free like having to call ahead to make sure your

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identity won't get you detained. These advisories come after foreigners

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have been detained and deported by American officials, including a

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Canadian woman named Jasmine Mooney, who said she felt kidnapped

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after being detained when applying for a visa at the

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US Mexico border. One minute I was in an immigration office,

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the next I was told to put my hands against

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the wall and padded down like a criminal. That's one

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way to welcome our northern neighbors. On social media, some

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Canadians think their government should go further. We need to

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have a travel warning issued. The USA is no longer

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safe for Canadians, wrote one user. Another added the US

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is routinely violating international law and depriving non citizens of

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their rights. So if you're planning a trip to America,

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remember to bring your passport, visa registration forms, and maybe

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a really good lawyer just in case. It's like we've

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put up a giant sign saying welcome to America. Maybe

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Americans have some thoughts about these travel warnings. One person

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says the US is nuttier than a peanut farm right now,

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which is both accurate and a delicious snack option. Another

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American who traveled the world, including the old Soviet Union,

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says American border control is now the rudest and most

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unpleasant he's encountered. When you're making the USSR look friendly

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in comparison, that's what we in the comedy business.

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Call a problem.

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Some Americans are embarrassed, with one saying it's unfathomable that

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a native born American citizen feels this way. Others are

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considering leaving, like one person whose company offered them a

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job in Canada lower pay, but at least the border

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agents say sorry after being rude to you. Then there's

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the crowd that thinks these warnings are just political stunts.

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Who cares those countries aren't going to ban American travelers

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says one yes, because nothing says publicity stunt like please

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make sure your papers are in order so you don't

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end up in detention.

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One person summed it up.

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We have political unrest, several separate disease out breaks, and

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multiple reports of foreigners being unlawfully detained by US law enforcement.

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When you put it that way, America sounds like the

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setting for a dystopian novel that got turned into a

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mediocre movie starring The Rock. So if you're planning to

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visit America, remember to bring your passport, visa proof of citizenship,

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and maybe a lawyer's phone number just in case. Portions

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of today's program were made with the help of cool

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red hats Ai and whatever it is we eat here

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in Greenland.