"Trump supporters continue to lie for him. Tariffs are not about fentanyl, national security, or even jobs.
"They're about consolidating power for the sake of using it arbitrarily."~ Keith Weiner
UPDATE:
"Trump’s demand to annex Greenland either through money or the military is becoming the catalyst for the possible destruction of the Atlantic Alliance. Trump could not do more to serve the geopolitical interests of Russia and China if he was an actual puppet of Moscow and Beijing."~ Richard Ebeling
"As an American, I have one thing to say to my many European friends: Do not back down in this confrontation. Up to now, both the EU and the major European powers have sought to appease Trump by offering him concessions, flattery, personal gifts, and other forms of tribute. This strategy has not worked and should be abandoned immediately.
"Donald Trump is fundamentally a bully who wants to dominate everyone around him. Trying to placate him with concessions is a fool’s errand ...
"What makes any European think that conceding Greenland will mollify Trump? He will simply come back for more, later. ... [And a]t this point, Trump’s America has amply demonstrated that it will not be a reliable ally when push comes to shove. It has already abandoned Ukraine, and stated in November’s National Security Strategy that Europe has fallen behind the Western Hemisphere in terms of American priorities.
"Europeans should keep in mind that those countries that stood up to Trump’s threats in 2025 ... all did well and did not have to succumb. ..."It may be the case that the world will have to risk suffering a global recession as more countries stand up to Trump and retaliate against his policies. But a U.S. politician who wants to weaponise trade and use it as a lever for territorial expansion needs to be taught a painful lesson."
~ Francis Fukuyama from his column 'Don’t Back Down, Europe: Trump’s tariff threats against allies should be the last straw.'
I am a fan of Fukuyama, he knows his stuff. I also recommend Charlie Sykes book “How the Right lost its Mind” written during Trump 1 and very prescient.Sadly quite a few folk here in NZ who should know better will go down with the Trump ship.
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