Oh dear Diane. No. Read The cult of the Bully by Sam Harris Diane to understand what is going on in the White House now. Here is an extract:
'It is, therefore, ominous that our political culture now celebrates figures who are obviously unethical—liars, bullies, and conmen—many of whom see no reason to even pretend to harbor deeper values or virtues. Whatever your politics, President Trump has said and done a thousand things that should make it impossible to admire him as a person—and he will commit further atrocities this week. Elon Musk has achieved a similarly vile orbit—lying with abandon, making common cause with racists and lunatics, and pointlessly defaming ordinary people—it seems, just for the fun of it. Both men are conspicuous for the degree to which they still resemble children, having retained a juvenile sense of entitlement, recklessness, and self-absorption. Both are already cautionary tales about the corrupting influences of fame, wealth, and power—even as they continue to achieve new heights.'
this is a dangerously insane sane-washing of a compromised lunatic in a fully dysfunctional system of governance.
It should be instead the goal of researchers and observers to distill out the REAL interdependencies in what is happening - because only such the world has a chance to prevent that from spiralling out of control.
The only person in all that allowed to get a pass is Zelenskyy - he just has to hold on every little straw he can grab on behalf of his people under genozidal attack from one side and economic bribery now from another side.
Everyone else please urgently may recognise, that this "landlord" behavior is the 9-1-1 default reaction of a very mediocre real estate developer, that only knows NYC real estate business habits which A lead to the farcical NYC property qualities and are B in every other sane market not successfully applicable.
He carries the mental load of the misalignment of his projected "genius" and his actual limitations. Even as re-elected president he is an insecure, unfit, character for us terrifyingly terrified about his own lack of talent.
There is no sense for US in that Greenland approach.
As we know it has been planted to him via a RuZZian Cy-Op using Senator Cotton in 2019.
Making himself a laughing stock then and getting put in place by a tough women, Mette Frederiksson, urges him to do whatever possible to - as with pursuing the Jan-6 investigators - make him as a winner write history.
That's why this won't go away - but as well why this in the first place is no real estate thing.
The real estate assumptions are the sane washing of that insanity.
Similar with Canada, where he simply can not get away with his pain that there are other North-Americans, that think differently and that Trudeau several time was involved in world leaders laughing about him - what Kamala Harris referred to in the debate.
He here needs to score something for his ego.
That won't go away either!
That is serious.
Again real estate terminologies are dangerous sane washing.
Netanyahu's trip to DC came at the time where he was absorbed in that tariff turmoil causing stock drops and discontent in his "base".
Does anyone belief he prepared that at least a single day ahead?
In reality we could witness the process in real time.
Monday morning he had nothing.
Out of urgency he remembered Jared Kushner's statements from last spring.
In a signing ceremony in the oval he started to freewheel butchered parts of that to the assembled press there.
With Netanyahu he seemed not to have spoken about anything like that.
Parallel he got his press briefing prepared - distilled out of the butchered phantasies from the morning - and read them out - in fact to his own surprise.
That the remaining sane world discusses all that now provides him some hours of urgently needed self confidence.
That this world discusses this in real estate terms referring to the real estate deal maker makes him himself confident of having been more than the only mediocre developer and closer to his failing self-expectation.
And that is terrifyingly dangerous!
Because if he did let that go away - it would for him be another mental knock as by Mette in 2019.
This is why that won't go away either - till in his mind he can as a winner write history and proof it right.
The more observers, "analysts" and researchers do that kind of sane washing the more such craziness will determine the world.
As long as China is sufficiently failing it's own goals, as RuZZia is crippled as now, as US is "successfully" paralysed by DOGE-actions and Project 2025 philosophies, but as long as there are still all the American talents now in fear and despair and as there is an European Union left somewhat funktionale but demanding to get kissed or better kicked out of its deep sleep - there are sufficient ways for the world to find work arounds, around Washington.
It demands position instead of participation, vision instead of allegiance.
I would add that the people putting a happy gloss on Trump's imperialism never advocated anything remotely similar in the past. If it is such a good idea why did it take this particular stable genius to advance the idea?
The peace and prosperity brought about by America's generous and respectful treatment of allies (old and new) after WWII was not a mistake. It paid off a thousand fold in U.S. fortunes. Shining-up a return to mercantile-imperialism is short-sighted. It's a tribal reaction to excuse Trump's embarrassing stupidity.
TRump's dismantling of U.S. democracy and system of checks balances is a long term threat to peace. Democracies are less war prone. No analyst should gloss over the international threats of authoritarianism. Trumpian instability is not promoting peace anywhere.
The one useful idea that Trump is considering is the exchange of mineral rights for arms. Credible analysts should note that the idea came from Ukraine, not Trump. It is useful because Ukraine is in an existential, desperate situation. Does anybody suggest it would have been wise to extract the permanent fishing rights of Great Britain in exchange for arms against Hitler? Of course not, it would have only weakened the war effort. The arms-for-minerals path is similarly ugly and counterproductive, it just happens to be a least bad option.
May the remaining sane and decent world read this!
Actually you kick in just after the Truman-Doctrine.
The honorable idea behind that wasn't in the first place "generous" and "respectful".
It was the conclusion out of a necessity, the necessity to have stability and predictability as a basis for first recovery back out of the war economy and then growth and prosperity with the results we enjoyed.
If it were NOW only about a narcissistic real real estate developer looking for ways for his people or be it himself and his oligarchy to find ways to gain even more - calling it "Trum-p-an" doctrine might help.
But no - it is really about what you call it - stupidity and exploitation of the unconstrained acting out of impulses...
The oligarchs of course understand the opportunity for themselves...
That would be a bad deal. Ukraine should demand 250 F=16, long-range missiles, and an unlimited supply of the most modern weapons and ammunition. After all, they are doing fighting and dying to protect Europe from Russian expansionism.
Wow, this article was difficult to stomach. I subscribe to Diane's Substack because I wanted to stay open to different world views from mine. Even though it's your area of focus Diane, not everything boils down to just the economy and money. I find your acceptance of American imperialism disturbing.
If you call defending your borders imperialism, you ignore what real imperialism looks like: Russia's trying to reestablish the Russian Empire cum Soviet Union. Trump's pronouncements are meant to send a message to the KGB thug in the Kremlin.
A bit disturbing about the land (country) grabs - becuz it's a MAD man who has control of the wheel & after he released the Proud Boys to be his Gestapo (used to threaten people to submit his demands) - I dislike hate, disapprove tRUMP's every decision becuz he is lawless. NO country should be forced or coerced to obey. Nope, nada, when hell freezes over.
Thank you Diane. I am so glad you said it...I have often wondered at 'experts' being appalled by the notice of the purchase of territory without a war. It could happen...I don't think it would work in Canada but Greenland...not sure how Danish it is, not much by the look of it.
Trump’s antics have certainly stirred Canada’s pot.
His tariff threats have Canadians governments considering economic, energy and security policy that would have made this country far more independent had they been implemented two decades ago.
Canada’s pearl clutching set and it’s cultural chauvinists are self-righteously indignant while the Liberals Party is busily exploiting anti-American sentiment to distract from its culpability in leaving the country without parliamentary process and in the weakened state it is in in terms of its ability to withstand the potential economic stress of a tariff fight.
Trump has forced Canada to focus on reality - to emerge from the woke induced stupor that the US is emerging from.
It is a wake-up call that was overdue and one that should result in a closer and better relationship America when the dust settles.
In its first two weeks at the commands, M. Trump has been dealing with situations where he controls the power and stirs up whoever is in way. As Canadians, we are hard at work on the Fentanyl file and the efforts seem to generate some noise and the New York Times this morning describes the size of the problem and what is happening. We can only hope that the one month pause for the Tariffs will be enough to convince M. Trump that we are doing as much as we can. One other aspect that Diane is addressing this morning is the Russian 300B Euro freeze. The argument provided by Europe's central bank to the effect that transferring these funds to Ukraine would undermine the confidence in the Euro is a completely ridiculous and sounds like its been drafted by a young intern. In fact, I think the people at the Central Bank and the whole EU are scared like hell to deal with this. I hope Diane is right when she states that M. Trump will shake the Central bank and get it to move. At this point in time, I dont see who else could do it. I am saddened by the lack of leadership in all of Europe... Thank you Diane...
The concept floated is, that these 300bn get provided Ukraine to buy weaponry in US.
That means:
Europe would have to deal with RuZZian revanche - that in a hybrid way for sure is to expect - while American industry flourishes and at the same time #47 can even bribe attacked Europe by letting it uncertain about §5 support and it's nuclear umbrella.
Wild West on steroids!
On top of that unnecessary.
European leaders just have to develop a spine,
explain Europeans the actual situation,
the threats and opportunities and the real figures:
EU support for UKR over all budget is about twice as much as US's (195bn vs 95bn).
For the average of the assumed 260mn European taxpayers over the last three years this is equals 6 dinners per year without aperitif and champaign.
Taking over US budgets would be another three dinners.
Getting UKR safely prevail another three.
So one per month. NO sacrifice.
Thereby winning an integrated Europe with the world's most experienced, innovative and adaptable fighting force as it's core of a defense structure,
the most predictable and stable place of investments of the world and
still these 300bn in "reserve" - and preventing to have RuZZia at one's own boarders later.
If there is a time to do that - it's now, before RuZZia can reconstitute and where US's protection anyway is at least for now questionable.
For a while there Diane, I thought your article was very much tongue in cheek. Then I realised that you really do consider Trumps brain farts to be brain waves.
The one reason why the US has been held in such high esteem by most of the world (admittedly not all) is that it does not behave like Russia or China, or at least it hasn’t done for a hundred years or so. This, it appears, is about to change.
Lets start with Gaza. My first thought, when I saw the press event was that he is “f*****g insane”. In retrospect, I haven’t change my mind. How could moving 2 million people against their will out of their homeland be anything other than “ethnic cleansing”. Wait a minute, isn’t that what the Germans did to the Jews in Europe? And much the same as what the Jewish people did to the Palestinians last century. Perhaps the people of Israel would like to give the land they have taken over, back to it original inhabitants. That would solve the Palestinian/Gaza problem, wouldn't it.
Under no circumstance do I support the actions taken by Hamas on Oct 7th (which should never have happened if the Israeli Intelligence services did their job) and its actions since then. Hiding within Gaza has bought untold misery down upon the people of Gaza. They should not be allowed to rule again in Gaza. It is a shame that more nations don’t support the ICC.
Trumps vision of a “Riviera” in Gaza is more like a hallucination, who is going to pay for this re-development? Who is going to pay for the US Army to seize and hold Gaza? American soldiers, with their lives I expect and the American tax payer. Just so a private business can build some condo’s, you have got to be joking. So much for getting out of the forever wars. I’m sure the governments of countries such as Saudi Arabia, Qatar & the UAE are more than capable of rebuilding Gaza, but for christ sakes use diplomacy not threats, and since Israel is responsible for most of the destruction perhaps they could make some contributions to the reconstruction of Gaza, you know a goodwill gesture, instead of bombs.
As of October 31, 2024, according to the Ukraine Support Tracker from the Kiel Institute, Europe had spent 124.7 billion euros , the US 88.3 billion euros. So I do not see how it is that the US would be entitled to all of Ukraines rare earths etc. Also, who would be doing the development, the US government or US business interests? Obviously it is the US government/taxpayer who will be footing the bill to arm Ukraine, so are the US businesses, who are mining the resources, going to pay back the costs of liberating Ukraine? Will be difficult if Trump goes ahead with his scheme of removing all taxes.
It is clear that Ukraine needs all the help it can get, from both the US & EU, but in the end it will be the EU who pays the greatest price if Russia succeeds, so they do need to get off their backsides and get moving. There has been no solid evidence that Trumps machinations have bought Putin to the negotiating table, no one believes anything he says, Putin that is, and Trump will soon be faced with the same problem.
The $300 billion of frozen Russian assets should be used and probably will be if the US pulls out. But it is not needed yet and the EU could probably fund Ukraines war if required. What is really needed in the short term is boots on the ground and air superiority, that is the only thing that will bring Putin to the negotiating table. Ideally both the US & EU should do this and argue about mining Ukraines resources afterwards.
America may be the free worlds arsenal for the time being, but the recent actions of Trump will give many nations pause for thought. It may be time for change. Perhaps more nations will look to nuclear weapons as a form of self preservation. I have even seen thought bubbles about bypassing the dollar all together for a truly neutral currency, even BRICS may be an option, except for the fact that Russia is behaving as an imperialist and nobody trusts China.
Yes, nations/land used to be bought and sold, but even going by your numbers, the last time that happened was 1898, when the US bought the Phillipines off Spain. It is now 2025, I think we have moved on (except for Trump). Everyone knows what resources are in the ground of Greenland and Canada, so they are not going to be sold or bought at knockdown prices. If Trump wants to build more military bases, all he has to do is ask, not threaten tariffs & invasions. Gaza’s resource is its people, and who is going to put a price on them?
Perhaps all this bluster from Trump is just a diversion for his real aims. It appears he is going after full control of the US government (with help of Elon Musk). Project 2025 anyone? It is time to call out Trump for what he is, a malignant narcissist, with fascist tendencies.
While Musk is destroying America through the veiled facade of DOGE, Trump ls destroying America from without with his crash behaviors.
Via the buyout offer documents that sent through non classified means, the entire work forces of the CIA and the FBI names and positions had been exposed.
This could lead to agents and operatives being compromised or be killed by foreign intelligence agencies.
This is so serious, I was very disappointed that nobody considered it a crime of espionage, of treason. Elon Musk must be stopped and be brought to justice.
Invading Greenland, Panamá, tariffs against China and our Allies, deportations of illegals,
ending the war in Ukraine and now stealing Palestinian homeland are the sure signs of a desperate failing empire to regain its past glories.
They will fail one by one except possibly the deportations of illegals.
They will fail on a solid reason: the US does not have a forbidding advantage in military nor economic powers any longer. And the world knows that after Vietnam, Iraq and Afghan wars.
Trump through his crash actions, accelerating the decline of an empire and the realization of this decline culminating in the greatest exposure of the century.
My guess is Trump would accomplish this revelation in a year time.
Sure, the US can take Panamá by force. Panamá has a population of less than five millions and land mass 1/10 the size of Texas. The US can take Panamá in one weekend. But rest assured, the US will face a long and costly guerrilla war in Panamá.
For Greenland, it is much more difficult, some of the NATO countries had already announced they would send troops to protect Greenland.
For tariffs against Mexico and Canada, we witnessed the prompt withdrawal from the US on some face savings weak excuses.
The upcoming tariffs against the EU will have the same fate.
Stealing Gaza from the Palestinian, that failed from the beginning.
On deportation of illegals, the US probably will have some success on this front, but this success would lead to a commensurate or devastating shortages of labors in much needed fields of food and small industries productions, resulting in higher prices of living and higher inflation.
Let’s not forget the threshold of suffering is much lower for Americans compared to that of the world’s.
The world is solidly arranging itself without consideration of the US. This world realignment would isolate the US for a long time or until the trust is reestablished.
Does not matter how you cut it, the US has no way out from here.
You should update your fact library before commenting. Gaza is actually Israel even though they do not, for complex reasons, now administer it. The Arabs who still are being permitted to occupy it are only there at the “pleasure” of Israel’s Gov’t. Please get up to speed on your facts (The same is essentially true of Judea and Samaria (commonly known as the West Bank).
So, like Trump, are you suggest that we dial our collective clocks, cultures and geopolitical senses back to the 1800s? Those times, attitudes and tactics not only predate two World Wars, they contributed to the political tensions that triggered them. It's interesting how this retrospective view of things and selective love for the past contradicts the Republican narrative of "we only want to focus on the future". But why should we expect anything different from the Masters of Hypocrisy and the Princes of Pivot. My point here is that I expect more from you because I thought you're not like them. However, in this Golden Age of Misinformation and Disappointment, I guess even centrists have to learn to pivot. It's easier for us though because we pivot from the middle.
Thanks, Diane, for a different and interesting perspective given all the context you provided about land purchases in history. Having followed you for some time, I do not suspect you of naivite or sane washing, per se, as some here fear, but rather of providing more insight into how Trump might actually be seeing the world himself. Most of us here regard him as some version of crazy—my diagnosis is malignant narcissist, as were other cruel tyrants in history. Stalin and Mao embarked on their own “ideal” remakes of their societies and economies, with millions killed in the process, either from opposing their plans or by starvation from their inept design. But they also had cadres of true believers who kept these horribly destructive, but nation-building plans going, and today they are both regarded as great leaders by their autocratic and world-threatening countries. I wish people understood that we can get along with others and also do well in the world.
Thanks for providing some historical perspective on global land deals. Buying and selling beats invading and murdering any time. The folks at the NYT keep perpetuating the twinkie myth about the "real" international law and America's need to obey it, all the while excusing China, Russia and India for ignoring it. We now have four competing empires in the world. The two state solution for the Palestinians has been on the table for 7 decades. Perhaps a real estate offer from Qatar would break the stalemate? Besides, both Canadian Confederation and the American ' independence' also involved a lot of economic bargaining and buy outs. Get real folks.
Diane.....I was intrigued by your comment concerning Ukraine and the alleged "deal" Zelensky has with Trump to give America access to Ukraine's natural resources while Trump continues military aid to Ukraine. Furthermore, you believe that Trump intends to put additional sanctions and burdens on Russia's economy (e.g., lowering oil prices) and will pressure Europe to release the remaining Russian frozen funds and buy U.S. propane and armaments. It is your belief that these measures will bring Russia to the negotiating table.
I have read similar reports, but they seemed too good to be true. What is their source? You have always been careful in reporting accurate information and news, so I take these comments seriously. What do you make of Putin's seeming giddiness with his negotiations with Trump, even to the point of making a cryptic comment about "the master soon will have them (seemingly European nations) at his feet waging their tails"? It is hard to believe that Putin would withdraw from the Ukrainian territory he occupies or accept Ukraine's entry into NATO. Are these issues also thrown into the "deal," and in what way? And if Putin chooses not to go along, how will the extraction of minerals be possible without U.S. troops?
Thanks for an intresting perspective. Could it be one of Trump's pipe dreams that, with some luck, actually works out? He's had many before -- the casinos in Atlantic City, Trump U, Trump Air, even Trump wine. Can he pull this one off? Can he avoid the mis-steps that wind up hurting lots of people? Can he overcome the barriers his style has constructed that divide the people he is supposed to lead? The pipe dream prvodes a fresh perspective that could illuminate a light in the darkness, but is it a better future or onrushing chaos and catastrophy? He's never been a detail man. WIll that be his undoing -- again?
Oh dear Diane. No. Read The cult of the Bully by Sam Harris Diane to understand what is going on in the White House now. Here is an extract:
'It is, therefore, ominous that our political culture now celebrates figures who are obviously unethical—liars, bullies, and conmen—many of whom see no reason to even pretend to harbor deeper values or virtues. Whatever your politics, President Trump has said and done a thousand things that should make it impossible to admire him as a person—and he will commit further atrocities this week. Elon Musk has achieved a similarly vile orbit—lying with abandon, making common cause with racists and lunatics, and pointlessly defaming ordinary people—it seems, just for the fun of it. Both men are conspicuous for the degree to which they still resemble children, having retained a juvenile sense of entitlement, recklessness, and self-absorption. Both are already cautionary tales about the corrupting influences of fame, wealth, and power—even as they continue to achieve new heights.'
Very dangerous times ahead.
frankly -
as so many commentaries recently
this is a dangerously insane sane-washing of a compromised lunatic in a fully dysfunctional system of governance.
It should be instead the goal of researchers and observers to distill out the REAL interdependencies in what is happening - because only such the world has a chance to prevent that from spiralling out of control.
The only person in all that allowed to get a pass is Zelenskyy - he just has to hold on every little straw he can grab on behalf of his people under genozidal attack from one side and economic bribery now from another side.
Everyone else please urgently may recognise, that this "landlord" behavior is the 9-1-1 default reaction of a very mediocre real estate developer, that only knows NYC real estate business habits which A lead to the farcical NYC property qualities and are B in every other sane market not successfully applicable.
He carries the mental load of the misalignment of his projected "genius" and his actual limitations. Even as re-elected president he is an insecure, unfit, character for us terrifyingly terrified about his own lack of talent.
There is no sense for US in that Greenland approach.
As we know it has been planted to him via a RuZZian Cy-Op using Senator Cotton in 2019.
Making himself a laughing stock then and getting put in place by a tough women, Mette Frederiksson, urges him to do whatever possible to - as with pursuing the Jan-6 investigators - make him as a winner write history.
That's why this won't go away - but as well why this in the first place is no real estate thing.
The real estate assumptions are the sane washing of that insanity.
Similar with Canada, where he simply can not get away with his pain that there are other North-Americans, that think differently and that Trudeau several time was involved in world leaders laughing about him - what Kamala Harris referred to in the debate.
He here needs to score something for his ego.
That won't go away either!
That is serious.
Again real estate terminologies are dangerous sane washing.
Netanyahu's trip to DC came at the time where he was absorbed in that tariff turmoil causing stock drops and discontent in his "base".
Does anyone belief he prepared that at least a single day ahead?
In reality we could witness the process in real time.
Monday morning he had nothing.
Out of urgency he remembered Jared Kushner's statements from last spring.
In a signing ceremony in the oval he started to freewheel butchered parts of that to the assembled press there.
With Netanyahu he seemed not to have spoken about anything like that.
Parallel he got his press briefing prepared - distilled out of the butchered phantasies from the morning - and read them out - in fact to his own surprise.
That the remaining sane world discusses all that now provides him some hours of urgently needed self confidence.
That this world discusses this in real estate terms referring to the real estate deal maker makes him himself confident of having been more than the only mediocre developer and closer to his failing self-expectation.
And that is terrifyingly dangerous!
Because if he did let that go away - it would for him be another mental knock as by Mette in 2019.
This is why that won't go away either - till in his mind he can as a winner write history and proof it right.
The more observers, "analysts" and researchers do that kind of sane washing the more such craziness will determine the world.
As long as China is sufficiently failing it's own goals, as RuZZia is crippled as now, as US is "successfully" paralysed by DOGE-actions and Project 2025 philosophies, but as long as there are still all the American talents now in fear and despair and as there is an European Union left somewhat funktionale but demanding to get kissed or better kicked out of its deep sleep - there are sufficient ways for the world to find work arounds, around Washington.
It demands position instead of participation, vision instead of allegiance.
I would add that the people putting a happy gloss on Trump's imperialism never advocated anything remotely similar in the past. If it is such a good idea why did it take this particular stable genius to advance the idea?
The peace and prosperity brought about by America's generous and respectful treatment of allies (old and new) after WWII was not a mistake. It paid off a thousand fold in U.S. fortunes. Shining-up a return to mercantile-imperialism is short-sighted. It's a tribal reaction to excuse Trump's embarrassing stupidity.
TRump's dismantling of U.S. democracy and system of checks balances is a long term threat to peace. Democracies are less war prone. No analyst should gloss over the international threats of authoritarianism. Trumpian instability is not promoting peace anywhere.
The one useful idea that Trump is considering is the exchange of mineral rights for arms. Credible analysts should note that the idea came from Ukraine, not Trump. It is useful because Ukraine is in an existential, desperate situation. Does anybody suggest it would have been wise to extract the permanent fishing rights of Great Britain in exchange for arms against Hitler? Of course not, it would have only weakened the war effort. The arms-for-minerals path is similarly ugly and counterproductive, it just happens to be a least bad option.
May the remaining sane and decent world read this!
Actually you kick in just after the Truman-Doctrine.
The honorable idea behind that wasn't in the first place "generous" and "respectful".
It was the conclusion out of a necessity, the necessity to have stability and predictability as a basis for first recovery back out of the war economy and then growth and prosperity with the results we enjoyed.
If it were NOW only about a narcissistic real real estate developer looking for ways for his people or be it himself and his oligarchy to find ways to gain even more - calling it "Trum-p-an" doctrine might help.
But no - it is really about what you call it - stupidity and exploitation of the unconstrained acting out of impulses...
The oligarchs of course understand the opportunity for themselves...
So if Ukraine were to get 50 F16s in exchange for minerals presently in the ground, are you saying that would be a bad thing?
That would be a bad deal. Ukraine should demand 250 F=16, long-range missiles, and an unlimited supply of the most modern weapons and ammunition. After all, they are doing fighting and dying to protect Europe from Russian expansionism.
The Russians are currently sitting on an estimated $12 trillion of Ukraine's minerals.
We're talking about a big commitment in exchange for big return.
There are many things that can be said against Trumps strategy besides ad hominems. Will you be offering any?
Wow, this article was difficult to stomach. I subscribe to Diane's Substack because I wanted to stay open to different world views from mine. Even though it's your area of focus Diane, not everything boils down to just the economy and money. I find your acceptance of American imperialism disturbing.
If you call defending your borders imperialism, you ignore what real imperialism looks like: Russia's trying to reestablish the Russian Empire cum Soviet Union. Trump's pronouncements are meant to send a message to the KGB thug in the Kremlin.
More like American pragmitism: Bloodless economic warfare.
A bit disturbing about the land (country) grabs - becuz it's a MAD man who has control of the wheel & after he released the Proud Boys to be his Gestapo (used to threaten people to submit his demands) - I dislike hate, disapprove tRUMP's every decision becuz he is lawless. NO country should be forced or coerced to obey. Nope, nada, when hell freezes over.
True LG There's a madman in the White House and lawless and surrounded by unelected lickspittles also childish and lawless
Thank you Diane. I am so glad you said it...I have often wondered at 'experts' being appalled by the notice of the purchase of territory without a war. It could happen...I don't think it would work in Canada but Greenland...not sure how Danish it is, not much by the look of it.
you always make me see a new perspective
Trump’s antics have certainly stirred Canada’s pot.
His tariff threats have Canadians governments considering economic, energy and security policy that would have made this country far more independent had they been implemented two decades ago.
Canada’s pearl clutching set and it’s cultural chauvinists are self-righteously indignant while the Liberals Party is busily exploiting anti-American sentiment to distract from its culpability in leaving the country without parliamentary process and in the weakened state it is in in terms of its ability to withstand the potential economic stress of a tariff fight.
Trump has forced Canada to focus on reality - to emerge from the woke induced stupor that the US is emerging from.
It is a wake-up call that was overdue and one that should result in a closer and better relationship America when the dust settles.
In its first two weeks at the commands, M. Trump has been dealing with situations where he controls the power and stirs up whoever is in way. As Canadians, we are hard at work on the Fentanyl file and the efforts seem to generate some noise and the New York Times this morning describes the size of the problem and what is happening. We can only hope that the one month pause for the Tariffs will be enough to convince M. Trump that we are doing as much as we can. One other aspect that Diane is addressing this morning is the Russian 300B Euro freeze. The argument provided by Europe's central bank to the effect that transferring these funds to Ukraine would undermine the confidence in the Euro is a completely ridiculous and sounds like its been drafted by a young intern. In fact, I think the people at the Central Bank and the whole EU are scared like hell to deal with this. I hope Diane is right when she states that M. Trump will shake the Central bank and get it to move. At this point in time, I dont see who else could do it. I am saddened by the lack of leadership in all of Europe... Thank you Diane...
Major objection:
The concept floated is, that these 300bn get provided Ukraine to buy weaponry in US.
That means:
Europe would have to deal with RuZZian revanche - that in a hybrid way for sure is to expect - while American industry flourishes and at the same time #47 can even bribe attacked Europe by letting it uncertain about §5 support and it's nuclear umbrella.
Wild West on steroids!
On top of that unnecessary.
European leaders just have to develop a spine,
explain Europeans the actual situation,
the threats and opportunities and the real figures:
EU support for UKR over all budget is about twice as much as US's (195bn vs 95bn).
For the average of the assumed 260mn European taxpayers over the last three years this is equals 6 dinners per year without aperitif and champaign.
Taking over US budgets would be another three dinners.
Getting UKR safely prevail another three.
So one per month. NO sacrifice.
Thereby winning an integrated Europe with the world's most experienced, innovative and adaptable fighting force as it's core of a defense structure,
the most predictable and stable place of investments of the world and
still these 300bn in "reserve" - and preventing to have RuZZia at one's own boarders later.
If there is a time to do that - it's now, before RuZZia can reconstitute and where US's protection anyway is at least for now questionable.
You are right.
The annexation threats against Canada are likewise an opportunity for an unserious nation to change course.
I sense none are really up to it. I hope I am wrong on all counts.
Could distill this entire column into a bumper sticker: Imperialism Works
It seems like it.
I should clarify that it "works," but only for the Imperialists. Everyone else suffers. But, that wouldn't fit on a bumper sticker.
For a while there Diane, I thought your article was very much tongue in cheek. Then I realised that you really do consider Trumps brain farts to be brain waves.
The one reason why the US has been held in such high esteem by most of the world (admittedly not all) is that it does not behave like Russia or China, or at least it hasn’t done for a hundred years or so. This, it appears, is about to change.
Lets start with Gaza. My first thought, when I saw the press event was that he is “f*****g insane”. In retrospect, I haven’t change my mind. How could moving 2 million people against their will out of their homeland be anything other than “ethnic cleansing”. Wait a minute, isn’t that what the Germans did to the Jews in Europe? And much the same as what the Jewish people did to the Palestinians last century. Perhaps the people of Israel would like to give the land they have taken over, back to it original inhabitants. That would solve the Palestinian/Gaza problem, wouldn't it.
Under no circumstance do I support the actions taken by Hamas on Oct 7th (which should never have happened if the Israeli Intelligence services did their job) and its actions since then. Hiding within Gaza has bought untold misery down upon the people of Gaza. They should not be allowed to rule again in Gaza. It is a shame that more nations don’t support the ICC.
Trumps vision of a “Riviera” in Gaza is more like a hallucination, who is going to pay for this re-development? Who is going to pay for the US Army to seize and hold Gaza? American soldiers, with their lives I expect and the American tax payer. Just so a private business can build some condo’s, you have got to be joking. So much for getting out of the forever wars. I’m sure the governments of countries such as Saudi Arabia, Qatar & the UAE are more than capable of rebuilding Gaza, but for christ sakes use diplomacy not threats, and since Israel is responsible for most of the destruction perhaps they could make some contributions to the reconstruction of Gaza, you know a goodwill gesture, instead of bombs.
As of October 31, 2024, according to the Ukraine Support Tracker from the Kiel Institute, Europe had spent 124.7 billion euros , the US 88.3 billion euros. So I do not see how it is that the US would be entitled to all of Ukraines rare earths etc. Also, who would be doing the development, the US government or US business interests? Obviously it is the US government/taxpayer who will be footing the bill to arm Ukraine, so are the US businesses, who are mining the resources, going to pay back the costs of liberating Ukraine? Will be difficult if Trump goes ahead with his scheme of removing all taxes.
It is clear that Ukraine needs all the help it can get, from both the US & EU, but in the end it will be the EU who pays the greatest price if Russia succeeds, so they do need to get off their backsides and get moving. There has been no solid evidence that Trumps machinations have bought Putin to the negotiating table, no one believes anything he says, Putin that is, and Trump will soon be faced with the same problem.
The $300 billion of frozen Russian assets should be used and probably will be if the US pulls out. But it is not needed yet and the EU could probably fund Ukraines war if required. What is really needed in the short term is boots on the ground and air superiority, that is the only thing that will bring Putin to the negotiating table. Ideally both the US & EU should do this and argue about mining Ukraines resources afterwards.
America may be the free worlds arsenal for the time being, but the recent actions of Trump will give many nations pause for thought. It may be time for change. Perhaps more nations will look to nuclear weapons as a form of self preservation. I have even seen thought bubbles about bypassing the dollar all together for a truly neutral currency, even BRICS may be an option, except for the fact that Russia is behaving as an imperialist and nobody trusts China.
Yes, nations/land used to be bought and sold, but even going by your numbers, the last time that happened was 1898, when the US bought the Phillipines off Spain. It is now 2025, I think we have moved on (except for Trump). Everyone knows what resources are in the ground of Greenland and Canada, so they are not going to be sold or bought at knockdown prices. If Trump wants to build more military bases, all he has to do is ask, not threaten tariffs & invasions. Gaza’s resource is its people, and who is going to put a price on them?
Perhaps all this bluster from Trump is just a diversion for his real aims. It appears he is going after full control of the US government (with help of Elon Musk). Project 2025 anyone? It is time to call out Trump for what he is, a malignant narcissist, with fascist tendencies.
While Musk is destroying America through the veiled facade of DOGE, Trump ls destroying America from without with his crash behaviors.
Via the buyout offer documents that sent through non classified means, the entire work forces of the CIA and the FBI names and positions had been exposed.
This could lead to agents and operatives being compromised or be killed by foreign intelligence agencies.
This is so serious, I was very disappointed that nobody considered it a crime of espionage, of treason. Elon Musk must be stopped and be brought to justice.
Invading Greenland, Panamá, tariffs against China and our Allies, deportations of illegals,
ending the war in Ukraine and now stealing Palestinian homeland are the sure signs of a desperate failing empire to regain its past glories.
They will fail one by one except possibly the deportations of illegals.
They will fail on a solid reason: the US does not have a forbidding advantage in military nor economic powers any longer. And the world knows that after Vietnam, Iraq and Afghan wars.
Trump through his crash actions, accelerating the decline of an empire and the realization of this decline culminating in the greatest exposure of the century.
My guess is Trump would accomplish this revelation in a year time.
Sure, the US can take Panamá by force. Panamá has a population of less than five millions and land mass 1/10 the size of Texas. The US can take Panamá in one weekend. But rest assured, the US will face a long and costly guerrilla war in Panamá.
For Greenland, it is much more difficult, some of the NATO countries had already announced they would send troops to protect Greenland.
For tariffs against Mexico and Canada, we witnessed the prompt withdrawal from the US on some face savings weak excuses.
The upcoming tariffs against the EU will have the same fate.
Stealing Gaza from the Palestinian, that failed from the beginning.
On deportation of illegals, the US probably will have some success on this front, but this success would lead to a commensurate or devastating shortages of labors in much needed fields of food and small industries productions, resulting in higher prices of living and higher inflation.
Let’s not forget the threshold of suffering is much lower for Americans compared to that of the world’s.
The world is solidly arranging itself without consideration of the US. This world realignment would isolate the US for a long time or until the trust is reestablished.
Does not matter how you cut it, the US has no way out from here.
You should update your fact library before commenting. Gaza is actually Israel even though they do not, for complex reasons, now administer it. The Arabs who still are being permitted to occupy it are only there at the “pleasure” of Israel’s Gov’t. Please get up to speed on your facts (The same is essentially true of Judea and Samaria (commonly known as the West Bank).
So, like Trump, are you suggest that we dial our collective clocks, cultures and geopolitical senses back to the 1800s? Those times, attitudes and tactics not only predate two World Wars, they contributed to the political tensions that triggered them. It's interesting how this retrospective view of things and selective love for the past contradicts the Republican narrative of "we only want to focus on the future". But why should we expect anything different from the Masters of Hypocrisy and the Princes of Pivot. My point here is that I expect more from you because I thought you're not like them. However, in this Golden Age of Misinformation and Disappointment, I guess even centrists have to learn to pivot. It's easier for us though because we pivot from the middle.
Thanks, Diane, for a different and interesting perspective given all the context you provided about land purchases in history. Having followed you for some time, I do not suspect you of naivite or sane washing, per se, as some here fear, but rather of providing more insight into how Trump might actually be seeing the world himself. Most of us here regard him as some version of crazy—my diagnosis is malignant narcissist, as were other cruel tyrants in history. Stalin and Mao embarked on their own “ideal” remakes of their societies and economies, with millions killed in the process, either from opposing their plans or by starvation from their inept design. But they also had cadres of true believers who kept these horribly destructive, but nation-building plans going, and today they are both regarded as great leaders by their autocratic and world-threatening countries. I wish people understood that we can get along with others and also do well in the world.
Thanks for providing some historical perspective on global land deals. Buying and selling beats invading and murdering any time. The folks at the NYT keep perpetuating the twinkie myth about the "real" international law and America's need to obey it, all the while excusing China, Russia and India for ignoring it. We now have four competing empires in the world. The two state solution for the Palestinians has been on the table for 7 decades. Perhaps a real estate offer from Qatar would break the stalemate? Besides, both Canadian Confederation and the American ' independence' also involved a lot of economic bargaining and buy outs. Get real folks.
Diane.....I was intrigued by your comment concerning Ukraine and the alleged "deal" Zelensky has with Trump to give America access to Ukraine's natural resources while Trump continues military aid to Ukraine. Furthermore, you believe that Trump intends to put additional sanctions and burdens on Russia's economy (e.g., lowering oil prices) and will pressure Europe to release the remaining Russian frozen funds and buy U.S. propane and armaments. It is your belief that these measures will bring Russia to the negotiating table.
I have read similar reports, but they seemed too good to be true. What is their source? You have always been careful in reporting accurate information and news, so I take these comments seriously. What do you make of Putin's seeming giddiness with his negotiations with Trump, even to the point of making a cryptic comment about "the master soon will have them (seemingly European nations) at his feet waging their tails"? It is hard to believe that Putin would withdraw from the Ukrainian territory he occupies or accept Ukraine's entry into NATO. Are these issues also thrown into the "deal," and in what way? And if Putin chooses not to go along, how will the extraction of minerals be possible without U.S. troops?
Thanks for an intresting perspective. Could it be one of Trump's pipe dreams that, with some luck, actually works out? He's had many before -- the casinos in Atlantic City, Trump U, Trump Air, even Trump wine. Can he pull this one off? Can he avoid the mis-steps that wind up hurting lots of people? Can he overcome the barriers his style has constructed that divide the people he is supposed to lead? The pipe dream prvodes a fresh perspective that could illuminate a light in the darkness, but is it a better future or onrushing chaos and catastrophy? He's never been a detail man. WIll that be his undoing -- again?