Trump’s bully threats are a great way to frighten and distract a gullible public

Trump’s ethos of expansion came into view this week when his ‘jokes’ about invading Greenland and Panama morphed into serious threats. Greenland is an autonomous territory of Denmark, a founding member of NATO, and long-term US ally. Panama has controlled the Panama Canal for decades under the terms of a 1979 treaty. Speaking to reporters, Trump said he would not rule out the use of military force against either of them. “The Panama Canal is vital to our country,” he announced, and “We need Greenland for national security purposes.” Not satisfied with threatening two sovereign allies, Trump turned also to Canada, and promised to use “economic force” to coerce Canada into becoming the 51st state, against the will of Canadians. Canada, like Greenland, is so rich in natural resources Trump wants to grab it non-consensually.The free world is not amusedPutin likely watched Trump’s unhinged presser threating NATO sovereigns on replay, savoring his disordered words with a cigar and a nice Chianti. Leaders of the free world, not so much. France warned Trump about threatening the “sovereign borders” of the European Union; the French foreign minister, Jean-Noël Barrot, said, “There is no question of the EU letting other nations in the world, whoever they may be, attack its sovereign borders.” Panamanian president Mulino responded plainly that the canal is not up for discussion and “will remain” under Panama’s control, as Canada’s outgoing prime minister, Justin Trudeau, wrote, “There isn’t a snowball’s chance in hell that Canada would become part of the United States.” Canadian Lawmaker Elizabeth May turned the tables and offered to annex California, Oregon and Washington. She said at least they’d have free healthcare and stricter gun laws. “We’re not a big nation for braggarts and bullies,” she added. “We actually like to think we’re of service in the world.”Trump and Musk, global bully wannabesTrump’s dangerous rhetoric is in goosestep with “first buddy” Elon Musk’s escalating attacks against the entire pro-Western world order. Musk, who has never been elected to any office, jumped into German politics to endorse the far-right, Neo-Nazi party AfD. Musk also weighed in on Italy’s immigration policy, writing, “Do the people of Italy live in a democracy or does an unelected autocracy make the decisions?” Could someone please get this arrogant, unelected autocrat a mirror?On a tear, Musk also launched juvenile attacks against Great Britain’s government, again advancing fascistic, right-wing politics. He accused the Prime Minister of “raping” Britain, called for a minister to be imprisoned, and suggested that King Charles dissolve parliament. After a Finnish doctoral student described Musk as an historically dangerous purveyor of disinformation, the president-elect’s right hand man publicly replied, “F U retard.” Lee Greenwood is proud to be an American, where leaders mock the disabled.Trump’s support for the Ukraine invasion: a primerIf anyone is still scratching their heads about why Trump supported Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, they can stop. Trump and Musk defend Russia’s brutal invasion of Ukraine, a sovereign neighbor, because they hope to emulate it. Canada, Panama and Greenland (for starters) are as enticing to Trump/Musk as Ukraine is to Putin, their citizens’ wishes equally irrelevant.Trump/Musk similarly admire China’s Xi, who granted himself power for life with an iron fist over citizens’ communications. Trump said he’d like to give the same thing “a shot some day,” while Musk already silences dissent among X’s 600 million users.Trump, a dangerous imbecile to half the nation and most of the world, appears to have no acquaintance with the post WWII global order, how it came to be, or America’s pivotal role in it, yet he shows a chilling fondness for Lebensraum, the Nazi concept of expansionism. Lebensraum provided cover for Hitler’s territorial expansion into Central and Eastern Europe because, Hitler said, it was ‘necessary for Germany’s survival.’ To solidify his grip, Hitler also scapegoated minorities, liberals, and Germans who did not support his military aggression.
Because Trump doesn’t understand the sacrifice made by 400,000 American soldiers who died to defeat fascism, or that 60 million people perished in WWII, he is oblivious to the history he’s pissing on. He does, however, appear to grasp- and resent- that support for Ukraine reinforces the sovereignty of all nations, a concept protected by NATO since the Paris Peace Treaties and the conclusion of WWII. Are Trump’s theatrics meant to distract?It’s entirely plausible that Trump’s global stunts are a ruse. Taunting our allies to the brink of war is a great way to frighten and distract a gullible public, and he needs something shiny on a rotating basis to entertain his base. Most importantly, if people are busy digging a bunker- figuratively or literally- they’ll pay less attention to what really makes Trump salivate: revenge on his enemies and robbing the till, most likely in reverse order. Trump seeks to multiply his own wealth, whether by direct payment, as in his unprecedented and unrestricted $170 million “inauguration” fund, or $90 million pay-for-play fees at Mar-a-Lago, cash bribes from foreign actors, or the embarrassing grift of selling gold sneakers, signed bibles and action figures of himself. He won’t likely stop until the Trump family worth reaches the level it should have and would have reached, given Trump’s inheritance, had he possessed transactional competence. His six bankruptcies are glaring totems of the opposite, and yet 49% of the nation believes he was a successful businessman. When his supporters tire of global military scares, Trump will conjure a domestic doozy of a threat for cover; he may not even wait until he’s sworn in to do it.
At some point during his reign, Trump will need to empower a successor. That designee must protect the oligarchy for as long as possible, long enough to deflect legal accountability until Trump dies, family assets are secured in offshore trusts, or his dementia becomes irrefutable.
Though it is not a forgone conclusion that there will even be a successor while Trump is still alive, my money is on a successful Article II challenge. Art. II restricts the presidency to ‘natural born’ US citizens; Musk was born in South Africa. The Roberts court, vanguard of corporate wealth and partisan foe to voting rights, will likely revisit the clause near the end of Trump’s second term, right after they deny a 1st A challenge to weaponized disinformation.
Sabrina Haake is a columnist and 25 year litigator specializing in 1st and 14th Amendment defense. Her Substack, the Haake Take, is free.

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