The EU is made up of cowards who bash the US unless they need us to save their ass. Pretty sure that’s why he hates them. Same goes for most of NATO and the UN.
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The EU is made up of cowards who bash the US unless they need us to save their ass. Pretty sure that’s why he hates them. Same goes for most of NATO and the UN.
Yes, this is true. But, Trump insisted that NATO countries increase their % of GDP on defense spending and most did...I think Spain balked and maybe one other...and some, like Poland, Finland, Germany and few others increased it by more than what Trump was asking for. So, overall, NATO met Trump's demands. Trump is, ahem, "negotiating" better trade deals with the EU and he's getting a lot of what he asked for. Okay, fine, great. I support Trump 100% in doing all of this.Quote:
Originally Posted by PawDawg
But...there's more to the rub than just tangible budget items, spending, etc. Trump harbors a disdain for Europe. Again, Jeff Landry alluded to that in his comments about Greenland. On this, I disagree with Trump. Sure, Europe can be a bunch of pansies, I get that, but they are our ALLIES and while it is true they need us MORE than we need them, we do, in fact need them as well. They are among our largest trading partners, and they are still our allies in times of world conflict. Fine, make "business deals" with them, fine, put America first in trade talks, etc. Any POTUS should be doing that but stop short of treating Europe like they are our enemies, a threat to the US; they most certainly are not that.
Here's something else...Ukraine. Unless you closely follow what's going on you don't know that Ukraine is now winning the war. Yeah, it's a tough go. But in the past 6 months and especially the past month+ the tide has turned. Not only is Ukraine kicking Russia's ass tactically but now they are also winning strategically. For the first time in 4 years...with the exception of the late 2022 Kharkiv offensive which Ukraine won...Ukraine is now winning the war strategically. Ukraine has won most of the battles tactically all along, but Putin would just throw in another 30,000 grunts and try again, and again and eventually gain the advantage strategically. But, that is no longer happening.
So, what does all this mean in terms of Trump's (the US's) relations with Europe? Trump has alienated the US from Europe. He has thumbed his nose at NATO; he has openly sided with Putin. He has greatly pissed off Europe, all of it, turning most countries, most Europeans against the US. Now, you might shrug and say, "big deal." And, sure, it doesn't have to become a "big deal." But when Ukraine wins, and they WILL win, there's going to be a whole lot of economic opportunities not only rebuilding Ukraine's infrastructure and industries, but Ukraine also sits on one of the largest Rare Earth reserves in the world. Ukraine and Europe will tell Trump especially, and probably the next POTUS too, "go f**k yourself" if/when the US wants a piece of that pie. This my concern and this has been echoed by others like economists and investment gurus.
I do not agree with Trump's proposal(s) of banning large firms from buying houses. This is a free market economy. And besides it reeks of the whole "sub-prime" mortgage crisis wrought by the democraps, Maxine Waters in the House, Chris Dodd in the Senate and signed into law by George W. Bush in 2004. Led to the mortgage crisis in 2008.
Trump used the same phrase Bush did in 2004, "opening up the American dream to more people." Yikes!
Here's the truth, some people are "renters" and do not have and will NEVER have the wherewithal to be property owners. BTW, that term "renters" means more than the obvious in this context.
I get the whole Greenland thing. Basically that island is on our eastern flank, and Denmark doesn't have the desire, funds or expertise to defend it should our Asian adversaries decide to take it and use it as a point to invade the US (you know, like those silly islands we had to have before bombing Japan and making my existence possible). Denmark just assumes they can do nothing and we are on the hook for defending their territory. This is what Trump meant when he said we are 100 percent behind NATO..even while they are not behind us.
Europeans love hanging us out to dry while they sit back clutching their pearls and acting above it all. Time for them to do some dirty work on their own continent.
Putin is the EU's BFF.