“We can’t reside our lives or govern our nations primarily based on social media posts.”
That’s what a European Union official, who was instantly concerned in negotiations between the U.S. and Europe over Greenland, stated following President Trump’s announcement through Reality Social that we’ve “fashioned the framework of a future cope with respect to Greenland and, actually, your complete Arctic Area.”
It’s been a weird begin to the brand new 12 months, with Trump ramping up his threats in opposition to the Danish territory — threats which included precise invasion — and every other NATO allies who sided with Greenland.
Trump’s publish additionally introduced invasion is off the desk and he gained’t be going forward with the ten% tariffs he’d promised to levy on Denmark’s supporters on Feb. 1, extra welcome information.
However nonetheless, European officers stay skeptical. “After the forwards and backwards of the previous few days,” Germany’s Vice Chancellor Lars Klingbeil stated, “we must always now wait and see what substantive agreements are reached between [NATO Secretary General Mark] Rutte and Mr. Trump. It doesn’t matter what answer is now discovered for Greenland, everybody should perceive that we can’t sit again, calm down, and be glad.”
That lack of belief in America, and particularly the American president, is comprehensible, however deeply lamentable. On the subject of diplomacy, belief is a vital forex, and to place it merely, we don’t have it.
Trump’s bombastic, reckless, and sometimes dismissive rhetoric towards our allies would make anybody query our dedication, to not point out our ethical compass. No matter occurs with Greenland within the coming hours, days, or weeks, Trump has — but once more — deeply broken {our relationships} overseas and our standing on the earth.
However right here at house, the response amongst Republican lawmakers to Trump’s probably untimely Greenland information has been extremely telling.
They’re additionally relieved — relieved that this dumb ordeal could lastly be coming to an finish.
The previous couple of weeks have put lawmakers within the unenviable place of getting to reply whether or not they’d help a president who needed to invade a sovereign territory that rightfully belonged to an ally.
They’ve additionally needed to defend Trump’s completely insane conduct, social media posts, and press conferences through which he appears really deranged at occasions.
Take into account what he texted the Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, partly, earlier within the week:
“Pricey Jonas: Contemplating your Nation determined to not give me the Nobel Peace Prize for having stopped 8 Wars PLUS, I now not really feel an obligation to assume purely of Peace, though it is going to at all times be predominant, however can now take into consideration what is nice and correct for the USA of America….
I’ve completed extra for NATO than every other individual since its founding, and now NATO ought to do one thing for the USA. The World shouldn’t be safe except we’ve got Full and Whole Management of Greenland. Thanks!”
Now, I gained’t undergo all of Trump’s demonstrably false statements right here, nor will I level out how puerile and small our president appears. However evidently, when you’re a Republican lawmaker, this embarrassing show of ignorance and fragility wasn’t a factor you needed to defend.
Republicans additionally understand how unpopular — like, actually unpopular — Trump’s Greenland folly has been. A brand new Reuters/IPSOS ballot discovered that his push to accumulate the territory is sitting at 40 factors underwater with the American voters. To place an excellent finer level on it, that’s two factors worse than Trump’s approval on the Epstein information.
The faster Trump will get off Greenland, the faster Republicans can get again to promoting their home agenda in an important election 12 months. And so they had been all too completely satisfied to get in entrance of reporters to precise their reduction that he wasn’t, actually, going to take Greenland by pressure.
“I don’t assume that was ever his intent, and so I’m glad he clarified,” stated Speaker Mike Johnson.
“Most of us assume it was loopy, with a number of exceptions,” stated Rep. Don Bacon. “Most of us thought, behind shut doorways, he needs to be bragging on the financial system that’s rising at 4.3%, wages climbing quicker than inflation for the primary time in 4 or 5 years. However now we’re speaking Greenland.”
Hopefully not for for much longer. No matter Trump walks away with, which might be a “deal” that has already existed — will pale compared to the injury he’s completed to our international fame. Mineral rights? Extra bases? We might have negotiated all of that like a standard nation — and ally — would. As an alternative, Trump selected chaos and lunacy. The reduction abroad and right here at house that this nonsense would possibly lastly be over tells you simply how dumb it was within the first place.
S.E. Cupp is the host of “S.E. Cupp Unfiltered” on CNN.
