Trump: I mean my mother was Scotland, my father was Germany. And ā you know I love those countries. I respect the leaders of those countries.
So why does you keep insulting the Scottish first minister? Why did you intentionally not meet with her (I donāt think she wanted to, but that isnāt the point)?
I mean, youāre European, so I feel I should defer to you, but itās not like some of the stuff heās pushing on is new (the 2% of GDP for NATO was the target under Obama and Bush).
Except that there is a lot of people fleeing terrible situations that the right is most certainly making worse by insisting on closing the borders, which is causing major issues with the frontier countries who are taking them in (Italy and Greece). Much like here, the right wing is using the arrival of refugees to stir up nationalism, which includes some pretty strong anti-EU sentiment.
Sure, but so are members of Mayās own party. Boris Johnson and Farage (from another party, but still aligned with the hard right of the Tories) are certainly using Trumpās popularity among the far right for their own ends. Theyāre not just pawns in Trumpās game here. They have agency and power to make decisions within their own countries, which they are using the controversial feelings about Trump (and general anti-American sentiment thatās long existed in Europe) to move things to the right.
I think that the far right in Europe is using Trump as much as heās using them. The use of fear of refugees (or the āotherā which has become Muslims with darker skin), the ultranationalist rhetoric around ācultureā, the appeals to move away from a shared economic and political future with the rest of Europeā¦ He didnāt start all that, they are just benefiting from him stating it in public, I think.
Sure, but it has national/EU wide consequences. Merkel was holding the line on German acceptance of refugees, and sheās now had to back off because of Seehofer. If Germany doesnāt hold the line, thatās a huge problem.
Iām not trying to say that Trump isnāt a problem or that heās not pushing the EU. Iām saying that EU politicians have agency and are using Trump as much as heās using them.
And Trump was already pissed off at Canada.
Yeah - I have little interest in the Royal family but was pretty stunned by how he was making every effort to shit in the backyard of the country hosting him.
And now heās calling the EU a foe and telling Teresa May she should sue the EU? Jesus H Christ on pogo stick.
I agree with most of what you write, but nevertheless think that the US have a significant influence, most of all economically.
Just FTR:
Foe. Holy shit.
ETA:
I am between a rock and a hard place right now, and canāt respond properly. If I can, I shall return to your points during the week, because I think you deserve a proper response.
I donāt disagree, but the fact that Trump targeted the EU for tariffs is telling. Isnāt the EU the 3rd largest economy, after the US and China? But again, āfoeā or whatever Trump says, that language is going to be embraced by the European right and probably already has. Economic nationalism tends to go hand in hand with right wing politics.
Thanks for the link!
Hereās that (incredibly stupid) episode with Coulter in it (at 3:41)
Putin and trump behind closed doors. JHC
trumper tantrum in 5ā¦ 4ā¦ 3ā¦
Fuck Jeff Flake! He had opportunity after opportunity to help stop trumpās agenda and did nothing. He is still doing nothing. Nothing. His bullshit tweets are just that, more bullshit.
Shame on him.
republican patriots?? Ha. Welcome the Politburo West 'murica.
Thereās a reckoning comingā¦
"A Republican official close ā and friendly ā to the White House said, āWe now know why he wanted to meet one on one.ā -CNN
Well, fuck.
āFrom the President on down, we must do everything in our power to protect our democracy by securing future elections from foreign influence and interference, regardless of what Vladimir Putin or any other Russian operative says.ā -Orrin Hatch (R- Utah)
Referring to the president or the president?
Putin Who?
trumpās propaganda machine turns a silent eyeā¦
