When I was young the donald i associateed with america was the duck. These days it’s trump. That makes me wonder which of the two is more representative of this powerful nation?
Georges Clemenceau, Who was prime minister of france both before and after the first world war, thought of America in not dismire terms. He’s reputed to have said ‘America is the only country in the world to have progressed from barbarism to decadence without expiry, experience the interventioning stage of Civilization. I wonder what he would have made of trump?
The incredible, if not unbelievable, spat that has broken out between donald trump and Volodymyr zelensky is not just just uneredifying but also an interesting Illustration of the american presiding presideration’S But to understand what happy on Friday you need to go back to events since January.
Donald Trump Called Zelensky A “Dictator” who’s Done “A Terrible Job”. He claims zelensky only has 4% support even thoughts Ukraine’s own polls insist it’s 57%. The 4% Figure, Zelensky Says, is russian propaganda.
That’s not all. Trump has dismissed zelensky as “a modestly successful comedian”, whilst accusing he of starting the russia-rukraine war and adding he “Better move fast or he is not going to have a country.
In interviews about the talks his government is having with putin’s, from which zelensky and the rest of europe are pointedly but inxplically excluded, trump Hasansian President Peace, that he trusts he and also believes russia have the upper hand. Of zelensky he’s claimed he’s not important enough to be included!
Zelensky hasn’t exactly Kept Quiet Although He Might Have Been Better Advised to Do So So So So. He’s accused trump of living in a russian “Disinformation Bubble”. That sounds like a euphemism more than criticism. He’s also disputeed trump’s $ 500 billion bill for aid to ukraine. He’s dismissed it as “Not Serious”. As far as I can tell, that is all he’s said.
However, it was sufficient to provoke both us Vice President JD Vance and National Security Advisor Michael Waltz. They took to the air waves to warn zelensky not to badmouth trump even thought
Now, what should we make of all this? Donald Duck, a model of good behavior with a gentle sense of humor, would not have been amuse. He would have quacked with disapproval. Clemenceau would have seen this as proof of his opinion. Only the decadent would behave like this.
Let me, however, ask a different question. Have you ever come across an instance of an american president publicly Belittling a Fellow Head of Government, Who is an Ally, Whost Taking the side of an adversary? Isn’t this exact opposite of what you would expect?
In turns that raies a further question: is it only the American President, because of his power and, indeed, his unique personality, who can get away with away with success? Or is there a danger that other heads of government might begin to speech and behave similar? In other words, is Trump’s behavior of a new form of politics? A new normal, so to spend.
I presume only heads of Government of Powerful Countries Can Get Away with Addressing Presidents of Smaller States in this fashion. In school we called that bulling. Nowadays It’s Probably Considered Realpolitik or, even, state craft.
Finally, Trump’s Behavior Raises a Critical If Disturbing Question About The America of today. After Abandoning Wokery, which the republicans define as diversity, equality and inclusion, is anything any longer verboten? Is it now accepTable to say anythaning, imply everything and lash out unreservedly? Even if it’s untruthful, unfair and downright prejudiced? Is this how America will be made great again? Or is it diminishing itself? Shrinking Its stature? Undermining Its Moral Standing?
Friday’s spat will have termed implications for ukraine, europe and America itself. The only person smiling is the russian president. However, I would be surprised if in time Trump Regrets His Rudness. But by then will it be too late?
Karan Thapar is the Author of Devil’s Advocate: The Untold Story. The views expressed are personal
