Trump and Vance Gang up on an Ally

In my last post, I wrote that American power, and our alliances, were being dismantled before our very eyes. This is what we saw, today, on live television.

President Trump, and VP Vance, met with Ukrainian president Zelenskyy, to do a photo op in advance of the parties, signing a deal, giving the US mineral rights in Ukraine, and exchange for our aid to that country. That’s fine.

Zelensky Spoke in front of The president About his need for security, guarantees, etc., which were comments best made behind closed doors. 

But what happened after that was astonishing. Trump, Who today didn’t know when the Ukraine war started, and Also, did not know how much aid we had given Ukraine, treated Zelensky with great disrespect in a series of comments. 

The bearded sneak JD Vance, then sucker punched Zelensky Questioning his gratitude for the aid already given by the US. ( Zaleski has publicly thanked the US countless times for aid given, including before both sessions of the US Congress ) 

A few interrelated things are  clear now.

One, For the first time in American history, We have a president who does not believe in our military alliances.

Two, We have a president who has no respect for our allies ( Canada, Ukraine, The NATO countries ) But who Has respect for dictators 

Three,  Our allies cannot count on the United States anymore. At this point, if Russian forces crossed into Estonia, To “liberate “the Russian speakers of Varna, do you think that Trump would do anything about it?

Friedrich  Merz, Who will likely soon become the new head of the German government, Said this week that Europe must become independent of the USA, Because, under Trump, the US is “ Largely indifferent to the fate of Europe “. 

You can’t really count Any checks and balances to come in to play here within the US system, Because the US Congress is controlled by the Republicans, And almost every Republican congressman and senator is either a Trump supporter or is it afraid of the Trumper  mob. Witness how Lindsey Graham turned against Zalensky  today.

Trump isn’t wrong on everything, but he is dead wrong on this important thing. He is a danger to the security of the United States, and to that of our friends. God knows what we will see in the next days and weeks.

Trump - The Art of the Sellout

 In his first term in office, President Trump, via the  Doha agreement, agreed to surrender Afghanistan to the Taliban. The agreement was between the US and the Taliban – the ( US ally  ) Afghan government was never permitted to take part in the negotiations.

This week, President Trump commenced negotiations with Russia to end the Ukraine war. The Ukraine government was not permitted to take part in these  negotiations. 

The Ukraine negotiation is a surrender agreement on the part of the US  every  bit as much the Afghan negotiation was. Trump has already conceded everything that was important before the negotiations even began- that Russia would not have to give back Ukrainian territory, that Ukraine would not be allowed to enter NATO.

The NATO nations have given significant support to Ukraine, But, like Ukraine, they’re not part of the negotiations, either. The NATO allies weren’t even notified beforehand about  the talks.

Trump has been exceptionally disrespectful towards the Ukrainian leadership, and is proposing that Ukraine repay the US on onerous terms, terms even more severe than were imposed on Germany after the first World War. This, while he has  been exceptionally deferential towards Putin and Russia. The Russians can’t believe their good fortune. 

It’s pretty easy to reach a deal when you give the adversary  everything that he wants. Trump did just that in Afghanistan, and he’s doing it now in Ukraine. 

Our  alliances, and our power are being dismantled before our very eyes.

Bad president abuses Canada

 I’ve been fond of Canada since forever. I’ve been there six times- twice to Quebec, twice to Toronto, twice to Vancouver.

Most Americans don’t follow the news in Canada, but I do. I look at the headlines at both the Montreal Gazette, and the Toronto global mail every day, via Apple News+.

President Trump has been a wild lunatic on a number of international matters since he was sworn in this year, but Let’s focus on Canada here.

Trump has claimed that Canada has not properly secured its border with the US, allowing ( non Canadian ) illegals to sneak in to the US. He has also claimed that Canada is allowing fentanyl to be produced in Canada, and smuggled into the US over the northern border.

Both issues are fair to raise but Trump grossly exaggerates the extent of the problem as respects Canada. 

Trump was about to impose a 25% tariff on most Canadian goods coming into the US, because Canada  was supposedly doing nothing to stop the drugs and the illegals- but then, at the last minute he paused Tariff implementation, because PM  Trudeau agreed to devote more security at their side of the border. 

What Trump did not tell us That Trudeau had -already- reached The same deal with President Biden In December 2024.  The screaming and roaring on the US side was about nothing. 

Canada has been a good neighbor and ally of the US for as long as our two nations have been around. Trump has seriously harmed that relationship. Not only by his inept  “ negotiating “, but by his disrespectful Comments about the Canadian nation, his comments about making Canada the 51st state, all The asinine comments that no real president would ever make.

It has long been the tradition that The anthems of both the USA and Canada are played before NHL hockey games involving teams from the two countries. Recently, we have seen Canadian fans boo the US anthem, and In return we have seen US fans in some cities booing the Canadian anthem.

I expect the trade  and security issues between the nations to be resolved shortly. But damage has been done. 

 Americans will forget this affair shortly, Canadians won’t.

Je me souviens.