The Ugliest Americans
Extorting allies, invading cities.
„Um ein Territorium zu kontrollieren, muss man es verteidigen, verbessern und bewohnen können. Dänemark hat bei jeder einzelnen dieser Prüfungen versagt.“ —Original German
“To control a territory, you have to be able to defend a territory, improve a territory, inhabit a territory. Denmark has failed at every single one of these tests.” — Stephen Miller.
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Undoubtedly, there have been moments when the Ugly American has been uglier. But this weekend, surely, will rank among its most repugnant.
In the space of just a few days, America:
Has become a rogue nation threatening to swallow or conquer an ally.
Escalated an economic war against Western democracies.
Openly waged war for oil.
Violently occupied an American city; and seemed poised to deploy active duty military troops. (“Pentagon readies 1,500 soldiers [from the Army’s 11th Airborne Division] to possibly deploy to Minnesota, officials say.’)
Justified the murder of a young woman at the hands of armed agents of the federal government, who are being told they have “total immunity.”
As Jay Nordlinger wrote the other day, Donald Trump “has made ‘the ugly American’ real. And he is not a random tourist; he is the president of the United States, the embodiment of America to millions, or billions.”
So, these are fraught days for those of us who have loved our country through sunshine and storms, good times and bad. One does not have to be blind to the many ways our country has fallen short of its ideals to believe that deep down we were somehow exceptional. That we were, ultimately the good guys, who (as Churchill noted) would eventually do the right thing.
Nordlinger recalled what Abraham Lincoln said of Heny Clay, in his eulogy:
He loved his country partly because it was his own country, but mostly because it was a free country; and he burned with a zeal for its advancement, prosperity, and glory because he saw in such the advancement, prosperity, and glory of human liberty ...
That, Nordlinger says, “can be said of many of us.”
But the ugliness is hard to ignore on this frigid January morning.
It’s hard to overstate the enormity of Trump’s threats against our former NATO allies this weekend. (You can read his whole unhinged Truth Social post below in the footnotes.)1
In full mob-boss mode, Trump announced that he would impose 10% tariffs on American consumers who purchase goods from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, The United Kingdom, The Netherlands, and Finland, and that the tax would rise to 25% in June and would remain in place “until such time as a Deal is reached for the Complete and Total purchase of Greenland.”
As Phillips O’Brien notes: “Basically Trump is threatening to sanction NATO unless NATO commits suicide. And people still think he might sanction Russia. He is doing Putin’s work.”
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Trump is singling out the NATO members who are standing up for Greenland’s territorial independence. That principle, which is fundamental to the world order and international law, has been the soul of the western alliance of decades.
Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the EU Commission explained:
Territorial integrity and sovereignty are fundamental principles of international law. They are essential for Europe and for the international community as a whole.
We have consistently underlined our shared transatlantic interest in peace and security in the Arctic, including through NATO. The pre-coordinated Danish exercise, conducted with allies, responds to the need to strengthen Arctic security and poses no threat to anyone.
The EU stands in full solidarity with Denmark and the people of Greenland….
Tariffs would undermine transatlantic relations and risk a dangerous downward spiral. Europe will remain united, coordinated, and committed to upholding its sovereignty.
Trump’s “principle”? Trump’s house-fascist, Stephen Miller continues to explain the Administration’s Will to Power:
“Wir leben in einer Welt, in der echten Welt … die von Stärke, die von Gewalt, die von Macht beherrscht wird. Das sind die eisernen Gesetze der Welt.” (Original German.)
(“We live in a world, in the real world … that is governed by strength, that is governed by force, that is governed by power. These are the iron laws of the world.”)
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The reaction to all of this from what remains of the Free World?
The leaders of Europe reacted Saturday with unified outrage to Mr. Trump’s latest coercions on the massive island in the North Atlantic. So, too, did lawmakers in Washington, including some members of the president’s own party. And the abrupt announcement of new tariffs seemed to throw a trade deal Mr. Trump had struck with the European Union into serious doubt.
And, in a reminder that assholery has consequences: Canada pivots from the US toward China after a blizzard of snubs, threats, and tariffs: “Canada's deal with China signals it is serious about shift from US.”
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As the NYT notes, Trump’s Greenland extortion dramatically raises the stakes of the looming SCOTUS decision:
The president’s new threat comes as the Supreme Court weighs overturning the legal authority that the president would probably use to impose these tariffs. The court is set to rule in the coming weeks on Mr. Trump’s use of an emergency law, the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, which the president has used to threaten tariffs at a whim against numerous countries over the past year.
Nota bene: Politico’s Eli Stokols explains that Trump’s rationale for seizing Greenland is bullshit with hair on it:
Trump doesn’t need to seize Greenland to counter Russia. The U.S. has military bases on the island and has traditionally worked closely with Denmark on security.
Instead, some see dubious claims about imminent Chinese and Russian aggression as one of several pretexts for some future action, up to and including a military strike.
The president and administration officials have also suggested the United States needs Greenland for its Golden Dome missile defense shield, “economic security” and access to minerals — all areas where Denmark has signaled an openness to stronger collaboration.
“The President’s arguments about Greenland are self-evidently bullshit from top to bottom,” said Jeremy Shapiro, a former State Department official during the Barack Obama administration who’s now research director at the European Council on Foreign Relations in Washington.
And European officials note that if Trump was so concerned about Russian aggression he has ample ways to address that — most notably in Ukraine, where allies have pleaded for the president to take a harder line against Putin since he returned to office.
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BONUS: Well then, do something about it, senator.
Senator Cassidy gets his reward
You will recall that Senator Bill Cassidy cast the deciding vote to confirm RFK Jr as Secretary of Health and Human Services despite knowing Kennedy was a feculent crank. How’s that working out for him? Via Mediaite:
President Donald Trump’s made the stunning move, late Saturday, to snub GOP Senator Bill Cassidy (LA) and instead back his would-be primary opponent.
In a Saturday night Truth Social post, the president announced his support for Rep. Julia Letlow (R-LA) to take on Cassidy in the primary….
He added, “Should she decide to enter this Race, Julia Letlow has my Complete and Total Endorsement. RUN, JULIA, RUN!!!”
Cassidy has bent over backwards to try to get back in Trump’s good graces since voting to convict him in his second impeachment trial in 2021. Most notably, the senator — who is a licensed physician — cast the crucial vote to advance the nomination of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as Health and Human Services secretary.
Exit takes: Senatorial suckers are born every minute.
Sunday dogs
Cozy morning on a very cold Sunday. (It was 7-degrees when we woke up.)
We have subsidized Denmark, and all of the Countries of the European Union, and others, for many years by not charging them Tariffs, or any other forms of remuneration. Now, after Centuries, it is time for Denmark to give back — World Peace is at stake! China and Russia want Greenland, and there is not a thing that Denmark can do about it. They currently have two dogsleds as protection, one added recently. Only the United States of America, under PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP, can play in this game, and very successfully, at that! Nobody will touch this sacred piece of Land, especially since the National Security of the United States, and the World at large, is at stake. On top of everything else, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, The United Kingdom, The Netherlands, and Finland have journeyed to Greenland, for purposes unknown. This is a very dangerous situation for the Safety, Security, and Survival of our Planet. These Countries, who are playing this very dangerous game, have put a level of risk in play that is not tenable or sustainable. Therefore, it is imperative that, in order to protect Global Peace and Security, strong measures be taken so that this potentially perilous situation end quickly, and without question. Starting on February 1st, 2026, all of the above mentioned Countries (Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, The United Kingdom, The Netherlands, and Finland), will be charged a 10% Tariff on any and all goods sent to the United States of America. On June 1st, 2026, the Tariff will be increased to 25%. This Tariff will be due and payable until such time as a Deal is reached for the Complete and Total purchase of Greenland. The United States has been trying to do this transaction for over 150 years. Many Presidents have tried, and for good reason, but Denmark has always refused. Now, because of The Golden Dome, and Modern Day Weapons Systems, both Offensive and Defensive, the need to ACQUIRE is especially important. Hundreds of Billions of Dollars are currently being spent on Security Programs having to do with “The Dome,” including for the possible protection of Canada, and this very brilliant, but highly complex system can only work at its maximum potential and efficiency, because of angles, metes, and bounds, if this Land is included in it. The United States of America is immediately open to negotiation with Denmark and/or any of these Countries that have put so much at risk, despite all that we have done for them, including maximum protection, over so many decades. Thank you for your attention to this matter!
DONALD J. TRUMP
PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Steven Miller must be naive to think he won't be procecuted for his actions. When a President and his cronies breaks our constitution there are no pardons. This is called treason.
Isn’t it true that the tech bros (Bezoa, Gates,Zuckerberg, et al) want to reare earth minerals in Greenland? Trump is getting their cash to build the big ugly ballroom and in term has promised to get them what they need for their AI data centers. Why doesn’t anyone talk about this? Everything he does is for the grift! There is no national security issue!