Fukuyama Warns Europe: Trump Will Not Stop at Greenland
Category: News & Politics
Via: john-russell • 10 months ago • 13 commentsBy: Alex Griffing (Mediaite)
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
Renowned political scientist Francis Fukuyama reacted to President Donald Trump's latest moves to acquire Greenland and urged Europe to "not back down" to Trump, arguing that he "really needs to be stopped."
"Over the weekend, Donald Trump announced that he would be imposing a 10 percent tariff on February 1 on eight European countries that had agreed to send forces to Greenland, and that tariffs would be increased to 25 percent by June 1 if they did not agree to support the sale of the island to the United States. Over the past couple of months, there has been a debate over whether Trump was serious about claiming Greenland for himself or just trolling the Europeans. It appears that he is indeed deadly serious," began Fukuyama, whose book The End of History and the Last Man is considered one of the foundational texts of modern international relations. He continued in a YouTube clip published Sunday:
I want to say this straight out: as an American, I have one thing to say to my many European friends—do not back down in this confrontation. Up to now, both the EU and the major European powers have sought to appease Trump by offering him concessions, flattery, personal gifts, and other forms of tribute. This strategy has not worked and should be abandoned immediately. Donald Trump is fundamentally a bully who wants to dominate everyone around him.
Trying to placate him with concessions is a fool's errand. He despises weakness and those who display it. Last spring, the EU cut a trade deal with him that accepted a 15% tariff on all European goods with no retaliation against American products. This was a bad decision. The EU, which in terms of population and wealth is on a par with the United States, should have taken a common position and retaliated. What makes any European think that conceding Greenland will mollify Trump? He will simply come back for more later.
The arguments that Europeans have used for a concessionary policy is that they are still dependent on the United States for security and need help in dealing with Russia. They also argue that they don't want to provoke a mutually destructive trade war. But at this point, Trump's America has amply demonstrated that it will not be a reliable ally when push comes to shove.
It has already abandoned Ukraine and stated in its national security strategy document that Europe has fallen behind the Western Hemisphere in terms of American priorities. Europeans should keep in mind that those countries that stood up to Trump's threats in 2025, which include Brazil, India, and China, have actually done well for themselves. They've increased domestic support, and in the case of China, they forced America to back down.
My European friends need to keep in mind that Donald Trump is not the United States. A majority of Americans are dismayed and outraged by his policies, and they will likely vote against him and the Republican Party in the coming November election. It may be the case that the world will have to suffer a global recession as more countries stand up to Trump and retaliate against his policies. But a U.S. politician who wants to weaponize trade and use it as an instrument for territorial aggrandizement really needs to be stopped. Thanks for listening.
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Speaking of not backing down, lets have a musical interlude.
Lara Trump - I Wont Back Down
This is one of the wildest moments in all of geopolitics ever.
Other than wish casting from the left, what evidence is there Trump has any interest at all in Europe?
ose book The End of History
Not the guy you'd want predicting the future.
You have to be trying to be naive on purpose. He talks about breaking our most important international treaty: Versailles…er, NATO, and is openly hostile to our allies.
After he annexes Czechoslovakia (Venezuela) and Austria (Greenland), why would he invade Poland (Iceland)? Even then, there’s no evidence he’d invade Denmark, Norway, or France…right?
Right… criticizing nato means invading France is inevitable. Impossible to find a flaw in that logic.
That is putting a pollyana spin on what Trump is doing.
I mean, if you’re intent on a dishonest synopsis of the facts, I probably can’t help you.
So…”criticizing?”
Trump announces tariffs on NATO allies for opposing US control of Greenland
That’s not criticism .
If Greenland is so important for America's National Security, why isn't Canada for the same reason? Especially, since Canada and China have just made up and started a new stragetic relationship with improved trade aspects.
And after we take Greenland, Canada will be cut off from the UK and surrounded by American territory. Trust me, they’re next.
You're right. That will give America the chance to burn down the parliament building in Ottawa to get even for 1812.
Mmmmm, not sure that isn't a win-win....
Trump wants Greenland so he is going to incease tariffs and raise prices Americans pay... again. Magas voted for this.