As a candidate running for the presidency of the United States, Donald Trump deemed that to say anything and insult anyone were legitimate means to achieve his political ends. Sadly, he garnered enough votes in enough key states to win a majority of the Electoral College votes to become the 45th President. Even sadder though is that he has not figured out that the political campaign is over — and he is continuing to say and insult as before on the eve of taking the oath of office.
In a newspaper interview published on Sunday, Trump fired a broadside at the European Union (EU), the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, Germany, Brexit, on Russia and nuclear disarmament and on German Chancellor Angela Merkel. In one fell scoop, and one fell swoop, the president-elect managed to alienate the political leadership of an entire continent — not an insignificant feat considering that he won’t get the keys to the Oval Office until Friday afternoon.
Firstly, Nato has managed to keep the peace on the continent for the past seven decades, mostly without a shot being fired. And it has acted as a necessary balance to counter Soviet threat and intercede in conflicts and countries when necessary. The principles of mutual defence have stood the test of time and the US has long enjoyed the benefits of all of the Nato-member nations acting on a cohesive and unified matter. It doesn’t behove Trump to disparage a key component of global security. Nor does it behove him to lecture the EU on its makeup. The political and economic union has also overseen a continent that twice in a century ripped itself apart in wars that dragged in the US. Peace now reigns, but it is a democratic peace, one where all voices have an equal say, where diversity is largely welcomed and where the rights of all are enshrined and protected from Iberia to the Baltics, from the Balkans to the British isles.
It’s one thing for Trump to say he wants to make America great again. That means he will return it to an isolationist and protectionist past. If he wants isolation, then all he needs to do is continue insulting long-standing friends and allies. If he wants a protected America and wonders aloud why are there so many Mercedes in New York and few Chevrolets in Germany, perhaps it’s got to do with the quality of those vehicles. American consumers have discerning tastes for cars — too bad that didn’t extend to their choice of president.
