171. Does Donald Trump have a Nazi streak?
President Donald Trump has repeatedly turned to tariffs to force countries to bend to his will – with some success.
His aggressive approach to global trade has sparked concerns about the US economy, as analysts warn that widespread tariffs could inflict substantial harm. But Trump is not worried.
Trump’s broader trade strategy is currently pending before the U.S. Supreme Court, which is evaluating the legality of many of his tariffs. A ruling is expected in the next 10 days.
In this context, after successfully capturing Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro without facing opposition from any part of the world, Trump’s persistent desire to acquire Greenland by any means necessary has become a true obsession.
Although he has argued that Greenland's current situation threatens US national security, this view has been challenged by US allies.
Trump is also upset and mentioned that forces from eight European countries have traveled to Greenland for unclear reasons. This is connected to NATO allies sending troops to Greenland.
A poll found that only 4% of Americans think the US should take Greenland by force of arms.
Donald Trump has announced that he will impose a 10% tariff on goods from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the UK, the Netherlands, and Finland, starting February 1. The tariff will increase to 25% on June 1 and remain in place until a deal is reached for the complete purchase of Greenland.
This time, it appears he has exceeded acceptable limits.
To Trump’s surprise, the threat of tariffs against Nato allies has brought their leaders together like never before.
Emmanuel Macron, the French president, was the first to respond. He stated that no form of intimidation or threat will sway us—whether in Ukraine, Greenland, or elsewhere in the world when faced with such circumstances.
The response from Denmark and Greenland is clear: we will never surrender Greenland. Rasmus Jarlov, the chair of Denmark’s defense committee, stated that every insult, threat, tariff, and lie we face only hardens our determination.
EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stated that the EU fully supports Denmark and the people of Greenland.
The UK Prime Minister stated that applying tariffs on allies is entirely inappropriate.
Germany might threaten to boycott the World Cup hosted by Trump this summer to persuade him to reconsider his stance on Greenland.
I believe there has been a fundamental issue with Trump’s second term from the very beginning. He is backed by a number of individuals resembling Carl Schmitt.
For those unaware, Carl Schmitt was a German political theorist, often called the “crown jurist of the Third Reich,” whose intellectual legacy is closely tied to his collaboration with the Nazi regime.
After joining the Nazi Party in late April 1933, he revised his legal theories to match National Socialist principles and actively promoted the legitimacy of both the Nazi Party and Adolf Hitler's policies.
He justified the murders during the ‘Night of the Long Knives’ by portraying Hitler as Germany’s supreme judge. Additionally, he called the Nuremberg Laws the ‘constitution of freedom’ and hosted a highly antisemitic conference titled ‘The Jewry in Legal Science’ in Berlin in October 1936.
Within the United States, Schmitt’s ideas have fostered numerous anti-democratic tendencies, from the ‘war on terror’ to the extreme rhetoric of the MAGA right against the left.
Numerous Carls in various disguises surround Trump. One of them is Ronald Lauder.
John Bolton, national security adviser in 2018, has come out with this startling news. He says that, one day, Trump told him that a prominent businessman had just suggested that the US buy Greenland.
The businessman was Ronald Lauder. Heir to a makeup fortune – the global cosmetics brand Estée Lauder – he had known Trump for more than 60 years.
After the billionaire’s intervention, a White House team began exploring ways to increase US sway over the vast Arctic territory controlled by Denmark.
When Trump won the presidency in 2016, Lauder donated $100,000 to the Trump Victory fundraising committee. In 2017, the Wall Street Journal disclosed Trump’s interest in Greenland. Denmark’s leaders were outraged, prompting Trump to reply with a tweet showing a golden Trump Tower overshadowing a village, accompanied by the caption: “I promise not to do this to Greenland!”
“Trump’s Greenland idea was never foolish – it was a strategic move," Lauder wrote in the New York Post. He continued: "Under the ice and rock lies a wealth of rare-earth elements vital for AI, sophisticated weapons, and modern technology. As the ice melts, new maritime routes are forming, transforming global trade and security.”
Lauder’s policy suggestions appear to intersect with his business interests. As Trump has ratcheted up his threats to seize Greenland, Lauder has acquired commercial holdings there.
Lauder is also involved in the consortium whose interest in accessing Ukrainian minerals seems to have prompted Trump to seek a share. Zelenskyy, Ukraine’s president, identified Lauder as part of a group aiming to mine a lithium deposit in the war-ravaged country.
Now comes NATO. Any military action by one Nato member against another would break the alliance. Greenland has been a semiautonomous territory since 1979, but as part of Denmark, it is defended by Nato.
Greenland seems to hold a mystical appeal for Trump. His apparent readiness to risk NATO's stability to gain control of Greenland makes Europe’s options seem more uncertain.
Trump’s admitted neglect of international law highlights the ongoing dilemma Europe faces due to its heavy reliance on the US for military protection.
But what kind of fight these European powers are prepared to mount for Greenland if diplomacy fails is unclear? In fact, they are helpless.
Returning to Trump. Since Lauder also heads the World Jewish Congress, the relationship among Trump, Israel, Ukraine, and Greenland is clear.
The end result is that Donald Trump is doing pure business with a firm and strong Nazi streak.