The Shakedown President
Trump has perfected the art of shaking down just about everyone. But sooner or later people will get wiser and refuse to be shaken down or look for relations elsewhere.
One of the things that has struck me most about President Donald Trump’s second term is the extent to which he has resorted to shaking down people — from law firms to media companies, from corporations to countries. So far, he has been successful. But the big question is whether this can last.
That is the question I addressed in my latest “From Across the Pond” column in Politico Europe.
When U.S. President Donald Trump first met with then-German Chancellor Angela Merkel after his first term began, he told her that Germany’s lack of defense spending was a problem. It meant the U.S. had to spend too much. “Angela, you owe me $1 trillion,” he said.
In the end, Germany never paid a penny. But this exchange set the tone for how Trump would approach the presidency in his second term.
Whether a person, business, university, law firm, media company or country — Trump has used the power of the presidency to exact a price, often in dollar terms, from whoever he interacts with. It’s the unifying theme of his leadership and his approach to the world.
Donald Trump is the “Shakedown President.”
Read the entire article at Political Europe.
“But soon, everyone will get wiser and…when they unite, Trump will be unable to continue his shake down operations.”
Pray tell, how soon is soon? China has and is the only country tossing it back at him, as he [sadly] bestrides the world.
To wit, look at the ‘summit’ at Sharm el Sheikh. All the world leaders flown in as backdrop props..That alone tells us who’s [again, sadly] calling the shots.
If indeed they do unite, I’m not yet convinced it will have legs.
But happy to be convinced otherwise..