America’s Declining Empire Still Plays the Bully Worldwide
Philip Giraldi
As I have noted previously, President Donald J Trump’s antics can entertain almost every week, though that amusement often fades into irritation or even disgust once the fallout becomes apparent. Certainly, nothing compares to the recently revealed incident from February, where a chickenhawk spectacle unfolded involving Air Force One switching planes in Ankara after a NATO meeting. The event was unmatched in showcasing Trump’s egotistical disregard for the staff who must accompany him and endure the tirades of America’s leading golf cheater. Following Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt’s abrupt resignation—potentially linked to her being implicated by Trump as a victim of a suspected terrorist attack—Trump posted on his Truth Social account a photo of himself captioned “The Best Press Secretary.” This was a deliberate jab at Leavitt coupled with a self-endorsement!
When not golfing or dozing through meetings, Donald Trump is constantly in motion, wielding threats and profanities designed to intimidate foes domestically and internationally. Consider how Trump orchestrated a deal using his Board of Peace regarding Gaza, where Hamas consented to disarm in exchange for the Israeli military pulling back from 70% of occupied territory, replaced by an international peacekeeping force. Since Hamas accepted the plan, Trump dispatched his Zionist son-in-law Jared Kushner to meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to finalize the agreement. Yet, Netanyahu predictably rejected it, and Kushner immediately pledged unwavering support for Israel’s actions. What Israel does is routinely kill Palestinians, seize their land, and devastate their livelihoods daily.
One filmed moment shows an Israeli settler violently assaulting elderly Palestinian Saeed Al-Omour in Hebron, located in the occupied West Bank. Al-Omour had previously lost a leg after being shot by settlers more than a year earlier. Another disturbing video records settlers beating a Palestinian farmer on the West Bank before stealing his donkey and dragging it behind their vehicle until the animal perished painfully. Such cruelty illustrates the brutal mentality of those who find killing “subhumans” insufficient—they must also torture animals to assert dominance. Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir openly supports killing 30-40 Palestinians daily, viewing it as justified because they are “subhuman.” While the global community largely recognizes the ongoing genocide, Donald Trump and his circle appear oblivious or indifferent.
Trump has renewed threats to strangle Iran with unprecedented economic sanctions. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent pledges “measures like have never been seen in the history of the economic isolation of a country.” This policy involves a US Navy blockade of Iranian ports and crippling secondary sanctions targeting nations such as Russia and China, which defy US trade prohibitions. This strategy not only antagonizes Iran—an unprovoked target intended to benefit Israel—but also isolates other countries by threatening them, creating more enemies. Meanwhile, Trump boasts three conflicting “victories,” claiming Iran is “being very badly defeated,” the Strait of Hormuz is “effectively American — we own it,” and finally, that the US has “total control” of the waterway, maintained open after supposedly clearing Iranian mines. Though clever, these assertions will not deceive anyone regarding who actually controls the conflict, nor are they likely to bring Trump any true triumph.
In the realm of trade conflicts, Trump initiated a 50% tariff on Canadian goods, prompting Ottawa to halt all negotiations and retaliate with its own tariffs. This move partly responds to Canada’s refusal to sell its water to the US at drastically reduced prices demanded by the president, turning a once close neighbor and ally into an adversary. On Truth Social, Trump accused Canadians of wanting “the benefits of being a State, without being one,” referencing his earlier remarks suggesting Canada become the 51st state.
Additionally, Cuba has been placed under harsher sanctions by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the president. How does Cuba threaten the US? Its communist regime! Rubio announced the expanded sanctions on Thursday, targeting Cuban individuals and government groups, part of the Trump administration’s intensified campaign to force regime change in Havana.
The Cuban Institute of Friendship with the Peoples (ICAP) leaders were among those named, whom Rubio accused of exploiting educational exchanges with the US and other countries to “identify, cultivate, and radicalize subversives…” He added that “The Trump Administration will not stand by while a hostile foreign power seeks to exploit our freedoms – none of which are afforded to its people – by misleading and corrupting American citizens with lies, spy tradecraft, and other malfeasance as part of the regime’s raison d’être of exporting Marxism, racial resentment, and Communist violence across the world.” According to the Secretary of State, the new restrictions target groups that “sustain the regime’s repressive apparatus through control of key economic sectors.” One might argue that leaving Cuba alone would be wiser since the country poses no threat to the US, but such restraint is not in Trump and Rubio’s playbook.
Domestically, the White House also showcased its unique Trump-style flair last week—what might be dubbed a “name game.” Trump restored his name atop the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, now appearing there twice to ensure no one overlooks it. He also shut the venue for “renovations,” denying public access. Meanwhile, Dulles International Airport in Virginia is slated for major renovations and may face a renaming as well!
An even more noteworthy naming issue involves a US Navy aircraft carrier under construction, which remains unnamed. Rumor suggests it could honor Doris Miller, a Black sailor who manned an anti-aircraft gun at Pearl Harbor and earned a Navy Cross for valor, potentially becoming the first African American with an aircraft carrier named after him. However, reports indicate Donald Trump wishes to name this vessel—expected to be completed in 2034—after himself, possibly to launch a fleet of costly Trump-class battleships estimated at $275 billion. Whether warranted or not, most navies have abandoned battleships and even aircraft carriers due to their prohibitive costs and vulnerability to modern missile warfare on land and sea.
Regarding the aircraft carrier, one Facebook commentator remarked, “Both are poor choices. Traditionally, carriers were named after noble concepts (Independence, Enterprise, etc.), then political figures with military service (Nimitz, Dwight D Eisenhower, John F Kennedy), or presidents and politicians who were folk heroes or funded the military (George Washington, John C Stennis). Naming a carrier after the ‘first Black to get the Navy Cross’ is political overreach; usually such individuals receive a destroyer or smaller ship named after them. Naming one after a President who dodged the draft, avoided military service, and works for the government of Israel is sacrilege.”
Turning to national defense from the Trump perspective, last week also brought a story about his frustration over NATO members not backing his aggressive stance supporting Israel against Iran. Notably, NATO is fundamentally a DEFENSIVE alliance, a nuance apparently missed by the Oval Office’s “Great Thinker.” Previously, Trump’s anger was expressed in blunt language, sparking concerns that his tirades might threaten NATO’s survival. Now, he has instructed US liaison officers at NATO commands abroad to pressure allies for “political loyalty” whenever America takes a hardline position globally. Reportedly, a Pentagon document titled “Questions for NATO Allies & Other Key Stakeholders” asks if member nations have “publicly supported US foreign policy priorities” and if they have aligned with the US approach to being “strong, clear, and quiet,” referencing Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s May keynote at the Shangri-La Dialogue.
This document appears to guide US officials in their interactions with NATO members amidst a six-month Pentagon review of the US military footprint in Europe. One contentious question probes allies about restrictions on US access to NATO bases or permission for American military flights over their territories—issues that grew sensitive following the US-Israel war against Iran starting late February. Several European countries imposed such limitations, and the questionnaire asks if they are prepared to “reduce or eliminate any such restrictions.” A senior European official suggests the paper communicates a demand that allies “stay on the good side of the White House by aligning closely with its agenda.” This alignment could involve ongoing conflict with Iran and potential defense collaboration with Israel if Congress approves the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for 2027 and related Intelligence legislation.
Original article: unz.com
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