Trump: Empire Builder?

The twentieth century marked what I thought would be a turning point in world politics: the dismantling of imperialistic empire building.

Throughout history one group after another has attempted to conquer others in order to have more power: that was simply how we did it.

Post WWII I kind of thought the world had seen the futility of this in the era of increasingly devastating weapons but it seems I was wrong: human greed never dies.

Putin wants to expand Russia and Trump wants to expand America: I ask "But at what cost?"

Will their neo-imperialism lead to Armageddon?

It's kind of absurd, America was supposed to be the anti-Empire country, helping to liberate nations instead of annexing. Now we are heading into a period of trying to take over all of North America, by the supposed anti-war President. It is crazy land.

Quote: Gandler

It's kind of absurd, America was supposed to be the anti-Empire country, helping to liberate nations instead of annexing. Now we are heading into a period of trying to take over all of North America, by the supposed anti-war President. It is crazy land.

Did you actually type ‘we are heading into a period of trying to take over all of North America’??? Do you ACTUALLY believe that? How can we take anything you write seriously?

Quote: SOOPOO

Did you actually type ‘we are heading into a period of trying to take over all of North America’??? Do you ACTUALLY believe that? How can we take anything you write seriously?

1. Greenland
2. Canada
3. Mexico*

Also, have been discussed for annexation by either Trump himself or supporters*. Is their a country in North America I am leaving out?

(I guess it gets back into the debate if we consider the Caribbean North America or South America.). But, regardless let's say contiguous North America to make you happy...

Trump wants Greenland before China gets it. Just as they did with the Panama Canal after Carter gave it away.

And just as they did with the Port of Long Beach in California, after Obama gave them control of America's second largest container port.

'Chinese companies such as Landbridge Group and the Hong Kong-based CK Hutchison Holdings now operate ports at both ends of the canal. This presence raises concerns about potential dual-use infrastructure and strategic maneuvering, particularly given China’s deepening ties to Latin America.'

Trump forced China out of Port of Long Beach in 2019

'China is eyeing Greenland and the U.S. is taking note' - CBS 2018

Quote: Gandler

1. Greenland
2. Canada
3. Mexico*

Also, have been discussed for annexation by either Trump himself or supporters*. Is their a country in North America I am leaving out?

(I guess it gets back into the debate if we consider the Caribbean North America or South America.). But, regardless let's say contiguous North America to make you happy...

You are hurting my brain. I’ll slightly rephrase it for you. Do you ACTUALLY believe we are ‘heading into a period where we are trying to take over Greenland, Mexico, and Canada?

How have we been ‘trying’ this? Have we moved one troop? Repointed one missile? We are not TRYING to take over North America.

There is a chance, and a VERY SMALL one at that, that we will negotiate some change in our relationship with Greenland. That’s not TAKING OVER NORTH AMERICA!

Quote: SOOPOO

Quote: Gandler

It's kind of absurd, America was supposed to be the anti-Empire country, helping to liberate nations instead of annexing. Now we are heading into a period of trying to take over all of North America, by the supposed anti-war President. It is crazy land.

Did you actually type ‘we are heading into a period of trying to take over all of North America’??? Do you ACTUALLY believe that? How can we take anything you write seriously?

You can't. No sane person can ever take this guy seriously. He lost all credibility after he accused AZ of believing fake news, yet in doing so, he cited fake news himself!!!! I would have had at least a little bit of respect for the guy if he had simply admitted he was wrong, but he just totally ignored it.......like a true libbie. 🤦‍♂️

Trump is a master of the deal, whatever he says is not what he really wants. I saw a woman in an interview who knows Trump for decades and she said when he was trying to sell The Plaza Hotel to the Japanese, in that meeting he never mentioned the Plaza Hotel. But they ended up buying it and a whole bunch of other property on top of it. If he says he wants to buy Greenland what he's really trying to do is get Greenland to lease us even more of their property than they already are. And we'll eventually just take it over anyway. He's threatening them in a way, so they will be happy with any deal that they make short of losing their whole entire country.

Quote: missedhervee

The twentieth century marked what I thought would be a turning point in world politics: the dismantling of imperialistic empire building.

Throughout history one group after another has attempted to conquer others in order to have more power: that was simply how we did it.

Post WWII I kind of thought the world had seen the futility of this in the era of increasingly devastating weapons but it seems I was wrong: human greed never dies.

Putin wants to expand Russia and Trump wants to expand America: I ask "But at what cost?"

Will their neo-imperialism lead to Armageddon?

You thought it because you are the type who does not understand history or human nature. Human nature is to expand empires. That never changes. Things do not change. We had a pause post-1945, but that is nothing in thousands of years of human history. The era probably ended in the 2010s with Russia and China trying to build out.

Smart people know that things do not change. Times may feel different, it may look different, but the motives are still there.

I suggest you get a copy of "The Prince" to read.

Quote: SOOPOO

You are hurting my brain. I’ll slightly rephrase it for you. Do you ACTUALLY believe we are ‘heading into a period where we are trying to take over Greenland, Mexico, and Canada?

How have we been ‘trying’ this? Have we moved one troop? Repointed one missile? We are not TRYING to take over North America.

There is a chance, and a VERY SMALL one at that, that we will negotiate some change in our relationship with Greenland. That’s not TAKING OVER NORTH AMERICA!

I mean Trump is not President yet, so we can only go off what he said he will do. But, you can't defend him for not doing something when he is not in a position to try yet. And, I also said it's not even about Trump himself.

But, yes I fully believe Trump would like to expand the U.S. As I said in the other thread, I don't think (again it's not off the table,) Trump will use force to annex, but his followers certainly want him too which is more terrifying. The GOP is essentially calling for an American Empire, which is the polar opposite of what American values are. Which means the next candidate will be more aggressive than Trump (as hard as that is to believe.)

I believe we are entering a period where the right will want to expand American borders. They were defending the Russian invasion of Ukraine for this very reason, this was not coincidental.