Trump wants more power than he gets from the American Presidency. He wants to join Putin in supplanting America’s global influence and military presence with a world dominated by him and Putin. They both want the power to make the rules and bully all other countries, including the United States, into bending to their personal interests. To get there, Trump is diminishing America’s superpower status
Please don’t default to an oh-that-will-never-happen denial. It is happening now. Trump has:
- Paused all military aid to Ukraine and the intelligence that helped it block incoming missile and drone attacks and target Russia’s invading forces. He also paused delivery of the equipment that enabled Ukrainian strikes into Russia.
- Excluded Zelensky from peace talks with Putin and warned Zelensky that he either takes their deal, or “the U.S. is out.”
- Agreed with Putin that any peace deal would: require European security to be funded and defended only by Europe and not the United States; require the demilitarization of Ukraine; prohibit Ukraine from joining NATO and regaining any territory lost during the war; and require new elections enabling Putin to install a puppet government;
- Weakened America’s global influence and military might by suspending foreign aid that builds critical allies and spreads America’s influence and military might, including military basis, throughout the world.
- Exposed the identities of American operatives who monitor adversaries like Russia and China. Now, allies no longer provide American intelligence agencies with information that helps it prevent international aggression such as cyber-attacks.
- Left Russia off his tariff list.
All this is enabling a Putin victory in Ukraine and allowing Putin to invade European NATO to fulfill his dream of a Russian-led Eurasian empire. The invasions would subject Europe to bullying by Putin and Trump. Trump’s agreement not to defend or finance Europe’s security could put America on Russia’s side in a war against Europe.
Republicans must stop Trump’s weakening of America’s global influence, its military might and his trashing our allies’ trust in America and its electorate, even if it takes impeachment. But sadly, they lack the spine to confront Trump. If they don’t find the courage, they will be responsible for helping one man effortlessly shatter what America has built.
