I don’t even know how to describe the last week. H.P. Lovecraft could not have written a more sanity shattering work of prose if he tried.
The only place to begin is with this. The President of the United States, upset that Denmark will not sell him Greenland and incensed that the public threats of military action from himself and others in his administration (notably, Stephen Miller) have steeled the resolve of NATO to resist any aggression has chosen to punish the American people by imposing tariffs on imports from Europe, thus increasing the price of imports to the consumer.
When Harlan Ellison describes something as “bugfuck,” this is exactly what he means. This is not leadership. This is Eric Cartman shouting, “You will respect my authoritah!” This is not diplomacy. This is an understanding of geopolitics based on a game of Risk played when Trump and Miller were 15.
The reaction from our European allies was exactly what you’d want.
EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen: Pound sand.
European Parliament President Roberta Metsola: Pound sand. Europe stands united against American aggression.
French President Emmanuel Macron: Pound sand. France stands with our European allies.
UK Prime Minister Sir Kier Starmer: Pound sand.
Larry the Cat, resident of 10 Downing Street: Donald Trump is a Russian asset.
British politician and writer Alastair Campbell: Pound sand. Europe can hit you where it hurts, Donald.
Economist Peter Schiff: Antagonizing Europe proves Trump is a moron, because nothing good will flow from this for the United States.
Norwegian commentator Glenn Tunes: The United States is a shithole country. (As an aside, I don’t disagree.)
Senator Mark Kelly: The soft power the United States built over 80 years is being destroyed in months by Donald Trump, and Republicans need to find the political will to join Democrats to check his abuses.
Senator Bernie Sanders: Trump destroying the NATO alliance proves he’s bugfuck.
Pundit Bill Kristol: Either Congress reins in Trump or they are complicit in the destruction of America’s reputation and alliances.
Pundit Brian Allen: An attack by the United States on Greenland may end Trump’s presidency.
The Nobel Committee: Donald Trump may be in possession of a Peace Prize, but that doesn’t make him a winner.
Writer Charlotte Clymer: The atrocities ICE are committing in Minneapolis today will pale compared to the atrocities they will commit out of desperation.
And, let’s close with this. An email, one of a dozen identical-ish emails, I received yesterday.
The first time I received one of these emails would have been over a decade ago. My reaction then was, essentially, “How did you get video? I don’t even have a camera on my computer!” My reaction today: “I feel so threatened by my old LiveJournal password.”