After intensive research (two minutes of Googling), it can be seen that, in contrast to German export hits like “Schadenfreude” and “Weltschrei”, the local motto “If you have no idea, just keep your mouth shut” didn’t make it into the American version. If he had done that, Donald Trump would have saved himself and the world some nerves.
Well, nonsense. Restraint is not Trump’s default setting – as he impressively demonstrated again on Tuesday morning.
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Press conference at Mar-a-Lago – a masterclass in bullshitting
With a 70-minute tirade in his swanky Mar-a-Lago resort, the MAGA lord once again demonstrated the complete absence of his filter between what was thought and what was said. Here he gave a master class in bullshitting to journalists, an impressive all-round blow to nonsense. Wind turbines on the east coast would strand whales, the “Gulf of Mexico” should actually be called the “Gulf of America,” and no water comes out of shower heads because of government climate stunts.
With two eyes closed, all of this still falls into the category of verbal tweeting: pointless but comparatively harmless. But from Trump’s point of view, not a day is a good one at the end of which he hasn’t insulted allies at least once or, better yet, threatened the collapse of the world order. And what a good day Tuesday was!
Would you like a worst-of? The Panama Canal should be returned “completely and unconditionally” to the USA, Greenland, which belongs to the Kingdom of Denmark, should be annexed if necessary and Canada should be incorporated as the 51st federal state. Oh yes. And the NATO partners should please increase their defense spending from two to five percent of their GDP – in Germany’s case that would be an additional 200 billion euros. Coming from the mouth of a native real estate shark, the demand sounded like a spontaneous rent increase: Anyone who doesn’t pay will be thrown out.
And why all this? N/a,
Donald Trump’s rant cannot be ignored
You want to put your index finger on Trump’s lips and breathe a long “Shhh” into his (ironically good left) ear. But Trump is unleashed in these final days before his term in office. Not least because of the mutual toxic hype with troll king Elon Musk. As if he wanted to make up for the four years he missed in exile in Florida before taking power again.
How do you deal with a guy who wants to run the greatest military power of all time like a gangster runs his black market empire? Deals instead of diplomacy. Competitors instead of partners. America everything, instead of everyone something. Not taking him seriously so he doesn’t do it himself?
The statements of what will soon be the most powerful president in US history, no matter how crude they may be, cannot be downplayed and certainly not ignored. Because each of his threats, perhaps spurious, could have very real consequences for billions of people.
When a self-absorbed old man questions national borders at the regulars’ table, it’s annoying in the pub. If the same senior says the same thing on the way to the White House, it’s extremely dangerous.
That’s why mornings like Tuesday’s at Mar-a-Lago are so scary. Because they’re the trailer for a horror movie that no one wants to see, but everyone will. With that in mind: Shut up, Donald. Pretty please.
