Trumpiana: Oh, Canada! Build walls, not bridges

Don expresses tough love to friends and allies on Valentine’s DayThe author of “The Art of the Deal” has no patience with the time-worn adage “Build bridges, not walls.” Donald Trump Likes to do the exact opposite of “winning friends and influencing people.”On the eve of Valentine’s Day, Trump again showed tough love, accusing Canada of trying to “take advantage of the United States” and threatening to block the construction of a new bridge between the United States and its northern neighbor.Trump published a lengthy article on his mouthpiece Truth Social, emphasizing his oft-quoted claim that Canada has been “grossly unfair to the United States for decades.”Trump demanded that the U.S. “compensate fully for everything we gave them” and claimed Canada would own both sides of the $4.7 billion Gordie Howe International Bridge linking Detroit, Michigan, and Windsor, Ontario. He also accused Ontario of refusing to stock some U.S.-produced alcohol products in stores and complained about Canadian tariffs on dairy products.The latest spat with Canada comes just weeks after Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney angered Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney when he boldly asked middle powers to use economic pressure against “big powers” at the World Economic Forum in Davos in January.The provocation came from closer home, as six Republican lawmakers joined Democrats in passing a House resolution blocking Trump from imposing tariffs on Canada.Not one to retreat, he defiantly accused Canada of “taking advantage of the United States on trade for many years” and suggested, “They are one of the most difficult countries in the world to deal with, especially as it relates to our northern border.”Then came the inevitable ominous warning to lawmakers: “Any Republican, whether in the House or Senate, who votes against tariffs will suffer severe consequences at election time, including primaries!”Loyal MAGA followers were quick to show their support, “Hey Canada 👇, your days are numbered‼️😆”Later, when America’s European allies gathered in Munich for an annual security conference in the shadow of Trump’s absence, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz gave him a rare public rebuke.Mertz said America’s claim to global leadership had been “challenged and perhaps squandered” during Trump’s second term, and he warned Washington not to make matters worse and further squander the trust of allies.“In an era of great power competition, even the United States is not strong enough to go it alone,” he said, although he acknowledged that a Europe that was more dynamic and capable of defending itself and its interests would help “forge a healthier transatlantic relationship.”But staff at the safety meeting were more vocal. In a report before the gathering, they called Trump a “wrecking ball” and one of the “demolishers” destroying the norms and institutions of the international order.At home, Trump launched a fierce attack on the fight against climate change by erasing a basic 2009 scientific finding that greenhouse gases threaten human life.At a White House event, Trump called climate change a “hoax” and a “hoax,” and he praised the decision to lift emissions limits on cars, power plants and other industries as “the largest deregulation effort in American history.”As part of an effort to boost the fossil fuel industry, Trump later signed an executive order directing the U.S. military to buy more coal power and said the Energy Department would pay for upgrades to coal-fired power plants in four states.Meanwhile, the specter of Epstein that has haunted Trump for more than a year has resurfaced as the Justice Department released about three million pages of documents related to years of investigations into convicted sex offenders.The New York Times uncovered more than 5,300 documents referring to Trump and related terms, including obscene and unsubstantiated claims, as well as documents that have already been made public.Deputy Attorney General Todd Branch quickly pardoned Trump, saying the Justice Department investigated sexual misconduct allegations against the president but found no credible information that warranted further investigation.Trump himself praised Attorney General Pam Bondi’s “excellent” performance “under heavy fire from Trump’s deranged radical left-wing lunatics” during a congressional hearing “on the never-ending saga.” Jeffrey Epstein“.“One thing that has finally been proven, much to their chagrin, is that President Donald J. Trump is 100% innocent of their ridiculous Russia, Russia, Russia accusations,” he declared in the post. “In reality, it was the slimy Democrats who were proven guilty, many of whom are big donors and politicians!”But more than a year after he formed a “weaponization task force” to prosecute Trump’s perceived enemies, Bondi is facing pressure from Trump to produce results, NBC reported. The group was ostensibly formed to root out “abuses of the criminal justice process” by federal law enforcement officials investigating Trump once he is out of office.Despite his private criticism of Bondi, Trump publicly professed his confidence in her, saying: “Pam has done a great job. She has been a friend of mine for many years. Huge progress is being made against the radical left crazies who are only good at one thing, and that is cheating in elections and the crimes they commit.”As Valentine’s Day arrives, Trump greets his followers with three cards, “Made just for you 💌”One of them has a map of Greenland in his mind, and he sends notice to his latest object of desire, asking: “It’s time we defined our situation.”The second caricatured Democrats, declaring “I love you as much as the Democrats love illegal immigrants” and “I’d fly 1,537 miles to have a drink with you!”The third depicts the 45th and 47th President holding up his latest decree, “Executive Order: 4547,” declaring “UR MyValentine” – love it or hate it!(According to the arrangements of the American Fair, www.americanbazaaronline.com)