Olivia of Troye - From Canada to Gaza, the Next Land Grab [View all]
When Donald Trump suggests annexing Canada, purchasing Greenland, or sending U.S. troops into Gaza, the instinctive reaction from many is to dismiss it as hyperbole, a distraction, or just another one of his headline-grabbing moments. But after nearly a decade of watching Trump upend political norms, and as someone who lived his chaos firsthand when it came to the rollercoaster inside the White House on foreign policy, one lesson is clear: we ignore his words at our peril.
The President's statements about territorial expansion—whether it's "joking" about Canada becoming the 51st U.S. state, re-upping his 2019 Greenland purchase proposal now backed by Republican Congressman Earl Carter of Georgia's bill(yes, he actually states Greenland should be renamed Red, White, and Blueland) or hinting at sending U.S. forces into Gaza — should not be dismissed outright. These comments might not always translate into immediate policy actions; however, they send dangerous signals to both our allies and adversaries. They reveal an underlying mindset, one where the United States, under his leadership, could disregard international norms, treaties, and alliances in favor of raw power plays. The implications for global stability, American trustworthiness, and the strength of our adversaries are significant.
Hyperbole or Real Intent?
Trump thrives on provocation. His off-the-cuff statements, often dismissed as unserious, have an unsettling tendency to manifest into reality when given the opportunity. In 2016, few believed he would pull the U.S. out of the Paris Climate Agreement or abandon the Iran Nuclear Deal — until he did. Guess what, he just did it all over again. His musings about building a border wall, enacting a Muslim travel ban, or pressuring Ukraine for political dirt on opponents all began as seemingly exaggerated campaign rhetoric.
His remarks about territorial expansion fit within a pattern: drop an initial bombastic statement, followed by mockery from critics, then a serious pursuit behind closed doors by his advisors and enablers. When Trump floated buying Greenland from Denmark in 2019, the suggestion was met with global ridicule. Yet, those of us inside the White House knew that they were actively pursuing strategies to make it happen, framing it as a strategic necessity against China and Russia in the Arctic. Fast forward to the present day, Secretary of State Marco Rubio recently stated, "This is not a joke," and revisited the same theories.
https://www.livingitwitholiviatroye.com/p/from-canada-to-gaza-the-next-land
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