Since he started work as NATO secretary-general almost two years ago, Mark Rutte has spent much of his time trying to keep the United States anchored to the world’s biggest military alliance.
Trump hasn’t backed down from the 51st state thing permanently, he just gets distracted.
Maybe not permanently, but definitely for the foreseeable future. If you’ll remember, Trump’s official line on the 51st state business is that he will not force the issue militarily. This is as opposed to Greenland, where he has said no such thing. In effect he has backed down, because he’s ruled out the one thing that could even plausibly make it happen.
Edit: Accidentally deleted the above reply, so I’m reposting it here:
I strongly doubt the reason Trump backed down from the 51st state thing was NATO militaries. Again, no member of NATO was ever going to actually fight America for Canada. They (the European side at least; no way Turkey was getting involved) would’ve retaliated in other ways, but those ways, being non-military, have nothing to do with NATO.
The next thing out of his mouth could be completely different and that will become the official line at that point. He only sticks to any sort of agreement or position for as long as it benefits him, not one second longer than that.
True, but again unless something fundamentally changes (which, to be fair we are living in a pretty “interesting” era in history) the calculus that made Trump conclude picking a fight with Canada is a bad idea isn’t changing anytime soon. Hence, he backed down.
Maybe not permanently, but definitely for the foreseeable future. If you’ll remember, Trump’s official line on the 51st state business is that he will not force the issue militarily. This is as opposed to Greenland, where he has said no such thing. In effect he has backed down, because he’s ruled out the one thing that could even plausibly make it happen.
Edit: Accidentally deleted the above reply, so I’m reposting it here:
I strongly doubt the reason Trump backed down from the 51st state thing was NATO militaries. Again, no member of NATO was ever going to actually fight America for Canada. They (the European side at least; no way Turkey was getting involved) would’ve retaliated in other ways, but those ways, being non-military, have nothing to do with NATO.
His most recent official line.
The next thing out of his mouth could be completely different and that will become the official line at that point. He only sticks to any sort of agreement or position for as long as it benefits him, not one second longer than that.
True, but again unless something fundamentally changes (which, to be fair we are living in a pretty “interesting” era in history) the calculus that made Trump conclude picking a fight with Canada is a bad idea isn’t changing anytime soon. Hence, he backed down.