Trump’s disgusting remarks about NATO troops in Afghanistan are a tipping point. People are tired of walking on eggshells and are going to push their leaders to stop appeasing the U.S. President.
The second Trump Administration has been built upon fear. Rather than propose mutual benefit, Trump 2.0 threatens allies, destabilizes alliances, talks about seizing territory, and uses tariffs to impose economic pain. Underlying all of this is fear. Fear of U.S. power. Fear of Trump’s political dominance. Fear of what it would mean to lose trade and military ties with the U.S.
This fear has been effective in keeping many world leaders in line with U.S. demands. U.S. power is real, and the scale of destabilizing U.S. actions is so significant that many leaders are desperate for a return to a normal that will never come, and keep hoping the next concession or supplicating rhetoric will bring that normal back.
But most of those leaders are the heads of democracies, and will ultimately be accountable to the electorates of their own nations. And while fear has worked at the top, it’s no longer working among the people who ultimately decide the course of their nations.
Trump’s disgusting remarks about NATO soldiers in Afghanistan, combined with his threats against Greenland and his constant dishonesty, appear to have caused a tipping point in global opinion – particularly among those who were the closest allies of the U.S. We are seeing an outpouring of righteous anger at Trump’s disrespect to those who gave everything answering the call after the U.S.. His obvious contempt for those who serve is now pushing fear to the background. Rather than walking on eggshells, people are speaking out and expressing their thoughts on the Trump Administration.
This is an important development. Fear leads to inaction, to standing still, to hoping not to be noticed. That’s why authoritarians love fear. By contrast, righteous anger generates energy and action. In the present context, it leads people to demand that their leaders stop appeasing Trump and encourages a widespread re-embrace of a sense of ethics, basic human decency, respect for allies, keeping our word, and national self-reliance. By showing us who we don’t want to be, Trump reminds us of who we want to be.
Our leaders, and our prospective leaders (particularly from parties that continually try to normalize Trump’s aberrant rhetoric and actions) should keep this in mind. Voters are not going to put up with submission to someone who has such clear contempt for us, and those who think they can avoid meeting the moment by pretending Trump doesn’t exist will be poorly regarded both in the short term and in the long sweep of history.
Spencer Fernando
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