The policy of Joe Biden seems to have been following in the footsteps of Barack Obama: to bend over backward to adversaries, hoping that if you speak nicely, they will play nice too.
We can see where that has gotten them with coddling Iran, for example. This weakness has encouraged bad actors.
Meanwhile, the Democrats fret about President-elect Donald Trump and his mean tweets. But it’s Trump’s strength and willingness to take action that bad actors fear. That’s why they weren’t invading Ukraine under Trump or attacking Israel in the massive way they did under Biden.
Unlike Biden, Trump didn’t leave our allies twisting in the wind like Biden did in Afghanistan. But he’s also willing to push them a little to come across with a better deal for the United States. He threatened tariffs on Canada, and that immediately got the attention of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who high-tailed it to Mar-a-Lago to speak with Trump and “kiss the ring.” Trump isn’t even in office yet, and he’s already getting results.
Both parties described the meeting as productive.
“We discussed many important topics that will require both countries to work together to address, like the fentanyl and drug crisis that has decimated so many lives as a result of illegal immigration, fair trade deals that do not jeopardize American workers and the massive trade deficit the U.S. has with Canada,” Trump wrote on Truth Social last week.
“I made it very clear that the United States will no longer sit idly by as our citizens become victims to the scourge of this drug epidemic, caused mainly by the drug cartels, and fentanyl pouring in from China. Too much death and hardship!”
He reportedly joked about making Canada the 51st state if the tariffs hurt Canada’s economy.
Here’s what he said on “Meet the Press” on the subject.
But Trump pressed Trudeau a little bit more on Tuesday with another trolling joke on social media. This time, he added a new title for Trudeau.
“It was a pleasure to have dinner the other night with Governor Justin Trudeau of the Great State of Canada,” Trump wrote. “I look forward to seeing the Governor again soon so that we may continue our in depth talks on Tariffs and Trade, the results of which will be truly spectacular for all!”
Ah, Trump, he certainly is the master troll.
Now, it’s a joke for crazy people on the left because no way would we want liberal Canada as the 51st state. But it shows how much pressure he’s willing to put on Trudeau — in a joking way — to make sure he’s hearing what he’s saying to him. It’s mocking and funny — but with a purpose.
