"For example, at one event, he suggested that he would have bombed Moscow and Beijing if Russia invaded Ukraine or China invaded Taiwan, surprising some of the donors."
Theoretically this *could* happen. And foreign leaders will infer what they will.
I would infer it would be more likely to occur if Trump dies in office and a more traditionally hawkish Republican Veep reverts to Party form when succeeding into power.
Here are *my* inferences about about Trumpian foreign policy, that I would think foreign leaders regarding Trump's reactions and actions towards them:
"The problem is that it will also sow confusion among key allies and partners."
The most reasonable inferences America's allies and and partners can make:
Israel - fully supported and allowed to do whatever it wants
Saudis and Gulf Monarchies - financially and militarily supported on an entirely transactional base dependent on personal financial relationships with Trump businesses and avoiding public insults to him.
Taiwan and Pacific Rim and NATO allies - they're on their own. Especially any, like in Europe or Canada, that have civil society or media sectors critical of domestic affairs in the US.
"the ambiguity of a president who contradicts himself frequently could sow confusion among rivals of the United States."
As for American rivals and adversaries -
Iran - Trump is coming to kill us by bombings, assassinations, or unleashing Israel on us. He personally has no nuclear taboos.
North Korea - Trump may cut a deal with us or not, but his spats with South Korea allow to pressure South Korea, if they blossom to US departure, we could have another go at the south. But if Trump wakes up on the wrong side of the bed, he'll kill us all.
Russia - Trump is a great opportunity for us to settle a win in Ukraine and the former Soviet / Russian imperial space on our terms, and Trump and his hangers on are "tough talking" people who know we have destructive power matching their own, so any red line from them is a bluff.
China - Trump will sanction us but will weaken America and open opportunities for our diplomacy and trade with third countries. He can create even greater economic and financial challenges. But he may well have a price that simply includes buying up a certain "balanced" dollar/renminbi value of American agricultural produce, lumber, minerals, whatever. He will insult the Chinese people and Chinese-Americans, but that is just his rude barbarian nature. But he does not give a crap about the geopolitics of East Asia, including Taiwan, so would not fight in East Asia. He knows we have destructive power matching America's own, so any red line he draws for Taiwan, Spratlys, Senkakus is a bluff. Indeed, he would probably demand tribute from them to even say there is a red line.
Venezuela - O Dios mío - Most likely same as it ever was, he's probably too lazy to invade us or too busy bogging down in Mexico to do it, no matter what Lindsey Graham says. But the badmouthing and sanctions will continue.
Cuba - same thing
Mexico - Incoming strikes on our cartel leaders, the sites they own, prisons where we hold them, cartels hitting American officials back. We'll see.
Some cynical pragmatists and mayberry Machiavellis who lack the commitment of the foreign policy "blob" and most elected officials of both parties to American "leadership" globally and ranking as balance-keeper in all other continents, may not mind the trade-off at all, if they get other things they want, like "owning the libs" at home and protectionist and anti-immigrant policies If it's "their guy" selling out allies, it's definitionally not selling out an ally.
"It's OK if a Republican does it" is a baked in, usually unspoken assumption of modern partisan attackers of recent Democratic Presidents' foreign policies.
You're high on adjectives, low on information, dude. Adjectives, even strong ones, without backing information and arguments are not as impressive as you think they are.
Oh yes, allowing over 10 million illegals into our country, 1/8 to a 1/4 criminals if not more. Delusional pal! Our borders invaded by incoherent Joe, and incompetent Kamala. Enjoy.
Well now we get to add convicted felon to all the other labels. Fascist. Racist. Dictator. As I've said, I predict this conviction hurts Trump in the short term. It may even cost him the election. Partisans will be delighted. I got a legal friend who agrees with me (and a lot of others who view things thru a non-hysterical lens) that the conviction will "absolutely" be overturned. He's a big Democrat, and when I asked how history will judge us, he said, "If this costs him the election, who cares?"
Just like the Biden, Blinken, Sullivan foreign policy. But Sullivan’s wife is running for Congress in NH. Like Sec of Defense Gates said, Biden’s been on wrong side of every foreign policy position.
Lmao, so the world is on fire due to the present presidential incompetence , and you attack #45. Iran was gifted a drone by Obama. Millions gifted on crates and recently top secrets on nuclear docs provided. Any you say?
Based on the caliber of your comment I guess I would ask whether you are relying on AI to generate comments to deflect criticism directed at Trump -- who, by the way, was convicted on 34 felony counts yesterday.
Please stop talking to TomAI! Through this interaction TomAI might improve his conversational processing and may soon no longer be easily identifiable as a crude AI.
Respectfully, their is no comparison to todays state of foreign affairs, compared to his time in office. You want to compare the last 3 1/2 yrs of folly to his 4? No contest my friend.
Biden’s Iran adviser under investigation? His in ability to articulate any topic coherently. The Middle East? Ukraine? Asia? Central America? He’s failing everywhere. Oh yah, Afghanistan, the 13 fallen, but please mention Beau. Iran’s drone attacks now, somehow after a drone mysteriously landed on their soil.
Linking 10 different convicted felon articles is a level of pettiness I appreciate and that is what I am here for!
Wait, hold on, could you please clarify Trump's legal status - I didn't quite catch that!
Brain dead
Trump's legal status, not your intellectual reasoning capability Tom. Hope that helps.
"For example, at one event, he suggested that he would have bombed Moscow and Beijing if Russia invaded Ukraine or China invaded Taiwan, surprising some of the donors."
Theoretically this *could* happen. And foreign leaders will infer what they will.
I would infer it would be more likely to occur if Trump dies in office and a more traditionally hawkish Republican Veep reverts to Party form when succeeding into power.
Here are *my* inferences about about Trumpian foreign policy, that I would think foreign leaders regarding Trump's reactions and actions towards them:
"The problem is that it will also sow confusion among key allies and partners."
The most reasonable inferences America's allies and and partners can make:
Israel - fully supported and allowed to do whatever it wants
Saudis and Gulf Monarchies - financially and militarily supported on an entirely transactional base dependent on personal financial relationships with Trump businesses and avoiding public insults to him.
Taiwan and Pacific Rim and NATO allies - they're on their own. Especially any, like in Europe or Canada, that have civil society or media sectors critical of domestic affairs in the US.
"the ambiguity of a president who contradicts himself frequently could sow confusion among rivals of the United States."
As for American rivals and adversaries -
Iran - Trump is coming to kill us by bombings, assassinations, or unleashing Israel on us. He personally has no nuclear taboos.
North Korea - Trump may cut a deal with us or not, but his spats with South Korea allow to pressure South Korea, if they blossom to US departure, we could have another go at the south. But if Trump wakes up on the wrong side of the bed, he'll kill us all.
Russia - Trump is a great opportunity for us to settle a win in Ukraine and the former Soviet / Russian imperial space on our terms, and Trump and his hangers on are "tough talking" people who know we have destructive power matching their own, so any red line from them is a bluff.
China - Trump will sanction us but will weaken America and open opportunities for our diplomacy and trade with third countries. He can create even greater economic and financial challenges. But he may well have a price that simply includes buying up a certain "balanced" dollar/renminbi value of American agricultural produce, lumber, minerals, whatever. He will insult the Chinese people and Chinese-Americans, but that is just his rude barbarian nature. But he does not give a crap about the geopolitics of East Asia, including Taiwan, so would not fight in East Asia. He knows we have destructive power matching America's own, so any red line he draws for Taiwan, Spratlys, Senkakus is a bluff. Indeed, he would probably demand tribute from them to even say there is a red line.
Venezuela - O Dios mío - Most likely same as it ever was, he's probably too lazy to invade us or too busy bogging down in Mexico to do it, no matter what Lindsey Graham says. But the badmouthing and sanctions will continue.
Cuba - same thing
Mexico - Incoming strikes on our cartel leaders, the sites they own, prisons where we hold them, cartels hitting American officials back. We'll see.
The Simplest TLDR version of my take is:
-Basically Trump might massacre America's smaller enemies but be more timid or unreliable against the larger enemies with ICBMs.
-Except for Israel with its domestic lobbying advantage, US allies get screwed/abandoned.
I mean, what's really contestable about this intuition?
Some Israel-firsters might *love* this, honestly.
Some cynical pragmatists and mayberry Machiavellis who lack the commitment of the foreign policy "blob" and most elected officials of both parties to American "leadership" globally and ranking as balance-keeper in all other continents, may not mind the trade-off at all, if they get other things they want, like "owning the libs" at home and protectionist and anti-immigrant policies If it's "their guy" selling out allies, it's definitionally not selling out an ally.
"It's OK if a Republican does it" is a baked in, usually unspoken assumption of modern partisan attackers of recent Democratic Presidents' foreign policies.
What? How demented, I replied to your original nonsense.
You're high on adjectives, low on information, dude. Adjectives, even strong ones, without backing information and arguments are not as impressive as you think they are.
Idiot rob h.
We’ve got more Tom than the Tom Tom Club, snaring us in cymbalic reasoning…
Oh yes, allowing over 10 million illegals into our country, 1/8 to a 1/4 criminals if not more. Delusional pal! Our borders invaded by incoherent Joe, and incompetent Kamala. Enjoy.
Well now we get to add convicted felon to all the other labels. Fascist. Racist. Dictator. As I've said, I predict this conviction hurts Trump in the short term. It may even cost him the election. Partisans will be delighted. I got a legal friend who agrees with me (and a lot of others who view things thru a non-hysterical lens) that the conviction will "absolutely" be overturned. He's a big Democrat, and when I asked how history will judge us, he said, "If this costs him the election, who cares?"
Oh yeah, the Gaza bridge collapsed.
Just like the Biden, Blinken, Sullivan foreign policy. But Sullivan’s wife is running for Congress in NH. Like Sec of Defense Gates said, Biden’s been on wrong side of every foreign policy position.
Disgusting.
Lmao, so the world is on fire due to the present presidential incompetence , and you attack #45. Iran was gifted a drone by Obama. Millions gifted on crates and recently top secrets on nuclear docs provided. Any you say?
Based on the caliber of your comment I guess I would ask whether you are relying on AI to generate comments to deflect criticism directed at Trump -- who, by the way, was convicted on 34 felony counts yesterday.
Please stop talking to TomAI! Through this interaction TomAI might improve his conversational processing and may soon no longer be easily identifiable as a crude AI.
TomAI, gone, but forgotten.
It's possible that Tom is not, in fact, a political wizard. But he's definitely deeply in love with a convicted felon.
Respectfully, their is no comparison to todays state of foreign affairs, compared to his time in office. You want to compare the last 3 1/2 yrs of folly to his 4? No contest my friend.
Biden’s Iran adviser under investigation? His in ability to articulate any topic coherently. The Middle East? Ukraine? Asia? Central America? He’s failing everywhere. Oh yah, Afghanistan, the 13 fallen, but please mention Beau. Iran’s drone attacks now, somehow after a drone mysteriously landed on their soil.
Please.
You're comparing Joe's time with Donnie's "let the Taliban prisoners out of jail for free" time? OK, whatever helps you sleep better.
Replied rob h, just Biden, u r no comparison.
As Obama would say, thank you Obama.