The Daily Blast: Trump’s Rage at Canada Just Got Worse—and Putin Is Quietly Celebrating
Feb 11, 2025
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Nicholas Grossman, an international relations professor and expert on U.S. foreign policy, dives into Trump's heated rhetoric towards Canada, suggesting a real shift in U.S. diplomacy that pleases Putin. He discusses how Trump's threats of tariffs might weaken Western alliances and embolden authoritarian regimes. The conversation also highlights the dangerous implications of viewing Canada as a potential '51st state,' warning against the serious risks to established democratic values and global norms.
Trump’s aggressive rhetoric towards Canada indicates a troubling shift in U.S. foreign policy that may encourage authoritarian figures like Putin.
The potential dismantling of USAID threatens democratic values internationally, undermining U.S. influence while benefiting regimes that oppose democracy.
Deep dives
Trump's Threats and Putin's Delight
Trump's assertion that Canada should become the 51st state highlights a troubling shift in U.S. foreign policy dynamics, where aggressive rhetoric towards allies like Canada has gained prominence. This notion is not merely an eccentric idea; it symbolizes a fundamental realignment that makes authoritarian figures like Vladimir Putin relatively jubilant. By casting Canada in a subordinate role, Trump is inadvertently undermining the longstanding alliances that have traditionally bolstered U.S. global standing. This can encourage adversaries like Russia to exploit the chaos and tension arising from threats aimed at Western allies.
Economic Misunderstandings and Legal Implications
Trump's claims about subsidizing Canada and his misconceptions regarding trade deficits reflect a fundamental misunderstanding of economic principles, which mischaracterizes beneficial trade relationships. The idea that trade with Canada is a financial burden overlooks the mutual gains that arise from such economic exchanges, similar to household purchasing practices. Additionally, Trump’s willingness to impose tariffs based on misguided economic assessments raises significant legal concerns, as his actions could constitute an abuse of presidential power and violate international trade agreements. This suggests a dangerous precedent where economic coercion is employed without a factual basis to justify such actions.
Destabilizing Democracy through Cuts to USAID
The potential gutting of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) poses serious risks to democratic values and international stability, as it plays a crucial role in promoting democracy and human rights globally. Trump's collaboration with figures like Elon Musk in this endeavor undermines U.S. soft power, benefiting authoritarian regimes that thrive on suppression of dissent. As USAID funds initiatives that foster democratic governance and civil society, dismantling these efforts would directly assist adversarial nations by discrediting the U.S. commitment to global democratic ideals. This strategy aligns with Russia’s long-term goal of destabilizing democratic alliances, consequently reshaping the global order established post-World War II.
In an interview on Fox News, President Donald Trump angrily signaled that his goal of making Canada into a “51st state” is “real” while ranting that Canada is supposedly taking advantage of us. Whatever Trump actually intends, Vladimir Putin has been cheering on Trump’s various threats toward Canada, especially the threat of tariffs. Russia is also happy about Elon Musk’s efforts to gut the U.S. Agency for International Development. We talked to international relations professor Nicholas Grossman, who explains why Trump’s rising anger at Canada is alarming even if he doesn’t fully intend to send in troops. Grossman also details how all these moves show that Trump is signaling a genuine repositioning of the U.S.’s place in the international order—and why this repositioning has Putin so gleeful.