US - Greenland Crisis Thread

[Legbiter]

Civil preparedness planning is in full swing in Greenland, they're taking various measures, may recommend households stockpile food for at least 5 days. A lot of men are brushing up at the rifle range.

[viper37]

We all know Trump appointees, still in their positions, aren't going to point out how crazy it all is.

Well, Bessent's son is making a killing on these tariffs.  He sells tariff insurance to companies.

[viper37]

withdrawing the US security umbrella (e.g. withdrawals from Europe).

Hegseth already told Europeans to go fuck themselves.  US priorities have shifted, they're toward Asia.  At the same time, they told Taiwan in no uncertain terms they won't intervene in their defense against China.  Except with tariffs.

[Grey Fox]

Man, we need nukes, ASAP.

[Duque de Bragança]

Malheureusement, les bombinettes en question, il faut plutôt des années pour en développer.

[The Minsky Moment]

I think that is a misreading of the European position and views on this

It's a misreading of Bessent to think he cares about the European position and views. He has a constituency of one.

With Bessent, Vance, Rubio, we are dealing with people in a powerful co-dependent relationship with a highly disturbed, abusive and dangerous person.  Their overwhelming motivation is to placate Trump.  And as Tamas astutely observed, it is common for people in that position to feel genuine anger and irritation at outsiders, who though objectively are acting rationally, are perceived as being "difficult" because they aren't cooperating with the essential agenda of pleasing the abuser.

The other powerful dynamic at work is that all three are maneuvering for the rapidly approaching (?) post-Trump GOP landscape. As dominant as Trump is now, a third term is probably beyond his reach.  Bessent, Vance, Rubio are all extremely ambitious people with little to no fixed principles, and Vance and Rubio happen to be the two leading candidates for the GOP nomination in 2028.  But  their prospects depend on keeping their current position and good graces with Trump.  If the cost of securing that means blowing up NATO for no reason, they will gladly set the charges.