Conspiracy theories have infected our republic, poisoning our democracy, creating a multiverse of reality rendering our country’s governance dysfunctional.
So let’s indulge in mine.
Fact: Incoming president Donald J Trump LOVES authoritarianism and admires strongmen authoritarians.
Fact: The new iteration of Trump is emboldened like a marvel comic villain, who learned and experienced the guardrails and transforms into a more powerful and menacing being.
Now the conspiracy theory: Trump realizes he sits upon the most powerful entity both economically and militarily on Earth. The shackles will fall away in his second term.
He respects Vladimir Putin at the least and acts in deference to the former KGB officer turned corrupt, homicidal leader of Russia, as a victim of blackmail at the most.
Trump has stated many times that he will end the war in Ukraine “in 24 hours”. There are a very few that doubt this statement means he will end support for the men and women who bravely defend their homeland against the ferocious forces of the former Soviet Union. This will soon be followed by the end of support by the European allies, a matter of politics, economics and physics.
Ukraine will fall but conquering dictators seldom are satisfied with one and done. Putin will focus on Poland, other Baltic states like Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia in order to restore the “greatness” of the Soviet empire. After that… who knows? Germany, Finland…. One thing is for sure, Trump will not step in his way. In fact, he threatens to dissolve NATO leaving all of Europe defenseless.
Then there’s China. After consuming Hong Kong, it is well known that President Xi, another authoritarian Trump admires, will want to move on Taiwan, a sight targeted since Chiang Kai Shek broke away and called it The Republic of China in the 40’s.
President Biden vowed to defend the breakaway island nation militarily if China moves on it. Trump will repel all things Biden, has no interest in any matters in the Far East and will not step in China’s way.
Now you see how Trump’s foreign policy will form. The world will be carved up by 3 entities, all powerful, feeding into Trump’s authoritarian prism. Russia- Eastern Europe. China-the Far East.
Yet there is something missing. The most powerful entity of all. Donnie, the ever-petulant boy wants HIS toys. What does Donnie get?
Trump is obsessed not only with authoritarianism. He also exhibits a keen interest in legacy. He designs his living quarters dripping with gold. He puts giant “T”s on his buildings. He was extremely flattered when South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem (now Trump’s nominee for DHS Secretary) proposed adding the 45th and soon to be 47th president’s likeness to Mount Rushmore. He revels at fake covers of his face on Time magazine. He expressed a keen interest in America purchasing Greenland.
Geographically, Canada separates Alaska from the lower 48 states. What better advances Trumps legacy and provides a play toy for Donnie than the land of maple syrup, beer and hockey. Canada fits Trump’s model; a prosperous, northern country; not a shithole, (Trump’s vernacular).
This would give the USA a clear pathway all the way up to the Arctic, where he yearns to compete for commercialization with Putin for exploitation of a climate changed, ice free North Pole.
There is precedent. During the American Revolution and the War of 1812 America seriously contemplated marching on Quebec for the purposes of annexation. Founding Fathers like Former President Thomas Jefferson, powerful Speaker of the House Henry Clay and President James Madison strategized how to accomplish this goal.
In addition a goal of many members of Parti Quebecois, the separatist party in Quebec, is the long stated desire to become the “51st state”.
Of course, I doubted my own reasoning until I saw a quote from the day after Thanksgiving dinner at Mar-a-Lago between Donald Trump and Canadian PM Justin Trudeau. Trudeau expressed anxiety and concern about Trump’s 25% tariff on all Canadian goods, the President-elect replied to Trudeau “Canada can be the 51st state.” I know it was meant as a joke but it served as an uncomfortable moment for everyone at the table. Also The President-elect clearly has annexing Canada on his mind. He doesn’t suggest 51st statehood when talking to Mexico or a Caribbean island nation.
Guessing what Trump will do in the next 4 years, you have to think like Trump.
I know this is crazy stuff but if you think like Trump, this is the universe we live in.
Me, time to climb out of the Mar-a-Lago, fake-times rabbit hole and return to Planet Earth.