Trump Promises To Be a ‘Peacemaker,’ Threatens Panama
In his inauguration address on Monday afternoon, President Donald Trump said his “proudest legacy” would be “that of a peacemaker.”
Moments later, Trump threatened to seize a portion of the sovereign territory of another country—specifically, the Panama Canal, a crucial link for global trade.
It’s a useful reminder of what America will be getting for the next four years: a president who holds a chaotic mix of often contradictory ideas, and one who sees everything as being up for negotiation. Do you want a president who will keep America out of pointless foreign conflicts? Trump promises to be that guy. Do you want a president who projects American power around the world and demands fealty from the leaders of lesser nations? He can be that guy too. Just don’t try to reconcile the two visions.
In his role as a peacemaker, Trump said the military’s success should be measured “not only by the battles we win, but…perhaps most importantly, the wars we never get into.” That skepticism of America’s ability to impose its will at the point of the 101st Airborne Division has been a vital part of Trump’s political career, which began with his (welcome and necessary) bashing of Bush-era Republicans who led the country into the disastrous wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.
And then, moments later, Trump was asserting America’s right to take whatever it wants, even if other countries might disagree: “We gave it to Panama, and we’re taking it back,” Trump said, referring to the canal.
Indeed, the
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