China, specifically, and Asia, generally, are going to be tough nuts for Trump to crack. From Declan Hayes at strategic-culture.su:
As America metaphorically turns its guns on China, Uncle Sam can be sure that any trouble emanating from Europe over Greenland or anything else can be easily dealt with.
No llores por mí Argentina ~ Evita Perón
After one of my European Central Banking chums told me that “Trump is chaotically entertaining and MAGA economic logic even more so”, I suggested he turn to Argentina, the land of Di Stéfano, Maradona, Messi, mate, tango and the Pope to get a handle on what the golf-playing, wrestling-watching Donald John Trump is really up to.
When we couple the populism of Juan and Eva Perón, which still reverberates far beyond Argentina and the madcap policies (and hair cut) of current Argentinian boss of bosses, Javier Milei, with Trump’s over-arching need to contain China, side line Europe and do Israel’s Middle Eastern bidding, his policies, irrespective of how futile they may turn out to be, make some degree of sense.
Let’s start with his border policy, which basically means that any foreigner who does not hold Israeli citizenship runs the risk of arbitrary arrest and a one way ticket to El Salvador’s vast CECOT Terrorist Confinement Prison. Though European Union business people are being advised to take only burner phones with them to the States, even that is grounds for suspicion because who, only a criminal with something to hide, would use such a tactic? Never mind, off to El Salvador with them all, and let God sort it all out in His own good time.
Although many of these deportations are blatant abuses of power and any semblance of justice, what of it? Fox News and similar outlets ensure they are popular with Trump’s base, which is as divided as Perón’s was and, fake news notwithstanding, that is the end of it. No need to tackle the multi-layered problems America’s rampant opioid addiction gives rise to when you can pretend to solve those problems by sticking lowly agricultural workers’ organisers on a one way plane trip to El Salvador’s gulag.
My original chat with my ECB buddy was prompted by this report about this over-priced spider the Irish Central Bank erected in front of their Dublin HQ, and how that contrasted with the fine paintings by Goya their Spanish equivalents display in their Madrid HQ, and the fine marble staircase that adorns the Czechs’ HQ in Prague. This got my friend to quip that he was sure the spider “is worth every cent! There’s a chapter in a book by Pawel Huelle where this Polish guy convinces the U.S. modern art world that his live installation of a cement mixer and other items allowing the public to make blocks is high-end performance art with a strong social message”.
