Trump in Davos: No real all-clear

E Donald Trump offered a little relief for Greenland and Europe in Davos. The US President said that the US would not use force. Although he did not explicitly refer to Greenland in this part of the speech, he at least made it clear that he would not take over the Arctic island by force of arms. On top of that, a strong NATO is in the security interests of the USA.

However, this is by no means a reason to relax. As we know, you can’t take Trump at his word anyway. In addition, he confirmed bully in chief in the next breath his imperial claims. Addressing European partners, he said: “You can say yes and we will be grateful. Or you can say no and we will remember.” There was also no talk of a withdrawal of punitive tariffs against European states, which in themselves represent a threatening gesture. The aggression against Greenland and Europe continues.

More surprising than Trump’s usual ramblings was a speech that Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney gave in Davos the day before. In it he stripped off the last layers of the so-called rules-based world order. Carney even compared the commitment to this order to the hollow communist phrases of the late Soviet period. The strong never adhered to the international order if it didn’t suit them. Trade rules were applied unequally and the enforcement of international law depended on the identities of victims and perpetrators.

This confession from Carney of all people is remarkable, as he, as the former head of the central bank of Canada and (!) England, is virtually the incarnation of the global technocratic elite. On the other hand, this elite also knew best what game they were playing all the time. Carney then follows up with a call for self-empowerment. His call for greater economic and political networking between medium-sized countries is welcome.

In Trumps Welt

At the same time, the Canadian boasts of a trade deal with China. There is nothing inherently wrong with cooperation with the Asian superpower – but the European “middle powers” ​​should be warned against becoming new dependencies. Especially with China, which has imperial ambitions of its own.

In parts of the left there is occasionally secret joy at the rhetorical departure from international law. But if China invades Taiwan and the left just shrugs, then they too are mentally living in Trump’s world.