Trump Thinks He Humiliated Zelensky. He Really Humiliated the United States
www.thedailybeast.com
Trump’s Oval Office show proves he’s no Don Corleone. He’s really the Luca Brasi for mob boss Vladimir Putin.

Summary

Trump and Zelenskyy’s confrontational Oval Office meeting advanced “mob boss foreign policy” serving Russian interests.

Trump and Vance bullied Zelenskyy when he refused their “extortionate” minerals deal or to thank them despite Trump’s stated intent to reduce support for Ukraine.

Zelenskyy effectively countered their claims by noting Russia’s 2014 invasion and correcting historical inaccuracies, which angered the Americans.

This represents the first openly “anti-US, anti-Western, anti-democracy foreign policy in American history.” Russians embraced it, and Putin ally and former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev celebrated the exchange.

  • @Tyrangle
    7•2 days ago

    Really curious what this means for Taiwan. Their sovereignty depends on US support, but with Trump at the helm, we’re just as likely to cut a deal with Xi and stay home when the fighting starts.

    • @[email protected]English
      -15•2 days ago

      It means nothing for Taiwan, the US has supported the One China policy regarding Taiwan for decades and still do.

      • @freddydunningkruger
        5•2 days ago

        Maybe you can tell us why China hasn’t gone ahead and invaded Taiwan yet, if the US has supported the One China policy for decades?

          • @WombleEnglish
            1•1 day ago

            No, they dont

            When the United States moved to recognize the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and de-recognize the Republic of China (ROC) in 1979, the United States stated that the government of the People’s Republic of China was “the sole legal Government of China.” Sole, meaning the PRC was and is the only China, with no consideration of the ROC as a separate sovereign entity.

            The United States did not, however, give in to Chinese demands that it recognize Chinese sovereignty over Taiwan (which is the name preferred by the United States since it opted to de-recognize the ROC). Instead, Washington acknowledged the Chinese position that Taiwan was part of China. For geopolitical reasons, both the United States and the PRC were willing to go forward with diplomatic recognition despite their differences on this matter. When China attempted to change the Chinese text from the original acknowledge to recognize, Deputy Secretary of State Warren Christopher told a Senate hearing questioner, “[W]e regard the English text as being the binding text. We regard the word ‘acknowledge’ as being the word that is determinative for the U.S.” In the August 17, 1982, U.S.-China Communique, the United States went one step further, stating that it had no intention of pursuing a policy of “two Chinas” or “one China, one Taiwan.”

            To this day, the U.S. “one China” position stands: the United States recognizes the PRC as the sole legal government of China but only acknowledges the Chinese position that Taiwan is part of China. Thus, the United States maintains formal relations with the PRC and has unofficial relations with Taiwan. The “one China” policy has subsequently been reaffirmed by every new incoming U.S. administration. The existence of this understanding has enabled the preservation of stability in the Taiwan Strait, allowing both Taiwan and mainland China to pursue their extraordinary political and socioeconomic transitions in relative peace.

            As is confirmed in your first link, the USA acknowledges that the Chinese position is that Taiwan is a part of China, and recognise that the PRC is the government of China, they deliberately do not say if they consider Taiwan a part of China or not.

      • @[email protected]
        4•2 days ago

        You should read up on the policy of strategic ambiguity with regards to China.

        Generally speaking it’s a “speak softly but carry a big stick” approach. “One China” policy is speaking softly. Sailing warships through the Taiwan Strait is brandishing the big stick. That tells China the reality of the situation… One China means Taiwan is de jure part of China, but is de facto an independent country. Why would China invade Taiwan if it’s already part of China? Such a thing wouldn’t make sense!

        But if China were to invade Taiwan they would be an explicit action that indicates Taiwan is not already part of it. There would be no more One China policy because China ended it through their actions.

        When Biden was President he made a typical Biden gaff when he was saying things that didn’t conform to the One China policy. Whoopsie! Didn’t mean that… seriously, the One China policy is still going strong *wink*. Was that just a typical Biden gaff, or was that him saying the real policy on Taiwan? We can’t know for sure, but China got the message. That’s strategic ambiguity.

        Needless to say Donald Trump has no understanding of the nuance of strategic ambiguity. In fact he’s more worried about not upsetting his good friend Xi.