Healy and Gessen discuss Trump’s expansionist mindset and his desire to carve the world in his favor. Gessen believes that Trump is likely to find this irresistible based on his demands for territories like Greenland, Canada, and Ukraine. Trump views America’s allies as moochers or rip-off artists that he needs to squeeze for better deals, rather than operating based on shared values or historical relationships. Trump and Putin see Europe as something to plunder, such as squeezing NATO for money and pressuring them to give up things in exchange for superpower benevolence.
Gessen also notes a shift in Trump’s views over the past eight years, from feeling like an accidental president in his first term to now seeing himself as genuinely chosen. There is a new messianic quality to his behavior, suggesting that he plans to rule indefinitely and wield genuine power in the world. Stephens adds that Trump’s inaugural speech reflected a degree of messianism, stating that he was “saved by God to make America great again,” a sentiment more fitting for an Iranian ayatollah or medieval crusader than an American president. Trump’s deals are often characterized by a “I win, you lose” mentality, seeking to humiliate others who he feels have slighted him or not shown enough respect.
Stephens disagrees with the characterization of Trump as merely transactional, as the art of a great deal should benefit both sides. Instead, Trump’s deals often involve one side winning at the expense of the other. The goal is less about strategic or tactical victories and more about humiliating those who have crossed him. This attitude extends throughout his administration, as seen in JD Vance’s refusal to meet with the German chancellor, displaying a dismissive viceroy-like attitude rather than that of a gracious ally. Trump’s behavior suggests a desire for power and dominance, rather than cooperation or mutual benefit.
Overall, the discussion among Healy, Gessen, and Stephens highlights Trump’s expansionist and transactional mindset, as well as his evolving sense of power and messianic qualities. Trump’s desire to carve the world in his favor, view allies as moochers, and seek to wield genuine power suggests a shift in the postwar order and a potential realignment of global alliances. This analysis of Trump’s behavior and attitudes sheds light on his approach to international relations and the impact it may have on the geopolitical landscape.
