We’re only one week into Donald Trump’s presidency, but what a week. He may still be an outsider, but this time the outsider knows how the system works.
Freedom, first-principles thinking, and leadership are emerging in ways we’re unaccustomed to. It’s glorious. But also confusing if you don’t know what you’re seeing. Here’s a mental framework to carry throughout this administration.
Trump and His Many Memes
The broader theme in President Trump’s approach is using bold and unconventional methods to advance American strength and influence. A master negotiator, he’ll often stake an extreme position—one he’d likely be satisfied with if it ever came to pass. However, the position is more often a calculated starting point for negotiations. By holding firm, he reframes the discussion entirely, bringing the newly defined topic to the forefront of public discourse. We saw this play out with Greenland when, on January 11th, its leader, Mute Egede, said he’s prepared to negotiate with Trump about the territory’s future. Do we need to own Greenland? No. What is necessary for the geopolitical security of the U.S. is to control Greenland. And that’s now firmly on the table for serious consideration.
Greenland’s location between North America and Europe makes it a linchpin for Arctic strategy and provides a strategic military and economic vantage point over the Arctic shipping lanes that are becoming increasingly important as polar ice melts. The island’s rare earth minerals are vital for technology and defense industries. Whoever controls Greenland controls a critical component of the 21st-century geopolitical chessboard.
Trump’s penchant for trolling—whether suggesting the purchase of Greenland, making Canada a state, renaming the Gulf of Mexico, reclaiming the Panama Canal, or launching his namesake meme coins—isn’t random. It’s a calculated strategy that aligns with his identity as a negotiator and his pursuit of the best “deal” for America. Of course, the showman in him occasionally insists on stealing the spotlight. […]
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