Dem
47
GOP
53
Donald Trump has temporarily taken an invasion of Greenland off the table, but that could turn on a presidential whim. Nevertheless, he still insists he must have the island, one way or another. For him, closing the world's biggest real estate deal has become an obsession and Europe has to deal with it.
European prime ministers and foreign ministers are just beginning to realize that the old ways of doing diplomacy don't work with Trump. Appealing to his sense of morality doesn't work because he doesn't have any. Appealing to history doesn't work because he knows nothing about history. Appealing to international law doesn't work because he sees all laws as nuisances to be ignored. Appealing to the value of NATO doesn't work because he sees NATO as a rip-off. Besides, like all bullies, he views anyone he thinks is weaker than he is with contempt.
So far, diplomacy, flattery, and appeasement have all failed. What else is on the menu? A trade war is one option. Millions of American jobs depend on trade and millions of the people who will lose their job in a trade war voted for Trump. They aren't going to blame Nancy Pelosi for their unemployment and the resulting recession. A small step in this direction is killing the trade agreement that Ursula von der Leyen agreed to, with 15% tariffs on European exports to the U.S. and 0% tariffs on U.S. exports to Europe. A trade war could also tank the stock market, which could influence the votes of people when they see their 401(k) accounts nosedive.
Another option is invoking the E.U. anti-coercion instrument. It gives the E.U. the power to impose tariffs, restrict imports, and even curtail intellectual property rights. Oracle, Microsoft, and other U.S. software companies would not be happy if the E.U. voided their patents and copyrights and said anyone could duplicate the software for free with no fear of being punished for it.
But perhaps the most intriguing idea is not about economics but about... soccer. The 2026 World Cup will be hosted by Mexico, the U.S., and Canada. Trump covets the attention it will bring very much. An idea being bandied about is to have all the European teams boycott the Cup. That would reduce the value of the Cup to almost nothing and be a kick where Trump really feels it—in his ego. Left-wing French parliamentarian Eric Coquerel tweeted: "Seriously, can we imagine going to play the World Cup in a country that attacks its 'neighbors,' threatens to invade Greenland, destroys international law, wants to torpedo the UN, establishes a fascist and racist militia in its country, attacks the opposition, bans supporters from about 15 countries from attending the tournament, plans to ban all LGBT symbols from stadiums, etc.?" Center-right German parliamentarian Roderich Kiesewetter told a newspaper reporter: "If Donald Trump carries out his threats regarding Greenland and starts a trade war with the E.U., I find it hard to imagine European countries participating in the World Cup." If Trump takes action to actually carry out his threats, these calls will only grow.
Actually boycotting the Cup would require the heads of the national soccer organizations to get on board. Some of them are beginning to realize that sports and politics are now and forever intertwined. Witness the calls to ban Israel's team to punish Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. What once seemed farfetched could become a weapon if Trump keeps at it. (V)