Please note: Before Trump agreed to a last-minute postponement of tariffs against Canada and Mexico, numerous articles had been written warning of terrible consequences if those tariffs would be imposed, as had been announced by Trump. We begin with covering these articles, and then continue with articles about the postponements, which may or may not put the matter to rest.
Global Tariff and Trade War…
Reuters wrote on February 1:
‘U.S. President Donald Trump is… threatening to ignite a trade war that could disrupt more than $2.1 trillion of annual trade… Just 12 days into his second term, Trump is upending the norms of how the United States is governed and interacts with the wider world. On Friday, he pledged to proceed with the levies [25% against Mexico and Canada, and 10% against China] despite acknowledging they could cause disruption and hardship for American households.
“A model gauging the economic impact of Trump’s tariff plan from EY Chief Economist Greg Daco suggests it would reduce U.S. growth by 1.5 percentage points this year, throw Canada and Mexico into recession and usher in ‘stagflation’ at home… That volatility was evident on Friday, when the Mexican peso and Canadian dollar both slumped after Trump vowed to fulfil his threats. U.S. stock prices also fell and Treasury bond yields rose…
“… during a lengthy White House exchange with reporters, Trump brushed aside the notion that his threats were merely bargaining tools… He also said revenue was a factor and the tariffs may be increased… Trump did, however, mention a potential carve-out for oil from Canada, saying that tariff rate would be 10%. But he indicated that wider tariffs on oil and natural gas would be coming in mid-February, remarks that sent oil prices higher. At nearly $100 billion in 2023, imports of crude oil accounted for roughly a quarter of all U.S. imports from Canada, according to U.S. Census Bureau data.
“Trump acknowledged that higher costs could be passed on to consumers and that his actions may cause short-term disruptions, but said he was not concerned about their impact on financial markets. Jake Colvin, president of the National Foreign Trade Council, which represents major U.S. companies, said imposing tariffs on key trading partners ‘could impact the cost and availability of everything from avocados to air conditioners to cars and risks shifting the focus of our relationships away from constructive dialogue.’
“Although Trump speaks of ‘charging’ other nations for tariffs, they are paid by importing companies, and sometimes passed on to consumers. Automakers would be particularly hard hit, through tariffs on vehicles assembled in Canada and Mexico. Their vast regional supply chain, where components can cross borders several times before final assembly, would further exacerbate these costs.
“And Trump said import taxes were also being considered on European goods, as well as on steel, aluminum and copper, and on drugs and semiconductors… It typically takes weeks for tariffs to take practical effect. Trump’s move is expected to draw retaliatory tariffs, potentially disrupting more than $2.1 trillion in annual two-way U.S. trade with its top three trading partners.”
Mexico supplies about 90% of the avocados consumed in the United States, totaling an estimated $2.7 billion in imports for 2024. While Trump had originally justified tariffs with drugs coming in from Mexico, China and Canada, he recently emphasized more, if not exclusively, the economic aspect, stating that the USA has been unfairly treated by these countries. Of course, tariffs against Europe could not be based on illegal immigration or the allegation that drugs are coming in from there. It would be strictly on an economical and commercial basis.
Self-Inflicted Wounds?
The Associated Press wrote on January 28:
“Having already forced Colombia to accept deportees by threatening a 25% tariff, President Donald Trump is readying the same move against Canada and Mexico as soon as Saturday. But this time, the stakes are higher and many economists surveying the possible damage… [and warn of] self-inflicted wounds from the tariffs…
“[It is estimated] that taxes paid on imports in the transportation sector from all of Trump’s tariff plans, which include new taxes on China and other countries, could increase from $4 billion a year to $68 billion. It’s unclear how companies would absorb those costs or possibly pass them along to consumers.”
No doubt they would be passed on to consumers. And they would not be happy about Trump’s new economic policies, when they can’t put food on their tables. Biden and Harris were, to a large extent, defeated because of the poor economy with the expectation that the USA will do better under Trump. Now it appears that the USA would do worse. Maybe that was part of the reason why Trump caved in at the last minute…
Canada and Mexico to Retaliate
Bloomberg wrote on February 2:
“Canada and Mexico vowed to hit back at the US after President Donald Trump followed through on threats to impose 25% tariffs on imports of their goods, instigating a trade war that’s set to reshape global supply chains. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the country will impose 25% tariffs against… US goods, while Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum also pledged retaliation. China vowed “corresponding countermeasures” to Trump’s 10% levy on Chinese products…
“The Republican’s orders also included retaliation clauses that would increase US tariffs if the countries respond in kind. The new measures will be on top of existing trade levies on those countries. Energy imports from Canada, including oil and electricity, will be spared from the full 25% levy and will face a 10% tariff…. Trump’s move is explosive in scale and goes well beyond his first-term tariffs. Steep tariffs will raise the cost of key goods like food, housing and gasoline for Americans, while the overall fallout threatens to spill widely across the countries…”
USA and Canada… A New Low
Reuters wrote on February 2:
“… relations between the long-time allies who share the world’s longest land border reach a new low…
“The Canadian leader said tariffs would include American beer, wine and bourbon, as well as fruits and fruit juices, including orange juice from Trump’s home state of Florida. Canada would also target goods including clothing, sports equipment and household appliances. Trudeau said the coming weeks would be difficult for Canadians but that Americans would also suffer from Trump’s actions…
“Trudeau encouraged Canadians to buy Canadian products and vacation at home rather than in the U.S…”
Everything to Become More Expensive?
The New York Post wrote on February 1:
“The tariffs could mean significant price increases for ordinary Americans on everyday products… Trump’s tariffs will likely lead to more expensive cars at least in the short term before American suppliers can ramp up to fill the shortfall.
“The tariffs could also reduce consumer spending power by $90 billion on smartphones, TVs, laptops and tablets, video game consoles, headphones and other popular electronics, according to the Consumer Technology Association. Laptops and tablets could see 45% price increases while similar double-digit increases for smartphones and video games could also be on the offing. ‘The likelihood of retailers or any importer absorbing the tariff cost is very low, so the pass through to consumers will be quick,’ Ed Brzytwa, vice president of international trade at CTA [said].
“The Peterson Institute has estimated Trump’s… tariffs would cost the typical US household over $2,600 a year.”
And that would not even include further tariffs because of retaliation and tariffs for other countries and power blocs, such as the EU.
The EU Tariff Bomb Shell
Daily Mail wrote on January 31:
“Trump has announced he will impose tariffs on the European Union… Trump said at the White House Friday he would ‘absolutely‘ put tariffs on the nation’s EU allies. ‘The European Union has treated us so terribly,’ Trump told reporters as he inked new executive orders…
“He said the tariffs on the EU would be ‘very substantial,’ without providing details. It was not immediately clear when those tariffs would go into place.”
It is clear that tariffs against Europe would have nothing to do with illegal drugs flooding the American market.
Europe Will Retaliate
The Financial Times wrote on February 2:
“The EU has said it regrets US President Donald Trump’s decision to hit Canada, Mexico and China with sweeping tariffs, and said it would respond firmly if a threat to expand the trade measures to Europe was fulfilled.
“Trump sparked a global trade war this weekend…
“Trump imposed the blanket tariffs against Canada and Mexico by invoking the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, which allows him to take measures in response to ‘an unusual and extraordinary threat.’ [It authorizes the President to regulate imports during a national emergency declared under the National Emergencies Act. It was interpreted to apply here due to the three nations’ tolerance of illegal immigrants and fentanyl] He would need to find justification to potentially use the same tool against the EU, or use tariffs targeting certain industrial sectors on security grounds…”
Even though Trump invoked the IEEPA to justify tariffs due to illegal immigration and fentanyl, Trump’s overriding goal seems to be much more encompassing, as the following articles point out.
Europe’s Reaction
The Guardian wrote on February 3:
“EU leaders have signalled that the bloc would be prepared to retaliate against the US if Donald Trump followed through on his threats to impose tariffs on European goods…
“… French president Emmanuel Macron said that if Europe is ‘attacked in terms of trade … [it] will have to stand up for itself and therefore react.’ Polish prime minister Donald Tusk said the EU should do all it can to avoid ‘totally unnecessary and stupid tariff wars,’ adding it would be a ‘cruel paradox’ if the bloc was forced into a trade war with a long-standing ally. Danish prime minister Mette Frederiksen, who is already embroiled in a separate crisis with Trump over the future of Greenland, said that while she would typically ‘never support fighting allies, if the US puts tough tariffs on Europe, we need a collective and robust response.’
“Luxembourg’s prime minister Luc Frieden also said that ‘the answer to tariffs is to reply with [the] same action’… German chancellor Olaf Scholz said any tariffs would be ‘bad for the US and bad for Europe’… “
ENR added on February 4:
“The EU summit was almost entirely focused on defense, but the transatlantic relationship with the US was also high on the agenda… According to the Commission President (Ursula von der Leyen), a lot is at stake… the European Union is prepared for a ‘robust, but constructive dialogue with the United States,’ but will not accept everything. ‘We are ready’ for a possible conflict, she warned.”
The alienation between the EU and the USA will continue…
Tariffs on Hold for Thirty Days
The New York Post wrote on February 3:
“President Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced a temporary deal Monday evening to halt the imposition of 25% tariffs on each other’s imports for 30 days while a final border security pact gets hashed out. Trump, 78, and Trudeau, 53, spoke on the phone twice Monday before announcing the agreement, with Canada set to ensure 10,000 troops will be stationed at the northern border and the PM vowing to take steps to crack down on fentanyl smuggling….
“Earlier Monday, Trump and Mexico President Claudia Sheinbaum announced a similar monthlong pause on the looming 25% tariff against America’s southern neighbor. Mexico confirmed plans to dispatch 10,000 troops to the US border and claimed that Washington would help crack down on illegal weapons trafficking into its territory….
“The tariff-adoring president has also been musing about issuing similar threats against European countries as well as the United Kingdom.”
Justifying the postponement with working on border security pacts is clearly not the only reason for the tariffs, as the threat towards Europe and the UK demonstrates. But Trump might have realized that, for now, the American people would not stand for having to pay much more for goods and necessities. Conservative papers and outlets described the postponement as a victory for Trump. In reality, if anything, it was a Pyrrhic victory.
The Guardian wrote on February 3:
“It is the third time in two weeks the US president has delayed his threatened 25% tariffs on the two countries. China is still set to face additional 10% levy on its exports to the US from Tuesday…
“The agreements came on a day of extreme volatility in global financial markets as rattled investors reacted to the prospect of a dramatically escalating dispute involving the world’s largest economies… Economists have warned Trump’s planned wave of tariffs would risk raising prices for millions of Americans, just weeks after he pledged, upon taking office, to ‘rapidly’ bring them down… [Trump] conceded over the weekend that they could cause ‘a little pain’ in the US.
“Markets sold off sharply worldwide in response to what has been described as a ‘Trump tariff tantrum’ before recovering some of their losses after news broke of the deal with Mexico. Wall Street fell in early trading, with the S&P 500 down almost 2%. Share prices in Europe followed a sharp move lower in Asia. London’s FTSE 100 index dropped 1.4% from Friday’s record high before making back some of its losses to trade down 1%….”
Trump Delays Canada Tariffs, But Anger Persists
Al Jazeera wrote on February 3:
“Canada has experienced a tumultuous start to 2025, with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announcing his resignation days into the new year, a federal election looming, and the country’s affordability crisis deepening. Now, Canada is facing what some economists have dubbed ‘its largest trade shock in nearly 100 years’.
“United States President Donald Trump has threatened to impose 25-percent tariffs on a wide range of Canadian imports and 10-percent tariffs on Canadian energy. While the measures were set to begin on Tuesday, Trudeau said on Monday afternoon that the US tariffs and retaliatory measures announced by his government would be delayed by ‘at least 30 days’ as the countries work together on border security.
“Yet for many across the country, the potential for a trade war between the longtime allies continues to fuel a sense of anger, as well as anxiety and confusion over what is to come. Trump’s treat of tariffs has also raised questions about the nature of the cross-border relationship and spurred calls for Canada to boost in-country trade while looking beyond the US for more reliable international partners…
“Asa McKercher, a professor at St Francis Xavier University who studies Canada-US relations… said the current trade tensions have plunged the relationship to its lowest point. ‘We haven’t really seen the Americans go out of their way to impose a policy that will just destroy the Canadian economy…’ He said that since Trump signed the order authorising tariffs against Canada and Trudeau unveiled reciprocal measures, there has been an uptick in nationalist sentiment in Canada. Canadian crowds booed the US national anthem at hockey and basketball games over the weekend, while the leaders of several provinces have urged people to ‘buy Canadian’ in response to the tariffs… ‘We’re really subject to the whims of a guy in the White House, and that’s a very scary thing.’..
“Even as Canada appears to have secured a reprieve from US tariffs — at least for now — many Canadians have expressed anger at Trump’s repeated threats against their country. Last week, political, labour and civil society leaders released the ‘Pledge for Canada’ to build a nationwide response to the Trump administration’s policies. That includes protecting Canadian sovereignty, reducing the country’s ‘dependence on the United States by diversifying our trade’, and building alliances with other countries… ‘We have a president that rips up trade agreements. We have a president that threatens us daily with measures that would throw our economy into a recession. These are not the actions of an ally.’”
The emotional damage which Trump has inflicted on the Canadian people will not be easily repaired… if at all…
Putin Praises Trump
Newsweek wrote on February 3:
“Calling Trump a ‘master,’ Putin said the U.S. leader will restore order in Europe quite quickly with his character and persistence. ‘You’ll see, it will happen quickly—soon, they will all stand at the feet of the master and will gently wag their tails. Everything will fall into place,’ the Russian president said…
“The Kremlin on Monday said it was watching on as ‘tensions’ build between the U.S. and its allies. ‘You know, there are many tensions there, so, of course, we have no desire to be associated with all this in any way or to evaluate it in any way,’ Kremlin press secretary Dmitry Peskov told reporters in his daily press briefing. ‘Let those countries that are participating in this process sort it out,’ he said..
“Criticizing his European counterparts on Sunday, Putin said European leaders on the Continent lacked conviction in their beliefs. Praising former European leaders such as France’s Charles De Gaulle, Jacques Chirac and Germany’s Gerhard Schroeder, Putin said such leaders ‘had their own opinion and the courage to fight for this opinion, to express it, to talk about it and to try to at least implement it in practical work.’ ‘Today, there are practically no such people there,’ Putin said.”
We wonder what Putin means by “order” to be restored in Europe by Trump. Putin’s friend and former Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder is one of the most unpopular former political leaders in Germany. Putin’s praise for Trump and his rejection of Europe is telling… and deeply concerning.
China Retaliates
The Associated Press wrote on February 4:
“China announced retaliatory tariffs on select American imports and an antitrust investigation into Google on Tuesday, just minutes after a sweeping levy on Chinese products imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump took effect.”
“The Ultimate Goal Remains Unclear”
The Wall Street Journal wrote on February 3:
“The postwar bipartisan consensus that the U.S. prospers by fostering cooperation and integration with allies and neighbors is gone… Trump’s motives are difficult to discern… Drugs and migrants might turn out to be a pretext for bigger, long-term goals…
“Philip Verleger, a longtime energy economist, writes… that Trump ‘intends to ‘Make America Great Again’…by diminishing the power of every other country. Cooperation is not an objective. His focus is dominance.’… Trump’s second-term actions make little distinction between adversaries and allies….”
This could very well be an accurate assessment. It appears true that “drugs and migrants might turn out to be a pretext for bigger, long-term goals,” which would clearly be interpreted as being hostile towards Europeans and others, “necessitating” a response.
RFK to Be Appointed?
NBC News wrote on February 4:
“Robert F. Kennedy Jr. cleared a key hurdle Tuesday after a Senate panel voted to advance his nomination to be health and human services secretary to the full chamber. In a 14-13 vote along party lines, the Senate Finance Committee pushed through Kennedy’s nomination after he managed to allay concerns raised by Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La. Cassidy, a doctor, was the one potential swing vote on the panel…
“Cassidy addressed the full Senate after the vote, saying he received a series of promises from Kennedy, a longtime anti-vaccine activist, including that he would maintain the Center for Disease Control’s advisory committee on immunization practices, and would not remove statements on the CDC’s website noting that vaccines don’t cause autism… Last week, Cassidy had said he needed to hear an unequivocal statement from Kennedy that vaccines do not cause autism and indicate he would listen to well-established science on the matter. It was still unclear on Tuesday whether Kennedy had made that assertion.
“Even as Cassidy said he received various assurances from Kennedy about supporting the efficacy of vaccines, the nominee’s firm ties to the anti-vaccine community were unmistakable… Minutes before the committee’s vote, Trump attempted to provide a boost to Kennedy on Truth Social. 20 years ago, Autism in children was 1 in 10,000. NOW IT’S 1 in 34. WOW! Something’s really wrong. We need BOBBY!!! Thank You! DJT.’”
During the hearings, Kennedy did NOT agree with the contention that vaccines do not cause autism. If he did agree with that contention now, that would be an incredible and quite frankly shameful turn-a-round.
On August 5, 2024, at a campaign rally on June 22, 2024, Trump told the audience: “I will not give one penny to any school that has a vaccine mandate.” Given that every public school in the United States has vaccine mandates, this would mean eliminating all federal funding for public schools.
Medical Express wrote on January 28, 2025:
“With President Donald Trump having threatened school vaccine mandates for children during his campaign, a new survey finds that nearly three-quarters of U.S. adults support requiring that children be vaccinated against preventable diseases such as measles, mumps, and rubella. To protect children who cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons, over half of Americans also support states prohibiting other unvaccinated children from attending school, either private or public.”
The degree of uninformed Americans who are denying the dangers of vaccinations is stupefying.
Trump’s (Mis-)Handling of Emergencies
The Wall Street Journal wrote on January 31:
“President Trump’s handling of two crises this week—one, a bureaucratic mess and the other, a horrific tragedy —quickly shifted the White House from inaugural euphoria to the realities of governing. His defiant stand in the face of nationwide confusion and fear left some aides scrambling to fortify the image of a White House that could do no wrong. But he handled both problems with the same approach: deflecting blame and attacking Democrats, the media and his predecessors. His message was an amplified version of what he has tried to exude since taking office: He is in charge.
“The country also received its first live-action glimpse of a White House and cabinet that is being hastily assembled and crafting policies on the fly that in one case had to be quickly reversed.
“On Monday, a memo written by an acting director of the White House’s budget office caused a widespread panic and might have inadvertently led the Medicaid system to freeze in less than 24 hours. On Thursday, Trump’s new Defense and Transportation chiefs were thrust in the middle of investigating the worst domestic airplane crash in two decades…
“Trump announced the appointment of a new acting Federal Aviation Administration director [Sean Duffy] less than 24 hours after an American Airlines plane collided with an Army helicopter over the Potomac River, killing 67 people… he speculated the accident could have been caused [with no evidence whatsoever] because of ‘diversity, equity and inclusion’ policies stretching back to the Obama administration… [This was a terribly embarrassing performance which was totally disrespectful to the victims and survivors. [It has now been established that the accident occurred because the helicopter flew 100 feet too high.]
“On camera and on Truth Social all week, Trump governed with his usual confidence and bravado. But behind the scenes, there was evidence of frustration and breakdowns in communication in an administration that has moved with lightning speed to try to shake up the government… The budget memo, calling for a pause in federal spending on an unspecified number of programs effective the next day was issued without the knowledge of senior staff, people familiar with its release said, even though they were forced to quickly defend it…
“Republican lawmakers immediately defended the spending freeze but they were hit with questions from constituents about veterans programs being halted as well as potential cuts to Medicaid, which provides benefits to low-income Americans and many with disabilities… Meanwhile, consternation was unfolding across the country. Kelly Neidel, executive director of a Head Start agency that serves more than 240 children outside Chicago, said even a partial-day freeze of federal funding for her organization created massive stress for her employees and families they serve. ‘We notified parents that your child no longer has a place to go,’ she said. ‘It was chaos.’…”
This could be a bad sign for things to come.
Another TRO
npr wrote on January 31:
“A judge with the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island has issued a temporary restraining order (TRO) blocking the Trump administration’s efforts to freeze payments for grants and other programs.
“The Friday ruling stems from a lawsuit filed earlier this week by Democratic attorneys general in 22 states and the District of Columbia. It is separate from a lawsuit filed by Democracy Forward and other non-profit groups that resulted in a separate federal judge’s decision to temporarily block the plan as originally detailed in a memo by the Office of Management and Budget. The White House later rescinded that OMB memo, but stated that its review of federal funding remained in effect…
“For now, the order blocks any suspension of federal dollars to the 22 states that were party to the suit — as well as the District of Columbia….”
Trump Kills ISIS Terrorists in Somalia
The Sun wrote on February 1, 2025:
“Donald Trump has killed ‘many’ ISIS terrorists with pinpoint airstrikes in Somalia… Trump wrote a powerful message on Truth Social saying: ‘This morning I ordered precision Military air strikes on the Senior ISIS Attack Planner and other terrorists he recruited and led in Somalia. These killers, who we found hiding in caves, threatened the United States and our Allies. The strikes destroyed the caves they live in, and killed many terrorists without, in any way, harming civilians.’
“He added that the US military has spent years gathering intelligence on these ISIS hideouts but former President Joe Biden ‘and his cronies wouldn’t act quickly enough to get the job done’. Trump ended his post by saying to anyone who attacks the US: ‘We will find you, and we will kill you!’…
“Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth confirmed he conducted the coordinated strikes alongside Trump and the Federal Government of Somalia… In Somalia alone, there are estimated to be hundreds of IS fighters… In 2023, Biden ordered a special forces operation in northern Somalia which eliminated a senior ISIS commander and 10 other militants… Three more IS operatives were taken out last May in another US airstrike…”
Iran Is Secretly Creating Long-Range Nuclear Weapons
Daily Mail wrote on January 31:
“Iran has allegedly been covertly creating nuclear weapons with a 1,800-mile radius that could reach Europe based on designs created by North Korea… [Allegedly,] two sites have been disguised as communication satellite launch facilities, but are being utilised to expedite the manufacture of the missiles. It is believed they are controlled by Iran’s nuclear weapons division…
“According to the Telegraph, there have been three successful rocket launches thus far, with test for the more advanced Ghaem-105 rocket set to happen over the next few months. Past tests were carried out in the guise of being satellite launches in a bid to secretly carry out the trial… Image taken by Google Earth show a concrete platform used in the experiments, with buildings nearby thought to be used for related research…”
Iran should clearly not be underestimated. They will still have a role to play in coming events.
USA Today wrote on February 4:
“Trump signed a presidential memorandum Tuesday authorizing more aggressive measures toward Iran.
“He also threatened ‘total obliteration’ of the country if there is another attempt on his life by Tehran.”
Trump: US Will Take Over Gaza
Breitbart wrote on February 4:
“President Donald Trump said Tuesday that the U.S. would take over Gaza and remove debris, tunnels, and explosives left there by Hamas after the war with Israel, adding that he saw America taking a ‘long-term ownership position.’ Trump said: ‘The US will take over the Gaza Strip, and we will do a job with it too. We’ll love it and be responsible for dismantling all of the dangerous bombs and other weapons on the site… and get rid of the destroyed buildings [and] create an economic development that will supply unlimited numbers of jobs and housing.’
“The surprise announcement came as the president spoke alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the first foreign leader to visit Trump since his Inauguration last month. Trump had previously said that he would like to see most, or all, of the Palestinian population of Gaza moved to another Arab or Muslim country. The idea of actually taking over Gaza, and establishing a U.S. presence, was both unexpected and completely new. Trump added that the U.S. would develop Gaza economically, sending troops if necessary and making investments.
“He called the potential of Gaza ‘unbelieveable,’ but said that Palestinian control of Gaza ‘will never work.’…
“A reporter asked Trump what right the U.S. had to take over Gaza… Trump did not reply directly but said that American control of Gaza would increase ‘stability’ in the region as the various nations pursued peace together. Netanyahu, who had never publicly advocated for anything like what Trump proposed, said that the idea was ‘something that could change history’ and that it was ‘worth considering.’
“It is considered taboo, even in Israel, to advocate for the ‘transfer’ of Palestinians from Gaza or from Judea and Samaria (also known as the West Bank).
“Trump has previously proposed buying Greenland, so he is not averse to the idea of America taking over territory abroad. However, the idea of taking over war-torn Gaza is completely unique and quite possibly revolutionary.”
Israel’s far-right politicians responded with delight and approval.
Newsmax wrote on February 6:
“President Donald Trump said on Thursday that Israel would turn the Gaza Strip over to the United States after the fighting ends and that no U.S. soldiers would be needed there… ‘The Palestinians … would have already been resettled in far safer and more beautiful communities, with new and modern homes, in the region,’ Trump said in a Truth Social post… ‘No soldiers by the U.S. would be needed!’”
As we explain in our new StandingWatch program, “Trump—the Man of Destiny?”, that conclusion would be doubtful.
The Ron Paul Institute added on February 5:
“Trump also insisted that the Palestinians will be relocated to a third country (unspecified) and will not have a right to return. This was scripted. You can see Trump is reading from a note card.”
The Drudge Report linked on February 5 in this context to an article by the Times of Israel from November 14, 2024, stating that “President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for secretary of defense Pete Hegseth suggested that a temple could be re-established on the Temple Mount in a resurfaced speech he gave in 2018 at the Arutz Sheva conference in Jerusalem… He also rejected the two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.”
We had reported on this in a previous Update.
The international reaction to Trump’s statement on Gaza was predictable. The Guardian reported on February 5:
“Trump’s declaration US will ‘take over’ Gaza Strip sparks global condemnation. UK, Germany, China, Iran, Turkey and Saudi Arabia speak against announcement described as ethnic cleansing by human rights groups.”
JTA added on February 5:
“Saudi Arabia responded quickly: No, it had not yielded on demanding the establishment of an independent Palestinian state, with east Jerusalem as its capital, as a condition of normalization with Israel… ‘The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia emphasizes that this unwavering position is non-negotiable and not subject to compromises,’ the statement said. Saudi Arabia also noted that it would object to any efforts to displace Palestinians, an idea Trump has repeatedly insisted on in recent days.
“The firm statement illustrates the gap between Saudi Arabia and Trump…”
Belgium’s New Government
Deutsche Welle wrote on February 1:
“Political parties in Belgium struck a deal on Friday to form a broad coalition government. The announcement concluded months of talks that followed federal elections in June last year. The country’s new prime minister is set to be the right-wing New Flemish Alliance (N-VA) leader Bart De Wever, who secured victory in the June polls.
“De Wever will lead a five-party coalition which includes the Christian Democrats, the liberal Reformist Movement and the Flemish Social Democrats. Together, they hold an 81-seat majority in Belgium’s 150-seat parliament. The far-right Vlaams Belang (Flemish Interest) party was excluded from the government talks, despite the anti-immigration party having made the largest gains in the June 2024 election. Political parties consistently exclude Vlaams Belang due to its anti-immigrant and anti-EU stance as well as its aim to split up the country.
“Belgium’s Royal Palace released a statement saying that De Wever had reported the agreement of the future coalition to the king… This will be the first time Belgium will have a nationalist in the position of prime minister…”
The same approach the established parties in Germany take toward the right-wing AfD. This approach will not succeed.
“Deal” Between China and the Philippines?
The Associated Press wrote on January 30:
“Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. offered on Thursday to remove a U.S. missile system from the Philippines if China halts what he called its ‘aggressive and coercive behavior’ in the disputed South China Sea.
“The U.S. Army installed the Typhon mid-range missile system in the northern Philippines in April last year to support what the longtime treaty allies described as training for joint combat readiness. China has repeatedly demanded that the Philippines remove the missile system…
“Asked by reporters about China’s criticism of the missile system, Marcos said he did not understand the Chinese position because the Philippines does not comment on China’s missile systems which ‘are a thousand times more powerful than what we have.’ ‘Let’s make a deal with China: Stop claiming our territory, stop harassing our fishermen and let them have a living, stop ramming our boats, stop water cannoning our people, stop firing lasers at us and stop your aggressive and coercive behavior, and we’ll return the typhoon missiles,’ Marcos told reporters in central Cebu province…
“The U.S. Army’s mobile Typhon missile system, which consists of a launcher and at least 16 Standard Missile-6 and Tomahawk Land Attack Missiles, was repositioned about two weeks ago from the northern Philippines to a strategic area nearer the capital, Manila, in consultation with Philippine defense officials, a senior Philippine official told The Associated Press… The Philippine official… said the U.S. missile system is now nearer an area where Chinese and Philippine coast guard and navy forces have been involved in increasingly tense faceoffs in the South China Sea.
“The U.S. and the Philippines have repeatedly condemned China’s increasingly assertive actions to press its territorial claims in the South China Sea, where hostilities have flared over the past two years with repeated clashes between Chinese and Philippine coast guard forces and accompanying vessels. Aside from China and the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan also have overlapping claims in the busy waterway, a key shipping route which is also believed to be sitting atop large undersea deposits of gas and oil.”
Maybe Trump will try next, unsuccessfully, to get that waterway or sea gate? The role of the Philippines in upcoming prophetic developments will be interesting to observe.
The Fight Against Merz
Focus wrote on February 1:
“The SPD and the Greens [part of the current German government] don’t have the slightest chance of governing in a red-green two-party coalition. But the red-green coalition easily manages to significantly influence the public discussion with the slogan ‘Fight against the right’. Anyone who presents themselves as an ‘anti-fascist’ has most of the media behind them… And sometimes the streets – demonstrating, protesting, sometimes violent.
“With the ‘Influx Limitation Act’ [proposed by Merz], Merz gave the Red-Green Party (under Scholz and Habeck) the choice of either agreeing or letting the AfD tip the scales. Much of what was in the law had already been approved by the Prime Ministers of the SPD, the Greens and the Union (CDU). The SPD and the Greens could have agreed without betraying their principles. The SPD and the Greens were aware that their ‘no’ would once again increase the status of Weidel, Höcke & Co. (of the AfD). Despite all the pathetic statements, that didn’t deter them, on the contrary…
“It is revealing that the SPD and the Greens have hardly dealt with the content of the CDU applications for days. They have managed to focus the public discussion on the CDU’s supposedly collapsed firewall against the AfD [the idea that no one would enter into a collation with the AfD]. That is much easier than explaining why the Scholz/Habeck government of all people has driven the number of AfD supporters to unimagined heights with their policies.
“But apparently Merz and the CDU completely underestimated the wave of hatred they would face if they accepted the AfD’s approval in order to achieve their goal. What followed was worse than even pessimists had feared.
“Merz had hardly taken into account the ‘blood attack’ that his old opponent Angela Merkel was about to make… as no former chancellor had ever done against a potential successor – especially not against one from his own party. Merkel apparently cannot cope with the fact that the population has now recognized how negligent her refugee policy was. And that her own party has long since moved away from it. Above all, Merkel probably wants to prevent her eternal opponent Merz from sitting in her former chancellor’s office one day. She would rather help the united left to put down the party’s ‘friend’… Merz also completely underestimated the force with which most media – especially ARD and ZDF – would join in the theatrical indignation of the united left…
“The SPD knows that its chancellor [Olaf Scholz] has poorer poll ratings than any of his predecessors. She is aware that she cannot score points with voters either with her economic policy record or with her migration policy. The ‘fight against the right’ is their last cartridge…
“It is foreseeable that Friedrich Merz will no longer be able to appear anywhere until election day [February 23, 2025] without the united left trying to block access… All over the country, CDU offices have already been blocked or occupied, and employees have been threatened. In many places, the CDU has canceled the street election campaign this weekend. With so much hatred and agitation, it is too dangerous in some places to identify yourself as a CDU supporter...”
Assuming that the CDU under Merz will still win the election and will form some kind of an unstable coalition, the new government will turn out to be the same debacle which the government under Scholz has been. It won’t survive either.
Acknowledgement and Disclaimer:
These Current Events are compiled and commented on by Norbert Link. We gratefully acknowledge the many contributions of news articles from our readership. The publication of articles in this section is not to be viewed as an endorsement or approval as to contents or accuracy of the selected articles, but they are published for the purpose of pointing at worldwide developments in the light of biblical end-time prophecy and godly instruction. Our own comments are provided in italics.