A book festival in Vilnius, meetings with friends in Warsaw, a dinner in Berlin: I happened to be at gatherings in three European cities over the past several days, and everywhere I went, everyone wanted to talk about the Oval Office performance last Friday. Europeans needed some time to process this event, not just because of what it told them about the war in Ukraine, but because of what it told them about America, a country they thought they knew well.
In just a few minutes, the behavior of Donald Trump and J. D. Vance created a brand-new stereotype for America: not the quiet American, not the ugly American, but the brutal American. Whatever illusions Europeans ever had about Americans—whatever images lingered from old American movies, the ones where the good guys win, the bad guys lose, and honor defeats treachery—those are shattered. Whatever fond memories remain of the smiling GIs who marched into European cities in 1945, of the speeches that John F. Kennedy and Ronald Reagan made at the Berlin Wall, or of the […]
As difficult as the conversation is, it’s important that those in other countries understand that the US government doesn’t represent the American people. I just tell my friends from Europe the truth, and use use their governments as examples. Let’s start with Poland, a country of 38 million who has a representative body of 460 seats ( more than the US), with five political parties represented. This is a level of representation Americans can’t even dream of. Let’s take Germany next. It is a country of 84 million with a parliament of 630 seats ( closer to what the US should have in the House), and they have representatives from six parties. Again representation Americans can’t even dream of. We, of course, have 330 million people and only two political parties are allowed in Congress and our House of Representatives hasn’t been expanded in over 100 years. Once I let these facts sink in my friends generally give me great sympathy that the will of the people is not represented here. It’s the dirty little secret no one wants to discuss in Europe. Think outside the box.
This administration is so un-American and an embarrassment to the majority of Americans. No.2’s main interest is being in the news, no matter what it is or what he says. Now the US is in a situation where Europeans, rightly so, do not trust this country and must move on. Hopefully, that means keeping NATO as a strong organization and realizing that in 2028 there is another election and Americans will have realized their error in voting for that type of leader. What a huge mistake! I hope a really good, honest, bright, America-loving candidate comes forward and one whom the American people can put their trust in. Right now we have to grit our teeth and bear it—at least until 2026 when, hopefully, Americans will have had enough of this jerk and take over control of both the House and Senate. Please let that be so!!!!