Is Donald Trump role-playing, or just playing us?

Since day one in office, Trump has signed, said, and done some things that have most of the world questioning his sincerity, integrity, and sanity…and wondering if he’s not perhaps going full fascist on us.

Here are just a few red flags that have popped up since Trump 2.0 entered the Oval Office…

DONALD TRUMP RENAMING THE GULF OF MEXICO

Among the almost 50 Executive Orders Trump signed on the first day of his second term, one of the “America First” priorities was renaming the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America.

Why..? To “restore American pride”, Trump said.

Also, according to Trump, the Gulf plays a “pivotal role” in the security and economic prosperity of the United States. “It has a beautiful ring. It is appropriate, and it’s ours”, he said.

After the US government officially changed the name, the White House barred the Associated Press from the Oval Office for continuing to call it “Gulf of Mexico”, rather than “Gulf of America”.

Responding to Trump’s name change in a press briefing, Mexico’s President, Claudia Sheinbaum sarcastically suggested that North America be renamed “América Mexicana”, citing a founding document from 1814 that preceded Mexico’s constitution.

She also pointed out that the Gulf of Mexico had been named that way since 1607.

GRABBING DENMARK BY THE GREENLAND

Looks like President Donald Trump has progressed from “grabbing ’em by the p****” to grabbing whatever the hell he wants.

Trump first expressed an intention to buy Greenland in 2019 during his first term. In early January, he showed renewed interest in taking control of the world’s largest island – and he did not rule out economic or military force to do it.

“I think we’ll get Greenland because it’s about the freedom of the world”, Trump told reporters. He said it would be “a very unfriendly act” if Denmark refused to allow the US to acquire Greenland.”

On 24 January, the Financial Times reported that Trump and Danish PM Mette Frederiksen met over the acquisition. During a tense discussion, Frederiksen reiterated that Greenland is not for sale.

Elisabet Svane, a political correspondent for Danish newspaper, Politiken pointed out that Greenland is a NATO country, like the US. “If a NATO country invades a NATO country there’s effectively no NATO”, she said.

PINCHING PANAMA

Another major and unexpected focal point of Trump’s second administration is the Panama Canal.

Trump revealed his solicitous plans for the century-old waterway in a press briefing at Joint Base Andrews on 2 February.

Trump told reporters, “China is running the Panama Canal that was not given to China. It was given to Panama – foolishly”. Then he said, “But they violated the agreement, and we’re going to take it back – or something very powerful is going to happen.”

That same day, Trump sent his Secretary of State, Marco Rubio to meet with Panamanian President José Mulino, and his Foreign Minister, Javier Martínez-Acha. Rubio informed them that Trump sees China’s influence in the canal as a threat and a potential violation of the U.S.-Panama treaty.

Panama responded by formally withdrawing from China’s Belt and Road infrastructure programme.

The Chinese government called Panama’s decision “deeply regrettable“. In a public statement, Beijing also slammed Washington’s “Cold War mentality”, accusing the US of “using coercion to smear and undermine the Belt and Road cooperation.”

Lin Jian, a spokesperson for the PRC’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated; “The US once again exposes its hegemonic nature.”

COVETING CANADA

In the past, Trump has repeatedly jibed about Canada becoming the 51st state.

Again, most people – especially Canadians – thought he was joking.

In early December 2024, Trump brought it up again. He mockingly referred to PM Justin Trudeau as “Governor Trudeau”, and said Canada becoming a 51st state is “a great idea.”

Justifying his motives to reporters, Trump said, “We subsidize Canada to the tune of over $100M a year. It makes no sense!” He presumptuously spoke for all of Canada when he claimed, “Many Canadians want Canada to become the 51st State.” He added, “They would save massively on taxes and military protection.”

Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau confided to a group of business leaders that he believes Trump is serious about annexing Canada – to access the country’s critical minerals.

“Mr Trump has it in mind that the easiest way to do it is by absorbing our country. And it is a real thing“, Trudeau warned. His comments were made behind closed doors at an Economic Summit in Toronto and partly captured on a “hot” mic – before it was cut.

Trump confirmed Trudeau’s suspicions in a pre-game interview at this month’s Super Bowl when he told Fox News, “Yeah, it is a real thing.”

SANCTIONING THE ICC

On 6 February, in another snub at international law, Trump signed an Executive Order to sanction the International Criminal Court.

The order accuses the court of engaging in “illegitimate and baseless actions targeting America and Israel.” It also claims that the ICC abused its power by issuing “baseless arrest warrants” against war criminals, Benjamin Netanyahu and Yoav Gallant.

The order concludes that the court “has no jurisdiction over the United States or Israel.”

Responding to the order in a statement, the ICC condemned the sanctions and vowed to continue its “independent and impartial” judicial work.

Dozens of countries have come out showing unwavering support for the ICC, with some calling Trump’s sanctions disgraceful.

Human rights groups have also criticized the decision. Liz Evenson from Human Rights Watch said in a statement; “Sanctions are for human rights violators, not those working to hold rights abusers to account.”

TRUMP’S BLATANT HYPOCRISY ON ‘LAND SEIZURE‘

Trump’s ignorance, double standards and true colours were on full display recently when he exposed his hypocrisy on the issue of land “seizure” in South Africa…and Gaza.

On 23 January this year, President Cyril Ramaphosa allegedly leapfrogged due process, and his GNU partners, and signed the controversial Land Expropriation (without compensation) or EWC Bill into law.

Trump and his SA-born DOGE advisor, Elon Musk criticized the bill – and other SA government policies as “racist“.

SEIZING (WHITE-OWNED) LAND IN SA? NOT OKAY!

On Friday 7 February, Trump followed up with an EO freezing financial aid to South Africa. He claimed that a “massive human rights violation” among other “terrible things” was happening in the country. Then he offered refugee status to “white Afrikaners”.

Some in the SA government have pointed out that this is not about the contentious Land Act or other state policies, it’s about the SA government charging Israel with genocide at the ICJ. And Trump is merely doing Bibi’s bidding.

However…

SEIZING PALESTINIAN LAND IN GAZA? TOTALLY OKAY!

In the same week that Trump slammed the SA government’s Expropriation Act, accusing them of “stealing land”, he made an announcement about Palestine and Gaza that was so insensitive and tone-deaf, that it makes one question his humanity – and sanity.

In an interview at Harvard University on 15 February last year, Donald Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner praised the “very valuable” potential of Gaza’s “waterfront property”. He suggested Israel should remove civilians while it “cleans up” the strip.

A video of the interview stirred up outrage and backlash after it was posted on YouTube a month later. However, for Trump, a property development tycoon, it would appear that Kushner’s idea has taken root.

At a White House press conference on 4 February, Trump stood alongside genocidal war criminal, Benjamin Netanyahu, and pontificated about pushing the remaining almost two million Palestinians off their land, and into Egypt and Lebanon.

GAZA: THE ‘RIVEIRA’ OF THE MIDDLE EAST?

In a startling announcement, Trump said the US would “take over” and “own” the Gaza Strip after all 1.8 million Palestinians were “moved” elsewhere.

They should move to neighbouring countries with “humanitarian hearts” and “great wealth”, Trump said. Earlier he had called for Jordan, Egypt and other Arab states to take in Palestinians.

Trump claims the move would bring “great stability to that part of the Middle East”. He did not rule out sending US troops to secure Gaza.

He went on to say that Gaza could become “the Riviera of the Middle East” where “the world’s people” could live – echoing the twisted earlier vision of his son-in-law, Jared.

Netanyahu closed the conference by describing Trump as “the greatest friend Israel has ever had in the White House”.

After the conference, Israeli news outlet, Haaretz reported that by laying claim to ownership of Gaza, “Trump has normalized the discourse around ethnic cleansing in Gaza, revealing the aspirations of many Jews in Israel.”

IS TRUMP JUST ROLE-PLAYING, OR PLAYING ALL OF US?

Some analysts are saying this is all just part of Trump’s unique, unpredictable style of “tough guy diplomacy”.

Others remind us he comes from reality TV, and this is a performance piece; he’s playing good cop, bad cop, and 5D chess – with the world.

George Galloway said in a recent show, “One of the things I love about you (Trump), is you show us who you are. You’re the ugly but true face of the US empire.”

Then again, some of us wonder if we didn’t just trade Genocide Joe…for Diabolical Don.

WHAT SAY YOU, SA? IS TRUMP LEADING THE WORLD CLOSER TO PEACE…OR MORE WAR?

Let us know by leaving a comment below or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1.

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