Donald Trump’s imperialist fantasy of acquiring Greenland and his refusal to rule out using military force to do so are reportedly delighting pro-Vladimir Putin commentators in Russia. And the reactions highlight how the president-elect’s rhetoric helps undermine democratic ideals and peace around the globe.
CNBC reported this week on Russian media figures cheering Trump’s pursuit of Greenland because his actions toward the Arctic island — which is under Denmark’s control — justify Russia’s imperial goals of expanding its territory into Ukraine.
From CNBC:
The president-elect’s position has found favor in Moscow, however, with largely positive coverage by Russian state media and political figures. Russian TV presenter and Kremlin ally Vladimir Solovyov, hosting a debate on Trump’s pronouncements on his primetime show, said Trump’s position essentially gave Moscow the right to demand the restoration of its own former Soviet empire, including the Baltic nations of Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia. Other pro-Kremlin pundits on the panel said Trump’s ambitions validated Russia’s decision to launch its own “special military operation” against Ukraine. Kremlin propagandist Solovyov, an ardent supporter of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, commented that “what Trump is doing benefits us greatly,” adding that the president-elect was “totally destroying any illusions that anyone might have still had about the summit of democracies, about respecting opinions of NATO allies.”
This aligns with warnings foreign policy and human rights experts have issued for years about Trump’s antidemocratic behavior and his affinity for strongmen. It’s a prime example of why countries ought not to elect saber-rattling real estate developers for president, especially those who appear to flip-flop on being anti-war.
It’s also noteworthy that ever since Trump won the election in November, his most vocal cheerleaders — aside from members of the Republican Party — are pro-Putin propagandists in Russia, who seem quite confident Trump will destroy the U.S. from within.
Ja’han Jones is an MS NOW opinion blogger. He previously wrote The ReidOut Blog.