WhatsappEric Trump claims that his father Donald Trump projected strength and unpredictability as President. The idea is that the enemies of the West need to be on the defensive if the West wants to live in peace. If one looks at historical precedent, Eric Trump is correct.
But there was one exception that ought to be noted. Kim Jong Un, the Supreme Leader of North Korea, was the first dictator to give Donald Trump a major test. There is no doubt that Barack Obama and Donald Trump discussed Kim Jong Un when the handoff occurred in 2016. Obama was very forthright about his concerns about Kim Jong Un. Donald Trump was very impressive with how he engaged Kim Jong Un. Trump did not shy away despite the very real concern that escalation with North Korea could push the world to the precipice of nuclear war. Trump knew that he needed to earn the world’s respect for foreign affairs if he was to be an effective President on the international stage.
Trump’s message was crystal clear to Kim Jong Un. He gave North Korea a clear binary choice. North Korea could choose to become a major economic player on the world stage with tourist attractions on it’s coasts. Or, Kim Jong Un could continue his nuclear saber rattling and risk total destruction of it’s country. Kim Jong Un backed down and has not been heard from since.
Trump made more moves on the stage that quieted the dictators of the world. But the move by Vladimir Putin to order a full-scale invasion of Ukraine once Biden took over was perhaps the best proof of how Trump quieted the dictators. Nobody was even concerned about Putin during the Trump Presidency. The West needs a reset on its leadership.
