>>512762243 (OP)"You hear that? That’s the sound of rain on marble. Makes Washington look cleaner than it is. Now, Europe — they’ve been our partners since before most of you were born. Partners. That’s the polite word. The truth? They’re the junior in this dance. And juniors… they get restless.
So every few years, you give ’em a little sting — tariffs, trade disputes — something to remind them they’re not the ones leading. They huff, they puff, but they don’t walk away. Why? Because when the wolves come sniffin’ around, we’re the ones with the biggest stick.
Now, some folks in these halls think that’s risky. That we should treat Europe like a fragile crystal vase. I say… what good is a vase if it can’t take a little heat? You test the bond. Bend it ’til it creaks, just to see where it’ll break. If it doesn’t — you’ve got loyalty. If it does — well… better to find out on a trade deal than a battlefield.
Remember this: allies are like chess pieces. Some you protect, some you sacrifice. But the board? That’s always yours. And as long as NATO keeps their heads turned east toward Moscow, we’ve got our eyes right where they belong — on Beijing.
(leans in, half-smile) Because in this game, my friend, you don’t keep power by holding hands. You keep it by holding the leash."*
