Power is not a means; it is an end... The object of power is power."
The inauguration of the 47th US president is more than a month away. Yet, for all intents and purposes, Trump is in power, calling the shots. Mar-a-Lago, his antique-studded mansion spread over 20 acres, is a destination of political pilgrimage. The pilgrims include Keir Starmer, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Javier Milei, and Justin Trudeau. Previously, skeptical tsars such as Mark Zuckerberg of Meta, Tim Cook of Apple, who paid obeisance, and Jeff Bezos of Amazon, slated to meet Trump next week, are all contributing to the inaugural.
The analogies triggered in the wake of worthies seeking his audience range from gestures last seen in 18th and 19th-century royal courts or in Francis Ford Coppola's cinematic rendition of lesser dons kissing the ring of "The Godfather" to show fealty. Trump sees himself not just as the commander in chief, but as the chief diplomat, the chief trade negotiator, and an arbiter of geopolitics and issues that matter.
Trump has no time for the niceties of protocol. His declarations stream on Truth Social and are re-posted on X (formerly Twitter). China is already in his crosshairs, with tariffs of 50-plus percent threatened. In recent weeks, he has threatened Mexico and Canada, members of the USCAM trade treaty, over illegal immigration and drugs. He has warned BRICS countries to not try to replace the "mighty US dollar" or face 100 percent tariffs," adding for effect, "They can go find another 'sucker'!"
This story is from the December 15, 2024 edition of The New Indian Express Villupuram.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the December 15, 2024 edition of The New Indian Express Villupuram.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
OLDEST KNOWN ANIMAL WITH ‘SABER TEETH’
CHICAGO: The first true mammals evolved roughly 200 million years ago, during the early days of the dinosaurs. But mammals are the last surviving members of an older group, called the therapsids.
Chelsea's Mudryk fails drugs test: Club
CHELSEA forward Mykhailo Mudryk has failed a doping test, the Premier League club said on Tuesday, as reports stated the Ukraine international has been provisionally suspended.
Unrest in Samsung again, workers plan 'canteen boycott'
UNREST is brewing among the Samsung India workers in Sriperumbudur again over alleged harassment of 35 workers, who were the face of the month-long protest in September, by supervisors and management of the company.
RAHUL AND JADEJA BRING ORDER AS INDIA TAIL WAGS
Poor form and captaincy issues could be two unrelated things as Rohit falls for another low score on day four in Brisbane on Tuesday
OLDEST KNOWN ANIMAL WITH 'SABER TEETH'
CHICAGO: The first true mammals evolved roughly 200 million years ago, during the early days of the dinosaurs.
RAHUL AND JADEJA BRING ORDER AS INDIA TAIL WAGS
SOMEWHERE in the middle of the first innings, Virat Kohli rushed out of the Gabba dressing room, called up Abhimanyu Easwaran, told him something in earnestness and sent him off the ground.
Two World Champions, 31 GMs, Tamil Nadu is the best: Anand
OPEN rooftop car. Scores of people. Cavalcade of cars. It was another maddening but memorable day in the newly-crowned world champ, D Gukesh's, life.
Rana wouldn't have got into our playing XI: Gujarat coach Klinger
GUJARAT GIANTS, after finishing last in the back-to-back Women's Premier League points table, went into the mini-auction looking to make a few important changes.
Bid in satellite spectrum not feasible: Scindia
A day after Congress leader Jairam Ramesh raised concerns over the government's decision to administratively allocate satellite spectrum in the country, communications minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on Tuesday defended the move, saying that satellite spectrum is neither suitable nor practical for auction.
ITC Hotel demerger from January 1, 2025
FMCG giant ITC Ltd has fixed January 1, 2025 as the effective date for the demerger of its hotel business after receiving an order from the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT).
