New York Times

I really don’t know how to react. Trump really did say …

“Trump Suggests U.S. Territorial Expansion”

All you need to know about the potential for chaos over the next few years is in that headline taken from this afternoon’s online version of the New York Times.

Yes.  Trump, during today’s press conference held at his golf club in Florida, refused to rule out the use of force with regard to his frequently mentioned desire to annex Greenland and re-occupy the Panama Canal Zone.  And he wants to re-name the Gulf of Mexico as The Gulf of America.  Oh.  And he mentioned that he would like to unite the US with Canada, using “economic force” if need be.

Either this was satire at its best, or Trump is deranged.  Either it’s a giant joke or Trump is seriously impaired.  Whatever it is, to stand in a press conference as the incoming President and to suggest the use of force against neighbors and allies is plainly insane.  It is beyond bellicose.  It is destabilizing.  It is irresponsible.   And cannot be justified at all.  Ever.

Nonetheless: all the NYT can muster is that lazy and lame headline.  “Trump Suggests U.S. Territorial Expansion”.  That’s it?  No apoplectic fit?  No explosion of criticism or indignity?  No shriek of anger or dismay?  Just “Trump Suggests …”. 

Is it possible for an editorial group to be more impotent and disregarding of the import of the news?  Has the corporate ownership of the NYT so surrendered to Trump’s thuggish threats that that’s all they can muster?  So much for the independence of the press. 

But … it is only a “suggestion”, not an actual declaration of war.  Just a suggestion of war.  So that’s alright then.  Nothing for us to get alarmed about.   No worries.

Keep calm.  This, too, shall pass.  Maybe.