Claiming you will only 'turn down the temperature' after your opponents do is not a strategy for de-escalation; it is a justification for retaliation. This 'counter-punching' approach ensures conflict continues. A genuine desire to reduce societal tension requires leading by example, not waiting for the other side to act first.

Russia's public support for Trump's Greenland move is a strategic play to encourage him. Moscow's goal is to provoke Trump into fracturing NATO, the very alliance created to contain Russian aggression, by having its leader attack an allied territory.

The seemingly bizarre US rhetoric about Greenland is not a genuine territorial ambition. Instead, it is a calculated, strong-arm tactic designed to give European nations political cover to increase their own military spending and adopt a 'war footing,' aligning with US interests against China and its allies.

Trump's rhetoric about acquiring Greenland "the easy way or the hard way" is not just bluster. It's part of a broader pattern of unilateral action that prioritizes American strategic interests above all else, even at the cost of alienating key allies and potentially fracturing foundational alliances like NATO.

Chrystia Freeland's strategy with the Trump administration rejected both appeasement and reckless escalation. The approach was to be respectful and find mutual interests, but also hold firm on core principles and retaliate proportionately to unacceptable pressure, as Canada did with steel tariffs.

The stunning landslide victory for Japanese hawk Sanae Takaichi may be an unintended consequence of China's own actions. China's uncompromising stance on disputed territories appears to have backfired by creating a strong sense of unity among Japanese voters, propelling a leader with a hardline China policy into power.

While Americans may become desensitized to a president's unconventional statements, allies like Australia do not see it as a joke. They interpret threats to treaty obligations as genuine disrespect and aggression, compelling them to develop independent defense strategies and fundamentally altering geopolitical relationships built over decades.

Facing a potential second Trump presidency, Canada is seriously discussing drastic national security changes. Options include developing nuclear capabilities and adopting a Finnish-style "whole society defense" model to make any potential US aggression too costly to be worthwhile. This reflects a fundamental shift in how Canada views its southern neighbor.

Trump's confrontational stance with allies isn't just chaos; it's a calculated strategy based on the reality that they have nowhere else to go. The U.S. can troll and pressure nations like Canada and European countries, knowing they won't realistically align with China, ultimately forcing them to increase their own defense commitments.