March 11, 2025 l Manila Bulletin
The outspoken Hollywood star Robert De Niro slams President Donald Trump as a “gangster running the country like a mob boss” with “fear, lies and intimidation.”
Having internalized a mob boss’ mind in films like The Godfather, Good Fellas, and The Irishman, Bob knows whereof he speaks.
Take the way Trump tore Zelensky to pieces at the White House meeting—not just (indirectly) despising the military clothes he wore but made Ukraine look like vassal of the USA—dependent on its aid, ungrateful for its help and making the “defense of democracy” by the invasion of Russia as a “transactional” event.
It was transactional because, in exchange for America’s $180-billion military aid, Trump wanted Ukraine’s $500-billion mineral resources, a strange quid pro quo in a free world of alliances and shared values among nations. Trump would not issue a security guarantee, rationalizing that if America “owns” the minerals in Ukraine, his pal Vladimir Putin and Russia will not dare attack Russia again.
Calling Zelensky an “unelected dictator” (how can one have elections during a war?)— Trump short of impolitely showing him the White House door and asked his visitor head—of-state to accept his terms or he will cut the military aid and intelligence support of the USA to Ukraine, which he did the following day.
One is reminded of what Don Vito Corleone of “The Godfather” did when a Hollywood producer mogul refused to star Don Vito’s fair-haired boy (allegedly the real Frank Sinatra) in a movie to revive this career. Within days, the mogul, an ardent horse breeder and racer, woke up one morning with the head of Khartoum (his favorite horse) beside him in bed wrapped in a white blanket. He almost collapsed in anguish. (Sinatra reportedly got the role).
Dancing in glee with Trump’s inhospitality to Zelensky, the Kremlin then unleashed a vicious attack on Ukraine’s gas and oil refineries, dragging civilians into untold misery of lack of power and heat.
But practically, the whole free world lauded the gallant Zelensky for not bending on his knees to the importunings of a dictator. Europe and NATO agreed to backstop Kyiv to fill in the vacuum created by Trump’s political turnaround in Ukraine. Europe and Saudi Arabia are ramping up an alternative “ceasefire” agreement to submit to Washington.
It seems that not all nations are prepared to cower in fear of Trump’s emerging strong-arm tactics. For instance, Egypt and many Middle Eastern countries are bringing their heads together for another “Gaza settlement plan”—which will displace no Palestinian, contrary to the grandiose Trump plan to convert Gaza into a tourist Riviera (Trump Gaza)- without the Palestinians.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Fredericksen argued vigorously to ratch up defense spending in favor of Ukraine above the agreed three percent of every nation’s national budget and proposed that Ukraine be admitted into NATO immediately. She praised the Ukrainians’ fortitude amid tremendous pressure for three long years and said “in the end, the heroes will win. If they are not winning, it means it is not yet the end.”
The United Kingdom, a standout nation in both World Wars I and II, is considering sending British troops the way the clueless North Koreans have been launched into the battlefield by a somewhat perceived to be a slightly unhinged leader.
Analyst Yuliia Vysanevska lambasted Trump for “blaming the victim (Ukraine) for their suffering” and forcing it to show “gratitude, which is a forced inducement to a feeling of servitude to America.”
Former Polish President Lech Walesa (jailed for many years for dissent) categorically pointed to the USA to honor what it signed in the 1994 Budapest Memo, assigning its direct obligation to defend Ukraine’s “territorial integrity”—in exchange for Ukraine giving up its mighty nuclear arms at that time. Powerless without nukes now, Russia attacked her without provocation, but not after Russia had also illegally occupied independent Crimea against its will.
Many Western allied nations reminded the USA about the need to maintain strong relationships and friendships amid the growth of many fascist and right-wing leadership in other countries.
It is recalled that many nations (mainly Europeans and Canada) sent military aid and lost thousands of lives in the Afghanistan and Iraq wars, which were their contribution to avenge the brutality of the 9-11 terrorist attacks in America. Observers said these nations never “demanded any refund or sought any thanks” for their contribution to a war against terror. It was a painful slap into the White House’s recent treatment of Ukraine.
In an unexpected wholesale rampage only expected of a Raging Bull (with apologies to De Niro), Trump also waged a new war front on trade by slapping 25 percent tariffs on neighbor-ally Canada and Mexico and rival China. Mexico and Canada had viciously replied with the same tariff attacks against billions of dollars of American goods. China responded with a smaller whip back at 15 percent tariff on mostly agricultural goods, which will hurt one of Trump’s major constituencies.
Trump promised to tariff all trade partners with a trade deficit to death, even if it means inflation and higher prices for American consumers and imposing tax cuts on his oligarch friends. But such is the nature of the beast. He is a remorseless dealmaker who will brook no opposition—a dangerous precedent.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was aghast at Trump’s antipathy to a close ally like Canada while “appeasing a lying, murderous dictator in Putin.” In fairness, Russia has not been spared from Trump’s vicious tariff attacks, which have warned Moscow to bring lasting peace to Ukraine. Otherwise, Donald says that if not, aside from the tariffs, Russia will face more considerable banking sanctions (already in place due to the Ukraine war).
Or was Trump just talking through his lips and not his heart to hide his ties with Putin and his Russian oligarchs who reportedly invested widely into Trump’s companies when Trump was in a state of near bankruptcy in the years 2008 to 2010?
Or are we into what another, more sober Hollywood star Morgan Freeman, describes as “America is in very dangerous times” characterized by attacks on legit media, obliteration of facts, and excessive obsession with power?
Where is America leading the world? We shudder to think.
***The views expressed herein are his own and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of his office as well as FINEX. For comments, email dejarescobingo@yahoo.com. Photo is from Pinterest.