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Big Picture: President Trump and Trade Using the Art of the Self-Fulfilling Prophecy

People might be interested in the recent stories of Canadian Premier Doug Ford and his reversal of position on Chinese EV production. Ontario Premier Ford now welcomes Chinese EVs into Canada.

Or people might be interested in the recent story of the EU announcing a historic trade deal with India. The European Union is now looking to find new markets to replace the U.S., while simultaneously agreeing to establish a new immigration/recruitment process to accept massive numbers of Indian migrants.

Yes, Canada reverses their position on trade with China, that’s odd. And somehow the EU immediately forgets their demands for India to stop buying Russian oil or face EU sanctions, another oddity.  This is like watching someone you don’t like, get engaged to your smelly, fat ex-girlfriend. [Matthew 15:14]

Canada and the EU take trade and economic positions seemingly against U.S. interests. Simultaneously Mexico modifies all their trade positions to come into alignment with the USA. Yesterday, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum announced Mexico will no longer ship oil to Cuba.

What’s going on?

Well, to really understand what is happening you need to look at President Trump’s responses to all of the individual issues outlined above and take a much bigger picture view.  President Trump is the master of the ‘self-fulfilling prophecy.’

♦ CANADA – When President Trump was asked about Prime Minister Mark Carney creating a new trade agreement with China, President Trump responded that he didn’t care – it was irrelevant to him.  Yet, simultaneously inside the USMCA President Trump has the power to veto any trade agreement between Mexico or Canada and a non-member nation.

So, why didn’t President Trump care?  Easy, because in President Trump’s mind there’s not going to be a USMCA; so, he really doesn’t care if Canada runs to violate it.  In real terms, Canada doing bilateral deals with other countries, especially deals potentially detrimental to the USA, only strengthens his position on dissolving the USMCA.

If Canada violates the terms and spirit of the USMCA, it makes dispatch of the unliked trade agreement even easier.  Canada is helping President Trump remove the congressional justification they could use to block him.  If Canada is violating the USMCA (CUSMA), Congress is kneecapped from interference.

Provoking Canada into a trade position, that puts them at a disadvantage trying to stop the dissolution of the CUSMA, stops Congress from opposing the fracture, and then opens the door to a bilateral trade agreement, is creating a self-fulfilling prophecy that is entirely controlled by President Donald Trump.

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NATO General Secretary Mark Rutte Delivers Brutally Honest Message to Virtue Signaling Brussels

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte delivered a direct reminder to the EU in Brussels.  Brushing aside criticism after Donald Trump published private messages between them and telling EU lawmakers, he did not mind the disclosure. Speaking directly to the EU nations at the European Parliament, Secretary Rutte defended Trump’s NATO record, warned Europe cannot defend itself alone, and rejected claims linking Greenland talks to Ukraine.

Rutte reminded the European assembly that without the United States there is “no way” for Europe to defend itself. WATCH:

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Sunday Talks – Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent Discusses Trade Conflict with Canada and Greenland

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent appears on ABC News with narrative engineer Jonathan Karl to discuss the outcomes of the Davos assembly, the Canadian trade conflict and the U.S-NATO deal over Greenland.  Video and Transcript Below:

[Transcript] – KARL: I’m joined now exclusively by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who is just back from Davos and joins us here in the studio.

Thank you for being here, Mr. Secretary. Let me start with the threat that the president made just yesterday to Canada. He said, if Canada makes a deal with China, it will immediately be hit with a one hundred percent tariffs against all Canadian goods. Why is Donald Trump threatening Canada again with another trade war?

SCOTT BESSENT, (R) UNITED STATES TREASURY SECRETARY: Well, Jonathan, good to be with you. And look, Prime Minister Carney went to — went to China, came back, dropped some industry specific tariffs on Chinese goods, and we have a highly integrated market with Canada, sometimes in autos, which he dropped the E.V. tariff, I believe, from a hundred percent to six percent.

The goods can cross across the border during the manufacturing process six times. And we can’t let Canada become an opening that the Chinese pour their cheap goods into the U.S. We have a USMCA agreement, but based on — based on that, which is going to be renegotiated this summer, and I’m not sure what Prime Minister Carney is doing here, other than trying to virtue-signal to his globalist friends at Davos.

I don’t think he’s doing the best job for the Canadian people.

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Secretary Lutnick Gently Dispatches the Feelings of Canada and the EU, and Focuses on Pragmatic Economic Growth

Hilarious Bloomberg interview with Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick.  The topics are European trade and politics combined with the overlay of Canadian trade and politics.  The Bloomberg panelists question Lutnick about the similar “feelings” of the Europeans and Canadians, as it pertains to the outcome of trade discussions.  It’s the feelings that make things difficult to negotiate.

Secretary Lutnick doesn’t dismiss the narrative but deconstructs the substance of the topic brilliantly.  Lutnick notes the ridiculous nature of the Canadian trade position and their decision to go running to China because their feelings are hurt.  Lutnick then affirms the USMCA is going to be dissolved mid-summer and fall of this year.

As we noted at the end of last year, splitting the USMCA into two bilateral trade deals, one for Mexico and one for Canada, will be one of the most interesting and long-term economically significant moves in U.S. trade history.  It is going to be a lot of fun to watch these negotiations, and the pre-positioning gives us a preview of what is to come.

Mexico is doing everything almost perfectly in preparation for their bilateral deal.  Canada is doing exactly the opposite and positioning themselves for the worst possible outcome of a deal with the USA.  The disparity in approaches is so different, even now it is remarkable to watch. PROMPTED:

(VIA BLOOMBERG) – […] Canada has “the second-best deal in the world” with its access to the US market, Lutnick said, behind only Mexico. The Commerce chief also indicated that Canada’s tilt toward China could become an issue in talks over revamping the US-Mexico-Canada trade agreement known as USMCA.

If Ottawa opts to import Chinese electric vehicles and other trade-strengthening steps with Beijing, “do you think the president of the United States is going to say you should keep having the second-best deal in the world” during USMCA talks, Lutnick questioned.

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President Trump Impromptu Presser Aboard Airforce One En Route Back to DC – Video

President Trump held an impromptu press conference aboard Airforce One returning back to the United States from the World Economic Forum assembly in Davos, Switzerland.

Most of the questions surrounded the details of Greenland, the NATO relationship and the European Union.  Additional questions returned to the issue of Ukraine and Russia with Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner currently in Moscow meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.  WATCH:

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President Trump Discusses Greenland and Davos Debrief with Maria Bartiromo

President Trump gave an extensive interview to Maria Bartiromo just before he left Davos.  The primary questions surrounded the announced deal between the Trump administration and NATO over the U.S. security request for Greenland.

President Trump said the NATO/Denmark security deal for Greenland gives the United States unlimited and exclusive use the country to build bases and systems for the North American defense dome.  President Trump also talked about the U.S. trade relationship with Europe and the friction points that still have to be addressed.  WATCH:

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President Donald Trump Holds a Bilateral Discussion with NATO General Secretary Mark Rutte – Outcome: a Greenland Deal

President Donald Trump holds a bilateral agreement with NATO General Secretary Mark Rutte and one of the main topics was Greenland.  During the media questions, President Trump noted the questioner was not telling the truth. It was funny.

At the conclusion of their bilateral meeting, President Trump announced that an agreement on the security and territorial control of Greenland had been achieved. WATCH: 

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President Trump Participates in a Bilateral Discussion with Switzerland President Guy Parmelin

President Donald Trump participates in a bilateral discussion with President Guy Parmelin of Switzerland, the host nation of Davos and the World Economic Forum assembly.

President Parmelin said, “Davos is not the same without you,” to wit President Trump said, “I agree.”  President Parmelin then said he was working to correct the trade imbalance and Howard Lutnick and Jamison Greer then informed the assembled press pool the pharmaceutical production coming to the USA will correct the issue. lol WATCH:

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NATO General Secretary Mark Rutte Tells Davos Audience, “Trump is Right”

NATO General Secretary Mark Rutte and EU leaders from the Arctic bordering states hold a panel discussion at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.  As NATO General Secretary Rutte outlines the reality of the situation with a full defense of President Trump’s position, he remarks to the audience, “I’m not popular with you right now because I defend Donald Trump, but I really believe we can be happy that he’s here”.  WATCH:

It has been reported that French President Emmanuel Macron left Davos upset about President Trump’s position on the need for security in Greenland. However, Macron looks small against the backdrop of the discussion by the adults who are accepting the truth and reality in what President Trump is doing.

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President Trump Delivers Highly Anticipated Speech at Davos Assembly – 8:30am ET Livestreams

After a brief return to the U.S. due to unexpected electrical issues aboard Airforce One, President Trump is now on the ground in Davos, Switzerland and about to make his speech to the international assembly gathered at the World Economic Forum 2026.

According to the schedule President Trump is expected to make his remarks at 8:30am Eastern Time. There are multiple livestreams below from domestic and international news outlets. The entire western world is watching to see what happens next.

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