The Mark Of A Serious Power

Trump illustrates America’s ability to exert itself on the world stage–something European nations now lack

President Trump put Colombia in its place this week. The South American country, led by an anti-American socialist, tried to refuse deportation flights from the U.S. Trump promptly threatened massive tariffs and visa restrictions on Colombia. Colombian President Gustavo Petro initially replied with bluster and vows of retaliatory tariffs. But Petro’s defiance quickly subsided, and he agreed to send his nation’s own planes to pick up his deported countrymen.

It was a major win for Trump, demonstrating how America can bully lesser nations into submission. It’s something that European nations should envy. The Old World constantly struggles to deport migrants. Both continental courts and foreign countries frustrate the efforts to repatriate unwanted aliens. Some third world leader can simply tell Europe “no,” and there’s little the continent can do about it. It’s a very different story for America. Few nations want to risk pissing us off.

Trump’s threats illustrate how America is a serious nation that can enact mass deportations and secure its borders. It simply requires the will to do so. Europe, lacks this advantage at the moment. Its nations are too weak to pull off Trump’s “gangster” moves. They don’t have the power and sovereignty America has.

Europe’s deportation efforts are pathetic. Courts frequently overrule attempts to repatriate criminal migrants. Just this week, a court overruled Germany’s attempt to send foreigners to Croatia, another EU country. Apparently, that would be a violation of the migrants’ human rights. This is a frequent claim thrown out in the courts. No matter what horrific crime a migrant commits–from child rape to murder–these judges deem it “inhumane” to send them back home. Both domestic courts and the European Court of Human Rights throw a wrench in these plans.

Courts serve as a particular bane to Giorgia Meloni, the most aggressive Western European leader on immigration. The Italian prime minister implemented several measures to curb illegal migration. The courts, both Italian and the ECHR, tried their best to stifle these efforts. The court rulings have hindered Meloni’s plans. These same authorities tried to throw Matteo Salvini in jail for enforcing immigration law while interior minister.

U.S. courts occasionally block deportations, but not nearly to the extent European courts do. The legal red tape is one of the reasons why countries such as France have such abysmally low deportation rates for those ordered to go. It’s estimated that fewer than 10 percent of migrants with deportation orders are removed from France. Authorities hope the notice will persuade the migrants to leave. At least in America, we make sure those ordered to leave depart.

Besides all the legal obstacles, European nations also have to deal with obstinate home countries. Many nations simply refuse to take back those evicted from Europe. Algeria is one such country. Last year, it told France it wouldn’t take any more deportees. French leaders could only sputter in anger at the affront. They’ve complained that Algeria is trying to humiliate them. If that’s the African state’s goal, then mission accomplished. France can’t do much about Algeria’s recalcitrance.

The pinnacle of Europe’s inability to enforce immigration law was the UK’s failed Rwanda plan. Anticipating that many countries would refuse to take back unwanted illegal aliens, Britain paid £240m to Rwanda to take these deportees. The plan would allow the UK to send over 50,000 illegals to Africa. The deal, negotiated in 2022, was hampered from the beginning. The British Supreme Court first deemed it unlawful. The Conservative government then had to get Parliament to deem Rwanda a safe country to overrule the Supreme Court’s verdict. That still didn’t quite satisfy British courts. The plan was further stymied by the ECHR, despite Britain leaving the EU. The UK agreed to remain under the jurisdiction of the globalist court when it enacted Brexit. Tories wanted the government to secede from the ECHR, but Rishi Sunak refused to do so because it would violate the Good Friday Agreement that secured peace in Northern Ireland.

The plan was finally buried by the new Labour government. The Brits didn't even get a refund from Rwanda, which pocketed the money it was paid.

Along with Europe’s poor ability to deport illegals, there’s the continent’s declining economy and pathetic military state. Europeans are even more dependent on America for defense after they gave away their military stockpiles to Ukraine. This is why tinpot nations don’t fear Europe. They know Europe can’t even defend itself, and it’s unwilling to enact harsh economic penalties on states that refuse to take back migrants. European countries are forced to beg and bribe to get the third world to take back its people.

Trump’s bullying is refreshing. It’s satisfying to see puffed-up upstarts like Petro BTFO’d on the world stage. These countries aren’t our equals. They depend far more on us than we do on them. These nations have been exploiting us for years, allowing them to get big heads and act like they can tell us what to do. Trump’s moves announce that those days are over. They’re going to learn their place. Thanks to America’s awesome economic and military might, the only option for these countries is to do what we tell them to do. They will take back the migrants or pay the price.

Europeans wish they could do what Trump’s doing right now. Their weakness is why Trump feels empowered to demand Greenland from Denmark. What is Denmark going to do? Complain to the UN? The Danes, like all other Europeans, are heavily dependent on the U.S. If America wants Greenland, there’s not much Denmark can do to stop us.

Europe can boast a similar quality of life to us (and possibly even a better quality, depending on who you ask). Its governments are stable (compared to Africa and Latin America), its economy is fully modern, and its cities are safer and cleaner than American ones. But Europe is no longer a serious power. It cannot deal with serious crises. Its structure ensures that dynamic leadership cannot arise. Instead, they’re stuck with weak lawmakers and authoritarian courts. They can easily send citizens to jail for Facebook posts but can’t send foreign rapists back to their homelands. Europe could only watch in silence as America (or its allies) destroyed one of its primary gas pipelines. Its citizens get many of the downsides of authoritarian states (censorship, criminal charges for political dissent, etc.) with none of the supposed benefits (the ability to defend your sovereignty and energy supply).

This is not said to gloat. It’s terrible to witness the current state of Europe. But we have to acknowledge what’s before us.

One hopes Europe’s crises will prompt major reforms that allow these countries to defend their sovereignty again.

For Americans, Trump reminds us of our national power. We can just do things, and there’s little the rest of the world can do about it. It makes one proud to be an American.