I wish European politicians would finally find their balls and stop kissing Trump's boot every time he uses it to kick the continent, and instead follow Canada's lead.
this post was submitted on 26 Aug 2026
237 points (98.8% liked)
Europe
11879 readers
1038 users here now
News and information from Europe 🇪🇺
(Current banner: La Mancha, Spain. Feel free to post submissions for banner images.)
Rules (2024-08-30)
- This is an English-language community. Comments should be in English. Posts can link to non-English news sources when providing a full-text translation in the post description. Automated translations are fine, as long as they don't overly distort the content.
- No links to misinformation or commercial advertising. When you post outdated/historic articles, add the year of publication to the post title. Infographics must include a source and a year of creation; if possible, also provide a link to the source.
- Be kind to each other, and argue in good faith. Don't post direct insults nor disrespectful and condescending comments. Don't troll nor incite hatred. Don't look for novel argumentation strategies at Wikipedia's List of fallacies.
- No bigotry, sexism, racism, antisemitism, islamophobia, dehumanization of minorities, or glorification of National Socialism. We follow German law; don't question the statehood of Israel.
- Be the signal, not the noise: Strive to post insightful comments. Add "/s" when you're being sarcastic (and don't use it to break rule no. 3).
- If you link to paywalled information, please provide also a link to a freely available archived version. Alternatively, try to find a different source.
- Light-hearted content, memes, and posts about your European everyday belong in other communities.
- Don't evade bans. If we notice ban evasion, that will result in a permanent ban for all the accounts we can associate with you.
- No posts linking to speculative reporting about ongoing events with unclear backgrounds. Please wait at least 12 hours. (E.g., do not post breathless reporting on an ongoing terror attack.)
- Always provide context with posts: Don't post uncontextualized images or videos, and don't start discussions without giving some context first.
(This list may get expanded as necessary.)
Posts that link to the following sources will be removed
- on any topic: Al Mayadeen, brusselssignal:eu, citjourno:com, europesays:com, Breitbart, Daily Caller, Fox, GB News, geo-trends:eu, news-pravda:com, OAN, RT, sociable:co, any AI slop sites (when in doubt please look for a credible imprint/about page), change:org (for privacy reasons), archive:is,ph,today (their JS DDoS websites)
- on Middle-East topics: Al Jazeera
- on Hungary: Euronews
Unless they're the only sources, please also avoid The Sun, Daily Mail, any "thinktank" type organization, and non-Lemmy social media (incl. Substack). Don't link to Twitter directly, instead use xcancel.com. For Reddit, use old:reddit:com
(Lists may get expanded as necessary.)
Ban lengths, etc.
We will use some leeway to decide whether to remove a comment.
If need be, there are also bans: 3 days for lighter offenses, 7 or 14 days for bigger offenses, and permanent bans for people who don't show any willingness to participate productively. If we think the ban reason is obvious, we may not specifically write to you.
If you want to protest a removal or ban, feel free to write privately to the admin that applied the rule (check modlog first to find who was it.)
founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS
Maybe less watching more together!
He plays devide and conquer. Let's unite and resist!
EU, Japan, now do the same. It is insane to submit to Trump's threats, he will always be back for more.
I can't stand how we still trade with them, let alone work with them.
I don't want to work with or finance terrorists.
I like the photo they chose to share along with the article. The look on Trump’s face is one I recognize. Its of people faking a though attitude.
That’s the one thing people should learn about Trump. If you peel away his impulsivity, temper tantrums and complete incompetence at government, what you’re left with is a showman.
Trump is all about theatrics. The insults, the intimidation and the threats all mask the fact that he’s playing with an empty hand. The meeting with Xi, the war with Iran and now this spat with Carney, they all revealed his empty hand.
This is the beginning of the end for Trump’s foreign policy. Maybe even for Trump himself.
I never understand when people, including ones opposed to him, say Trump has charisma. Is a raging toddler charismatic? Do I just have a different definition of charisma than everyone else?
Oh he has told them how great they are and they fall for it.
He told them that their hatred was righteous
Tell an ignorant simpleton that, and they'll love you forever, just so long as they can keep hating
Doesn't he only drink Diet Coke anyway?
Contrast this with how other countries have responded to American threats. Japan, which relies on the U.S. for 3 per cent of its GDP, nevertheless agreed to a 15-per-cent baseline U.S. tariff – down from the 25-per-cent tariff it was facing otherwise – while committing to invest US$550-billion in the U.S., increase purchases of U.S. energy and agricultural products, and provide greater access for American cars.
The European Union, with an exposure to the U.S. similar to Japan’s and an economy two-thirds the size of the U.S.’s, likewise buckled, making a long list of concessions – no tariffs on U.S. industrial goods, wider access for U.S. agricultural products, and increased purchases of U.S. energy, AI chips, and defence equipment, in addition to US$600-billion in investment – “in return for” agreeing to U.S. tariffs of 15 per cent.
Been watching in dismay as this unfolded. Blatant betrayal of people's interests. I expected quite a bit more from the EU especially. I expected more than from our gov given how much more exposed and infiltrated we are.
I would argue that, at the moment, Canada has more space for maneuver than Japan and the EU.
Japan has its own restrictions and is surrounded by sea on one side, china and russia on the other side with the Koreas in the middle with... complicated relationship.
The EU is (as much as I love it and hate to say it) a mess, with the economy being what is, the weather messing up harvests and shit, literal war like 7 meters away from the border and the very real threat of the war being 7 meters inside the border in the near future.
Both EU and Japan have to keep the toddler-in-chief happy, for now. Make no mistake, there is A LOT happening behind the scenes, at least in the EU, don't know about Japan. But can't afford to do anything major just now. The things that need to happen first take time to make happen. When they do, EU will have so much more options. And when that time comes, I'm afraid the US will be the ones standing alone, in complete shock, wondering what the hell happened.
Don't get me wrong, I'd love for the EU to start swinging right now. But that would have some major consequences, some predictable, some unforeseen.
Japan is working hard to build more connections with other countries including Canada for trade but it's really hard for our government to disobey the "master" that is the USA for now. Like you said, our economy is highly dependent on them and so is our national security. As an Okinawan-Canadian, I could never fully trust the USA but the mainlanders just don't seem to give a shit.
Their military presence on the island where I live scares the shit out of me. What if Diaper Hitler just suddenly said, "fuck it Okinawa is ours now," and take over??
Yup. Its not easy to start making radical changes to relationships, when the other guy is sitting on your legs with a rifle.
What bullshit they did nothing and well do nothing. Just like last time Canada took a stand against a country.
Nuh-uh!
To paraphrase Clarence Boddicker in Robocop: " Guns, guns, guns!"
The US has them and the cannon fodder to wield them, while Japan is saddled with a constitution that prevents military ramp-up, while Europe has been sleeping under the umbrella.
And I am not in favour in any way of nuclear escalation not military arming.
But these are the most obvious causes one can point at.
Yeah, it hurts seeing how they buckle down to Trump... spineless bastards.
Europe, the UK, Asia, Africa and the rest of the planet need to just stop easing the USA with their destructive actions that affect Americans and the rest of the world.
And remember, keep yer stick on the ice.
Meanwhile, in the USA...
I would love to see Canada being a part of the EEA and schengen. I don't know that it will happen, but more integration with Europe and less with the US would be good.
In particular as a Canadian, I would love to see membership in a mutual defense clause with the EU specifically, outside of NATO.
As long as we (europe) tolerating Trumps stupid tarrifs and invest even more in the US and letting them sell their bullshit products here, they are better without europe.
He picks a fight with random countries every week. Bets are open for the next week.
It was China, then the EU, then Spain, then Greenland, then Iran, then Italy and now Canada
Oh. I'm presure it won't be China. In case you missed they hold american economy by the balls now (( check the las oil crisis and why it didn't hit as hard as it should)).
Happy to see Carney make the right call. I worry that we will need to invest in missile defense systems soon...
I hope he chokes to death on maple syrup
The hell he will! He don't deserve our delicious tree nectar...how about runoff from tar sands?
He can choke to death on fully synthetic breakfast syrup. That matches his level of sophistication.
trump's imperialist mindset.