Local opinion: Trump's iron grip has descended on America

Winston Churchill, one of the greatest statesmen of all time, delivered his famous Iron Curtain speech in Fulton, Missouri, on March 5, 1946. Churchill used the speech to emphasize the necessity for the United States and Britain to act as the guardians of peace and stability against Soviet communism, which had lowered an “iron curtain” across Europe.

Today, Donald Trump’s “iron grip” on America threatens not only long-lasting alliances with our allies but the stability of the entire free world. Trump claims to be a dealmaker, yet his rhetoric, and that of his closest aides, signals appeasement with long-time adversaries on issues most Americans find unacceptable. Every day Trump issues another edict or absurdity; he loves to make news. Calling Zelenskyy a dictator and claiming Ukraine started the war is an outrageous lie. Vice President Vance’s speech offering Putin most of what he wanted before any negotiations began when he said no return to Ukraine’s pre-2022 borders, no NATO membership and no US direct involvement in security guarantees for Ukraine was naive and a betrayal of our allies and Ukraine. By speaking to Putin directly and arranging for US officials to meet in Saudi Arabia with high-ranking Russians to begin negotiations for a “deal” without including Ukraine or European leaders, Trump betrayed long-standing U.S.policy and slapped our allies in the face.

Ukraine is close to caving into Trump’s demand for a “deal” to harvest some of the country’s vast mineral wealth as a trade-off for “something.” Who knows what? Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent flew to Kyiv and demanded that President Zelenskyy immediately sign the agreement granting the US rights to some of Ukraine’s mineral deposits worth hundreds of billions of dollars. When Zelensky refused, Bessent reportedly said, “You really need to sign this,” and warned that the people in “Washington would be upset” if he didn’t. This is blackmail. By not agreeing to a deal, Ukraine subjects itself to further Trump threats and intimidation and Zelenskyy himself, perhaps the most iconic example of raw courage in the world, will be meted out the same “justice” as Navalny hundreds of others who spoke up against Putin have received. Trump seems ready to abandon Ukraine and turn it over to the Russians. He warned Zelenskyy, Better move fast or he is not going to have a country left.” Nice country you got there Volodymyr. Be it a shame if anything happened to it. Trump recently said, Ukraine’s war “doesn’t have much of an effect on us because we have a big, blue ocean in between.” No isolationist of the 1920s could have said it better.

In six short weeks, Trump has alienated our closest allies through his words, his actions, threats; tariffs, and insults. The implications of Trump’s actions are enormous. He is returning the world to an era when strongmen representing great powers carved out the world into spheres of influence: Ukraine and Eastern Europe for Russia, Canada, Greenland and Panama for the US. What does China get? The world is watching in disbelief.

Where is the voice of reason? Very few of our elected representatives have the courage to speak out against Trump’s absurdities. The few that have spoken publicly are very cautious and use carefully parsed words. Most elected representatives in Washington are silent or take a “wait and see” attitude. They tremble at the thought that Trump may issue a tweet from his golf cart condemning their opposition to his policies. They know that Trump has destroyed the political careers of dozens who dared to speak up and their words will come back to haunt them.

Today, there is no Churchill to warn us of this menace, so we the people must be vigilant. We must speak up because Trump’s “iron grip” has descended upon America. Better move fast, or we are not going to have a country left. Nice country you got there, Donald. Be a shame if anything happened to it.