Trump's absolutely determined to shake up the world and is doing it vigorously: former Ambassador to USA, Navtej Sarna, to Karan Thapar for The Wire.
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One of India’s most highly regarded former Ambassadors to USA, who served in Washington for two years during the first Trump presidency, says he “absolutely” believes that Trump is determined to shake up the world and is doing it vigorously. Navtej Sarna says: “We have to come to terms with the fact the old days are over” and it’s now “every country for itself”, adding there are now “no rules to the game”. Mr. Sarna says that for the remaining three years and eleven months of the Trump presidency – which marks its first month in office tomorrow (20/02/2025) – we have to keep “our seat belts on … we’ll have to ride it out as best we can.”
In a 40-minute interview to Karan Thapar for The Wire, Mr. Sarna, who has also served as High Commissioner to the United Kingdom and Ambassador to Israel, said Trump’s behaviour as President during this first month in office reflects two aspects of his personality, the reality show host and the real estate developer. As reality show host, Trump wants to entrance, transfix and keep his audience gasping. As real estate developer, he focuses on the blue waters of the Mediterranean surrounding Gaza, which have whetted his aptitude, and disregards and doesn’t care about the Palestinian people living there.
Speaking about Trump’s attitude to Ukraine and Europe, Mr. Sarna called it “a multi-level attack on Europe”. Mr. Sarna says Trump sees Europe as “decadent countries in terminal decline”. As a result, Europe is “completely shell shocked … they are panicky … they don’t have the wherewithal to handle Russia on their own”. Consequently, Mr. Sarna says “the Transatlantic Alliance is fractured”.
The interview with Mr. Sarna covered in detail Trump’s and his administration’s attitude to Europe and Ukraine, the response from France, as well as the outcome of the talks held yesterday in Riyadh between America and Russia.
The interview also covers Trump’s comments and statements about Gaza and the West Bank as well as Marco Rubio’s statements about Hamas and Iran. The interview also covers Trump’s plan or hopes of organizing summits with Putin and Xi. Could a G3 be emerging? And it also covers his statement about cutting military budgets in half.
The last part of the interview focusses directly on Narendra Modi’s visit to Washington. Is it really in India’s interest to buy increased quantities of US oil and gas? Was the way Indian deportees are treated raised by Modi in Washington? How will Indian opinion respond to the fact, starting today (19/02/2025), some Indian illegal immigrants will be sent to Costa Rica?
And what about the F35s? Is the possible offer of this plane really something to rejoice about?
This is a detailed and analytical interview where Mr. Sarna, with his vast knowledge of America, Israel and the UK, brings to bear his deep understanding of these countries and the issues troubling them.
If you want to understand what the first month of the Trump presidency has done to the world I recommend you watch this interview.
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