JD Vance’s speech in Munich was received in Romania either with apocalyptic whining or with hysterical enthusiasm, both equally unjustified and provincial upon a closer analysis of who he spoke to and why he spoke.
The new Trump administration is currently in a grace period when the power's testosterone has exceeded the maximum limit, beyond which head swelling is imminent. As Vance stated in Germany, there is a new sheriff in town doing everything possible to assert power during the most opportune period of the mandate. Furthermore, this sheriff also has some debts to pay.
And Trump's match is not with Romania; it's with the EU, which he wants to retaliate against for the very good relationship with Biden but also represents an economic rival that needs to be subdued.
Trump went shopping, Greenland, Canada, Ukraine's reserves, and what he can't get willingly, he's willing to take by the force of blackmail. And the main objective, obviously, is not the prosperity of the USA.
Everything he's doing now could have adverse consequences on the American economy, which he acknowledges as a necessary stage of MAGA. Isolated, with fragile partners, in partnership only with Putin, the USA cannot prosper on its own.
What Trump is promoting now is his personal interest and that of the oligarchs around him who have taken hold of the USA, led by the neo-fascist Musk.
In these conditions, Trump's last interest is a strong Europe. On the contrary, he needs a fractured, divided, weak Europe to dominate and buy piece by piece. And what better method than supporting Trumpists in the EU, the perfect idiots for any dictator?
This is exactly what Vance did in Munich. He doesn't care about Romania, doesn't care about Georgescu, who, unlike the AfD leader, didn't receive any messages of support, not a peep from Washington.
Vance used Romania as an example to hit the EU, in order to accuse it of violating democracy. And against the Biden administration, which acknowledged at the State Department level Russia's intervention in Romania's elections.
He attacked with half-truths, while a campaign like Georgescu's couldn't have cost zero lei or just a few hundred thousand euros as Vance claims, but millions. And yes, millions of euros pumped into a campaign can make a difference, especially if invested in fraudulent means.
But Trump and Vance never bothered with details like truth and consistency.
For Vance, Trump was at one point Hitler himself; their campaign was a collection of colossal lies and nonsense, suitable for a people not excelling in general culture, and now Trump continues to spout nonsense, like New Zealand being a third-world country alongside Congo, probably convinced it's an African country.
He calls for increased defense spending but encourages Trumpists who want to reduce it to zero, as in Romania. They lament the lives lost in Ukraine but validate Putin and would sacrifice a few thousand more for the country's special resources under the satrap's siege.
- WP: Revelations about the minerals in Ukraine that Trump wants. The US offer resembles the division of African colonies by Europeans
But when you're the new sheriff with guns on your hips, you feel like you can afford anything.
Moreover, Trump is transactional by nature. If Brussels were to give him what he wants tomorrow, if it made life easy for his oligarchs led by Musk, there's no doubt that the Trumpists would be thrown away, becoming undemocratic, and Ursula would pose with Trump on the lawn. This man's only principle, otherwise very simplistic and primitive, is Trump first.
Furthermore, no matter how many problems the EU has, how many problems Romania has, it's still hard to take lessons on democracy, on the rule of law, from a convicted criminal, the instigator of the most terrible episode in recent US history, the assault on the Capitol, who began his mandate by sacking without any trial all the judges involved in investigating him.
As a comparison, what would we have said if Iohannis had removed from the system all the judges who ruled on the decisions that left him without the pearl house of his wealth? If Băsescu had removed the magistrates who investigated and convicted his brother?
America itself is in a moral crisis and a crisis of real democracy, so it's not good to just give lessons now.
It's evident that we are in a profound crisis, but like any crisis, it also presents major opportunities to overcome it stronger.
We understand the whining, but enough! From now on, Europe must internalize that its relationship with the US has entered a new stage, one in which a primitive, transactional, and self-sufficient Washington is no longer a truly reliable partner.
Yes, it was the Europeans' fault for relying too much on America, and somewhere Trump is right when he reproaches Europeans for relying too much on US military efforts. Similar to how they relied too much on gas from Russia.
It's time to close ranks, time for Europe to acknowledge its problems, because it has them, and to plug the gaps. Even though not in the best political shape, especially in terms of leadership, Europe has sophistication, experience, age like fine wine, essential resources to recover.
The quickly convened meeting by President Macron is a good start. As Romanians oscillate between complexes and exceptionalism, our absence from Paris was seen as a misfortune.
It's not a joy, for sure, but neither is it the end of the world. It's most likely the consequence of the interim at the top of the Romanian state, combined with the chronic weakness of Romanian foreign policy in recent years. The first will be corrected at the elections, the second should become an immediate priority.
Diplomatic sources have also stated to SpotMedia.ro that work is being done for a follow-up meeting in Paris, involving Romania and the Baltic countries. And the topics to be discussed on Monday will be sent for consultation to Romania.
But certainly, we won't end up at the European roundtable with an anti-EU and pro-Putin president. In a way, the vote from May 4-18 will be about Romania's direction. Do we want to remain part of a Europe in need of reforms and rediscovery, one in which the UK wishes to return?
Calin Georgescu officially announced on Realitatea TV that he no longer wants us there. We have no choice but to decide.