Latest news with #never-Trumpers
Yahoo
16-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Trump may still save the West, but for now he is destroying it
Donald Trump hasn't blown it yet, but it's a close call. His tendency to hubris and self-delusion risks destroying his presidency. He has made too many mistakes, under-estimated China, been played for a fool by Vladimir Putin, embraced flat-earth economics and alienated allies. His second term has so far been characterised by performative chaos, market volatility, obscene levels of cultishness, and zero strategic planning when it comes to decoupling from China. He has empowered know-nothing sycophants, especially Peter Navarro on trade and Steve Witkoff on Russia and Iran. He won't meaningfully reindustrialise the Rust Belt, and many of the red-pilled Wall Streeters and Silicon Valley founders who support him fear America is about to be plunged into recession thanks to his imbecilic import taxes. His victories in the culture wars are being cancelled out by his economic and geopolitical self-sabotage, to the great chagrin of those who hoped, against all hope, that he would prove to be the West's liberator from the forces of socialism and wokery. Instead, Trump risks losing control of the narrative, taking down Right-wing parties in Australia and Canada with him, damaging the prospects of his friend Nigel Farage and providing succour to the never-Trumpers. Javier Milei, the anarcho-capitalist president of Argentina, has turned out to be a better role model. Yet while Trump can be stubborn, he is also eminently adaptable, especially when the polls turn against him. Self-interest will surely push him into signing trade deals with friendly countries, despite his nonsensical belief that America should be in surplus with every single nation. His voters hate higher prices, and he will seek to give them what they want, which is why I haven't given up hope that his second term will end up being a net positive for America and Western civilisation, especially if he finally sees sense on Ukraine. Trump has already scored some notable wins. He has dramatically reduced illegal immigration into the US. His war on woke and DEI has been extraordinarily successful, and he is now turning against universities such as Harvard. The President is deploying civil rights law to impose colour-blind policies on institutions that spent years engaging in disgraceful anti-white and anti-Asian discrimination. He is cracking down on the scourge of anti-Semitism. He is seeking to deport green card holders who support Hamas. Some mistakes are being made, but the overall direction of travel is excellent. He has ditched net zero, arguing that market forces and technology, not central planners, should determine energy policy. Elon Musk has eviscerated the useless Department of Education, and the foreign aid budget, used to fund Left-wing NGOs globally, has been gutted. Here too there have been errors, but on balance, these are historic victories for conservatives. Yet all of these triumphs are being overshadowed by a series of contradictions in Trump's thinking on economics and world affairs. He understands that America is no longer the world's hegemon, a realisation that informs his views on military intervention, but then promptly acts as if he retained supreme power over a bevvy of vassals prepared to take endless humiliation, punishment, tariffs or other betrayals. America in 2025 needs allies – not just bullied, resentful liegemen desperate to find an alternative protector – if it is to build an anti-China coalition, or promote 'friendshoring', or more generally save the West. Yes, Trump should coax European countries into spending more on defence and to ditch their absurd Left-wing declinism, but he also needs to woo and inspire the rest of the Western world by building a Reaganesque 'shining city on a hill'. He takes for granted the benefits ('exorbitant privilege') that come with the dollar's status as the dominant reserve currency, including the power to hand over worthless green paper to other countries in return for cheap loans, goods and services, but also wants to devalue the dollar, flirts with the idea of defaulting on some of the US debt and persists in undermining the global financial system that supports American profligacy. Trump, a capitalist on all else, has always been a socialist on trade, as the University of Warsaw's Andrzej Kozlowski argues, assuming governments can simply instruct their citizens and enterprises to purchase more US goods. He wants to unwind the post-1945 American empire, but proposes to annex Canada and Greenland. Trump believes in peace through strength, but his administration has yet to demonstrate much of the latter. Yes, China was hit by massive tariffs, but the President has already partly climbed down. What, exactly, has Russia conceded on Ukraine? What sort of 'negotiation' is this? Trump himself is losing patience, which is good: he needs to drastically toughen up on Putin. On Iran, Witkoff may be vying for an intolerable Obama-style deal. Perhaps the greatest paradox of all is that parts of the Maga movement are embracing a form of Right-wing wokery, with their own dark conspiracy theories, cult of victimhood, identity politics, denial of reality, moral grandstanding, hypersensitivity and purity tests. In this vein, whingeing about trade deficits deserves to be dismissed as 'critical trade theory', the Trumpian corollary of critical race theory: it postulates, nonsensically, that any shortfall with a foreign country must be caused by unfair practices, oppression or historic injustice. The 'woke Right', a term coined by James Lindsay, is almost as much of a turn-off as the original Left-wing variety. Eric Kaufmann, the University of Buckingham academic, worries about Trumpian amoralism, and fears that sensible arguments on immigration or gender are being lost through over-reach or the abuse of due process. 'Owning the libs', 'might makes right' and displays of proto-Nietzschean or Greco-Roman ruthlessness fires up the Maga base, but may make floating voters uneasy. Yet it is economics, not ethics, that will ultimately determine whether Trump succeeds or fails. He was elected to make America richer; his protectionist escapades are making it poorer. For the sake of the West he was meant to rescue from terminal decline, it's time for an urgent course correction. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Telegraph
16-04-2025
- Business
- Telegraph
Trump may still save the West, but for now he is destroying it
Donald Trump hasn't blown it yet, but it's a close call. His tendency to hubris and self-delusion risks destroying his presidency. He has made too many mistakes, under-estimated China, been played for a fool by Vladimir Putin, embraced flat-earth economics and alienated allies. His second term has so far been characterised by performative chaos, market volatility, obscene levels of cultishness, and zero strategic planning when it comes to decoupling from China. He has empowered know-nothing sycophants, especially Peter Navarro on trade and Steve Witkoff on Russia and Iran. He won't meaningfully reindustrialise the Rust Belt, and many of the red-pilled Wall Streeters and Silicon Valley founders who support him fear America is about to be plunged into recession thanks to his imbecilic import taxes. His victories in the culture wars are being cancelled out by his economic and geopolitical self-sabotage, to the great chagrin of those who hoped, against all hope, that he would prove to be the West's liberator from the forces of socialism and wokery. Instead, Trump risks losing control of the narrative, taking down Right-wing parties in Australia and Canada with him, damaging the prospects of his friend Nigel Farage and providing succour to the never-Trumpers. Javier Milei, the anarcho-capitalist president of Argentina, has turned out to be a better role model. Yet while Trump can be stubborn, he is also eminently adaptable, especially when the polls turn against him. Self-interest will surely push him into signing trade deals with friendly countries, despite his nonsensical belief that America should be in surplus with every single nation. His voters hate higher prices, and he will seek to give them what they want, which is why I haven't given up hope that his second term will end up being a net positive for America and Western civilisation, especially if he finally sees sense on Ukraine. Trump has already scored some notable wins. He has dramatically reduced illegal immigration into the US. His war on woke and DEI has been extraordinarily successful, and he is now turning against universities such as Harvard. The President is deploying civil rights law to impose colour-blind policies on institutions that spent years engaging in disgraceful anti-white and anti-Asian discrimination. He is cracking down on the scourge of anti-Semitism. He is seeking to deport green card holders who support Hamas. Some mistakes are being made, but the overall direction of travel is excellent. He has ditched net zero, arguing that market forces and technology, not central planners, should determine energy policy. Elon Musk has eviscerated the useless Department of Education, and the foreign aid budget, used to fund Left-wing NGOs globally, has been gutted. Here too there have been errors, but on balance, these are historic victories for conservatives. Yet all of these triumphs are being overshadowed by a series of contradictions in Trump's thinking on economics and world affairs. He understands that America is no longer the world's hegemon, a realisation that informs his views on military intervention, but then promptly acts as if he retained supreme power over a bevvy of vassals prepared to take endless humiliation, punishment, tariffs or other betrayals. America in 2025 needs allies – not just bullied, resentful liegemen desperate to find an alternative protector – if it is to build an anti-China coalition, or promote 'friendshoring', or more generally save the West. Yes, Trump should coax European countries into spending more on defence and to ditch their absurd Left-wing declinism, but he also needs to woo and inspire the rest of the Western world by building a Reaganesque 'shining city on a hill'. He takes for granted the benefits ('exorbitant privilege') that come with the dollar's status as the dominant reserve currency, including the power to hand over worthless green paper to other countries in return for cheap loans, goods and services, but also wants to devalue the dollar, flirts with the idea of defaulting on some of the US debt and persists in undermining the global financial system that supports American profligacy. Trump, a capitalist on all else, has always been a socialist on trade, as the University of Warsaw's Andrzej Kozlowski argues, assuming governments can simply instruct their citizens and enterprises to purchase more US goods. He wants to unwind the post-1945 American empire, but proposes to annex Canada and Greenland. Trump believes in peace through strength, but his administration has yet to demonstrate much of the latter. Yes, China was hit by massive tariffs, but the President has already partly climbed down. What, exactly, has Russia conceded on Ukraine? What sort of 'negotiation' is this? Trump himself is losing patience, which is good: he needs to drastically toughen up on Putin. On Iran, Witkoff may be vying for an intolerable Obama-style deal. Perhaps the greatest paradox of all is that parts of the Maga movement are embracing a form of Right-wing wokery, with their own dark conspiracy theories, cult of victimhood, identity politics, denial of reality, moral grandstanding, hypersensitivity and purity tests. In this vein, whingeing about trade deficits deserves to be dismissed as 'critical trade theory', the Trumpian corollary of critical race theory: it postulates, nonsensically, that any shortfall with a foreign country must be caused by unfair practices, oppression or historic injustice. The 'woke Right', a term coined by James Lindsay, is almost as much of a turn-off as the original Left-wing variety. Eric Kaufmann, the University of Buckingham academic, worries about Trumpian amoralism, and fears that sensible arguments on immigration or gender are being lost through over-reach or the abuse of due process. 'Owning the libs', 'might makes right' and displays of proto-Nietzschean or Greco-Roman ruthlessness fires up the Maga base, but may make floating voters uneasy. Yet it is economics, not ethics, that will ultimately determine whether Trump succeeds or fails. He was elected to make America richer; his protectionist escapades are making it poorer. For the sake of the West he was meant to rescue from terminal decline, it's time for an urgent course correction.
Yahoo
24-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
MAGA truck driver who toppled powerful Democrat drops bid for New Jersey governor
Ed Durr, the truck driver who landed one of the largest political upsets in New Jersey history by beating the state's longest-serving Senate president, announced Monday that he will drop his bid for governor. He immediately endorsed conservative former radio host Bill Spadea, who is one of the leading Republican candidates. Durr said he was dropping out because his campaign was not able to meet the threshold to qualify for matching funds under the state's public financing programs. 'While there are two of us carrying the conservative message of the MAGA movement only one has the financial resources necessary to carry that message through to November,' Durr said in a statement. 'I am ending my campaign so Bill Spadea can use all his campaign resources to defeat the two never-Trumpers in this race and carry a conservative message to November.' Durr's departure sets up what is likely a two-man race between Spadea and former Assemblymember Jack Ciattarelli, both of whom are trying to court President Donald Trump's support. Over the weekend, Trump met with Ciattarelli and Spadea separately, according to social media posts and media reports — and the president's decision to weigh in is viewed as make-or-break in the GOP primary. Another GOP candidate, state Sen. Jon Bramnick who is a frequent Trump critic, is also running. A trucker from South Jersey, Durr catapulted to national attention after unexpectedly ousting then-Senate President Steve Sweeney in 2021. Beating Sweeney — who is now also a candidate for governor — briefly made Durr a political hero on the right: A MAGA trucker, on a shoestring budget, toppled one of the most powerful Democrats in New Jersey. It was a rise to power that seemed made for Hollywood. Last spring, Durr entered the governor's race on the theory that he could launch a similar upset to take over the governor's mansion — although it was ultimately not meant to be. On nearly all fronts, Durr ran a campaign lacking structure. He severely lagged in fundraising — there is still no filing from the state's Election Law Enforcement Commission showing how much he raised, if anything. Durr cited his dearth of funds as the primary reason for dropping out. 'We will not qualify for matching funds,' Durr said in his statement. 'Without matching funds we are out of the debates, making it difficult to get our message beyond those who already support this campaign.' He also struggled to find a lane. Spadea is courting the most conservative parts of the Republican party — who would appear to be among Durr's base of supporters. And while support for Trump has become the paramount focus in the GOP primary for governor, Durr — who is an ardent Trump supporter — said that his campaign was not Trump-centric and that he was focused on affordability. 'I think there needs to be more substance behind the candidates than just saying you're for Trump,' Durr told POLITICO earlier this year. Some of Durr's campaign promises would have been nearly impossible to fulfill, like eliminating the state's sales tax as well as property taxes for homeowners. But on the campaign trail — and as a state senator — he carried an Everyman appeal. He remained a full-time truck driver while running for governor, often doing interviews and social media videos while trucking. 'I think he talks like a real person,' Bramnick said in an interview. 'I actually like him — I don't agree with him on everything. But I like him.' After ousting Sweeney in the 2021 election, Durr became a minor celebrity among Republicans, doing the interview circuit on conservative media and even getting a phone call from Trump. Durr said he ran for office because he could not get a gun carry permit. But his fame fizzled out once he entered Trenton — as well as his perceived power. He proposed conservative measures like scaling back New Jersey's strict gun laws and abortion rights, although none of his bills became law. He also became something of a pariah among his fellow Republicans. After his upset victory, some of Durr's old online comments resurfaced that became politically damaging, such as 'A woman does have a choice! Keep her legs closed.' While Durr represented a district that Trump won, he was ousted in the 2023 election by South Jersey Democrats seeking to reclaim the Senate post in large part because of his old comments. It is unclear what comes next for Durr's political career. He is listed on the state's campaign finance database as being a 2027 candidate for state Senate, although that does not necessarily mean he will run. 'Forever he'll be the David that beat Goliath,' state Senate Minority Leader Anthony Bucco said in an interview. 'People will always remember Ed the truck driver.'
Politico
24-03-2025
- Politics
- Politico
MAGA truck driver who toppled powerful Democrat drops bid for New Jersey governor
Ed Durr, the truck driver who landed one of the largest political upsets in New Jersey history by beating the state's longest-serving Senate president, announced Monday that he will drop his bid for governor . He immediately endorsed conservative former radio host Bill Spadea, who is one of the leading Republican candidates. Durr said he was dropping out because his campaign was not able to meet the threshold to qualify for matching funds under the state's public financing programs. 'While there are two of us carrying the conservative message of the MAGA movement only one has the financial resources necessary to carry that message through to November,' Durr said in a statement. 'I am ending my campaign so Bill Spadea can use all his campaign resources to defeat the two never-Trumpers in this race and carry a conservative message to November.' Durr's departure sets up what is likely a two-man race between Spadea and former Assemblymember Jack Ciattarelli, both of whom are trying to court President Donald Trump's support. Over the weekend, Trump met with Ciattarelli and Spadea separately, according to social media posts and media reports — and the president's decision to weigh in is viewed as make-or-break in the GOP primary. Another GOP candidate, state Sen. Jon Bramnick who is a frequent Trump critic, is also running. A trucker from South Jersey, Durr catapulted to national attention after unexpectedly ousting then-Senate President Steve Sweeney in 2021. Beating Sweeney — who is now also a candidate for governor — briefly made Durr a political hero on the right: A MAGA trucker, on a shoestring budget, toppled one of the most powerful Democrats in New Jersey. It was a rise to power that seemed made for Hollywood. Last spring, Durr entered the governor's race on the theory that he could launch a similar upset to take over the governor's mansion — although it was ultimately not meant to be. On nearly all fronts, Durr ran a campaign lacking structure. He severely lagged in fundraising — there is still no filing from the state's Election Law Enforcement Commission showing how much he raised, if anything. Durr cited his dearth of funds as the primary reason for dropping out. 'We will not qualify for matching funds,' Durr said in his statement. 'Without matching funds we are out of the debates, making it difficult to get our message beyond those who already support this campaign.' He also struggled to find a lane. Spadea is courting the most conservative parts of the Republican party — who would appear to be among Durr's base of supporters. And while support for Trump has become the paramount focus in the GOP primary for governor, Durr — who is an ardent Trump supporter — said that his campaign was not Trump-centric and that he was focused on affordability. 'I think there needs to be more substance behind the candidates than just saying you're for Trump,' Durr told POLITICO earlier this year. Some of Durr's campaign promises would have been nearly impossible to fulfill, like eliminating the state's sales tax as well as property taxes for homeowners. But on the campaign trail — and as a state senator — he carried an Everyman appeal. He remained a full-time truck driver while running for governor, often doing interviews and social media videos while trucking. 'I think he talks like a real person,' Bramnick said in an interview. 'I actually like him — I don't agree with him on everything. But I like him.' After ousting Sweeney in the 2021 election, Durr became a minor celebrity among Republicans, doing the interview circuit on conservative media and even getting a phone call from Trump. Durr said he ran for office because he could not get a gun carry permit. But his fame fizzled out once he entered Trenton — as well as his perceived power. He proposed conservative measures like scaling back New Jersey's strict gun laws and abortion rights, although none of his bills became law. He also became something of a pariah among his fellow Republicans. After his upset victory, some of Durr's old online comments resurfaced that became politically damaging, such as 'A woman does have a choice! Keep her legs closed.' While Durr represented a district that Trump won, he was ousted in the 2023 election by South Jersey Democrats seeking to reclaim the Senate post in large part because of his old comments. It is unclear what comes next for Durr's political career. He is listed on the state's campaign finance database as being a 2027 candidate for state Senate, although that does not necessarily mean he will run. 'Forever he'll be the David that beat Goliath,' state Senate Minority Leader Anthony Bucco said in an interview. 'People will always remember Ed the truck driver.'
Yahoo
19-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
MAGA migrants? Moving to Canada no easy road, Americans find
When U.S. President Donald Trump's inauguration coincided with Martin Luther King Day in January, it felt particularly bitter for Jacquelin Lynott. The therapist from Maryland is married to a transgender man, and the executive orders Trump signed on Day 1 of his second term felt like the death knell for the civil rights movement King had led. As Trump asserted "there are only two genders" and pledged to end diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, Lynott and her partner reached a conclusion: the United States was no longer safe for them. "They all smell quite a bit like fascism," Lynott told CBC of her reaction to Trump's orders. Lynott has since been researching how to move to Ontario, joining what immigration lawyers describe as a wave of Americans interested in immigrating to Canada. But as many never-Trumpers are discovering, leaving Trump country is harder than talking about it. Back in 2016, plenty of Americans including such famous names as Amy Schumer, Lena Dunham, Snoop Dogg and Bryan Cranston vowed to flee north. Few followed through, however, in many cases because there are limited immigration pathways for Americans to move to Canada. "'What do you mean I can't move to Canada next week?'" is how immigration lawyer Ryan Rosenberg describes the surprised reaction of clients discovering Canada's immigration requirements. Rosenberg, managing partner of Larlee Rosenberg in Vancouver, launched the website last year. "Tired of Trump? Thinking about Canada? We can help," the landing page offers. "We've been inundated with Americans looking to move to Canada," Rosenberg told CBC. Leaving on a jet plane? Moving to Canada from the United States is more difficult than many Americans thought, according to immigration lawyer Ryan Rosenberg. (AP) 'Calling with their heart, not with their mind' But fewer than five per cent of inquiries lead to an application to move to Canada, he estimates. Many Americans are surprised to learn they cannot simply move without a job offer, Rosenberg said. "It's often met with a lot of pushback and disappointment, frustration and comprehension from Americans who have what I would call a kind of a sense of entitlement about these things," he said. "They're calling with their heart, not with their mind." Americans are looking to move to Canada at a time when the federal government is looking to limit immigration. So unless an applicant speaks French or has a specific skillset, their options are limited, according to Ottawa immigration lawyer Betsy Kane. "There's certainly a lot of inquiries, not necessarily actionable plans to proceed with permanent residents," she told CBC. While British Columbia is looking to poach doctors and nurses from the U.S., other occupations are in less demand. "For somebody living in the States who wants to look at opportunities in Canada, it's pretty difficult right now and you really need to have a job offer in a specific field," Kane said. 'A massive red flag' Lynott and her partner are not alone in feeling increasingly unsafe in the U.S. Americans from the 2SLGBTQ+ community are among those especially eager to leave. Jacquelin Lynott, a thearapist from Maryland, has been exploring options for moving to Canada since Trump's second inauguration. (Supplied by Jacquelin Lynott) "Looking to history and the times when things became particularly precarious for groups of people, the erasing of history of specific minority groups is always a massive red flag," she said, referring to Trump's removal of transgender references from the Stonewall National Monument website. So far, however, 2SLGBTQ+ Americans have not met the bar for claiming asylum in Canada. "Discrimination is not a basis for an asylum claim," said Ottawa immigration lawyer Julie Taub. While Taub has bad news for would-be asylum seekers from the 2SLGBTQ+ community, she has better news for another category of clients: Americans with Canadian heritage. For Americans who were born in Canada or have a Canadian parent or grandparent, establishing their Canadian citizenship is often a simple matter of paperwork. "This is a new phenomenon for me," Taub told CBC. "They're well-established in the States and have excellent careers, but they just want to come here now because of what's happening." Trump's election has also caused more Americans to contact David Garson's Toronto-based law firm — but it hasn't halted his work advising dissatisfied Canadians looking to move south. "People are paying a lot for a little, their salaries are capped," he told CBC. "And don't shoot the messenger on this but there's a lot of people who are fed up — in their words — with the 'DEI wokeness' of Canada." Garson, who is also licensed to practise in the U.S., said widespread malaise is causing clients to see greener grass on both sides of the border. "I've been practising for many years," he said. "I've never seen times like these. I have never seen this much disarray." For now, Lynott and her partner are seeking job offers in Ontario with a view to applying for an express entry lottery if no opportunities arise. "But as of right now it is mostly a waiting game," she said.
