"To the victor belongs the spoils": Trump's imperial ambition is fueled by the myth of his mandate

[marmar]

"To the victor belongs the spoils": Trump's imperial ambition is fueled by the myth of his mandate
After winning by a bigger margin than in 2016, Donald Trump now sees himself as omnipotent and invincible

By Heather Digby Parton
Columnist
Published February 10, 2025 9:13AM (EST)


(Salon) Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was caught on a hot mic the other day giving his assessment of Donald Trump’s threat to turn Canada into the 51st state. I don't think Trudeau is given to wild conspiracy theories. This is what he said:

I suggest that not only does the Trump administration know how many critical minerals we have but that may be even why they keep talking about absorbing us and making us the 51st state.

[...]

They’re very aware of our resources, of what we have, and they very much want to be able to benefit from those. But Mr. Trump has it in mind that one of the easiest ways of doing that is absorbing our country. And it is a real thing

....(snip)....

Everyone always says that Trump is just trolling Canada, but it's not true. Trudeau's assessment is correct. It is a real thing. We know this because Trump has always said that he believes "to the victor belongs the spoils" and by that, he apparently also means that his victory to become U.S. president last November makes him a victor over the whole world.

....(snip)....

Trump claims that he won a landslide victory (a lie: his popular vote win was narrow at 1.4% and his electoral victory was modest by historical standards) which seems to have led him to believe that as the undisputed leader of the world's most powerful nation, he also has the power to buy or take whatever he wants. To the victor goes the spoils, and, traditionally, those spoils are natural resources.

....(snip)....

And then there's his Gaza "imperialist acid flashback," as Salon's Andrew O'Hehir calls it, which, as far as I know, doesn't have any oil or minerals to offer but does feature some very nice beachfront property he apparently wants to develop into an international resort.

Let's not pretend that any of this is about the national interest. It's all about money for Trump and his cronies. ......................(more)

https://www.salon.com/2025/02/10/to-the-victor-belongs-the-spoils-imperial-ambition-is-fueled-by-the-myth-of-his-mandate/

[Irish_Dem]

1. Trump is empowered for a number of reasons:

1. He knows he can rig the next election again.
2. SC has given him complete immunity.
3. His minions can also commit crimes for him, he can pardon them.
4. He owns Congress.
5. He will ignore court orders.
6. His MAGA cult will make death threats against anyone who crosses him.
7. Trump will destroy, sue, threaten anyone who criticizes him or causes him trouble.
8. Musk will also threaten and destroy anyone who crosses him or Trump.