“The paradox is plain: Trump is exceptionally dedicated to coercion as a core foreign policy tool yet is one of its least effective practitioners. The problem lies in Trump’s conflation of coercion—a nuanced foreign policy strategy—with belligerence and raw demonstrations of strength. But effective coercion requires more than heavy-handed threats. In fact, Trump’s approach makes opponents less likely to comply with his demands, both by revealing the limits of U.S. capabilities and resolve and by undermining the credibility of U.S. assurances that targets will be left alone if they acquiesce.
“Trump’s self-defeating efforts at coercion are undermining America’s real coercive power. Unless future administrations, and Congress, act to reverse this damage, ironically, a president enamored of coercion will have degraded the U.S. ability to use it effectively for years to come.”
Sunday night I wrote to you that Todd Blanche was the worst nominee to be attorney general in the modern era.
Joyce Vance, Civil Discourse
Excerpt:
“Blanche portrayed himself as pious, at least when it came to worshipping at the altar of Trump. He defended the politicization of the Justice Department that has occurred on his watch and ducked questions that would have required him to criticize Trump if he answered them truthfully. That was the theme. Blanche had to hold onto the votes of Senate Republicans without angering the president. He did that well.
“He did not face the question that stumped Director of National Intelligence nominee Jay Clayton, whose confirmation hearing also took place today:
Georgia Senator Jon Ossoff: Who won the 2020 election?
Clayton: I’m not going to get into that with you.
“Most senators might have let it go at that. The non-answer is telling. But not Senator Ossoff. Here’s how he followed up after Clayton again refused to answer the question:
Ossoff: Isn't it humiliating to be unable to answer this question, to have to indulge the president's delusions?
“We are all Jon Ossoff tonight.
“Blanche, too, had his share of non-answers. Like when Senator Dick Durbin asked whether he thought it was right for Trump to issue a blanket pardon to the January 6 defendants. Blanche responded that “the Constitution gives the president the full power to pardon anybody for any reason he wants, and so I, I don’t question President Trump’s authority or his decision to do so on January 20.” The answer was completely non-responsive.”
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