Trump Between Objectives and Liberation Day at Quantico

Trump Between Objectives and Liberation Day at Quantico  

By Paolo Falconio

The main achievement Trump will likely claim is his crackdown on illegal immigration. Homeland Security data indicates that out of 11,500,000 undocumented individuals, 2,500,000 have been deported. Of these, 500,000 were removed using the unorthodox methods we’ve witnessed—methods that nonetheless prompted another 1,600,000 to self-report to avoid similar treatment. An additional 400,000 were deported through traditional procedures. Furthermore, Homeland Security reports that illegal immigration has dropped by 97% in recent months.

Tariffs and levies are beginning to show their effects. Beyond the nearly one and a half trillion promised by Europe in arms and diesel, South Korea will have to invest $350 billion to rebuild its shipbuilding industry. Japan will be required to fork out $550 billion blindly—that is, the U.S. administration will decide where to invest it. The agreement theoretically protects Japan’s key export sectors, but it leaves the Japanese uneasy, as it introduces the notion of negotiated sovereignty.

Naturally, these measures affect us too. Since August, Italian exports to the U.S. have dropped by 21%, partly due to the planned devaluation of the dollar. Remember: tariffs impact exporters by 20%, whereas an unfavorable exchange rate hits with 100% force. In short, Trump is increasingly focused on domestic affairs.

Confirmation of this comes from Quantico. Of the 72-minute speech, only about five minutes were devoted to China and Russia—another sign of America’s inward turn. I had previously suggested that the unusual gathering of all senior U.S. officers might be a prelude to some dismissal notices, and indeed, Trump remarked that there are too many senior officers. Let’s be clear: this is not a signal of global withdrawal. It’s a problem that affects many armies. His reflections went further and, to be fair, were on point: stricter discipline, no more long-haired soldiers, no more promotions based on gender or race, and—crucially—raising minimum recruitment standards, as current admissions include individuals who are diabetic, overweight, or have criminal records.

However, the most striking moment was his call to that audience to rediscover the warrior ethos—not for patrolling Somali coasts, but to confront internal enemies embedded in American cities. Essentially, he wants to use the military not just for public order, but for territorial control. Legal limits to such use exist in the U.S., but given the homicide rate resembles that of high-intensity warfare, with zones off-limits to police, the idea has some logic. Curiously, though, on the list of cities to be garrisoned is Chicago (Democratic government), which isn’t among the top three most violent. The priority list for future deployments favors states and cities governed by Democrats—unless something changes. One wonders whether the aim is also to preempt anti-federal centrifugal forces or at least ensure enforcement of federal law in the most defiant states. This use of the armed forces could yield good results if applied wisely, but it could also ignite bloody uprisings. Having one’s cities in flames is something to be avoided.

So, fingers crossed, President Trump seems well on his way to fulfilling his motto “Make America Great Again.” The question is: what kind of America will emerge from this transformation, which is not only political and economic, but above all, identity-based?

On the international front, things aren’t going so well. Aside from a soft power in free fall, the Gaza peace agreement is commendable but riddled with grey areas. Iran is being asked for trust it has already betrayed once. Gulf States are eyeing Russian weapons with interest. India is drawing closer to China, and as for Russia, it remains a threat with which to do business.