By Konstantinos Konstantinidis – Amphiktyon
Those of us of the older generation, who lived through the course of Adolf Hitler from the pinnacle of his glory to his suicide in the underground bunker in Berlin, discern certain similarities with the course of President Trump. From the bright prospects he once projected with the slogans “America First” and “Stop the wars,” he is now doing the opposite: opening new fronts, threatening countries, and finding himself entangled in crises, like Laocoön wrapped in serpents. And frankly, this turn of events saddens us.
Hitler began with the annexation of Czechoslovakia in 1938, just as Mr. Trump is now doing with Greenland. Hitler justified the annexation by invoking the German-speaking minority of the Sudetenland and proceeded accordingly. Mr. Trump invokes geostrategic reasons for the annexation of Greenland, even though these are already covered by the agreement allowing the installation of U.S. military bases that already exist on the island.
The Munich Agreement (30 September 1938) and the notorious Molotov–Ribbentrop Non-Aggression Pact (23 August 1939) facilitated Hitler’s launch of the invasion of France. On 10 May 1940, within five days, through blitzkrieg (a combination of armored and air forces), he breached the Maginot Line and defeated France. His ambition swelled, and he then advanced toward the occupation of Russia.
Before that, however—on 6 April 1941—he invaded Greece, aiming to secure the flanks of his attack on Russia. Greek resistance overturned these plans. It caused a delay of five weeks in his attempt to capture Moscow before the harsh winter of 1941, a delay that proved decisive for the outcome of World War II.
On 22 June 1941, belatedly, Hitler launched Operation “Barbarossa” against Russia. It lasted until 7 January 1942, when the Russian winter trapped the German forces.
These events are stirred in our memory by Mr. Trump and fill us with concern. Is this a display of U.S. strength, or a strategy born of weakness in an attempt to halt decline and collapse?
The United States has been exhausted by costly wars and has left room for China to grow. It even transferred technology to it.
And here are the most recent troubling actions:
- The leveling of Gaza, an act of extreme barbarity carried out by Israel with U.S. weapons. The United States was in a position to restrain the retaliation but did not do so. The new reality may give rise to risks of a broader regional crisis.
- The bombing of Iran’s nuclear facilities and the rhetoric advocating intervention in support of protesters.
- The abduction of Venezuela’s leader, Maduro, in violation of international law, and the plundering of the country’s resources.
- The announcement of aggressive actions against a number of Latin American countries (Cuba, Colombia, Mexico, etc.).
- The most outrageous of all: the announcement of a military operation to annex Greenland, a territory belonging to Denmark, a NATO member state, which has already concluded an agreement with the U.S. for the installation of American bases. Here Mr. Trump imitates the Turks who occupied Northern Cyprus and the warmonger Mr. Putin who wages war to seize Ukraine.
- His suspicious discussions with Mr. Putin behind Europe’s back.
- Hostility toward NATO Europe and the complete undermining of EU leadership, which is supposedly an ally of the United States.
- Finally, the unbearable tariffs imposed on products from allied countries and their businesses.
I believe that Mr. Trump acts like a businessman trying to salvage his bankrupt enterprise, assuming that the Western world belongs to him. He acts hastily, without discussion or dialogue with those affected by his decisions.
I foresee that, like Hitler, Mr. Trump will also fail, because he has turned against the international community and, above all, against a large part of American public opinion.
America, however, is and remains a democratic country. There is strong opposition, even within his own party, as well as within the Armed Forces. They do not tolerate one man, under the title of President, making decisions unilaterally, bypassing the institutions of democracy, like an absolute dictator.
Empires fall from within, not from external aggressive forces. If Mr. Trump continues on the same path, instead of rebuilding the United States, he will drag it into ruin. However, elections are approaching, and everything may change. Even Mr. Trump himself may choose to act with calmness and restraint.
(13/1/26)
Amphiktyon, Lieutenant General (ret.) Konstantinos Konstantinidis
Author, Member of the Society of Greek Writers