Take Trump Seriously

Mar 7, 2025 · 4 min read · 8 views

Politicians worldwide should take Trump in this presidency literally.

In his first presidency he was verbal shit-posting and looking what sticked and rotated people around him until something fitted. This time he comes prepared and is very intentional about what he says and does.

He knows his words become memes. His memes shape reality perception, and with the biggest economy and military behind him, can easily become reality. They are not wtf jokes, they are his first steps.

He is the leader of the most powerful nation in the world not a court jester. If he says something treat it serious and not as a joke of the day.

So far everything he said he will do, he did.

Maybe not yet successful, maybe in a way you think is wrong and can't work, but it's only a few weeks so far.

He establishes meme and narratives. Either by himself or by one of his people – keep in mind he picked his staff based on media literacy. Then he comes in with the most extreme version of a solution, shell-shocks everyone and then leaves others to pick the pieces and bring a compromise that makes him still look good.

Expect the same treatment for Canada, Greenland, Panama, NATO, Support of Europe, Ukraine, etc – Take him literal and don't wait for action to react. But act based on his words.

Don't expect status quo politics and diplomacy, global treatments and cooperation.

This isn't the US you know. And don't think this will be over in four years. The next president will be Vance (if he doesn't become disloyal) with Trump as his powerbroking shadow.

What you are dealing with the next eight years is Global MAGA.

They won't sit on the table and negotiate with your leaders. They will use social media platforms and money to build up local vassal parties that are willing to go against regional interests for power. Eg in Europe anti-european, pro-russian parties. CPAC shows the invite list, Bannon explained the approach there.

For social media propaganda they will use the Russian playbook. They find cracks in your truth and pry them open until reality itself will feel uncertain. A f-ton of russian astroturfing will help here. Hidden likes, non-public algorithms, and limited api access make it as easy as possible.

Don't think you can just argue against this. Memes aren't arguments. They are more powerful than arguments. They connect and build up identity. No need for full arguments or internal logical consistency when something connects to a higher truth above the words. And counter arguments are too long, plus give the algorithm the engagement needed. Repeat 51st frequently enough without any counter narratives or memes, and it will stick.

Take his words seriously. He knows how to use them to build the memes, shape the narratives, and act on it. Doesn't matter if you consider him a threat or not.

Unless you are American it's in your interest if your leaders stop reacting on his actions post-mortem, but start acting on words alone, or even better before/disregarding his words, based on their own strategy.

For Europe this means full economic and defense sovereignty asap.

And let's assume i am hyperbole and Trump isn't a new Putin, won't empower Putin and Xi, and what he does is great for the US, and maybe even Europe, or even the world. I genuinely hope so.

Non-zero chance this is true. It's a new era. All rules and playbooks are changed.

But there is no downside for Europe in being a full sovereign partner on equal footing vs a pure customer or rentee or at worst vassal.

Europe gaslight itself in believing we are the little brother that doesn't matter next to the loud showey one we fully depend on.

We should use finnish energy to approach this problem. Take a sauna, take a cold-plunge and approach this cold-headed.

United we are a superpower. Time, we think like one. And more importantly, let's stop reacting and start acting. 🇪🇺