While aid and alliance and assistance are always somewhat quid pro quo, there are nuance and competing factors usually involved. We support country X because they also oppose country Y. We provide aid to country Z because unrest there will lead to larger-scale refugee problems. We provide assistance to country W, even though they oppose us on subject A, because they agree with us on subject B.
We may not be in full agreement with X or Z or W, but in the bigger picture, we deal with the idea that sometimes it’s good to help people who don’t fully agree with us, because it benefits us and others in a multitude of ways. Maybe we, behind the scenes, let X or Z or W know that if they tone down their rhetoric here and there, the money might be more forthcoming (or the reverse), or we assure them that we understand where their leadership stands, vs. what that leadership has to say to their voters
It’s sometimes a little messy, occasionally strange bedfellowy, now and then a bit hypocritical, but it’s also a mature recognition that it’s a complicated world and people have a variety of interests and opinions that may differ with that of the United States.
Not so for our toddler-in-chief. Anyone who ticks him off is attacked. Anyone who disses him is savaged. Anyone who disagrees is retaliated against. We’ve seen it multiple times at home with domestic political “enemies” (or even “friends” who outlived their usefulness). Now we’re seeing Trump put his patented tantrums on display for the international community.
U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday threatened to cut off financial aid to countries that vote in favor of a draft United Nations resolution calling for the United States to withdraw its decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.
“They take hundreds of millions of dollars and even billions of dollars, and then they vote against us. Well, we’re watching those votes. Let them vote against us. We’ll save a lot. We don’t care,” Trump told reporters at the White House.
Because for Trump there is either absolute loyalty (and utility), or throw them off the bus. Never mind that there may be reasons for the US to be engaged with countries that oppose the US’s new position on Jerusalem — as far as Donald Trump is concerned, it’s more important to threaten, bluster, and bully to get those ingrates to toe the line and obey.
Trump always punches down. And it’s always about being given outward signs of respect, regardless of what else might be at stake.
Trump threatens to cut aid to U.N. members over Jerusalem vote | Reuters
U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday threatened to cut off financial aid to countries that vote in favor of a draft United Nations resolution calling for the United States to withdraw its decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.
While you categorized this as "Serious Stuff," I categorize any Trump off-the-cuff statement (or tweet) as "Not So Serious Stuff" – despite the fact that the sudden availability of prime Manhattan real estate might be advantageous to a certain real estate company.
I have visions of Trump, in his bathrobe, yelling at General Kelly in front of the TV that he never watches.
"Why haven't we kicked the UN out of New York yet?" Trump screams. "And why haven't you fired Nikki Haley and sent her back to Oklahoma or wherever Indians come from?"
General Kelly takes a deep breath. "Mr. President," he finally says, "I wonder if that would really be a good idea."
"But why not? They all hate me – I mean hate America – and they take our money. Why do we even need the UN?"
"Um, Mr. President, remember two days ago, after Fox and Friends, when you asked me why the UN Security Council hadn't authorized the bombing of North Korea yet?"
"Yeah. When are you going to get on that?"
"Well, Mr. President, the UN Security Council is part of the UN."
"So what?"
"You see, Mr. President, if we leave the UN, we can't propose things in Security Council meetings any more."
Trump begins to reply, but stops himself. This is the point where most people would apologize, but General Kelly knew what was coming next.
"General, why haven't we told the people that we are going to remain in the UN, and that we intend to ask for the power to veto Security Council resolutions?"
"Um…yes, Mr. President."
The US has always supported Apartheid and genocide, so really this is a no brainer in Trump’s part, especially since the leadership of both parties support it.
+John E. Bredehoft The "Serious Stuff" is the consequences. Trump is the old crazy guy standing in the center divider with a shotgun, raving about space aliens beaming orders into his brain. On the one hand, it's kind of funny; on the other hand, it's only funny if you're outside of effective range of the shotgun.
Couldn't we have a filter applet "Replaces-trump's-head-by-X" for a choice list of X, starting with X=Netanyahu? Maybe a collaborative applet, where people vote for whose head should replace 45's at each particular clip. (For aesthetic reasons at least, the filter applet should also provide the converse service).
+John E. Bredehoft Don't forget that the Haley, US Ambassador to the UN, has stated exactly the same thing to the Ambassadors from other countries in writing, including the "we are watching" and "reporting back to the President" statements.
This is definitely "Serious Stuff".
It's worse than that. We provide humanitarian aid to many of these countries and Trump is saying, no more humanitarian aid, we'll let your kids starve and your epidemics run rampant, and your agriculture run to ruin — because we won't allow you free speech.
American and Family Values. Boo-yeah.