Anne Applebaum

No one really knows what the status of those comments are. Is this what Trump thinks? Is this just a thing that Vance said to be prerogative? And again, we're back to the question of what is Musk's status when he supports the AFD, the German far right? Is he speaking on behalf of Trump? Is he a member of the US administration? Is that the US supporting the AFD or not?

No one really knows what the status of those comments are. Is this what Trump thinks? Is this just a thing that Vance said to be prerogative? And again, we're back to the question of what is Musk's status when he supports the AFD, the German far right? Is he speaking on behalf of Trump? Is he a member of the US administration? Is that the US supporting the AFD or not?

No one really knows what the status of those comments are. Is this what Trump thinks? Is this just a thing that Vance said to be prerogative? And again, we're back to the question of what is Musk's status when he supports the AFD, the German far right? Is he speaking on behalf of Trump? Is he a member of the US administration? Is that the US supporting the AFD or not?

So there is gonna be a big looming question in Europe over the next few weeks and months over whether how to regulate these platforms And if so, can they do it? Are they willing to defy the Trump administration, whether it's Vance or Musk or Trump himself, and do it? I mean, I have an instinct that Trump himself probably doesn't really care.

So there is gonna be a big looming question in Europe over the next few weeks and months over whether how to regulate these platforms And if so, can they do it? Are they willing to defy the Trump administration, whether it's Vance or Musk or Trump himself, and do it? I mean, I have an instinct that Trump himself probably doesn't really care.

So there is gonna be a big looming question in Europe over the next few weeks and months over whether how to regulate these platforms And if so, can they do it? Are they willing to defy the Trump administration, whether it's Vance or Musk or Trump himself, and do it? I mean, I have an instinct that Trump himself probably doesn't really care.

I mean, maybe somebody could frame the problem to him in a way that he would, but it may be others who decide. So we're also, again, partly because of this extra legal situation where nobody really understands what is Musk's role. Does he speak for Trump? Does he speak for himself? that people are genuinely confused by it.

I mean, maybe somebody could frame the problem to him in a way that he would, but it may be others who decide. So we're also, again, partly because of this extra legal situation where nobody really understands what is Musk's role. Does he speak for Trump? Does he speak for himself? that people are genuinely confused by it.

I mean, maybe somebody could frame the problem to him in a way that he would, but it may be others who decide. So we're also, again, partly because of this extra legal situation where nobody really understands what is Musk's role. Does he speak for Trump? Does he speak for himself? that people are genuinely confused by it.

Everywhere I go, and last week I was in Germany, I was also in Brussels, and everywhere I go, it's the one thing people want to talk about, and they want an explanation of it.

Everywhere I go, and last week I was in Germany, I was also in Brussels, and everywhere I go, it's the one thing people want to talk about, and they want an explanation of it.

Everywhere I go, and last week I was in Germany, I was also in Brussels, and everywhere I go, it's the one thing people want to talk about, and they want an explanation of it.

It was very amusing. You know, it looks like Canada and Mexico won. You know, Justin Trudeau said, well, look, we're investing, I can't remember, one point some billion dollars into borders. It turns out he announced that two months ago. But Trump said, oh, great. You know, then I'll lift the tariffs or anyway, postpone them for a month.

It was very amusing. You know, it looks like Canada and Mexico won. You know, Justin Trudeau said, well, look, we're investing, I can't remember, one point some billion dollars into borders. It turns out he announced that two months ago. But Trump said, oh, great. You know, then I'll lift the tariffs or anyway, postpone them for a month.

It was very amusing. You know, it looks like Canada and Mexico won. You know, Justin Trudeau said, well, look, we're investing, I can't remember, one point some billion dollars into borders. It turns out he announced that two months ago. But Trump said, oh, great. You know, then I'll lift the tariffs or anyway, postpone them for a month.

Yeah, I mean, it makes me wonder whether, you know, the hard thing for people also to understand outside of the U.S. and also maybe inside the U.S. is like, what is real and what's performative? Like, was this big bluster about huge tariffs, was that some kind of game for the base?

Yeah, I mean, it makes me wonder whether, you know, the hard thing for people also to understand outside of the U.S. and also maybe inside the U.S. is like, what is real and what's performative? Like, was this big bluster about huge tariffs, was that some kind of game for the base?

Yeah, I mean, it makes me wonder whether, you know, the hard thing for people also to understand outside of the U.S. and also maybe inside the U.S. is like, what is real and what's performative? Like, was this big bluster about huge tariffs, was that some kind of game for the base?

Also, I mean, I think some of the damage is already permanent. I mean, the Canadians, like maybe we're going to get over this and there won't be 25% tariffs, but we have now, you know, awoken the, you know, the sleeping nationalism of Canada.

Also, I mean, I think some of the damage is already permanent. I mean, the Canadians, like maybe we're going to get over this and there won't be 25% tariffs, but we have now, you know, awoken the, you know, the sleeping nationalism of Canada.