Mona Charen

It's a profoundly serious challenge that Iran represents to the world.

It is a vicious challenge.

expansionist, revolutionary regime, bent on getting nuclear weapons, bent on the destruction of one of our allies and the undermining of others, an enemy of ours for all of these years.

But to a

approach a problem of that seriousness with such an unserious leader who seems to act on whim, on impulse, on feelings in his bones, we have reached this critical mass of Trumpism where it is laid bare.

You know, even the Trumpiest explainers out there

Cannot say that he's playing some sort of three-dimensional chess here.

It is obvious that he is winging it and he is making gross errors.

Well, EJ, there's a long list of Trump's insults and threats toward Europe, toward NATO.

You forgot to mention Greenland, where the president basically did something that was inconceivable when we were contemplating a second Trump term.

None of us, I think, anticipated that he would actually threaten a fellow NATO member with an American invasion.

And yet, that is where we were a few short months ago.

And then, regarding this war, there was no consultation.

He did not inform our allies.

He simply acted in a way that affects them far more than it affects us because they are more dependent on oil, fertilizer, and other things that go through that part of the world.

In addition, he then insulted the premier of Great Britain, who at one point, early March, was saying he might send two British aircraft carriers.

And Trump, proving that he is the greatest boor ever to serve in the White House, said, oh, no, we don't need any help from people who are just trying to get in on the war after it's already been won.

A few days later, Trump was reduced to begging the Europeans for help opening the Strait of Hormuz.

So, yes, the strain is immense, but I think the Europeans have no choice but to attempt, however they can, with string and glue, whatever it takes, to keep this alliance together because of the huge role that the United States plays.

Well, it depended for its durability on the strength of its premier member, and that was the United States.