politics

That is really completely irrelevant. It’s a win to his voters (and likely to him), and worse it legitimises the negotiation tactic. If Trump threatens Greenland with a potential military invasion, the only correct negotiation tactic is to expel US soldiers from Greenland/Denmark. Why the heck would Greenland host US military when this might be an invasion force?

And this is my point. Symbolic or not, giving Trump "wins" like this only emboldens him to demand more.

Remember, he threatened tariffs the first time, and they "gave" him this. Symbolic or otherwise, doesn't matter. He reneged anyway and now got them to commit to some (admittedly, vague and probably meaningless) "joint strike force" within 30 days. What happens 30 days from now when Trump once again decides that's not good enough? More meaningless fluff? And do you plan on doing this every month for the next four years to continue to appease him? Especially when they admit that they're using it as leverage to start playing hardball. What happens when their next demand isn't a symbolic gesture? What happens when Trump decides that Canada should just give up British Columbia so the US can have a direct connection between the continental states and Alaska?

Canada shouldn't give half a flying shit about the US economy. They needed to stick to their guns and demand that the US honor already existing trade deals, and Canada will make no further concessions, symbolic or otherwise. All they are doing with appeasement is just telling Trump that he can keep coming back again and again and Canada will blink every time. And eventually, symbolic gestures aren't going to be good enough.

Again, look at Denmark. They tried the appeasement route too and now we're basically in a situation where Trump is threatening to do to Greenland what Russia just did to Ukraine. Because now Trump believes that Greenland is his by manifest destiny or something. This is where appeasement gets you.

This is a country that functions well largely due to well crafted and POLITE diplomacy. They very well understand the “what” of the threat here, but also the nature of “who” is making it.

And what has "POLITE" diplomacy gotten them? They're expanding US military presence on the island and are making political policy based on Trump's demands. How is this anything other than giving Trump exactly what he wants?

If anyone is a “cuck”, it’s Trump hands down. Proven time and time again. He throws tantrums like a child, and backs down IMMEDIATELY because that’s all he knows how to do. He’s a doddering old man with dementia, and an enclave of Wormtongue’s pulling the actual strings. Look at what happened with these bullshit tarrifs. Look back in history and see how many times this dipshit embarrasses himself with threats that have NEVER come to fruition.

Oh, I agree. Trump is a complete cuck. You will never, ever hear me argue otherwise. But that doesn't mean that Denmark's PM isn't also one. I mean we are literally talking about Trump actively insulting Denmark as a country, calling them weak, and saying that they can either sign over Greenland or he's going to take it by force. And this is how he responds? By basically giving them more territory on the island and enacting pro-Trump political policies? How is that anything other than being a geopolitical cuck?

Canada and Mexico literally replied to Trump as if what they are doing is new in response to his threats. It is not. It literally what they agreed to 6 months ago with Biden. They know all they have to do is ACT like Trump made a big boy move, and keep doing the same thing.

Until Trump starts demanding more than symbolic gestures. Again, check out my links. They openly admit that they are intentionally playing hardball because they can and intend to use their perceived economic strength to leverage more concessions out of Canada. I'll ask again, what if Trump decides that he wants to make a play for British Columbia the same way he's making a play for Denmark, and then suddenly decides that he "deserves" it and will take it by force if he has to?

While all of this bullshitting is happening, Denmark, Canada, Mexico, UK, and literally everyone else who Trump keeps threatening are on the phone with each other like High School kids talking about a response if Trump tries something.

Then they need to start actually speaking up because right now, Trump appears to be winning. Symbolic or otherwise, doesn't matter.

Trump won’t do shit because he has no concept of how. This is proven. He makes threats he never follows through on to seem tough, and then does nothing. EVERYONE KNOWS THIS.

Then they need to start calling him out on it instead of playing the appeasement game.

So while he’s out here chomping at the bit for this and that, we have a newly aligned group of nations taking their time to figure out what they want to do. That’s it. They’ll win this, and I root for them. Trump won’t engage the military, he’ll kick and scream and wine and then blame somebody else for the fallout. That’s literally all he knows how to do.

This is probably correct in the long term. But if this is the plan, they're doing a pretty poor job so far.

As far as his attacks on the US, that’s because he is an abuser and an opportunist. Abusers hit the most vulnerable people available, and have no recourse. Opportunists get in and out for an affect before they are found out, like cowards. Rapists are opportunists, for example.

Again, you're not telling me things I don't already know here. I am in no way defending Trump or his actions, but at the same time these countries need to start playing a lot more hardball because all Trump is doing is using the appeasement that they're giving him to bolster his ego and build support for more direct action. Remember, appeasement got us from "Greenland is not for sale" to Trump believing that the US has some kind of "right" to it. And support for that idea among the rubes of his base is growing.