Trump Is Giving Putin Everything He Wanted

The following is part of a post by Thom Hartmann at The Hartmann Report: 

Trump went to Davos this morning and gave the speech that Vladimir Putin wanted him to, lying and pissing off Europe and shaking the North Atlantic alliance to its core.

Our president has refused to help out Ukraine in any meaningful way for a year now, giving Russia the room to destroy much of that country’s electric and heat infrastructure so badly that President Zelenskyy had to cancel his trip to Davos to deal with the crisis.

 

Trump’s now invaded Venezuela and is threatening the same with Greenland, legitimizing Putin’s land-grabs in Georgia and Ukraine.

Trump’s ICE goons are destroying the rule of law in America, running amok in Minneapolis, punishing — and killing — the residents of that city for having elected politicians who’d dare advocate democracy over autocracy.

Russian media is proudly proclaiming that their own internal crackdowns on immigrants, dissidents, and people of color aren’t so bad because Trump’s doing the same thing in America. We’ve legitimized Putin’s racist police state.

Trump’s destroyed much of America’s “soft power,” our friendly relations with resource-rich developing nations, by killing off John F. Kennedy’s USAID program, directly causing the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people with more to come.

Many of the countries we’ve abandoned are now re-aligning themselves with Russia and China, to Putin’s delight.

Trump’s duplicating Putin’s “enemy within” rhetoric to amplify the Russian-promoted “Great Replacement Theory” meme that claims wealthy Jews are paying to have Black and brown people “replace” white men in their jobs and lives.

It’s become the operating system for ICE and is tearing America apart, pitting friends, neighbors, and relatives against each other while Russian media celebrates.

The biggest thorn in Putin’s side has been NATO, all the way back to his days as a murderous KGB intelligence officer, and Trump is now shaking that organization all the way down to its foundations by threatening to seize Greenland and trash-talking alliance member states.

Early on as Putin was rolling out his dictatorship, having destroyed Russia’s brief experiment with democracy, he put himself above the law by simply refusing to enforce rights the Russian constitution and laws gave to average citizens. 

Trump’s today doing the same thing, simply defying the Epstein Transparency Act and other laws while approving as his ICE goons routinely violate Americans’ civil rights.

From Russia’s point of view, America’s biggest historic strength hasn’t been our formidable military (they have just as many nukes) but was our rock-solid multi-century relationships with allies.

 

Today, Canada is — for the first time in over a century — preparing to fight back against an American invasion, while the European Union is trying to figure out how to disentangle itself from our economy in the event we start a war with them.

Trump Views Putin As A Friend - Americans Overwhelmingly Disagree

 

The chart above reflects the results of the Economist / YouGov Poll -- done between August 15th and 18th of a nationwide sample of 1,568 adults (including 1,408 registered voters). The margin of error is 3.5 points for adults and 3.2 points for registered voters.

Trump's Wish For A Nobel Peace Prize Is Crushed By His Appeasement In Alaska Summit

Donald Trump hates ex-President Barack Obama. He hates him for his continuing popularity (which puts him far more popular than Trump in poll after poll). And he especially hates him for receiving the Nobel Peace Prize. Four presidents have won that honor (Theodore Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson, Jimmy Carter, and Barack Obama), and it is a fervent desire of Trump's to do the same.

Trump has whined on Truth Social that he deserves the prize. In their desire to please Trump several countries' leaders have nominated him (Israel, Rwanda, Gabon, Azerbaijan, and Cambodia). And in a particularly ridiculous move, Trump cold-called Swedish Finance Minister Jens Stoltenberg. He discussed tariffs, and then expressed his desire to get a Nobel Peace Prize.

Before Trump's journey to Alaska for a summit with Vladimir Putin, Trump had been insistent that he would be harsh with Putin - demanding a ceasefire with the threat severe sanctions against Russia if they refused. If he had followed through - getting a ceasefire or imposing the sanctions - that could have gone a long way toward achieving his desire for the Nobel Peace Prize. Sadly, that did not happen.

Instead, Trump was manipulated by Putin into abandoning his desire for a ceasefire - instead acceding to Russia's stance that a peace plan must be accompanied by Ukraine giving territory to Russia. It was a craven appeasement, and it likely crushed any remote hope of getting the Nobel Peace Prize.

That prestigious prize is not awarded to those who wish for it - no matter how fervent the desire. And it is not awarded to bullies who threaten tariffs. It is earned by those who make a positive impact for the good of the civilized world. It is earned by standing up to vicious dictators - not appeasing them.

Peace is not achieved through appeasement. The world learned that after the failure of the Munich Agreement. It's to his own detriment (and that of the world) that Trump doesn't learn from history.

The Best Outcome Of The Alaska Summit Might Be Failure

As I write this post, Presidents Trump and Putin are preparing to meet in Alaska. Some media pundits seem to believe that the meeting will result in progress toward a lasting peace in Ukraine. I don't think that is possible. Here are my reasons.

* Both men are prolific liars. Even if some kind of agreement was reached, neither could be trusted to follow through on it, since both have a history of breaking promises they made.

* Trump seems to think Putin wants peace. He doesn't. What he wants is to re-establish the old Soviet Union, and that would require his taking all of Ukraine. And Putin seems to think he is winning and time is on his side.

* Putin is smarter than Trump. This was illustrated in Helsinki, when he manipulated Trump - making him look like a fool before the entire world.

* Trump thinks he and Putin are friends, and he can use that friendship to convince Putin to go along with him. They are not friends. They are a vicious dictator (Putin) and a person who admires and wants to be a dictator (Trump). That is not friendship.

* Putin is heading into the meeting with definite goals in mind. Trump heads into them with only a hope to do something.

Because of the above, if an agreement is reached it would most likely benefit Russia - not the United States or Ukraine.The best outcome we can hope for is that the meeting is a failure. 

Peace can be accomplished in Ukraine only by Russia's military defeat. Trump must finally recognize that for the good of Ukraine, Europe, and the United States.

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UPDATE - It looks like my best case scenario played out. Putin agreed to nothing, and Trump got nothing but manipulated. I guess we can be thankful Trump didn't get conned into giving away Alaska and half of Ukraine.

Trump May Try To Appease Putin When They Meet In Alaska

When Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin met in Helsinki during Trump's first term, Putin played Trump like a violin. It was embarrassing. The hope is that Trump has learned something since then.

During his campaign, Trump told his supporters that he would end the war in Ukraine on his first day in office. He seemed to think that Putin was his friend, and would happily stop the war when asked. That hasn't happened. Despite all of Trump's efforts, Putin has refused to stop the war - and has actually increased his drone and missile attacks on Ukrainian citizens.

Recently, Trump has shown some disappointment with Putin's intransigence. He has threatened new sanctions on Russia. But he has not followed through on that. and now he seems to be back to believing Putin.

He has said that he believes Putin wants peace. And he has said that peace will require some trading of land. That means he wants to get peace at the expense of giving some eastern Ukrainian provinces to Russia.

This is foolish. Putin doesn't want peace. He wants Ukraine to again be a part of Russia. In fact, he wants to re-establish the old Soviet Union.

The whole thing is reminiscent of the Munich Agreement - when Chamberlain thought he had appeased Hitler by giving him some territory. All it did was convince Hitler he could do what he wanted and resulted in World War II.

Now Trump has agreed to meet Putin in Alaska to discuss a ceasefire.

Putin says he would agree to a ceasefire if given part of Ukraine. That would be a mistake. That ceasefire would just give Putin time to resupply and build up his troops to then finish what he started. Agreeing to Putin's demands would not bring peace - it would just whet Putin's appetite for more war and more invasions (of Ukraine and other countries).

You can't appease a land-hungry dictator by giving in to them. The only way to stop them is by building an impenetrable wall between them and what they want. Peace doesn't come through weakness - it comes through strength. 

I hope I'm wrong, but I think there's a very good chance that Trump will give Putin what he wants - in the mistaken belief it will bring peace. And then pressure Zelensky into accepting it by cutting off American aid and weapons.

History has taught that would be a serious mistake. But while Trump tries to rewrite history, he does not learn from it. He is likely to repeat it, and that will make the world a much more dangerous place as Putin (and probably China) realize they can get what they want. 

Trump's Opening Gambit In Ukraine War Is SURRENDER!

Donald Trump considers himself a great negotiator. He's NOT!

He thinks he can settle the Ukrainian War (actually the Russian invasion of Ukraine). But his first step in the "negotiation" has been a blunder. His sycophants met with Putin's sycophants in Saudi Arabia, and both sides are bragging about what occurred.

But where was the delegation from Ukraine? They weren't there because Trump didn't invite them. Trump doesn't think it's important for Ukraine to have a say in the war raging in their country. He thinks he can sweet talk Putin into accepting his terms. He might be right, because Trump's "terms" are very advantageous to Russia.

To achieve peace, Trump is ready to give Russia about 20% of Ukraine (the eastern provinces they currently control after the invasion). And he would remove the sanctions imposed on Russia. Russia would love that. It would give them the time and money to rebuild their military

Trump mistakenly thinks Putin would be content with his proposal and there would be a lasting peace in the region. He's wrong!

Many people believed the same when Russia invaded and took the Crimea away fro Ukraine. But Putin wasn't satisfied. He then invaded Ukraine. And it wasn't just to get the eastern regions - Putin wanted all of Ukraine - sending his troops and tanks straight for Kiev. He was only stopped because he underestimated the skill and bravery of Ukraine's military. Now he is trying to use bombs and rockets to make Ukraine submit and surrender.

European leaders are not as stupid as Trump. They know Putin's real goal - one he has openly admitted. He wants to bring all of the countries that once were in the old Soviet Union back under his control. Ukraine is just the first step of his dream.

They know that once Putin has rebuilt his military, he will again attack Ukraine. And once defeating it, he will move on to other countries (Latvia, Estonia, Poland, etc.). And when he does, the NATO nations (with or without the U.S.) will have to respond - starting a new World War. The European nations must defend Ukraine to prevent this. Trump egotistical idiocy will not protect them.

Being a bully himself, Trump doesn't understand how to beat one. You don't stop a bully by giving in to his demands. That just results in bigger demands. The only way to stop a bully (like Putin) is to stand up against them with force (if necessary). 

Trump thinks he's winning, but he's actually surrendering. He's just not smart enough to know it.

Trump Wants To Give Putin A Win In His War Against Ukraine

Fearing a race against Joe Biden, Donald Trump asked Ukraine to start an investigation of Mr. Biden. Ukraine refused to illegally interfere in the U.S. election. Now Trump wants to punish Ukraine by giving his buddy Putin a win in the Ukraine war.

The following is part of an op-ed by David French in The New York Times:

He (Trump) refused to say — in the face of repeated questions — that he wanted Ukraine to win its war with Russia. Trump emphasized ending the war over winning the war, a position that can seem reasonable, right until you realize that attempting to force peace at this stage of the conflict would almost certainly cement a Russian triumph. Russia would hold an immense amount of Ukrainian territory and Putin would rightly believe he bested both Ukraine and the United States. He would have rolled the “iron dice” of war and he would have won.

There is no scenario in which a Russian triumph is in America’s best interest. A Russian victory would not only expand Russia’s sphere of influence, it would represent a human rights catastrophe (Russia has engaged in war crimes against Ukraine’s civilian population since the beginning of the war) and threaten the extinction of Ukrainian national identity. It would reset the global balance of power.

In addition, a Russian victory would make World War III more, not less, likely. It would teach Vladimir Putin that aggression pays, that the West’s will is weak and that military conquest is preferable to diplomatic engagement. China would learn a similar lesson as it peers across the strait at Taiwan.

If Vladimir Putin is stopped now — while Ukraine and the West are imposing immense costs in Russian men and matériel — it will send the opposite message, making it far more likely that the invasion of Ukraine is Putin’s last war, not merely his latest.

But that’s not how Trump thinks about Ukraine. He exhibits deep bitterness toward the country, and it was that bitterness that helped expose how dangerous he was well before the Big Lie and Jan. 6. . . .

Trump’s reluctance to say the plain truth — that a Ukrainian victory is in America’s national interest — demonstrates that he is still a prisoner to his own grievances, and there is no one left who can stop him from doing his worst.

Trump Is NOT America's Navalny - But America's Putin

 It took him several days to do it, but Donald Trump has finally remarked on the death of Alexei Navalny. On his Truth Social website, Trump wrote:

“The sudden death of Alexei Navalny has made me more and more aware of what is happening in our Country. It is a slow, steady progression, with CROOKED, Radical Left Politicians, Prosecutors, and Judges leading us down a path to destruction. Open Borders, Rigged Elections, and Grossly Unfair Courtroom Decisions are DESTROYING AMERICA. WE ARE A NATION IN DECLINE, A FAILING NATION!”

He is obviously trying to compare his own legal problems with the plight of Navalny. He wants his followers to believe that he is the Navalny of this country - an innocent man being railroaded by a vicious government. It's ludicrous!

Alexei Navalny ứa an innocent man. His only "crime" was opposing the Putin dictatorship. He gave his freedom, and then his life, to try and establish a true democracy for the people of Russia.

Trump, on the other hand, is far from innocent. Courts have already determined that he is a fraud (using money given to his fake charity and lying about the net worth of his properties to receive low interest loans and tax breaks), a sex abuser (rapist), a defamer (twice), and operating a scam university. He still faces 91 criminal indictments in four different venues - from violating election laws to trying to illegally overthrow a national election and stealing government documents.

Trump has not tried to further democracy in his own country. He has tried to subvert and destroy democracy. It is obscene to compare himself to Navalny.

The truth is that the Russian Trump respects the most is not Navalny - it's Vladimir Putin. Trump admires the dictatorial powers that Putin possesses, and wants the same kind of power for himself. And he could get it by installing only sycophants and yes-men in a new Trump administration - people that would disregard the Constitution to accomplish Trump's desires.

And it's not just the U.S. that would be endangered by a second Trump administration. Trump hates Ukraine and would cut off their aid, allowing Russia to swallow them up. And he hates NATO. John Bolton (a member of the Trump administration) said Trump wanted to withdraw from NATO during his first term, and had to be talked out of it by others. The yes-men in a second Trump term would let him do it - and that would pose a danger for the entire world.

Trump has not made any secret about who he is and what he wants. Voters must turn out in droves next November to prevent him from becoming an American version of Putin. 

Another Trump Term Would Make The World More Dangerous

The world is a very dangerous place, and one of the biggest dangers is Putin's Russia. Putin did not like the breakup of the Soviet Union, and it is his fervent desire to re-establish control over the former Soviet states (and then ultimately the rest of Europe).

One only has to look at his aggressive moves -- first against Georgia, and then against Ukraine. Ukraine has proven to be a difficult task, but he hasn't given up. He's hoping to get some help from the United States after the next election if his protege (Donald Trump) can get elected to a second term.

Trump doesn't like Ukraine, because they refused to instigate a fake investigation into Hunter and Joe Biden. He wanted to use that to smear Biden and win the 2020 election. Now Trump would be happy to let Russia take part or all of Ukraine.

The only thing stopping Putin is NATO. The NATO nations have come to the defense of Ukraine by providing it with weapons and money. Putin would like to see NATO destroyed. He knows he could not defeat a united NATO.

That is another reason that Putin would love to see Trump elected. He knows that the biggest danger to NATO is Donald Trump. Trump doesn't care that NATO is the defender of all Western democracies. He only cares about himself, and would happily destroy NATO if it didn't kowtow to his wishes.

In his first term, he considered withdrawing from NATO. When he had some backlash (even from Republicans), he backed down. But he still threatened to refuse to come to the defense of any NATO nation that refused to bend to his will. 

He said it was only "fair" that other members of NATO budget more money to their militaries. He completely ignored the fact that article 5 of the NATO agreement ( that every NATO nation would come to the defense of any member nation that was attacked) has only been invoked once. That was when the U.S. was attacked on 9/11/2001. The NATO nations joined the United States in going after the attackers in Afghanistan.

True fairness would be to recognize that fact, and to assure the other NATO nations that the U.S. would reciprocate. But Trump doesn't care about real fairness, or about defending the Western democracies (which benefits all democracies, including the U.S.). He only cares about who is willing to kiss his ass and who is not.

A second Trump term would pose a danger to NATO, possibly even destroying it. And that would pose a danger to the world, as Putin (and other dictators) would feel free to attack and engulf their neighbors. 

Trump thinks the United States could stand alone in the world. He is wrong, and his re-election would be disastrous to the entire world. 

Biden Says We Must Not Let Putin And Hamas Win

The following op-ed was written by President Biden in The Washington Post: 

Today, the world faces an inflection point, where the choices we make — including in the crises in Europe and the Middle East — will determine the direction of our future for generations to come.

What will our world look like on the other side of these conflicts?

Will we deny Hamas the ability to carry out pure, unadulterated evil? Will Israelis and Palestinians one day live side by side in peace, with two states for two peoples?

Will we hold Vladimir Putin accountable for his aggression, so the people of Ukraine can live free and Europe remains an anchor for global peace and security?

And the overarching question: Will we relentlessly pursue our positive vision for the future, or will we allow those who do not share our values to drag the world to a more dangerous and divided place?

Both Putin and Hamas are fighting to wipe a neighboring democracy off the map. And both Putin and Hamas hope to collapse broader regional stability and integration and take advantage of the ensuing disorder. America cannot, and will not, let that happen. For our own national security interests — and for the good of the entire world.

The United States is the essential nation. We rally allies and partners to stand up to aggressors and make progress toward a brighter, more peaceful future. The world looks to us to solve the problems of our time. That is the duty of leadership, and America will lead. For if we walk away from the challenges of today, the risk of conflict could spread, and the costs to address them will only rise. We will not let that happen.

That conviction is at the root of my approach to supporting the people of Ukraine as they continue to defend their freedom against Putin’s brutal war.

We know from two world wars in the past century that when aggression in Europe goes unanswered, the crisis does not burn itself out. It draws America in directly. That’s why our commitment to Ukraine today is an investment in our own security. It prevents a broader conflict tomorrow.

We are keeping American troops out of this war by supporting the brave Ukrainians defending their freedom and homeland. We are providing them with weapons and economic assistance to stop Putin’s drive for conquest, before the conflict spreads farther.

The United States is not doing this alone. More than 50 nations have joined us to ensure that Ukraine has what it needs to defend itself. Our partners are shouldering much of the economic responsibility for supporting Ukraine. We have also built a stronger and more united NATO, which enhances our security through the strength of our allies, while making clear that we will defend every inch of NATO territory to deter further Russian aggression.

Our allies in Asia are standing with usas well to support Ukraine and hold Putin accountable, because they understand that stability in Europe and in the Indo-Pacific are inherently connected.

We have also seen throughout history how conflicts in the Middle East can unleash consequences around the globe.

We stand firmly with the Israeli people as they defend themselves against the murderous nihilism of Hamas. On Oct. 7, Hamas slaughtered 1,200 people, including 35 American citizens, in the worst atrocity committed against the Jewish people in a single day since the Holocaust. Infants and toddlers, mothers and fathers, grandparents, people with disabilities, even Holocaust survivors were maimed and murdered. Entire families were massacred in their homes. Young people were gunned down at a music festival. Bodies riddled with bullets and burned beyond recognition. And for over a month, the families of more than 200 hostages taken by Hamas, including babies and Americans, have been living in hell, anxiously waiting to discover whether their loved ones are alive or dead. At the time of this writing, my team and I are working hour by hour, doing everything we can to get the hostages released.

And while Israelis are still in shock and suffering the trauma of this attack, Hamas has promised that it will relentlessly try to repeat Oct. 7. It has said very clearly that it will not stop.

The Palestinian people deserve a state of their own and a future free from Hamas. I, too, am heartbroken by the images out of Gaza and the deaths of many thousands of civilians, including children. Palestinian children are crying for lost parents. Parents are writing their child’s name on their hand or leg so they can be identified if the worst happens. Palestinian nurses and doctors are trying desperately to save every precious life they possibly can, with little to no resources. Every innocent Palestinian life lost is a tragedy that rips apart families and communities.

Our goal should not be simply to stop the war for today — it should be to end the war forever, break the cycle of unceasing violence, and build something stronger in Gaza and across the Middle East so that history does not keep repeating itself.

Just weeks before Oct. 7, I met in New York with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The main subject of that conversation was a set of substantial commitments that would help both Israel and the Palestinian territories better integrate into the broader Middle East. That is also the idea behind the innovative economic corridor that will connect India to Europe through the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Israel, which I announced together with partners at the Group of 20 summit in India in early September. Stronger integration between countries creates predictable markets and draws greater investment. Better regional connection — including physical and economic infrastructure — supports higher employment and more opportunities for young people.

 That’s what we have been working to realize in the Middle East. It is a future that has no place for Hamas’s violence and hate, and I believe that attempting to destroy the hope for that future is one reason that Hamas instigated this crisis.This much is clear: A two-state solution is the only way to ensure the long-term security of both the Israeli and Palestinian people. Though right now it may seem like that future has never been further away, this crisis has made it more imperative than ever.

A two-state solution — two peoples living side by side with equal measures of freedom, opportunity and dignity — is where the road to peace must lead. Reaching it will take commitments from Israelis and Palestinians, as well as from the United States and our allies and partners. That work must start now.

To that end, the United States has proposed basic principles for how to move forward from this crisis, to give the world a foundation on which to build.

To start, Gaza must never again be used as a platform for terrorism. There must be no forcible displacement of Palestinians from Gaza, no reoccupation, no siege or blockade, and no reduction in territory. And after this war is over, the voices of Palestinian people and their aspirations must be at the center of post-crisis governance in Gaza.

As we strive for peace, Gaza and the West Bank should be reunited under a single governance structure, ultimately under a revitalized Palestinian Authority, as we all work toward a two-state solution. I have been emphatic with Israel’s leaders that extremist violence against Palestinians in the West Bank must stop and that those committing the violence must be held accountable. The United States is prepared to take our own steps, including issuing visa bans against extremists attacking civilians in the West Bank.

The international community must commit resources to support the people of Gaza in the immediate aftermath of this crisis, including interim security measures, and establish a reconstruction mechanism to sustainably meet Gaza’s long-term needs. And it is imperative that no terrorist threats ever again emanate from Gaza or the West Bank.

If we can agree on these first steps, and take them together, we can begin to imagine a different future. In the months ahead, the United States will redouble our efforts to establish a more peaceful, integrated and prosperous Middle East — a region where a day like Oct. 7 is unthinkable.

In the meantime, we will continue working to prevent this conflict from spreading and escalating further. I ordered two U.S. carrier groups to the region to enhance deterrence. We are going after Hamas and those who finance and facilitate its terrorism, levying multiple rounds of sanctions to degrade Hamas’s financial structure, cutting it off from outside funding and blocking access to new funding channels, including via social media. I have also been clear that the United States will do what is necessary to defend U.S. troops and personnel stationed across the Middle East — and we have responded multiple times to the strikes against us.

I also immediately traveled to Israel — the first American president to do so during wartime — to show solidarity with the Israeli people and reaffirm to the world that the United States has Israel’s back. Israel must defend itself. That is its right. And while in Tel Aviv, I also counseled Israelis against letting their hurt and rage mislead them into making mistakes we ourselves have made in the past.

From the very beginning, my administration has called for respecting international humanitarian law, minimizing the loss of innocent lives and prioritizing the protection of civilians. Following Hamas’s attack on Israel, aid to Gaza was cut off, and food, water and medicine reserves dwindled rapidly. As part of my travel to Israel, I worked closely with the leaders of Israel and Egypt to reach an agreement to restart the delivery of essential humanitarian assistance to Gazans. Within days, trucks with supplies again began to cross the border. Today, nearly 100 aid trucks enter Gaza from Egypt each day, and we continue working to increase the flow of assistance manyfold. I’ve also advocated for humanitarian pauses in the conflict to permit civilians to depart areas of active fighting and to help ensure that aid reaches those in need. Israel took the additional step to create two humanitarian corridors and implement daily four-hour pauses in the fighting in northern Gaza to allow Palestinian civilians to flee to safer areas in the south.

This stands in stark opposition to Hamas’s terrorist strategy: hide among Palestinian civilians. Use children and innocents as human shields. Position terrorist tunnels beneath hospitals, schools, mosques and residential buildings. Maximize the death and suffering of innocent people — Israeli and Palestinian. If Hamas cared at all for Palestinian lives, it would release all the hostages, give up arms, and surrender the leaders and those responsible for Oct. 7.

As long as Hamas clings to its ideology of destruction, a cease-fire is not peace. To Hamas’s members, every cease-fire is time they exploit to rebuild their stockpile of rockets, reposition fighters and restart the killing by attacking innocents again. An outcome that leaves Hamas in control of Gaza would once more perpetuate its hate and deny Palestinian civilians the chance to build something better for themselves.

And here at home, in moments when fear and suspicion, anger and rage run hard, we have to work even harder to hold on to the values that make us who we are. We’re a nation of religious freedom and freedom of expression. We all have a right to debate and disagree and peacefully protest, but without fear of being targeted at schools or workplaces or elsewhere in our communities.

In recent years, too much hate has been given too much oxygen, fueling racism and an alarming rise in antisemitism in America. That has intensified in the wake of the Oct. 7 attacks. Jewish families worry about being targeted in school, while wearing symbols of their faith on the street or otherwise going about their daily lives. At the same time, too many Muslim Americans, Arab Americans and Palestinian Americans, and so many other communities, are outraged and hurting, fearing the resurgence of the Islamophobia and distrust we saw after 9/11.

We can’t stand by when hate rears its head. We must, without equivocation, denounce antisemitism, Islamophobia, and other forms of hate and bias. We must renounce violence and vitriol and see each other not as enemies but as fellow Americans.

In a moment of so much violence and suffering — in Ukraine, Israel, Gaza and so many other places — it can be difficult to imagine that something different is possible. But we must never forget the lesson learned time and again throughout our history: Out of great tragedy and upheaval, enormous progress can come. More hope. More freedom. Less rage. Less grievance. Less war. We must not lose our resolve to pursue those goals, because now is when clear vision, big ideas and political courage are needed most. That is the strategy that my administration will continue to lead — in the Middle East, Europe and around the globe. Every step we take toward that future is progress that makes the world safer and the United States of America more secure.