Frederick Kempe, the CEO of the Atlantic Council, an Anglo-American pro-war think tank, spins several dubious “news stories” to build a narrative around how the “Trump effect” may not be such a threat to the empire after all. Kempe had written several pieces before this, nervously expressing concern that Trump may abandon Ukraine, and force Europe to go it alone against an “expansionist” Russia.
He cites four cases as subjects of his investigation into the “Trump effect,” to put a “positive” imperial spin on what Trump is doing.
1. China: He starts innocently enough, seemingly pleased by Trump’s invitation to China’s President Xi Jinping to the inauguration.
2. Iran: He cites a typically anonymously-sourced Wall Street Journal article, which claims that Trump transition officials are considering a strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities, as the fall of Assad, and Israel’s destruction of Syria’s air defenses have increased the danger that Iran may move to break out of the constraints on its nuclear program. As a result, he concludes, “the Trump team’s review [in considering a strike] makes sense.”
