If the president doesn't give up his expansionist ambitions, a lot of countries will find themselves in the same boat as Canada

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Donald Trump’s threat to impose fresh tariffs on his European allies unless Denmark agrees to sell Greenland is further proof that the world cannot afford to base policy on what the U.S. president may or may not do, and that efforts to negotiate with this White House are largely a waste of time.

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Last week, after Prime Minister Mark Carney inked a deal with Chinese President Xi Jinping to lower Beijing’s tariffs on some Canadian agricultural products in exchange for reduced restrictions on Chinese electric vehicles, numerous commentators suggested it would only serve to further enrage Trump.

But the president struck his own agreement with Xi in the fall and has a well-known fetish for making “deals” — in business, politics and foreign affairs. “Well, it’s OK. That’s what he should be doing,” Trump said on Friday, referring to Carney. “If you can get a deal with China, you should do that.”

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Carney does, however, deserve to be criticized for prioritizing a détente with the Communists, when there is much he could be doing to improve........

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