TEHRAN - An emeritus professor of business and international affairs from George Washington University says President-elect Donald Trump’s threats to grab Canada and Greenland by force are “stark warnings” that show “when a country turns on its own allies.”

In an interview with the Tehran Times, Hossein Askari says, “It is a warning that the rest of the world must take extremely seriously and respond thoughtfully and decisively.”

Following is the text of the interview:

Donald Trump has again threatened to reclaim the Panama Canal and has not ruled out using military force or economic sanctions to pursue acquisition of the Panama Canal and Greenland. What do such threats reveal about Trump’s personality or state of mind?

‘Trump is an insecure bully who thrives by bullying others’

 Trump is an insecure bully who thrives by bullying and knocking others down. He wants to have people subservient and 100 percent loyal to him. He cannot tolerate any competition. He wants to dominate. Sadly, the Republican party has cowered to him and each senator and most members of the House obey him. They dare not cross him. He has frightened them all. They don’t seem to realize that they have to unite, uniting is the key, and oppose him if they want to have autonomy and a shred of dignity left.

In his January 6 press briefing, Trump also threatened Canada, calling the border between the two countries an “artificially drawn line”. His remarks came just a few weeks after he called Canada the 51st U.S. state. What sense does such a covetous eye on Canada send to the world, especially to American friends and allies especially as the Canadian FM said “we will never back down in the face of threats”?

It is a warning that the rest of the world must take extremely seriously and respond thoughtfully and decisively. It is true that they don’t have the military power to resist the United States and they cannot

individually be effective in standing up to America’s economic and financial pressures, but they can collectively push back on the U.S. if they unite and take economic measures—sanctions and measures to dethrone the role of the dollar in international transactions and as the preeminent asset. I believe if they unite and push back on Trump, he will cower and become very small. The sooner they act the better, but if they start one by one courting and bowing to Trump, then Trump will dominate each and every one of them in every sphere.

Aren’t such threats a blow to international order and disrespect to other countries’ sovereignty or an encouragement toward anarchy and lawlessness?

Yes, absolutely. The so-called rules-based order after WWII is rapidly eroding at the edges and if nothing is done, and fast, we will have the anarchy that you are alluding to.

Isn’t Trump’s U.S. emerging as a bully that would threaten the Western alliance and even NATO?

Yes and yes, but it is not emerging, it is already a bully and the threats against Denmark and Canada are stark warnings when a country turns on its own allies. Europe should pay heed. Act now and maybe the U.S. Congress will show some courage to stop Trump before these threats become their realities. What Trump does not understand is that the United States also needs Europe for its own security. There are important U.S. bases and thousands of troops in Europe, which could defend Europe but they also provide for the defense of the United States. It would be a catastrophic setback for the United States if it had to close all its European bases. As Trump threatens Europe should consider threatening back!

It has been for years that American officials have been floating the idea that the U.S. is the leader of the “free world”, however, such remarks show that the U.S., at least under Trump, is emerging as a bully in the world. Please give your own opinion.

Yes, the U.S. has been a bully for about 30 or so years. It has been the pre-eminent sender of sanctions that make other countries subservient and it has used this and military power to bend countries to its agenda. Sanctions along with the military power to enforce have enabled the United States to get its way. But Trump is taking that to a new level by threatening to attack these same allies.

Can Trump’s threats force Western allies to reassess their policies or take a departure from the U.S. in terms of defense and economy in the long run?

Yes, but only if they unite and stand firm. If they can do this, I believe that the U.S. Congress and other decision-makers in the United States will turn against him.

Don’t you think that Trump’s remarks embolden powerful countries to frighten others?

Yes, and absolutely, it gives two in particular such a free ticket, China and Russia, to do as they wish. And please note that the United States has essentially disabled the United Nations with its dozens of vetoes at the UN Security Council in support of Israel’s illegal and rogue actions, to say nothing of its threats to international courts and judges in the International Criminal Court and the International Court of Justice.

Last month Trump threatened attacks on drug cartels inside Mexico. This time he promised to change the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America. Please give your opinion.

This is a childish publicity stunt. Who cares what you call a body of water as long as people know what they are talking about. It has been called the Gulf of Mexico throughout recent history. Yet Trump thinks a name change will make America Great Again! It reminds me of the stupidity of the Arab countries in the Persian Gulf changing the name to the Arabian Gulf and now referring to it as the Gulf!! No name to the body of water! You make a country great by establishing the rule of law, justice, equality before the law, better education and healthcare and eradicating inequality, poverty and corruption, not by changing a name.

Elon Musk is running wild.

Trump also repeated his threat that “all hell will break out in the Middle East”, if Hamas does not release hostages by the time he takes office. What else remains that Trump’s administration can do against Gaza as the enclave is already a hell?

Again, a bully. He forgets the many innocent Palestinians that the Zionists have butchered. He doesn’t care for their human lives one iota. And sadly, the Arabs in the Persian Gulf, who have the means and the ability to push back on the ongoing genocide are too afraid to stand up to the United States and Israel.

Elon Musk, a close aide to Trump, is also using offensive language against European leaders including the German chancellor and president. How do you analyze Musk’s personality?

Musk is a strange fellow. Like Trump, he is insecure. He is drunk on the power that his wealth has afforded him and he is running wild. The end may not be so glorious.