Beats me, man.
I mean, you're accusing Trump of taking a painting valued at $0 to $1,000,000 (which still goes through a process for payment if he wants to keep it, unless he pays himself).
Yet when presented with the fact that this has happened to every President since Bush Jr., which I'm sure you were unaware of or wouldn't have such a harsh opinion on Trump accepting a gift, you're willing to overlook that the President, who couldn't prevent the Ukranian-Russian war, took a $12,000 present from Putin.
Again, I revert to this:
That said: How would international relations be if a President marked their gifts as "Return to Sender" without even opening them?
If you were a Dictator and sent presents to Presidents and dignitaries around the world, what would you do if you got them back? I know what I'd do, and it'd be making a list of countries I could do petty things to hurt them little by little, not by a lot, but just a little (I mean economically). In a globalist economy, which I hate, we are all pretty much dependent on one another in some way or another.
Say for instance Germany didn't take my present. Well, their LNG prices just went up 2.5% because "supply" is being pinched. Now, what ripple effect does that have? That could mean auto manufacturers (VW, Mercedes, etc.) need to either make their workers work in the cold or they have to raise their prices 0.50%, hurting everyone else down the line.
Why test the waters with something so silly as rejecting a painting, or even a $12,000 gift, over not knowing what an unhinged person would do if you rejected their gift?
Smile. Accept the gift. Engage in diplomacy. But more importantly, try to end the war.
? Is this a good or bad thing?
