The Ruins of Trump’s Genocide Diplomacy

April 16, 2026

Published in Der Standard
(Austria) on 8 April 2026
by Gerold Riedmann (link to original link to original)

Translated from by Peter Carioca. Edited by Michelle Bisson.

First, he wanted the Nobel Peace Prize, then he threatened genocide and calls the results a success. And Europe kowtows.

The contradiction between desire and reality could not be greater: Donald J. Trump ingratiated himself as a wannabe Nobel Peace Prize winner and now is threatening not only just a war crime, but the biggest-ever war crime: genocide. "A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again" is the phrase which will forever stick to Trump.

Someone like him never settles for anything less than genocide. He is so callous, so blinded, that he knows no other means than maximum escalation. His angry tapping on his phone does not end conflicts; on the contrary, Trump's world domination via social media fuels the downfall.

Record Breaker

Yes, he didn't blow up the world overnight. But Trump continues to revel in the idea that he could. On the world stage, the U.S. leader has proven that he is a record-breaker: He is the most unworthy, unfit, and above all dangerous president America has ever had. It is far too late to want to remove him from office. The damage has been done.

Yes, the mullah regime in Iran was, and is, dangerous. A regime change in the terrorist state is something that would benefit Iran, the Middle East, Europe and the world. Only, it would have been better if Trump had actually had a strategy.

This Is Not a Victory

No, the Strait of Hormuz now being considered open is not a victory, as Iran intends to extort a protection fee of $2 million per ship. Before Feb. 28, before the war, the Strait of Hormuz was already open. In this respect, the deal which was reached just a few minutes before Trump threatened to wipe out their civilization is merely a desperate attempt at damage control regarding the oil price. Trump types into his phone, "The United States of America will be helping with the traffic buildup in the Strait of Hormuz. There will be lots of positive action! Big money will be made. Iran can start the reconstruction process." That's all he cares about. Anyone who has ever threatened to commit genocide has lost everything – even the dignity they might still have.

Trump has done what he always does: he disqualified himself. Only, the stakes get higher and higher each time. NATO, the important defense alliance, stands as a hollowed-out shell. Partners are no longer standing side by side; instead, Canada and Europe watch, stunned and far too quiet, as Trump's America selfishly falls to pieces.

Europe's Chance

Also, because the U.S. government is now brazenly meddling in European election campaigns — such as in neighboring Hungary — it is high time that European leaders like Friedrich Merz finally speak clearly and set clear boundaries for Trump. But the U.S. president continues to rage about "bastards," "animals," and the "stone age." Europe kowtows, continuing to treat him with unbearable subservience. This would be a chance for the U.K., France and Germany to now turn the ceasefire into peace.

Ironically, with the Artemis moon mission, the U.S. itself is demonstrating just how beneficial inspiration, faith in the future and positive, shared achievements can be for the world. But for Trump, international friendship and cooperation only exist on the far side of the moon; outside of the space capsule reigns war, self-interest and egotism — at the expense of everyone.
First, he wanted the Nobel Peace Prize, then he threatened genocide and calls the results a success. And Europe kowtows.

The contradiction between desire and reality could not be greater: Donald J. Trump ingratiated himself as a wannabe Nobel Peace Prize winner and now is threatening not only just a war crime, but the biggest-ever war crime: genocide. "A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again" is the phrase which will forever stick to Trump.

Someone like him never settles for anything less than genocide. He is so callous, so blinded, that he knows no other means than maximum escalation. His angry tapping on his phone does not end conflicts; on the contrary, Trump's world domination via social media fuels the downfall.

Record Breaker

Yes, he didn't blow up the world overnight. But Trump continues to revel in the idea that he could. On the world stage, the U.S. leader has proven that he is a record-breaker: He is the most unworthy, unfit, and above all dangerous president America has ever had. It is far too late to want to remove him from office. The damage has been done.

Yes, the mullah regime in Iran was, and is, dangerous. A regime change in the terrorist state is something that would benefit Iran, the Middle East, Europe and the world. Only, it would have been better if Trump had actually had a strategy.

This Is Not a Victory

No, the Strait of Hormuz now being considered open is not a victory, as Iran intends to extort a protection fee of $2 million per ship. Before Feb. 28, before the war, the Strait of Hormuz was already open. In this respect, the deal which was reached just a few minutes before Trump threatened to wipe out their civilization is merely a desperate attempt at damage control regarding the oil price. Trump types into his phone, "The United States of America will be helping with the traffic buildup in the Strait of Hormuz. There will be lots of positive action! Big money will be made. Iran can start the reconstruction process." That's all he cares about. Anyone who has ever threatened to commit genocide has lost everything – even the dignity they might still have.

Trump has done what he always does: he disqualified himself. Only, the stakes get higher and higher each time. NATO, the important defense alliance, stands as a hollowed-out shell. Partners are no longer standing side by side; instead, Canada and Europe watch, stunned and far too quiet, as Trump's America selfishly falls to pieces.

Europe's Chance

Also, because the U.S. government is now brazenly meddling in European election campaigns — such as in neighboring Hungary — it is high time that European leaders like Friedrich Merz finally speak clearly and set clear boundaries for Trump. But the U.S. president continues to rage about "bastards," "animals," and the "stone age." Europe kowtows, continuing to treat him with unbearable subservience. This would be a chance for the U.K., France and Germany to now turn the ceasefire into peace.

Ironically, with the Artemis moon mission, the U.S. itself is demonstrating just how beneficial inspiration, faith in the future and positive, shared achievements can be for the world. But for Trump, international friendship and cooperation only exist on the far side of the moon; outside of the space capsule reigns war, self-interest and egotism — at the expense of everyone.

Trumps Trümmer der Genozid-Diplomatie

Erst wollte er den Friedensnobelpreis, dann drohte er mit Völkermord und nennt das Ergebnis Erfolg. Und Europa kuscht

Die Widersprüchlichkeit zwischen Wunsch und Wirklichkeit könnte größer nicht sein: Donald J. Trump selbst biederte sich als Möchtegern-Friedensnobelpreisträger an, nun drohte er nicht nur mit einem Kriegsverbrechen, sondern dem allergrößten Kriegsverbrechen: Völkermord. "Eine ganze Zivilisation wird heute Nacht sterben, sodass sie niemals wieder zurückgebracht werden kann", lautet der Satz, der Trump anhaften wird.

Einer wie er macht es nicht unter Genozid. So abgestumpft, so verblendet, dass er kein anderes Mittel kennt außer maximaler Eskalation. Sein zorniges Getippe ins Telefon beendet keine Konflikte, im Gegenteil: Diese von Trump angestrebte Weltherrschaft per Social Media befeuert den Untergang.

Mann der Rekorde

Ja, er hat die Welt nicht des Nächtens in die Luft gejagt. Doch Trump berauscht sich weiter an der Vorstellung, dass er es könnte. Der US-Herrscher hat auf der Weltbühne bewiesen, dass er ein Mann der Rekorde ist: Er ist der unwürdigste, ungeeignetste und vor allem gefährlichste Präsident, den die Vereinigten Staaten jemals hatten. Es ist viel zu spät, ihn des Amtes entheben zu wollen. Der Schaden ist angerichtet.

Ja, das Mullah-Regime im Iran war und ist gefährlich, ein Regimewechsel im Terrorstaat wäre das, was dem Iran, dem Nahen Osten, Europa und der Welt guttäte. Nur wäre es gut gewesen, wenn Trump den Hauch einer Strategie gehabt hätte.

Dies ist kein Erfolg

Nein, es ist kein Erfolg, dass die Straße von Hormus nun als geöffnet gilt, denn der Iran will Schutzgeld von zwei Millionen Dollar pro Schiff erpressen. Vor dem 28. Februar, vor dem Krieg, da war die Straße von Hormus bereits geöffnet. Insofern ist der Deal, wenige Minuten bevor Trump die Zivilisation auslöschen wollte, lediglich eine verzweifelte Schadensbegrenzung im Hinblick auf den Ölpreis. Trump tippt ins Handy: "Big money will be made." Um nichts anderes geht es ihm. Wer einmal angedroht hat, einen Genozid durchzuführen, hat alles verloren: auch ein Gesicht, das er noch wahren könnte.

Trump hat das getan, was er immer macht: Er disqualifiziert sich. Nur der Spieleinsatz wird von Mal zu Mal höher. Das wichtige Verteidigungsbündnis Nato steht als ausgehöhltes Gerüst da. Nicht mehr Partner stehen da Seite an Seite, sondern Kanada und Europa betrachten fassungslos und viel zu still den egoistischen Zerfall der Trump’schen USA.

Europas Chance

Auch weil sich die US-Regierung zwischenzeitlich ungeniert in europäische Wahlkämpfe einmischt – wie im Nachbarland Ungarn – ist es hoch an der Zeit, dass europäische Staatenlenker wie Friedrich Merz endlich Klartext sprechen, Trump klarer Grenzen aufweisen. Doch der US-Präsident wütet weiter von Bastarden, Tieren, Steinzeit. Europa kuscht, packt ihn weiter unerträglich unterwürfig in Watte. Es wäre die Chance von Großbritannien, Frankreich und Deutschland nun aus der Waffenruhe einen Frieden zu formen.

Ausgerechnet die USA selbst sind es, die gleichzeitig mit der Artemis-Mondmission zeigen, wie wohltuend Inspiration, Zukunftsglaube und positive, gemeinsame Errungenschaften für diese Welt sind. Doch internationale Freundschaft und Zusammenarbeit gibt es mit Trump lediglich hinter dem Mond, außerhalb der Raumkapsel herrscht Krieg, Eigennutz und Egoismus. Auf Kosten von uns allen.

This post appeared on the front page as a direct link to the original article with the above link .