President Trump is playing a very dangerous game.
For years his critics have accused him of playing checkers while his adversaries mastered three-dimensional chess. But the truth is, Donald Trump has only ever played one game—a real-life version of Monopoly.
Despite his undeniable accumulation of wealth, Trump’s Monopoly skills have never been impressive. His games have always followed one of two scripts: either he amasses a fortune by cheating, or he loses spectacularly, goes bankrupt, stiffs his contractors and competitors, and starts over—conning new players by inflating the value of whatever assets he has when the game resets.
But the most important thing understand about Monopoly — even Trump’s real life version — is that winning revolves exclusively around money — not life or death. So even though his cheating has almost landed him in jail on multiple occasions (without passing go or collecting $200) he could always buy his way out of trouble by paying a hefty fine.
But now, as his second term as President begins, Donald Trump is playing a far more dangerous game: A real-world version of Risk.
Unfortunately, compared to his rudimentary and often unethical Monopoly strategies, Trump’s Risk skills are even less sophisticated. A novice to the game, he lacks any nuance, foresight or ability to play strategically. Since his second term as President began less than a month ago, Trump has floated a series of shockingly reckless ideas, including:
Making Canada America’s 51st State.
Acquiring Greenland.
Renaming the Gulf of Mexico the "Gulf of America.”
Retaking operational control of the Panama Canal.
Occupying Gaza, leveling it, resettling nearly two million Palestinians, and turning the devastated strip into the "Riviera of the Middle East"—an American-owned and operated territory.
Unlike Monopoly, where Trump’s goals seem to be to “win second prize in a beauty contest” and collect as many “Bank errors in his favor” as possible, his Risk-driven strategies have dire real-world consequences—whether he succeeds or not.
As one of only two true superpowers on the planet, the United States has set the tone for global stability for decades. By simply entertaining his reckless ideas, Trump is forcing America’s geopolitical adversaries to realign and respond—potentially in dangerous ways.
Trump’s imperialist ambitions—extending U.S. control into Central America, Canada, the Middle East, Greenland, and beyond—would undoubtedly redefine global alliances, to both America’s short and long term detriment.
During last year’s presidential campaign, even his most ardent supporters dismissed these crackpot proposals as unserious. But now, with Trump back in office, Republicans in Congress have begun capitulating to his every whim. Of course the Supreme Court has also granted him near-total immunity and his supporters, having elevated him to near-deity status in their minds, are ready and willing to believe even his most outlandish, nonsensical ideas are divinely inspired.
The scariest part? Trump has managed to amass and consolidate his power without any meaningful resistance — either at home or abroad. His unhinged ideas are legitimized simply because of the title he holds, proven again this week when Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was forced (or worse, actually willing) to publicly engage with his most absurd proposals.
Yet it is abundantly clear that neither Trump nor anyone in his administration has thought through the consequences of any of his suggestions.
For example, if Canada became the 51st state, Republicans would almost certainly lose control of the White House and Congress for generations as Canada’s electoral votes and congressional representation would overwhelmingly favor Democrats.
Similarly, displacing and resettling two million Palestinians (besides being a logistical nightmare) would further destabilize the Middle East, sparking greater regional conflict. Moreover, U.S. casualties during any Gaza rebuilding effort would be inevitable, likely dragging America into yet another long war.
Likewise, seizing the Panama Canal without international support would invite fierce resistance from both Panama and the broader international community. And even if the U.S. somehow annexed Greenland, Denmark and the rest of Europe would surely not just stand idly by.
But let’s assume, for a moment, that Trump somehow achieved all his ambitions without facing any opposition…what happens next?
If Trump rewrites the rules of international sovereignty, what’s stopping China or Russia from following his lead?
If Trump unilaterally redrew the world map, why wouldn’t China immediately invade Taiwan? Why wouldn’t Russia expand its war beyond Ukraine? Where would their expansionist ambitions end?
When playing the board game Risk, the attacking country always has an advantage—but in the real world, unchecked aggression has historically proven both expensive and deadly. Just ask Germany and Japan in World War II or Russia right now.
President Trump believes that because the U.S. is the biggest military bully on the block, he has both the ability and the mandate to reshape the world in his image. But America’s global leadership has been built on restraint, not imperialist conquest. For over a century, the U.S. has largely dismissed opportunities for territorial expansion, instead choosing to define international law and shape the world order through our diplomatic alliances. Trump’s reckless roll of the dice threatens to undo all of that.
Foreign policy isn’t a board game. The decisions a president makes carry life-and-death consequences—not just for Americans, but for millions around the world.
Trump may be willing to roll the dice with America’s international reputation, but the risks he is taking extend far beyond the potential for lost treasure. If he continues down this absurd path, the U.S. won’t just lose its credibility—it could lose its position as a global leader entirely.
So, for the sake of the country, let’s hope Trump abandons Risk and goes back to playing Monopoly—or better yet, how about a game where it’s almost impossible to lose…May I suggest Tic-Tac-Toe?
Or maybe, just maybe, it’s time to convince him to stop playing games altogether — because as long as he’s our president, it’s clear that the only way for America to win, is for Trump not to play.
And now, here are this week’s Best and Worst Leaders, including some who have played their games well and some who continue to cheat whenever they can.
This Week’s Best Leaders:
✅ Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau & Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum — The two leaders pledged to “enhance strong bilateral relations” on the same day President Trump threatened implementation of tariffs against their nations. Demonstrating unity in the face of economic threats, their public alliance likely added to the pressure that caused Trump to back away from his proposed trade war — at least temporarily.
✅ Costco — The retailer is raising pay to over $30 an hour for hundreds of thousands of workers with top-tier clerks set to earn nearly $32 an hour starting in March. This is a major win for workers fighting for fair wages, especially if Costco’s competitors decide to follow suit.
✅ David Hogg — A survivor of the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting, he was elected Vice Chair of the DNC. Elevating a young, intelligent, passionate leader in this position is a step in the right direction for the future of the Democratic Party.
✅ Sen. Brian Schatz — He announced a “blanket hold” on all of Trump’s State Department nominees until USAID is once again fully operational. This is an effective way to use his position to push back against Trump’s destructive policies.
✅ DeAndre Hopkins — Ahead of the Super Bowl, the NFL star tweeted an inspiring message:
"To all the kids out there living in small towns, in small houses, with single parents. To the kids who see violence, who see loss, who don’t get the resources they deserve, but who still have big dreams. Know that I was a kid in your exact shoes, and this week I’m playing in the Super Bowl. Don’t give up, work hard, keep believing. Where you start doesn’t determine where you end up." Now that’s true leadership.
✅ Trey Howard — 10-year-old Andre “Trey” Howard III saved his younger sister during the tragic Philadelphia plane crash on Jan. 31. Despite suffering a head injury that forced him to undergo emergency brain surgery, upon regaining consciousness his first words to his dad were, “You told us to get down. I was just trying to help my sister..." Another true hero.
✅ Senator Chuck Grassley — He sided with Democrats to postpone Kash Patel’s nomination saying, “The minority as well as myself has exercised their right to hold over the nomination of Kash Patel to be Director of the FBI.” Will he ultimately vote his conscience? Only time will tell.
✅ FEC Chair Ellen Weintraub — She received a letter from POTUS purporting to remove her as Commissioner & Chair of the Federal Election Commission. There’s a legal way to replace FEC commissioners — and this isn’t it. She vowed, “I’ve been lucky to serve the American people & stir up some good trouble along the way. That’s not changing anytime soon.”
✅ Hubie Brown — A basketball lifer, the longtime coach and broadcaster, he calls his final NBA game this weekend at the age of 91. Enjoy retirement, coach, you have certainly earned it!
✅ Dick Vitale — After two years away from the microphone successfully battling cancer, the legendary college basketball broadcaster returned to the sidelines of the Duke vs. Clemson game on Saturday. Welcome back to a true Prime Time Player!
This Week’s Worst Leaders:
🚨 Donald Trump — He started an economic war with our neighbors Canada and Mexico, only to walk away with nothing of substance to show for his threats. He withdrew the U.S. from the UN Human Rights Council, handed Elon Musk the keys to the Treasury (likely violating numerous federal laws), initiated a plan to abolish the Department of Education, floated the idea of taking over Gaza that included ethnically cleansing two million Palestinians, fired nearly everyone at USAID, attempted to illegally fire the chairwoman of the FEC and the board of Trustees of the Kennedy Center. His desire to be a “Dictator on Day One” seems to have extended to his first three weeks in office.
🚨 Elon Musk — He has taken control of the mechanics of our government with the blessings of Trump. His first move was the destruction of USAID. Apparently the CIA and Department of Education are next. He is executing a coup d'état in plain sight. Let’s hope the legal system continues to thwart his unconstitutional ambitions.
🚨 The Department of Defense/Pentagon — Removed NBC, The New York Times, NPR, and Politico from their resident press corps, replacing them with New York Post, Breitbart, OANN, and HuffPost. Unfortunately this is exactly how News becomes propaganda and propaganda becomes News.
🚨 Justin Tucker — The Baltimore Ravens kicker has been accused by nine massage therapists of inappropriate behavior. While everyone is innocent until proven guilty, the sheer number of accusations against him is raising a lot of questions about his character and credibility.
🚨 Kash Patel — Trump’s embarrassingly unqualified nominee to head the FBI, he reportedly received $25,000 from a Russia-linked production company to participate in a documentary in which he assailed the FBI and called for closing its headquarters.
🚨 DOGE — It’s not a real government agency, yet somehow it has commandeered the authority to make spending decisions, shut down federal programs, and ignore federal law. It’s both dangerous and illegal, and its members are now a huge national security risk.
🚨 RFK Jr. — We learned this week that a woman who worked at his anti-vaccine nonprofit accused him of sexual misconduct and was reportedly paid a $1 million settlement in 2020 under a nondisclosure agreement. Yet another reason his nomination should be rejected.
🚨 Sen. Susan Collins — Once again she allowed herself to be played like a fool, this time by Tulsi Gabbard. After years of being misled by nominees who flip on her the moment they’re confirmed, she still hasn’t learned her lesson.
🚨 Darren J. Beattie — An unabashed, blatant racist and sexist, he recently tweeted:
"Competent white men must be in charge if you want things to work. Unfortunately, our entire national ideology is predicated on coddling the feelings of women and minorities and demoralizing competent white men."
He also told Sen. Tim Scott and other minority Republicans to "bend the knee" and "learn their place." Now, he's Marco Rubio’s new Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy. He should be fired immediately.
🚨 Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy — Banned identity-based celebrations at the DOT, stating: “Effective immediately, the Department of Transportation will no longer participate in celebrations based on immutable traits.” Something tells me that under his “leadership” certain traits are going to be more immutable than others.
🚨 Donald Trump Jr. — Shot a protected species of duck while hunting in Venice, Italy. What is it about prominent Republicans shooting things they aren’t supposed to? (Asking for Dick Cheney and Kristi Noem.)
🚨 USPS — Suspended package deliveries from China and Hong Kong indefinitely, causing massive disruptions with little explanation.
🚨 Argentina President Javier Milei — Following Trump’s lead his far-right government announced plans to withdraw from the World Health Organization citing “profound differences" with the U.N. agency. Let’s all hope no international health crisis arises while Trump is in office.
🚨 Rep. Andy Biggs — Introduced a bill to abolish OSHA, effectively eliminating federal workplace safety protections. Because who needs worker protections these days, right?
🚨 Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) — Used slurs against transgender Americans during a congressional hearing, proving once again that she is a unique disgrace to public service.
🚨 Sen. John Fetterman — He voted to confirm Pam Bondi — an election denier — as America’s next Attorney General. Why wasn’t denying a democratic election a deal breaker for him?
🚨 Rep. Ro Khanna — He is actually fundraising off the failed vote (19-20) that he missed which would have subpoenaed Elon Musk to appear before the committee that he serves on. Since when is NOT showing up and doing your job a reason for voters to financially support you?
🚨 The CIA — It reportedly sent the White House an unclassified email with the names of some of its new employees. One former agency officer called the reporting of the names a “counterintelligence disaster.” This is what happens when you remove professionals from important jobs and replace them with partisan hacks.
🚨 The CDC — For the first time in 64 years the CDC did not publish its weekly health alert. This Administration’s suppression of critical information leaves doctors in the dark about potential new outbreaks. Science 101: Silencing researchers does not stop viruses.
🚨 Kanye West — He tweeted “I love Hitler. Now what Bitches” among a storm of racist, sexist, and other vile and disgusting messages to his 32.3 million followers. For reference the global Jewish population is ~16 million. He is a menace to society who should be shunned completely.
And Finally, The LEADERBOARD’S Super Bowl Bold Prediction:
The Kansas City Chiefs: 24
The Philadelphia Eagles: 20.
Enjoy the game!
David,
This is one of your most disturbing articles. We all are in deep trouble.