“What’s yours is mine, and what’s mine is my own.” – Zoe, a character in James Joyce’s novel “Ulysses”

I try to focus most of my columns on Alabama government and politics because I believe you, beloved reader, are likely already inundated with articles involving our national government.

So it takes quite a bit for me to write a column on the national government as the Alabama Legislature is kicking into gear. Yet, here we are.

On Saturday President Donald Trump proclaimed the U.S. would begin imposing additional 10 percent tariffs on goods from eight European nations – Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, The Netherlands, France, Germany and the United Kingdom. The tariffs will increase to 25 percent in June if his demand is not met.

The demand? Denmark must allow the U.S. to purchase Greenland, the world’s largest island in land area. The problem is Denmark is not interested in selling Greenland to the U.S. or to any other country.

In a social media post, Trump alleged U.S. possession of Greenland is needed to bolster national security as part of a missile defense system as well as to preempt China or Russia from eventually overtaking the island.

He also claimed Denmark and other European countries’ economies have benefitted from low or no U.S. trade tariffs for decades, so we should get something from them in return.

Trump has established the most aggressive U.S. foreign policy for the Western Hemisphere in at least the last several decades. Some pundits call it the “Donroe” Doctrine as a nod to the 1823 Monroe Doctrine on foreign policy, which also focused on the Western Hemisphere.

Along with the current Greenland issue, Trump, at various times, has focused a spotlight onto Brazil, Argentina, Panama, Colombia, Canada, El Salvador and, most recently, Venezuela.

Trump’s administration has blown up several suspected Venezuelan drug-running boats, and Trump approved sending in the U.S. military to abduct President Nicolás Maduro and his wife to stand trial in the U.S. on drug trafficking charges.

The president’s deep involvement in negotiations with Maduro’s replacement to ensure U.S. oil companies have access to Venezuela’s alleged vast oil reserves are making Trump’s war on drugs look more and more like a guise for gaining access to those reserves.

Now Trump has set his sights on Greenland, but his justifications for Denmark forking over a huge chunk of land with a population of only 50-60,000 people – mostly made up of native Inuits – are hollow as a dry well.

Neither Denmark nor Greenland – which is mostly self-governing, though officially remains a territory of Denmark – have sent in drugs, undocumented immigrants, provided aid to our enemies or done anything to offend our American sensibilities.

Additionally, neither China nor Russia has expressed interest in taking over Greenland. If either tried, the U.S., Canada and most of Europe are required – through their membership in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization – to come to its defense.

If, as Trump claims, the U.S. also has been economically subsidizing Europe for decades then it was our fault for agreeing to poor trade deals. It is not Europe’s duty to throw us a bone for following along with the mutually-agreed-upon economic policies of the past.

Trump’s reasoning also conveniently ignores that keeping tariff levels low allows U.S. goods to be sold more easily in Europe, which greatly expands the market for American-produced goods.

Given Trump’s interest in Venezuela’s oil, a more plausible argument for taking over Greenland might be he is interested in mining the rare minerals believed to be contained within Greenland’s borders.

So now Denmark faces tariffs for simply keeping its own land. The sin of the other seven countries Trump mentioned in his tariff pronouncement was they supported Denmark’s right to keep its own land.

Bullying our closest allies – countries we have worked with in advancing peace through diplomacy and shed blood with while battling a common foe – is both heartbreaking and threatening to global peace, especially with Trump refusing to rule out using military force to take Greenland.

Moreover, if the U.S. continues to play chicken with tariffs with our economic partners, those allies may instead choose to partner with countries that are economic threats to the U.S.

The day before Trump’s tariff declaration, Canada announced a trade deal with China. Only hours after Trump’s post, the European Union announced a free-trade agreement with a large bloc of South American countries.

Teddy Roosevelt’s foreign policy slogan was, “Speak softly, and carry a big stick.” Trump’s might be summarized as, “Talk brashly, and poke the bear with your stick.” One day that bear is eventually going to bite.