Readers sound off on America’s standing, Elon Musk’s influence and Kendrick Lamar

Trump’s ‘America first’ mightiness marque China first

Manhattan: In wielding coercion, bullying and blunt unit against allies, President Trump is squandering decades of diplomatic enactment done by the United States since, perhaps, Franklin Roosevelt’s Good Neighbor policy. Trump doesn’t judge successful brushed powerfulness oregon engendering goodwill. Blunt unit whitethorn consciousness bully successful the moment, but it doesn’t heal you. It seems apt to backfire.

In fomenting gripes against Canada, Mexico and the EU, Trump is activating the astir gullible among his governmental basal to consciousness enmity toward an force that isn’t. Mexico has much crushed to clasp grudges against the U.S., which took fractional of Mexico successful a bare onshore grab. The escaped commercialized statement with Canada and Mexico was negotiated during Trump’s archetypal term. In violating it, Trump says erstwhile again to the satellite that the U.S. can’t beryllium trusted to support its promises oregon carnivore its burdens. His long, winding database of resentments is present America’s agenda.

Allies person occupation deciphering betwixt Trump, Russia’s Vladimir Putin and China’s Xi Jinping. How tin the U.S. basal against Russia’s penetration of Ukraine if Trump threatens Denmark with an penetration of Greenland? Or Panama? Bear successful mind, the U.S. successful the 20th period invaded respective Latin American countries to support firm and economical interests — successful ample part, to summation power implicit banana plantations.

This isn’t 1950. There are geopolitical alternatives to the U.S. If it is simply different ample state that bullies smaller ones, countries allied with the U.S. volition gravitate toward China. Trump whitethorn similar to look pugnacious connected TV, but successful doing so, helium does harm to the U.S.’ lasting semipermanent and pushes friends into the hands of enemies. Daniel Dolgicer

Overlooked officer

Sunnyside: I tin recognize wherefore you would privation to pass your readers astir the occupation Trump is causing with our allies (“Price hikes feared,” Feb. 3). However, I bash not recognize wherefore you person fixed truthful small sum to the merchandise of the assassin who murdered NYPD Officer Juan Andino backmost successful 1984. You should person had a photograph of Andino connected your beforehand page, not 1 of Trump. John Francis Fox

Race-motivated

Bedford, N.Y.: Thank you for this editorial (“Musk’s USAID shutdown is illegal,” Feb. 4). Not galore radical successful the U.S. cognize astir the agency, the enactment it does passim the satellite oregon its interaction connected the poorest of the poor. Elon Musk is an uninformed antheral for whom helping different countries woody with their earthy disasters, nationalist wellness oregon maternal and kid nutrition, etc. mightiness beryllium “wasteful” successful his constrictive mind. But my fearfulness is that down his amerciable determination to unopen down USAID is bigotry: 90% of USAID beneficiaries are radical of color. Hopefully, his and Trump’s existent motives volition travel to airy and our different elected officials, from representatives to senators and immoderate furniture members, volition turn a backbone and halt the madness earlier it’s excessively late. Céline Secada

Unelected leader

Commack, L.I.: I don’t callback seeing Musk’s sanction connected the ballot this past November for the relation of co-president of the United States. Not to notation that arsenic idiosyncratic not calved successful the U.S., he’s not qualified for that position. I besides don’t callback him going earlier the Senate and being interviewed for a information for a statesmanlike assignment per Article II, Section 2 of the U.S. Constitution. What did I miss? Yvonne Fitzner

Shared title

Ocala, Fla.: I suggest that each azygous satirical outlet calls Musk “President Musk.” This volition surely arouse the ire of Trump, whose ego volition beryllium wounded bigly. Perhaps this is the lone mode the U.S.A. tin get Musk retired of our records and retired of our lives portion helium is trying to make an oligarchy for Trump. Musk and his unelected minions person entree to each Treasury Department information that see our Social Security records and more! By appealing to Trump’s request that helium beryllium the pinnacle of power, possibly highlighting Musk’s ascendancy mightiness work. The U.S.A. is successful large trouble, folks. Lynn Miller

For the communal good

Tamarac, Fla.: After galore interviews with Democratic leaders, it was revealed that immoderate are present struggling to find wherever their priorities indispensable lie. The caller U.S. president is not undermining the halfway of the antiauthoritarian institutions arsenic immoderate would believe, but alternatively is strengthening an America that has been progressively weakened by failed policies, specified arsenic transgression justness reform, ostentation and immigration, to sanction conscionable a few. America has ever prided itself connected being the top state successful the satellite done diversity, past and opportunity, and determination is nary crushed to judge that volition ever change. This medication is not retired to wounded you, but to assistance fortify the weaknesses of the state you unrecorded in. You mightiness beryllium a Democrat oregon you mightiness beryllium a Republican, but archetypal and foremost, you are inactive an American. Roberta Chaleff

Desecrating democracy

Bronx: We larn done history, not from it. When our complainer successful main enactment connected his adept chapeau and explained (in his ain words) the horrific jet/helicopter crash, it brought backmost atrocious memories. The flashbacks from his past travesties (his handling of COVID, the hurricane fiasco and the Jan. 6 atrocity, for example) each played retired successful my head. It is crystal wide and cringeworthy to enactment that the crippled program is the aforesaid arsenic before. He picks retired groups helium tin easy handle, creates illusions of discontent and abuses groups that disagree. By destroying governmental departments that assistance the wide public, helium tries to execute his lone aim: weakening the volition of the American people. When radical who formed their ballot for him spot done his aged opus and creation and determine to enactment unneurotic for the communal good, we shall statesman to person pridefulness again successful our nation. Mark Benveniste

Cogent complaint

Peekskill, N.Y.: A great, impeccable missive from Voicer Claudette Mobley. Her points astir the terms of eggs and Musk were close and pragmatic. Her anterior letters person been arsenic excellent. I look guardant to her aboriginal complaints. Steven Bevacqua

Specify who

White Plains, N.Y.: Voicer Heyward Johnson correctly notes that the intended benefactors of the archetypal Civil Rights Act of 1964 (CRA) person not afloat benefited. The CRA was amended successful 1972 to adhd sex, which helium points to arsenic benefiting achromatic women, and the 1965 Immigration Act helps “simply” persons of color. I hold that DEI, affirmative action, etc. should beryllium transparent and straightforwardly assistance American Descendants of Slavery, and not usage ambiguous presumption specified arsenic “diversity,” “equity” and “inclusion.” I disagree that those presumption see 1 group, namely Asian-Americans, and the Supreme Court held the same. In different words, astir would beryllium good with programs that specifically assistance ADOS and truthful state. Chris Lee

Order update?

Middle Village: I was conscionable wondering however agelong it takes to person my pricey caller trash bin. Robert Chirieleison

Disruptive resident

Manhattan: I americium reaching retired to bring urgent attraction to an ongoing contented connected 12th St. betwixt Fifth and Sixth Aves. Despite galore complaints from residents and our artifact relation to 311, 911 and the section City Council office, nary enactment has been taken to code a persistent stateless encampment connected our block. For the past respective weeks, an idiosyncratic has been surviving outdoors successful dangerously acold temperatures without immoderate meaningful involution oregon support. Additionally, his beingness has attracted rodents, and his behaviour has go progressively confrontational toward pedestrians. Given the caller incidents of unit involving mentally sick individuals, it is profoundly concerning that the metropolis has yet to instrumentality a solution oregon adjacent admit a program of action. I impulse the metropolis to code this substance promptly and guarantee that some the idiosyncratic successful request and the residents of our assemblage are provided with a harmless and sustainable resolution. Matthew Scholl

Taking bets

Kew Gardens Hills: Las Vegas has over/under numbers for everything: however galore touchdowns, tract goals, rushing yards, passing yards, turnovers and dozens of different over/under numbers for gamblers to wager connected Super Bowl 59 (I failed Roman numerals). I was wondering what the over/under is for however galore times Kendrick Lamar spouts obscenities and the N-word during his show astatine halftime. Barry Koppel