EU doubles down on diversity policies under Trump assault
Equality commissioner Hadja Lahbib highlighted the stark contrast between Brussels and Washington over the issue as she presented a new “anti-racism” strategy in Strasbourg. — Reuters pic
Wednesday, 21 Jan 2026 12:10 PM MYT
STRASBOURG, Jan 21 — Diversity, equality and inclusion are “at the core” of the European Union project, the bloc’s equality chief said yesterday, doubling down on policies under attack from US President Donald Trump.
Equality commissioner Hadja Lahbib highlighted the stark contrast between Brussels and Washington over the issue as she presented a new “anti-racism” strategy in Strasbourg.
“When it comes to the Americans, they do what they want. They can mock, but we are not like this. These are our values. This is who we are,” she told a press briefing, replying to a reporter’s question.
Trump infamously mocked a disabled reporter in 2015 as he ran for president a first time in 2015.
Since returning to the White House last year, the American leader has moved to dismantle diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs across the US federal government.
He has also threatened companies that practise such policies, including European firms, claiming they discriminate against white people.
“When it comes to diversity, inclusion and equality, this is at the core of the European project, and we are going to defend it strongly, especially today, as it is put into question,” Lahbib said.
Diversity was good for the economy, she added, saying that racial and ethnic discrimination cost Europe almost €13 billion (RM61.8 billion) annually in lost growth.
“We will do everything to attract people from different backgrounds,” she said.
The EU’s new “anti-racism” strategy envisages stiffening sanctions against discrimination and strengthening equality bodies among other things.
The Trump administration has been brutally critical of Europe, describing it in its national security strategy last month as facing “civilisational erasure” from migration and calling for “cultivating resistance” among hard-right parties.
“When they say that we are losing our own identities, they shouldn’t forget that Trump basically is from German descent, I think that his wife is Slovenian,” Lahbib said.
Her comments come as EU-US relations hit a historic low with Trump pushing to gain ownership of Greenland from Denmark and threatening tariffs to get his way. — AFP
One reason Greenland is strategically important to the US is in fact twofold:
ReplyDelete1. It’s the best place to set up anti-missile defenses to intercept ICBMs coming from Russia / China
2. It’s a very good place to set up offensive missile capabilities to threaten Russia / China
The WSJ had a good graphic out a few days ago showing the trajectory of missiles from ICBM sites around Russia to the US would fly overhead or near Greenland, which also happens to be almost directly beneath where those missiles would reach their highest points (“apogee”) which is when they are most vulnerable to interception because they are traveling at their slowest speeds.
If you throw a ball into the air you’ll see the same effect - the ball is slowest at its highest point.
And for an intelligently guided missile capable of trying to evade interception, you have an even better chance to shoot it down from a point directly beneath it since that is the closest path to the missile (i.e. least amount of warning time for the missile to realize an interceptor is coming).
This above is all courtesy of our resident rocket scientist Phil.
The US already has the right to dot Greenland with military installations, and I imagine that extends to intercepting ICBMs. Though Europe might object for some purposes.
https://x.com/michaeljburry/status/2013636875521605980?s=20
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteSource anti China
DeleteKen Cao-The China Crash Chronicle
BREAKING:
ReplyDeleteAround 10 aerial refueling tankers just left the USA
3-4 of them are heading to the Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar while the rest will land in Europe. WSJ also reports that both Patriot and THAAD air defense systems are being moved to the Middle East. Things are happening.
https://x.com/visegrad24/status/2013857272603062617?s=20
Unsubstantiated fart
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ReplyDeleteSource dodgy:
DeleteRichard Miriti
@miriti55453
Author | National Security Researcher | 🎥 Decode Conflict | Conservative ✝️ | Christian & Proud American 🇺🇸 | Pro Israel