TEHRAN (Tasnim) – A Finnish political economist and author said despite differences of opinion between the Trump administration and its allies in the European Union on some global issues, EU leaders are “essentially vassals” of the US Deep State.
“The European leaders are essentially vassals of the United States,” Jon Hellevig said in an interview with the Tasnim News Agency.
“They do as the Americans tell, but they are very much frustrated by Trump’s undiplomatic style…,” the analyst added.
Jon Krister Hellevig is a Finnish lawyer and businessman who has worked in Russia since the early 1990s. Hellevig was a candidate in the European parliament election in 2014. He is the managing partner of the Moscow-based law company Hellevig, Klein & Usov. Hellevig has written several books, including Avenir Guide to Russian Taxes (2002, 2003, 2006 English and Russian editions); Avenir Guide to Labor Laws (2002, 2003, 2006 English and Russian editions). Expressions and Interpretations, a book on the philosophy of law and the development of Russian legal practices; Hellevig takes actively part in public discussion of current affairs and social structure contributing with articles and commentary in the media. He regularly lectures at international seminars on various topics.
Following is the full text of the interview:
Tasnim: Tensions have grown in recent months between the US and its closest allies in the EU over various issues, including Iran, which was underlined at a recent US-backed conference on the Middle East in Poland that was largely sidestepped by many European governments. What do you think about US President Donald Trump’s foreign policy that has strained the transatlantic relations?
Hellevig: I must start with pointing out that there is no Donald Trump’s foreign policy. I mean we must not personify the US policy with the name of the president. Since they murdered President (John F.) Kennedy, the United States has not been governed by its elected officials. The power in the US belongs to the cabal of the Deep State.
What comes to that foreign policy, it is very much connected with the death throes of the American Empire. The US Deep State elites are in panic as their global power is failing and their debt-ridden economy is about to implode. The US cannot any longer afford its imperial overreach, the wars it is waging and the military bases and navy carrier groups around the world. At the same time China and Russia have risen as economic and military giants. China’s economy is now much bigger than that of the USA – the petrodollar also being at stake – and Russia is now the undisputed leader in 21st century weapons technology.
The US Deep State regime has been for decades trying to establish an absolute global hegemony, but now, it is too late. But instead of acknowledging that, they are raving like a bull in the china shop of global politics. They have left all their pretense to diplomacy – and Trump is like cast for that role – as they try to bully friends and foes to their desperate geopolitical agenda of aggression. At the same time they want to plug the holes of their sinking economy by their trade wars and by extorting protection money from their NATO allies.
Tasnim: The Trump administration’s foreign policies are also slammed by top US officials. Recently, Speaker of the US House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi described the administration’s general approach toward Iran, including Washington’s withdrawal from the 2015 nicer deal, as “completely wrong”. Do you believe that other US officials would cooperate with the Trump administration in implementing its policies?
Hellevig: I would not make much about the seeming division among the top US officials. As I said, they are all puppets of the Deep State, the Congress very much so. They all agree, on orders from their Deep State handlers, on all the foreign policy issues, as we have now seen in the unanimous support of attempted US coup in Venezuela. Admittedly, in the question of Iran there seems to be a rift. It is possible that the elites are split as to this question, certainly not about their desire to succumb Iran and to affect a regime change there, but about the strategy.
More than listening to Pelosi, I would analyze what the US media says (which constitutes the propaganda machine of the Deep State).
Tasnim: The White House made a massive blunder after claiming European leaders applauded when Vice President Mike Pence dropped President Donald Trump’s name in a speech. Pence was speaking at the Munich Security Conference in Germany when he passed on Trump’s regards to the dignitaries gathered. The 59-year-old paused for several moments, waiting for a response, but the crowd remained silent. Do not you think that it is another sign of the strained transatlantic relations? How do you predict the European Countries’ future reactions to the conflicting policies adopted by the Trump administration?
Hellevig: The European leaders are essentially vassals of the United States. They do as the Americans tell, but they are very much frustrated by Trump’s undiplomatic style, so no wonder they did not clap.
Trump is a palace hostage of the Deep State. Originally, he was his own man with his own agenda, but he has been tamed by now. But again, I stress, there seems to be a rift within the Deep State between two competing factions, one of them owns Trump while the European vassals take their orders from the other faction. They agree on most issues, but as I said, concerning Iran there seems to be differences in opinion.
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