GÜNCEL YAZILAR - Sedat Laçiner

By Sedat Laçiner "Make America Great Again" is Donald Trump 's most frequently repeated slogan—one that has effectively become his political motto. Most people assume that by invoking "MAGA," Trump is celebrating America's greatness. In reality, however, the slogan is built on the assumption—and indeed the assertion—that the United States is no longer a great power. The key lies in a single word: "again." If a country must be made great again, it implies that it has lost the greatness it once possessed. By championing MAGA , Trump is effectively arguing that America has ceased to be "great" and that he alone can restore its former status. Put differently, Trump's message is: "America used to be great. It isn't anymore. I will make it great again." Previous American presidents openly acknowledged that the country faced serious challenges. When Barack Obama declared, "Yes We Can," he was referring to those very ...

The Trump administration has moved to freeze approximately $510 million in federal grants to Brown University, pending a review of the university’s response to antisemitism and its stance on diversity-related policies, the White House confirmed on Thursday. Brown officials, however, said they were unaware of any such action. “As of now, we have no information to confirm these reports,” Provost Frank Doyle wrote in a message to academic leaders. “We’re actively monitoring all grant-related communications but currently have nothing further to share.” Brown now joins a growing list of elite universities under scrutiny by the Trump administration. Federal funding has also been suspended for Columbia University and the University of Pennsylvania, as officials examine campus policies and responses to rising tensions over the Israel-Gaza conflict. *** The Trump administration has launched investigations into several institutions where pro-Palestinian protests have taken place, alleging that u...

By Sedat Laciner The Greenland dispute between two NATO allies, Denmark and the US, is growing. Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen rebuked American officials after Vice President J.D. Vance's visit to Greenland, saying that while they are open to criticism on all issues, the way the Americans criticize is unacceptable. Minister Rasmussen said, "Frankly, this is not how you talk to your close allies." US Vice President D.J. Vance visited the island of Greenland with his wife and senior officials on Friday and criticized Denmark. Vance said, "Our message to Denmark is very simple. You have not done a good job for the people of Greenland. You have failed to ensure the security of the country." Vance's speech had a condescending and derogatory tone towards Denmark. Vance is already known for his condescending and even insulting speeches towards Europeans. Vance last called Europeans "pathetic" in the leaked part of the talks to prepare for th...

Russian President Vladimir Putin has cautioned against underestimating U.S. President Donald Trump’s push to acquire Greenland , calling it a continuation of longstanding American strategic interests in the Arctic. Speaking in Murmansk on Thursday, Putin noted that the United States has pursued control of the mineral-rich territory for over a century. “It is a profound mistake to treat it as some preposterous talk by the new U.S. administration. Nothing of the sort,” Putin said, referring to Trump’s stated intent to annex Greenland. He added that U.S. ambitions date back to the 1860s and that Washington had previously sought to purchase Greenland from Denmark after World War II. “In short, the United States has serious plans regarding Greenland. These plans have long historical roots, and it is obvious that the United States will continue to consistently advance its geo-strategic, military-political, and economic interests in the Arctic,” Putin stated. His remarks come as U.S. Vice Pr...

In a significant move, the Trump administration has announced the cancellation of approximately $400 million in federal grants and contracts allocated to Columbia University. The decision, unveiled on Friday, follows allegations that the university failed to adequately safeguard Jewish students, a charge that has drawn intense scrutiny from both the government and the public. The grants in question originate from multiple federal agencies, including the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the General Services Administration (GSA), and the Department of Education. Officials assert that the revocation aligns with federal anti-discrimination laws, which they claim Columbia has neglected to uphold. Federal Response and Justification "Universities must comply with all federal anti-discrimination laws if they are to receive taxpayer funding," Education Secretary Linda McMahon stated in a press briefing. "Columbia has abandoned that obligation to Jewish students stud...

Zelenskyy Signals Willingness to Work Under Trump’s Leadership, Pushes for Security Agreement Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has expressed readiness to sign a minerals and security agreement with the United States and to collaborate under Donald Trump’s leadership if he returns to the White House. While acknowledging that his recent meeting with Trump "did not go the way it was supposed to," Zelenskyy reaffirmed Ukraine’s commitment to peace and praised the former U.S. president for previously supplying Javelin anti-tank missiles to Kyiv. Call for Peace and Negotiations In a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter), Zelenskyy reiterated Ukraine’s desire for an end to the war and emphasized the need for negotiations to secure lasting peace. "None of us wants an endless war. Ukraine is ready to come to the negotiating table as soon as possible to bring lasting peace closer. Nobody wants peace more than Ukrainians. My team and I stand ready to work under President ...

The long-term decline in the number of Americans identifying as Christian appears to have largely stabilized. Simultaneously, the steady rise in those who consider themselves "religiously unaffiliated" has also plateaued. These insights come from a Pew Research Center survey released on Wednesday. Originally launched in 2007, Pew’s Religious Landscape Study provides a broad view of religious affiliation in the U.S., showing an increasingly secular society—especially among younger generations—while also highlighting the strong connection between religious beliefs and political leanings. Notably, for the first time, a greater percentage of liberals now identify as religiously unaffiliated than as Christian. Christianity’s Decline Has Slowed At present, 62% of Americans identify as Christian, a figure that has remained relatively consistent over the past five years but has decreased from 71% in 2014 and 78% in 2007. The latest survey reports that 40% of U.S. adults identify as P...

Officials within the U.S. administration are resisting the inclusion of language explicitly identifying Russia as the aggressor in a forthcoming G7 statement marking the third anniversary of Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. This stance has the potential to undermine the traditional display of unity among member states, according to five Western officials who spoke to the Financial Times . “We firmly believe that a clear distinction must be made between Russia and Ukraine. They are not equivalent,” stated an official with direct knowledge of the discussions. U.S. representatives have opposed the use of the term "Russian aggression" and similar characterizations that G7 leaders have consistently employed since 2022 to describe the conflict, the officials reported. Notably, last year’s G7 leaders' statement referenced Russia’s aggression on five separate occasions. According to two individuals familiar with the matter, the Trump administration’s insistence on moderat...

One-Ton Bomb Shipment from the US to Israel – Rubio and Netanyahu Declare: "We Will Finish the Iran Problem" During the first official US visit to Israel, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio made strong statements regarding Iran. Coinciding with Rubio’s visit, Israel received a shipment of approximately one ton of MK-84 bombs , also known as “doomsday bombs,” capable of penetrating metal, from the US. Meanwhile, discussions on the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire will take place in Israel tomorrow. At a joint press conference, Netanyahu described US President Donald Trump as “the greatest friend Israel has ever had in the White House.” ‘STRANGE ONE-ARMED HUG’ According to the Israeli press, Netanyahu greeted Rubio with an unusual one-armed hug at the start of their meeting. He noted that the two leaders, along with their teams, had “a very productive meeting on several key issues,” emphasizing, “None is more important than Iran.” Netanya...