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92 jili NoneBy MICHELLE L. PRICE and ROB GILLIES NEW YORK (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump’s recent dinner with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his visit to Paris for the reopening of the Notre Dame Cathedral were not just exercises in policy and diplomacy. They were also prime trolling opportunities for Trump. Related Articles National Politics | Trump names Andrew Ferguson as head of Federal Trade Commission to replace Lina Khan National Politics | Biden says he was ‘stupid’ not to put his name on pandemic relief checks like Trump did National Politics | Biden issues veto threat on bill expanding federal judiciary as partisan split emerges National Politics | Trump lawyers and aide hit with 10 additional felony charges in Wisconsin over 2020 fake electors National Politics | After withdrawing as attorney general nominee, Matt Gaetz lands a talk show on OANN television Throughout his first term in the White House and during his campaign to return, Trump has spun out countless provocative, antagonizing and mocking statements. There were his belittling nicknames for political opponents, his impressions of other political figures and the plentiful memes he shared on social media. Now that’s he’s preparing to return to the Oval Office, Trump is back at it, and his trolling is attracting more attention — and eyerolls. On Sunday, Trump turned a photo of himself seated near a smiling first lady Jill Biden at the Notre Dame ceremony into a social media promo for his new perfume and cologne line, with the tag line, “A fragrance your enemies can’t resist!” The first lady’s office declined to comment. When Trudeau hastily flew to Florida to meet with Trump last month over the president-elect’s threat to impose a 25% tax on all Canadian products entering the U.S., the Republican tossed out the idea that Canada become the 51st U.S. state. The Canadians passed off the comment as a joke, but Trump has continued to play up the dig, including in a post Tuesday morning on his social media network referring to the prime minister as “Governor Justin Trudeau of the Great State of Canada.” After decades as an entertainer and tabloid fixture, Trump has a flair for the provocative that is aimed at attracting attention and, in his most recent incarnation as a politician, mobilizing fans. He has long relished poking at his opponents, both to demean and minimize them and to delight supporters who share his irreverent comments and posts widely online and cheer for them in person. Trump, to the joy of his fans, first publicly needled Canada on his social media network a week ago when he posted an AI-generated image that showed him standing on a mountain with a Canadian flag next to him and the caption “Oh Canada!” After his latest post, Canadian Immigration Minister Marc Miller said Tuesday: “It sounds like we’re living in a episode of South Park.” Trudeau said earlier this week that when it comes to Trump, “his approach will often be to challenge people, to destabilize a negotiating partner, to offer uncertainty and even sometimes a bit of chaos into the well established hallways of democracies and institutions and one of the most important things for us to do is not to freak out, not to panic.” Even Thanksgiving dinner isn’t a trolling-free zone for Trump’s adversaries. On Thanksgiving Day, Trump posted a movie clip from “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” with President Joe Biden and other Democrats’ faces superimposed on the characters in a spoof of the turkey-carving scene. The video shows Trump appearing to explode out of the turkey in a swirl of purple sparks, with the former president stiffly dancing to one of his favorite songs, Village People’s “Y.M.C.A.” In his most recent presidential campaign, Trump mocked Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, refusing to call his GOP primary opponent by his real name and instead dubbing him “Ron DeSanctimonious.” He added, for good measure, in a post on his Truth Social network: “I will never call Ron DeSanctimonious ‘Meatball’ Ron, as the Fake News is insisting I will.” As he campaigned against Biden, Trump taunted him in online posts and with comments and impressions at his rallies, deriding the president over his intellect, his walk, his golf game and even his beach body. After Vice President Kamala Harris took over Biden’s spot as the Democratic nominee, Trump repeatedly suggested she never worked at McDonalds while in college. Trump, true to form, turned his mocking into a spectacle by appearing at a Pennsylvania McDonalds in October, when he manned the fries station and held an impromptu news conference from the restaurant drive-thru. Trump’s team thinks people should get a sense of humor. “President Trump is a master at messaging and he’s always relatable to the average person, whereas many media members take themselves too seriously and have no concept of anything else other than suffering from Trump Derangement Syndrome,” said Steven Cheung, Trump’s communications director. “President Trump will Make America Great Again and we are getting back to a sense of optimism after a tumultuous four years.” Though both the Biden and Harris campaigns created and shared memes and launched other stunts to respond to Trump’s taunts, so far America’s neighbors to the north are not taking the bait. “I don’t think we should necessarily look on Truth Social for public policy,” Miller said. Gerald Butts, a former top adviser to Trudeau and a close friend, said Trump brought up the 51st state line to Trudeau repeatedly during Trump’s first term in office. “Oh God,” Butts said Tuesday, “At least a half dozen times.” “This is who he is and what he does. He’s trying to destabilize everybody and make people anxious,” Butts said. “He’s trying to get people on the defensive and anxious and therefore willing to do things they wouldn’t otherwise entertain if they had their wits about them. I don’t know why anybody is surprised by it.” Gillies reported from Toronto. Associated Press writer Darlene Superville contributed to this report.

OAK PARK, Mich., Dec. 9, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- , a commercial electric vehicle ("EV") manufacturer, has named St. Louis-based Broadway Ford Truck Center as an official Bollinger Motors dealer, strengthening Bollinger Motors' Midwest presence. "Our partnership with Broadway Ford Truck Center in St. Louis marks a significant step forward in meeting the growing demand for electric vehicles among fleet managers," said Jim Connelly, chief revenue officer at Bollinger Motors. "This partnership expands our footprint in a key market and ensures that commercial fleet operators have access to innovative EV solutions. Together, we're helping businesses transition to sustainable transportation while addressing their operational needs with efficiency and reliability." The Bollinger B4 Chassis Cab is an all-new, all-electric class 4 commercial truck designed from the ground up with extensive fleet and upfitter input. Bollinger's unique chassis design protects the 158-kwh battery pack and components to offer unparalleled capability and safety in the commercial market. The company began delivering Bollinger B4 vehicles to customers in October. "We are excited to partner with Bollinger Motors to bring their innovative electric trucks to the St. Louis market," said Dennis Phillips, president of Broadway Ford Truck Center. "At Broadway Ford Truck, we take pride in offering our customers advanced solutions that meet the demands of today's commercial vehicle industry while paving the way for a more sustainable tomorrow. Bollinger Motors' commitment to quality and electrification perfectly complements our dedication to delivering exceptional products and service. This partnership represents a shared vision for growth, innovation, and driving progress in the transportation sector." Bollinger Motors has passed numerous milestones in the past several months, including: ABOUT BOLLINGER MOTORS Founded in 2015 by Robert Bollinger, Bollinger Motors, Inc. is a U.S.-based company headquartered in Oak Park, Michigan. Bollinger Motors is developing all-electric commercial chassis cab trucks, Classes 4-6. In September of 2022, Bollinger Motors became a majority-owned company of Mullen Automotive, Inc. (NASDAQ: ). Learn more at and . FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENT Certain statements in this press release that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Any statements contained in this press release that are not statements of historical fact may be deemed forward-looking statements. Words such as "continue," "will," "may," "could," "should," "expect," "expected," "plans," "intend," "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "predict," "potential" and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements involve significant risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements, many of which are generally outside the control of Bollinger Motors and are difficult to predict. Examples of such risks and uncertainties include: (a) Bollinger Motors' ability to finalize a sales agreement with Doering Fleet Management, EnviroCharge, and Momentum Groups and deliver purchased vehicles on schedule; (b) Bollinger Motors' continued partnership with Anderson Motors, Affinity Truck Center, Nacarato Truck Centers, TEC Equipment, and Nuss Truck & Equipment as dealers and service centers; (c) Bollinger Motors' continued partnership with Our Next Energy as a battery supplier; (d) Bollinger Motors' continued relationship with Syncron as its warranty administration provider; and (e) Bollinger Motors' continued relationship with Amerit Fleet Solutions as its mobile service provider. Additional examples of such risks and uncertainties include but are not limited to: (i) Bollinger Motors' ability (or inability) to obtain additional financing in sufficient amounts or on acceptable terms when needed; (ii) Bollinger Motors' ability to maintain existing, and secure additional, contracts with manufacturers, parts and other service providers relating to its business; (iii) Bollinger Motors' ability to successfully expand in existing markets and enter new markets; (iv) Bollinger Motors' ability to successfully manage and integrate any acquisitions of businesses, solutions or technologies; (v) unanticipated operating costs, transaction costs and actual or contingent liabilities; (vi) the ability to attract and retain qualified employees and key personnel; (vii) adverse effects of increased competition on Bollinger Motors' business; (viii) changes in government licensing and regulation that may adversely affect Bollinger Motors' business; (ix) the risk that changes in consumer behavior could adversely affect Bollinger Motors' business; (x) Bollinger Motors' ability to protect its intellectual property; (xi) the vehicles developed will perform as expected and (xii) local, industry and general business and economic conditions. Additional factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements can be found in the most recent annual report on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, and current reports on Form 8-K filed by Mullen Automotive, Inc., of which Bollinger Motors is a partially owned subsidiary, with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Bollinger Motors anticipates that subsequent events and developments may cause its plans, intentions, and expectations to change. Bollinger Motors assumes no obligation, and it specifically disclaims any intention or obligation, to update any forward-looking statements, whether because of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as expressly required by law. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made and should not be relied upon as representing Bollinger Motors' plans and expectations as of any subsequent date. View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Bollinger Motors

In a recent forecast, Anthony Pompliano , founder of Morgan Creek Capital, anticipates a significant upswing for Bitcoin BTC/USD and the broader crypto market in 2025 . What Happened : Pompliano, a prominent crypto advocate, asserts that digital assets are gaining traction in the conventional finance sector, which will act as a key driver in 2025. Recently on Fox Business, Pompliano said, “I think the big story of 2025 is going to be that crypto has now grown up and is part of the traditional financial system.” He further emphasized that Bitcoin will continue to dominate the crypto sphere, with the majority of capital influx from the traditional sector being directed towards Bitcoin. “I think that Bitcoin is the king and will remain the king. Most of the capital flows from the traditional world are going into Bitcoin. There are going to be other assets that enter into the market, you obviously see the Ethereum ETH/USD ETF get approved and you'll probably see others get approved as well,” he said during the interview. Also Read: This Analyst Says Bitcoin Could Reach $200K By End of 2025 Pompliano also pointed out that the case for any crypto other than Bitcoin is essentially a technological one, drawing parallels to the choice between tech behemoths such as Google , Amazon and Facebook . “The argument for anything other than Bitcoin is a very different one, it's a technology argument. It's no different than trying to pick between Google, Amazon, and Facebook. The Bitcoin argument is much more akin to ‘Do I want to protect my purchasing power?’" Despite the recent declaration by Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell that the U.S. is legally prohibited from holding BTC as a reserve asset, Pompliano maintains a positive outlook for Bitcoin’s future. At the time of the report, Bitcoin was trading at $94,108, reflecting a 2.1% drop on the day. Why It Matters : Pompliano’s forecast comes at a time when cryptocurrencies are increasingly being recognized and adopted by traditional financial institutions. This growing acceptance, coupled with technological advancements in the crypto space, is expected to fuel the predicted surge in 2025. Despite regulatory hurdles, such as the recent statement by the Fed Chair, the optimism surrounding Bitcoin and other digital assets remains high, indicating a promising future for the crypto market. Read Next Bitcoin's Bull Run: Betting On A $125K Finish To 2024 © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.

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For Joan Chen playing a doting but slightly disregarded Taiwanese immigrant mother in Sean Wang’s was a healing experience. Not only could she connect with the struggles that her character Chungsing goes through while raising her college-aged daughter and rebellious teenage son, the onscreen rift also helped her make amends with her daughters offscreen. “It was so cathartic to play Chungsing in this film and redemptive in a way because I think it gave me another chance almost to be a better mother,” Chen says. “And to do it better this time with my own younger daughter on set watching me, I felt like, ‘OK, Audrey. I’m talking to you. I’m trying to say, I’m sorry, and I love you.'” Throughout her nearly five-decade career, Chen has embodied more than the all-encompassing role of a supportive mommy dearest. From garnering China’s most prestigious award before she was 18 years old in pre-Maoist political drama r (1979), playing a femme fatale on (1990) to garnering U.S. moviegoers attention for her harrowing performance as an ill-fated empress trapped in a loveless marriage in the Oscar award-winning (1987). Her long-spanning career also led her to make moves behind the camera in films such as and her critically acclaimed debut film, . “Never for a moment throughout my teens and early twenties did I believe this could be a real career,” Chen says. “Looking back, I slowly fell in love with this profession because I did find self-expression in it. I have been a relatively shy person, not demonstrative of my feelings in front of people, so this became a venue for me. I was so lucky I was assigned to star in movies.” Here, with Deadline, Chen reflects on her career and the complexities of motherhood in her latest role in . There certainly is. My mother is very artistic, and I think her aspiration as a young child was to be an artist. She was a great singer. She played the grand piano, and she loved literature. Eventually, she followed in her own father’s footsteps and went into neuropharmacology. But all her life, I think what kept her happy was music. And then from my mother’s side and her mother’s side, there were great painters, and my brother is a great painter, and my mother also paints, so my brother and my mother are both a lot more talented than I am [laughs]. I fell into acting completely by accident, but they were my teachers. My brother taught me how to look at the world and how to actually see it. I remember he was painting cows. I only see black and white and maybe green grass. But he would see a myriad of colors in the green grass, and he would see the reflection from different things onto the hide of the cow. So, when I became a director, the way he taught me how to see was very important. I was 14 years old. I don’t think any 14-year-olds wanted to go back to school [laughs]. When they picked me out of the rifle team, I was overjoyed. One reason is that I would now get to go to work instead of going to school. And there were little things that, for instance, once you get a job, you can now wear a watch, students could never wear a watch, and so I was like, “Oh my god, now I could have a watch. I can wear a watch.” It was just little things that really had nothing to do with acting at first. Then, when I started practicing my lines, there was one line that I would speak. I didn’t have many lines in there, but there was one line I had to speak, the script described: with tears beaming out of my eyes and my lips quivering, and I’m like, “How do I do that?” So that was the line I practiced. I remember it being in the hallway or in the office before we were shooting. I think it’s these things that intrigued me. It’s like how you do that, how you conjure true emotion from a written page to your heart, and these types of challenges made me interested, and then later on, love acting. It was such a different era and culture. During the Cultural Revolution, our piano was taken. People would come and raid your house. My parents were considered the intellectual class as well as the bourgeoisie, so I didn’t have a choice. And most people, my brother’s age, as he’s older than me, and our friends were slightly older, were all being sent down to remote areas, so they left the city. One good thing about being an actress was that I didn’t have to graduate from high school and be assigned to a remote region, so my parents were happy about that. But never for a moment throughout my teens and early twenties did I believe this could be a real career. Looking back, I slowly fell in love with this profession because I did find self-expression in it. I have been a relatively shy person, not demonstrative of my feelings in front of people, so this became a venue for me. I was so lucky I was assigned to star in movies. I think most kids see their parents as just somebody who provides what they need. It’ll take many years and maturity for them to reflect and understand that their parents are human beings with their own desires, needs, and emotional ups and downs. In the film, Chungsing’s children are teens, and I don’t think they would see things that way. It is, in a way, my own personal experience. So, when I read the script, I felt instantly empathy toward the character’s sympathy and empathy. I felt like this was a part of my own life, now finding its expression. My children and I weathered many storms, some much worse than what’s in the film, and I take it as my responsibility. They’ve been trying to teach me to be a better mother. Being an immigrant, having been raised very differently and coming from a different culture... that uncertainty that both the character and I felt about what’s best for my children is relatable. I don’t know how to raise them. Is their behavior the norm in the society, or is it my own children that are difficult? There are so many uncertainties. I’m sure motherhood for anyone in any culture is really not for the faint of heart, especially when you are a stranger to this land and trying to raise American children. It’s awfully difficult. Chungsing’s art and paintings are so important to her. She had the aspiration of becoming an artist and then having to be a single mother, not only raising two kids but also taking care of her mother-in-law. That’s a very difficult job. Sean [Wang] ‘s mom really did a marvelous job. She’s had the patience, the resilience, and the forbearance to carry out this job, even though she wasn’t sure. It was so cathartic to play Chungsing in this film and redemptive in a way because I think it gave me another chance almost to be a better mother, to do it better this time with my own younger daughter on set watching me, and I felt like, “OK, Audrey. I’m talking to you. I’m trying to say, ‘I’m sorry, and I love you.'” My younger daughter does want to be an actress. Right now, her strongest passion is for social justice. She’s still a student at NYU, so that’s her strongest passion right now. But she does love acting also. My older daughter is a writer. Playing Sean’s mom taught me something: to have a little patience so that they will fall into their destinies where they need to be, and I don’t have to worry too much about it. I think they are two great children, and oftentimes, we fear for them, like, “Oh my God. Is she ever going to be like this or that?” Having played this character helped that. Now I know that I have faith and they’re decent people and they will find their own destiny, and so it’s a learning process for me. It was interesting to learn about her mannerisms, tone of voice, beliefs, and faith. What I admire most about Sean’s mom is that she has very deep faith within her. I have learned that in trying to incorporate this into a character who is insecure, Her relationship with her children is fraught with so much misunderstanding, not only by the generational gap but also by the cultural chasm, yet she held faith and hope. So, I learned a great deal from that part. Throughout my interviews with her, I saw she had such a gentle touch and spoke gently. I had her record all my lines, just to get another point of view on the delivery, as I was curious about how someone that the character is based on would say these. And a lot of the dialogue came from her in real life. She was part of the scriptwriting. She was very helpful in creating the character of the mother. It’s very interesting. For one thing, even though the Chinese and U.S. culture is very different, the filmmaking process nowadays in China and in the U.S. is very similar. The filmmaking departments, from art, the DP, directors, and costuming, all do their work similarly. So, it’s not really hard to jump from one Chinese movie to a U.S. movie and vice versa. But the audience’s appetite is culturally different. I think the Chinese audience likes sentimental things more. And so, some films are not so well reviewed in the U.S. or are too sappy or sentimental and poorly reviewed. However, they are reviewed very well in China. People actually love these films, so tastes are different.. Not good or bad. It’s just different. If I direct a film, I’m not thinking about who the audience is or who do I [impress]. It’s just as I see it. There is only one subjective view, and you can’t consider this and that. I think filmmaking is a circus life, a production, and all the crews; we are all together. We build our tents and start performing. That type of lifestyle is very similar. It’s the same in China or the U.S.. I feel very fortunate to be able to constantly work in both or other countries. I just finished a Canadian film in Quebec, where half of my lines are in French. It’s a wonderful thing to make films with different cultures. It feels great. I love acting, writing and directing. I think acting, if I see some merit in a character, if I could identify with one scene, like, “OK, this is one scene that I could sink my teeth into, and maybe the entire project is not ideal, it’s not the best, I could still go do it,” but I think for directing, I’d be like, “I really need to love it.” I need to feel 100% passion for it to go for it. There is this little difference. If I’m acting and don’t get a good part, I can’t wait for a whole year for a good part. You need to be constantly acting because that’s how you practice. And so when the good part does show up, you’re good at it. For directing, it’s not just a craft thing. The story has to drive me insane. I would have to tell it, or else I couldn’t live. That’s the difference, but I do love both. It’s very interesting. When it first came out, I think one critic mentioned it. I thought maybe that Hollywood experience may have driven me [to portray] the women being exploited in that way. Maybe it was subconsciously. Consciously, I was making a film about my generation’s loss of innocence. An entire generation for ten years were being sent down [ Chinese youths were coerced to leave their hometowns to work in rural areas for labor]. As a matter of fact, I was once approached by Criterion, and now a couple of other people are approaching me to bring it to a platform. The funny thing is I couldn’t find my cut negative. [The company] has since folded, so I’m like, where would that be? How do I restore it now? Back then, it was like, OK, I made the film, and it was shown and that’s done [laugh]. And I didn’t keep a good record of all the material because I was wearing so many hats on the film. I was producing, directing, and writing it, and I was the one who actually carried the prints around. And so now, good question. I do want to bring it to a good platform. But first, I need to find where my negative is. If worse comes to worse, and I don’t find my cut negative, then it’s expensive to restore the print itself. We’re going to try, though. I appreciate your question. Sign up for . For the latest news, follow us on , , and .NoneBy MICHELLE L. PRICE and ROB GILLIES NEW YORK (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump’s recent dinner with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his visit to Paris for the reopening of the Notre Dame Cathedral were not just exercises in policy and diplomacy. They were also prime trolling opportunities for Trump. Related Articles National Politics | Trump names Andrew Ferguson as head of Federal Trade Commission to replace Lina Khan National Politics | Biden issues veto threat on bill expanding federal judiciary as partisan split emerges National Politics | Trump lawyers and aide hit with 10 additional felony charges in Wisconsin over 2020 fake electors National Politics | After withdrawing as attorney general nominee, Matt Gaetz lands a talk show on OANN television National Politics | What will happen to Social Security under Trump’s tax plan? Throughout his first term in the White House and during his campaign to return, Trump has spun out countless provocative, antagonizing and mocking statements. There were his belittling nicknames for political opponents, his impressions of other political figures and the plentiful memes he shared on social media. Now that’s he’s preparing to return to the Oval Office, Trump is back at it, and his trolling is attracting more attention — and eyerolls. On Sunday, Trump turned a photo of himself seated near a smiling first lady Jill Biden at the Notre Dame ceremony into a social media promo for his new perfume and cologne line, with the tag line, “A fragrance your enemies can’t resist!” The first lady’s office declined to comment. When Trudeau hastily flew to Florida to meet with Trump last month over the president-elect’s threat to impose a 25% tax on all Canadian products entering the U.S., the Republican tossed out the idea that Canada become the 51st U.S. state. The Canadians passed off the comment as a joke, but Trump has continued to play up the dig, including in a post Tuesday morning on his social media network referring to the prime minister as “Governor Justin Trudeau of the Great State of Canada.” After decades as an entertainer and tabloid fixture, Trump has a flair for the provocative that is aimed at attracting attention and, in his most recent incarnation as a politician, mobilizing fans. He has long relished poking at his opponents, both to demean and minimize them and to delight supporters who share his irreverent comments and posts widely online and cheer for them in person. Trump, to the joy of his fans, first publicly needled Canada on his social media network a week ago when he posted an AI-generated image that showed him standing on a mountain with a Canadian flag next to him and the caption “Oh Canada!” After his latest post, Canadian Immigration Minister Marc Miller said Tuesday: “It sounds like we’re living in a episode of South Park.” Trudeau said earlier this week that when it comes to Trump, “his approach will often be to challenge people, to destabilize a negotiating partner, to offer uncertainty and even sometimes a bit of chaos into the well established hallways of democracies and institutions and one of the most important things for us to do is not to freak out, not to panic.” Even Thanksgiving dinner isn’t a trolling-free zone for Trump’s adversaries. On Thanksgiving Day, Trump posted a movie clip from “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” with President Joe Biden and other Democrats’ faces superimposed on the characters in a spoof of the turkey-carving scene. The video shows Trump appearing to explode out of the turkey in a swirl of purple sparks, with the former president stiffly dancing to one of his favorite songs, Village People’s “Y.M.C.A.” In his most recent presidential campaign, Trump mocked Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, refusing to call his GOP primary opponent by his real name and instead dubbing him “Ron DeSanctimonious.” He added, for good measure, in a post on his Truth Social network: “I will never call Ron DeSanctimonious ‘Meatball’ Ron, as the Fake News is insisting I will.” As he campaigned against Biden, Trump taunted him in online posts and with comments and impressions at his rallies, deriding the president over his intellect, his walk, his golf game and even his beach body. After Vice President Kamala Harris took over Biden’s spot as the Democratic nominee, Trump repeatedly suggested she never worked at McDonalds while in college. Trump, true to form, turned his mocking into a spectacle by appearing at a Pennsylvania McDonalds in October, when he manned the fries station and held an impromptu news conference from the restaurant drive-thru. Trump’s team thinks people should get a sense of humor. “President Trump is a master at messaging and he’s always relatable to the average person, whereas many media members take themselves too seriously and have no concept of anything else other than suffering from Trump Derangement Syndrome,” said Steven Cheung, Trump’s communications director. “President Trump will Make America Great Again and we are getting back to a sense of optimism after a tumultuous four years.” Though both the Biden and Harris campaigns created and shared memes and launched other stunts to respond to Trump’s taunts, so far America’s neighbors to the north are not taking the bait. “I don’t think we should necessarily look on Truth Social for public policy,” Miller said. Gerald Butts, a former top adviser to Trudeau and a close friend, said Trump brought up the 51st state line to Trudeau repeatedly during Trump’s first term in office. “Oh God,” Butts said Tuesday, “At least a half dozen times.” “This is who he is and what he does. He’s trying to destabilize everybody and make people anxious,” Butts said. “He’s trying to get people on the defensive and anxious and therefore willing to do things they wouldn’t otherwise entertain if they had their wits about them. I don’t know why anybody is surprised by it.” Gillies reported from Toronto. Associated Press writer Darlene Superville contributed to this report.