Some people I grok almost immediately. For those unfamiliar with the term, grok—a word from Robert Heinlein’s Stranger in a Strange Land—means to understand someone so deeply that their thoughts, instincts, and motives feel almost second nature. Donald Trump is one of those people I grok. Elon Musk is another. If either of them were professors, I’d probably be the student emailing them with an idea or a disagreement—and most likely, we’d be having a spirited, respectful exchange by now.
That’s why, when Trump said he felt that India didn’t sufficiently appreciate his efforts to de-escalate tensions with Pakistan, I got it instantly. Not just intellectually, but viscerally. I had a similar reaction when J.D. Vance remarked that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had not shown enough gratitude for U.S. support. Having lived in America for a long time, I instinctively understood what he meant. If I were in Zelenskyy’s shoes, I would have said something like: “I’m sorry—I should have expressed my thanks right at the outset. That doesn’t mean I haven’t been grateful to America all along.” That would’ve been my reflex. It’s not about groveling—it’s about acknowledging support with grace. It’s just a few words strung together. It’s not money we’re talking about. It is absolutely an assumption on part of global media, including, of course, the venerable BBC that a nightclub comedian also somehow necessarily possesses the skillset to be the World's Greatest Dealmaker.
Despite how the media often paints him, I believe Trump can be reasoned with quite easily on almost any international issue. His assessments often cut through posturing and focus on what’s pragmatic. For instance, even when speaking about Syria’s new leadership, Trump avoided unnecessary disrespect. He doesn’t dismiss someone just because they’ve had a rough past—he judges them by their current stance and their potential as a partner. This isn’t softness; it’s practicality. And that’s something to admire.
Personally, I’d love to ask him where his remarkable resolve comes from. That kind of stately resilience—through scandal, loss, relentless criticism—doesn’t just appear. And asking that kind of question sincerely is how you open doors in any negotiation. You might say: “Hey Donald, now that I’ve apologized, I want to ask you something. Where do you get your resilience? How did you recover after that assassination incident? And you know, I don’t want to bring up anything you’re not comfortable discussing—so if you’d rather not talk about it, that’s completely okay. But this is something my people would love to learn from you.” It is useful to keep in mind that Trump is a New Yorker and J.D. Vance is from the Appalachian Midwest. Instinctively, I deal with individuals with these two profiles differently.
By acknowledging others as people—as individuals with feelings, with histories, with depths—you help them relax. You allow them to be themselves. And that’s when dialogue becomes meaningful. So here it is: my personal thank you to Mr. Trump. For showing up when it mattered. For trying to make peace when it was hard. And for being someone I can genuinely say I grok.
And if any political entity wants help with messaging, I can definitely help. For an appropriate fee, of course, lol, jk. And, yes, I am really good at letting people who are doing the right thing know that they are doing the right thing, lol.