When a government has ceased to protect the lives, liberty and property of the people, from whom its legitimate powers are derived, that government becomes an instrument for oppression. These words from the Texas Declaration of Independence ring especially true today as former President Donald Trump demonstrates exactly why the Federal Government remains the greatest threat to self-determination and liberty around the world.

Trump’s recent statements about forcibly annexing Canada as the “51st state” through economic pressure and his renewed interest in purchasing Greenland from Denmark represent everything that is wrong with the imperial mindset that has infected Washington D.C. The arrogance required to treat sovereign nations as mere real estate to be bought and sold is staggering.

Consider this – the Federal Government, now drowning in $36 trillion of debt, believes it can simply buy its way to empire-building. This is the same government that can’t pay its own bills, can’t secure its own borders, and can’t deliver basic services to its current citizens. Yet somehow, they think they can afford to buy sovereign nations? The delusion would be comical if it weren’t so dangerous.

Let’s turn the tables for a moment. Imagine the hysteria in Washington if soon-to-be Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Poilievre openly advocated for Texas independence. Picture the outrage if Denmark’s government began funding independence movements in California, Louisiana, New Hampshire, Alaska, and any other State seeking self-determination. The Federal Government and their apologists would be apoplectic, crying about “foreign interference” and “threats to democracy.” Yet they see no irony in their own imperial ambitions.

But perhaps the most telling aspect of this entire situation is watching Federal apologists cheer on these discussions about forcibly adding new states to the Union. These are the same people who emphatically declare that no State can ever leave the Union because it’s “perpetual” and “indivisible.” The hypocrisy is breathtaking. According to their logic, the Hotel California has nothing on the United States – you can check in any time they like, but you can never leave.

The mental gymnastics required to simultaneously believe that states can be added at will but can never leave would be impressive if it weren’t so dangerous. They celebrate the idea of forcing Canada into the Union while telling Texas that we’re trapped forever. They applaud discussions about buying Greenland while telling California their independence movement is illegal. They want the Union to be a roach motel for sovereign peoples – they can come in, but they can’t get out.

The situation in Greenland is particularly galling. The people of Greenland have been steadily moving toward independence from Denmark. Instead of supporting their right to chart their own course, Trump sees them as nothing more than a strategic acquisition to be purchased like a plot of land. The message is clear – your right to self-government means nothing if the Federal Government decides it wants what you have.

This imperial attitude isn’t unique to Trump or his administration. It’s endemic to the Federal system itself. Whether it’s Democrats or Republicans in charge, the Federal Government consistently works to centralize more power in Washington D.C. while undermining the sovereignty of states and nations around the world.

For Texans who support independence, Trump’s statements should serve as a wake-up call. The Federal Government will never willingly surrender power or respect the right of self-determination. If they’re willing to openly discuss forcing Canada into the Union and buying Greenland against the will of its people, what do you think they’ll do when Texas decides to reclaim its independence?

The truth is that liberty and self-determination cannot be bought or sold. They are fundamental human rights that exist independent of any government’s willingness to acknowledge them. The people of Texas, like the people of Greenland and Canada, have an inherent right to determine their own political destiny.

This is why the Texas Nationalist Movement has consistently advocated for a binding referendum on Texas independence. We recognize that the power to determine Texas’s future belongs to Texans alone – not to politicians in Washington D.C., not to federal bureaucrats, and certainly not to anyone who views sovereign peoples as commodities to be traded.

Trump’s statements, shocking as they may be, simply reinforce what we’ve known all along – the Federal Government is irredeemable. No election will fix it. No reform will cure it. The sickness of empire runs too deep.

For Texans, the choice is becoming clearer every day. We can continue to be part of a system that treats sovereignty as something to be bought and sold, or we can choose to stand for the principles of self-determination and liberty that inspired our forebears to create the Republic of Texas.

The Texas Nationalist Movement stands with the people of Greenland and Canada in their right to determine their own political destiny, just as we stand for the right of Texans to make that same determination. Liberty isn’t for sale, and no amount of economic pressure or federal dollars (borrowed or otherwise) can change that fundamental truth.

The time has come for Texans to join together and send a clear message to Washington D.C. – Texas is not for sale, our liberty is not negotiable, and our right to self-determination cannot be denied. The only solution is Texit. When the Federal Government shows you who they are, believe them. Trump’s statements have pulled back the curtain and revealed the true face of federal power. Now it’s up to us to act on that knowledge and work to restore Texas to its rightful place as an independent, self-governing nation.Copy