With great showmanship Donald Trump set out his stall for his most audacious takeover bid — to run the United States. He made his entry at the Republican convention in Cleveland through shining clouds of dry ice, a silhouette looming into life, hand-clapping himself in the style of North Korean leaders, to the sound of "We are the champions" by British rock band Queen (who denied authorizing the use of their song).
It was entertaining, though second-rate, theater as Trump paraded his family, angry old politicians, a Silicon Valley billionaire, soap opera stars, and a — fully dressed — male underwear model to back his bid.
But Trump's "Trumpetings" pose troubling questions for America and the world, particularly for Japan and Asia. Much of Trump's campaign is based on bombast, hatred, half-truths and Messianic promises. For foreign countries, the key question is whether they could ever trust Trump's America, especially after Trump declared that allies would have to prove themselves before he would honor America's treaty obligations.