By Nick Stamatakis
A significant gathering of Greek-American supporters of President Trump took place on Wednesday at 1 pm in Philadelphia’s symbolic Lincoln Memorial Room, organized by Christos Marafatsos and co-chaired by Gus Billirakis and Nicole Malliotakis. The main speaker was Richard Grenell (for those unfamiliar, please link here for his biography), former Ambassador to Germany and former DNI director under President Trump.
Richard Grenell was also supposed to visit Greece a few weeks ago, invited by the Republicans Overseas, a very active organization in the country – a visit that we just learned never happened. He has an excellent reputation there for his thorough knowledge of European Affairs, his total rejection of German “exceptionalism,” and his pro-Serbian stance in Kosovo and other issues. Mr. Grenell is rumored to be among the top choices for Secretary of State should President Trump get re-elected in November.
As you will see in the press release below, the main topic of his speech was foreign policy, particularly the Greek-US relationship and stability in the Eastern Mediterranean. The Mitsotakis government has fumbled its connections with the Republican Party, particularly President Trump, at a time when a massive wave of support for him is forming, and his rise to victory seems inevitable. This group of Greek-Americans came together to fill part of this vacuum of Greek foreign policy.
A note of caution for Mr. Grenell: As the failure of “Project Ukraine” is now universally accepted in the West (on both sides of the Atlantic), it would be an opportune time to guide the US Foreign Policy back to President Trump’s “Peace through Strength” concept, originally presented in 2016 and being a central pillar of his success. Four years of Democrat rule have made a big difference, and failures in its military weaken America due to misapplication of funding and the establishment of a failed DEI culture. This culture can only lead to defeat. America will have to regain strength and it will. But she also has to permanently orient itself toward peace.
America could have chosen peace with Russia – as President Trump had declared; by doing so, she could have taken advantage of the huge Russian mineral deposits. Helleniscope has analyzed this strategy – link here for our article “Rex Tillerson and Vladimir Putin: How the Anti-Russia Sanctions Backfired and Hurt America”. Russia and Putin had invited EXXON-MOBIL CEO Rex Tillerson and all Americans to invest in Russia on a 50-50 basis (or something similar). Tillerson invested $2 B in the Arctic, but the sanctions destroyed the investment. Assuming that the total Russian mineral wealth is $150 Trillion (yes, with a “T” – it can easily be double this amount), do you realize how much wealth has been lost for American businesses thanks to previous delusionary policies? And how much wealth will go to China and elsewhere eventually? Henry Kissinger used to say: “We opened China in the 1970s to make sure that a Russia-China alliance never forms.”… He would be turning in his grave these days…
Richard Grenell would do great (and I am sure he agrees with this view) if he and others in a future Trump administration trust President Trump’s business instincts. America is a nation built on and growing on business. “What is good for business is good for America,” Jack Welch famously said two decades ago, and this eternal truth should prevail once again. In our world, America should finally move away from endless barbaric wars and invasions that have indebted the country; it should finally embrace business with every nation. We have the technology, elaborate skills, and resources to lead the world through business and not with military dominance. What is the meaning of such “dominance” at a time when a nuclear catastrophe is looming before our eyes?
October 11, 2024, n.stamatakis@aol.com www.helleniscope.com
DISCLAIMER: The views and statements expressed in this article constitute constitutionally protected opinions of this author.
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PHOTO: HANC President Bill Mataragas in a friendly conversation with Mr. Grenell
PHOTO: Christos Marafatsos addresses the gathering
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PRESS RELEASE FOR THE EVENT
October 10, 2024
AMBASSADOR RICHARD GRENELL HIGHLIGHTS PRESIDENT TRUMP’S COMMITMENT TO GREEK AMERICANS AT GREEK AMERICANS FOR TRUMP SOLD-OUT LEADERSHIP RECEPTION IN PHILADELPHIA, PA
Philadelphia, PA — Greek Americans for Trump, a group empowered by President Donald J. Trump to engage and mobilize the Greek American community, hosted a sold-out leadership reception at the historic Union League of Philadelphia on October 9,
2024. Co-chaired by Rep. Gus Bilirakis, Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, and Christos Marafatsos, the event was headlined and cohosted by President Trump’s top foreign policy advisor, Ambassador Richard Grenell, and drew influential national and local Greek American leaders, entrepreneurs, and strong supporters of the President.
The reception underscored President Trump’s unwavering support for the Greek American community and his commitment to strengthening the long-standing relationship between the U.S. and Greece. During his two-hour dialogue with attendees, Ambassador Grenell covered key issues that deeply resonate with the community:
• Strengthening U.S.-Greece Relations: Opportunities for even deeper ties between the two nations.
• Eastern Mediterranean Peace and Stability: The critical need to maintain security in this vital region.
• Religious Freedom: Defending the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and Orthodox Christianity in the U.S., Greece, and abroad.
• Economic Policy: Lowering taxes, fighting inflation, and creating economic opportunities for Greek Americans.
• Family Values and Unity: Preserving the American Dream and core values cherished by the Greek American community.
Ambassador Grenell reaffirmed that President Trump is the only candidate truly committed to addressing the key issues facing the Greek American community, pledging that a second Trump administration will further strengthen U.S.-Greece relations and uphold the values most cherished by Greek Americans. Not only did Ambassador Grenell offer a deep understanding of the community’s concerns, but he also assured us that he will continue to collaborate with our leaders to find constructive solutions to the challenges we face.
“This is a pivotal moment for our country, and Greek Americans have a critical role to play in re-electing President Trump,” said Christos Marafatsos, event co-chair. “President Trump’s leadership continues to deliver for us, and he will champion the interests of the Greek American community.”
About Greek Americans for Trump: Greek Americans for Trump is dedicated to mobilizing and empowering the Greek American community in support of President Donald J. Trump. Since 2016, the organization has worked to ensure that Greek Americans are represented in national discussions on U.S.-Greece relations, religious freedom, and the preservation of family and cultural values.
For more information, please contact:
Christos Marafatsos
Greek Americans for Trump
Email: Cgm37@georgetown.edu
Phone: 240-393-8932
I say Amen! I support peace not bombs. Thank you Helleniscope for your words of wisdom.
“ In our world, America should finally move away from endless barbaric wars and invasions that have indebted the country; it should finally embrace business with every nation. We have the technology, elaborate skills, and resources to lead the world through business and not with military dominance. What is the meaning of such “dominance” at a time when a nuclear catastrophe is looming before our eyes?”
When Trump was President we had peace in the world. Clinton bombed Orthodox Serbia. Obama funded a coup against the legitimate government in Orthodox Ukraine. Biden practically dared Orthodox Russia to invade Ukraine. Trump is the one person who started no new wars. We need him back.
Michael,
Are you sure that Trump is the peaceful person you describe?
1. I remind you that Trump in 2017 recognised Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, a city that according to the UN resolutions is occupied illegally by Israel and should be returned!
2. I remind you that Trump in 2020 gave the order for the assasination of an Iranian general inside the International airport of Baghdad!
3. A few days ago he advised Israel to bomb the nuclear plants of Iran!
4. In his speech at the republican convention he said about Gaza: “Give us OUR hostages, or else we will come to get them”! OUR hostages? Seriously?
Point by point:
The UN is a cesspool of antisemitism and anti-Americanism. The Christian holy sites under Israel are free and open. Do you think that would be the same under Islamic rule? Our Church has suffered anywhere Islam gains dominance. The fact that the Dome of the Rock still stands as a mosque is proof of this. Good decision by Trump.
General Sulemani was a terrorist with American blood on his hands. Good decision by Trump.
It would be an unmitigated disaster to let Iran get nuclear weapons. Worse than North Korea. Their version is Islam is a medieval death cult. Good decision by Trump.
Yes some of the hostages taken by the terrorist group Hamas are US citizens, or did you not know that? Good decision by Trump.
I do not agree with everything Israel does but they are much more peaceful than their neighbors. Egypt attacked them and repented and they gave them back the Sinai. Islamic terrorist groups deny Israel’s right to exist and shoot hundreds of rockets at their country weekly. As long as this is their position, Israel should not give an inch. And Trump is right about all of this.
All good points BUT Israel should abandon the Zionist policy of “Greater Israel” and should accept the right of the Palestinians to exist instead of either killing then or pushing them into Sinai. If Israel doesn’t abandon these policies it will not exist in a matter of years and this is not good for humanity. In Cyprus an equal number of evacuees from Lebanon and from Israel arrive daily – and it is now in the tens of thousands. If the phenomenon accelerates it will be the end of Israel – not Lebanon. There is no possibility of Israel winning over Iran for many reasons, the main being that Iran has likely developed a nuclear bomb and it has certainly the means to deliver it.
Michael,
Point by point:
The UN is the only place that the small countries and small nations have a say. Gee, I wonder why there is so much antisemitism and anti-Americanism around the globe? Maybe because the last 60 years, millions of innocent people were bombed and killed in Vietnam, Jugoslavia, Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Syria, Palestine, Lebanon etc.?
For centuries Muslims and Christians were coexisting peacefully in Jerusalem, till Israel invaded. Israel is becoming quickly an Apartheid state and is pressuring the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem to sell its properties! The Christians in Syria and Lebanon are well respected. Same thing also in Gaza. On the contrary, it is Israel that bombed Christian churches in Gaza and recently killed a preast of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and his family in Lebanon!
The UN resolutions are following the international law. Israel invaded in these territories, conquered them and annexed them illegally to Israel. If you were a true Greek, you wouldn’t say that Trump did the right thing, by recognising an illegal annexation. Same thing can happen tomorrow with the occupied Cyprus, if the supposed American interests dictate that…
A general cannot be a terrorist. He is a public servant, who gets orders from his leaders. With your logic, the US generals that served overseas (and possibly in Ukraine) are criminals, because they are responsible for the death of millions innocent civilians. But I can assure you that someone who gives an assasination order with a military operation in a civilian international airport, definitely is a criminal!
A possible bombing of the nuclear plants of Iran could kill millions of Iranian civilians and possibly spread radiation to neighbouring countries also. Then Iran and its allies could legitimately respond also with nuclear weapons and destroy Israel. Very bad advise on behalf of Trump. Why you think Israel hesitates to hit the nuclear plants?
How many are the hostages that supposedly have also a US citizenship? Do you know? They say that they are 7! And you think sending US marines in Gaza is a good idea? How many marines will be killed in order to get these 7 Israeli-americans, and if they find them alive? Not a good idea. Israelis try one year now and couldn’t find them…
The Palestinian question is not about religion as falsely you want to present it. It is about land! Land that the Israelis stole from the Palestinians and they keep stealing as we speak! A peaceful solution can be found only if Israel stops the genocide, stops stealing their land and recognises their right to have a Palestinian state. As long Israel doesn’t do these things, the Palestinians have a legitimate right to resist and fight for their liberation from the occupation. We had the same right when we were occupied by the Turks or the Germans. Nobody called us terrorists. Every occupied nation has the right to fight for its freedom!
If Mr. Grenell thinks that continuous support for the policies of the “Ecumenical” Patriarch that has led to the attempted destruction of the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church is how the US moves forward regarding the Ukraine war, then Mr. Grenell needs to re-think this position. He’s a super smart guy and obviously a better choice than Mike Pompeo, but he must also understand that Pompeo gave the green light to Bartholomew and we all know what this has caused. And I will also say that Israel should not solely be dictating the entire foreign policy of the United States. Nick is correct; the extreme Zionist policies of “Greater Israel” cannot work long term. Professor John Mearsheimer is right; Israel is like a spoiled child who gets everything.