Former US Ambassador to Panama Compares Trump to TV Mob Boss Tony Soprano

The former US ambassador to Panama harshly criticized President Donald Trump, specifically the President's approach towards relations with Latin American nations, comparing him to the merciless fictional mob boss Tony Soprano.

John Feely, who resigned from his position as US ambassador to Panama during Trump's first presidential term, was not surprised at the various moves Trump has made, demonstrating hostility towards Latin American nations since taking office.

"If you use as your psychological paradigm [for Trump] a combination of Tony Soprano and Thucydides ... it shouldn't come as much of a surprise that he's going to go to the Americas first," the ex-ambassador said.

Trump has already threatened to forcibly take control of the Panama Canal, souring relations with the Central American nation. He also sent a US envoy to meet with Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro and almost entered a trade war with Colombia.

"[He's doing it] because he can – because the asymmetry of American commercial and military power is so incalculable in relationship to Mexico, Central America, Panama, even Brazil, Argentina. They can't really do much other than suffer the consequences. And so I think, in a sort of mafioso way, he is very adept at reading relative power," said the ex-ambassador.

"He's a velociraptor ... He kills anything he perceives as a threat," he continued.

"It's all bluster. He doesn't have the votes for it. He ran on a ticket of American isolation ... He doesn't want to keep US bases in Germany. He doesn't want to protect Europe. He doesn't want to send America's blood and treasure to fight and die in places like Afghanistan and Iraq. He wants to 'make America great'.

"His vision of a 'Great America' is an America that sits in its sphere of influence, king in its own castle, and exploiting parts of the world for American gain, such as $500bn in Ukrainian rare earths," said the diplomat.