Thoughts on the Trump presidency

[Purple Train]

Sky are reporting that journalists who don't sign up to a new agreement face losing their press pass to access the Pentagon. This agreement includes the stipulation that they cannot report on material, even if it's unclassified, unless it's specifically approved by department officials. It's a measure of how apocalyptically, objectively horrific this administration has been for American democracy that I can't find this reported anywhere else, assuming it's true of course. The Sky article is here.

Journalists at the Pentagon have been told they could be barred if they gather or report information that officials haven't approved first.

Reporters' access to the iconic building, the headquarters of the US defence department, is also being curtailed.

Pete Hegseth, the defence secretary, posted on X: "The 'press' does not run the Pentagon - the people do.

"The press is no longer allowed to roam the halls of a secure facility. Wear a badge and follow the rules - or go home."

 

[najaB]

…until they find out how important they are to the US economy when many of its workers leave/don't arrive, to point I can see a TACO moment coming

Not to mention that the likes of Musk depend on H-1B visa holders. So the administration can expect some more incoming fire from that direction.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 21 Sep 2025 ==

Pete Hegseth, the defence secretary, posted on X: "The 'press' does not run the Pentagon - the people do.

So, presumably, "the people" will be allowed to roam the Pentagon and get access to what they want?

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 21 Sep 2025 ==

until they find out how important they are to the US economy when many of its workers leave/don't arrive, to point I can see a TACO moment coming

It may already have started:

Trump announced a surprisingly restrictive visa policy and then, within 24 hours had to massively dilute it after a huge unintended reaction. But the core policy, while presented as anti-immigration, is actually a device to extort money and favours.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Trump seems to think he's JR Ewing doesn't he?!

 

[brad465]

America First, except when the country in question happens to be run by a like-minded fellow in trouble:

US says 'all options' on table to help stabilise Argentina's fiscal turmoil

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent offers a pledge of support for Donald Trump ally Javier Milei.

www.bbc.co.uk

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has said the US is "ready to do what is needed" to help stabilise Argentina's escalating financial turmoil.
"All options for stabilization are on the table," Bessent wrote on social media, external, calling Argentina a "systematically important US ally in Latin America".
The message helped to calm financial markets, which have been rattled as recent election losses raise doubts about the future of Javier Milei's cost-cutting, free-market agenda.
The value of the peso has been plunging, while investors dump Argentine stocks and bonds.
Milei, a libertarian economist and ally of US President Donald Trump, was elected president of Argentina in 2023 as an outsider candidate who promised to control soaring inflation through radical government spending cuts and other reforms.
A stable Argentine peso is critical to that pledge.
But the currency has lost value as investors move money out of the country, in part worried about the government's ability to keep the peso steady.
In recent weeks, the Argentine central bank has stepped in to try to stave off further weakness in the peso.
But that effort, which included spending $1.1bn (£810m) of its reserves last week to buy pesos, also depleted its holdings, putting the country in a more precarious position when it comes to paying back its debt.
Bessent said the US government was considering intervening in Argentina's current fiscal turmoil with purchases of Argentine pesos and dollar-denominated government debt among other forms of support.
More details will be announced after President Donald Trump meets with Milei in New York on Tuesday, he added.
"We remain confident that [President Milei's] support for fiscal discipline and pro-growth reforms are necessary to break Argentina's long history of decline," he wrote.
Milei expressed "enormous gratitude" for the US's pledge of support, which helped lift Argentine stocks and prices for the country's dollar-denominated debt in financial markets.
"Those of us who defend the ideas of freedom must work together for the welfare of our peoples," he wrote on social media, external.
Milei was the first foreign leader to meet with Trump after his victory in the November 2024 US presidential election and his economic policies have won him admiration among many conservatives in the US, including Elon Musk.
But he has been on the defensive at home, especially in recent weeks, as his government has been grappling with losses in recent local elections and a bribery scandal involving his sister, who is accused of taking kickbacks from drug companies seeking government contracts.
Argentina will host national mid-term elections in October, which are expected to serve as a referendum on his controversial policies, which include cuts to social programmes such as subsidies for transportation.
In April, Bessent also provided key backing to help Argentina secure a new $20bn four-year loan from the the International Monetary Fund.

 

[Annetts key]

America First, except when the country in question happens to be run by a like-minded fellow in trouble:

US says 'all options' on table to help stabilise Argentina's fiscal turmoil

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent offers a pledge of support for Donald Trump ally Javier Milei.

www.bbc.co.uk

It's alright, the MAGA caps still work: Make Argentina Great Again

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 22 Sep 2025 ==

Trump: "Those of us who defend the ideas of freedom must work together for the welfare of our peoples". What about helping to defend the ideas of freedom in the U.S.A., Ukraine and in other countries then Mr Trump?

 

[Pete_uk]

OMG he's mumbling on at the UN like a God knows what.

 

[Annetts key]

OMG he's mumbling on at the UN like a God knows what.

Spouting more nonsense than a drunk who is completely bladdered.

At least he is publicly demonstrating to the whole world how incompetent and how out of touch with reality he actually is.

 

[najaB]

At least he is publicly demonstrating to the whole world how incompetent and how out of touch with reality he actually is.

What are you talking about. President Donald J Trump, the healthiest and sexiest president in history, delivered an address that was the most amazing address in the history of the United Nations, like nobody has seen before.

 

[Cowley]

What are you talking about. President Donald J Trump, the healthiest and sexiest president in history, delivered an address that was the most amazing address in the history of the United Nations, like nobody has seen before.

Everybody’s saying it.

 

[Gloster]

Of course, it is perfectly reasonable for a man with a Scots mother and German paternal grandparents to warn of the dangers of immigration: he is one. (So is Rubio, the son of Cuban immigrants.) Meanwhile, while Trump makes all his ridiculous and inflammatory speeches, those behind the scenes are out of the limelight as they continue to make their pernicious preparations for a new order in the US.

 

[Annetts key]

What are you talking about. President Donald J Trump, the healthiest and sexiest president in history, delivered an address that was the most amazing address in the history of the United Nations, like nobody has seen before.

Tylenol all round then? Your round...

 

[bahnause]

Maybe Gaddafi isn't dead after all?

 

[Cloud Strife]

America First, except when the country in question happens to be run by a like-minded fellow in trouble:

The funniest thing is that the Argentina Central Bank is now manipulating the currency yet again, although he was supposed to be the great reformer who would do away with such interventionist things.

The mid term elections are coming up in Argentina, and although he should win quite a few more seats in their parliament than he currently has, I'd still expect him to lose badly to the Peronists. It's not even that his economic ideas are bad, as they're certainly not any worse than the Peronist habit of reckless social spending followed by a financial crisis. Argentina deserves better, but like all failing Argentinian governments, he's simply resorting to the Falklands card.

 

[DelW]

A new and decidedly unofficial statue of Trump has appeared in Washington DC.

It reminds me of Morecambe and Wise, and it's about as funny too:

(Link to a YouTube video, but there are lots of others covering it)

 

[najaB]

I had only heard the headline "Tylenol causes autism", but hadn't seen much of the actual press conference. Having now seen clips (can't bring myself to watch the whole thing), it's amazing how many times he says things like "I'm not a doctor" and "I'm making these statements from me, not these doctors".

I'd like to think that nobody could take that seriously, given that he himself says that there's nothing behind what he's saying, but I'm saddened by the fact that some people will treat his diatribe as if it were the word of God.

I'm also amazed that he still continues repeating that they're going to reduce drug prices by 1000% or more.

 

[SuspectUsual]

I had only heard the headline "Tylenol causes autism", but hadn't seen much of the actual press conference. Having now seen clips (can't bring myself to watch the whole thing), it's amazing how many times he says things like "I'm not a doctor" and "I'm making these statements from me, not these doctors".

I'd like to think that nobody could take that seriously, given that he himself says that there's nothing behind what he's saying, but I'm saddened by the fact that some people will treat his diatribe as if it were the word of God.

I'm also amazed that he still continues repeating that they're going to reduce drug prices by 1000% or more.

The share price of the manufacturer dipped significantly and then recovered. Of course nobody in the wider Trump family / acolytes will have made money from this because they knew what he was going to say

 

[najaB]

Of course nobody in the wider Trump family / acolytes will have made money from this because they knew what he was going to say

I'm shocked that you would even suggest it. Shocked! Well... not that shocked.

 

[Gourlish]

Personally I feel that Trump appeals primarily to a specific American demographic - most of the Americans I've spoken to here in the UK dislike him about as much as the majority of people here, and I think Americans that travel abroad are less likely to be fans of the MAGA movement. In general I think the people he appeals to tend on average to have a fairly insular view of the world with many of them never having travelled outside of the US and probably being completely unfamiliar with globally adopted standards such as 24 hour time, the Metric system and Celsius which the US does not use.

I would probably view support for Trump in the US as being relatively comparable to the reasons why people support Farage/Reform here in the UK. The difference is that there are many people on the right in Britain who don't want anything to do with Farage and have stuck with the Tories (which are comparable to what the Republicans traditionally were) or in the case of some of the very moderate right may have even shifted to the Lib Dems, whereas most of the right in the US has transitioned towards supporting Trump and his MAGA movement. The US definitely has a more rigidly two party system than the UK, with over 95% of votes typically going to one of two candidates, where the current opinion polls here in Britain place the two most popular parties (currently Labour and Reform) at only about 50% in total.

 

[jon0844]

I think any American visiting here (or has moved here) probably have more liberal views than others.

Don't get me wrong, I've met some that would make Ayn Rand seem like a Marxist, but I think the majority are very level headed, sensible and now somewhat embarrassed.

 

[Gourlish]

I think any American visiting here (or has moved here) probably have more liberal views than others.

Don't get me wrong, I've met some that would make Ayn Rand seem like a Marxist, but I think the majority are very level headed, sensible and now somewhat embarrassed.

I had an American A-level geography teacher in the 2010s, there was an American student in my course class last year, and I also remember that there was an American learning support staff member at my further education college a few years ago, and none of them liked Trump. In the case of my former Geography teacher he was originally from a relatively Republican suburb of Texas and knew quite a lot about why some Americans supported Trump, but their reasons didn't appeal to him.

My dad has several friends in the US who he periodically talks to on Zoom and none of them like Trump. One of them was historically Republican leaning but attended one of the No Kings demonstrations. I think the only Americans my dad has really known who were fans of him were one or two US employees at his then-employer who he met on business trips a few years ago.

I suspect if you go to a fairly metropolitan or secular area of the US, support for Trump will be quite low. If you go to a highly religious small town in the South or Midwest with US flags outside every other home and a church on most street corners then chances are the majority of residents will support him. I saw a YouTube vlog filmed in rural Kentucky (I think) a couple of years back with a segment inside a rather run down bowling alley, and the owners of it had decorated it with banners promoting Trump (he wasn't the president at this point). It's very rare to see a business displaying things advertising a political candidate in the UK, but there are pockets of rural America where Trump has around 90% support and so business owners can probably get away with advertising him without losing many customers.

 

[swt_passenger]

I wonder if he’ll fire his golf team now? His morale boosting visit didn’t seem to work…

 

[brad465]

I wonder if he’ll fire his golf team now? His morale boosting visit didn’t seem to work…

Unpopular US presidents seem to be bad luck for the US golf team: Europe's stunning comeback in the 2012 Ryder cup came a day after George W Bush said "the fight was won."

 

[YorkshireBear]

I wonder if he’ll fire his golf team now? His morale boosting visit didn’t seem to work…

Not ever yet don't curse it!

 

[brad465]

Today the US government shutdown as it couldn't agree a budget, the first time since 2018:

Live updates: Thousands of federal workers face unpaid leave as US government shutdown hits key services

US President Donald Trump has also threatened to permanently fire federal staff deemed "non-essential".

www.bbc.co.uk

It's midnight in Washington DC, and the US federal government shutdown has officially begun.

This would now likely leave hundreds of thousands of workers on unpaid leave and halt many government programs and services.

The shutdown comes hours after the Republican-controlled Senate failed to pass a government spending bill.

This is the first government shutdown since 2018 and will see non-essential workers placed on unpaid leave.

You can read more about how we got to this point here - and stay with us as we bring you more updates.

However, I think this particular news story is more disturbing:

Trump says US cities should be military training grounds

The US president warned military leaders of a "war from within", and signals they will be tasked with intervening.

www.bbc.co.uk

US President Donald Trump has said he wants to use American cities as "training grounds" for the military.
In an unusual address to hundreds of military leaders assembled from across the world, Trump described "civil disturbances" as the "enemy from within". He added that the situation "won't get out of control once you're involved".
It comes after Trump deployed National Guard troops to Washington DC, Los Angeles and Portland, Oregon, in a crackdown on crime and to support immigration enforcement.
Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth also spoke, declaring an end to "woke" culture at the Pentagon and announcing new "male-level", physical fitness standards for military officials.
The president repeated his criticism of Democratic-led cities including San Francisco, Chicago, New York and Los Angeles and indicated he would continue his policy of using military for law enforcement.
"They're very unsafe places and we're going to straighten them out one by one," he said, adding that it would be a "a major part for some of the people in this room".
"It's a war from within. Controlling the physical territory of our borders is essential for national security. We can't let these people in," he added.
Illinois Governor JB Pritzker accused Trump of using military troops and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to "invade and disrupt" US cities.
"Our troops and our nation deserve better than you acting as a petty tyrant," he said in a post on X.
Security was extremely tight for the address at Marine Corps Base Quantico, a sprawling 55,000-acre facility in Virginia. The summit represented a rare gathering of so many senior personnel in one place.
Generals and admirals stationed around the world listened silently to the two men's remarks.
The event began with an address from Hegseth, who announced that the US military will require combatants to meet the "highest male standard" in physical fitness tests.
Hegseth acknowledged that the move may exclude some women from serving.
"Standards must be uniform, gender neutral, and high," Hegseth told the crowd.
Hegseth outlined his visions for cultural shift at the Pentagon and a greater "warrior ethos". He was echoed by Trump, who spoke afterwards.
His speech focused on the culture of the US military, training, leadership, and "fixing decades of decay", including DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) programmes and the promotion of a "risk-averse" officer corps.
He said those officers had been unnerved by "climate change distractions", "woke garbage" and fears of being labelled as "toxic" leaders.
As well as announcing changes to fitness standards, Hegseth vowed an end to the "era of unprofessional appearances" - including beard exemptions - and to anonymous complaints procedures, as part of wider departmental changes.
Illinois Senator Tammy Duckworth, a military veteran, told the BBC she was worried about what Hegseth's remarks would mean for the future of the US military.
"His comments today are going to affect all kinds of recruiting, not just women, I don't know folks who want to serve in a military that's being used for political theatre," she said.
Duckworth said Hegseth was trying to get women and people of colour out of the military.
"For a guy who's not qualified for his own job, it's pretty discriminatory to talk about women who are qualified to do their jobs," she said.
Hegseth also addressed his previous firing of senior commanders, saying that he went with "his gut" and rid the military of those he believed would not shift away from policies set in previous administrations.
"More leadership changes will be made, I'm certain," he said.
No official reason was publicly provided when the generals were summoned at short notice last week, prompting a flurry of speculation around what Trump and Hegseth would say.
Speaking about Hegseth's reforms, Trump said that a focus on "fitness, ability and character" is not to "protect anyone's feelings".
"It's to protect our country. We will not be politically correct when it comes to defending American freedom," he said.
The president also applauded his move to rebrand the Defence Department as the Department of War.
He said the secondary title for the Pentagon was "so popular", even among his detractors, and contributed to what he has repeatedly claimed are skyrocketing recruitment figures.
"It's a historic re-assertion of our purpose, our identity and our pride," he said.

 

[DarloRich]

Will the President and the Secretary of Defence War have to meet those "highest male" standards?

 

[pdeaves]

"highest male standard" in physical fitness tests.

"Standards must be uniform, gender neutral, and high," Hegseth told the crowd.

(my emphases)
Those, two whole lines apart in the original quote, appear somewhat contradictory.

 

[najaB]

He said the secondary title for the Pentagon was "so popular", even among his detractors, and contributed to what he has repeatedly claimed are skyrocketing recruitment figures.

Nothing to do with people having medical coverage and benefits taken away from them, of course.

 

[DelW]

However, I think this particular news story is more disturbing:

Trump says US cities should be military training grounds

The US president warned military leaders of a "war from within", and signals they will be tasked with intervening.

www.bbc.co.uk

I agree. A lot of the rubbish Trump spouts is trying things out to see how far he can push through the vaunted "checks and balances" without anyone stopping him. So far he's got away with a lot that would have been considered unthinkable a year ago.

This looks like him and Hegseth setting up to send the military into Democrat-run cities, but with what end? He has already described these cities as "lawless" and being "invaded", so I could imagine them being instructed to detain Democrat local politicians so that Trump can send in teams of Republican friendly replacements, under the guise of controlling "criminals and illegal immigrants".

What was heartening was that the assembled military top brass responded with stony silence. Trump unwisely attempted a joke, saying that he'd never addressed so quiet an assembly, and inviting the audience to applaud - also met with stony silence. If I were among the generals gathered there, I'd be quietly sounding out trusted colleagues about whether to refuse such an order if it was given.

You would think that some in the Republican party would be flagging up concerns at Trump's blatant violation of their beloved constitution, but they seem all to be cowed by the MAGA crew and their veneration of the Dear Leader.

 

[najaB]

What was heartening was that the assembled military top brass responded with stony silence. Trump unwisely attempted a joke, saying that he'd never addressed so quiet an assembly, and inviting the audience to applaud - also met with stony silence. If I were among the generals gathered there, I'd be quietly sounding out trusted colleagues about whether to refuse such an order if it was given.

Yes, and no. While I also believe that the majority of them are likely as horrified by this as the rest of us, it's difficult to be sure since the general staff are expected to be apolitical and so probably wouldn't have applauded even if they did agree with what was being proposed.

 

[AndrewE]

it's somewhat reassuring to read articles like https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cgl1pgr2zn8o saying

Pope Leo XIV has hit out at those who minimise the "increasingly evident" impact of rising temperatures in his first major statement on climate change.
Reiterating the words of his predecessor Pope Francis, the new pontiff lambasted critics who "ridicule those who speak of global warming".
...
the new Pope, who was elected in May, was worried that the question of climate change was now becoming more divisive.
Referring to his predecessor's writings, he said: "Some have chosen to deride the increasingly evident signs of climate change, to ridicule those who speak of global warming, and even to blame the poor for the very thing that affects them the most."

Just two weeks ago at the UN General Assembly in New York, US President Donald Trump criticised the climate movement as the "greatest con job ever perpetrated on the world", and rebuffed the use of renewable energy. The carbon footprint is a hoax made up by people with evil intentions, and they're heading down a path of total destruction," he said.

Trump is so transparently bending the facts that are obvious to most people that you wonder if there is anybody in the USA with the spine to point out the lies... (well, it's obvious to all people not blinded by slavish loyalty to the Fuehrer.)

Presumably this is all so that he and his his cronies can profit from his actions.