Thoughts on the Trump presidency

[martin butler]

He can turn on them, but by then people will have 'broken free' and he'll be left out in the cold.

His power over people is already starting to fade. I think too many Republicans are considering their futures post-Trump now.

Post -Trump, will also for them, mean accountability, being charged, being sent to prison for the crimes they enabled, I think some will facing many years behind bars, Trump of course, will either be dead, or living out his final few years in some other country,

Most likely scenario is he will die, most likely because his already failing health. lifestyle, and lack of exercise, before his term ends, but if he doesn't and refuses to leave after he loses, then that's going to get interesting, I can't see him being allowed to get away with another insurrection,

 

[dgl]

If there is a heaven, then 'God' wouldn't want somebody like him there

Hell wouldn't want him either!

 

[ainsworth74]

His dementia means we're certain to hear more insults as he finds it hard to control what he says (it can't be long until he says something even more offensive than 'piggy'), but in the flip side, I think his recent comments about getting into heaven makes me wonder if he's also considering his mortality - likely knowing that all is not well from the extra medical checks of late.

Surely only a matter of time before we get him calling a black person a n-word and not in a hot mic situation just straight up?

 

[uglymonkey]

Surely any slight dementia or decline would be picked up quickly by his copious Doctors following him about? Although if they know about it and don't tell it's not new as Kennedy's doctors kept it quiet about his Addington's disease while he was in office.

 

[Annetts key]

Surely any slight dementia or decline would be picked up quickly by his copious Doctors following him about? Although if they know about it and don't tell it's not new as Kennedy's doctors kept it quiet about his Addington's disease while he was in office.

His doctors know. Earlier this year Trump himself described a test that he had taken which is only used when a doctor strongly suspects their patent may have dementia. Trump described it as difficult... I posted about it earlier. Search my previous posts, as it contains a link to the relevant YouTube video.

 

[SteveP29]

Hell wouldn't want him either!

I would agree with that too

 

[brad465]

How long before the Trump does a Bay of Pigs on Venezuela:

Trump tells airlines Venezuelan airspace should be considered closed

The US cannot legally close another country's airspace, but Trump's comments could deter airlines from operating in Venezuela.

www.bbc.co.uk

US President Donald Trump has said that the airspace around Venezuela should be considered closed.
"To all Airlines, Pilots, Drug Dealers, and Human Traffickers, please consider THE AIRSPACE ABOVE AND SURROUNDING VENEZUELA TO BE CLOSED IN ITS ENTIRETY," Trump said in a social media post.
The US does not legally have the authority to close another country's airspace, but Trump's post could lead to travel uncertainty and deter airlines from operating there.
The US has been building its military presence in the Caribbean, which officials say is to combat drug smuggling. Venezuela's President Nicolás Maduro has dismissed US claims of drug trafficking as an attempt to oust him.
Venezuela has not yet responded to Trump's remarks. The White House did not immediately respond to the BBC's request for comment.
Trump's comments come days after the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) warned airlines of "heightened military activity in and around Venezuela".
On Wednesday Venezuela banned six major international airlines – Iberia, TAP Portugal, Gol, Latam, Avianca and Turkish Airlines – from landing there after they failed to meet a 48-hour deadline to resume flights.

 

[najaB]

How long before the Trump does a Bay of Pigs on Venezuela

Giving this administration's history, it likely will go just about as well as that fiasco. And this from the "anti-war President".

 

[edwin_m]

Giving this administration's history, it likely will go just about as well as that fiasco. And this from the "anti-war President".

Got to give the newly renamed "department of war" something to do?

 

[martin butler]

Got to give the newly renamed "department of war" something to do?

Or another way to distract from Trumps past friends and his involvement in their somewhat dodgy business activities

 

[edwin_m]

Replying to the Ukraine thread:

the focus on impeaching Trump in his first term was an important step in the escalation of the judicial process that's given us a deliberate policy of "weaponisation" of criminal law.

The Republicans started it by attempting to impeach Clinton for the Lewinsky affair. Most unbiased observers would consider that far less significant than withholding support for an ally for personal political gain, let alone attempting to overturn an election.

 

[OhNoAPacer]

So let me get this straight, in order to make the USA safe from narcotics he needs to wage war on Venezuela whilst at the same time pardoning a former President of Honduras who was actually convicted of involvement in the narcotics trade.
I don't know about anyone else but it makes perfect sense to me.

 

[nlogax]

So let me get this straight, in order to make the USA safe from narcotics he needs to wage war on Venezuela whilst at the same time pardoning a former President of Honduras who was actually convicted of involvement in the narcotics trade.

Logic left the chat back in January. No point trying to apply it to anything that goes on in the smouldering wreckage that is Trump's brain.

 

[OhNoAPacer]

Logic left the chat back in January. No point trying to apply it to anything that goes on in the smouldering wreckage that is Trump's brain.

Us mere mortals cannot comprehend the thoughts that emanate from the biggliest most sane President in history, all we can do is express wonderment and be grateful to live in such times.

 

[martin butler]

Looks like the targeting of those boats, has blown right up the governments face, and now people are asking, is it a war crime?

It's been reported that a second strike was launched on people who had their hands up in surrender, if this gets proven to be correct, then someone, is in really serious trouble, Trumps already blaming the admiral, but who's signature is on the order? who made the final decision,

 

[Strathclyder]

Looks like the targeting of those boats, has blown right up the governments face, and now people are asking, is it a war crime?

It's been reported that a second strike was launched on people who had their hands up in surrender, if this gets proven to be correct, then someone, is in really serious trouble, Trumps already blaming the admiral, but who's signature is on the order? who made the final decision,

Given how they've been blowing these boats and everyone on them to hell without even the semblance of credible evidence that they were drug traffickers at all (when seizing the vessel and investigating thoroughly would've proven it one way or the other), all major parties on the US side of this - Trump or Hegseth and the admiral(s) in question - are gonna have some serious questions to answer.

 

[jon0844]

Pete Hegseth throws an admiral under the bus.. and then Trump throws Pete under the bus....

[Video discusses the statement from both Pete Hegseth and Trump, each passing the blame down the chain of command so they can pretend they had nothing to do with ordering the second strike on the boat]

Trump will always play dumb and soon he'll pretend he doesn't even know Pete, so why do people keep wanting to work for him (okay, rhetorical question, as Pete is a horrible person who wants fame and power just like Trump and all the others).

 

[Gloster]

Given how they've been blowing these boats and everyone on them to hell without even the semblance of credible evidence to justify it and on the flimsiest of flimsy pretexts, someone - whether it be Trump or Hegseth or the admiral(s) in question - is gonna have some serious questions to answer.

Who is going to make them answer them? They will just ignore them and pour vitriol on those who ask. The only one who should watch their back is the admiral, as he is nicely lined up if they need a scapegoat. Of course, Hegseth could be sacrificed, but it probably won’t get that far.

 

[Strathclyder]

Who is going to make them answer them? They will just ignore them and pour vitriol on those who ask. The only one who should watch their back is the admiral, as he is nicely lined up if they need a scapegoat. Of course, Hegseth could be sacrificed, but it probably won’t get that far.

Yeah, I should've caveated that last post with 'in a just, sane world' shouldn't I? I really ought to know better by now.

I'm not holding my breath on Trump or Hegseth facing any real consequences for this, least of all getting dragged in front of the Hauge, anytime soon or ever. The thin gruel of hope beyond hope that they might is a cold comfort at best.

I can see the admiral being tossed under the bus though. Hegseth deserves to be thrown to the wolves, even amongst Trump's cabinet of ring-kissing morons he is a standout. Wholly unsuited to run a popsicle stand let alone the Pentagon.

 

[jon0844]

Yeah, I should've caveated that last post with 'in a just, sane world' shouldn't I? I really ought to know better by now.

I'm not holding my breath on Trump or Hegseth facing any real consequences for this, least of all getting dragged in front of the Hauge, anytime soon or ever. The thin gruel of hope beyond hope that they might is a cold comfort at best.

I can see the admiral being tossed under the bus though. Hegseth deserves to be thrown to the wolves, even amongst Trump's cabinet of ring-kissing morons he is a standout. Wholly unsuited to run a popsicle stand let alone the Pentagon.

He already has been, in that Pete says he'd left the room before Admiral Frank Bradley ordered the second strike. He's denied giving any orders and called the press out for fake news. He says he didn't see survivors because "the thing [boat] was on fire and exploded.".

So that's that. Pete thinks he's safe, and Trump has already said he has full faith in Pete and didn't know what was going on either.

Soon they'll pretend they didn't even know a boat got attacked at all (given even the first strike is controversial enough on its own, without the second).

Only Trump will ever come out unscathed.

 

[Strathclyder]

Only Trump will ever come out unscathed.

Yeah, if there's one thing that is certain in this world, it's that Trump will always find a way out of any lasting consequences like the weasel he is.

 

[jon0844]

Yeah, if there's one thing that is certain in this world, it's that Trump will always find a way out of any lasting consequences like the weasel he is.

I would add that I think justice might be coming Trump's way soon, but that will be coming from a 'higher source'.

 

[Gloster]

I would add that I think justice might be coming Trump's way soon, but that will be coming from a 'higher source'.

Do you think that Trump will pay any attention to HIM? (Or maybe it is a HER, which would be an almighty shock to many.)

 

[Strathclyder]

I would add that I think justice might be coming Trump's way soon, but that will be coming from a 'higher source'.

Given the images of him that went viral online this past weekend, I can well believe that 'higher source' (Lucifer/The Devil is considered to be a fallen angel after all) now expediting the process and has been for over a year now. Given his age, the pre-existing psychological problems and his family history of neurological decline (his father had dementia), I can't see him being even remotely cohorent even by this time next year, let alone January 2029 (if he makes it that far).

 

[brad465]

To paraphrase Thatcher: "The problem with Trumpism is that you eventually run out of other people to throw under a bus."

 

[martin butler]

Lets say , that for example someone was made scapegoat, then cast hard evidence came out, that the order did come from above and they were found to have not been the guilty person,and the true guilty party happened to be pardoned by an outgoing president, could a future president, remove a pardon, if a pardon was given to hide a crime?

 

[AlterEgo]

Lets say , that for example someone was made scapegoat, then cast hard evidence came out, that the order did come from above and they were found to have not been the guilty person,and the true guilty party happened to be pardoned by an outgoing president, could a future president, remove a pardon, if a pardon was given to hide a crime?

No. A delivered pardon is a completed act and is unconditional.

 

[martin butler]

No. A delivered pardon is a completed act and is unconditional.

Whatever happens post Trump, I think that anyone who enabled him, will go down in history as a failure, as a person, as well as professionally,
As I see it, A dictator is always a dead-end road, especially one like Trump who wants absolute power, and will throw everyone under the bus who becomes a rival to him, and might steal what he sees are rightfully his,

Whilst he can pardon people, the stain won't ever go away, and it will leave a mark on the USA one that future generations will have to bear, I think that the GOP might even die with him, because, once people start telling their stories about what his people did, and how republican's turned a blind eye, they will be as toxic as trumps legacy .

 

[Gloster]

Whatever happens post Trump, I think that anyone who enabled him, will go down in history as a failure, as a person, as well as professionally,
As I see it, A dictator is always a dead-end road, especially one like Trump who wants absolute power, and will throw everyone under the bus who becomes a rival to him, and might steal what he sees are rightfully his,

Whilst he can pardon people, the stain won't ever go away, and it will leave a mark on the USA one that future generations will have to bear, I think that the GOP might even die with him, because, once people start telling their stories about what his people did, and how republican's turned a blind eye, they will be as toxic as trumps legacy .

Which is fine if Trump is only a temporary blip and the USA makes a return to normality once he has gone, even if it takes a while. But it is my opinion that those behind him are intending to completely change the way that the country functions and the basis for its society’s behaviour. The most extreme want an elected dictatorship, but most of the others are more concerned about whether it is God or Mammon who rules, but enough will find a way to combine the two.

Whether they will get a North Korea-lite system with Donald Jnr. taking over, to be followed by Eric, Barron and offspring, or whether they will just dig out a compliant front man, remains to be seen. Trump’s early (probable) demise is a bit of a problem for them, but they are moving fast to skew the system before they lose an election, so that in due course elections will be irrelevant.

 

[ainsworth74]

No. A delivered pardon is a completed act and is unconditional.

Won't stop Trump trying though...

WASHINGTON, Dec 2 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday he is terminating all documents, including pardons, that he said his predecessor Joe Biden had signed using an autopen, a move that legal experts doubted would hold up in court.

The autopen is used to replicate a person's signature with precision, typically for high-volume or ceremonial documents. It has been employed for years by presidents of both major parties to sign letters and proclamations.

Trump and his supporters have made a variety of unfounded claims that Biden's use of the device while president invalidated his actions or suggested that he was not fully aware of these actions. It is not known whether Biden used autopen on pardons.

"Anyone receiving 'Pardons,' 'Commutations,' or any other Legal Document so signed, please be advised that said Document has been fully and completely terminated, and is of no Legal effect," Trump wrote on Truth Social.

Legal experts contacted by Reuters were dubious.

“It’s never been thought that a president has the ability to void a prior president’s pardons,” said Mark Osler, a professor at the University of St. Thomas School of Law.

https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-says-he-is-terminating-any-pardons-commutations-signed-by-biden-using-2025-12-02/