Thoughts on the Trump presidency

[jon0844]

Trump's face now going in new US passports too!

Whether Americans will be able to opt out or not, it will be too much for those who are anti-Trump to stomach if they are about to renew their passports

The Americans who actually travel and therefore get a passport are probably the very people who don't want a picture of Trump in there.

 

[jupiter]

Limited edition so not everyone will receive one.

Also he seems to have discovered he’s related to the royal family with no one telling him that a lot of us are if we go back far enough.

 

[sor]

https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-produce-passports-bearing-trumps-image-2026-04-28/

A State Department official ‌said ⁠the special edition passports will only be available at the Washington Passport Agency, so those applying for a passport by mail would not receive one. There would be no extra fee charged, the official said.

It has been reported that the Trump passport is only available for those who apply in person at their Washington DC passport office. So if you are unfortunate to have a need for speed then you might end up getting this one, as it is not clear if you'll be able to choose. Applications made online/by post and in-person applications at all other locations will get the normal one.

Meanwhile, anyone who buys a national park pass will get his face emblazoned across it (which is apparently against the law as the designs must be based on an annual photo competition). People have adapted by producing stickers, and when the government responded by suggesting that is defacement and could lead to the pass being cancelled, by switching to slip covers

I do wonder how the American small government types, including those in power and ransacking the place under the guise of "project 2025", can justify this.

 

[martin butler]

Is this project 2025, or rule by a personality cult? On the face of it, Trump wants his face on everything, and his enablers, are seemingly pandering to it, very very dictatorship like, where said dictator, has their face on walls, on bill boards, on flags, at least trump isn't insisting his face replaces the stars and stripes yet, but give it time, I'm sure he will,

 

[The exile]

Is this project 2025, or rule by a personality cult? On the face of it, Trump wants his face on everything, and his enablers, are seemingly pandering to it, very very dictatorship like, where said dictator, has their face on walls, on bill boards, on flags, at least trump isn't insisting his face replaces the stars and stripes yet, but give it time, I'm sure he will,

Haven’t quite got to the 3x life size solid gold statue in the most prominent position in Washington DC yet, but just wait!

 

[jon0844]

I do wonder how the American small government types, including those in power and ransacking the place under the guise of "project 2025", can justify this.

There are a lot of Trump voters that are now coming out saying they were wrong, Trump is bad etc etc.. but only when they are personally impacted by something he has done (You can see what has been done so far in the Project 2025 playbook).

 

[dorsetdesiro]

Haven’t quite got to the 3x life size solid gold statue in the most prominent position in Washington DC yet, but just wait!

Also his ugly mug on massive billboards along the border facing Mexico, possibly good deterrent for illegal immigration!

 

[sor]

Haven’t quite got to the 3x life size solid gold statue in the most prominent position in Washington DC yet, but just wait!

Getting ever closer to that reality...

Massive golden Donald Trump statue appears at Trump Doral ahead of Cadillac Championship

The PGA Tour left Trump Doral in 2016 over concerns of politicization. In 2026, there's still no escaping it.

sports.yahoo.com

That is what greeted players, staff, fans and media as they arrived at Trump Doral for the Cadillac Championship this week. The new Signature Event marks the first time in a decade the PGA Tour has returned to the Donald Trump-badged course, and they received a bright (some might say blinding) welcome from the 15-foot-tall statue of the current President of the United States.

While it’s perfectly reasonable to assume that Trump commissioned the tribute to himself, it was in fact the long-running project of Patriot Token, a right-wing crypto coin that is hoping the statue will encourage the buy-in of big-money investors.

 

[dgl]

Trump's face now going in new US passports too!

Whether Americans will be able to opt out or not, it will be too much for those who are anti-Trump to stomach if they are about to renew their passports

You have to go to one specific passport office (in Washington I think) and ask for it specifically to get one, doubt they'd get that many takers.
I hope if a democrat gets in next time they make all Trump passports invalid, and anything else he's stuck his mug on.

 

[Strathclyder]

Maybe they should put his face on condoms, it would remind users what can happen if they don't use one.

And on all other forms of contraceptives, just to be safe.

There are a lot of Trump voters that are now coming out saying they were wrong, Trump is bad etc etc.. but only when they are personally impacted by something he has done (You can see what has been done so far in the Project 2025 playbook).

And despite being repeatedly told that voting for him - for a 3rd time for a good chunk of 'em - would screw them right into the ground, only to write it all off as fake news. Therefore these people aren't deserving of any sympathy beyond a twinge of momentary pity, certainly ain't getting much of either from me. They screwed around, now they're finding out.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 29 Apr 2026 ==

Despite what it looks like, this is not an Onion headline:

US to issue ‘America250’ passports featuring Donald Trump’s image

Limited-edition versions will place US president’s portrait inside cover alongside declaration text and flag motifs

www.theguardian.com

Honestly surprising The Onion hasn't gone out of business yet in this post-satirical world. Speaking of them, didn't they buy Infowars out from under that cave troll Alex Jones recently?

 

[najaB]

They screwed around, now they're finding out.

The problem is that they're not the only ones affected.

 

[Strathclyder]

The problem is that they're not the only ones affected.

Precisely, but these people couldn't and haven't have given much of a toss until they've started personally feeling the effects of the orange idiot stampeding about the place with all the candor of a drunken elephant. Only when that's happening have they started renouncing him.

 

[ainsworth74]

Maybe they should put his face on condoms, it would remind users what can happen if they don't use one.

And on all other forms of contraceptives, just to be safe.

Bold of you to assume that contraception will still be available in the US once these nut jobs have had a bit more time in charge...

 

[Strathclyder]

Bold of you to assume that contraception will still be available in the US once these nut jobs have had a bit more time in charge...

I'm surprised they're still available now, frankly.

 

[The Ham]

Not necessarily directly related to Trump, but does show a shift away from US supremacy in the defence of Europe by building on what already exists:

https://inews.co.uk/news/politics/u...D-ZHneQXrP89AkKn0spxwlh4ElNA22jVrps76ddCUxNkg

Britain is assembling a new force of northern navies to counter the rising maritime threat posed by Russia, the head of the Royal Navy has announced.

A group of 10 countries led by the UK will share equipment, train together and develop joint war plans for taking on Russia in northwest Europe and the High North, the First Sea Lord General Sir Gwyn Jenkins said.

He said that Russian incursions into British waters had increased by almost a third in the last two years, and “all the signs suggest this pattern of behaviour by Moscow will only worsen further in future”.

To deal with the threat, Jenkins announced that Britain is working with allies to create a “new partnership of Northern Navies, a multinational maritime force to defend Northwest Europe and the High North, with the UK at the helm”.

The force will involve the 10 countries in the existing military partnership know as the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF): the UK, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden.

Unlike the JEF, which operates episodically, the new initiative is intended to be a permanent force which would be much more closely integrated.

Jenkins said: “The reality is we must now deepen and evolve this partnership if we are to generate the collective combat power necessary to provide conventional deterrence along our open sea border with Russia.

“Like the current JEF model, it should not be seen as separate to Nato, but rather complementary to it. It would be a means for Nato to respond rapidly and seize the initiative in this strategically vital region.”

He went on: “I aim to create a maritime force that trains, exercises and prepares together. A force designed to fight immediately if required, with real capabilities, real war plans, and real integration.

Jenkins said that as well exporting Type 26 frigates to Norway and Canada, he was hopeful that “similar deals will soon be struck with other Northern allies”.

There is also an expectation that, as technology like drones and uncrewed ships develops, the countries in the alliance will work together to share the technology.

The Royal Navy would be by far the biggest fleet in the alliance, followed by the Netherlands, Denmark and Norway. Smaller countries like Estonia have particular capabilities in fields such as mine hunting.

 

[AlterEgo]

I just caught Charles' speech to Congress, which was quite remarkable. When he dies this may be his career highlight, going in to bat for Team UK at a very difficult moment and gently applying the correct pushback in a very public way.

 

[Killingworth]

I

I just caught Charles' speech to Congress, which was quite remarkable. When he dies this may be his career highlight, going in to bat for Team UK at a very difficult moment and gently applying the correct pushback in a very public way.

I'm afraid the subtlety of his speeches will have gone right over Donald's head. I missed where he is reported to have mentioned in passing that he was head of state of 5 nations competing in the World Cup, including co-host Canada. (England, Scotland, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.)

 

[dorsetdesiro]

Probably too busy basking in the limelight of being in the King's presence, like a smug orange Jabba the Hut, to listen to what he was actually saying in his speech.

First it was Ukraine then Denmark, Spain, Italy, Britain so now it's Germany the orange ogre is upset with. Which European country could be next in the crosshairs for his ire?

 

[zero]

I'm afraid the subtlety of his speeches will have gone right over Donald's head. I missed where he is reported to have mentioned in passing that he was head of state of 5 nations competing in the World Cup, including co-host Canada. (England, Scotland, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.)

The subtlety wasn't aimed at Donald

 

[BuhSnarf]

The subtlety wasn't aimed at Donald

I think most Americans missed it, also.

 

[AlterEgo]

I think most Americans missed it, also.

Americans aren't as stupid as British people like to think they are.

 

[The Ham]

Americans aren't as stupid as British people like to think they are.

Indeed, however the way of dishing is very different, in British English we infer a lot from the context (nice glasses can mean a few different things and 99% of the time we can use context to get the correct context) what American English will give the context (nice eyeglasses).

It's not that the American way means that they are stupid, but it does mean that the British can interpret this as them needing more help ans so not as clever.

 

[martin butler]

Just wait for the next 2am post from the child in charge, he will have forgotten about the king's visit, by then and will be attacking the next country he feels personally slighted him, last one was Germany, inferring that the US doesn't need such a presence in the country,,

Strange that, after Putin had just put the phone down, weaken the ability of the west to react should he decide to try something, he really is a child, or has the understanding of a child,

Much of what the king said , would have gone over his head, unless it praised him, he has no interest in anything, unless it's praising him, anyone notice how White house briefings are now, first thing you do is to smooth his ego, and make out he is the greatest leader ever, Shades of the emperor's new clothes, when everyone can see the ugly truth standing naked before them

 

[Harpo]

I

I'm afraid the subtlety of his speeches will have gone right over Donald's head.

I was wondering if one of Trump’s carers might explain to him afterwards just what Charlie had said:

“Mr President, the King said you are the biggliest most beautiful world leader ever, a really really great one, and that he’d bomb the shot out of Iran too……”

 

[BuhSnarf]

Americans aren't as stupid as British people like to think they are.

Oh, not saying they're stupid - there's a lot of clever people.

Unfortunately there is also many people who won't have watched this, or they will have watched this and not understood that the jibes were towards their own democracy/actions because there is an inherent, almost blinding, belief that they are always on the side of good and they're your core Trump voter.

I, sadly, speak with quite a few who do not think anything that is being done is wrong and still wholeheartedly believe the rest of the world still thinks they're in the right.

 

[SargeNpton]

Probably too busy basking in the limelight of being in the King's presence, like a smug orange Jabba the Hut, to listen to what he was actually saying in his speech.

First it was Ukraine then Denmark, Spain, Italy, Britain so now it's Germany the orange ogre is upset with. Which European country could be next in the crosshairs for his ire?

Is that the same Germany that his grandfather fled from to avoid compulsory military service?

 

[yorkie]

Oh, not saying they're stupid - there's a lot of clever people.

Unfortunately there is also many people who won't have watched this, or they will have watched this and not understood that the jibes were towards their own democracy/actions because there is an inherent, almost blinding, belief that they are always on the side of good and they're your core Trump voter.

I, sadly, speak with quite a few who do not think anything that is being done is wrong and still wholeheartedly believe the rest of the world still thinks they're in the right.

Agreed

President Trump’s Approval Rating: Latest Polls

Track the latest approval rating and polls on Americans’ approval of President Trump.

www.nytimes.com

President Trump’s approval ratings, which hovered around 40 percent for several months, dipped below that mark for the first time this term. Gas prices climbed to a national average of more than $4 a gallon and a Pew Research poll conducted in mid-March found that 60 percent of Americans disapproved of the president’s handling of Iran, including 30 percent of Republicans. Trump’s approval rating on the economy has also reached a new low of 31 percent..

Given 31 per cent of Americans approve of Trump on economic matters, there are at least 108 million people in the USA who are so stupid it's difficult for people in more 'normal' countries to comprehend how they can be this stupid.

Approving of Trump over Ideological matters is more a measure of how xenophobic, racist, obnoxious, selfish people are than pure stupidity, but for anyone to approve of Trump on the economy is downright stupidity.

 

[najaB]

Given 31 per cent of Americans approve of Trump on economic matters, there are at least 108 million people in the USA who are so stupid it's difficult for people in more 'normal' countries to comprehend how they can be this stupid.

A large portion of those don't approve of Trump, they approve of anything or anyone with a (R) after their name because they aren't capable of admitting that someone with a (D) after their name might actually be right.

 

[zero]

The US stockmarkets continue to reach new all-time highs, so at least some of those 100 million may not be too unhappy with how things are going - at least for now.

 

[jon0844]

The US stockmarkets continue to reach new all-time highs, so at least some of those 100 million may not be too unhappy with how things are going - at least for now.

The Iran 'conflict' has made a lot of people VERY rich. If you can play the markets as oil prices go up and down, you're laughing. If you have shares in oil companies posting record profits in just one quarter (like three times that of 2025 Q1) then you're laughing.

If you're just out there struggling with high prices for gas and groceries, you're a loser and should have worked harder. Don't expect any help as that's communism.

(What's worse is that many Americans are conditioned to believe that if you are struggling, it was your own fault because everyone who works hard* can become rich).

* including inheriting wealth or ripping off others etc.