Thoughts on the Trump presidency

[The exile]

I'm 110% sure that she has left as a result of Trump's "Great Catering Truck Escape". She cites wanting to spend more time with her family, but has only just returned from maternity leave following the birth of her child.

Though I can imagine that that return might also trigger a rethink of priorities (“Do I really want this life?”). As I’m not a new mother I can’t be sure…

 

[Bantamzen]

Though I can imagine that that return might also trigger a rethink of priorities (“Do I really want this life?”). As I’m not a new mother I can’t be sure…

To be honest whilst that might be the case, Caroline Levitt is 100% MAGA (Make America Great Again movement) and very much a Trump supporter. She revelled in tussling with the media, and plugging whatever nonsense Trump and his Administration were trotting out. So let's just say I'd be surprised if she decided that wasn't the life for her.

No, I stand by my previous comment. She saw Trump sneak off AF1 (Airforce 1) via a catering truck, and left everyone else, staffers and media to be a potential target so he could slip away in the 757 aircraft that was on stand-by. And she came to realise that Trump will push anybody in front of the bus, or in this case missiles, to save his skin. Let's not forget that they originally switched from the Qatar gifted 747 aircraft to one of the two regular 747s, because the former was not fully retro-fitted to the latter's defence standards. So Trump / the Secret Service must have been very spooked to put him on the 757 usually reserved for the Vice President they way they did (and I'm inclined to think this was Trump's decision). If so, once he was in the air they should have held the 747 until it was deemed safe to go, or fly the passengers off on other aircraft.

 

[Jon_jpwh]

I am surprised that Trump knew and then remembered that he had switched planes.

 

[dosxuk]

The bit I don't understand about this whole plane swap story is why are they telling us? Normally this sort of operational security thing would be classified and remain so even after the event. They certainly won't be able to use this catering truck swap trick again in the future, any vehicles that approach Air Force One in the future are going to be closely watched to see if they have any unexpected passengers. And if there was a credible threat to the aircraft, then all they've done is make it so that all aircraft involved are now targets, rather than just the flagship.

Whatever we think about Donald, the security services are mostly very competent at their jobs. It seems very strange indeed to get this much detail into their operations. All I can think is that it's a distraction from something else.

 

[GusB]

The bit I don't understand about this whole plane swap story is why are they telling us? Normally this sort of operational security thing would be classified and remain so even after the event. They certainly won't be able to use this catering truck swap trick again in the future, any vehicles that approach Air Force One in the future are going to be closely watched to see if they have any unexpected passengers. And if there was a credible threat to the aircraft, then all they've done is make it so that all aircraft involved are now targets, rather than just the flagship.

Whatever we think about Donald, the security services are mostly very competent at their jobs. It seems very strange indeed to get this much detail into their operations. All I can think is that it's a distraction from something else.

I believe the information was leaked rather than volunteered, or we'd probably be none the wiser.

 

[ainsworth74]

The bit I don't understand about this whole plane swap story is why are they telling us? Normally this sort of operational security thing would be classified and remain so even after the event. They certainly won't be able to use this catering truck swap trick again in the future, any vehicles that approach Air Force One in the future are going to be closely watched to see if they have any unexpected passengers. And if there was a credible threat to the aircraft, then all they've done is make it so that all aircraft involved are now targets, rather than just the flagship.

They didn't, it was leaked and then they basically had to give up on the trying to pretend it didn't happen. If it hadn't have leaked we'd never have known. Also they do usually reveal slights of hand like this to the media (sometimes in advance but sometimes under an embargo but certainly after the fact). For instance Bill Clinton did a similar plane swap in his 2000 visit to Pakistan but they told the press beforehand and did discuss concerns around safety for the journalists on Air Force One:

Before the flight, White House Press Secretary Joe Lockhart and other Clinton officials honored the tradition of keeping representatives of the White House press corps informed about the president's whereabouts.

At the time, this reporter was president of the White House Correspondents Association and covering the trip for USA TODAY. Before we left Bombay, White House officials took me aside for an off-the-record conversation to discuss the extraordinary security precautions being taken.

We also discussed concerns about the safety of the small group of journalists aboard the familiar Air Force One and the larger group traveling on the chartered press plane, which landed in Islamabad in advance of the White House planes.

Before Trump, Clinton took a decoy plane for safety. I was there

A quarter-century before President Trump's secret flight from Turkey, Clinton staged a similar ruse for a flight to Pakistan. I had a first-hand view.

eu.usatoday.com

 

[brad465]

Whatever we think about Donald, the security services are mostly very competent at their jobs. It seems very strange indeed to get this much detail into their operations. All I can think is that it's a distraction from something else.

It could also be an attempt to garner sympathy for Trump, by highlighting him as a target and making him go through the "hardship" of being smuggled in a catering van.

 

[The exile]

It could also be an attempt to garner sympathy for Trump, by highlighting him as a target and making him go through the "hardship" of being smuggled in a catering van.

How many people are by now not so firmly in one camp or the other regarding Trump that anything is going to shift their opinion?

 

[Loppylugs]

Should have left him in the catering truck with his pinnie on and put the driver on the plane. Win win all round.

 

[brad465]

Life on the USS Abraham Lincoln is getting tough by the sounds of things:

Concern grows over conditions on USS Abraham Lincoln

Thousands of sailors on the USS Abraham Lincoln have reportedly faced food shortages and broken plumbing, with some considering jumping overboard.

www.bbc.co.uk

Thousands of US military members who have been living aboard an aircraft carrier for more than 250 days are reportedly contending with food shortages, broken plumbing, exhaustion, and other hardships, leading lawmakers to demand answers from the Pentagon and putting pressure on the Trump administration over the Iran war.

Military news outlets reported that multiple sailors on the USS Abraham Lincoln have considered jumping overboard, as well.

Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth on Thursday called reports of poor conditions "completely misrepresented".

The carrier left California in November for the South China Sea and was sent to the Middle East ahead of attacks on Iran in February.

The deployment, which was originally set to end in May, has been repeatedly extended. No return date has been announced, but on Thursday multiple outlets reported the US is preparing to replace the carrier with the USS George Washington as part of a previously scheduled rotation plan.

The BBC has contacted the Pentagon about those reports.

Connecticut Senator Richard Blumenthal listed the reported hardships on the carrier, where about 5,000 people are on board, in a letter to Hegseth: "Shortages of basic supplies, water contamination, plumbing issues, deteriorating mental health, deck safety concerns, and disruptions in the mail system, which have caused many care packages in route to the ship to be lost in transit for months."

"These reports warrant immediate attention," the Democrat, who serves on the Armed Services Committee, wrote, "but they also raise a broader question: whether the Navy can sustain the operational tempo now being demanded of its carrier force."

Fellow Democratic Senator Ruben Gallego called for the military to allow a congressional delegation to visit the ship and "conduct oversight investigation into this horrible situation," he posted on X, adding: "There is no reason to be denied access."

Citing two unnamed officials, CBS News, the BBC's US partner, reported that earlier this month a sailor went overboard and was recovered by a helicopter, treated by the medical department, and transferred off the ship for further care.

The circumstances of the incident are currently under investigation.

The Military Times and Stars and Stripes reported earlier this week that multiple service members had considered suicide by jumping overboard, according to their families. They said that being at sea for an extended period of time and the conditions on board were hurting some members' mental health.

Those conditions also reportedly included not being able to clean laundry for more than a week and not eating fresh food due to infrequent visits to ports, when troops are not always allowed to leave the ship.

California Congressman Mike Levin, a Democrat, summarised the issues on X as: "moldy showers, broken toilets, laundry down for weeks, long stretches with no hot water, a meal that came down to half a cup of rice and two tortillas. No soap, deodorant, or toothpaste."

Following those reports, a Navy official told the BBC they had not identified an increase in reported suicidal ideation or suicide attempts aboard the ship and that "traditional supply hubs" had been "disrupted by combat actions".

The Navy was currently putting a priority on delivering "mission-critical supplies" to the ship.

"First food, then hygiene items, then mail," the official said on Wednesday. "Current reports from the ship confirm continuous access to clean water, functional AC (air conditioning), and healthy meal options."

Hegseth, while speaking to reporters in Panama on Thursday, said the government makes sure "every ship, every crew, every captain has everything we can provide them at every single moment".

"Some deployments are longer than others, and I have more respect and gratitude for those sailors than anybody," he said. "What they do in those high seas in those austere conditions with less port calls - it's incredible."

Asked about the conditions on board, Olivia Wales, a spokeswoman for Trump, told reporters that both Hegseth and Trump were committed to ensuring the US military was "equipped with the resources necessary to counter any threat to the United States".

During other lengthy deployments, the Navy took steps to provide entertainment for troops, according to military publication Stars & Stripes, external, including bingo, art sessions, and a singing contest.

A study, external of 956 sailors released in January 2025 found that troops aboard US Navy ships suffer the highest rates of "serious psychological distress" in comparison to other branches of the US military.

The study cited "unique stressors, such as poor habitability, noise, and demanding schedules that leave inadequate time for sleep and rest".

Meanwhile, suicide remains a leading cause of death in the US Navy and Marines, according to an analysis of military data by USNI News, and veterans have higher rates of suicide than Americans who have not served in the military, according to the Veterans Administration.

 

[GusB]

Life on the USS Abraham Lincoln is getting tough by the sounds of things:

Concern grows over conditions on USS Abraham Lincoln

Thousands of sailors on the USS Abraham Lincoln have reportedly faced food shortages and broken plumbing, with some considering jumping overboard.

www.bbc.co.uk

The best, bigliest military the world has ever seen can't even get the basics right. It's bad enough that food and toiletries are in short supply, but not getting post through must be soul destroying for those on board, especially as they've been away from home for so long.

 

[jon0844]

The best, bigliest military the world has ever seen can't even get the basics right. It's bad enough that food and toiletries are in short supply, but not getting post through must be soul destroying for those on board, especially as they've been away from home for so long.

I'm not saying it applies to this ship, but I know that Right to Repair is a big thing in the USA as so many companies like to end-of-life products and services by refusing to fix, or making it near impossible to fix, things.. and I remember the US military talking about the issues with things onboard its fleet of ships, with things like kitchen equipment and more.. basically, the items cost a fortune to be repaired, if they were at all, and only by specific contractors who can obviously charge the earth.

Think of it like a McDonald's milkshake machine, or a John Deere tractor... but with things that the armed forces need to do their jobs and protect their country.

I am sure this is one of the many issues that will be causing issues on the ship, although not going to port in such a long time (I believe it's normal to do it nearer every 40-45 days?) must be horrible for the crew. But does Trump or Hegseth care about them? Of course not. Not one bit.

 

[najaB]

I am sure this is one of the many issues that will be causing issues on the ship, although not going to port in such a long time (I believe it's normal to do it nearer every 40-45 days?) must be horrible for the crew.

Not only is it horrible for crew morale, but it also explains a lot of the issues with failing onboard equipment. While it's relatively easy to replenish aviation fuel, food, and some consumables while at sea it's significantly more challenging to replace larger pieces of equipment which would normally be shipped ahead of port calls.

 

[Bantamzen]

The bit I don't understand about this whole plane swap story is why are they telling us? Normally this sort of operational security thing would be classified and remain so even after the event. They certainly won't be able to use this catering truck swap trick again in the future, any vehicles that approach Air Force One in the future are going to be closely watched to see if they have any unexpected passengers. And if there was a credible threat to the aircraft, then all they've done is make it so that all aircraft involved are now targets, rather than just the flagship.

Whatever we think about Donald, the security services are mostly very competent at their jobs. It seems very strange indeed to get this much detail into their operations. All I can think is that it's a distraction from something else.

The thing I don't understand is why they felt the need to not fly Trump in the official 747 (as opposed to the Qatar gifted craft) in the first place? The two aircraft used for Air Force 1 are some of the most heavily defended on the planet, and they always fly with a military escort, so would be pretty safe even from missile attacks.

Life on the USS Abraham Lincoln is getting tough by the sounds of things:

Concern grows over conditions on USS Abraham Lincoln

Thousands of sailors on the USS Abraham Lincoln have reportedly faced food shortages and broken plumbing, with some considering jumping overboard.

www.bbc.co.uk

Whilst it's probably expected to have much longer than planned missions at sea whist at war, it is starting to sound like things are getting bad onboard. A munity might not be completely out of the question if they don't get the replacement out there ASAP, yet the replacement (sorry I can't remember the name of the vessel) is from what I understand at least 3 weeks sail away in San Diego Harbour.

Quite honestly if these two things alone aren't enough to persuade most Republicans that Trump's time is up, I don't know what else it would take. After all we have to add to this mix reports that the US is starting to have a deficit of attack and defensive missiles, as they scramble to try and get new ones built. It paints a picture of a President and his appointed administration as horrifically incompetent to the point that they are becoming the major threat to the US's security. If you took the names "Trump" and "America" out of the story, I'd swear that this was talking about Russia or North Korea, with maniac leaders throwing munitions around with little effect to the point where they are seriously short of them, whilst they hide away in unmarked catering trucks as their military personnel suffer food shortages and plummeting moral.

Putin, Xi, Jong-un, and even Khamenei must be laughing their socks off right now. Trump is making them look more competent than the US.

 

[najaB]

The thing I don't understand is why they felt the need to not fly Trump in the official 747 (as opposed to the Qatar gifted craft) in the first place? The two aircraft used for Air Force 1 are some of the most heavily defended on the planet, and they always fly with a military escort, so would be pretty safe even from missile attacks.

Apparently the warning didn't originate with the CIA/NSA, but came from the Israelis. US security agencies didn't consider it a legitimate threat, but Bibi has the ear of POTUS.

So this is another self-own by an administration that has a demonstrated disdain for expertise.

 

[edwin_m]

The thing I don't understand is why they felt the need to not fly Trump in the official 747 (as opposed to the Qatar gifted craft) in the first place? The two aircraft used for Air Force 1 are some of the most heavily defended on the planet, and they always fly with a military escort, so would be pretty safe even from missile attacks.

He used the Qatar plan to arrive in Ankara but he was to use the official 747 for the return journey then swap planes in the UK. That suggests there was some indication of increased security risk even before whatever provoked the catering van swap.

 

[Bantamzen]

He used the Qatar plan to arrive in Ankara but he was to use the official 747 for the return journey then swap planes in the UK. That suggests there was some indication of increased security risk even before whatever provoked the catering van swap.

Yeah I know he arrived on the Qatari one, but it was indicated at the time that he swapped to one of the official ones as the former didn't have all the defence systems installed. And it's almost certain that the 757 he did leave Türkiye in would not have been so heavily defended as the 747 he snuck off from. So even with a heightened threat, the 747 offered the best protection. It was all very strange.

 

[The exile]

Yeah I know he arrived on the Qatari one, but it was indicated at the time that he swapped to one of the official ones as the former didn't have all the defence systems installed. And it's almost certain that the 757 he did leave Türkiye in would not have been so heavily defended as the 747 he snuck off from. So even with a heightened threat, the 747 offered the best protection. It was all very strange.

Unless of course the heightened threat (what or whoever it was) was believed to be on board the 747. Alternatively it’s all just a publicity stunt.
Of course, the biggest security threat was on the 747 - until they moved him on to the 757.

 

[najaB]

He used the Qatar plan to arrive in Ankara but he was to use the official 747 for the return journey then swap planes in the UK. That suggests there was some indication of increased security risk even before whatever provoked the catering van swap.

Even that was incompetence by the administration since they had previously said that N7478D (the VC-25B Bridge) would only be used for domestic and low-risk overseas trips (e.g. to the UK), and that 28000 and 29000 (the VC-25As) would be used for most overseas travel.

But of course, DJT had to have his shiny new toy when he showed up for the NATO summit and overruled the Air Force.

 

[AM9]

Not only is it horrible for crew morale, but it also explains a lot of the issues with failing onboard equipment. While it's relatively easy to replenish aviation fuel, food, and some consumables while at sea it's significantly more challenging to replace larger pieces of equipment which would normally be shipped ahead of port calls.

Horrible for those on board who are there for their country, irrespective of who is in the White House, but a more positive view is that it will do wonders for the mid-term results.

 

[Bantamzen]

Unless of course the heightened threat (what or whoever it was) was believed to be on board the 747. Alternatively it’s all just a publicity stunt.
Of course, the biggest security threat was on the 747 - until they moved him on to the 757.

I'd be amazed if the former was the case. After all on arrival in the UK, Trump moved snuck back onboard the 747, and presumably no-one got off and stayed in the UK. And I don't think it would be a publicity stunt, it would be really, really weird if it were! I suspect @najaB has suggested something closer to the truth, with the Israeli Government / Intelligence Agency spooking Trump into hiding with the mini bottles of wine and ready to heat meals!!

 

[ainsworth74]

I suspect @najaB has suggested something closer to the truth, with the Israeli Government / Intelligence Agency spooking Trump into hiding with the mini bottles of wine and ready to heat meals!!

Says a lot about how much weight Trump puts in Bibi versus his own security services (who didn't seem to be particularly worried).

 

[Bantamzen]

Says a lot about how much weight Trump puts in Bibi versus his own security services (who didn't seem to be particularly worried).

I'm sure I've heard / read something, somewhere, from former staffers that Trump basically doesn't have many briefings with CIA / NSA unless they are very, very brief. Instead it was alleged that he just makes his own mind up about security issues and runs with it, much to the dismay of the intelligence community. If I can remember the source I'll drop it here!

 

[najaB]

I'm sure I've heard / read something, somewhere, from former staffers that Trump basically doesn't have many briefings with CIA / NSA unless they are very, very brief. Instead it was alleged that he just makes his own mind up about security issues and runs with it, much to the dismay of the intelligence community. If I can remember the source I'll drop it here!

It's been leaked by several sources that the Presidential Daily Briefing (PDBs) have had to be condensed to a single page and he only pays attention when his name is mentioned.

 

[brad465]

The contents of this article would under any other US President and Defence sorry War Secretary be a career-defining scandal:

Multiple USS Abraham Lincoln sailors have tried to go overboard amid extended deployment, families say

Multiple sailors aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln have attempted to go overboard as the carrier's deployment stretches into its ninth month.

www.militarytimes.com

Annabelle Loma has spoken with her husband only a few times since he attempted to jump overboard from the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln during his current deployment.

Communication has been difficult to come by, and he is now on medical hold.

Loma, who lives in San Diego, said her husband had been repeatedly overextended before he tried to jump from the carrier.

“He’s scared,” Loma said. “He thinks he’ll get a dishonorable discharge, and just because he was burnt out, his 13-year career is ruined, just like that. That’s not fair, that’s not right. That’s not what he should be worrying about right now.”

Loma said she initially received a call from the ship’s ombudsman after the incident but has not heard from anyone with the Navy in recent weeks.

Lincoln’s roughly 5,000 sailors and Marines remain on a deployment that began Nov. 21. The carrier has been deployed for more than eight months while supporting U.S. military operations in the Middle East against Iran.

The deployment, which was anticipated to end in May, has been extended with no publicly announced return date.

In a separate incident aboard Lincoln, a sailor on watch saw a shipmate preparing to go overboard, and he intervened, according to the sailor’s wife, Maria Rodriguez.

Rodriguez said her husband called out to the sailor before reaching the individual and grabbing their arms, pulling them onto the deck. Her husband told her the sailor had not yet gone over the side when he got there. Three other sailors heard the commotion and came running to help.

Rodriguez’s husband told her about the incident several days after it happened.

“He said he hadn’t felt adrenaline like that in his life, and he was just so thankful he was able to get to [the sailor] in time, to stop them from going overboard,” Rodriguez said.

She did not know what happened to the sailor afterward.

Separately, Stars and Stripes reported Tuesday that sailors described an incident in which watchstanders stopped a crew member from jumping overboard. Stripes reported that the crew was informed about the incident through a shipwide announcement.

More than 200 family members attended a meeting in San Diego last week with acting Secretary of the Navy Hung Cao. During a separate virtual meeting later that evening, families raised concerns about sailors’ mental health, exhaustion and safety, according to recordings of the meeting reviewed by MS NOW.

Vice Adm. Joseph Cahill, commander of Naval Surface Forces, acknowledged the strain on sailors and their families during the virtual meeting.

“We hear you loud and clear [regarding] the impact this has on families, on service members and the long-term ability of us to stand, sustain our forces’ health,” Cahill said, according to MS NOW.

Cahill described deployment-resilience counselors and chaplains aboard warships, along with Human Factors Councils designed to review factors affecting sailors’ well-being and identify related risks.

The Navy has said Lincoln’s leadership is continuously assessing sailors’ psychological readiness and that the carrier has access to counselors, chaplains, medical professionals and other support services.

The Navy did not provide a precise number of sailors who have attempted to go overboard or engaged in self-harm aboard Lincoln during the current deployment.

 

[najaB]

The contents of this article would under any other US President and Defence sorry War Secretary be a career-defining scandal

No, you were right. Only Congress can change the name of a government department.

 

[GusB]

The Strait of Hormuz is to become a territory of the United States, apparently.

Trump threatens to declare strait of Hormuz ‘territory of the United States’

Seriousness of remark made in New York on Friday, and whether it signaled new policy position, not clear

www.theguardian.com

Donald Trump has threatened to declare the strait of Hormuz as “a territory of the United States” as his administration struggles to conclude the war with Iran.

During a speech at a police academy on Long Island, New York, on Friday, the US president said he would “pretty soon” designate the waterway – a crucial chokepoint for global trade, through which about a fifth of the world’s seaborne oil supplies typically pass – a US territory.


The comment came as peace talks with Iran remain at an impasse following failed negotiations, with Tehran refusing to reopen the strait, which has been all but closed since the US and Israel launched their war on Iran in February.

Almost six months into the war, there is little indication that negotiations will soon yield peace, as Iranian officials continue to defy Trump’s demands. The US has been blockading Iranian shipping and ⁠ports in recent months in an effort to pile economic pressure on Tehran.


“After we finish defeating Iran, which is being very badly defeated, pretty soon I’ll be declaring the Hormuz strait a territory of the United States,” Trump said on Friday. “Essentially, that’s what it is. We have the blockade. No ships get through unless we want them to.”

The seriousness of Trump’s remark, and whether it signaled a new policy position for his administration, was not immediately clear.

 

[jon0844]

It's been leaked by several sources that the Presidential Daily Briefing (PDBs) have had to be condensed to a single page and he only pays attention when his name is mentioned.

The most crazy thing I heard was that they were giving him briefings as short Fox News style videos. Crazier still is that it could well be true!

 

[Bald Rick]

Back to the plane-swap, which I’ve not being paying much attention to.

A few weeks ago, my plane app picked up a flight going over my house with an Air Force One identifier on it, but when I looked it up and it was the 757. Checking another app it identified as Air Force Two, with Air Force One ID’d as another aircraft ahead of it on the same track. Both went to Mildenhall or Lakenheath, I forget which.

It wll seemed a bit odd at the time and I assumed it was a data error. Not sure if it could have been this plane swap incident, or a different one, or simply a data error as I originally thought.

 

[Annetts key]

The Strait of Hormuz is to become a territory of the United States, apparently.

Trump threatens to declare strait of Hormuz ‘territory of the United States’

Seriousness of remark made in New York on Friday, and whether it signaled new policy position, not clear

www.theguardian.com

If Trump tried this, what's to stop other countries also doing this? this could be the start of the end of the freedom of navigation of the oceans of the world.

Now imagine if a large country that does not like the U.S.A. did the same...

Trump is such a fool!