Thoughts on the Trump presidency

[najaB]

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

The South China Sea even has one of those countries' name in it...

 

[Yew]

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!

Indeed, the smarter move is to stick to the boring "Upholding international agreements on navigation, and protecting our allies' sovereignty of their territorial waters"

 

[brad465]

Next up in "why the US cannot be trusted anymore":

Trump says US scaling back joint military operations with South Korea

Trump cites his "very good relationship" with North Korea's leader in deciding to downsize the exercises.

www.bbc.co.uk

President Donald Trump has said the US will "substantially reduce" joint military exercises with South Korea, citing his "very good relationship" with North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un.

He also noted on Truth Social that South Korea had recently declined to join the US in the "denuclearisation" of Iran.

"These exercises are not only costly, with much of these costs paid for by the United States of America (as usual!), but send a signal that is totally inappropriate and hostile," Trump posted.

Neither Seoul nor Pyongyang has commented. The decision comes after North Korea this month conducted ballistic missile tests that are banned by the United Nations.

Trump said in his social media post on Sunday that it was "too late to cancel", as the US and South Korea were due to start their annual military exercises on Monday.

He added: "While somewhat unrelated (?), I recently asked the President of South Korea if they would like to join us in the Denuclearization of the Islamic Republic of Iran, and they said, 'No thanks!'"

Last week, US and South Korean military leaders held a joint press conference announcing Ulchi Freedom Shield.

They said the 11-day event would be similar in scale to previous years, with about 18,000 South Korean soldiers participating.

During the news conference, military leaders also mentioned North Korea's deployment of troops to aid Russia's war against Ukraine.

US military spokesperson Ryan Donald said "our training accounts for that threat", referring to North Korean soldiers returning from the battlefield. About 28,500 American military personnel are stationed in South Korea.

On Friday, North Korea's foreign ministry condemned the joint military drills as "a rehearsal for an aggressive war".

The joint exercises come days after South Korea, the US and Japan detected the second North Korean missile test in days.

Pyongyang has accelerated efforts to expand its nuclear and missile programmes since the collapse in 2019 of Kim's high-profile diplomacy with Trump during his first term in the White House.

He became the first ever sitting US president to set foot in North Korea when he visited seven years ago.

Trump's pointed remark about South Korea in his social media post seemed to hint at possible frustration with Seoul for declining to make direct military or logistical contributions to the US hostilities with Iran.

He has also expressed displeasure with other allies for their hesitance to get involved in the conflict, including Japan, France and the UK.

Trump's move to downsize joint military exercises with South Korea is not without precedent.

He suspended the exercises entirely in 2018, during denuclearisation negotiations with Kim.

The exercises were again scaled back in 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Last week, South Korea's president proposed talks with its northern neighbour on officially ending the war between the two that is technically still active since an armistice was signed in 1953.

 

[Arrpi87]

I'm starting to feel like this is the most ridiculous hidden camera show on a grand scale.

Somewhere in the White House Ant and Dec are whispering to Trump "now say you're on North Korea's side"

 

[AndrewE]

Somewhere in the White House Ant and Dec are whispering to Trump "now say you're on North Korea's side"

Well, he does have a history of admiring and sucking up to dictators...

 

[brad465]

Basically, Trump doesn't like that Oman and Iran are making progress without his involvement, so he thinks bombing Oman will solve the issue:

Trump threatens to bomb Oman if it 'gets in the way' over Iran issue

The president also told Fox News the US had a direct backchannel with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps - something it denies.

www.bbc.co.uk

President Donald Trump has threatened to bomb Oman - a US ally - if it "gets in the way" of his administration's own talks with Iran, Fox News reports.

A reporter for the network said the US president made the comment during a phone call on Monday, during which he also said the US had a direct backchannel with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

The IRGC later denied it was involved in talks with the US. But Iranian officials said on Monday they were close to finalising a deal with Oman on shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.

Meanwhile, the 60-day Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) ends on Monday. The memo was a signed commitment from both the US and Iran for further talks to reach a final agreement.

Oman, which says it is a neutral country in this conflict, has suffered a number of strikes from Iran since the conflict broke out. However, it is now playing a role in negotiating with Iran to reopen the strait.

Since the US and Israel attacked Iran in February, Tehran has largely blocked the vital waterway - through which about a fifth of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas usually passes. Reopening it has been a key point of discussion.

Washington has pursued its own efforts to secure the reopening. Fox reporter Trey Yingst quoted Trump as saying: "If Oman gets in the way, we'll bomb the **** out of them."

An IRGC spokesman denied Trump's claim, which was made in the same interview, that the US was involved in backchannel negotiations with the IRGC - which is a major military, political and economic force in Iran.

A spokesman told semi-official Iranian news agency Tasnim News: "There are no talks taking place between IRGC officials and the Americans, and this lie by Trump is merely fantasies caused by the delusions and nightmares he has suffered as a result of defeat and desperation in the war."

 

[YorkshireBear]

Basically, Trump doesn't like that Oman and Iran are making progress without his involvement, so he thinks bombing Oman will solve the issue:

Trump threatens to bomb Oman if it 'gets in the way' over Iran issue

The president also told Fox News the US had a direct backchannel with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps - something it denies.

www.bbc.co.uk

Seem logical.

At least he isn't saying away from not winning the Nobel peace prize!

 

[Strathclyder]

Next up in "why the US cannot be trusted anymore":

Trump says US scaling back joint military operations with South Korea

Trump cites his "very good relationship" with North Korea's leader in deciding to downsize the exercises.

www.bbc.co.uk

Will never be trusted again, not in my lifetime for sure.

I'm starting to feel like this is the most ridiculous hidden camera show on a grand scale.

Somewhere in the White House Ant and Dec are whispering to Trump "now say you're on North Korea's side"

Well, he did side with Putin over his own intellegence agencies over Russian interference in the 2016 election during his first term and his admiration of dictators/strongmen is his best known quality barring his being a deranged & increasingly mentally decrepit halfwit, so none of this is a surprise.

 

[AndrewE]

Will never be trusted again, not in my lifetime for sure.


Well, he did side with Putin over his own intellegence agencies over Russian interference in the 2016 election during his first term and his admiration of dictators/strongmen is his best known quality barring his being a deranged & increasingly mentally decrepit halfwit, so none of this is a surprise.

illustrated in

Trump’s move to gut South Korea alliance is ‘inane, haphazard decision’, lawmakers say

US president’s abrupt order to scale back joint exercises with Seoul is meant to ‘flatter’ North Korea’s dictator, top Democrat says

www.theguardian.com

Donald Trump’s move to gut Washington’s 73-year-old military alliance with Seoul has been called “inane” and “shortsighted” as lawmakers warned it risked strengthening Russia’s hand in Ukraine.

The US president abruptly ordered the Pentagon to scale back joint exercises with South Korea just days after North Korea test-fired ballistic missiles, justifying the decision by citing his “very good relationship” with Kim Jong-un, the nuclear-armed dictator such exercises exist to deter.

 

[OhNoAPacer]

Trump does something momumentally inane.

In other news, the pope delivers a speech indicating his belief in the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church and bears seen doing their business in a wooded area.

 

[brad465]

Either Trump's diaper has filled up more than usual, or he has some unusual fitting on his back:

Trump’s suddenly prominent rear end draws merciless ridicule

Mockery erupts after outgoing Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt posted a video clip of the president on social media

www.independent.co.uk

A video clip that shows President Donald Trump's rear end sparked vicious mockery over the state of the 80-year-old's health including the possibility that he’s suffering from incontinence.

The recording was posted on social media by outgoing White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, who said it memorialized the “beautiful impromptu moment” when the president interrupted a Friday speech in New York to embrace the parents of a 12-year-old boy killed by a stray bullet in the Bronx last month.

But critics seized on the clip, shot from behind at the Nassau County Police Academy in Garden City, that showed an oddly-shaped bulge underneath the bottom of Trump's suit jacket.

“Seriously, what is going on with Trump’s rear end here? It looks like he has some sort of contraption back there,” independent progressive journalist Aaron Rupar wrote on X.

Lawyer and outspoken Trump critic George Conway responded by saying, “It depends” — apparently a scathing play on words involving a leading brand of adult diapers.

Image caption: Social media users are speculating about the oddly shaped bulge seen under the bottom of President Donald Trump’s suit jacket (X/@PressSec)

Tennis legend Martina Navratilova was less oblique in response to a similar question posed by online commentator Brian Krassenstein, who asked about Trump: “Why does it look like there’s a box on his right cheek?”

“That’s a big diaper, I think,” Navratilova wrote.

The White House, which appeared unaware of the online remarks, didn't immediately comment in response to a Monday inquiry from The Independent.

Trump's health has been the subject of widespread speculation since bruises appeared on the back of his hands, swelling showed up around his ankles and an angry-looking red rash erupted on his neck at points in his second term.

The White House has blamed the bruises on a daily aspirin regimen and repeated hand shaking, and attributed the ankle swelling to chronic venous insufficiency, a disease the Cleveland Clinic says causes blood to pool in the legs.

 

[styles]

Either Trump's diaper has filled up more than usual, or he has some unusual fitting on his back:

Trump’s suddenly prominent rear end draws merciless ridicule

Mockery erupts after outgoing Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt posted a video clip of the president on social media

www.independent.co.uk

It's just the microphone sticking out for when he speaks from it.

 

[D6130]

It's just the microphone sticking out for when he speaks from it.

 

[Harpo]

It's just the microphone sticking out for when he speaks from it.

Thought it was just a picture of a huge a***?

 

[brad465]

It's a reinforced box to prevent his sycophants from trying to gain entry.

 

[Jon_jpwh]

I expect to see reports of the prosecution of Trump's tailor.

 

[Strathclyder]

It's a reinforced box to prevent his sycophants from trying to gain entry.

Or one of them is permanently stuck up there. Would neatly explain why every time Trump farts, Farage whistles.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 19 Aug 2026 ==

I expect to see reports of the prosecution of Trump's tailor.

Do they make handcuffs the size of buffalo's hoofs?

 

[brad465]

Today US national debt hit $40tn. Time to get ready for Trump's latest most significant bankruptcy:

https://giftarticle.ft.com/giftarticle/actions/redeem/ee9415d2-b820-4b1e-95ee-2cd2cadb28e0

The US’s national debt has hit a record $40tn as borrowing rises at a historic pace, fuelling investor concerns about the state of America’s public finances despite Donald Trump’s vow to bring spending under control. Gross federal debt crossed the threshold on Tuesday, according to Treasury department data released on Wednesday. It has grown by $3tn over the past year, its fastest ever pace outside the pandemic era, FT calculations show.

 

[najaB]

Today US national debt hit $40tn. Time to get ready for Trump's latest most significant bankruptcy:

Thank goodness that Elon and DOGE managed to find and eliminate $2tn worth of fraud, waste, and abuse in the Federal budget, and that the Republicans managed to stop Congress from passing a Big Beautiful Bill that blew the deficit up by cutting taxes for the rich and corporations.

 

[dorsetdesiro]

Newsweek reports a number of people (including the Jan 6 Capitol rioters) pardoned by the Orange Swamp Creature have already reoffended with 20+ convicted also approx 100 more are accused of further crimes.

Bet he will be pardoning many more cretins as he leaves office (if he is willing without being dragged out)!

 

[Merle Haggard]

I would like to make just one observation about Trump.

I was fortunate to have BR send me on a 'Negotiation' course at the institute of marketing at Cookham.

It wasn't prescriptive, but one thing I took from it was that the most successful negotiation outcome required the following:

That, to successfully achieved your own aims is best done by implying along the way to your opponent that they were succeeding and you were reluctantly accepting the outcome.

Quite a skill, but I had a manager who could do it - in staff negotiations - to perfection. You should not at any time suggest to your opponent that you had them cornered - even if you had.

To achieve this, particularly in then latter area, you had to have no ego. In the case of the manager I mentioned above, as he walked away from the meeting with everything he wanted in his back pocket the other side were laughing about what a push-over he was. Someone with a big ego would hate that.

Why I am setting this out at length is because:-

• Trump claims to be the master negotiator and his followers seem to believe that.
• He does the complete opposite of the above advice.
• His negotiations don't seem to meet with much success in the issues that are important.

 

[brad465]

I would like to make just one observation about Trump.

I was fortunate to have BR send me on a 'Negotiation' course at the institute of marketing at Cookham.

It wasn't prescriptive, but one thing I took from it was that the most successful negotiation outcome required the following:

That, to successfully achieved your own aims is best done by implying along the way to your opponent that they were succeeding and you were reluctantly accepting the outcome.

Quite a skill, but I had a manager who could do it - in staff negotiations - to perfection. You should not at any time suggest to your opponent that you had them cornered - even if you had.

To achieve this, particularly in then latter area, you had to have no ego. In the case of the manager I mentioned above, as he walked away from the meeting with everything he wanted in his back pocket the other side were laughing about what a push-over he was. Someone with a big ego would hate that.

Why I am setting this out at length is because:-

• Trump claims to be the master negotiator and his followers seem to believe that.
• He does the complete opposite of the above advice.
• His negotiations don't seem to meet with much success in the issues that are important.

One of the few upsides of this war with Iran is you don't hear anyone claiming Trump is anti-war or a master deal maker these days. These were always dubious claims, but the Iran debacle has silenced those who still think otherwise.

 

[Bald Rick]

One of the few upsides of this war with Iran is you don't hear anyone claiming Trump is anti-war or a master deal maker these days. These were always dubious claims, but the Iran debacle has silenced those who still think otherwise.

I’m reliably imformed that there plenty in the US who still do, particularly the deal maker one.

 

[yorkie]

I would like to make just one observation about Trump.

I was fortunate to have BR send me on a 'Negotiation' course at the institute of marketing at Cookham.

It wasn't prescriptive, but one thing I took from it was that the most successful negotiation outcome required the following:

That, to successfully achieved your own aims is best done by implying along the way to your opponent that they were succeeding and you were reluctantly accepting the outcome.

Quite a skill, but I had a manager who could do it - in staff negotiations - to perfection. You should not at any time suggest to your opponent that you had them cornered - even if you had.

To achieve this, particularly in then latter area, you had to have no ego. In the case of the manager I mentioned above, as he walked away from the meeting with everything he wanted in his back pocket the other side were laughing about what a push-over he was. Someone with a big ego would hate that.

Why I am setting this out at length is because:-

• Trump claims to be the master negotiator and his followers seem to believe that.
• He does the complete opposite of the above advice.
• His negotiations don't seem to meet with much success in the issues that are important.

Absolutely.

Whatever Trump claims to be good at, he really isn't. And being able to n gotowt isn

That said, I doubt Trump himself is doing much - if any - of the actual negotiating himself; the actual negotiators probably have to spend a lot of their time trying to convince the other side that Trump didn't really mean whatever nonsense he said publicly, and was playing to his domestic audience, and other such excuses.

However, the MAGA cult will not accept any arguments against Trump as they are so deluded.

 

[SuspectUsual]

Trump claims to be the master negotiator and his followers seem to believe that.

People who are brilliant at stuff generally don’t need to spend a lot of their time telling everyone how brilliant they are at that thing

 

[Annetts key]

I would like to make just one observation about Trump.

I was fortunate to have BR send me on a 'Negotiation' course at the institute of marketing at Cookham.

It wasn't prescriptive, but one thing I took from it was that the most successful negotiation outcome required the following:

That, to successfully achieved your own aims is best done by implying along the way to your opponent that they were succeeding and you were reluctantly accepting the outcome.

Quite a skill, but I had a manager who could do it - in staff negotiations - to perfection. You should not at any time suggest to your opponent that you had them cornered - even if you had.

To achieve this, particularly in then latter area, you had to have no ego. In the case of the manager I mentioned above, as he walked away from the meeting with everything he wanted in his back pocket the other side were laughing about what a push-over he was. Someone with a big ego would hate that.

Why I am setting this out at length is because:-

• Trump claims to be the master negotiator and his followers seem to believe that.
• He does the complete opposite of the above advice.
• His negotiations don't seem to meet with much success in the issues that are important.

Trump, IMHO, is just a liar, a bully and a con man, nothing else. Plus, he is deluded himself (how many times has his own self confidence showed up with his predictions of something will be sorted real soon, only for that not to be the case) which is made even worse because he has mostly surrounded himself with "yes men" and "yes women".

And, as time goes on, his dementia is increasingly affecting his brain, which results in even worse decision making. Especially as it inhibits the ability to learn from the recent past. Dooming him to keep making the same mistakes over and over again.

 

[martin butler]

If the mid-terms are as horrendous as some think they will be to the Republicans, that will be when the dear leader gets given the cup of Putin brew tea, and a state funeral, whilst the few adults left in the room, try to work out how can we save our own skins whilst distancing themselves from the trials that are soon going to be coming,

 

[GusB]

Lake Ontario is now Lake America. It's nice to know that he's getting his priorities right.

Trump signs order to rename Lake Ontario to Lake America

Trump's order comes after the trade talks between the US and Canada collapsed late last week.

www.bbc.co.uk

US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order seeking to rename Lake Ontario to Lake America.

The move comes after trade talks between the US and Canada collapsed late last week, and the US imposed new 50% tariffs on $20bn (C$28bn) worth of Canadian goods. Canada will implement "dollar for dollar" counter tariffs next month.

Trump has repeatedly posted threats about renaming the lake, one of the five Great Lakes that straddle both countries, on social media amid the trade dispute.

He said on Thursday the move was "official, effective immediately" and that his administration has "filed all the necessary papers, documents" to make the change.

Canada should rename Lake Michigan in retaliation; any suggestions?

 

[D6130]

Lake Ontario is now Lake America. It's nice to know that he's getting his priorities right.

Trump signs order to rename Lake Ontario to Lake America

Trump's order comes after the trade talks between the US and Canada collapsed late last week.

www.bbc.co.uk

Canada should rename Lake Michigan in retaliation; any suggestions?

Lake Canada of course!

 

[D1537]

Lake Ontario is now Lake America. It's nice to know that he's getting his priorities right.


Canada should rename Lake Michigan in retaliation; any suggestions?

Because renaming the Gulf of Mexico went so well! Mind you, Trump probably thinks it did.