Thoughts on the Trump presidency

[edwin_m]

Those, two whole lines apart in the original quote, appear somewhat contradictory.

Having seen a bit more context, Hegseth's interpretation of "gender neutral" is that all recruits will have to meet exactly the same standard, regardless of gender, and it will be the standard that previously applied to men.

 

[najaB]

Having seen a bit more context, Hegseth's interpretation of "gender neutral" is that all recruits will have to meet exactly the same standard, regardless of gender, and it will be the standard that previously applied to men.

They don't want women in the armed forces (or working any job, to be honest), so that's not surprising.

 

[DelW]

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

I think it's pretty evident that that's the entire raison d'etre of his presidency.

 

[Gloster]

I think it's pretty evident that that's the entire raison d'etre of his presidency.

It is to him, most of his family and one or two others in his entourage. The rest of his team, although they wouldn’t say no to more money, have making far more fundamental changes to US society as their first priority. The only hope, slight as it is, is that they might start fighting among themselves and take their eye off the ball, so making it obvious to a sufficiently large number of people who are at present actively or passively allow things to continue just what is going on. But I am not holding my breath.

 

[SteveP29]

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.

Their oath is to the constitution, not the President.
There's no doubt whatsoever that they'll be put under immense pressure to carry out his bidding, but every single one of them should have the confidence to refuse.

Just the 1205 days left to endure till the world has seen the last of this buffoon as a politician

 

[ainsworth74]

Their oath is to the constitution, not the President.
There's no doubt whatsoever that they'll be put under immense pressure to carry out his bidding, but every single one of them should have the confidence to refuse.

Hopefully various groups of these most senior of officers took the opportunity presented by being face to face with no real possibility of being recorded to have discrete conversations about just what the hell they all are going to do in various seemingly increasingly likely circumstances that are coming down the line if Trump's various statements about fighting the "enemy within" come to fruition in the worst ways that it's possible to imagine.

 

[DarloRich]

Hopefully various groups of these most senior of officers took the opportunity presented by being face to face with no real possibility of being recorded to have discrete conversations about just what the hell they all are going to do in various seemingly increasingly likely circumstances that are coming down the line if Trump's various statements about fighting the "enemy within" come to fruition in the worst ways that it's possible to imagine.

The Posse Comitatus Act of 1878 is a United States federal law that generally prohibits the use of the Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, and Space Force for domestic law enforcement purposes.

Surely this has been breached - there is no war, insurrection or emergency. The states have not requested support. The governors have not activated their national guard units, Congress has not authorised support. At some point, perhaps soon, orders will be given to fire on civilians. Then what?

 

[Gloster]

Hopefully various groups of these most senior of officers took the opportunity presented by being face to face with no real possibility of being recorded to have discrete conversations about just what the hell they all are going to do in various seemingly increasingly likely circumstances that are coming down the line if Trump's various statements about fighting the "enemy within" come to fruition in the worst ways that it's possible to imagine.

I suspect that over recent weeks there has been a lot of searching of the Constitution and the Law of War manual to find out just what orders would be lawful and that they would be required to obey, and what orders they could legitimately refuse to obey. Not that will make much difference if the bigliest warrior leader tells them to do something and reacts in his usual calm and measured manner if they refuse. Why not start a new army of true patriots who will do what they are ordered?

 

[ainsworth74]

The Posse Comitatus Act of 1878 is a United States federal law that generally prohibits the use of the Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, and Space Force for domestic law enforcement purposes.

Surely this has been breached - there is no war, insurrection or emergency. The states have not requested support. The governors have not activated their national guard units, Congress has not authorised support. At some point, perhaps soon, orders will be given to fire on civilians. Then what?

I suspect that over recent weeks there has been a lot of searching of the Constitution and the Law of War manual to find out just what orders would be lawful and that they would be required to obey, and what orders they could legitimately refuse to obey. Not that will make much difference if the bigliest warrior leader tells them to do something and reacts in his usual calm and measured manner if they refuse.

Much of what this Administration has been doing is illegal but Congress and the Supreme Court are uninterested in enforcing the laws on the books. Hopefully the senior uniformed leadership are seriously thinking and talking (using any opportunity they have to do so quietly) about what they do if given orders of that nature.

Why not start a new army of true patriots who will do what they are ordered?

What do you think ICE and their new $175bn budget are for?

The more than $175 billion that Congress handed to the nation’s immigration enforcers when it passed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act is larger than the annual military budget of every country in the world except the United States and China. Immigration and Customs Enforcement—just one component of the Department of Homeland Security—is getting more money than any other law-enforcement agency in America. All of this cash will be used to fund the next three and a half years of a deportation campaign that the public is already starting to question, at a time when the southern border is all but deserted.

ICE’s Mind-Bogglingly Massive Blank Check

Congress has appropriated billions with few strings attached, creating a likely windfall for well-connected firms.

www.theatlantic.com

 

[DelW]

The Posse Comitatus Act of 1878 is a United States federal law that generally prohibits the use of the Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, and Space Force for domestic law enforcement purposes.

Surely this has been breached - there is no war, insurrection or emergency. The states have not requested support. The governors have not activated their national guard units, Congress has not authorised support. At some point, perhaps soon, orders will be given to fire on civilians. Then what?

His Trump card is to declare that everything is a "war" or an "invasion", so allowing him unfettered use of presidential powers that were only ever intended to be invoked in times of real armed conflict. So far neither Congress nor the Supreme Court has seen fit to challenge this blatant misuse of those powers.

Of course, had a Democrat president tried anything similar, the Republicans would have been incandescent with rage at the sidelining of the constitution. But then hypocrisy runs deep in everything this administration says and does.

 

[ainsworth74]

Of course, had a Democrat president tried anything similar, the Republicans would have been incandescent with rage at the sidelining of the constitution. But then hypocrisy runs deep in everything this administration says and does.

If this was a Democrat president they'd have impeached them now and would probably be doing so at least once per week.

 

[sor]

Of course, had a Democrat president tried anything similar, the Republicans would have been incandescent with rage at the sidelining of the constitution. But then hypocrisy runs deep in everything this administration says and does.

Such a president caused meltdowns among the right for the very act of wearing a tan suit, wearing a helmet while riding a bike, using a selfie stick, and asking for slightly fancier lettuce and mustard (but still available in any supermarket).

But more seriously - not only would the republicans have impeached and removed the president from office had a Democrat president tried to do much of what Trump is doing, the Democrats would have joined them in voting for it.

 

[DarloRich]

If this was a Democrat president they'd have impeached them now and would probably be doing so at least once per week.

The Cheeto coloured one tried a putsch and they weren't bothered so sending the army into evil Marxist leftie cities won't register at all!

 

[YorkshireBear]

Watching both sides blame each other is just pathetic. Anyone over there who doesn't blindly follow party lines must just be in utter despair and the political environment at the moment.

 

[najaB]

Watching both sides blame each other is just pathetic.

This is one of the few cases where the 'blame' is close to being accurate: the Republicans are refusing to protect the Affordable Care Act mandates and the Democrats are refusing to let the Republicans strip healthcare from 13 million Americans.

The only real lie that's being peddled is the Republicans saying that undocumented residents are benefitting from the ACA, but this isn't a new lie or specific to the continuing resolution, but rather the lie that they've been running on for years.

 

[Annetts key]

Trump is in a competitive completion on who can tell the most lies and who can swindle the most money from the people of the country for their own personal wealth of for the benefit of their mates.

So is it that surprising that the (main) opposition party in the U.S.A. opposes what Trump is trying to do?

Trump may have won the election last year, but the Republican party only has small majorities in congress. Trump and his team know this, hence why there have been so many executive orders.

It will likely get even worse for Trump after the mid-term elections next year.

And Trump doesn't do compromise on a nice way. Although if things get too difficult, it may be TACO time

 

[brad465]

Something else that's emerged from this saga is that Trump brandished "Trump 2028" hats on the Oval Office desk. In his mind he definitely wants a third term and will likely stop at nothing to get it. Even if they only appeared as a joke, this isn't something that should be joked about:

(Image of Trump in the Oval Office pointing at colleagues, with two red "Trump 2028" hats on his desk)

 

[jon0844]

I really don't think it's unreasonable to assume that with this week's 'Department of War' speech to the generals that they need to approve of sending in the military to blue states, to deal with scenes reminiscent of WW2, Trump will be absolutely seeking to take the whole country to a state where he declares that all elections are off as the country is now in a civil war that lives in his imagination (or AI images and video he's seen on X).

If there's no pushback then he will almost certainly get to stay in power, and he joked as much with Zelenskyy by saying that he could remain in power as long as Ukraine was at war.

Now, you'd hope there'd be some pushback (especially from the military) but I wouldn't be so sure. Who would push back exactly?

I am not even sure the mid-terms could change anything (and they might be the first to be suspended) because Trump thinks he can just issue Executive Orders for everything and skip the Government processes - and the Supreme Court seems to back him.

 

[edwin_m]

Something else that's emerged from this saga is that Trump brandished "Trump 2028" hats on the Oval Office desk. In his mind he definitely wants a third term and will likely stop at nothing to get it. Even if they only appeared as a joke, this isn't something that should be joked about:

(Image of Trump in the Oval Office pointing at colleagues, with two red "Trump 2028" hats on his desk)

And that's probably to make sure the Democrats start frothing about that rather than focusing on the important question of who gets the blame for the shutdown.

 

[najaB]

I am not even sure the mid-terms could change anything (and they might be the first to be suspended) because Trump thinks he can just issue Executive Orders for everything and skip the Government processes - and the Supreme Court seems to back him.

The problem with that plan (from DJT's perspective) is that the federal government doesn't run elections, the states do. All he would do by attempting to defer the mid-term elections is hasten the schism that breaks the USA into USA-Red and USA-blue. And, given that only three solidly "red states" are net contributors economically (Texas, Florida and Nebraska), I'm not sure that's a game he wants to play.

 

[Cdd89]

In his mind he definitely wants a third term and will likely stop at nothing to get it.

I think he may(!*) accept that a third term is not on the cards for him, but being an extreme narcissist imagines his brand continuing via his anointed successor with him still pulling the strings in the background. The US presidency is already highly nepotistic so this would just be taking it a step further.

 

[ainsworth74]

I really don't think it's unreasonable to assume that with this week's 'Department of War' speech to the generals that they need to approve of sending in the military to blue states, to deal with scenes reminiscent of WW2, Trump will be absolutely seeking to take the whole country to a state where he declares that all elections are off as the country is now in a civil war that lives in his imagination (or AI images and video he's seen on X).

Obviously there's a lot that's unprecedented and with a supine Congress and Supreme Court there's not really anything that could stop him but, just for completeness, war does not halt the US election calendar. The US held full presidential and mid-term elections in 1942 and 1944 during World War Two. Even more relevant the US held mid-term and presidential elections in 1862 and 1864 whilst in the middle of an active civil war against the Confederate States. Trump may claim that the country is in a "civil war" and therefore elections have to be cancelled but there's no Constitutional mechanism for those elections to be cancelled.

But as I said, who would stop him? Congress and the Supreme Court are lockstep behind him.

I am not even sure the mid-terms could change anything (and they might be the first to be suspended) because Trump thinks he can just issue Executive Orders for everything and skip the Government processes - and the Supreme Court seems to back him.

I still reckon the end game here isn't the cessation of elections but to move towards the Russian model. There will be elections, but they will not be free nor fair elections. I think that's too wedded into the American psyche for them to do away with elections all together so they'll just become performative. Of course this is made more tricky by the states running elections but, again, if you have a Congress and Supreme Court that don't care about legality or the constitution you can get away with a lot. Want to withhold Federal funds from states that run "corrupt elections" because they allow for mail in voting for instance? Who is going to stop you?

 

[najaB]

Want to withhold Federal funds from states that run "corrupt elections" because they allow for mail in voting for instance? Who is going to stop you?

Thing is, the states that would be most likely to run those "corrupt" elections are, for the most part, the states which are net contributors to the Federal budget.

 

[ainsworth74]

Thing is, the states that would be most likely to run those "corrupt" elections are, for the most part, the states which are net contributors to the Federal budget.

Yeah and? A lot of the Federal tax revenue is taken by employers and sent directly to the IRS. Are the contributors going to try and interfere in that? You think they won't immediately face legal action?

I get what you're saying and in any other time I'd agree with you it makes such things highly unlikely if not impossible. But nothing I've seen so far persuades me that the US is on any other course than to fall fully into authoritarianism with all that comes with it. It's not a certainty but that's the direction it's going.

 

[najaB]

Yeah and? A lot of the Federal tax revenue is taken by employers and sent directly to the IRS. Are the contributors going to try and interfere in that? You think they won't immediately face legal action?

If it's already at the stage that they're already threatening to withhold Federal funds, they're already well into legal action territory!

 

[Gourlish]

Something else that's emerged from this saga is that Trump brandished "Trump 2028" hats on the Oval Office desk. In his mind he definitely wants a third term and will likely stop at nothing to get it. Even if they only appeared as a joke, this isn't something that should be joked about:

(Image of Trump in the Oval Office pointing at colleagues, with two red "Trump 2028" hats on his desk)

Are you sure this isn't AI generated? I somehow doubt that Trump would be fit to serve a third term (aside from the US constitution prohibiting it), much like how I didn't feel Biden (who was a similar age in 2020 to Trump in 2024) was suitable to serve a second term.

The official US Department of Homeland Security account on X (Twitter) shared this video yesterday, and it felt very uncomfortable to watch a combination of real 1980s footage/AI 1980s-styled footage (one such clip was of Trump in a 1980s style music video) alongside its rather nasty text caption to a slightly slowed, possibly AI-vocal separated soundtrack of Friday I'm In Love by The Cure.

 

[najaB]

Are you sure this isn't AI generated? I somehow doubt that Trump would be fit to serve a third term (aside from the US constitution prohibiting it), much like how I didn't feel Biden (who was a similar age in 2020 to Trump in 2024) was suitable to serve a second term.

Nope. It's genuine. There are other images and also video of the meeting.

 

[jon0844]

Has Trump gone off to the hospital again? Are these extremely bizarre memes and AI generated posts in the last few days posted by someone else to cover for him getting treatment. He's once again gone AWOL since speaking to the generals.

Let's see what his hands look like when he reappears.

 

[nlogax]

Not at all concerned by the positioning of Trump 2028. From his public appearances this year I'd say he'll be lucky to last through til the mid-terms.

 

[Gourlish]

Has Trump gone off to the hospital again? Are these extremely bizarre memes and AI generated posts in the last few days posted by someone else to cover for him getting treatment. He's once again gone AWOL since speaking to the generals.

Let's see what his hands look like when he reappears.

I know people mocked his daily rants on Twitter during his first term in the late 2010s, but a lot of his social media posts from the past year feel even stranger. Many of them lack a coherent structure, with his grammar seeming peculiar (even for someone who has always had unique grammar) and a tendency for him to Capitalise certain Words that shouldn't be, along with block capital segments. He commonly ends his ranty posts on Truth Social with "MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!!!".

One of the things I find most weird about Trump would be that he seems to consider anyone or anything which is not aligned with the MAGA ideology to be "radical left" and I recall has described some centre left Democrats as communists. To someone with centrist views who is good at ranking where people actually stand on the spectrum, Trump would be considered radical right, probably somewhere between hard right and far right. Biden, Obama and Clinton would all be fairly centrist, while Bush Jr, Bush Sr and Reagan would have been towards the right of centre right or the left of hard right. Jimmy Carter was possibly very slightly to the left of centre.