Thoughts on the Trump presidency

[ainsworth74]

Would a 757, being smaller, have a wider choice of diversion runways in the event of an onboard emergency?

I suppose theoretically but I struggle to think of any diversionary airport that couldn't handle a 747 and also has easy access to emergency medical facilities when flying from Washington to Zurich. Lots of big airports on either side of the Atlantic and even the mid-Atlantic islands like the Azores or Iceland have runways that could take a 747. I guess maybe when you're alongside Canada and before it's closer to the European side you might be able to get a 757 into St Johns in Newfoundland but not a heavy 747. But Halifax isn't all that far away (for an aircraft) and that could certainly take a 747.

Reckon that the simplest explanation is the best. The booked aircraft suffered a technical issue and the other 747 was down for maintenance

 

[Annetts key]

Trump is really a horrible human being, He's the sort of man that would sleep with his best friend's wife, and destroy their marriage, and lives, just because he could, and would not care one bit about the damage has done, those around him, are the truely evil ones though, they are only looking for their own interests, whilst using trumps own narcissism for their own ends, or towards some greater idea, such as white supremistry in the case of Miller, and Project 2025, in the case of Vance.
Trump is in essence an angry toddler, the type that gleefully pulls the wings off insects,
I think that either he will die in office, or he will do something so stupid, that it crashes the US economy, and the people backing his regime, start to lose their money, then they will start pulling their puppet strings, and cut his, they won't care about the people, right, from wrong, it will only be when they see their money becoming worthless.

Assuming he does have dementia, there is something else that I have not mentioned so far. Sufferers can get increasingly violent. Especially if they get frustrated and angry. With someone like Trump, they are already starting with a personality that has little empathy. So you would not want to be near him if he is getting violent.

For a normal person who is not in a position of power, the doctor may consider sedatives to try to keep them under control. This is the reason that so many sufferers look sleepy in care homes.

It's possible that if Trump does get violent, that is the trigger for Vance to act.

Given that the orange one is getting increasingly unhinged (and apparently not being restrained by anyone) I found the article https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jan/21/trump-us-stranglehold-eu-uk-energy-supply-lng worrying:

The U.K. gets it's natural gas from the North Sea (about one third), via pipelines from Norway (about half) and most of the rest are imports via ship. That's in the form of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG). Of the LNG inports, we get about 11% (of our overall gas supply) from the U.S.A.
Link to source

So it's not the European market as such, rather the world gas market that determines gas prices.

 

[BAFRA77]

I suppose theoretically but I struggle to think of any diversionary airport that couldn't handle a 747 and also has easy access to emergency medical facilities when flying from Washington to Zurich. Lots of big airports on either side of the Atlantic and even the mid-Atlantic islands like the Azores or Iceland have runways that could take a 747. I guess maybe when you're alongside Canada and before it's closer to the European side you might be able to get a 757 into St Johns in Newfoundland but not a heavy 747. But Halifax isn't all that far away (for an aircraft) and that could certainly take a 747.

How about Greenland?

 

[Bantamzen]

Assuming he does have dementia, there is something else that I have not mentioned so far. Sufferers can get increasingly violent. Especially if they get frustrated and angry. With someone like Trump, they are already starting with a personality that has little empathy. So you would not want to be near him if he is getting violent.

That was certainly something I witnessed with my late mother-in-law when she was showing the worsening effects of dementia. Frustration would quickly turn to anger, if not quite violence.

What really concerns me though is that it's not just Trump that acts like that though. Press Secretary Karoline Levitt displays similar behaviour patterns at press conferences, as do other senior figures. Even departmental social media feeds seem to be going the same way. It's almost as if they are replicating the President's behaviour in order to somehow normalise it, thus allowing them to continue to claim that he's in perfect health when he quite clearly isn't.

 

[jon0844]

How about Greenland?

The runway is closed temporarily for cleaning...

 

[pdeaves]

It's almost as if they are replicating the President's behaviour in order to somehow normalise it

That, and/or mimic behaviours as a 'sucking up' action. People who make it into someone's inner circle are those who act like that someone.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

...the doctor said that he would be surprised if DJT was still able to discharge the duties of the office of President in three months time.

I would argue that Trump is already unable to discharge the duties of President...

 

[Annetts key]

How about Greenland?

The runway is closed temporarily for cleaning...

I prefer:
The runway is closed temporarily for dog sled team training...

 

[adc82140]

What really concerns me though is that it's not just Trump that acts like that though. Press Secretary Karoline Levitt displays similar behaviour patterns at press conferences, as do other senior figures. Even departmental social media feeds seem to be going the same way.

See Maria Zarakhova, Dmitry Peskov and others of Russia. Do they really believe all the claptrap they have to put out on behalf of the Kremlin?

I doubt it, but if they broke rank, defenestration would soon follow. Whilst I don't think that any US official would be disposed of in quite the same way (yet!), their life would become certainly very unpleasant.

 

[Krokodil]

said that if they had to pay back all the tariffs collected so far (which have already been used) then it would be very unpleasant for a lot of people. I took that to be an implied threat that it would hurt the little people whose taxes would have to cover the bill.

Of course any refunds would go to the importer, who have no obligation to pass this on to the end consumer.

 

[DelW]

Assuming he does have dementia, there is something else that I have not mentioned so far. Sufferers can get increasingly violent. Especially if they get frustrated and angry. With someone like Trump, they are already starting with a personality that has little empathy. So you would not want to be near him if he is getting violent.

This happened to my next-door neighbours a few years ago. The husband (who was almost exactly the same age as me) had always been a quietly spoken, friendly sort of chap, apparently happily married. But he developed early onset dementia in his early sixties, and as he deteriorated, he became so violent towards his wife that eventually she had to get him sectioned to a secure mental unit. She was distraught about it, but simply couldn't cope with his violent rages at home. I think it must have been overwhelming frustration on his part, because it was utterly out of character with his previous life.
I hope someone is willing to step in forcefully if Trump goes that way. He wasn't even a pleasant character in the first place of course.

 

[edwin_m]

Suggestions that European teams may boycott the World Cup over Greenland - hitting both Trump and FIFA: https://www.theguardian.com/footbal...scuss-response-to-donald-trump-over-greenland

Football’s authorities have been reluctant to offer public responses to a fast-moving situation that threatens the territory of Denmark, a Uefa member. But the demand for a reaction will intensify if Trump does not back down, particularly as the US will host 78 of the 104 games during the World Cup in June and July.

 

[Krokodil]

What are the odds of ICE trying to abduct some of the South American teams?

 

[EYFanatic]

What are the odds of ICE trying to abduct some of the South American teams?

1/50000

 

[Henffordd]

And what are Gianni Infantino's thoughts at the moment about his presentation to Trump of the FIFA Peace Trophy?

 

[InkyScrolls]

Currently listening to Trump's Davos speech (live). I have never heard such rambling nonsense from anyone, let alone a supposed world leader.

 

[ainsworth74]

Currently listening to Trump's Davos speech (live). I have never heard such rambling nonsense from anyone, let alone a supposed world leader.

But remember the United States has never been as strong nor as respected around the world since Trump took charge a year ago!

 

[EYFanatic]

Currently listening to Trump's Davos speech (live). I have never heard such rambling nonsense from anyone, let alone a supposed world leader.

Caught a snippet of it whilst shopping - also saw him getting off that 757... He looked awfully confused as he stood at the top of those stairs

Did he really get Greenland confused with Iceland? If Trump invades Iceland, will Farmfoods come to its defence?

 

[Gloster]

Suggestions that European teams may boycott the World Cup over Greenland - hitting both Trump and FIFA: https://www.theguardian.com/footbal...scuss-response-to-donald-trump-over-greenland

European teams and probably a few others boycott the tournament, many of the others have their players’ visas refused, most of those players that do get to the US are arrested or shot by ICE. The US defeats an understrength Canada, Trump goes Ra-ra-ra, holds the biglyest gold trophy up and keeps it.

 

[ainsworth74]

He looked awfully confused as he stood at the top of those stairs

I mean I reckon there's a reason why the White House seems to be gaining more and more wayfinding signage and it certainly ain't aesthetics (as it's all in rubbish fake gold script)...

 

[SuspectUsual]

And what are Gianni Infantino's thoughts at the moment about his presentation to Trump of the FIFA Peace Trophy?

I’ve decided to make Infantino the inaugural recipient of my FIFA Peace Off Prize

(Works best in a comedy French accent à la Allo Allo)

 

[nw1]

That was certainly something I witnessed with my late mother-in-law when she was showing the worsening effects of dementia. Frustration would quickly turn to anger, if not quite violence.

What really concerns me though is that it's not just Trump that acts like that though. Press Secretary Karoline Levitt displays similar behaviour patterns at press conferences, as do other senior figures. Even departmental social media feeds seem to be going the same way. It's almost as if they are replicating the President's behaviour in order to somehow normalise it, thus allowing them to continue to claim that he's in perfect health when he quite clearly isn't.

Leavitt in particular seems to discredit journalists just because they are perceived as left wing. 28 going on 8.

Not someone I would appoint to government in a million years.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 21 Jan 2026 ==

many of the others have their players’ visas refused

You need a visa to participate in the World Cup? An international competition? Even from ESTA countries? I'd have thought for professional sports players, who are well known, there would be no need for restrictions of that kind. Everyone knows they're there for the World Cup, not for some underhand reason which might require further investigation.

Surely participating in the World Cup is a bit like attending a conference from a work POV, and I've always assumed no visa is needed for that.

 

[SuspectUsual]

You need a visa to participate in the World Cup? An international competition? Even from ESTA countries? I'd have thought for professional sports players, who are well known, there would be no need for restrictions of that kind. Everyone knows they're there for the World Cup, not for some underhand reason which might require further investigation.

Surely participating in the World Cup is a bit like attending a conference, and I've always assumed no visa is needed for that.

It's work, so yes they'll need visas. There's a certain class of visa for international sportspeople

 

[najaB]

A 747 on three engines might be able to continue - not normal practice but Air Force One might be different.

Or British Airways...

(For those who aren't avgeeks, a BA 747 departing out of LAX once suffered an engine failure shortly after take-off but the crew opted to continue the flight back to LHR. It made the news because stronger than expected headwinds meant they had to declare a fuel emergency before landing).

 

[AlterEgo]

@epistemiccrisis on YouTube has done several short analyses on it. He's a physician

Just took a look and no he isn't. He's a physical therapist, which gives him no authority at all on the matter.

 

[edwin_m]

Or British Airways...

(For those who aren't avgeeks, a BA 747 departing out of LAX once suffered an engine failure shortly after take-off but the crew opted to continue the flight back to LHR. It made the news because stronger than expected headwinds meant they had to declare a fuel emergency before landing).

I kinda knew someone would point that out...

 

[ainsworth74]

You need a visa to participate in the World Cup? An international competition? Even from ESTA countries? I'd have thought for professional sports players, who are well known, there would be no need for restrictions of that kind. Everyone knows they're there for the World Cup, not for some underhand reason which might require further investigation.

Surely participating in the World Cup is a bit like attending a conference from a work POV, and I've always assumed no visa is needed for that.

They'll need work visas because they're working. You might well need a work visa to attend a conference depending on the precise rules that apply in that country and the nationality of the person coming to the conference. It crops up from time to time. A few years ago an England cricketer missed the start of a tour of India due to visa issues:

Shoaib Bashir has flown back to the UK and been ruled out of the first Test against India starting on Thursday in Hyderabad after a visa delay that prevented England’s rookie spinner from travelling to the country with his new teammates.

Just 20 years old and on his first senior England tour, the Surrey‑born Bashir has become the latest cricketer of Pakistani heritage to be hit with a visa delay en route to India. Moeen Ali and Saqib Mahmood have had similar experiences in the past, as did Australia’s Usman Khawaja before his side’s Test tour last year.

England believed the problem – one that meant Bashir was unable to travel on from the team’s pre‑series camp in Abu Dhabi – would be resolved in time for the Somerset spinner to join the squad on Tuesday. Instead, he must now return home, where his British passport was issued, with this weekend the revised target for his arrival in India.

Speaking before the first of five matches in the series, with his side aiming to end India’s 11‑year unbeaten record at home, Ben Stokes said: “I’m devastated for him. As captain I find it particularly frustrating that we have picked a player and he’s not with us because of visa issues.

Shoaib Bashir flies back to England and ruled out of first Test by India visa delay

The England captain, Ben Stokes, said he is ‘devastated’ for the Somerset off-spinner, who hopes to join up with the squad in India at the weekend

www.theguardian.com

I believe there are a couple more England playiers having similar issues right now in advance of the T20 World Cup.

So there are absolutely going to need to be visas issued for players attending the Football World Cup. It's just not normally seen to be an issue as its usually just a perfunctory bit of paperwork.

 

[Gloster]

You need a visa to participate in the World Cup? An international competition? Even from ESTA countries? I'd have thought for professional sports players, who are well known, there would be no need for restrictions of that kind. Everyone knows they're there for the World Cup, not for some underhand reason which might require further investigation.

Surely participating in the World Cup is a bit like attending a conference from a work POV, and I've always assumed no visa is needed for that.

Today’s Private Eye (page 8) tells of how most of the Ethiopian entrants for the 2026 World Cross-Country Championship were refused. Ethiopia regular tops the field and in their absence, guess which country rose to the bronze medal position.

 

[Killingworth]

Whatever the majority of Forum menbers would like to happen, and I suspect the vast majority in North West Europe do too, we need to guard against wishful thinking. In Europe Hungary and Slovakia are just two that will tend towards Trump and Putin's views but that's not the biggest problem.

Donald has just held the stage for a long rambling speech. Calling a land of ice, Greenland, Iceland more than once was just one error. China has almost half the world's installed wind generation capacity - but he's not seen any "windmills" in China, although they generate 10% of their electricity.

There were enough truths and half truths in that long ramble to sit very well with the MAGA tribe, many of whom have never left their state, let alone the US. He made quite a few very valid points amongst all his bluster and insults.

Any of us looking forward to the demise of Trump within months are likely to be disappointed. Biden was medically failing long before he was persuaded to throw in the towel and he still saw out his term. For how long have some been anticipating Putin's downfall with this or that medical complaint?

We live in interesting times.

 

[Krokodil]

At this point I'm half expecting Trump to pull an Aladeen move. Watch the trailer for "The Dictator" to see what I mean, particularly the Aladeen Games bit.