Thoughts on the Trump presidency

[brad465]

It helps that there's a not-insignificant overlap between Second Amendment people and MAGA faithful.

While we don't know this suspect's background in full yet, there will be cases where an assassin is not too dissimilar in political thinking to their target, as betrayal (or perceived betrayal) is a strong motive.

 

[martin butler]

I'm just dreading the outcome, when Trump orders the king to hand over The Falkland's to his mate, and Charles politely refuses, and when Trump gets involved with British politics, saying something like " My friend Farage will make a better PM,

usually about 2am when his minders are not taking the crayons away

 

[Broucek]

I'm just dreading the outcome, when Trump orders the king to hand over The Falkland's to his mate, and Charles politely refuses, and when Trump gets involved with British politics, saying something like " My friend Farage will make a better PM

That would probably kill Reform's chances in a GE....

 

[Purple Train]

That would probably kill Reform's chances in a GE....

I live in hope.

I have maintained since this madness started that, the way Trump is going, it wouldn't be altogether surprising for Starmer to have a "Falklands moment". At no point did it cross my mind that this may be entirely literal, although my prediction is looking less and less likely.

It also wouldn't surprise me if Trump's team used an incident like this as an excuse to say that Trump is resting or recovering, just to keep him and his decline out of the public eye for a little time: even if they do 25th him, which I think is unlikely, nothing would move for the next eight months as Vance would want his "extra" term, during which who knows how his behaviour would further deteriorate?

 

[Harpo]

That would probably kill Reform's chances in a GE....

I suspect that Farage admirers probably admire Trump too?

 

[najaB]

I suspect that Farage admirers probably admire Trump too?

That's probably true. But I suspect that a Trump endorsement wouldn't help attract 'floating' voters towards Reform.

 

[martin butler]

That's probably true. But I suspect that a Trump endorsement wouldn't help attract 'floating' voters towards Reform.

If you want to make sure of killing Reform, then there's only one option, send JD Vance to campaign on behalf of Farage,

 

[DarloRich]

To say he was dumbfounded was an understatement. He simply couldn’t understand how someone could (again) get to within the maximum effective range of the weapon(s) they were carrying (notingthis may not have been the case here).

my question is how bad is the marksmanship training of US police people. There are about 20 of them pulling thier guns and opening fire and not one hit this guy!

It is like Star Wars Galactic Empire training services won the contract for training!

 

[Harpo]

If you want to make sure of killing Reform, then there's only one option, send JD Vance to campaign on behalf of Farage,

The cover of the current Private Eye (1673) refers!




(Image is my own photo of the cover of my own copy of Private Eye 1673 showing a photo of former Hungarian Prime Minister Orban alongside JD Vance who is saying 'Who says America can't achieve regime change?')

 

[The Ham]

my question is how bad is the marksmanship training of US police people. There are about 20 of them pulling thier guns and opening fire and not one hit this guy!

It is like Star Wars Galactic Empire training services won the contract for training!

It's the old tale of if you get taught bad habits by having access to something, then you're not going to be as good as someone with less exposure but taught the right way.

It's why I don't worry about the well armed police officers we see in the UK, but death by cop is most definitely a thing elsewhere.

 

[Harpo]

how bad is the marksmanship training of US police people. There are about 20 of them pulling thier guns and opening fire and not one hit this guy!

Explains how Jason Statham is always unscathed in his films.

 

[Ediswan]

my question is how bad is the marksmanship training of US police people. There are about 20 of them pulling thier guns and opening fire and not one hit this guy!

It is like Star Wars Galactic Empire training services won the contract for training!

Or maybe, they are trained to use lethal force as a last resort. The attacker was subdued without. Not all agencies behave like ICE.

 

[DarloRich]

Or maybe, they are trained to use lethal force as a last resort. The attacker was subdued without. Not all agencies behave like ICE.

well why draw your gun and open fire then?

This video https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/videos/cj0v0484dmmo shows them apparently drawing thier guns & firing and:

Washington DC police chief Jeffery W Carroll said officers exchanged gunfire with the suspect and one US secret service officer was "struck in his vest". He was taken to hospital and is said to be "in good spirits".

 

[najaB]

Or maybe, they are trained to use lethal force as a last resort.

You do realise this is the USA we're talking about, right?

 

[Ediswan]

You do realise this is the USA we're talking about, right?

The fact stands that the attacker is alive, with no gunshot injuries.

Maybe there are two agencies involved. Ineffective DC police and effective Secret Service.

 

[najaB]

Maybe there are two agencies involved. Ineffective DC police and effective Secret Service.

These days I wouldn't be so sure you've got the competencies the right way around.

 

[martin butler]

When you compare the US training, to what our firearm trained police have to go through, very, very few American police would even qualify for the course,

I would think the same can be said of all branches of the US law enforcement, when you compare it to most other counties,

I have on exercise worked alongside National guards' units, and personally speaking found them to be a very mixed bunch, they had superior kit, yes, but the level of professionalism was not as good as what our units set as the standard, even our TA units, outperformed them,

 

[Gloster]

I think that the Washington State Dinner for King Charles takes place tonight. This seems to be the point of maximum diplomatic danger, with the risk of Trump doing something a bit off, for example…

Mentioning Prince Harry and Meghan: this would probably be excruciatingly embarrassing and appallingly rude, but not actually a diplomatic incident.
Mentioning Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, possibly by his old name. Although if Trump is wise he will not mention anything with a connection to Epstein, but in his current state, who knows?
Mentioning the Falklands, which is almost certain to be in a context that has been fed to him by Milei.
Suggest that Charles ought to get Farage in as PM, ‘Great Guy.’ Although that relationship seems to have cooled a bit.
Try and get Charles to send the army and navy to join the US’ escapade in Iran.
Claim that some other of Trump’s obsessions has Charles’ support.

There are no doubt plenty of others, but my best bet would be on something like, ‘“I think Starmer is a bigly bad Prime Minister and King Charles agrees with me.”

 

[DarloRich]

None of those things are going to happen - Trump is going to say what a great guy King Charles and how close they are.

 

[najaB]

None of those things are going to happen - Trump is going to say what a great guy King Charles and how close they are.

Largely it depends on what time the speeches start. He does seem to get less coherent and inhibited as the day progresses.

 

[brad465]

I think that the Washington State Dinner for King Charles takes place tonight. This seems to be the point of maximum diplomatic danger, with the risk of Trump doing something a bit off, for example…

Mentioning Prince Harry and Meghan: this would probably be excruciatingly embarrassing and appallingly rude, but not actually a diplomatic incident.
Mentioning Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, possibly by his old name. Although if Trump is wise he will not mention anything with a connection to Epstein, but in his current state, who knows?
Mentioning the Falklands, which is almost certain to be in a context that has been fed to him by Milei.
Suggest that Charles ought to get Farage in as PM, ‘Great Guy.’ Although that relationship seems to have cooled a bit.
Try and get Charles to send the army and navy to join the US’ escapade in Iran.
Claim that some other of Trump’s obsessions has Charles’ support.

There are no doubt plenty of others, but my best bet would be on something like, ‘“I think Starmer is a bigly bad Prime Minister and King Charles agrees with me.”

Something uncouth about Diana would be up there.

 

[Altnashin]

There are many questions that I doubt will be truthfully answered anytime soon about Trump's actions (I am still of the belief the events in The Middle East are not his sole idea)

The latest claim(s) that Iran are "begging for a deal, are in a state of collapse and want to reopen Hormuz" are not easily verified as Iran just deny to show strength.

There has been no answer as to what is the end game, (I highly doubt the nuclear claims) and no journalist seems to have asked why he stated previous Presidents and Presidential candidates would take The US to war, then do exactly that.

I also do not believe there will be a successful attempt for The 25th amendment either.

 

[brad465]

Wow, just wow:

https://www.ft.com/content/d4bfac8a-37a4-4409-ac03-a31d41b08e48?syn-25a6b1a6=1

Britain’s ambassador to Washington has said that America’s only “special relationship” is “probably Israel”, not the UK, in remarks that risk embarrassing King Charles during his visit to the US this week.

Sir Christian Turner also criticised America’s political system for failing to hold US associates of the sex offender Jeffrey Epstein to account, saying it was “extraordinary” that the scandal “hasn’t touched anybody” in the US.

 

[Meole]

Ms Maxwell has been made to pay.

 

[najaB]

Ms Maxwell has been made to pay.

Given that she's in a minimum security prison, I think that payment is "pennies on the dollar" as the Yanks would say.

 

[Killingworth]

Wow, just wow:

https://www.ft.com/content/d4bfac8a-37a4-4409-ac03-a31d41b08e48?syn-25a6b1a6=1

That's been an open secret for many years.

 

[dgl]

I wonder what it's like for Charles at the moment, for starters I highly doubt a known planet/green lover is best pals with someone who want to "drill baby, drill".
What I wouldn't give to have Charles let his real feelings known, and to Trump directly, but that's never going to happen.

 

[brad465]

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

The United States government, marking 250 years of independence from a monarchy, will this summer issue passports featuring a large photograph of its most senior leader’s face.

The limited-edition documents, billed as a commemoration of the US’s 250th anniversary of independence, will display Donald Trump’s photograph on the inside cover, surrounded by the text of the Declaration of Independence and the US flag, with his signature rendered in gold. A separate page features the famous painting of the founding fathers signing that very document.


Tommy Pigott, a state department spokesperson, said in a statement the passports would feature “customized artwork and enhanced imagery” while retaining existing security features, describing the US passport as “the most secure documents in the world”.
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news...emonial-welcome-for-king-charless-state-visit
The passports form part of the administration’s “America250” celebrations, a program that also includes a Grand Prix race on the National Mall and a UFC fight on the White House south lawn.

The state department said it would release a limited number of the passports for the “historic occasion” but would not confirm how many there would be.

The passport is just the latest in Trump’s effort to plaster his face across US institutions and documents. A banner of the president’s face already graces the Department of Justice building in Washington, along with others hanging on the Department of Laborand the Department of Agriculture, where it is featured alongside Abraham Lincoln beneath the words “Growing America Since 1862”.

The national parks pass for 2026 also features Trump’s face, with George Washington’s, under the word’s “America the beautiful”. After visitors began covering his image with stickers in protest, the National Park Service updated its policy to warn that altering the pass in any way could render it invalid.

The US Mint, meanwhile, has published draft designs for a $1 coin bearing Trump’s likeness, and the commission of fine arts this year approved a design for a commemorative 24-karat gold coin featuring a stern-faced Trump leaning over a desk.

Completing the picture, a 250-foot golden victory arch – internally referred to as the “Arc de Trump” – received preliminary approval this month despite what was described as overwhelmingly negative public feedback.

A panel of Trump allies voted to proceed with the project, which, if built, would stand taller than both the US Capitol and the Lincoln Memorial, and feature a golden statue reminiscent of the Statue of Liberty.

 

[Trainguy34]

Of all the times to announce it, when the current head of the monarchy you're celebrating leaving is in your country!

 

[dorsetdesiro]

Trump to feature on limited number of commemorative US passports

The passports will be released as part of the 250th anniversary of the US Declaration of Independence.

www.bbc.co.uk

The US will release a limited number of passports that feature a portrait of US President Donald Trump, the White House has confirmed.

First reported by Fox News, the passports will be released as part of celebrations for the 250th anniversary of the US Declaration of Independence in July.

An administration official has confirmed to the BBC that the new designs will be available for "any American citizen" who applies for a passport when the rollout kicks off, and will continue for as long as there is availability.

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