Thoughts on the Trump presidency

[najaB]

The US stockmarkets continue to reach new all-time highs, so at least some of those 100 million may not be too unhappy with how things are going - at least for now.

80-90% of those stocks are owned by less than 10% of the population.

 

[dgl]

In reality it's anyone that has people working hard for them (at the minimum possible wage) that makes you rich in America.

 

[brad465]

Yeah, long term this might not be the win Trump thinks it is, as it gives Europe more impoetus to go on without US influence:

US to cut troop levels in Germany by 5,000 amid Trump spat with Merz

The decision to reduce the US deployment to Germany comes amid a row between the two allies over Iran.

www.bbc.co.uk

The US Department of Defence plans to withdraw 5,000 troops from Germany, amid a spat between US President Donald Trump and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz over the war with Iran.
The decision comes a day after Trump criticised Merz, who suggested the US had been "humiliated" by Iranian negotiators.
In social media posts on Thursday, Trump said Merz was "doing a terrible job" and had "problems of all kinds", including on immigration and energy. Trump has also suggested pulling US troops from Italy and Spain.
The US has a significant military presence in Germany, with more than 36,000 active duty troops assigned to bases across the country as of last December.
In a statement, Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said the order had come from Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth.
"This decision follows a thorough review of the Department's force posture in Europe and is in recognition of theater requirements and conditions on the ground," he said.
"We expect the withdrawal to be completed over the next six to twelve months."
Trump, a longtime critic of the Nato alliance, has been lashing out at allies over their refusal to participate in operations to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
Asked on Thursday whether he would also consider pulling US troops from Nato allies Italy and Spain, Trump responded: "I probably will - look, why shouldn't I?"
"Italy has not been of any help to us and Spain has been horrible," he added, criticising them for their response to the war in Iran.
"In all cases they said, 'I don't want to get involved.'"
Merz told university students earlier this week that "the Americans clearly have no strategy" and he could not see "what strategic exit" they might choose.
"The Iranians are obviously very skilled at negotiating, or rather, very skilful at not negotiating, letting the Americans travel to Islamabad and then leave again without any result," he said.
He added that the "entire nation" was being "humiliated" by the Iranian leadership.
In response, Trump took to his platform Truth Social, where he said Merz thought it was "OK for Iran to have a Nuclear Weapon" and "doesn't know what he's talking about".
"No wonder Germany is doing so poorly, both Economically, and otherwise!" the post read.
The BBC has contacted the German embassy in Washington for comment.
The US military deployment in Germany is by far its biggest in Europe, with about 12,000 troops in Italy and a further 10,000 in the UK.
Many are stationed at Ramstein Air Base outside the south-western German city of Kaiserslautern.
And while Trump has proposed US troop reductions in Germany before, they have so far not come in to effect.
Only Japan hosts a larger US troop presence.
In 2020, a proposal to move 12,000 US troops from Germany either to other Nato countries in Europe or back to the US was blocked by Congress and then reversed by President Joe Biden.
At the time, Trump had accused Germany of being "delinquent" because its military spending was well below Nato's target of 2% of economic output (GDP).
But that has changed dramatically under the Merz government.
Germany is projected to spend €105.8bn (£91bn) in 2027 - with total defence expenditure next year set to reach 3.1% of GDP.
Last year, the US decided to reduce its troop presence in Romania, as part of Trump's plan to shift the focus of US military commitment from Europe to the Indo-Pacific region.
Romania's defence minister said the decision was made after Hegseth conveyed to the Romanians that they needed to pay more attention to their own defence.
The decision was met with disapproval from some of Trump's fellow Repubicans in Congress, and concern from other Eastern European countries wary of Russia.

 

[Sorcerer]

Yeah, long term this might not be the win Trump thinks it is, as it gives Europe more impoetus to go on without US influence:

US to cut troop levels in Germany by 5,000 amid Trump spat with Merz

The decision to reduce the US deployment to Germany comes amid a row between the two allies over Iran.

www.bbc.co.uk

Was just about to post something related to this. I wonder if 5,000 is the chosen number because they absolutely couldn't get away with more? Ramstein is one of the most important US military bases globally so surely not even the Trump Administration is so vindictive that they'd cut off their nose to spite their face? This will absolutely not be the win Trump thinks it will be unless the win is intended for Putin, which has often been the case with some of his actions to be fair.

 

[The Ham]

The Iran 'conflict' has made a lot of people VERY rich. If you can play the markets as oil prices go up and down, you're laughing. If you have shares in oil companies posting record profits in just one quarter (like three times that of 2025 Q1) then you're laughing.

If you're just out there struggling with high prices for gas and groceries, you're a loser and should have worked harder. Don't expect any help as that's communism.

(What's worse is that many Americans are conditioned to believe that if you are struggling, it was your own fault because everyone who works hard* can become rich).

* including inheriting wealth or ripping off others etc.

It's easy to earn $1bn through hard work, all you have to do is work 60 hour weeks.

The slightly harder bit is to ensure you're earning $320 an hour.

Oh, and I nearly forgot, to do so for one thousand years.

 

[jon0844]

It's easy to earn $1bn through hard work, all you have to do is work 60 hour weeks.

The slightly harder bit is to ensure you're earning $320 an hour.

Oh, and I nearly forgot, to do so for one thousand years.

Ah, the American dream...

 

[edwin_m]

Was just about to post something related to this. I wonder if 5,000 is the chosen number because they absolutely couldn't get away with more? Ramstein is one of the most important US military bases globally so surely not even the Trump Administration is so vindictive that they'd cut off their nose to spite their face? This will absolutely not be the win Trump thinks it will be unless the win is intended for Putin, which has often been the case with some of his actions to be fair.

My fear is that Trump just decides to do something and it has to be done. The people who are aware of the consequences are outside his inner circle, who won't pass on anything negative to him. See also Iran.

 

[Strathclyder]

Ah, the American dream...

You have to be asleep to believe it. Or perpetually concussed.

 

[martin butler]

You have to be asleep to believe it. Or perpetually concussed.

One that is swiftly becoming a bad nightmare Dictatorships never end well.

 

[najaB]

I'm not one for conspiracy theories, but this just seems strange as hell. Why such little security when the protocol was usually so much more in place to lock the hotel down? I have other concerns about the sequence of events, but I'm going to hold on until the suspect goes up for charges and hopefully more information comes out (and not just what Trump splurges on social media).

Returning to this, the head of the Secret Service has provided an update. In which he says that only two people fired weapons - the attacker (Cole Allen) and a single Secret Service officer. He also said that the officer who was apparently shot by the shooter, was shot "point blank, with a shotgun". In total six shots were fired. How (a) his body armour was effective enough that he was able to return fire; and (b) why this directly contradicts the video evidence previously released is left as an exercise for the reader.

WARNING: Graphic content—U.S. Secret Service Director Sean Curran discusses details of the shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner and the actions taken by the Secret Service on ‘The Will Cain Show.’ (Fox News)

 

[Sorcerer]

My fear is that Trump just decides to do something and it has to be done. The people who are aware of the consequences are outside his inner circle, who won't pass on anything negative to him. See also Iran.

Trump is often observed to be a political sponge who takes on the opinions of the last person who spoke to him. This combined with his increasingly addled mind means it's probably his cabinet controlling him rather than the other way around, some of whom are, to but it bluntly, treasonous Russian stooges. Not a label to apply lightly but some of them genuinely deserve it, including but not limited to, Steve Witkoff.

 

[Cdd89]

It's easy to earn $1bn through hard work, all you have to do is work 60 hour weeks.

The slightly harder bit is to ensure you're earning $320 an hour.

Oh, and I nearly forgot, to do so for one thousand years.

I'm never sure why people use this as some sort of "gotcha". I've never heard anyone assert that you can become a billionaire through labour alone, so that's a straw man.

I consider myself on the left and am strongly in favour of attempts to level the playing field, as well as (obviously) preventing corruption. But if the implication is that we should be against (or dilute) company ownership, I would certainly disagree with that, as would most of the political spectrum today.

 

[The Ham]

I'm never sure why people use this as some sort of "gotcha". I've never heard anyone assert that you can become a billionaire through labour alone, so that's a straw man.

I consider myself on the left and am strongly in favour of attempts to level the playing field, as well as (obviously) preventing corruption. But if the implication is that we should be against (or dilute) company ownership, I would certainly disagree with that, as would most of the political spectrum today.

I only use it in response to those who say that it's only down to a lack of hard work such is why people are poor.

Even to save up £1 million would mean saving £6.50 an hour (so earning nearly £10 an hour to account for tax) after your costs over a 50 year working period working (and most importantly getting paid for all the hours) 60 hours a week.

Even if you could cover your costs from a minimum wage salary that's a £70,000 salary (which would likely mean you'd actually have to earn more due to higher rate taxes).

Note, whist that doesn't factor in interest on savings, it also doesn't factor in inflation. Also, whist investments would increase the value, the point is about hard work to get those sorts of values of wealth.

 

[najaB]

I'm never sure why people use this as some sort of "gotcha". I've never heard anyone assert that you can become a billionaire through labour alone, so that's a straw man.

The specific target of a billion is used for effect, but there is no denying that many conservatives espouse the view that success in life is entirely a result of effort. Thereby ignoring the structural inequalities built into our societies.

Considering the subject of this thread, he has repeatedly said that he got his start in business thanks to "a small loan" from his father, said loan being several multiples of the lifetime earnings of the bottom 99% of US residents.*

*While DJT says that the loan was $1M, research has shown that it was at least $60M, and the average US citizen earns $1.5 - $2.5M in their lifetime, and only 1% earn more than $12M.

 

[martin butler]

The specific target of a billion is used for effect, but there is no denying that many conservatives espouse the view that success in life is entirely a result of effort. Thereby ignoring the structural inequalities built into our societies.

Considering the subject of this thread, he has repeatedly said that he got his start in business thanks to "a small loan" from his father, said loan being several multiples of the lifetime earnings of the bottom 99% of US residents.*

*While DJT says that the loan was $1M, research has shown that it was at least $60M, and the average US citizen earns $1.5 - $2.5M in their lifetime, and only 1% earn more than $12M.

With Trump you can be sure of one thing, what comes out of his mouth won't be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing like the truth, he lies so much that he can't tell when he's lying.

Had it not been for his dad's empire, he would have ended up a washed out old bum, most likely spending much of his life in prison for scams and fraud.

 

[Harpo]

Had it not been for his dad's empire, he would have ended up a washed out old bum, most likely spending much of his life in prison for scams and fraud.

Never say never.

 

[BuhSnarf]

The guy is a grifter of epic proportions. Everything he touches turns to crap for the normal people around him who he scams out of their life savings whilst he and his already rich friends get even richer. But mainly he gets richer.

 

[Bletchleyite]

The guy is a grifter of epic proportions. Everything he touches turns to crap for the normal people around him who he scams out of their life savings whilst he and his already rich friends get even richer. But mainly he gets richer.

And yet he (and rich people all over the place) are successfully convincing huge numbers of people that taking some of their riches in extra tax will destroy economies, which it patently won't. It's amazing just how much a bit of social media misinformation can impact views so widely.

 

[BuhSnarf]

I think it's social media combined with the USA's very weird relationship with anything that could be badged as Socialist.

 

[martin butler]

I think it's social media combined with the USA's very weird relationship with anything that could be badged as Socialist.

I think social media, and un regulated news stations, have a lot to answer for, people who maybe are not as well educated, will always fall for the scams, and not ask to many questions, or whats in it for those editors and owners,

 

[The exile]

(What's worse is that many Americans are conditioned to believe that if you are struggling, it was your own fault because everyone who works hard* can become rich).

* including inheriting wealth or ripping off others etc.

Indeed - it’s the “flip side” of the almost “holy” American Dream.

 

[dorsetdesiro]

The Independent reports the big bad orange monster claiming he considered renaming the Gulf of America (Mexico) after himself in a rambling speech. Oh dearie me, the gift keeps on giving with this one...

 

[martin butler]

The Independent reports the big bad orange monster claiming he considered renaming the Gulf of America (Mexico) after himself in a rambling speech. Oh dearie me, the gift keeps on giving with this one...

Yeap, if he had a horse, he would be making it a god,

But on a serious note, at some stage his loyal band, are going to have to accept he will become a liability, certainly those who are behind project 2025, and the real fun will begin when Vance is told you have to 25th him, and Trump then calls out his insurrectionist's to overthrow his own cabinet,

 

[dgl]

Arguably the only way Trump goes quietly is in his sleep...

 

[martin butler]

Arguably the only way Trump goes quietly is in his sleep...

That will be the only way he will leave the white house willingly, in a casket.

 

[dorsetdesiro]

That will be the only way he will leave the white house willingly, in a casket.

Or if still alive, sedate him then carry out in a wheelchair. He probably will mumble on incoherently about fake news or stolen elections then just distract him with a bar of gold to play with

 

[martin butler]

Or if still alive, sedate him then carry out in a wheelchair. He probably will mumble on incoherently about fake news or stolen elections then just distract him with a bar of gold to play with

They will have to remove him via the back door, away from cameras etc, with no news footage because he will try tooth and nail to remain in the white house, then flee at the last minute on his plane to Russia. Abandoning everyone else to take the fall.

 

[najaB]

They will have to remove him via the back door, away from cameras etc, with no news footage because he will try tooth and nail to remain in the white house, then flee at the last minute on his plane to Russia.

Thing is, Putin is as transactional as DJT is, so would likely as not turn him away since at that point he wouldn't be useful to furthering Russian aims.

 

[AndrewE]

Thing is, Putin is as transactional as DJT is, so would likely as not turn him away since at that point he wouldn't be useful to furthering Russian aims.

but there could be an awful lot of money to be syphoned across into Russia with him or following him...

 

[edwin_m]

Thing is, Putin is as transactional as DJT is, so would likely as not turn him away since at that point he wouldn't be useful to furthering Russian aims.

He did offer refuge to Assad though, and I can't see him being of any further use.