President Trump and US politics catchall

[geordie_6]

Steve Witkoff, who is leading ceasefire negotiations, openly putting forward Russian propaganda.

BBC News - Trump envoy dismisses Starmer plan for Ukraine
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c62zm4eqvp7o

[Uncle fester]

Genuinely disgraceful.
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c2d4kex0w2ro

[Kiwias]

Genuinely disgraceful.
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c2d4kex0w2ro

Nice office you’ve got, be a shame if anything were to happen to it

[dpedin]

Genuinely disgraceful.
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c2d4kex0w2ro

Nice office you’ve got, be a shame if anything were to happen to it

Is anyone surprised anymore? Crooks and right wing zealots running the US now and they are doing it in plain sight knowing they are not going to be punished for breaking the law. The US is lost!

PS Tin foil hats still available!

[Kiwias]

Genuinely disgraceful.
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c2d4kex0w2ro

Nice office you’ve got, be a shame if anything were to happen to it

Is anyone surprised anymore? Crooks, billionaires, and right wing zealots running the US now and they are doing it in plain sight knowing they are not going to be punished for breaking the law. The US is lost!

PS Tin foil hats still available!

FTFY

[fishfoodie]

To those who maintain that the US has a healthy economy; ask yourself how a Company can see a niche for making money from people paying for meals on the never-never ?

DoorDash Announces ‘Buy Now, Pay Later’ Partnership With Klarna

DoorDash said the arrangement with the financial tech service Klarna would allow customers to defer payments on orders such as takeout from restaurants, makeup and electronics.

...

https://archive.ph/p9RA6

Peoples finances are in such a healthy state that they are opting to put their takeout on the never-never, because they're scared that just eating will fuck their finances & credit rating !!!

[Niegs]

Genuinely disgraceful.
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c2d4kex0w2ro

Marc Elias calling them out...

[Gumboot]

[TB63]

[tabascoboy]

US allies in Europe want answers over unspent USAID money

In short:
Three European nations have asked the Trump administration for their unspent USAID contributions to be refunded.

Sweden, Norway and the Netherlands had been partnering with USAID on a project called Water and Energy for Food, or WE4F.

What's next?
The nations have asked for an explanation from the US government on whether the funds will be spent, or if they can be refunded.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-03-24/ ... /105088146

[Hal Jordan]

He probably prefers the ones done by not at all closeted MAGA types where his oiled, bare upper torso is muscled like Rambo as he dual wields M240s as a bald eagle flies out of an explosion.

[sturginho]

He probably prefers the ones done by not at all closeted MAGA types where his oiled, bare upper torso is muscled like Rambo as he dual wields M240s as a bald eagle flies out of an explosion.

if anything the artist has been rather too kind to him

[Sandstorm]

if anything the artist has been rather too kind to him

Yup, where's his neck-vag?

[Yeeb]

So what you're saying is that we've been overcharged for years by private sector contractors? I, for one, welcome the Public Inquiry into decades of profiteering at the expense of the public purse.

Not necessarily.
It’s just they are prone say to not worry about such trivialities about margins, or service level agreements, timings, such efficiencies like minimum order quantities or production runs or whole pallet rounding - but if you don’t have a bit of paper ticking certain ESG boxes or a few lesbian disabled ethnics on your sales team , then that’s a problem. Trend with public sector is to pay only cursory attention to price , and not anything to do with the quality or value for money they are getting for that price (such as surgical drill fail & replacement rates , which my employer were world leading in & priced accordingly versus a Chinese generic copy). If trying to place a new product with a Tesco or Sainsbury’s , those sort of criteria are far more heavily scrutinised & contractually policed on.

[Niegs]

Clearly used Melissa McCarthy as Sean Spicer as a reference photo.

[tabascoboy]

[Niegs]

And imagine using emojis in that!? A small thing compared to the leak but highlights how amateur these cunts are.

[Uncle fester]

And imagine using emojis in that!? A small thing compared to the leak but highlights how amateur these cunts are.

Link to the article here.
https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/ar ... ns/682151/

What an unserious bunch of wit kants.

[Uncle fester]

Maybe they'll add Putin to the next chat group.

[Hal Jordan]

Kakistocracy at its finest.

[Niegs]

[Kiwias]

[Hal Jordan]

I'm sure the consequences will be somewhere between "none" and "journalist gets arrested for treason".

[_Os_]

There's a lot going on with those messages.

1. All the clever explainers of current US foreign policy are wrong. It's not an attempt to be "harsh but fair" with European allies so they spend more on defence (buying US arms). As with any government they say the same in private as they do in public. They hate Europe and see it as a rival, they don't really view it as an ally. What do they hate about Europe? It's liberal and democratic.

2. The British established Israel to control Suez. Israel is not able to control Suez/Red Sea. The US isn't tasking Egypt or Saudis with controlling Suez. They don't trust Egypt because they're anti-Israel, and for some reason they see the Saudis as allies which need to be protected by them (the same as Israel, and the opposite of their view on Europe). I'm sure it's a coincidence Saudi is a repressive dictatorship.

3. Israel/Egypt/Saudi all refuse or unable to police their shithole of a region. The US plan is to do it themselves and make Europe pay somehow, the messages read like mobsters scheming about how to extract protection money. The constant US bombing of MENA in response to any problem there, being the key reason for the near constant stream of refugees flowing into Europe. The US plan is to make Europe pay for its own destabilisation.

4. If Europe actually did what the US is demanding and spent 5% on defence amassing enough force to dominate areas outside its region. The US would view it as a existential threat.

... it's quite likely US foreign policy is going to catastrophically blow up in their face. Very hard for any European country to justify buying US arms, which means Europe will stop subsidising US power. They're trying to make Ukraine surrender, if the US is successful in that Russia isn't going to become a friend of the US. Not clear what their plan is to stop China invading Taiwan and defeat China if it does. Lets see if they can even defeat the Houthis.

[Uncle fester]

Also worth noting that the group was set to disappearing messages, which is against the law requiring retention of records.

[_Os_]

We can but hope that the MIC and its apparatus has explained that it would like the US to maintain its dominance over arms sales to Europe.

Yes the 'Europe's not paying its way' rhetoric is particularly irksome because the US engineered it this way.

European dependence and the US being the world's policeman has made their arms industry a lot of fucking money.

100%. None of the old European great powers were allowed to take unilateral military action in any meaningfully strategic way. That's what Suez was about.

The US decided the role for Europe was to be a buffer, German/European conscripts would fight WW3 against the Soviets and not Americans. After that threat disappeared and the US embarked on its ME forever wars, Europe's role was to take the refugee waves not America, it is again the buffer. You can bet if America was taking the refugee waves they would stop bombing the place as their first and only solution to anything that ever happens there.

The Wolfowitz Doctrine bluntly states they want to dominate every region of the globe, and they oppose any regional power reaching the level of the Soviet Union and being capable of challenging the US. The European security situation is the way it is because that's what the US wanted. If all the big European players start spending 5% on defence, that's the end of American control of Europe through NATO, they will not have to listen to the US if there's any disagreement.

The US will absolutely see Germany as an existential threat if: it's spending 5%+ on defence, integrated militarily with neighbouring states (already happening with the Netherlands), dominant in the European arms sector. That all basically automatically happens as a first order impact of German building up its military and arms sector, without the possible second and third order impacts: threshold nuclear weapon state, acting independently outside its region. Trump himself used to rant about Japan as a threat during the Cold War, not the Soviets but Japan, for daring to out compete US car manufacturers.

It sounds a lot like the US wants to retain their dominant position outside their own region, without paying for it. They actually do have to pay heavily for Ukraine though whilst Ukrainians pay with their lives, that was always the deal.

Even if I say so myself, this was a good post from back in January. Gets the US position right before all the madness we've seen. Definitely missed two aspects.

1. Christian right ideas have taken over the Republicans. It's not like Christianity in a place like South Africa, where nearly everyone is a practicing Christian or was brought up Christian, making it not particularly exciting. Nor is it like Christianity in the UK, where it's a minority pursuit no one is that excited by. In the US Christianity seems to exist in opposition to something else and has become political and weaponised. A lot of them see the world as Christianity v liberal democracy. If you follow what some of them are saying, they support Putin because they think Russia is defending Christianity and Europe is supporting Satan/liberal values. They believe all the Putin anti-LGBT stuff. Some of them are smart enough to realise how mad that would sound, so try to say it without saying it (Vance) others say it outright (MTG).

The nature of their opposition to Europe feels deeper than I realised. They seem to want to support Europe but only if it becomes more like the Deep South or Russia. There's an irrational quality. Which in reality means they're completely opposed to Europe.

2. Wolfowitz Doctrine doesn't look to be in play. Doesn't look like they have any interest in dominating every region. They claim they want to defeat China somehow, but are mostly interested in disengaging from Europe whilst lecturing Europeans about their internal liberal politics and how the US prefers they vote for far right fascists.

[Hal Jordan]

Also worth noting that the group was set to disappearing messages, which is against the law requiring retention of records.

Which is the point, no evidence, no illegal activities!

[dpedin]

Yes the 'Europe's not paying its way' rhetoric is particularly irksome because the US engineered it this way.

European dependence and the US being the world's policeman has made their arms industry a lot of fucking money.

100%. None of the old European great powers were allowed to take unilateral military action in any meaningfully strategic way. That's what Suez was about.

The US decided the role for Europe was to be a buffer, German/European conscripts would fight WW3 against the Soviets and not Americans. After that threat disappeared and the US embarked on its ME forever wars, Europe's role was to take the refugee waves not America, it is again the buffer. You can bet if America was taking the refugee waves they would stop bombing the place as their first and only solution to anything that ever happens there.

The Wolfowitz Doctrine bluntly states they want to dominate every region of the globe, and they oppose any regional power reaching the level of the Soviet Union and being capable of challenging the US. The European security situation is the way it is because that's what the US wanted. If all the big European players start spending 5% on defence, that's the end of American control of Europe through NATO, they will not have to listen to the US if there's any disagreement.

The US will absolutely see Germany as an existential threat if: it's spending 5%+ on defence, integrated militarily with neighbouring states (already happening with the Netherlands), dominant in the European arms sector. That all basically automatically happens as a first order impact of German building up its military and arms sector, without the possible second and third order impacts: threshold nuclear weapon state, acting independently outside its region. Trump himself used to rant about Japan as a threat during the Cold War, not the Soviets but Japan, for daring to out compete US car manufacturers.

It sounds a lot like the US wants to retain their dominant position outside their own region, without paying for it. They actually do have to pay heavily for Ukraine though whilst Ukrainians pay with their lives, that was always the deal.

Even if I say so myself, this was a good post from back in January. Gets the US position right before all the madness we've seen. Definitely missed two aspects.

1. Christian right ideas have taken over the Republicans. It's not like Christianity in a place like South Africa, where nearly everyone is a practicing Christian or was brought up Christian, making it not particularly exciting. Nor is it like Christianity in the UK, where it's a minority pursuit no one is that excited by. In the US Christianity seems to exist in opposition to something else and has become political and weaponised. A lot of them see the world as Christianity v liberal democracy. If you follow what some of them are saying, they support Putin because they think Russia is defending Christianity and Europe is supporting Satan/liberal values. They believe all the Putin anti-LGBT stuff. Some of them are smart enough to realise how mad that would sound, so try to say it without saying it (Vance) others say it outright (MTG).

The nature of their opposition to Europe feels deeper than I realised. They seem to want to support Europe but only if it becomes more like the Deep South or Russia. There's an irrational quality. Which in reality means they're completely opposed to Europe.

2. Wolfowitz Doctrine doesn't look to be in play. Doesn't look like they have any interest in dominating every region. They claim they want to defeat China somehow, but are mostly interested in disengaging from Europe whilst lecturing Europeans about their internal liberal politics and how the US prefers they vote for far right fascists.

You first point is well made! When talk is about about the hard right wing religious mobs in the US most folk laugh and think of the happy clappies in big mega churches listening to nut job pastors and being brainwashed into handing over loads of dollars so their church can buy private jets and huge mansions for their 'owners'. This is part of it, these folk are the foot soldiers, the believers. However the reality is there is a hard core bunch of religious right wing zealots, funded by the big tech millionaires who are in it for the money and power, in charge of the White House and increasingly most arms of US Government. They are no different to Hezbollah or Hamas of this world, who believe only their god is the right one and are set on ridding their country/world of anyone that they see as non believers or a threat - in this case the woke, radical, commie, liberal, trans, non white left wing etc. Their agenda isnt all that different either - destruction of most arms of a liberal democracy, degradation of women's rights, destruction of universities, R&D and science in general, persecution of LGBTQ and trans communities, forced repatriation of anyone who doesn't look like them ie non-white, etc whilst centralizing power, control and money into a small cadre of an all powerful leader and ruling party. They are just as happy to bomb, kill and maim innocents as most other radical terrorist groups, or engage with others who will do it for them, in order to achieve what they want - they just do it with better tech and from 20,000 feet with 2,000lb bombs. The sooner folk waken up to the fact that the extremist zealots from the radical right wing white supremacist wing of the Republican Party have carried out a coup the better! They now run the US.

I keep saying it is going to get a lot worse ... and it does! Unfortunately it is going to get much worse folks, much worse.

[Yeeb]

Anyone seen that Trump ‘we will sell them detuned aircraft in case they are no longer allies ‘ thing ?
Is that real or a fake news ?

For a supposed businessman he does seem to be driving custom away, and typhoon / rafaele/ gripen salesmen must be rubbing their hands together

[Guy Smiley]

Illuminating posts from Os as usual and dpedin, I've been nodding along with your arguments here as well...

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-n ... -interests

The Australian government’s scientific agency has joined more than a dozen universities in being sent a questionnaire from the Trump administration asking to confirm whether it aligns with US government interests.

On Tuesday, the CSIRO revealed it had received the correspondence from the US. A spokesperson at the CSIRO said it was aware of a “small number” of researchers who had received the questionnaire in recent weeks and was “determining an appropriate response”.

The questions include whether the organisation receives funding from China, whether it is a climate or “environmental justice” project, and whether it is taking “appropriate measures” to defend against “gender ideology” in line with Trump’s executive order on gender.

Seven universities including the Australian National University, Monash University, University of Technology Sydney, University of New South Wales, Charles Darwin University, Macquarie University and the University of Western Australia have had their US funding cut on research projects since the Trump administration came into power, the education department confirmed.


Separately, researchers from at least 13 universities who receive US funding have been sent surveys, seeking a response within 48 hours to more than 30 questions to support “program determinations”, university sources told the Guardian.

Some 40% of Australian publications in the physical sciences involve American collaborators – including on vaccine development, cyclone tracking capability and observational systems that monitor, forecast and respond to extreme weather events.

“CSIRO has a number of touch points with the US government as part of our research portfolio,” a CSIRO spokesperson said.

“As the situation is still developing, it would be premature to speculate on how the changes in the US will affect CSIRO’s US collaborations and partnerships. However, CSIRO has not received formal advice that our science collaborations will be impacted.”

[Uncle fester]

Deporting all the brown people is going to put pressure on employers who will end up having to pay people more so the clever wonks in government have a solution.

Child labour
https://www.cnn.com/2025/03/25/business ... index.html

[Kiwias]

A couple of gems


"Don't mention the war plans! I accidentally texted them to someone, but I think I got away with it."


"We've just receieved another fax from Pete Hegseth"

[Gumboot]

Hegseth seems to be firming as King Donald's escape-goat du jour.

Won't be long before the king hardly knows him at all. Maybe never even heard of him before...

[Uncle fester]

Elections are going to be "fixed".
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cdxq37nxl55o
Bigly

[Raggs]

Elections are going to be "fixed".
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cdxq37nxl55o
Bigly

Thinking in all too innocent ways, I'd have thought the poor and ignorant are less likely to hold a passport than most democrat voters?

Then less innocently, I'm guessing that's not really how it's being fixed, and membership to the republican party will be accepted as valid id, even if you died 10 years prior...

[_Os_]

Anyone seen that Trump ‘we will sell them detuned aircraft in case they are no longer allies ‘ thing ?
Is that real or a fake news ?

For a supposed businessman he does seem to be driving custom away, and typhoon / rafaele/ gripen salesmen must be rubbing their hands together

It's real, he said tune them down 10%.

Probably worth looking into taking down the unit cost of a Eurofighter using more modern manufacturing methods (metal 3d printing etc) and old fashioned economies of scale by countries pooling to place a huge order (1000s). It's a generation old, but a lot of what the US/Russia/China uses is of a similar age. As we've seen for some reason in an age of nuclear weapons, basic mass of conventional weapons is respected. Europe replacing US conventional capacity mostly means replacing aerospace capabilities.

[Yeeb]

Trump should cause the tempest development to accelerate anyways

[S/Lt_Phillips]

Just another day for Trump/Musk's criminal enterprise

https://www.reuters.com/world/us/doge-s ... 025-03-26/

[Margin__Walker]

25th March - Secretary Hegseth argued “nobody was texting war plans,"

26th March - Atlantic release the full chat

[Biffer]

25th March - Secretary Hegseth argued “nobody was texting war plans,"

26th March - Atlantic release the full chat

And they can’t be accused of leaking sensitive info, because Tulsi Gabbard said under oath that there was no sensitive material in the chat.