[Politics] Donald Trump, US President

[The Clamp]

Let him give the Gaza thing a go. They don’t seem to be able to play nicely unsupervised.

And they might get a McDonalds.

 

[Zeberdi]

At best, Trump is just an old crook having a bit of a larf.
Unfortunately because of his 'job' everyone has to take note.

For me the laugh is over. I think Trump and Netanyahu both have a far more insidious influence on global affairs than some perhaps give them credit for; Trump obviously as POTUS and Netanyahu, in the unique position of being a leader of the only State in the ME that offers the West a permanent geo-strategic presence in the ME. Israel enabled by the West in its settlement expansion designs and objectives in the ME in return for offering the West a sphere of influence.

I also believe ‘Trumpism’ IS an ideology; characterised by isolationism, populism, Christian fundamentalism, small government and for Trump individually, plutocracy.

Normalisation of relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel comes with the condition of a commitment to a two state solution which neither Trump nor Netanyahu want. Even fanciful suggestions of turning Gaza into the Italian Riviera Mark II is enough to motivate a violent response since it is the absolute antithesis of what the Muslim world wants as a solution to the Palestinian question.

For that and that reason only, Trump’s stance on aligning himself with what he sees as a mutually beneficial agenda with the Israeli far right ( ie the ‘removal of Palestinians’ from Gaza) is both impactful and potentially enough to set back any hopes for a lasting ceasefire in the ME. It would be the most significant change of Western policy for Palestine since 1948.

 

[AstroSloth]

What do you think of his foreign policy, or border policy to name but two?

Dems tried to push through border laws which were then shot down by republicans.

Because if the Dems managed to improve the border situation the republicans would have nothing to run on.

 

[Triggaaar]

For me the laugh is over. I think Trump and Netanyahu both have a far more insidious influence on global affairs than some perhaps give them credit for; Trump obviously as POTUS and Netanyahu, in the unique position of being a leader of the only State in the ME that offers the West a permanent geo-strategic presence in the ME. Israel enabled by the West in its settlement expansion designs and objectives in the ME in return for offering the West a sphere of influence.

I also believe ‘Trumpism’ IS an ideology; characterised by isolationism, populism, Christian fundamentalism, small government and for Trump individually, plutocracy.

Normalisation of relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel comes with the condition of a commitment to a two state solution which neither Trump nor Netanyahu want. Even fanciful suggestions of turning Gaza into the Italian Riviera Mark II is enough to motivate a violent response since it is the absolutely antithesis of what the Muslim world wants as a solution to the Palestinian question.

For that and that reason only, Trump’s stance on aligning himself with what he sees as a mutually beneficial agenda with the Israeli far right ( ie the ‘removal of Palestinians’ from Gaza) is both impactful and potentially enough to set back any hopes for a lasting ceasefire in the ME. It would be the most significant change of Western policy for Palestine since 1948.

Surely Trump will be made aware that it's never going to happen, and he can quickly backtrack and pretend he never said anything?

 

[Bombardier]

I am not particularly interested in US politics and being honest, I would have preferred the Democrats got back in but I have now come to the conclusion that Trump is a complete and utter delusional dickhead. This latest idea is just cloud, feckin cuckoo land.

 

[Hugo Rune]

But it's got fack all to do with the US. Trump clearly isn't doing it for peace, just for his own benefit, ego and financial gain.

My knowledge of the political situation is, admittedly, limited, but doesn't Israel want that land and that's at the heart of the war(s) there? How is US-ownership going to help/achieve that? (Not that I'm saying that is right).

I am hoping that US funding could be very different to US ownership but I guess that is not on Trump’s agenda. I suspect this BS could be an attempt to make a country like Saudi Arabia stump up for the rebuild. Who knows?

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

For me the laugh is over. I think Trump and Netanyahu both have a far more insidious influence on global affairs than some perhaps give them credit for; Trump obviously as POTUS and Netanyahu, in the unique position of being a leader of the only State in the ME that offers the West a permanent geo-strategic presence in the ME. Israel enabled by the West in its settlement expansion designs and objectives in the ME in return for offering the West a sphere of influence.

I also believe ‘Trumpism’ IS an ideology; characterised by isolationism, populism, Christian fundamentalism, small government and for Trump individually, plutocracy.

Normalisation of relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel comes with the condition of a commitment to a two state solution which neither Trump nor Netanyahu want. Even fanciful suggestions of turning Gaza into the Italian Riviera Mark II is enough to motivate a violent response since it is the absolutely antithesis of what the Muslim world wants as a solution to the Palestinian question.

For that and that reason only, Trump’s stance on aligning himself with what he sees as a mutually beneficial agenda with the Israeli far right ( ie the ‘removal of Palestinians’ from Gaza) is both impactful and potentially enough to set back any hopes for a lasting ceasefire in the ME. It would be the most significant change of Western policy for Palestine since 1948.

For me the laugh never started.

I was musing on Trump's decision-making imperatives.
And the likelihood of anyone with clout standing up to him.

Consider, and I admit she has zero clout, but today our leader of the opposition was entirely intent on squawking about the PM's vocal coach.
She, the leader of the party whose 'greatest' leader took intense vocal coaching before she became PM.

This is how villains like Trump progress with equanimity.

 

[BN41Albion]

I am not particularly interested in US politics and being honest, I would have preferred the Democrats got back in but I have now come to the conclusion that Trump is a complete and utter delusional dickhead. This latest idea is just cloud, feckin cuckoo land.

It's taken you this long??

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

I am not particularly interested in US politics and being honest, I would have preferred the Democrats got back in but I have now come to the conclusion that Trump is a complete and utter delusional dickhead. This latest idea is just cloud, feckin cuckoo land.

Thinking outside the box can deliver disruptive change.
From Newton to Relativity
The internet.
Boris Island.

 

[Zeberdi]

For me the laugh never started.

I was musing on Trump's decision-making imperatives.
And the likelihood of anyone with clout standing up to him.

Consider, and I admit she has zero clout, but today our leader of the opposition was entirely intent on squawking about the PM's vocal coach.
She, the leader of the party whose 'greatest' leader took intense vocal coaching before she became PM.

This is how villains like Trump progress with equanimity.

Yeah, I agree on one level but on another, I personally got excellent mileage laughing at the orange buffoon who mostly we thought would have only a very outside chance of getting back the White House.

I think after November 5, I lost my sense of humour.

Or maybe it was after Everton.

Definitely since Forest …

 

[banjo]

 

[Zeberdi]

Surely Trump will be made aware that it's never going to happen, and he can quickly backtrack and pretend he never said anything?

I know that’s a bit tongue in cheek but anyway I’m not sure that matters whether he is aware or not. Just saying it is inflammatory. It may be Trump is just busy aligning himself with powerful dictators, autocrats (and Theocrats) to boost his global reach/support and repeating the line they want to hear because for him that is “the art of the deal”.

However, that would leave one wondering how a trade war with China endears him to his ex-favourite little dictator, Xi Jinping?

Much of Trump‘s rhetoric on a range of ‘extreme’ solutions for political problems is just that, rhetoric as others have said but ‘words matter’ and in the context of the ME, the repercussions of his words will resonate and resonate until a population already overly sensitised to Western military support of Isreal’s war in Gaza will start acting as if Trump really intends to ‘clean’ the Gazan Strip of Palestinians - then we are back to square one with the cycle of violence in the region.

 

[Bodian]

Yeah, I agree on one level but on another, I personally got excellent mileage laughing at the orange buffoon who mostly we thought would have only a very outside chance of getting back the White House.

I think after November 5, I lost my sense of humour.

Or maybe it was after Everton.

Definitely since Forest …

Yes - I was looking forward to the 'failed at getting back in power' fallout - with more trials and sentencing to come for him. He most probably can't believe his luck. Managed to convince enough loons to vote for him - thus overturning all the impending court scenarios, keeping him out of jail - and allowing him the total freedom to exact revenge on anyone who dared question him.

Astonishing turn-around really.

 

[vegster]

CNN say it much better than I ever could. Good article.

https://edition.cnn.com/2025/02/05/politics/trump-gaza-takeover-analysis/index.html

Valid points there but, once again, people are taking Trump's ridiculous claims as genuine and actually analysing and evaluating them !

He's unhinged and uncontrollable and there's no one backstage to tell him to stop running his mouth off.

No need to take this apart for all the reasons we all know, a simple " No Chance " from the international community is all that's needed.

 

[Triggaaar]

I know that’s a bit tongue in cheek

Oh no, this time I was being serious. What he's suggested is mad, and the world has to say so. When it does, I imagine Trump will do what he always does, and backtrack/lie/fake-news it.

Just saying it is inflammatory.

I know it is, but once he's backed down (amid global criticism) I hope the Middle East are reassured that he's a nutter and it'll never happen.

I can dream.

Much of Trump‘s rhetoric on a range of ‘extreme’ solutions for political problems is just that, rhetoric as others have said but ‘words matter’ and in the context of the ME, the repercussions of his words will resonate and resonate until a population already overly sensitised to Western military support of Isreal’s war in Gaza will start acting as if Trump really intends to ‘clean’ the Gazan Strip of Palestinians - then we are back to square one with the cycle of violence in the region.

Let's hope we see my dream, not your nightmare.

 

[raymondo]

Valid points there but, once again, people are taking Trump's ridiculous claims as genuine and actually analysing and evaluating them !

He's unhinged and uncontrollable and there's no one backstage to tell him to stop running his mouth off.

No need to take this apart for all the reasons we all know, a simple " No Chance " from the international community is all that's needed.

Hoping you are right

 

[US Seagull]

FBI Uncovers Al-Qaeda Plot To Just Sit Back And Enjoy Collapse Of United States

WASHINGTON—Putting the nation on alert against what it has described as a “highly credible terrorist threat,” the FBI announced today that it has uncovered a plot by members of al-Qaeda to sit back and enjoy themselves while the United States collapses of its own accord.

theonion.com