I think that trump has become disconnected from reality. To him, a trade war with Canada and a shooting war with Iran are at the same place on his scale of reality. It's all just a board game - all the same to him. Reality for him is his golf course and his girlfriend.
And a Big Mac, followed by another Big Mac, two Filet-o-Fish and a Chocolate Malt. That’s your days calories in five minutes.
Especially anything that diverts attention from the Epstein files.
Even without Trump's distraction tactics, I'm actually not convinced Epstein would be getting a lot of coverage at this point. I think his main agenda is diverting attention away from Hormuz and the accompanying gas prices.
Has he actually renamed the Strait of Hormuz yet? AIUI, he regards it as US territory...but, as you say, he may not want to keep it at the forefront of the news.
BTW, one of the many satirical YouTube videos has him renaming Europe as 'America Plaza East'.
Has he actually renamed the Strait of Hormuz yet? AIUI, he regards it as US territory...but, as you say, he may not want to keep it at the forefront of the news.
I think he's only said he "like(s) the idea of it being American territory", but has not returned to that particular trope. He mighta thought that saying that would convince his dimwitted cultists that it really now is an American possession and hence the oil will soon be forthcoming, but as you suggest, that's prob'ly outweighed by the drawback of more people paying attention to the overall issue as a result of his bravado.
Especially anything that diverts attention from the Epstein files.
Even without Trump's distraction tactics, I'm actually not convinced Epstein would be getting a lot of coverage at this point. I think his main agenda is diverting attention away from Hormuz and the accompanying gas prices.
Ah, but that's something that is a direct consequence of his decision to launch an illegal war to distract from the Epstein files.
Especially anything that diverts attention from the Epstein files.
Even without Trump's distraction tactics, I'm actually not convinced Epstein would be getting a lot of coverage at this point. I think his main agenda is diverting attention away from Hormuz and the accompanying gas prices.
Ah, but that's something that is a direct consequence of his decision to launch an illegal war to distract from the Epstein files.
Well observed. I probably wasn't taking into account that this war goes back to the days when Epstein was a regular headline.
In other regurgitations, this latest round of attention to the Argentine beef thing seems to be drawing a bit more of a crowd than usual. From what I've seen on social media(granted, mostly YouTube), sympathies are leaning heavily toward the ranchers betrayed(according to one side's narrative) by Trump, rather than to the consumers being liberated(according to the other side's narrative) by the reversion to free trade.
And, now, Trump has signed an agreement for Venezuelan Oil. Supposed to cost nothing to Americans. Will help us replenish our strategic oil reserve. Problem is our Strategic Oil Reserve currently is made up of light crude. Venezuelan oil is a heavy crude. The more I hear about this "deal" it sounds like Flim Flam.
Some commentators over here are picking up on a question Trump answered about Wall Street not buying government bonds. Apparently they are not attractive at the moment but Trump wants the money for his projects. A reporter asked what he would do about the issue and he said military action is a last resort. He seems to be getting very confused now. I don’t really think he will be sending tanks down Wall St.
Sometimes I think Trump thinks he's joking (and therefore that he thinks he's in a situation where it's appropriate that he's joking).
Just watched the clip. Going by tone-of-voice and mannerisms, I'd say he wasn't consciously joking, but had heard the word "intervention", which his brain linked with "military intervention", and then to the stock phrase "military intervention is always a last resort".
[EDIT: Just re-watched. He DID seem aware for most of it that the question was about bond markets.]
The Guardian reports that Trump is indeed suggesting renaming the Strait of Hormuz as 'Trump Strait'. This inspired piece of brilliance by the most brilliantest president that ever was will, of course, immediately bring an end to the conflict...
I still think that renaming it as 'Trump Straitjacket' would be more appropriate.
The Guardian reports that Trump is indeed suggesting renaming the Strait of Hormuz as 'Trump Strait'. This inspired piece of brilliance by the most brilliantest president that ever was will, of course, immediately bring an end to the conflict...
I came here just to post that!
Will say that "Trump Strait" is an improvement over Lake America"'s repetition of "Gulf of America". He seems to be branching out a little, even if it is just to his own personal surname.
Trump is using “The Art of The Deal” as his playbook for diplomacy, as he does for everything, and his first principle is that there can be no win-win outcomes.
Some commentators over here are picking up on a question Trump answered about Wall Street not buying government bonds. Apparently they are not attractive at the moment but Trump wants the money for his projects. A reporter asked what he would do about the issue and he said military action is a last resort. He seems to be getting very confused now. I don’t really think he will be sending tanks down Wall St.
I think they are still bringing pens to a tank fight.
Military intervention in a bond market would be perfectly possible, you take armed squads to the various firms that are pissing you off, having defined them as “terrorists” or “traitors” if they don’t cooperate, and insist with ballistic persuasion that they buy from you what you want them to buy at the price you think they should pay, and/or lean on national governments with military threats to get their national banks to do likewise.
I am not suggesting this is in any way a good idea, I am just suggesting that it is not beyond the bounds of possibility or as literally impossible as some people seem to think it is.
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And a Big Mac, followed by another Big Mac, two Filet-o-Fish and a Chocolate Malt. That’s your days calories in five minutes.
[Deleted the rest of my rant because so many others have expressed my feelings and frustrations with better words than mine.]
Even without Trump's distraction tactics, I'm actually not convinced Epstein would be getting a lot of coverage at this point. I think his main agenda is diverting attention away from Hormuz and the accompanying gas prices.
BTW, one of the many satirical YouTube videos has him renaming Europe as 'America Plaza East'.
I think he's only said he "like(s) the idea of it being American territory", but has not returned to that particular trope. He mighta thought that saying that would convince his dimwitted cultists that it really now is an American possession and hence the oil will soon be forthcoming, but as you suggest, that's prob'ly outweighed by the drawback of more people paying attention to the overall issue as a result of his bravado.
Well observed. I probably wasn't taking into account that this war goes back to the days when Epstein was a regular headline.
In other regurgitations, this latest round of attention to the Argentine beef thing seems to be drawing a bit more of a crowd than usual. From what I've seen on social media(granted, mostly YouTube), sympathies are leaning heavily toward the ranchers betrayed(according to one side's narrative) by Trump, rather than to the consumers being liberated(according to the other side's narrative) by the reversion to free trade.
Just watched the clip. Going by tone-of-voice and mannerisms, I'd say he wasn't consciously joking, but had heard the word "intervention", which his brain linked with "military intervention", and then to the stock phrase "military intervention is always a last resort".
[EDIT: Just re-watched. He DID seem aware for most of it that the question was about bond markets.]
I still think that renaming it as 'Trump Straitjacket' would be more appropriate.
I came here just to post that!
Will say that "Trump Strait" is an improvement over Lake America"'s repetition of "Gulf of America". He seems to be branching out a little, even if it is just to his own personal surname.
I think they are still bringing pens to a tank fight.
Military intervention in a bond market would be perfectly possible, you take armed squads to the various firms that are pissing you off, having defined them as “terrorists” or “traitors” if they don’t cooperate, and insist with ballistic persuasion that they buy from you what you want them to buy at the price you think they should pay, and/or lean on national governments with military threats to get their national banks to do likewise.
I am not suggesting this is in any way a good idea, I am just suggesting that it is not beyond the bounds of possibility or as literally impossible as some people seem to think it is.
History will very soon come to a.
According to Sellar and Yeatman it already did, in 1918, when America became Top Nation. Maybe it will restart now it isn't any more.
A most thoughtful observation. Encouraging, too.
So 1066AAT predicted Fukuyama's thesis of 1992.