What does a TRUMP presidency look like?

[Razgovory]

Catherine Belton's "Putin's People" more than hints at Trump being recruited, or at least that the KGB saw him as a recruit, in the 1980s and when his empire fell apart, he had very "helpful" investors who demanded nothing in return for the use of the name Trump on various building projects.

One aide is quoted saying "Donald was never big on due diligence".

Make of it what you will.

This episode of him and the photo of "a man called Vladimir Putin" has unfortunately convinced me thst he is not a Russian agent in the sense that he is not being blackmailed into doing the things he is doing. He genuinely looks up to Putin with a man crush burning as much as it only can in a demented brain.

That's my guess.

[Tonitrus]

If he were really a Russkie asset, there is little reason the cuts to any/all support to Ukraine (especially the intelligence sharing) would not have stayed cut off.

With all of the political barriers he has pushed through so far, it boggles the mind to think he couldn't have weathered pushing through that.

[Zoupa]

This episode of him and the photo of "a man called Vladimir Putin" has unfortunately convinced me thst he is not a Russian agent in the sense that he is not being blackmailed into doing the things he is doing. He genuinely looks up to Putin with a man crush burning as much as it only can in a demented brain.

Well also I always think if Trump is a Russian asset, then running him must be the worst job in the FSB. Because surely you'd just be saying "could you make it less obvious"

I think Putin knows how to play him to be honest - and that is Putin's strength. He is a very Chekist version of a "people person". He knows how to use people - and I think Trump likes being "one of the lads" with Putin and Xi as strongmen.

I would add that as a Russian asset his first term was also not great. Despite Trump the record of those four years was sending vastly more lethal aid to Ukraine and imposing more sanctions on Russia than was done by Obama (plus getting significant increases in European defence spending) which feels like a bit of an FSB failure if they're trying to run him. Again, even now, if Europe hits the targets it has set in a panic and under pressure, then a Europe that is spending 5% on defence is objectively bad for Russia.

Trump has given russia their biggest win with Jan 6th. It plays ALL THE TIME on russian TV. They succeeded at their most important task, making america a mess. Their support of anything making a mess in the EU is similar. I think the main purpose of any dictator is regime survival. Putin shows the russians "look at those democracies and how fucked up they are". It's a way to pacify any inkling of revolt.

[Norgy]

Just to be more precise, Belton does not say Trump is a Russian asset outright, but she followed the money trail to various building projects. She was, of course, taken to court several times for the book, and had to change a small paragraph about former Chelski owner Abramovich and one other person.

[Josquius]

This episode of him and the photo of "a man called Vladimir Putin" has unfortunately convinced me thst he is not a Russian agent in the sense that he is not being blackmailed into doing the things he is doing. He genuinely looks up to Putin with a man crush burning as much as it only can in a demented brain.

Well also I always think if Trump is a Russian asset, then running him must be the worst job in the FSB. Because surely you'd just be saying "could you make it less obvious"

I think Putin knows how to play him to be honest - and that is Putin's strength. He is a very Chekist version of a "people person". He knows how to use people - and I think Trump likes being "one of the lads" with Putin and Xi as strongmen.

I would add that as a Russian asset his first term was also not great. Despite Trump the record of those four years was sending vastly more lethal aid to Ukraine and imposing more sanctions on Russia than was done by Obama (plus getting significant increases in European defence spending) which feels like a bit of an FSB failure if they're trying to run him. Again, even now, if Europe hits the targets it has set in a panic and under pressure, then a Europe that is spending 5% on defence is objectively bad for Russia.

Trump has given russia their biggest win with Jan 6th. It plays ALL THE TIME on russian TV. They succeeded at their most important task, making america a mess. Their support of anything making a mess in the EU is similar. I think the main purpose of any dictator is regime survival. Putin shows the russians "look at those democracies and how fucked up they are". It's a way to pacify any inkling of revolt.

Yeah. This is a common  misunderstanding with how Russia operates.

Sure they love it when "their side" wins. They gained big victories with Trump, Brexit and others.

But above their side winning the primary goal is sowing division and weakening other countries. They'll often support stupid points of view that go counter their own just to build up the hate and division.

I wouldn't agree with the idea trump is an active conscious Russian asset (vance on the other hand....) but he's definitely someone they've got a few strands of leverage over and have generally dancing to their tune.

[The Brain]

Millions of people in the West worship Putin the man and the political system he leads. Trump simply being one of them is enough to explain his actions. In addition, Trump is too stupid to follow orders. In many ways his stupidity is his main strength, since it makes it impossible for others to control him.

[frunk]

Oh, I think it's quite the opposite.  He's so easy to manipulate that it's tough to make sure you are the last one he talks to.  We saw that in the first administration, where there was a massive tug of war between different factions telling Trump to do/say different things.  Now control has been consolidated under Miller and a few others, with the immediate family's cut out.  This administration is a lot more consistent in its domestic messaging and it really doesn't care about foreign affairs except where it can make money/prestige.

[Norgy]

I wonder who convinced him to have a brain storm about drinking bleach as a cure for covid during a press conference.

[Neil]

Probably RFK.

[Sheilbh]

Wouldn't RFK be more of a natural cleaning products guy?

Total aside but my parents had a cleaner go round every week. But the main reason was that she got on quite well with my dad and he was getting old so it was quite good to have someone go round like that who could just have a look out, keep him company etc while my mum was at work.

But it drove my mum mad as obviously she was really happy with someone going round to spend time and help out my dad, but she was  big fan of "natural cleaning" which in my mum's view is not really clean She'd complain about having to spend the entire evening after the cleaner has been round going round bleaching everything because the cleaner she was paying for had just used "lemon juice and vinegar and stuff like that"

[Norgy]

RFK jr. is utterly off the rails. There is no sanity left there. He probably literally eats crow.

[Tamas]

This thing with the spot on Trump's hand and people hoping he only has months to live. I might be mistaken but I seem to remember my grandpa lived like a decade with a similarly looking hand.

[Syt]

That's usually just age spots. Old people get them.

[DGuller]

This thing with the spot on Trump's hand and people hoping he only has months to live. I might be mistaken but I seem to remember my grandpa lived like a decade with a similarly looking hand.

Seems like people are hoping way too hard, same with swollen ankles.  People can live with swollen ankles for decades, it doesn't have to be a sign of heart failure.

[Josquius]

If need be they'll keep him on life support until 2 years of his reign have passed