475 Comments
User's avatar
PDP's avatar

What a disgrace this man is. I think it would be reasonable to question whether he's human or not. He certainly shows no human feeling at all.

Gloria J. Maloney's avatar

You are describing a trait of a psychopath.

Lynne MacIntosh's avatar

He's a malignant narcissist. Basically the same things. He's incapable of empathy.

Stephen Brady's avatar

Take it from a retired Doc - it is quite possible to have multiple personality disorders and he has both!

Acela's avatar
2dEdited

He never laughs, either. Have you ever heard it? Nobody has. Inhuman.

Rena Stone's avatar

The only time he smiles is when someone has been hurt or humiliated. Think, "jokes" about Paul Pelosi and the hammer - that type of thing.

LeonTrotsky3's avatar

Which is the first sign of a sado-masochist, one who takes pleasure in the pain and suffering of others.

Eugene Crook's avatar

Hence Trump's devotion to Ultimate Fighting Championship. Whether there is actual pain or not, it is portrayed as pain and injury. We will use this UFC obscenity to celebrate our 250 anniversary as a nation at Trump's direction to make us all sadomasochists.

Catalina's avatar

He laughs with Putin, he smiles adoringly at Putin like with no one else

Pam Reynolds's avatar

I'm wondering if he is now on some powerful anti-psychotic; today's quote from him sounds like he's farther into la-la land. If he isn't on one he should be. (armchair psychiatrist here)

Eskaveeda's avatar

His little PA does all his ‘Truth’ posting these days. He rants, and she magics it into more structurally coherent, but incredibly absurd posts. I’m sure he has some form of dementia, as he has more difficulty reading his scripts or teleprompters, he forgets names, words, garbles his words at times, often doesn’t make any sense when speaking, and he is becoming more agitated and erratic. He’s bangs on about acing the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) multiple times, and that it’s a really tough test. He was doing it at an event with Florida seniors last month, claiming he did better than any of them could have done. Yeah…ok…sure, whatever, mate.

I’m no medical professional, but two immediate family members were diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s. I know that there is more than one type of dementia, but I knew something was off with both family members. We all did. It was awful and both were wonderful women.

Sandy S's avatar

The thing with taking such drugs and even prescription sleeping pills when you are his age, is that there can be very serious side effects like hallucinations, fits of anger, or just bad decision making. But you know him, 'he knows best' will always drive his actions. This is truly scary.

Rena Stone's avatar

I don't think drugs could possibly make his decision making any worse than it is.

Anthony Beavers's avatar

Well, there's one good thing about having multiple personalities. You're never alone on a Saturday night.

Elene Gusch's avatar

Dr. Brady was saying multiple disorders, not multiple personalities!

It might be helpful if T did have dissociative disorder (multiple personalities), though, as some of them might be better than the one he's got.

Stephen Brady's avatar

Not multiple personalities but the one he has Is quite simply FUBAR on an epic scale!

Kathy Hughes's avatar

Absolutely correct. Donald Trump has only been concerned with what he wants. He is absolutely incapable of making decisions or sacrifices for anyone or anything else. He expects other people to sacrifice themselves for him.

LiverpoolFCfan's avatar

"political hacks keep negatively chirping"

In other words, NO DISSENT ALLOWED.

As dictators always insist, anyone who disagrees with their "perfect" rule should be banished or executed.

Kathy Hughes's avatar

So true, unfortunately!

Diane Bagues's avatar

I rather think of him per the label I came up with early in his first term: I quickly came to see Trump as a Malevolently Uninformed narcissist.

Karen Close's avatar

Yes, he is a malevolent narcissist but, he is “informed” it just doesn’t matter to him. That’s the malignant part.

Rena Stone's avatar

Hmmm, not sure about the "informed" part. I would think that given his epic levels of stupidity and ignorance, he is very badly "informed" indeed. But given his psychopathy (and other personality issues), you are certainly right that to the extent he's aware of, well, anything, he doesn't care. If someone died at his feet, he'd just step over the body.

Catalina's avatar

He is informed and intentional, don't be fooled

Lynne MacIntosh's avatar

No, he probably has a specialized band of knowledge, but I was pretty astonished early on about his lack of knowledge about a lot of things. I mean things I learned in school in my childhood and teens. He's really surprisingly ignorant.

Rena Stone's avatar

Yeah, he's really not "informed" of pretty much anything... although his malevolence is certainly intentional.

Kathy Hughes's avatar

He has a toxic combination of malignant narcissism and sociopathy which combines into a dangerous personality disorder.

Bob Lesko's avatar

He's a malignancy. Period.

andré's avatar

Like a malignant cancer.

Gordon Shumway's avatar

That's what attracts the likes of Musk & Sacks & Thiel to him: empathy and altruism are no longer virtues, but traits of soft losers......

Don B's avatar

Yes, he meets multiple “traits” of the psychopath. He also meets criteria for a malignant narcissist.

Bob Bowden's avatar

He’s also a homicidal maniac, as he’s killed hundreds of thousands with his USAID cuts on top of his military strikes and now the “don’t-call-it-a-war with Iran”. Take the five worst personality disorders, add in the seven deadly sins and make a multidimensional Venn diagram. Dive into the center of that diagram and you’ll find almost zero people in there but wait - OMG There’s Donald J. Trump. Let’s elect him President, watch him incite a riot because on top of everything else he’s a sore loser, wait four years for the Supreme Court to declare anything a President does to be immune from prosecution, and then let’s vote him into the Presidency again.

What could go wrong?

Gordon Reynolds's avatar

All that, and he’s an asshole too, the kind of guy you’d avoid at a party or who would cause you to leave the party altogether, with apologies to whatever idiot thought it would be ‘fun’ to have him join.

Don B's avatar

Trump would have company in that Venn. Let’s see - Hitler, Caligula, others?

andré's avatar

Don't forget Netanhayu.

Don B's avatar
1dEdited

Good point!

John DesMarteau's avatar

Trump repeatedly shows us he has elements from both Cluster A and Cluster B personality disorders, as defined in the DSM V. He is a veritable cornucopia of mental illness — a very broken man with the nuclear football.

Gordon Reynolds's avatar

I apologize in advance for my flipancy. So what you’re saying is he’s a clusterfuck?

Mark McIntyre's avatar

Trump has caused prices to go up on practically everything and believes it's unpatriotic to complain. Okay, so off to play golf with his billionaire $ycophants.⛳

ISOequanimity's avatar

47 has been through enough battles to know that he shares Bolsonaro’s fate. It’s just a matter of time. Hopefully, justice will come in the form of ICC prosecutions on behalf of Venezuela. I’d like to see sentences served in some of the notorious prisons of member nations. Kenya has strong feelings about 47, so Kamiti might be a good fit. Niedermeyer could beg for mayo en Español at Mendoza. And Susie Wiles? The casserole queen? Surely the guards at La Makala in Congo will be impressed.

Marianne Blackwell's avatar

Wouldn’t it be great if Venezuela sent troops up to DC or FL and kidnapped Trump?

ISOequanimity's avatar

I’d prefer extradition. Let the whole world watch.

Philip Brown's avatar

Extradition would show that America believes in law and justice. It would never happen with a Republican Congress or Senate.

Jim Prah's avatar

Columbia could indict trump for killing fishermen

Jim Prah's avatar

Thanks for the correction

Maria Teresa Alvarez's avatar

About Bolsonaro: the extreme right in Brazil (there is no more a civilized right) supports Bolsonaro and his family (all sons are in politics), that plot against the country and its government. Trump has just offered them a gift, classifying organized crime as terrorism. And is imposing new tariffs. Rubio/Trump are interfering with this year’s election, Flavio Bolsonaro is a candidate. The evil the US delivers now to its LA neighbors never ends.

Frau Katze's avatar

That’s awful. They interfere in Canada, too, supporting separatist groups.

Robert Briggs's avatar

As soon as Congress is blue again, it MUST do two things: sign and ratify the Rome Statute for the ICC, and repeal the Hague invasion act. I don't think it possible to have a fair trial of Trump in this country, so undo the W Bush actions that led to us pulling out of the International court, rejoin the ranks of nations subject to international law, and extradite these criminals to face trial for their actions.

Skepticat's avatar

Oops, meant to put this here. Rather than in the form of ICC prosecutions on behalf of Venezuela, let's consider ICC prosecution on behalf of the United States of America.

ISOequanimity's avatar

I wish! But we’re not members. Maybe we will be once this regime is no longer in power.

Skepticat's avatar

Rats, that obscene fact slipped what passes for my mind; thanks for the reminder. Nevertheless, let's find another venue.

Sandy S's avatar

Hey Skepticat, I think in his own way DJT is finding another venue! He keeps pushing the envelope of evil doing and each time he has to find a new group of supporters while discarding the last. As he ages (faster and faster), time is not on his side. I can imagine some Jan 6ers are feeling less than happy with his throwing in the towel on the slush fund. Poor Trumpy. Poor Proud Boys. Life sometimes comes back to bite!!!

Skepticat's avatar

And I hope that Life's jaws are very large and extremely strong when they clamp on Chump and the not-so-Proud Boys. There are going to be quite a few congresscritters eligible for that entity's attention too.

Lynne MacIntosh's avatar

Except the US has never signed on to the ICC. Too bad.

ISOequanimity's avatar

For now. Hopefully that will change when this regime is not longer at the helm.

deborah hennessy's avatar

My money is on exile in Russia.

Meighan Corbett's avatar

We are not subject to the ICC.

Winston Smith London Oceania's avatar

All too human. He's the very embodiment of all of humanity's worst characteristics.

LeonTrotsky3's avatar

He's a sado-masochist, one who takes pleasure in the pain and suffering of others.

ISOequanimity's avatar

🙏 Amen, Winston. We created this monster. 400 years of exploitation, oppression, deceit, Jim Crow and strange fruit. It’s in our DNA. The original British land grants for colonizing this country increased in direct proportion to the number of people enslaved (the “headright” system). https://www.njconservation.org/telling-the-truth-about-new-jerseys-slave-history/

Robert Briggs's avatar

Indeed. Capt James Blount got his plantation off Pamlico sound via headright by transporting some of the early slaves to Jamestown. His great great grandson signed the Constitution, arguing to establish slavery in said document (and was later impeached from the Senate for some crooked land speculation). In a way it is a relief that the family fortunes dissipated before my generation.

Paul's avatar

That’s fascinating. Thanks for the link. Full disclosure, I’m on the other side of the Atlantic, but it is always interesting to dig into the details of colonial America. I am sure the occupant of the White House would be interested to read more about the real history of the US…

john augustine's avatar

trait of a sociopath

Merry's avatar
2dEdited

He’s NOT human. He’s inhumane, insane, inane, evil incarnate.

So poor demented Donnie is bored with Iran, huh? Well, I’M thoroughly bored with this corrupt, lying, thieving, misogynist, racist, bigot, bully, convicted felon and sexual predator who’s occupying our White House, gilding and branding, and destroying everything in his wake. And I want him to LEAVE ME (and America) alone!

Chris's avatar

Funny how he always uses quotes around his weird word choices. I imagine he probably wants to make them appear more credible as if he were quoting someone or the word would be commonly used in a figure of speak: No! Dipshit, you just pulled that phrase compketely out of your ass and we know it!

Frau Katze's avatar

I think he dictates the TS posts. The spelling is too good,

Diane Bagues's avatar

What you’re identifying is a total lack of empathy. Most folks might attempt to fake it, but the thin-skinned Trump, who seemingly lacks any capacity for self-reflection, has to date shown no capacity for anything but constant and never-ending self-puffery.

Rena Stone's avatar

I don't think he knows what empathy is. He literally can't conceive of caring for another human being (or an animal). Remember when he saw the WWII cemeteries in France and asked, about the dead soldiers, "What was in it for them?"

Carole Nemnich's avatar

Malignant narcissist. Explains a lot but doesn’t make it any easier to tolerate. He is a terrible version of a human.

bitchybitchybitchy's avatar

Trump is human. He's simply an awful human being.

Merry's avatar

Well, I for one, would like to see his OFFICIAL BIRTH CERTIFICATE!

(But not a live birth video!)

Joanna Weinberger's avatar

Trump has never released his medical records for good reason. Trump is part of the extraterrestrial MAGA species on Earth. They are sadistic, phallocentric, nocturnal and crepuscular, bisexual, with the emotional maturity of an eight year old human boy. The females squirt like a commercial drinking fountain when they orgasm. I'm told their brains are most like Earth's reptiles.

Rena Stone's avatar

An insult to 8 year olds. I'm thinking the maturity of a toddler - two and a half, max three.

Merry's avatar

And I imagined him as a Xenomorph, like the creature in the horrifying movie Alien!

https://www.space.com/alien-xenomorph-lifecycle-explained

Merry's avatar

Huh, and all along I’ve assumed he was a Xenomorph, like the creature in the horror movie Alien!

https://www.space.com/alien-xenomorph-lifecycle-explained

Joanna Weinberger's avatar

Yes, they are made to look like us and once made, they can morph a bit. I have seen them grow skin features very very rapidly, like Trump regrew an ear.

The Great Sandini's avatar

Such as it is with psychopaths.

Hiro's avatar

You cannot blame him. Voters elected him as their president.

PDP's avatar

Oh, I think I can. He didn't run on most of the stuff he's done, and being elected President is not an invitation to be the worse person in the world. Or perhaps you know differently?

andré's avatar

Indeed. Trump is living proof that aliens exist.

Brian's avatar
2dEdited

That is the definition of a psychopath. The only question is how many of his supporters are as well, and how to make sure they are banned from government.

pkidd's avatar

NT reported today that the press room at the Pentagon is now designated a “SCIF” (Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility) and reporters have to request an individual personal meeting to ask questions. So much for transparency.

SM's avatar

Press Office closed to…press? Can’t make this up 😂

pkidd's avatar

Really! Can you believe the gall?

Jenn Borgesen's avatar

Nothing to hide here, these aren't the droids you're looking for. Move along.

Steve Winkler's avatar

The need to move along, if only we can avert our unforgiving gaze.

A need to put a human face on what is no longer human.

andré's avatar

But they leave a lot of their mistakes out in the open.

ISOequanimity's avatar

For now. It’s a house of tainted cards. But this regime won’t be in authority forever.

Stephen Fisher's avatar

But that is their obvious intent. So wake up to that.

andré's avatar

Remember. the states conduct the elections. They have done too much damage to win, even with extreme gerrymandering by states normally favourable to them.

Maryellen Simcoe's avatar

The “most transparent administration in history”. Yeah, right

George Patterson's avatar

Well, Representative Kean of New Jersey is very transparent. Nobody has seen him since March.

Jim Prah's avatar

Yep, we can see the corruption.

Stephen Schiff's avatar

Completely absurd. For those who don't know, here are some rules pertaining to SCIFs

1. No electronic devices of any kind may be removed from the SCIF. Were one to bring a cell phone or camera or recorder in, it stays there. The only way to bring it out is with the classified trash, for destruction.

2. Any paper to be removed from the SCIF must be removed via security personnel who review it and mark each sheet with the highest classification according to content, before conveying it to an appropriately cleared facility.

3. No person lacking the type and level of classification of the facility can gain admission.

As a result, the edict essentially invalidates both the principle of transparency and freedom of the press. (But you knew that.)

Henry Cohen's avatar

Glancing at the early comments, I see Trump called a psychopath, malignant narcissist, the worst human being in the world, evil, etc. All true, but none of the comments mentions that the congressional Republicans are responsible for keeping him in power and are more culpable than he is, because most of them they are sane. Whereas he is acting out of his mental illness, they are cold-bloodedly, in order to protect their pitiful jobs, allowing him to kill hundreds of thousands of people (through illegally impounding USAID appropriations), to inflict immense suffering on the people of Iran and immigrants to the United States, and to do too much other harm to list.

Teri C's avatar

We shouldn’t confuse immaturity, greed, willful ignorance and bigotry with psychological disorders. In a way that is true; the people currently in power, governmental and corporate are short sighted and childish and that isn’t at all healthy

But, the whole bunch is consistently making money, stock manipulations, awarding their cronies fat contracts, protecting whoever “donates” the most. They know exactly what they are doing. More circus, less bread for the people, while they line their pockets. 47’s constantly inane tweets are the center ring of the three ring circus. Congress and SCOTUS are the side shows.

HCinKC's avatar

Well said. There always have been and always will be shameless, self centered people who will do anything to get what they want. The means don’t matter, only the end. Some have always been callous and cruel. Others become that way as they try to justify their misdeeds and mistreatment (to themselves, maybe others, unknowingly or knowingly). And any person can do this, from the oligarchs right down to the poorest, most bigoted MAGA.

Anthony Winter's avatar

Well said!

His quisling MAGA Christian Nationalist members of Congress bear far, far more responsibility than he does for the rape and pillage of our Nation. Unlike the reprehensible idiots who elected - and *keep* electing them - they all took an oath of office and have broken it on at least a daily basis...

Henry Cohen's avatar

Yes, but only a fraction of the congressional Republicans are MAGA Christian Nationalists. The majority are just sellouts. They've sold out the people of the U.S. and killed people around the world for their personal benefit.

Anthony Winter's avatar

Hmmm..

If they quack like a duck and walk like a duck - I hope I can be forgiven for calling them ducks.

"Did you commit those crimes against humanity because you were a 'true believer' or because you sold out?" seems to minimize participation in the crimes to an extent I find disturbing..

Teri C's avatar

Don’t think anyone needs to be forgiven for calling a duck what it is.

At this stage if you’re still in the true believer camp you are selling out your fellow humans, your principles, and your soul.

In the Nuremberg trials no one asked the guards to justify their beliefs. They were judged on their actions.

Teri C's avatar

Sellout is much more accurate than the psychological terminology thrown about.

Ian Ollmann's avatar

Sane, perhaps. Doing their patriotic duty? No. They are corrupt as the legislative day is long.

Skepticat's avatar

Indeed, and we need to remember and act on your acute observation.

Chuck Munn's avatar

Exactly right, Henry. Bill Pulte as acting DNI director? The most ludicrous appointment ever made...an actual threat to our national security. Congress' culpability will be outright criminal when he puts lives at risk because of his complete incompetence. I want to see names of individual legislators who do not take a stand against putting our country in such danger. Even anyone who tries to evade answering questions (which I have already seen) or take a stand against this appointment should be held accountable for the damage Pulte is going to do.

Someone's avatar

I can’t expect anything from people that seem to be related to Epstein or his entourage, people like Marco Rube who walks in oversized shoes just because they’re a gift from Trump . Jd Vance a monster that manages to walk without a spine. there are democrats that make my skin crawl. Cannot expect anything good from what is left of the Republican Party. Which should decide to change the name to King’s Party

TJ Ollerhead's avatar

You have the worst human being in the world as your president. Do something about it.

TJ Ollerhead's avatar

An example, if any were needed, of how Trump threatens the world, but also Americans, is this morning from the NYT. Every single day there are multiple assaults, whose sole purpose seems to be chaos, or actually an attempt to endanger the lives of everyone. 'The Trump administration is dismantling a $368 million deep-ocean observation system that was put in place a decade ago to monitor coastal environments, marine ecosystems and powerful currents that affect the global climate.'

George Patterson's avatar

Obviously it's one of those climate change hoaxes perpetrated by Biden.

Barbara's avatar

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if the monster egos of Bezos and Musk concentrated their resources on saving the planet instead of going to the Moon or Mars? Who cares about their stupid space flights when our environment is decaying.

Jenn Borgesen's avatar

It's a long hard slog with a feckless Congress failing their oath to rhe Constitution and the People.

But 47 has had his worst week ever with Todd Blanche putting 47 and himself in personal jeopardy with the revenge fund, plus other decisions that have gone against him and his administration.

TJ Ollerhead's avatar

Every day this man and his minions are in office endangers the world, but it damages Americans more, in almost every conceivable way. Until you realize what an existential threat he is to YOU, he will keep bulldozing the nation.

Walt Kowalski's avatar

We realize it, Mr. Toughtalker. What do you propose we do?

Ian Ollmann's avatar

This is an important point for all of you yelling “Do Something!” The law is quite limited as to our recourse. The American people have no recourse at all once a President is elected. The Congress or his cabinet can act, but if they are complicit, he is not going anywhere. We can elect new legislators, but even there, only half the House and 1/3 of the Senate are up for reelection this fall and the Senate must approve the removal. It can be mathematically impossible to remove enough complicit men before the President’s term is over. We need 2/3 majority in Congress to convict and remove. It is a very high bar.

You either believe in the rule of law or you don’t. We don’t want the US military with a history of interfering in domestic politics. If they aren’t with you, then they are defending the president. He is commander in chief after all. This should give anyone pause.

TJ Ollerhead's avatar

Donald Trump does not believe in the rule of law, so he has the advantage over you. But you've decided that nothing can be done, so you had better like the world that you get.

Fred Krasner's avatar

Oh, Jack Reacher, where art thou?

Walt Kowalski's avatar

Since you’re so much smarter than the rest of us, why don’t you show us how to accomplish all of your tough talk.

TJ Ollerhead's avatar

Ok. Don't do anything. Trump knew you wouldn't, even as US citizens were gunned down in the streets. Like the jejeune touch.

Jim Prah's avatar

Laws are like cobwebs, which may catch small flies, but let wasps and hornets break through. Jonathan Swift

p.j. melton's avatar

The powers of the people after an election are very limited here, and our representatives are not representing us. And even if he were gone, we would still have Vance, Vought, Miller, Wiles, Blanche, et al. Even if we were to impeach, convict, and remove both Trump and Vance, guess who gets to be president next! Mike Johnson.

HCinKC's avatar

Exactly…the rot goes deep, by their design. Even if the limited levers provided in the system were pulled, fat lot of good it would do. To me, the real harbinger is what happens in November…

Louise's avatar

I believe the doddering Chuck Grassley (President pro tempore of the Senate) is right behind Mike Johnson. Oh, glory...

Jim Prah's avatar

when it is gone, his control is gone too and the couch wanker has no gravitas

Stephen's avatar

You're right! The time that millions of us should have been revolting in the street was long ago. The difficulty is that the right has a well established propaganda machine running 24/7 with well paid actors carrying water for this traitor. Our nation is split with those who can see what's real and those that are in cult.

Frau Katze's avatar

The Dems have no equivalent to Fox “News.” Although the Rs whine that the mainstream media hates them.

Jim Prah's avatar

the MSM of ABC and CBS are now like the WaPo emasculated

Frau Katze's avatar

True. I’m referring to the way the media used to be.

Catherine O'Kelly's avatar

I almost hate to write this, but what I'm not seeing in all the millions of comments these days is that Mr. Trump has caused division in many families all across America!

That is what has happened to one of my daughters (married to very conservative men twice), who says she's behind Trump solely because "he's Christian."

My other daughter, a sweet woman who was in Special Ed all her days, listens to the news and voted Democratic and can tell you why! But it's heartbreaking when someone in your own family has broken with reality and seems to be totally under the influence of our terrible president.

Stephen, you are so right: "Our nation is split with those who can see what's real and those that are in cult." I'm reminded of the blind faith of followers of Jim Jones who followed him to South America and drank poison in one of the most shocking episodes in America's history.

"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." (Geo. Santayana)

Frau Katze's avatar

Yes, I’ve read other comments about people dealing with MAGA family members. Very difficult situation.

George Hicks's avatar

Every politician for major office in the US still at least pretends to be Christian, unless they are Jewish. So who the heck is your daughter comparing with? And doesn't his behavior count for anything?

Jim Prah's avatar

There is nothing more important than appearing to be religious. Niccolo Machiavelli

Catherine O'Kelly's avatar

George H.: My youngest daughter only listens to Fox News and believes that the January 6th assault on Congress was a "peaceful tour!" I watched the whole event on NBC-TV from noon to almost 10PM when the local police had cleared the building, and our congresspeople got to work and approved the count of the Electoral College (a misnomer if there ever was one).

Then I watched every second of the hearings, also televised, and came away with a new respect for Liz Cheney! I'm expecting that reason will prevail and DJT will be taken out under the 25th Amendment. It's gotta happen soon, or we won't have a friend left in the rest of the world!!!! And please God, don't let Trump pull us out of NATO! He simply doesn't understand that NATO countries don't help out in armed aggression--only for defensive actions!!!

Ed (Iowa)'s avatar

Just wondering: Might a pardon be issued to members of the propaganda machine?

Ian Ollmann's avatar

Wha good would that do? Our mistake was we didn’t prosecute after 2008, and white collar crime and grift has exploded ever since. The solution to this problem is repeated successful criminal prosecution.

Fred Krasner's avatar

Jack Smith for AG...maybe, hopefully, sometime soon.

fiber fanatic's avatar

I agree. Would like to hear your recommendations.

George Hicks's avatar

I’m not sure he’s quite in a league with his hero, V Putin. But he got a later start in politics, so the contest is rigged. He’s definitely more clownish than Putin, but not as murdery.

p.j. melton's avatar

Less murdery?! Just because he is murdering people whose faces we can’t see and whose names we don’t know (cf. 200+ people on boats, hundreds of schoolchildren, and who knows how many immigrants in camps with no medical care and not enough food or shelter) rather than high-profile political enemies doesn’t mean he is murdering fewer humans.

Elvi's avatar

And we can add in hundreds of thousands of Africans who've died of disease and hunger after withdrawal of USAID.

George Hicks's avatar

The House and Senate are directly complicit in the defunding of US Aid. And Musk was the actual catalyst. But the buck stops where it stops, and we all know where that is.

p.j. melton's avatar

Less direct, but yes, it’s at least manslaughter

p.j. melton's avatar

(I just mean legally speaking)

Frau Katze's avatar

He would be like Putin if he lived in place like Russia.

Erik Bruun's avatar

Somehow Abraham Lincoln managed to hold the course in the face of chirping--not mention slaughterous battles--from every corner in the nation.

George Washington found a way to persevere when confronted by the world's most powerful navy and army in the world with a chattering class of American colonists questioning his every move and even part of the population taking up arms against him.

And Franklin Delano Roosevelt held the country together while the nation's greatest Depression idled tens of millions of men and women, and then came together to defeat awesome authoritarian armies.

Poor DJT, his little war has blown up in his face. If he can't stand the heat, well, then it's time for him to get out of the kitchen.

Man up you big baby.

Chris's avatar

Yeah... If there's one thing I'll never understand about rich people, it's this pathological obsession with being in the public eye all the time, and the fact that as soon as anyone says anything mildly upsetting about them, their reaction isn't to go away but just to whine, loudly and endlessly, about their right to be in the public eye but never criticized.

If I was that rich, nobody who isn't friend or family would ever hear about me again. I'd buy a house in the middle of nowhere and spend the rest of my life catching up on every book, movie, TV show, and comic I've missed out on up to that point, taking long walks in the pretty scenery that I'd have picked my house for, and raising dogs. The whole *point* of having that money is that you no longer have to care what anybody else thinks.

Ian Ollmann's avatar

Fortunately, not caring what anyone thinks is a gift often given to people in middle age. You don’t need to be rich.

Jim Prah's avatar

Men who stand in the highest ranks of society seldom hear of their faults; if by any accident an opprobrious clamour reaches their ears, flattery is always at hand to pour in her opiates, to quiet conviction and obtund remorse. Samuel Johnson

ADIL SAYEED's avatar

We can all agree with Truman's advice about getting out of the kitchen if you can't stand the heat. If VP Vance took over the White House kitchen and the rest of the premises, he might reach a settlement with Iran faster. But, I would fear Vance as even more likely than Trump to take steps to end free elections and install a dictatorship.

Corina Rodriguez's avatar

How I hate the word “Deal” in this context. With Trump a “deal” is usually a fraud, some action where he seems come out ahead through manipulation. “Let’s make a deal!” “What a deal!” It sounds so unserious.

Maybe it’s just me but it seemed in other times, nations reached agreements, made treaties, worked things out before announcing. Trump’s deals sound like blue light specials: “For the next 10 the minutes, the Strait of Hormuz will be open. Hurry shoppers do your stock deals!”

George Hicks's avatar

He’s incapable of serious thought. Everything with him is a scheme - or a scam. People thought he was criticizing crypto when he said he thought it was a scam - actually, he was admiring it from afar, wishing he was in on it.

HCinKC's avatar

And always throwing in name calling. Constantly throwing out jibes (or worse) like “dumocrats” and it’s chuckled at and dismissed. Hillary rightfully calls MAGA deplorable, frankly what the entire world now knows was a gross understatement, and she is still admonished for it. The kool-aid drinkers obviously, but even “main stream media” plays this way now. Anything less than a running list of this childish, unprofessional behavior published on a place like the NYT’s website, updated every morning, is capitulation.

Louise's avatar

"ATTENTION, K-Mart shoppers!!!"

E. Bennet Dirigo's avatar

There don’t seem to be any reporters embedded with the troops which means the president’s narrative goes unchallenged.

Frau Katze's avatar

Whiskey Pete doesn’t like reporters except s few hand picked MAGA ones.

Rick Massimo's avatar

Just what we fought the Revolutionary War over — the right to have someone tell us not to worry ourselves about governing and just let a superhuman do it all.

In 2018 he was belching out a speech at a rally and after many minutes of denying that Republicans would lose in the midterms, he said if they did “I’ll just figure something out. I always do.” This is how he “thinks.” The only book he’s known to have read is The Power of Positive Thinking, which is not a harmless encouragement to look on the bright side but which actively promotes refusing to believe that you can or will be wrong or defeated.

And of course everything has always “worked out fine” for him. Which he has been quite clear is all he cares about.

Jenn Borgesen's avatar

Remember, the oligarchs of the American colonies very purposely pitted indentured servants vs native peoples vs slaves vs immigrants for the express purpose to distract them from the wealth and power of the land owning classes (People's History of the United States, Howard Zimm).

Someone (Stephen Miller?) read this and decided to use immigrants along with the already inherent cultural racism to distract us from their grift and lies.

Gigi's avatar

The late great Professor Howard Zinn’s book is still around and well worth picking up a copy. “ There is no flag large enough to cover the shame of killing innocent people.”

“TO BE HOPEFUL in bad times is not just foolishly romantic. It is based on the fact that human history is a history not only of cruelty, but also of compassion, sacrifice, courage, kindness.”

In this all important primary time, we must engage and stop the insanity!!

Jenn Borgesen's avatar

There is an updated version on Audible read by his son.

Brian Rippin's avatar

Do you all remember Mary Trump warning you folks back in 2018. Then again in 2020. This is the niece and professional clinical psychologist and outright DJT expert.

She understood this piece of crap better than anybody and told you everything you needed to know. Yet you folks down there voted him in twice.

The US citizens who A/ Voted for him and B/ Those of you who did not vote at all, deserve a slap on the side of the head for hoisting this horrible excuse for a human being on the rest of the world.

We did not even get a chance to vote but we are paying the consequences, especially here in Canada. Yet you wonder why we are boycotting your country.

Ian Ollmann's avatar

The south is a piece of work. Be glad you don’t have that voting block to deal with.

Peter Shaw's avatar

Ironic, isn’t it? An asshole President who spends hours posting hateful & traitorous bullshit on Truth Social but has lost interest in advocating for American interests? We can fix this:

—support opposition candidates

—canvass your neighbors

—VOTE

—Elect opposition candidates

—Impeach & convict Trump

—expand SCOTUS to 13 Justices, & impose an enforceable Code of Conduct. Impeach Thomas for his financial crimes.

Katarina Acsova's avatar

With all due respect, to you, your president is a representation of America's ills. He would not be president if america did not have an elite class eagerly or begrudgingly supporting him and his ugly agenda - in congress, financial donors, Supreme Court justices (!), academia, the legal profession, think tanks...

The racism, greed and lust for power is bred in the bone of many Americans. Your Hollywood has done a magnificent job hiding the ugly underbelly of America. It is probably not much different from the ugly underbelly of people in all nations. Tribalism and greed and cruelty are the heart of darkness in all humans. Its' just that America presented itself as the shining city on a hill. Time to stop grieving for a mirage and get on with a reckoning. Rooting for you.

Brian's avatar
2dEdited

The curious case of the deteriorating president: the pasty, sclerotic corpuscle of a man who struts and crows, waggles and brags in the Wrestling Ring.. The race is no longer between him and us. It never was.

He is ours, and to name him is to claim him: a president without precedent, a heel pacing the ring, taunting the world to a cavalcade of boos.

But the heel is not the promotion. The man is not the machine. Trump exists because the system exists, and the system will not vanish when he fades.And he is fading fast.

The race is ours now: can we outrun GEO Group, outpace Musk as he sacks Social Security and leach-like attaches himself to Starlnk and SpaceX, to government contracts oh so important, while mothers starve? Time to shame the devil, starve the beast, shut down th wholesale ransack of our Country. A Call to Arms, and Call-out Harms. They smell it, Regulation capture, and Bezos and the rest truffling for treasure, shaking our tree for low hanging fruit.Turn on the spigot for the miliitary contractors, and leave the honest soldier to bear the cost with their lives.Waltzing around the world like its his ballroom, and we pay the price.

Jenn Borgesen's avatar

Exactly ... note the sudden rush to IPOs for so many of the tech bros to get the public to cash out their hyped up over priced companies before the bubble bursts ...

I remember in late 80's when 47 tried to puy out Delta ... i bought puts and paid my mortgage for several months cause he was clearly the sign the merger mania bubble was about to break.

pkidd's avatar

The real war here is between trump and himself. Unfortunately THAT is a battle he’ll never win but he’ll willingly drag us down with him.

Frau Katze's avatar

The Heritage Foundation (Project 2025) will stick be here.

JB's avatar

A presidency built on giving your uncompromising backers whatever they want falls apart when they stop wanting the same thing.

Denis Pombriant's avatar

The 25th Amendment was made for times like this. If only those in power had a modicum of the courage it took to storm that beach…

Jenn Borgesen's avatar

The House can also imprach but are led by a spineless paramecium.

Ian Ollmann's avatar

They won’t because the rogues gallery of incompetents and villains who are his cabinet know the next guy would remove them, if he is wise.

If he is like Trump he would view them as disloyal snakes in the grass and fire the lot of them, too.

It’s a procedure that really only works when the president is unconscious and unable to defend himself.

Denis Pombriant's avatar

yep. The thing doesn't work. The 25th was designed literally by committee and assembled from spare parts, most notably, good intent.

Wren The Hen's avatar

Oh, good lord, I haven’t “sat back and relaxed” in relation to the state of the world since the godforsaken election.

Scenarica's avatar

The Tarawa example carries the whole argument, and it is worth pulling out as a principle. A government that shows its public the true cost of a war treats that public as the party that ultimately pays, and so as the party with standing to know. Concealment changes who learns the cost, and when, while leaving the cost itself untouched.

That holds whatever one thinks of any particular leader or war. Hidden losses still accrue. A public kept from the ledger is still charged, and receives the bill later and all at once, with the interest of having decided blind. The willingness to be seen losing was the mark of a system confident it could survive the truth.

George Patterson's avatar

I think that concealment actually increases the cost, rather than leaving it untouched.