The Donald Trump Presidency Thread After Hours

[Forgotten]

Why shouldn't Zelensky have asked about security guarantees from America before signing the mineral deal? Surely knowing what the deal consists of is a given no matter what kind of deal you are signing?

When Ukraine gave up its nuclear weapons it was due to a guarantee from Russia that it would be safe. Those guarantees weren't worth the paper they were written on.

One of the most telling things for me is that Trump & Co., unless I missed it, have never said one word of criticism towards Putin since Trump came back to power.

 

[Tom]

Why shouldn't Zelensky have asked about security guarantees from America before signing the mineral deal? Surely knowing what the deal consists of is a given no matter what kind of deal you are signing?

When Ukraine gave up its nuclear weapons it was due to a guarantee from Russia that it would be safe. Those guarantees weren't worth the paper they were written on.

One of the most telling things for me is that Trump & Co., unless I missed it, have never said one word of criticism towards Putin since Trump came back to power.

Yes, exactly. This was a pre-determined attack by them. Why, who knows?

It is sad to see America take this route, but hopefully, Europe can emerge from it stronger and not bullied.

Reading some of the comments on social media I cannot wrap my head around the MAGA mentality, all they are doing here is turning their allies against them - I'd love for the rest of the world to say "Okay, Donald. We want nothing more to do with you, you're on your own"

They should disband NATO, make a deal with Ukraine for the rare minerals, set up a new European Defence Alliance (including Ukraine), get rid of the USA, Hungary and any other Putin supporters, use the money from seized Russian assets from across Europe, and set up an army in Ukraine to defend not only Ukraine but Eastern Europe that is almost certainly under threat the longer this goes on. They can also tell America to remove their bases from European soil. Getting tough is the only way to get through this.

What is Trump going to do next? Slap 25% tariffs on the EU? (probably). Make a deal with Russia to lift sanctions and do business again? (very possible given the dialogue we've seen lately)

 

[Silverback]

Very sadly, a large number of US watchers, possibly the majority, actually agreed with Trump and Vance. A factor we need to keep firmly in mind. We're stuck with dealing with them for at least 4 years.

 

[Hedonistic Blonde]

Can't recall where I saw it but I read a piece by an American commentator who said they fully expect Trump to invite Zelensky back to the White House to sign the mineral deal but will demand the $500b they wanted from the initial conversations. What they've done is humilitate Zelensky and make him feel like he has no alternative. He goes on to say that Zelensky should not have entered, or re-enter if the opportunity is given, the White House alone. Either take some of his Ukrainian staff or one of Europe's top diplomats - Kaja Kallas was mentioned. He says it was also a mistake not taking an interpreter with him.

 

[Sad Professor]

It's difficult to keep on side with a country who is turning around and calling Zelensky a dictator and that Ukraine started the war and then ganging up on Zelensky, publically, when he came to the Oval Office. America under Trump doesn't appear to be a reasonable, trustworthy actor. NATO partners could undertake to contribute 5 per cent of GDP to military spending, per Trump's previous demand and Trump would come out the next day and say that it must now be 8.

The reason why US conservatives are sceptical about NATO is because they no longer view Russia as an enemy and they are not really interested in the kind of foreign adventures they had previously undertaken, so what use is NATO to them? They don't really care what happens to Europe vis a vis Russian encroachment, but we in Europe still have it as a major concern.

I agree with Michael Clarke's view that Trump sees the US, Russia and China as the three sovereign powers of the world and will eventually hold a summit with them to formalise the new geopolitical order. American membership of NATO is already at an end in the practical sense as I don't think there are any amount of concessions to Trump on defence spending which would have his forces coming to the aid of its NATO partners in their hour of need. He'd probably do what he's done with Ukraine - say they started it.

Europe and NATO need to realise this is what is happening and act in their own best interests. America, under Trump, is no longer the reliable ally it has been in the past.

 

[Beckie]

Not quite sure what world Americans are living in. I believe this is the White House Deputy Chief of Staff talking.

Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump)

truthsocial.com

 

[Bob the Ninja]

Always nice to get an informed, sober opinion, Ian Bremmer is high quality imho.

 

[Black Sheep]

The whole White House fiasco was very clearly a 'set-up'. Trump doesn't dare to stand up and say that he no longer wants the US to support Ukraine, so he orchestrated a situation to make Zelensky look like the bad guy. It has backfired on Trump and made him look like the bully that he is.

 

[8-Ball]

I don't think I've hated anyone as much as I hate Donald Trump. The wife tells me not to get worked up but every day he does something to rile me as he plunges the world into more chaos.

 

[Tom]

This guy is one seriously dangerous individual in a position of serious power and next up as president of USA if Trump crokes it OR the 2028 election or if USA goes all NK and just has perpetual Republican goverments

"US vice-president JD Vance has provoked outrage in Britain after belittling a UK-France plan for European peacekeepers to guarantee peace in Ukraine"

US vice-president JD Vance tried to head off a transatlantic row on Tuesday when he insisted he was not insulting Britain and France when he said peace in Ukraine was unlikely to be secured by "some random country that hasn't fought a war in 30 or 40 years".

 https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1896898444398133557