President 'The Donald' Trump and Surprising Consequences - Mod warning in OP

InTheTrees

I believe they picked McMaster because he was still a serving general and couldn't really refuse. No doubt he's had enough and is trying to get out.

Leroy42

Its clear that Trump did not understand the requirements of the role at all.

He thinks that POTUS is effectively the CEO of his company. He calls the shots, he makes the rules.

Luckily, at least for the time being, US is not run like that. POTUS is a figurehead, although he does of course carry significant powers. But not ultimate and sole powers.

That is clearly frustrating for him. But as was pointed out, you need to be, in as much as possible, POTUS for everyone not just those that voted for you. That doesn't mean you abandon your position (not that Trump really has any) but you need to bring others with you. Trump is failing spectacularly at this part. He is helping (it is not his fault) to widen the gap between the two sides.

And that is why is looks up to Putin, Duterte, Kim-Jong Un etc. These are men that have complete control, what they say goes, and nobody dares to question. That is what he wants. So when he talks about the job being harder than he thought, it is not the workload, Trump appears to have a very good work ethic, it is the inability to simply get things done.

I am sure that having someone like Yates openly defy him was like a bullet to the chest. How can someone working for him question him? If you gave Trump a choice today of who should be given a job in the WH, Flynn or Yates, he would choose Flynn everytime.

The US needs to be very worried about this man and what he can do to their country. And the GOP are currently playing along with little regard, it would seem, to the potential dangers. Trump pretty much made their party a laughing stock during the primaries, eviscerating the party elites that tried to campaign against him.

He will have no compunction against doing to the same to the US

aloyisious

Yes to the above. Don didn't realise the reality of the legal restraints POTUS has to work within, that "my word is my command" doesn't work there. His oval office lesson from Barack came too late in the day. It might well be necessary to take final candidates for the POTUS job on a day-to-day on the job training course (watching, listening and NOT touching) for a month so they get to see their future, the niceties and the legal limitations of the job they aspire to take. It might shake loose dilettantes. The swamp ain't all Don thought it was or would become.

Paleface

For me it shows that electing someone with no previous political experience to the highest office in the land was an incredibly naive and uninformed decision by the US electorate.

Drain the swamp etc. is fine in theory but you can't drain the constitution.

Leroy42

It's not so much that he has lack of political experience, Obama didn't have that much either and I am of the opinion that politics should be a time limited occupation rather than a career (another thread maybe!), but rather that he had no evidence of any sort of activism, community work, getting social projects done etc.

People will point to some park he helped fund, or something like it, but that is just using money to help someone else do their thing.

He has no experience of working with others that he doesn't like. If anything, anytime he gets into bother he tries to sue people. Or bully them. There was never any evidence of him working with diverse groups for the betterment of all concerned.

So it is not politics as such. If one is looking to drain the swamp then an outsider is perfectly acceptable. But was he ever a coach of a little-league team for example? Having to deal with parents and kids with different abilities and skills but trying to make everyone one feel involved and valued? Does he have any history of taking part of charity work/events or working on social programs.

I don't think so and that tells you all you need. That is not to say that you need a goody two shoes, leader of the local Council for the betterment of Everyone, but you need someone with a history of working with others and being able to understand, relate and include their concerns.

He has none of that. Yes he spoke a good message (to those that wanted to hear it) but the mistake they made was he wasn't speaking of their concerns, he was speaking of his own. That they happened to match was great, for him.

Even now, I don't think he actually cares about healthcare. He cares about getting rid of Obamacare, there is a world of difference. He has surrounded himself with like minded people in the cabinet (billionaires and the elite) rather than looking to expand his sphere and widen his echo chamber.

now of course all politicians are guilty of this, it is why, IMO, coalitions are better than one party majorities, but it is even more necessary given Trump's complete lack of knowledge or even curiosity to gain knowledge in many areas.

Phonehead

The Republicans hate Trump, BUT they will protect him for as long as they can because he has no no beliefs or guiding principles. He will not question or push back on anything they ask him to sign or support, he is exactly the kind of President they need in their current malfunctioning state. The Republican Party literally expands all the way right on the beliefs system, for all their celebrating last week we all know that it's highly likely we still won't see a new health bill because in it's current state you won't get the votes from the Moderates but if you try to add back things such as planned parenthood you'll lose the Christian vote. Part of me actually thinks that Paul Ryan is playing a blinder, the Republican party is more divided ideologically than ever and any President with an ideology of one of the many factions within the Republican Party would have achieved less than what Trump has achieved in power.

Peregrinus

Leroy42 wrote: »

It's not so much that he has lack of political experience, Obama didn't have that much either and I am of the opinion that politics should be a time limited occupation rather than a career (another thread maybe!), but rather that he had no evidence of any sort of activism, community work, getting social projects done etc. . .

This. But not only this. He also gave no sign of having the least notion of what the role, functions and powers of the President of the United States actually is. And his conduct in office since his inauguration confirms that the impression of complete cluelessness about this topic that he gave throughout the campaign was the one honest element of his campaign. He really does have no idea what he can and can't do as President.

Itssoeasy

Can I just say that the posts on this page especially have been superb in explaining the issues with Donald trump. None of them were bashing trump but they very clearly pointed out the realities. So just wanted to say that off the bat.


Now I see that Donald has authorised the us to arm the Kurds fighting in Syria which will go down a storm with the lads in Ankara. So well done there president trump. He should expect a strongly worded letter from the Turkish asmbassador over that action.

And the North Korean ambassador to the uk in an exclusive interview to sky news has said that NK will launch a sixth nuclear test.

david75

US media isn't even showing any coverage or reporting on the nuclear incident in Washington. Thanks trump.

Pelvis

david75 wrote: »

US media isn't even showing any coverage or reporting on the nuclear incident in Washington. Thanks trump.

What incident?

Calina

Pelvis wrote: »

What incident?

at a guess this http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2017/05/09/527605496/emergency-declared-at-nuclear-contaminated-site-in-washington-state

Itssoeasy

Donald trump has fired FBI director James comey.

So the head of the agency investigating alleged ties of trump to Russia is gone.

snowflaker

Wow Come-y day go-day...

Trigger

Itssoeasy wrote: »

Donald trump has fired FBI director James comey.

So the head of the agency investigating alleged ties of trump to Russia is gone.

Sky reporting that he was fired on recommendation from Jeff Sessions

In a letter to Mr Comey, the President said he was "not able to effectively lead" the FBI and new leadership was needed to restore trust

Ludo

So fired over Russia testimony. Sessions recommended firing. Sessions had recused himself from Russia investigation. How the hell are they not all in jail?

Itssoeasy

Ludo wrote: »

So fired over Russia testimony. Sessions recommended firing. Sessions had recused himself from Russia investigation. How the hell are they not all in jail?

This is starting to make Nixon look a saint.

InTheTrees

Wow. Pretty crazy.

Here's my prediction...

We wake up in a few weeks to General McMaster on the TV screens saying "I'm afraid things were getting out of control so the military will be taking over until we can hold new elections".

hmmm

Holy crap this is insane. I saw someone say that when they're writing the history of US politics, this period will be a chapter, not just a footnote.

blackcard

Imagine the fury there would have been from Trump if Obama had fired Coney while he was investigating the Clinton e-mails. But it is ok to fire him when he was investigating Trump links to Russia. Fake News.

Beechwoodspark

Looks like comey may have found out a little too much about the Russian links for the orange **** gibbon's liking

namloc1980

Sessions, the man who had to recuse himself from the Russian investigation, recommended to the President to fire the FBI Director who was investigating the President for his Russian ties. That's just epic Watergate level stuff.

Call Me Jimmy

How often do FBI directors get fired by incoming presidents?

Itssoeasy

Call Me Jimmy wrote: »

How often do FBI directors get fired by incoming presidents?

Second time a FBI director has been fired by a president in history apparently.

blackcard

Looking forward to Sean Spider's next press conference.

aloyisious

Wonder will there be a decision made by Senator Graham to call for an early sitting of the committee investigating the Russian involvement in the US presidential elections now that Mr Comey is a private citizen. Wonder if the mother of all leaks will reach the AP, NY Times, Washington Post and Vlad Putin, putting them all on notice that dirty laundry is coming out. I can imagine those next in line will be thinking "not me, not me" after what happened to Flynn, guaranteed shortened federal career.

The reason given "he was not able to effectively lead the FBI and new leadership was needed to restore trust" makes me laugh.

ThisRegard

Itssoeasy wrote: »

Donald trump has fired FBI director James comey.

So the head of the agency investigating alleged ties of trump to Russia is gone.

Yeah, that doesn't look dodgy as **** at all, firing the man atop the investigation of ties between you and Russia with immediate effect.

Water John

Happened before in 1973. That tells you all you need to know.

Itssoeasy

Water John wrote: »

Happened before in 1973. That tells you all you need to know.

And who was president in 1973 again ? Oh yeah Richard M Nixon himself.

I love the line in trumps letter to comey about telling him on three occasions that he wasn't under investigation despite James comey saying in front of the US senate on live tv that there was an investsgation.

Ludo

This guy fired also by Clinton:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_S._Sessions

Leroy42

How is Trump getting away with all of this?

Its insane that nobody appears able to do anything at all.