Mega-Thread: Trump Focused Discussion

[PhaelixWW]

Same way people "cured" left-handed people.

Beatings

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Honestly, it would be more funny if it weren't quite so depressing.

[gondrin]

So, when is Hegseth going to prison? He openly admitted on Fox News about sharing sensitive or otherwise classified information with people that are not allowed to see it.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/polit...70c77aff&ei=49

Embattled Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said during a Fox News interview on Tuesday morning that he has been sharing military attack plans on Signal "for media coordination and other things," claiming the plans were "informal."

On Sunday, The New York Times reported on the existence of a second Signal chat - titled "Defense | Team Huddle" - in which Hegseth shared highly sensitive air strike plans against Houthi rebels in Yemen. The chat included his brother and Department of Homeland Security Adviser Phil Hegseth, his personal lawyer, and his wife Jennifer Rauchet, a Fox News producer with no official government position. The revelation comes weeks after Hegseth shared those same plans in another chat into which Atlantic editor Jeffrey Goldberg had inadvertently been added, leading to a firestorm of controversy around Hegseth's recklessness.

Hegseth told Fox & Friends on Monday that this was all "old stuff," claiming that "no one is texting war plans." While Hegseth may be relying heavily on the technical definition of "war" to excuse himself, he went on to discuss sharing the strike plans.

"I'm in the bowels of the Pentagon every single day. Just 10 minutes ago, I was looking at actual war plans - of things that were ongoing or pending to happen," Hegseth said. "What was shared over Signal, then and now, however you characterize it, was informal unclassified coordinations for media coordination and other things."

Hegseth went on to accuse "left wing reporters" and disgruntled former Defense Department officials fired after a slipshod investigation into leaking at the department of making up accusations against him in order to "get at President Trump."

"I want this to be very clear, we take the classification of information very important - it's very significant to us that we safeguard it," the secretary said, claiming he was conducting an ongoing investigation into leaking at the department.

"When you dismiss people who you believe are leaking classified information […] why would it surprise anybody," Hegseth said. "If those very same people keep leaking to the very same reporters whatever information they think they can have to try to sabotage the agenda of the president or the secretary. So once a leaker, always a leaker, often a leaker."

Once a leaker, often a leaker also seems to be applicable to Hegseth's own sharing of sensitive Pentagon materials with his allies over unsecure group chats. But the Trump administration is, at least for now, standing by their man.

The White House posted segments of the Fox News interview on X, calling the claims against Hegseth a "fake news hoax." On Monday, Trump told reporters that "Pete's doing a great job" and "everybody's happy with him."

The affirmations come after a week of chaos surrounding Hegseth and the Defense Department. Last week, three senior Pentagon officials were dismissed after what they called "unconscionable" treatment, and "baseless attacks" against them by Hegseth and other officials. On Sunday, former Pentagon spokesperson John Ullyot wrote in an op-ed that "it's hard to see Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth remaining in his role for much longer," given that the Pentagon's "dysfunction is now a major distraction for the president." Hegseth responded by ranting at the White House's annual Easter Egg Roll on Monday about how the reporters at the event were "hoaxsters."

The president's public line remains supportive, but according to a Monday report from NPR, the White House is exploring options to replace Hegseth as defense secretary. The White House denied the report, of course.

[PhaelixWW]

So, when is Hegseth going to prison? He openly admitted on Fox News about sharing sensitive or otherwise classified information with people that are not allowed to see it.

I'm eagerly awaiting the crowds of fair-minded GoP faithful chanting "Lock him up!" in response to this breach of national security.


Aaaaaaany day now.

[Mekh]

I'm eagerly awaiting the crowds of fair-minded GoP faithful chanting "Lock him up!" in response to this breach of national security.


Aaaaaaany day now.

According to @tehdang if you didn't want military secrets leaked, the Dems should have campaigned harder.

[Breccia]

"the entire Pentagon is working against" Hegseth

I mean, whether they're right or wrong to do so...man, that's a crippling review of Hegseth's leadership. Imagine having literally all of your employees against you. Imagine having literally all your employees against you, and you admit it in public. That's how bad Hegseth is.

[Flarelaine]

There is a fitting song for it... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qgyv9KCjfXc but i'm sure some people will explain why this is all fine, because its "the will of the people"

"Will of the people" has always been a catchphrase of demagogues and dictators.

Some even celebrate the triumph of the will.

[Pannonian]

"Will of the people" has always been a catchphrase of demagogues and dictators.

Some even celebrate the triumph of the will.

While i mostly agree, the people and their will is not blameless. The "righteous fury" of the mass is not to be underestimated. Even without going into any political topic, read the comment section in any newspaper when animal cruelty is reported. People are quick to sacrifice the rights of others on the altar or righteous justice.

That's why the comparison, crude and distasteful as it seems fits so perfectly. We see people getting dehumanized and stripped of their rights and due process solely because of the argument that we must fear them.

People arguing for this are the same as people arguing 80 years back that all jews must be removed, because they're dangerous. In hindsight the theories and justifications are plain stupid and horrendous. Sill, here we are, and even here, reading the justification that its fine to send people to torture camps because they're dangerous. And the righteous angry crowd is eating it all up.

The job of politicians is to nip this sentiment in the bud... not nurture and use it for their own advantage. That's why everyone involved in the US government and everyone defending it must at least loose all their rights to have a say in future politics. They showed that the cannot play by the rules or be trusted.

[Al Gorefiend]

If you are left leaning and feeling down just remember Limbaugh didn't live long enough to see the red wave he predicted for the last decades.

[SAY HER NAME]

The fun part about Trump blinking is that he didnt even reach the negotiation stage, fuck that we didnt even reach Chinas retaliatory tariffs proper lol

Nothing was gained from this disaster. At least we can say that the Trump cult is not suicidal. The hiring freezes are gonna hit new college grads so hard, that will be what we are left as a legacy

[Mayhem]

Nothing was gained from this disaster.

Not entirely true. The EU woke up and realized that the USA aren't a reliable partner anymore.

[Kaleredar]

Not entirely true. The EU woke up and realized that the USA aren't a reliable partner anymore.

I mean, the USA was a reliable partner.

I guess it was an “unreliable partner” in the sense that a person as awful as Trump could become president and abandon them for no good reason, but it’s not like this was “a long time coming.” US-EU relations under Obama/biden and I’m sure under Harris would have proceeded quite normally.

[Mayhem]

I mean, the USA was a reliable partner.

I guess it was an “unreliable partner” in the sense that a person as awful as Trump could become president and abandon them for no good reason, but it’s not like this was “a long time coming.” US-EU relations under Obama/biden and I’m sure under Harris would have proceeded quite normally.

You're conveniently ignoring Trump 1. The USA becomes a reliable partner again if they change quite a few things internally. The EU can't plan long term if every other US election might royally fuck things up. Then there are a bunch of social economic issues that should be addressed as well but let's just hope that comes with a change to the system.

Of course, I could place way too much faith in our politicians and everything returns to normal after Trump for a few years, until the next complete lunatic will be elected.

[Draco-Onis]

You're conveniently ignoring Trump 1. The USA becomes a reliable partner again if they change quite a few things internally. The EU can't plan long term if every other US election might royally fuck things up. Then there are a bunch of social economic issues that should be addressed as well but let's just hope that comes with a change to the system.

Of course, I could place way too much faith in our politicians and everything returns to normal after Trump for a few years, until the next complete lunatic will be elected.

One has to wonder how long until these US bases become a liability once the EU is fully armed and ready.

[Edge-]

RFK Jr. Set to Launch Disease Registry Tracking Autistic People

Can this guy just fuck all the way off, please? Do I even need to go into a whole thing about creating registries for certain people and keeping track of them...

tracking people?

do you think RFK Jr. will want to give them all a number?

Maybe tattoo'd on them?

Does he still think there are no autistic adults?

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The fun part about Trump blinking is that he didnt even reach the negotiation stage, fuck that we didnt even reach Chinas retaliatory tariffs proper lol

Nothing was gained from this disaster. At least we can say that the Trump cult is not suicidal. The hiring freezes are gonna hit new college grads so hard, that will be what we are left as a legacy

because he doesn't and can't negotiate

i mean he's been shitting on his own trade deal since coming back into office

the cult is suicidal, they elected donald roflmao

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https://www.npr.org/2025/04/22/nx-s1...adio-free-asia

A federal judge has blocked the Trump administration from dismantling Voice of America, the government funded broadcaster, at least temporarily. It's a dramatic turn in a series of legal cases revolving around the limits of executive power and the strength of the Constitution's protection of free speech.

Judge Royce C. Lamberth on Tuesday ordered the Trump administration to return Voice of America employees and contractors to their status before a March 14 executive order suspended their work. The order also covers the federally funded nonprofit news outlets Radio Free Asia, and Middle East Broadcasting Networks. It is a preliminary injunction that takes effect while the case plays out in court.

Lamberth wrote that the administration's decision to dismantle the agency was "arbitrary and capricious."

"Not only is there an absence of 'reasoned analysis' from the defendants; there is an absence of any analysis whatsoever," he wrote.

He also said the Trump administration was "likely in direct violation of numerous federal laws."

Donald really can lay claim to the most lawless administration in US history and he's only been in office for three months out of his second term, ooph.

Donald keeps trying to act like the dictator he said he wanted to be on day one. We should believe him.

[Tech614]

If you are left leaning and feeling down just remember Limbaugh didn't live long enough to see the red wave he predicted for the last decades.

It's hard to call them red waves he didn't experience when Trumps wins are fairly similar to Bush(well Bush actually succeeded in stealing an election, talking about popular vote ratios LMAO). Voting for the bumbling idiot to own the libs is not some new phenomenon. It's just this time the bumbling idiot is also a nazi and russian asset.

[Kaleredar]

tracking people?

do you think RFK Jr. will want to give them all a number?

Maybe tattoo'd on them?

Does he still think there are no autistic adults?

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because he doesn't and can't negotiate

i mean he's been shitting on his own trade deal since coming back into office

the cult is suicidal, they elected donald roflmao

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https://www.npr.org/2025/04/22/nx-s1...adio-free-asia



Donald really can lay claim to the most lawless administration in US history and he's only been in office for three months out of his second term, ooph.

Donald keeps trying to act like the dictator he said he wanted to be on day one. We should believe him.

I’d say “arbitrary and capricious” would be the exact words to describe the Trump presidency, if I thought his supporters knew what those words meant.

[Breccia]

As Axios and others surely have reported, Trump started whimpering like a little schoolgirl in fear and backing away from China tariffs because the CEOs of three major stores said "You do realize this will make people buy less?"

Trump got a scare from CEOs and markets on Monday. On Tuesday, he blunted some of his sharpest threats — signaling a softer stance on China and retreating from fiery rhetoric targeting the Fed.

Monday was a tough day for Trump's goal of reshaping the global economy.

The CEOs of three of the nation's biggest retailers — Walmart, Target and Home Depot — privately warned him that his tariff and trade policy could disrupt supply chains, raise prices and empty shelves, according to sources familiar with the meeting.

"The big box CEOs flat out told him [Trump] the prices aren't going up, they're steady right now, but they will go up. And this wasn't about food. But he was told that shelves will be empty," an administration official familiar with the meeting told Axios.

Another official briefed on the meeting said the CEOs told Trump disruptions could become noticeable in two weeks.

While that was happening, financial markets were slumping — stocks, bonds, the dollar — as investors panicked about Trump's latest threats to oust Fed chair Jerome Powell and step on the central bank's independence.

Then on Tuesday, he turned the dial down.

His Treasury secretary, and then his press secretary, and then Trump himself all indicated that trade talks with China were imminent, starting on a good foot, and would result in a deal with much lower tariffs than the current 145%.

Trump then told reporters in the Oval Office that he had "no intention" of firing Powell, even though his top economic adviser said last week the White House was studying the details of doing exactly that.

Markets, having gotten what they wanted, promptly rallied hard. Stocks soared and the dollar surged.

Yep. Trump is so serious that only he can fix things, that the second he's told it's not working, he reverses on everything.

There is no plan. Not even chaos is the plan. This is just a senile retarded old man with no idea what he's doing, being told his actions have consequences, something most people learn before they turn six.

[Rasulis]

Trump is an equal opportunity denier?

While former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee traveled to the Middle East this weekend for the first time as President Trump’s U.S. Ambassador to Israel, Huckabee’s daughter, Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, is appealing the Trump administration’s decision to withhold federal assistance to Arkansas after a series of devastating fatal tornados and flooding in March.

The administration, which has been making major cuts at FEMA, said the fatal storms were “not of such severity and magnitude as to be beyond the capabilities of the state, affected local governments, and voluntary agencies,” concluding that federal assistance was not necessary.

He is just doing exactly what he promised to do during his campaign. You can't call him a liar.

Meanwhile, this year's list of natural disasters started with a big bang. Wildfires all over the place, tornadoes, straight-line wind, flooding, etc. BTW, if you moved from California to Florida to escape wildfires' smoke, the joke is on you.

[Kaleredar]

Trump is an equal opportunity denier?

While former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee traveled to the Middle East this weekend for the first time as President Trump’s U.S. Ambassador to Israel, Huckabee’s daughter, Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, is appealing the Trump administration’s decision to withhold federal assistance to Arkansas after a series of devastating fatal tornados and flooding in March.



He is just doing exactly what he promised to do during his campaign. You can't call him a liar.

Meanwhile, this year's list of natural disasters started with a big bang. Wildfires all over the place, tornadoes, straight-line wind, flooding, etc. BTW, if you moved from California to Florida to escape wildfires' smoke, the joke is on you.

I’d rather have wildfires than hurricanes.

You can fight a wildfire. You can’t fight a hurricane.

Of course, Florida is now getting both.

[Rasulis]

The trend continued.

FEMA denies assistance to seven West Virginia counties following February flooding