Donald Trump the Megathread part II - mod warnings in OP, Updated 18/03/25

You're pretty clearly repeating the implication that the US somehow brought on the invasion. Strange how Trump has never produced any proof of it. Instead we get the line that everyone is a paid propagandist with the exception of Mearsheimer and Sacks.

I'm not twisting anything you're saying. If Putin is likening himself to Peter The Great and committing genocide in Ukraine as part of his invasion. Then that's not really aligning with your portrayal of Russia feeling intimidated, that's matching with an expansionary regime. You absolutely are making flimsy justifications for the invasion, it's not problems on both sides, Russia has consistently been intimidating Ukraine but you'll portray the US and Ukraine as the problem.

So yep you're going down the conspiracy theory route to justify Russia's actions. And no, that's misrepresenting your posts.

Were being played ,between the white House meeting and nato today , putin keeping stum ,well planned ,

"Contributing" to someone's reasons for invasion is a pretty loaded statement though. You can say the same thing about Nazi Germany and how the Western allies 'contributed' to its rise through the punitive nature of the Treaty of Versailles while also turning a blind eye to breaches of the Treaty on Germany's pathway to re-arming itself.

The Mearsheimer view of the world would have us believe that Nazi Germany's expansion was simply the 'offensive realism' of Germany acting in its simple strategic self-interest as a threatenend power (and, well, that's actually what a lot of people said back then about Hitler's first bloodless expansions). That would be ignoring — as Mearsheimer routinely does about Putin's ideology — the ideology which underpinned Nazism and which ran far deeper than simple strategic chess-playing.

Of course, despite the valid points to be made about the other European powers having contributed to the rise of Nazi Germany, nobody today makes any serious argument that the invasion of Poland was anyone's responsibility other than Nazi Germany's.

How concerned should Europe be at the possibility that Trump shifts from providing diplomatic support to Russia, to providing them with military support? A bill of that sort would hardly pass through Congress, but how much military help can he provide them with through executive orders?

I previously would not have considered this a possibility but I think all options are on the table now, Trump is unhinged.

At least with a parliamentary democracy he would have to stand up in parliament and try to justify it to an opposition, in the American system they don't need to justify anything except to fox news.

A good article here focusing on Americas position on Ukraine - rational discussion and analysis can get lost with all the noise right now -regardless of what we think of America right now, it’s important to understand them too- while they’re not good communicators they’re still sending messages nevertheless .

Last weeks meeting with Zelensky, bad and all that it was- is probably a wake up call to all leaders, to try and understand what America is doing.

“The US has the sovereign right to adopt this stance, for the sake of its own interests, which include limiting the costs and risks the US is bearing for European defense. So Europe cannot dissuade the US, but it can work with Washington to achieve US goals while finding the best possible arrangement to protect Ukraine, secure Europe, and preserve Nato.

European leaders, however, are hearing a different message – or two, to be precise. One version is maximally pessimistic: Europeans fear that Trump is aligning with Vladimir Putin and preparing to abandon Ukraine and perhaps several more countries besides. Such an outcome remains possible. So far, however, it has not come to pass. An initial meeting to reopen diplomatic relations with Russia, and a disturbingly staunch unwillingness to condemn Putin’s aggression in Ukraine, are significant moves but are a long way from effectuating a grand geopolitical shift.”

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/mar/03/europe-trump-ukraine

So when Putin takes over Alaska they will say, oh let him have it, we want peace.

Musk wants to change how US GDP is measured

Can’t have a recession if the figures are fiddled with (like Russia does)

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/gdp-howard-lutnick-elon-musk-trump-west-palm-beach-b2707580.html

Taps side of head and extends arm in Nazi salute

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-02-28/atlanta-fed-gdpnow-sees-economy-shrinking-after-friday-data

Funny thing is, I've never seen that poster referencing Mearsheimer until it could be used to support Trump. Meanwhile Mearsheimer has been familiar to anyone knowledgeable on the war since pretty much day one and it's lacked credibility. Anyway, all the other analysts are paid shills and Putin is a good man, the critics of the war in Russia just tend to be very accident prone rather than victims of a regime.

There has to be smoke and mirrors and sleight of hand when it comes to the economy- they can’t possibly improve it doing what they’re currently doing.
Companies aren’t stupid - if they don’t feel confident investing in their businesses they just won’t do it - and this sort of carry on won’t encourage them that’s for sure

Pretty sure Sarah Palin confirmed she can see Russia from her gaff

Perhaps the best wat to halt Putin would be some Nuclear Proliferation? 200 Nukes to Poland, 300 Nukes to Germany, 100 Nukes to Sweden.

Make it happen over the next 10 years.

After the Ukraine war, it'll take Russia another 10-15 years to re-arm before it launches on Poland, or more likely Latvia, Poland and Estonia, in a westward push, assuming Putin is still alive by then.

But one thing is for certain, it Europe doesn't tool up bit time, and create it's own nuclear deterrent, we're in the firing line.

We can forget the US completely, Trump has essentially declared the US is now Zapad Russia (West Russia), and that he's little more than a deputy governor of it under Governor Musk. They're Russia's baby now.

PS - Has anyone thought that JD Vance should be referred to as Smithers? Seems apt.

There is lots of different theories going around on why Trump is actually doing this and going against traditional US allies.

The one theory that seems to be the most logical is that Trump really admires how both Putin and Xi are able to run their countries unchallenged. He sees huge advantages in being able to do whatever he wants and thinks that the western democracy model has too many obstacles, rules, standards, social supports, checks and balances in order to compete with the likes of China..

When you think of his background as a businessman it really makes sense. Just like Musk, Bezos, Zuckerberg they all probably think alike. Rules, Regulations, environment, labour rights are all obstacles to them doing business so the chance to be able to remove those obstacles is very tempting.

Europe is probably the most regulated market and the place where his rhetoric gets called out. He doesn't like being told no.

All the events so far are signals that are pointing in the direction that they wish to change the US into an Autocratic country like Russia and China. The US population probably didn't vote for this and are likely unaware that ultimately it will make life for the average joe much worse . Some of the signs are there.

• Pro Putin narrative
• Anti Europe narrative and attempts to influence elections to boost far right candidates
• Attempts to destabilase European politics, stoking up migrant stories
• Pro Nazi comments & gestures
• Taking apart US government institutions and ignoring laws under the guise of efficiency
• Removal of social media rules under the cloak of free speech.
• Control of the press, blocking certain outlets from Q & A sessions
• Land grabbing, Greenland, Ukraine etc
• Ethnic cleansing of Gaza

I think this is why he is doing what he is doing. Its not that Putin has dirt on him at all in my opinion.

Yep good article. Yet you have lads on this thread already suggesting that Alaska and NATO countries in Europe will be invaded by Putin. Both fears are utterly ludicrous.

One poster also said that all of Asia and Africa hate Europe. Very simple formula really.

The 24 hour news cycle has a lot of people very highly strung. Especially when that old bluffer in Washington is talking.