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

Trump rolling back on the Mexico tariffs already. He is such a bluffer.

It's an extremely serious thing to be promising to put your people's lives and security on the line in defence of others if they are attacked, right up to nuclear war.

In a democracy, I think it requires a very high consensus and acceptance of it right across the politcal spectrum.

That's no longer there in the US. Trump and by extension the Republican party make clear by word and deed they don't consider European countries US allies at present. They have also been undermining NATO for years (via Trumps' comments on NATO/Europe/Russia etc., and lack of serious pushback against him in the GOP).

It doesn't matter that the US can't easily withdraw legally because their politics is still split and one half or more of their politcal spectrum still supports NATO membership and upholding the guarantees to their allies. It is easy for the US President and party in power with full control of the military/intelligence apparatus and US foreign policy generally to sow doubt, and to defacto pull back (which is what we are seeing now).

We're just in the end game of it IMO. Trump (and that radical part of Republican party) is in power for 2nd time now, and he is (unfortunately) unbound to do what he likes. I can't see US participation in NATO lasting the term, the speed things are changing and everything is heading downhill.

He will revoke the Canada tariffs too.

the Canadians should leave theirs in place for four week period while Donald is thinking

So we'll have to wait and see if he scrubs or temporarily put a hold on the tariffs he ordered on the EU. Given that the EU has taken a contrary position to him on military aid to Ukraine, I don't see much chance there but….

On the issue of defence aid to Ukraine, I can't see why EU countries involved in assisting Ukraine with solid form military assistance cannot also provide it with signal and satellite intelligence from their own monitoring facilities covering the Putin bunch, probably already are doing so even if on the QT.

With all the U-turns he's made on the measures he's enacted against most other countries in the northern hemisphere to the initial cheering from the GOP, how long and how many u-turns will it take before some-one breaks ranks in the GOP and makes an "incautious" comment on Trump, and accuses him of being a vacillator.

Just a nutcase on the loose..

He's banging on about pulling out of NATO now.

It's like he's trying to crash the economy on purpose.

Europe can't easily provide that because they have effectively handed that over to the US. The US is given massive access in Europe in return and to be in charge. This was most notable after 9/11 when Europe went in behind the US even though they must have known those WMD didn't exist in Iraq.

The whole five-eyes system, etc., will all start to fall apart now, as other countries are not going to share the information for nothing in return. And Trump doesn't see the value of that access, only the cost.

Trump is playing a dangerous game here. He is not only isolating the US from its former allies, but at the same time, he is taking a butcher's knife to the likes of the FBI and the CIA. US enemies will undoubtedly see the weaknesses, and the threat will increase.

Plenty of time to fill up on shorts. Not Tesla though, I think they're just plain old fucked because of Elon.

The only remotely logical conclusion to that is the wealthy get their debts covered again with a wedge of government funds and the wealthy have the cash to buy cheap and wait for it to turn around in a few years for a profit. Not unlike 2008 as I see it. Is that feasible ?

They might try that in the US but if he deliberately crashes the economy the opposite could happen, the wealthy will be forced to forfeit their assets and be forced to pay for the mess this time around especially in Europe who if I'm not mistaken enacted changed so that bailouts would be made to come from investors and such first in the event of similar things occurring again.

We heard that before and still unsecured debt was covered in vast sums to save economies. Lots of confirmed stories of wealthy people buying luxury goods in almost disbelief of the bailout.

The EU economy, in particular Germany, is not in a good place and they are already talking about relaxing fiscal rules albeit currently in relation to military spending but I can see that extending further.

The US will do it's best to save the wealthy as it always does.

https://www.reuters.com/business/tariff-reprieve-likely-be-extended-all-usmca-compliant-goods-lutnick-says-2025-03-06/

He has backed down after just 24 hours and is trying to save face.

Anyone who thinks Trump is smart…you need help.

Plus all the permanent damage caused by it, Canadian businesses are going elsewhere after this.

Look up the "there's a horse loose in the hospital " you will never look at Donny and not see a horse 🤣