Donald Trump the Megathread part II - Mod Warning added to OP 10/1/26

You mean they might try and take him out for a third time?

I think it's far more likely that he turns the military on the people and a large cohort of that group will be happy to follow his orders.

Yes, perhaps.

Think it is likely the Trump admin. won't mention the EU at all on 2nd of April and regardless of what the Single Market (edit: and Customs Union) means in practice specific countries are going to be named + shamed and targetted by the US, possibly including Ireland.

If that happens it'll be a part of the US game to delegitimise and diminish the EU as an organisation by refusing to treat with it. The Conservative party Brexiteers in UK used to do that all the time when in power e.g. refusing to meet with EU officials, refusing to recognise the EU ambassador to the UK.

McGregor has been very loud + cocky, and IMO it's suggestive of what was said to him in private behind closed doors by the Trump cabinet members he met while there, and what this portends for Ireland's relationship with the US during the Trump admin.

Was an interesting article on his visit to Washington in IT (don't know if posted):

https://www.irishtimes.com/politics/2025/03/21/how-conor-mcgregor-secured-his-meeting-with-donald-trump-in-the-oval-office/

While the Trump meeting may have been brief, McGregor spent the rest of the visit being ferried around the capital to meet its most powerful men. He held meetings with US secretary of defense Pete Hegseth, secretary of health Robert F Kennedy Jr, national security adviser Mike Waltz and director of the White House Presidential Personnel Office Sergio Gor, among others.

Did someone mention medals?

Plenty of them had votes. He's not just going after illegals. Once you're beyond a certain shade of brown you're on the target list. Plus any illegals would have naturalised friends and family who voted for him. Little Marco might get deported at this rate.

On the issue of Doge's layoffs of federal employees on behalf of Trump, it seems there is theorising in the IRS that, due to the layoffs in the IRS, US taxpayers may be prepared to risk not complying with IRS tax return law and fail to pay an estimate US $500 Billion in due tax to the IRS. The theorising is reported by both the WaPo and The Independent. I guess that would make people in the US, at taxpayer and congress-level sit up and take notice of the idea of such a shortfall in earned revenue at the IRS, all down to the actions of two persons, one elected and one advisor.

Trump said he'd be a dictator on day one. That's true, but he's also been a dictator for an additional 60, so far. He's been ruling the country from the resolute desk via executive order, and US Congress has largely bent the knee. It's exactly as bad as I thought it would be, if not worse. By the time the US midterms roll around, it's not going to matter who wins them, such will be Trump's grip on the machinery of power, and US democracy will officially be at an end.

I’m not a fan of Sky News normally but a good summary of where we’re at here. Essentially the Democrats “strategy” is to “Hope” Trump destroys himself - given Trumps approval rating (and his latest stunt to kick out 1000s of legitimate working migrants) will only raise this popularity.

It’s official- America has a king or a dictator or whatever you wish to call it - the fact that he can do whatever he chooses without any repercussions is essentially meeting the definition of those titles.

There’s no “green shoots” - Democrats are more disorganised than ever - their policies and thinking are too far left for the electorate to stomach - I’m not even sure a recession will help them as simply the American public are being primed to expect a recession and to embrace it as a good thing for their long term benefit - a small pain for a large gain if you will - I’m not at all sure that in 4 years time “it’s the economy stupid” will work - the Republicans are doing a great job at brainwashing the public.

I’m not even sure democrats have the will to organise a peaceful silent protest no less mass riots - America is fcked.

“Chuck Schumer, the Senate minority leader, and eight other Democratic senators sided with the Republicans to allow Trump's Budget Resolution to pass.“

“Meanwhile, Schumer protests that it will not be possible to do sensible deals in Congress until Trump's popularity rating drops to 40%.

It could be a long wait. At the moment the president stands at around 48% approval while the Democrats are at a pitiful 27%.”

https://news.sky.com/story/amp/donald-trump-will-soon-mark-100-days-in-power-where-does-his-opposition-stand-13333318