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

Every time I see reference to the Birthday Parade a little fantasy floats through my head…all that hardware, all those soldiers, conveniently in the middle of Washington and Trump just standing there looking pleased with himself, surrounded by all his minions and lackeys. They could make a clean sweep. Get them all at once. I can dream.

I’m meant to be heading there in December.

I don’t think it’s even worth the risk.

Seems like a hostile place.

Republicans - look how old Biden is! He's old! Old people shouldn't be president!

Republicans - let's celebrate Trump's birthday, despite him being 2 years younger than Biden!

When it's pointed out the similarity in age, the spiel changes to something about fitness/frailty.

To be absolutely fair, the years have not been especially kind to Biden, but he's been through a lot with his kids and that'd take it out of anyone. However, the net result was that the American public saw a weak and frail-looking man at the 2024 debate with Trump. It was starker, still, when you compare him even to four years prior, never mind 2008 and 2012, which almost look like a different person entirely.

Whereas Trump still looks like Trump. Tubby, bellicose, with way too much bronzer and geometrically-implausible hair. He knows how important his image is to maintain, repugnant as it may be to those outside of MAGA.

Trump is an example of how much alcohol must affect your health

For everything said about the food he eats, staying away from drink and cigarettes his whole life was a good choice you'd think

He's older than Bill Clinton! A man elected with grey hair over 30 years ago!

Hopefully he is actually OK, well alive at least, still in a sh*thole prison obviously.
I have a sneaking suspicion that Bukele will probably keep him alive but sequestered away at a secret location as a bargaining chip of sorts, which will indirectly help Trump as he can just say that I've asked for the guy to be returned but woops! they can't find him. 🤐

There’s lads I know in their forties with grey hair, what’s your point?

This is a pretty insightful view into the Trump persona by Bill Maher.

There is the public "lunatic" persona and the private one.

He said Trump was self deprecating, understanding and allowed Maher to speak his mind. He actually felt more comfortable speaking with Trump than Obama and Clinton.

Maher wonders why cant we get the guy he met to be the public guy, instead of the "Mr Trump" persona.

Its pretty funny too, Trump wasnt afraid to laugh at himself or ask for Maher's opinion on issues.

Maher brought a sheet with 60 insults Trump had called him in the past to the White House because he wanted Trump to sign it, and he did.😁

Honestly I'm inclined to say Trump is a piece of **** based on all his actions. It's pretty telling that you're avoiding discussing the economy collapsing and things like him sending an entirely innocent man off for unknown treatment in an El Salvador. It's not simply his persona that is the problem, he is a terrible person who does terrible things and you seem to be largely indifferent to it and act as an apologist for a tyrant.

We could probably change the thread title to megalomaniac instead of megathread.

Perhaps in public Trump projects onto others, calling them weak and stupid, possibly like his father did, but in private and off camera the pressure to project bully strength isn't there.

It's kind of sad that this version of Trump exists. He seems to have the option of not being an absolute prick but decides to just be that.

You got what you wished for.

The version of Trump we're seeing now is the same version we've seen for 9 years. And that is the version you advocated for throughout all of last year.

Own your assessment of him being what the US needed in the last election.

This "Oh he's not like that" coming from the mouth of a contrarian who wants to be seen as having a special insight in to Trump is just waffle. Who cares if Trump is different in private, he has made his life about TV ratings, he's told all of us that time and time again, so we're going to judge him by what we see on TV.

The truth is any company allowing an employee behave the way Trump does would be sued out of business.

The only reason he's getting away with it is the sanctity of the office and every bully will take it as green lighting the same behaviour in their own lives.

It is such stuff that civil wars are made of.

The "judge him by his actions, not his words" people are now getting really quiet about the actions and saying the words are very different in private.