Donald Trump the Megathread part II - Mod Warning updated in OP 12/2/26

"With Putin I said, "If you go into Ukraine, I’m going to bomb the [expletive] out of Moscow. I'm telling you I have no choice."' He then claimed Putin responded: '"I don't believe you, no way"... and I said "way".'"

I, for one, did not have Trump threatening World War 3 via a Wayne's World phrase on my 2025 Bingo card…

Very presidential, and not at all racist 🙄

Reckon she has guys on the side walls of the press briefing room who would jump all over the journo with a mere nod of her head, under the term, security, journo would be gone like a flash and never allowed back in.

REPORTER: Yesterday you said you were not sure who ordered the munitions ordered to Ukraine. Have you figured it out?

TRUMP: I haven't though about it

REPORTER: What does it say that such a decision could be made without you knowing?

TRUMP: I would know. If a decision was made I will know.

Where's Jake Tapper when you he's needed?

Not happy being King of America, he wants to be king of the world. The sooner other nations decide to ignore him and America the better it will be for everyone. Hes only laying a template for a more dangerous idiot to follow.

The US has a trade surplus with Brazil.

... all the subtlety of a semi literate mobster shakedown.

It will take a complete reform of the political system in the USA for the country to undo the damage being done to international relations. Just a change of personnel would not be enough. Significant structural changes are needed.

Threatening 50% tariffs on Brazilian copper is nuts. US importers will go elsewhare, importing more from places like Chile, and Brazil will export copper to countries which previously imported from Chile. Basically tariffing imports from one country of a globally traded standard commodity like copper just divcerts trade and makes it less efficient, largely by adding to logistics costs.

I wonder will the US try to tariff Brazilian high-tech products, like the excellent aircraft made by Embraer? That might give an advantage to ricals in the small airliner market, most notable Bombadrier (Canada). 😁

Trump doesn't give a toss whether any manufacturing ever moves back to the US or not, the only thing he cares about is what is currently being perceived by his supporters. He's playing the tough guy, putting it up to those foreigners ripping off the U.S of A. They laud him for it and that's his only objective.

I actually think he does. He takes the medieval view that a trade deficit mean that all your money is going abroad and this flow must be reversed. This concern is as nothing compared with his obsession with himself but it is something he's been consistent on. Obviously, he is intellectually incapable of understanding the situation and therefore will only make things worse.

This is what I meant when I mentioned his obsession with himself. Actual policy will always play second fiddle to the cult of personality and the grift.

I was unaware of that.

But yeah, he does have ideas for what he wants to do to the country. Obviously, they're about the economic equivalent of saying "Can't we all just get along?" but they are there.

And who in their right mind would start a 5-7 year project costing billions that relies on Trump sticking to what he is currently saying this week for the next 3.5 years? (Assuming there will be an election in 2028 of course) Nobody and I think he knows that, which is why I think it's all about noise.