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

Ozymandius2011 · 18-01-2026 02:14PM

A video from the 2016 GOP primary of Senator Ted Cruz saying Trump would "nuke Denmark" has gone viral.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ki5arAWHhPs

MrMusician18 · 18-01-2026 02:21PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124158331#Comment_124158331

I don't agree with this take for those that did not have a vote in the election. People from outside the US political system are not responsible for this mess.

As for criticising those that felt the risks Trump posed a second time around, they were referencing his behaviour first time. Despite proclamations here that the sky would fall in then, it didn't so they had every right to be skeptical about fears about Trump 2. That view importantly is a view without impact and also wasn't an endorsement of his behaviour either.

I can understand why someone might want to see those that backed trump suffer for their decision but I don't see the logic in wanting outsiders that hoped Trump 2 would be better suffer as well.

Ozymandius2011 · 18-01-2026 02:21PM

CNN showing poll on the US taking over Greenland.

Americans oppose it 75-25. However Republicans support it 52-47. Among Democrats, its 92-8 against. Among Independents 82-18 against.

The Congress could shut down any military action by using the War Powers Act 1973.

Tony EH · 18-01-2026 02:22PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124157672#Comment_124157672

And some people on here are still claiming that he didn't egg these dickheads on.

🤣

MrMusician18 · 18-01-2026 02:23PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124158697#Comment_124158697

Explain in simple terms what pain looks like. What would the consequences be for the Irish public finances? What would it look like for households on a practical day to day basis?

aloyisious · 18-01-2026 02:28PM

Act 1 of the new Governor of Virginia, Abigail Spanberger, was to repeal former Gov Youngkin's E.O that mandated state and local law co-operate with I.C.E. Given that the DOJ has instructed the FBI to investigate Minnesota Gov Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey for doing the same, Abigail might expect her state to get a lot more ICE agents on her doorstep along with FBI agents, for the purpose of lawful investigation of course.

Strazdas · 18-01-2026 02:29PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124158981#Comment_124158981

But worth noting that many of those who oppose the taking of Greenland still support Trump and would vote for him if there was an election tomorrow morning. One gets the feeling that the Greenland issue is a far bigger story in Europe than it is in the US.

amacca · 18-01-2026 02:35PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124158732#Comment_124158732

I'd love if instead of that we as a species figured out a way to not leave too much power/wealth/influence in the hands of one individual or state or collection of states......

Either the worst of us seems to make it to the top....or making it there turns most of us into the worst of us

Most of what's been happening is insane and its happening because there's too much concentration of wealth or power....I consider myself quite right wing..at least when it comes to things like wealth assets etc....but a twit like trump getting elected is a symptom of extreme inequality in terms of income/assets/health care etc etc

The moron is basically carrying out a hybrid version of how he managed his multiple failed businesses in the past and now he has been captured by even bigger more dangerous and persuasive morons with something worse than greed as a driver...an ideology with only extremely tenuous links to sanity...

If more people had a stake in society and less individuals wielded such concentrated wealth/power (tech bros, institutional wealth etc) trump remains a joke that never makes it next or near a position where he even can be voted for...

Letting him near running a country is like allowing an angst ridden teenager that just got dumped by their girlfriend to test fly a fighter jet....

skimpydoo · 18-01-2026 02:53PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124158309#Comment_124158309

On the Week in politics, Shona Murray just stated what @Frank Bullitt and I have been saying. A tariff on individual EU countries is a tariff on every country in the EU as the EU is one trading block.

TinyMuffin · 18-01-2026 03:03PM

I can’t keep up.

Trump creates his own UN, countries must pay $1 billion to join.

Tenzor07 · 18-01-2026 03:08PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124159080#Comment_124159080

Cheaper than the almost $20 billion the U.S pays to be part of the U.N?

skimpydoo · 18-01-2026 03:11PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124158887#Comment_124158887

It's funny how Trump was happy for Iranian's to protest whilst he is against American protests.

Tenzor07 · 18-01-2026 03:16PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124159094#Comment_124159094

Protestors get shot and killed in both countries yet Trump thinks it's ok to bomb the leadership of the regime doing the same as his regime albeit on a smaller scale but Trump has basically handed a licence to do whatever the heck you want to people to a bunch of masked thugs doesn't seem very American?

Seth Brundle · 18-01-2026 03:18PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124159090#Comment_124159090

Where are you getting that figure from?

How much is the United States assessed to pay?
In 2025, the U.S. assessment of the UN regular budget was 22 percent, or more than $820 million [PDF] of the approved $3.72 billion total. This is an increase of nearly $58 million from the previous year and a significant rise from 1994, when the United States was responsible for only about $300 million [PDF], or 25 percent, of the roughly $1.06 billion total. Because the United States is assessed a fixed percentage of the UN regular budget, its contribution could increase when the overall United Nations budget increases. (These figures are net, rather than gross, assessed contributions, which factor in credits for countries that do not tax UN staff’s earnings.)
Separately, the United Nations’ fiscal year 2025–26 peacekeeping budget was roughly $5.4 billion. The United States was assessed at the highest rate of all countries for this budget—roughly 26 percent, despite a congressionally mandated cap of 25 percent on annual contributions that has been in place since 1995. The U.S. 2025 peacekeeping budget was approximately $1.2 billion [PDF], though total contributions for 2025 remain unclear, as this amount was cut by nearly $158 million in a rescissions package.

https://www.cfr.org/article/funding-united-nations-what-impact-do-us-contributions-have-un-agencies-and-programs

charlie14 · 18-01-2026 03:24PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124158575#Comment_124158575

I have no problem with causing these tech bros pain. With or without Trump they were becoming a law onto themselves and needed reeling in. But doing so by shooting ourselves in the foot would not be how to do it imo. They have been left to monitor their own content more or less where by the time we get around to actually doing anything about it the harm has been done. The E.U. needs to be much more proactive in monitoring and changes of legislation if need be with immediate financial penalties imposed on a daily basis for non compliance. If we want to put a bit of manners on these tech bros then hitting their bottom line is how to do that.

Trump is a different matter. The tech bros bottom line is financial gain, his is political. His big stick on getting his way is tariffs, and way of using them is like himself simplistic and crude with in general a certain percentage applied per country where it has caused in many cases more problems for the U.S. than the country he imposed them on. For me at least, the way to cause Trump pain is targeted tariffs that would hurt him politically with his own base by going after his red and marginal states. Especially now with the mid terms just around the corner.

Ozymandius2011 · 18-01-2026 03:29PM

Ex Trump VP Mike Pence expressing support for acquiring Greenland, but by diplomacy and investment. Points out that Denmark had the highest per capita casualty rate in Iraq among allies. He also refers to Abraham Lincoln seeking to acquire Greenland.

It would be nice if for once the Republicans refer to the people of Greenland. You would think listening to them that it was deserted except polar bears, huskies and seals.

For comparisons, the British empire declared Australia Terra Nullius (belonging to noone) to justify its colonisation.

tinytobe · 18-01-2026 03:30PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124158683#Comment_124158683

Na, apeing America is a gun ownership "culture" like over there, and no healthcare, and Victor Orban leading the EU.

But the rest I'd say agreed.

Tenzor07 · 18-01-2026 03:33PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124159111#Comment_124159111

Google?

aloyisious · 18-01-2026 03:38PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124159094#Comment_124159094

No votes for him there.

Tenzor07 · 18-01-2026 03:46PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124159080#Comment_124159080

Apprently that's not true anyways:

"The White House rejected the report as misleading, saying there is no minimum membership fee and that permanent membership would be offered to partner countries demonstrating commitment to peace, security and prosperity"

plodder · 18-01-2026 03:59PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124159178#Comment_124159178

The billion is probably for Platinum membership which includes a week's stay in any Trump property with a round of golf thrown in

rogber · 18-01-2026 04:10PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124159106#Comment_124159106

There is absolutely no comparison. A tiny handful of protesters have been killed in the US, in Iran in the last two weeks conservative estimates are that multiple thousands have been killed, some estimates are saying perhaps over 15,000.

I hate Trump as much as the next person but there is absolutely no comparison to be made.

Tenzor07 · 18-01-2026 04:15PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124159234#Comment_124159234

That's why I said smaller scale. And I am sure the regime in Iran didn't start off by killing as many back at the start as they do now either…

Seth Brundle · 18-01-2026 04:17PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124159145#Comment_124159145

Is your figure a total figure paid to date rather that the figure they pay to be a member of the UN as you first said?

Tenzor07 · 18-01-2026 04:18PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124159211#Comment_124159211

Everything is a commodity or a business to DJT

Glenomra · 18-01-2026 04:21PM

German troops on their way home already from Greenland on a charter flight. All their planned meetings cancelled. And so many people expect Europe to stand up to Trump. No chance of that happening IMO.

freddie1970 · 18-01-2026 04:23PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124159234#Comment_124159234

that’s the issue though if there isn’t a stop put to this there will be comparisons it’s escalating fast over there

amacca · 18-01-2026 04:32PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124159250#Comment_124159250

Which is strange given shat a shite businessman he really has been and would be if he had to do it under the same conditions most do....

.Donegal. · 18-01-2026 04:36PM

Supposedly the French want the EU to enact the anti-coercion instrument but M.M has already stated it’s premature for that. Can anyone explain what the anti-coercion instrument entails?

threeball · 18-01-2026 05:02PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124159145#Comment_124159145

Now extrapolate that per capita and gdp. Its the same story with Nato. No point comparing budgets with Lithuania. The US aren't the biggest contributors when compared like for like.

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

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