Cobwebs in Congress, Bigly Ballrooms, Tariff Tantrums, Dementia Denials - Trump Thread #150

[Spandauer]

And Epstein and his beautiful files are still trying to claw their way out of his grave

Previous thread :
https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/_chat/5416501-hes-a-very-good-friend-of-epstein-oh-yes-he-is-trump-thread-149

I think Europe still expects the US to take the lead and provide the resources.
No, they don't. They really, really don't. That's why they set up their own pro-Ukraine group, independent of the US and NATO.

Surely those days are ending now.
US allied countries are well aware of what's going on. They know they can no longer depend on America under Trump.

Trump is Putin's Puppet.

I am no Trumpist. I think he's awful.

But I don't see Europe doing anything other than talk. Setting up a group is just another thing.

The Americans have been trying to reduce their engagement with Europe for a very long time. Obama's Pivot to Asia was years ago now.

More recently - but not particularly recently we have had Trump complaining that Europe doesn't come close to matching US spending on NATO. I used to think so what - unlike the US, European countries haven't caused a succession of destabilising wars. But my view has changed in the last few months. Putin is clearly not scared of Europe at all, and there no sign of Europe taking over responsibility for Ukraine's defence even though this is a European war. If the capacity was there, the Americans - who are clearly unreliable - could have been be sidelined. It clearly isn't, and it isn't going to happen because European countries don't want to spend the money. I think European leaders are still hoping this is all just going to go away.

But I don't see Europe doing anything other than talk.

Just because you don't see something, doesn't mean it isn't happening. A simple Internet search would give plenty of information on what European and other countries are doing.

A simple Internet search shows that the Russians and the Americans are negotiating over the Europeans' heads and even to an extent over the Ukrainians' heads too. It's embarrassing to watch. The Americans clearly want out and the Europeans have insufficient military strength to replace them.

I have no idea what you're seeing.

A simple Internet search shows that the Russians and the Americans are negotiating over the Europeans' heads and even to an extent over the Ukrainians' heads too.

We know.

The USA is no longer a reliable ally or any kind of ally in the war in Europe. Trump is working for Putin. If you think Europe and non European countries aren't preparing or doing anything about it, you're not paying attention.

Come on please. This is very defensive.

Forming some committee, encouraging a few people to enlist as reservists while starving Ukraine for military resources while Russian drones test the scope for imposing mayhem on European infrastructure is not a meaningful response.

The Americans have been instructing the Europeans to up their game for years. The Europeans have ignored this, as politely as possible, and here we are.

Defensive?

My posts are factual. You seem to be looking at this through the narrow lens of America and Russia. The rest of the world exists and is adapting.

New alliances are forming and old ones strengthened. There's a shift in intelligence sharing. Defence spending has risen in many European countries. Russian incursion into European and NATO airspace is increasing in frequency.

Europe knows it cannot rely on American assistance. We can't even trust them.

You might think Europe isn't doing anything. Doesn't make it true.

Factual? Well, let's take your last reply to me.

The first paragraph is an allegation - and one that is wide of the mark because I'm the one that thinks Europe has wrongly got itself sidelined.

Your second paragraph is mostly opinion. It may be accurate but you've given no actual facts to support it. The only actual fact you state shows Europe's lack of preparedness. Not that it's doing anything.

Your third paragraph is opinion.

I agree with your last paragraph. But the way things have been working out over the last year (Russian advances, Ukraine short of ammo, European leaders not kept informed, a real risk of the war ending on terms without meaningful European input, Europeans continuing to buy American arms, European squabbling over defence funds and access of British companies to it) make me think I'm probably right.

You're entitled to think whatever you like @TomPinch. It doesn't make it true.

I have a friend from the one of the baltic states.
all men under 60 have been enrolled in the reserve military.

another friend, who was a reservist in another european country has received a letter that he might be called for exercises.

tv adds for 'opportunities' in armed forces run very regularly were we live since the nato summit (ish)

I have a friend from the one of the baltic states.
all men under 60 have been enrolled in the reserve military.

another friend, who was a reservist in another european country has received a letter that he might be called for exercises.

tv adds for 'opportunities' in armed forces run very regularly were we live since the nato summit (ish)

One of the critically injured national guards has now died. Trump responds by going after asylum seekers and refugees.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/nov/26/washington-national-guard-shooting-suspect

And this too.

https://news.sky.com/story/trump-says-land-operations-against-venezuela-drugs-gangs-to-start-very-soon-13476358

Here are some defense spending figures.
https://www.stripes.com/theaters/europe/2025-09-02/nato-annual-defense-spending-18951124.html

While we know that under Trump the US has become an unreliable ally, we are still dependent on the US's intelligence and military hardware and it will take a while to disentangle ourselves.

Things have to change, given this report on the Five Alliance as it will not be an isolated incident.
https://www.france24.com/en/americas/20250826-has-the-us-shut-its-five-eyes-allies-out-of-intelligence-on-ukraine-russia-peace-talks

I knew there was billy-big-bollocks talk but I didn't think he'd actually go through with it an invade another country. What does congress have to say about it, I thought it was their decision to go to war? Or is this another 'special operation'.

@MrTiddlesTheCat , Venezuela could get very interesting, seeing they're allied with Russia and the Ukraine 'peace deal' is ongoing. How will Putin respond?

Oooh, we haven’t had a plopper for a while! Interesting posting times too….

TBF @TomPinch has contributed to these threads before. Not a newbie.

Different countries have different military strategies. Base on a whole host of things. History is very informative.

Britain - to take one example - has completely different needs compared to France. To take another example.

And China could not be more happy that it's long term enemy is wasting resources in the wrong direction. China hates Russia. But then India hates China.

How shitty for Ukraine and insulting too!

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/gift/1f9a0dd987d55560

It's like a shitty version of pass the parcel with the uninvited guests thieves (and their mates) taking over.

Missed this yesterday. What a charmer.

Classy as ever.🙄

You know, my kids and I watched Pt 1 of Stranger Things yesterday. But I think that SCROTUS' ridiculous posts/verbal diarrhea really should have that title.

I've managed to blow off concerns about his 'tiff' with Venezuela, but now I'm getting concerned. IF he should order his 'land invasion' he would 'accomplish' (in his mind) two of his 'goals'; he wants to be a 'wartime president' so badly he can taste it and to be known as the POTUS who 'stopped all illegal drugs from entering the US'. I wasn't aware that Venezuela is actually the only country that sends drugs to the US, but what do I know?

And the way he is starting to rev up his hate speech about immigrants? Just substitute the word 'Jew' for any term or nationality he uses and you have Hitler's rhetoric almost word for word.

@TooBigForMyBoots

You know, at first glance I read your user name as TooBigForMyBOOBs. Wondered if you were bragging or complaining lol