Donald Trump, the first week is BAD. What next? Come all ye Beautifuls!

[Roussette]

Here we are!

More leaks.... VP Mike Pence & wife were reimbursed 111 times from his State & Fed Camps for $64,957.81

Sweet and gentlemanly

I want to read that issue of Vanity Fair

"Las tacticas para lidiar com su marido."

I think many people would like to know how to deal with her husband. :)

ginger I felt that. I've watched this on and off since she arrived. He likes to put that hand on her back, guiding her, seen it more than once. Good on her if she thought... hang on I'm doing it this time

Looks like an agreement has been reached not to publicly discuss the wall again for both Trump and Mexican Pres. More info here, but Trump apparently sent out a tweet about how Mexico was bad, very bigly bad, just before he talked to the Mexican President on the telephone this morning, and then trashed Mexico again to the press this afternoon while with PM May.

He really doesn't "get" diplomacy, does he? Either that or for some reason, he doesn't think the Mexican President will hear what he said or see his tweets.

www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2017/01/27/trump-speaks-mexico-president-after-meeting-cancelled/97139096/

Re drastic cut backs to the EPA - I've seen tweets from people saying that their graduate funding for environmental research has been pulled.

If the Superfund funding is frozen - that's the funding for cleaning up contaminated land and water. That would be disastrous.

The "guiding hand in the back" is a power thing.

As is the blokey "monkey walk" thing - exaggerated arm swing with elbows out.

Stornoway is "serious Scotland"?

Well it's serious black pudding

How do we make our voice heard? Chatting on here and tweeting is one thing but what else can be done?

I hate the fact we do business with Saudi. I know why we do it but they are such an awful regime.

Same for the USA - his actions over the last few days in certain areas have been awful. But we need the USA as we have screwed out links to Europe. There are going to be some / many UK people who have massive concerns over Trump (and no doubt many who support him).

That video of the Irish Senator is so true. Publicly denouncing things he's done would be great but comes with dangers. Quiet diplomacy is what people talk about. But will the UK Government ever have the guts to say publicly "No, that's not right!"

To remind you:

Watching the press conference now (]

He sounded very subdued when he started.

Stunning election victory? Yes, butter him up, before you get to the hard parts.

I don't know there will be a visit to the UK later this year. That's assuming he's not impeached before then.

"I'm sure we'll discuss other topics like Syria and Russia later." Ahem. Nudge.

He didn't look too pleased to confirm his 100% commitment to NATO. (probably thinking: bitch)

Enhanced interrogation?! Is that like alternative facts?

He knows nothing about Putin...

Yes, Fox was not as nice as he'd hoped.

Which millions of people losing their jobs? ALTERNATIVE FACT!

So, if May has nothing to do with US-Mexico, what is Brexit to do with Trump?

"Getting the approvals from the EU were very tough" - I wonder why....

"The interests of ordinary working people"? LIAR

The Irish senators speech was great but unfortunately I can't see the Irish PM publicly echoing these sentiments. There's a lot at stake for Ireland being highly dependent on US companies based there and between this and Brexit I don't think they will rock the boat.

Stunning election victory

I thought that. Strange words - but I suppose stunning is open to interpretation

"The President of the USA used to be the most powerful leader in the world"

His bluff was called. Publicly. Humiliatingly.

I've not heard Corbyn on Trump. Or Skinner. Or Jess Phillips. Jess has got to be the go to person for comments like that.

I suppose stunning is open to interpretation

Yes. Like from a stun gun.

Lweji - excellent video. The newscaster enjoyed that far too much.

Californians are now signing a petition to have their secession from the union put on the 2018 ballot. It is being called Calexit.

To put it in perspective the economy of the State of California used to be the 5th largest economy in the world. I think it is still in the top 10. This is not quite the same as if a county in the UK decided it was going to become its own country.

He certainly didn't mince his words.

I suppose it goes towards the call for the media to stop being neutral.
In some things they can't. And it looks like they won't. Even Fox are asking difficult questions, even if not as hard as the BBC. Hard as nails. :)

By the way, I forgot Bigly regarding the bluff calling. :)

It's interesting that the Mexico President stood up to him. The British PM may have behind closed doors, but Trump hadn't asked her to pay for any stupid plan of his.

Good summing up Lweji

Interesting that this press conference was one of the first times I've seen Trump stick to his speech notes word for word. No deviations to talk about himself and how amazing he is. It almost didn't seem like his own words and he had to fight very hard not to say what he actually wanted to say.

Thank you for sharing that Lweji. Really interesting.

Berlin has made itself known in the wall debacle.

Press release from 27.01.2017
The Press and Information Office of the State of Berlin shares with:

The Governing Mayor of Berlin, Michael Müller, explains:

"Berlin, the city of the division of Europe, the city of freedom of Europe, can not look without comment when a country plans to build a new wall. We Berliners know best how much suffering a division of an entire continent, cemented by barbed wire and wall, has caused. Millions of people have been seized by this division of life. In the end, we, the people, have overcome this division, and it is one of the 20th century's star-studded hours when, at the Brandenburger Tor, the most important symbol of the division, people conquered the Wall and then removed them piece by piece. The Brandenburg Gate stands for the spirit of freedom! "

The governing mayor continues: "Today, at the beginning of the 21st century, we can not simply accept it if all our historical experiences are thrown over by those to whom we largely owe our freedom, the Americans. I appeal to the President of the United States not to go this way of foreclosure and exclusion. Wherever such borders still exist today in Korea, in Cyprus, they create unfreedom and suffering. I call to the American President: Think of her predecessor Ronald Reagan. Remember his words: 'Tear down this wall.' And so I say: Dear Mr. President, don't build this wall! "

Great youtube link too. Just watched it and sent it on.

This bit struck home...

"The president of our peaceful ally across our southern border is regarded more like an enemy of the US than the President of Russia. Vladimir Putin is a crude and cruel dictator "

Brilliant clip Lweji