This thread is about Trump. You didn't hear it from me. Trump cont

[Orlantina]

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/2927686-This-thread-is-fired-Terminated-Trump-cont

Only been 4 days since the last one.

I don't think it's overly melodramatic.

cozie Me neither but my RL experience tells me that I need to qualify. Many people are still waiting for the normalising pivot.

Many people, I fear, are used to plots (e.g. In movies) resolving themselves within 2 hours and are waiting for 'this' - whatever 'this' actually is - to be over fast so that they can return to their normality.

Good point, cozie.

This 9 day trip will be fascinating, I think. Can he keep it together, be on message and come back at least partially redeemed in GOP eyes? Or will he embarrass the US? Place bets here...

It's not helped by how bad this whole thing is.

It's difficult to say. I was struck by how, in his address to Congress (?), he was lauded for being 'Presidential' because he managed to get his draft speeches out and not go off-topic. I doubt anyone remembers what he actually said.

I've long suspected that Trump has difficulty with literacy. He has a tiny vocabulary, his tweets show that he can't even spell the word "tap" and he has admitted to never reading any books. I think if you did a reading test on him, he'd probably have a reading age of about eight or nine.

About Putin. I imagine Putin is pretty frustrated with Trump. Putin is the arch-manipulator - highly intelligent, ruthless and good at getting what he wants. So he was probably thrilled to have the US president in his pocket. But while you ideally want the person you're manipulating to be less clever than you, there is a point at which stupidity becomes a disadvantage. It's the same principle by which it's much easier to manipulate a six-year old than it is a two-year old - because toddlers are unpredictable, forgetful and prone to temper tantrums.

I cannot imagine how he will cope with being out of the US for 10 days.

It's the latest trip out of the country for a new POTUS in 50 years. (i.e. new POTUSs have been on official visits way before this)
No quick trip to Canada to Mexico but first stop to Riyadh, SA. Then we have the Vatican, Brussels, Sicily etc etc.

Melania's going too... will they have his favourite icecream, will they embolden his name enough that he will actually read anything, is he gonna go off piste with his speeches, what's he going to say to the Pope...

"Leaders attending the NATO and G7 summits at the tail end of Trump's trip have been told by organizers to keep their presentations brief -- a request made with Trump's short attention span in mind"
WTAF????

He's planning an "inspiring" message with a speech to the Islamic world. I can't wait for this one. He wanted it on a mountaintop overlooking the Dead Sea, but that involved the nightmare security scenario of a cable car. So it's in a museum instead.

Scott Wong NEW: @SpeakerRyan just told rank-and-file Rs that Congress needs to stick with ongoing committee process and use it to get facts on Russia

Scott Wong @scottwongDC

NEW: @SpeakerRyan just told rank-and-file Rs that Congress needs to stick with ongoing committee process and use it to get facts on Russia

“We need the facts” says @SpeakerRyan pointing out that there are people “trying to harm the president”

Sorry gum, x post!

Will he have data abroad

thehill.com/homenews/house/333803-first-republican-raises-impeachment-for-trump
First Republican raises impeachment for Trump

Rep. Justin Amash (R-Mich.) on Wednesday said reports that President Trump pressed ousted FBI Director James Comey to end an investigation would merit impeachment if true, becoming the first Republican lawmaker to broach the idea.

The New York Times on Tuesday reported that Trump tried to pressure Comey to stop investigating former national security adviser Michael Flynn, citing a memo written by Comey.

Asked by The Hill if the details in the memo would merit impeachment if they're true, Amash replied: "Yes."

Comments by Speaker Ryan are still more significant - and suggest this still is going to have to roll but the word has been uttered.

Daniel Burke‏ @BurkeCNN
Trump's speech on Islam is being drafted by Stephen Miller, who has peddled anti-Islamic theories, per
edition.cnn.com/2017/02/15/politics/kfile-stephen-miller-terrorism-awareness/
In college, Trump aide Stephen Miller led controversial 'Terrorism Awareness Project' warning of 'Islamofascism'

edition.cnn.com/2017/05/17/politics/trump-foreign-trip-overshadowed/index.html

Aside from Saudi Arabia, Trump plans to stop in Israel, the Vatican, Brussels and Sicily during his trip. The itinerary reflects an ambitious departure from past presidents, who traveled only to Canada or Mexico on their first foreign visits. It's also rife with pitfalls for a President known to speak candidly and without regard for protocol.

A person familiar with the trip's planning says Trump has expressed some concern at the length of the foreign swing. But he is not pressuring his team to change around the schedule at this late stage.

and

In Saudi Arabia, some officials have privately complained the White House isn't sharing important information about Trump's schedule ahead of his stop.

and

A speech was added in Saudi Arabia to provide an "inspiring yet direct" message to the Islamic world, according to national security adviser H.R. McMaster. That's an echo of Trump's predecessor Barack Obama, who addressed Muslims in Cairo in his first major speech on foreign soil.

A second address in Israel, which local newspapers reported would take place at the ancient archeological site of Masada, was moved indoors to a museum. Transporting Trump to the mountaintop overlooking the Dead Sea would have required the use of a cable car.

Both speeches were being drafted by Trump's policy adviser Stephen Miller, who helped write Trump's convention and inaugural addresses, with input from the large collection of advisers who are helping to plan the trip: son-in-law and senior adviser Jared Kushner, McMaster and deputy national security adviser Dina Powell.

I'm not sure where to start in that little lot about how it all could go horribly horribly wrong.

Pfffft! Speaker Ryan, the only 'harm' being caused to Trump is all self-inflicted.

But I guess he really means that we need to 'negate' the self-harm by down-playing, obfuscation, blind-trust, and denial. After all, who really cares about the true harm being done to the American People (and others) by his statements and actions. It only matters that Trump remains unharmed and thus allowing the GOP to keep its stranglehold on the Country.

I'm afraid that while many/most people would not remember the contents of 45's speech to Congress, the Arabs and Israelis will weigh every word and every emphasis. Store it away, even, for future use. They're not speeches that I'd want to draft.

The thing is that Trump has set the bar so low that it will be deemed a 'success' if he doesn't punch The Pope.

Things must be bad, he hasn't tweeted for 20 whole hours.

He's fired missiles, now, though.

They've likely warned him off in no uncertain terms, Roussette. I seem to recall that there was a big gap - similarly - after his second last 'storm'.

But does he listen?! I want him to tweet and make things worse for himself!

Donnie Jr his son has tweeted some nonsense or other

This is interesting.

www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/wp/2017/05/17/heres-how-trump-could-survive-even-if-we-learn-the-worst/?utm_term=.c3bab4262c7a

CNN‏Verified account @CNN 1h1 hour ago
“Paul Ryan on the impact of current White House crisis: “I don’t worry about things that are outside of my control.” snpy.tv/2pUbNlp

NYT Politics‏Verified account @nytpolitics 9m9 minutes ago
President Trump is at the Coast Guard Academy to deliver the commencement address. Watch live: nyti.ms/2reWfww

Brian Whitaker‏Verified account @Brian_Whit 7m7 minutes ago
IS conflict: US-led coalition denies bombing civilians in Syrian town www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-39947052 …