Can't find a general Trump thread...?

[GooseberryBeret]

I'm trying to keep up with what's going on in the US and I'm really surprised there doesn't seem to be an ongoing thread on MN.

There are scary specific policies where he's attacking climate action (withdrawing the US from the Paris agreement, blocking any federal permissions for wind turbines, 'drill baby drill'); overseas aid and cooperation (freezing funding), pulling out of the World Health Organization and preventing CDC cooperation with WHO; and immigration raids, etc. - all a huge deal in themselves.

But there's also the fact that he's trying to redefine presidential powers and the very real chance that the Supreme Court will back him rather than the US constitution. Congress is supposed to make finance decisions and Trump wants to take that power to himself in attempting to halt funding. Not to mention the chaos that has been caused when the funding involves paying salaries, supplying medicines and much more. A judge has stopped the 'pause' but only temporarily.

This is a good article about the funding freeze: https://edition.cnn.com/2025/01/29/politics/donald-trump-funding-freeze-analysis/index.html

Here is a regular US Politics/ Trump thread

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/_chat/5258416-trumpmusk-folie-a-deux-trump-thread-137?page=9&reply=141753972

Thanks @DuncinToffee!

Im really hoping that we don't get into a trade deal with Trump of the sort they would no doubt like- pushing us chlorinated chicken, and getting access to buying bits of the NHS. Re the latter there are GP practices whose patients are very much regretting that.

My first reaction to questions like these would be, Well, then, @GooseberryBeret, why don't you start a thread?

However, there can't really be, nor should there be, a "general Trump thread." There could be threads on Trump's pre-presidential misbehavior, his tax misbehavior, his sexually predatory misbehavior, his incivility misbehavior, his overall lawless misbehavior, his compulsive lying, his compulsive bullying, his compulsive evasion of responsibility - but no general thread can encompass all of that. (I also disapprove of "ongoing" threads, as I think they become useless after several dozen replies.)

So I will instead suggest ultra-specific threads, such as Trump's frightening stance about the environment, Trump's frightening stance about foreign aid, Trump's frightening stance about women's rights, etc.

Go to it!

Those immigration raids are focusing on Unauthorized people to send them back from which they came.

How do you feel about the removal of birthright citizenship, just out of curiosity? I'm sure you'll say it's a separate issue, and it is of course, but I'm interested in your thoughts.

First, are you familiar with the concept of the slippery slope?
Second, are you aware that some American citizens, actual legal citizens, have been swept up?

I'm really feeling awful for the 50% that didn't vote for him. I can't imagine how they must feel. I think I'd honestly look to emigrate.
Fucking insanity.

Maybe a whole new Topic forum? But what would it be named?

Welcome to Hell?

I think we talk too much about him. Yes, I'm aware of the irony! Every day the news apps lead with Trump says this or that, even on small things on which they would never have led on the presidents of another country's opinion.

Here we end up with goverments that 66% of people didn't vote for. Though admittedly we've had nothing in the league of Trump. Yet.

Hey, maybe! But "Welcome to Hell" could apply to so many situations these days - Ukraine, for starters?

"Maybe America Down the Drain Faster Than Anyone Would Have Dreamed Possible"?

The problem is, Trump spreads his chaos throughout the world as probably no one has done since Hitler.
If Trump withdraws all support from Ukraine, and Ukraine collapse, it will create repercussions throughout Europe.