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Im not talking about his official acts as President. One could argue that tens of thousands of Americans or more would be alive today if the son-of-a-bitch didnt turn fighting Covid into a childish game. The harm this one evil man has done to public health - both now, and into the future - by having a sizable number of Americans avoid vaccines of all kinds is incalculable.

Nor am I talking about his incitement to violence on Jan 6th that led to multiple deaths. This dictator wannabe is gonna try to hide behind the First Amendment as if - incitement to riot is protected speech - any more than yelling FIRE! is in a crowded theater when theres no flames.

Heres the Million Dollar question: Since Benedict Arnold acts like a mob boss, walks like a crime boss and quacks like a crime boss, is he truly a crime boss? If so, has he ever ordered the death of any of his adversaries? Has Donald J. Trump ever involved himself with murder?

Let's examine Exhibit A: My people are so smart -- and you know what else they say about my people? The polls?" Trump asked a crowd at a Sioux Center, Iowa, rally Saturday. "I have the most loyal people -- did you ever see that?" "I could stand in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shoot somebody, and I wouldn't lose any voters, OK?" he said, referring to the major street in New York City that cuts through Manhattan's large commercial district. "It's, like, incredible."

Was this sick and twisted comment simply this bastards millionth act of egomania? Or was it something a bit more sinister? Was Trump playing the long game and preparing his most loyal people for the day when its revealed he was involved in murder most fowl? While this is all pure speculation its certainly plausible. I would put nothing past a man as destructive and as depraved as Benedict Donald! Where theres smoke, theres often fire.

What will it take for this monster to be brought to justice? Treason? Fraud? Embezzlement? Blackmail? Jury tampering? Witness intimidation? Incitement to violence? Bribery? For Gods sake, will it take nothing short of murder to finally send this creep to the slammer or into permanent exile?

Read more:
Has Benedict Donald Trump Ever Been Involved in Acts of Murder Most Fowl? - Daily Kos

Last week, columnist Josh Rogin wrote in The Washington Post that the Heritage Foundation, one of Washington, DCs most prominent conservative think tanks, has drifted away from its neoconservative roots, instead favoring the foreign policy of the new right.

In the headline of his column, Rogin suggests that this change in policy is a shift from the GOP leadership of yesterday and toward [Donald] Trump. Given the evidence presented in the pieceit is almost wholly centered on Heritage Actions (the think tanks political arm) opposition to the May bill that provided $40 billion in aid to Ukrainethat could indeed be true. But Rogins lament that Heritages new approach might mean that the GOP has become the party of foreign policy restraint directly conflates Trumpism with restraint. By doing so, he muddles what is in fact a more complicated discussion.

Perhaps Rogin called Heritages new direction on foreign policy one of restraint to mirror the formulation of Heritage president Kevin Roberts. But as restraint has made some inroads in DC over the last few years, its opponents have tended to criticize the movement with lazy labels such as isolationism, or have attempted to conflate it with Trumpism restraint, since any policy associated with the former president tends to treated as unserious, if not discredited, in the nations capital.

But calling Trumps foreign policy one of restraint hardly stands up to scrutiny. During his four years in office, Trumps cabinet and advisers included Nikki Haley, Mike Pompeo, H.R. McMaster, and John Bolton, none of whom will ever be confused for restrainers. His administration accelerated the U.S.-China rivalry, blustered about American military strength, and reportedly considered launching wars in Iran and Venezuela. Trumps policies often eschewed diplomacy and humility in favor of militarism and provocation.

Yet Trump also explicitly opposed some of the groupthink from necons and liberal internationalists and, through his antagonism for this establishment, occasionally landed on some restraint-friendly rhetoric, especially surrounding the withdrawal from Afghanistan and the importance of burden sharing.

The question of aid to Ukraine, which Heritage, and other national conservatives, opposed, has been subject to a degree of disagreement among self-described restrainers, and is not necessarily the best litmus test to determine where someone stands on larger foreign policy questions.

For example, by and large, Trump and the intellectual movement with which he is associated have argued against expending U.S. resources in places like the greater Middle East and Europe because they are best spent on the coming civilizational clash with China. It appears as if Heritage, too, has adopted this frame. But on the question of competition with China, nationalists may have more in common with neoconservatives than they do with restrainers. As Daniel Larison, who often labeled Trump the anti-restraint president wrote last week, Exercising restraint elsewhere but then abandoning it when it comes to China policy makes no sense. It is in managing relations with other major powers, especially nuclear-armed major powers, that restraint is most necessary and valuable.

If nothing else, recent developments indicate that neoconservatism may no longer have as large a base among Republican voters, even as prominent voices in government, think tanks, and mainstream media continue to advocate for that ideology. In looking to appeal to a changing base, it is possible that the Heritage Foundation has decided to advocate for a more Trumpian philosophy. But that doesnt mean that it is embracing restraint.

Blaise Malley is an Associate Editor atThe National Interest. His work has appeared inThe New Republic,The American Prospect, and elsewhere.

Image: Reuters.

The rest is here:
Donald Trump Was No Champion of Foreign Policy Restraint - The National Interest Online

By Leesa K. Donner*

Impeached twice, investigated by the New York StateAttorney General, and raided by the FBI but the American establishment cannot understand the unwavering political power of Donald Trump. The popularity of Orange Man Bad vexes them. They whine about his continued prominence and cannot fathom why Trump remains standing after the many knock-out punches that should have dropped him to the mat. Perhaps it is because these people do not understand Mr. Trump or what makes his steadfast following tick.

It is almost as if they do not believe they won in 2020. Every day since that fateful election,Donald J. Trumphas graced the front pages of the legacy media almost without exception. Two years later and with midterms rapidly approaching, the Liz Cheney wing of the Republican party remains perplexed. In aNew York Timescolumn recently, Never-Trumper David Brooks marveled at the continued political strength of the former president:

One of the stunning facts of the age is the continued prominence of Donald Trump. His candidates did well in the G.O.P. primaries this year. He won more votes in 2020 than he did in 2016. Hisfavorability ratingswithin his party have been high and basically unchanged since late 2016. In a range of polls, some have actually shown Trump leading President Biden in a race for re-election in 2024.

Then, as the left (among whom Brooks must be counted) lurched uncontrollably into the truth. His prominence is astounding because, over the past seven years, the American establishment has spent enormous amounts of energy trying to discredit him,Brookswhined.

In a rare display of rational thinking, Brooks outlined the many strategies employed by the establishment to take Trump out: This included, but was not limited to, the immorality tactic, various impeachment schemes, and the so-called exposure ploy, which were designed to unmask him as a terrible human being. Frustrated and nonplussed by the inadequacy of these efforts, the thought occurs to Brooks, and likely others, that The barrage has probably solidified Trumps hold on his party.

He got that right.

Joe Biden& Company appear to have settled upon the strategy of damning the entire lot of Trumpists. By going after the electorate (an unusual approach to be sure), the establishment hopes to marginalize the Trump advocate. The idea is to corner the pro-Trump crowd, and make them appear radical, which is why words like white supremacist, semi-fascist, and UltraMAGAare being tossed around ad infinitum.

Why employ such a divisive tactic? Because it is designed to persuade the folks who live in the political center. Brooks even admitted as much. The job was to peel away independents and those Republicans offended by and exhausted by his antics, he wrote. However, trying to make everyone who supports Mr. Trump into a lunatic has a downside, as is evident by this story shared byThe New York Timescolumnist:

This week, I talked with a Republican who was incensed by Bidens approach. He is an 82-year-old migr from Russia who is thinking of supporting Ron DeSantis in the 2024 primaries because he has less baggage. His parents were killed by the Nazis in World War II. And now Bidens callingmea fascist?! he fumed.

One wonders if the president and his party satraps have become so insular, they cannot recognize the strategy of making Trump supporters out to be an archetypal anti-Christ is not working. Much like the elderly migr mentioned above, it may actually be backfiring.

And so, it appears MAGA man and his millions of followers have gotten into their heads, and the establishment is utterly exasperated. The Never-Trump elite may be frustrated that they have not been able to rid the earth of Orange Man Bad, but they continue to search almost without pause for an answer. It is if they are locked inside a political maze without entrance or exit. Perhaps they are so confounded because taking the time to understand the average Trump supporter is beneath them. It is class politics to the core a concept which Donald Trump has fundamentally turned on its head. Although the Shakespearean provenance is disputed, this quote aptly describes the situation: Love me or hate me, both are in my favorIf you love me, Ill always be in your heartIf you hate me, Ill always be in your mind.

*About the author: Leesa K. Donner is Editor-in-Chief of LibertyNation.com. A widely published columnist, Leesa previously worked in the broadcast news industry as a television news anchor, reporter, and producer at NBC, CBS and Fox affiliates in Charlotte, Pittsburgh, and Washington, DC. She is the author of Free At Last: A Life-Changing Journey through the Gospel of Luke.

Source: This article was published by Liberty Nation

Originally posted here:
Never Trumpers Frustrated And Whining Over Donald Trump OpEd - Eurasia Review

Donald Trump made a surprise and unannounced visit to Washington D.C. on Sunday, prompting speculation and rumors about the reason for his trip.

A video of Trump arriving at Dulles Airport in Virginia, an airport frequently used by those heading to the capital, was posted online by freelance reporter Andrew Leyden.

The former president can be seen getting out of a plane and heading into a vehicle waiting on the asphalt. Trump appears to be wearing golf shoes and a white polo top.

A motorcade of vehicles then drives away, with Leyden suggesting Trump was heading to his golf course in D.C.

Trump, who has only visited Washington D.C once since he left the White House in January 2021, made no mention of the trip on Truth Social, the social media account he frequently posts on, or via any other statement.

The surprise visit has resulted in a range of theories being shared online. Some have suggested that Trump may be in D.C. because he is due to be arrested by the Department of Justice, or that he may be visiting the Walter Reed hospital for health reasons.

Trump potentially faces a number of indictments in connection with the January 6 attack and his alleged attempts to overturn the 2020 election results. He is also facing an FBI investigation into claims he mishandled classified documents seized from his Mar-a-Lago resort, and then allegedly attempted to obstruct the inquiry.

Many have suggested that Trump being dressed in golf attire suggests the visit was not planned, or needed to be taken at a moment's notice.

Others noted that Trump may be in the capital to attend a speech due to be given by his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, at an event hosted by the America First Policy Institute and the Abraham Accords Peace Institute on Monday.

Lindy Li, a political commentator and Democratic National Committee member, tweeted: "Trump is in DC 57 days before the election. Which is right around the DOJ's alleged 60-day threshold for 'election year sensitivities.' So, if the theories of indictment hold true, this would be perfect timing."

Li added: "He was well enough to deplane by himself so if it's a medical emergency it can't be that dire. Which paves the way for other explanations."

Lawyer George Conway, husband of former White House counselor Kellyanne Conway, dismissed the idea that Trump is in D.C. to play golf as it "hasn't exactly been golf weather here."

"It's been arraigning I mean, raining," Conway added.

Author, journalist and attorney Seth Abramson was one of those who played down the speculation as to why Trump is in D.C.

"I'm seeing many people saying he's at Walter Reed with no evidence to support the claim. Others are saying he's going to be arraigned tomorrow, but DOJ has implied it'll take no such action pre-election," Abramson tweeted. "A search of a Trump DC property? Possiblybut no evidence of *that*, either."

The Twitter account of the left-wing blog the Palmer Report also suggested the reason for the visit may not be as exciting as Trump critics are hoping it will be.

"If the DOJ is behind this, the best hope we have for a swift explanation is if Trump himself blabs about it on his social network. But in such a case we wouldn't know whether to believe any of what he says anyway," the Palmer Report tweeted.

"If Trump is faking a sudden health issue because he mistakenly believes that checking into a hospital will save him from being indicted and arrested... yawn. Short of that, why would Trump abruptly decide to voluntarily rush to DC, still dressed in golf course clothes, looking more frazzled than ever? Can't think of any reason that would interest me. Meeting with a new incompetent lawyer? Yawn."

The Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington group added: "Look, it's kind of weird that Trump flew to DC tonight and no one seems to know why. There's a lot of speculation, so let's just wait until we know more before jumping to conclusions. But it is weird."

Trump has been contacted for comment.

Originally posted here:
Donald Trump's Surprise Visit To Washington D.C Sparks Arrest Speculation

It takes a brave investor to go into business with Donald Trump.

The former presidents hotels and casinos have declared bankruptcy six times. Trumps short-lived airline crashed. He paid out millions of dollars to settle multiple lawsuits for running an unlicensed university that the conservative National Review called a massive scam. And then there is the Trump Organizations looming criminal trial for tax fraud.

For all that, a business built around Trumps famed ability to rile up millions of people online must have seemed a good bet to those who poured money into backing the company behind his rival to Twitter, Truth Social.

Now that too has run into trouble as more than a billion dollars in investment has stalled amid shareholder hesitation and a federal investigation into whether Trump Media and Technology Group broke the law in its dealings with a company set up to provide the money.

As so often with the former president, its not immediately clear what is going on.

Trump launched Truth Social in February after he was thrown off of Twitter for inciting violence after he lost the presidential election. He previously ran a blog, From the Desk of Donald Trump, but it shut down after less than a month because almost no one was reading it.

Truth Social has fared better as a vehicle for Trump to rile his base and rage against his enemies, and for white nationalists and others on the far right to say what they cannot on Twitter. But it has failed to generate the kind of reach enjoyed by other social media platforms.

Trump has about 4 million followers on Truth Social compared with 80 million on Twitter, in part because its reach has been limited by a ban by Googles app store for failing to take down posts making physical threats and inciting violence.

Truth Social had only 11.5m visits in July compared with 7bn to Twitter, according to the online analytics firm Similarweb. Last month, Trump Media reported losing $6.5m in the first half of this year. It is also reported to be in debt to a web hosting company.

That has raised questions about whether investment in Trump Media is a sound business decision or likely to be money thrown into the sinkhole of the former presidents ceaseless political campaigning.

Michael Ohlrogge, a law professor at New York University who specialises in the kind of funding Trump is now seeking, said that there is no evidence Trump Media has a strategy to become a money-making enterprise.

Theres a lot of questions about whether this a viable business. Is it actually going to make any money? Theres plenty of good reasons to doubt that. Its pretty obvious that this was just this thing that he slapped together very quickly, he said.

Trump Media had been counting on a large injection of money from a form of shell corporation created solely to raise funds for another business by merging with it, known as a special-purpose acquisition company (Spac).

Digital World Acquisition Corp was created as a Spac a year ago without any commitment to invest in Trumps media business. Shareholders gambled that their investment would increase in value when Digital World found a company to merge with. Thats exactly what happened when the deal with Trump Media was announced just seven weeks later, driving the price of Digital Worlds shares up tenfold.

But earlier this month, the shareholders failed to meet a deadline to approve the merger, depriving Trump Media and Truth Social of about $1.3bn.

In addition, the Securities and Exchange Commission and federal prosecutors are blocking any merger while they investigate Trump Medias dealings with Digital World after questions were raised by the speed of their tie-up announcement.

Ohlrogge said that the SEC is likely to be looking at whether Trump sealed an agreement, or came close, with Digital World before the Spac began selling shares without telling potential investors, in breach of financial regulations.

If they were already in advanced talks with Trumps Spac and didnt tell that to the initial investors, then that could be a relatively clear violation of the securities laws. Theres relatively good reason to suspect that may have been the case, he said.

Meanwhile Digital Worlds share price has fallen back sharply, from a high of nearly $100 to about $23, although anyone who bought from the initial offering would still double their money.

Ohlrogge said it is not clear why shareholders did not approve the merger by the 8 September deadline. He said that some may not have been paying attention. Others may be withholding approval until Trump resolves issues with the SEC.

What makes the most sense for Trumps company would be to just settle with the SEC, do whatever they want and try to get them happy in order to get them to let the merger move forward. That kind of an approach, though, does not seem to be Trumps preferred method in most legal dealings. He seems to fight tooth and nail, he said.

Some shareholders were twitchy about the wisdom of financial dealings with Trump once they found out where their money was going.

Digital World has now called a special shareholder meeting for next month to extend the deadline for approval of the merger by a year. It remains unclear how that will go after the Spac acknowledged earlier this year that Truth Social may never generate any operating revenues or ever achieve profitable operations.

Jennifer Stromer-Galley, a professor in the school of information studies at Syracuse University and author of Presidential Campaigning in the Internet Age, said that Truth Social is an effective tool for Trump to stay in touch with his base, which is to some extent amplified by journalists writing about his statements. But she questioned whether it could ever get beyond being a political campaigning tool to function as a business.

One of the tremendous assets for Trump has always been his name. Because of his brand he gets an instant base of people that Truth Social can start to expand from. But then it has to expand past that, because thats probably not enough to keep this enterprise going. I dont see how Truth Social expands beyond that very, relatively narrow, hardcore base that is Trumps bread and butter constituency, said Stromer-Galley.

If I were an investor of communications, media, and technology companies, I would be sceptical of what is the actual business that Truth Social is in. When the head of the company cant put together a coherent business case or legal arguments for what theyre doing, is this really someplace you want to put your money?

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Is Truth Social another of Trumps bungled businesses? - The Guardian US