Trump / Musk (other than DOGE)

[altmin]

Attempting to annex Canada would spell disaster for the U.S. at home and abroad

Canadians would never passively accept the loss of their national identity — any forced integration would be violently opposed and quickly devolve into a nightmare scenario for both nations.

theconversation.com

 

[nycfan]

 

[nycfan]

 

[nycfan]

Trump is playing a pretty clever game of angling to get credit if there are any positive developments prior to his inauguration (but no doubt blaming Biden for anything negative). But it is pretty unusual to have an “envoy” for the incoming President involved in a foreign policy matter like this.

 

[nycfan]

 

[nycfan]

Key senators receive Pete Hegseth's FBI background check days out from confirmation hearing

Democrats have expressed concern over the delay and how thorough the report on Trump’s embattled defense secretary pick will be.

www.nbcnews.com

“…
Democrats on the committee that NBC News spoke with have been frustrated by the delay, and suggest the FBI report may not be thorough, particularly for a Cabinet pick that has been entangled in controversy. One person who worked closely with Hegseth in the past and another who was contacted by Congress regarding Hegseth told NBC News they are concerned the FBI has not reached out to them.

A spokesperson for the FBI declined to comment. …”

 

[DiehardHeelFan]

Trump is playing a pretty clever game of angling to get credit if there are any positive developments prior to his inauguration (but no doubt blaming Biden for anything negative). But it is pretty unusual to have an “envoy” for the incoming President involved in a foreign policy matter like this.

Not identical of course but kinda has an Iran Hostage feel. Isn’t something that swayed the election but seems like something that could possibly happen right around inauguration to give Trump an early boost.

 

[lawtig02]

Not identical of course but kinda has an Iran Hostage feel. Isn’t something that swayed the election but seems like something that could possibly happen right around inauguration to give Trump an early boost.

So in this case, the Israelis under Bibi are in the role of the Iranian mullahs who didn’t want Carter to get any credit and were willing to shove the knife a little deeper in his back by waiting until right after the inauguration to release the hostages? Sadly, that checks out.

 

[farce©]

The Israelis control the hostages?

 

[lawtig02]

The Israelis control the hostages?

From all reporting, they pretty much unilaterally control whether a deal happens.

 

[Zoo_View]

In Trump’s view, he has no allies. Everyone is an enemy to be threatened and defeated.

Except Putin, Xi, Kim Jong Un, Modi, Orban, Erdogan, the Argentine right-winger……

 

[Zoo_View]

So, Trump’s “envoy” is in Israel while Trump is likely calling Bibi and pushing ideas that run counter to American policy.

 

[nycfan]

Trump border czar privately tempers Republican lawmaker expectations on administration’s initial deportation operation​

https://www.cnn.com/2025/01/11/politics/trump-border-czar-tom-homan-deportations/index.html

“… The discussions are part of a broader level-setting that is occurring among House Republicans, who are now coming to terms with the challenges of turning one of their key campaign promises into a reality. Republicans are also grappling with the harsh realization that most of their border overhaul measures are unlikely to be included in Trump’s massive agenda bill, given the strict rules around the reconciliation process that require proposals to either increase revenue or reduce spending, not change policy.

“Many members are only now beginning to understand that,” one GOP lawmaker told CNN. …”

 

[Mulberry Heel]

We'll find out very soon, but I still wonder if in the end we're mainly going to see a lot of smoke and mirrors without much actually being done. Some dramatic raids and flashy deportations of relatively small numbers of illegals, but nothing on the scale that Dear Leader promised in the campaign. And they'll rely on right-wing media like Fox and OAN and Newsmax to fool their base into thinking that some major deportations and round ups are happening and that Trump's promises are actually being carried out. And the reason will be because too much of their base needs that cheap immigrant labor to survive - farmers, small-business owners, construction industry, and rich and upper-middle-class people who hire them for various jobs.

 

[nycfan]

Bannon using the populist anti-billionaire tack here is mostly on brand for him, but note also that Bannon is promoting his personal brand of xenophobia as “anti-racist” in his attack on Musk, Thiel and others.

I guess he sees an opportunity to undermine Musk’s influence over the easily manipulated Trump.

 

[nycfan]

 

[nycfan]

Also pretty weird to call the current economy a “dumpster fire”

 

[nycfan]

 

[nycfan]

 

[nycfan]

He first calls family separation a euphemism for the terrible job he says Biden did and family separation is something Dems will hide behind, saying it is about compassion for families.