How Many Times Can Trump Be Humiliated By Foreign Leaders In One Week?
Oh how embarrassing for everyone.
If there is one thing this week has taught us, it is that in foreign policy terms — Krasnov or no Krasnov — Donald Trump has not been magically transformed into an alpha dog in his second term, despite what he’d like us to think. No, on the foreign stage, they still think he’s a buffoon, whether they’re the United States’s historical friends or enemies, and the enemies have made great headway in convincing Trump he’s their friend.
First let’s talk about Trump’s favorite country Russia, and his favorite boss Vladimir Putin, who has just an army of goons at the ready to embarrass their useful idiot Trump and remind him who’s their bitch.
Here’s a tweet from Alexander Vindman, retweeting Julia Davis, reporter of all things Russia, who was in turn tweeting a story from Tass, one of Russia’s state-owned “news” organs.
“Meanwhile in Russia,” Davis tweeted. “Putin’s presidential aide Nikolay Patrushev said, ‘To achieve success in the election, Donald Trump relied on certain forces to which he has corresponding obligations. As a responsible person, he will be obliged to fulfill them.’” Vindman emphasized for lay readers: “this dude ran the FSB [KGB]!”
What does that mean? It’s not a full confirmation of “Krasnov,” but it sure isn’t not that either!
Regardless, whatever “victory” Trump achieved, even if it is technically legitimate, he certainly didn’t do it on his own, and he is now indebted to God Knows Who (Besides Elon) for it. He will be paying them back until the day he dies. And what an embarrassing thing for the former head of the FSB to say about him!
Another time this week that random Russian officials had to pull Trump’s pants down and spank him was when he claimed that Russia was open to accepting peacekeepers in Ukraine. When Trump was visiting with French President Emmanuel Macron — who also totally humiliated him — he claimed that he had totally talked to Putin, he “specifically asked” about peacekeepers, and that Putin “has no problem with it.”
Now obviously we believe Trump has talked to Putin. They talk a lot, and Rachel Maddow detailed last week, Trump gets really weird when he’s asked about it, like he’s just been caught masturbating or something. (Maddow didn’t say that last part.)
But as for Putin being totally fine with peacekeepers? Nyet. Kremlin spox Dmitry Peskov said, “the Russian foreign minister has already said everything about it, I've got nothing to add.” That foreign minister is Sergei Lavrov, who said last week in Saudi Arabia (with Liddle Marco Rubio at his side) that “the deployment of troops ... [from] NATO countries, but under a foreign flag, under the flag of the European Union or under national flags ... is, of course, unacceptable to us.”
Punched in the dick by his Russian buddies again!
So what about the extortion deal Trump has been trying to work to steal Ukraine’s mineral rights in exchange for (perhaps) security against Russia? Has Trump gotten himself embarrassed there? Oh you betcha!
Earlier this week, when Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wasn’t too hot on the idea of giving Trump all his country’s riches as part of an extortion protection racket to keep Trump’s boss Putin from slicing Ukrainian babies’ heads off — Zelenskyy is nitpicky like that — Putin popped in like “Hello! I have idea! What if Russia just stay in Ukraine and keep kidnapping children for Motherland, and also sell mineral treats to America in exchange for ridiculous amounts of money?” He wanted to even start selling Trump Russian aluminum:
Russian leader Vladimir Putin told state media Monday evening, “We are ready to work with our partners, including the Americans” to access mineral reserves — including in Russian-occupied Ukraine. He also suggested Russia could resume selling aluminum to the U.S., saying Moscow was ready to supply “about 2 million tons to the American market.”
Isn’t that nice of Putin to offer to help that way? And also kind of humiliating for Trump? Putin was just saying Russia has all this stuff, and more of it, even including in the parts of Ukraine it’s seized, so how about Trump just come over here to Daddy’s lap and we’ll talk about it?
As it shook out in the end, though, Trump has reportedly made a deal directly with Zelenskyy, which is horrifying on its own, until you realize that Zelenskyy kinda sorta rolled Trump the same way Sheinbaum and Trudeau did with the Trump tariffs.
Yes, Trump gets to save face and declare victory and say he made a deal — which every one of these smarter and better leaders knows is a precondition to getting exactly what you want from venal Trump.
First of all, Zelenskyy will be coming to DC on Friday to sign the deal by Trump’s side, which gives Zelenskyy the photo op Zelenskyy wants.
But importantly here, Trump caved on his demand for $500 billion in revenue from Ukraine’s resources. Instead:
Under the terms of the agreement, Ukraine would pay some proceeds from future mineral resource development into a fund that would invest in projects in Ukraine. Resources that already make money for the Ukrainian government—such as existing oil and gas production—will be exempt from the deal.
The size of the U.S.’s stake in the fund and joint ownership deals will be hashed out in future agreements.
Into a fund that would invest in projects in Ukraine.
Yes, it’s still extortion, and it’s still Trump’s ass-backwards sick idea that our own allies should be forced to pay us for offering our protection, but it’s decidedly not the “buy me luxurious baubles!” extortion Trump was hereby demanding.
Speaking of Trump’s fucked up ideas about how our aid to allies should be subject to extortion, his wrong-ass beliefs that Europe’s aid to Ukraine has all been in loans, and his outright lie that Ukraine has been the aggressor in this war, that’s what he was talking about earlier in the week when Macron embarrassed him so much. Watch this video of leader of the free world Macron humiliating Trump on each of these points, as curated by MSNBC’s Lawrence O’Donnell. Pay particular attention to the way Macron grabs Trump’s arm like “OK, crazy American grandpa! Time to stop talking crazy talk and let the nurse change your bedpan!”
Trump being humiliated by world leaders is our ASMR, don’t know about you.
[Politico Europe / WSJ]
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Deere shareholders: DEI is in. Bigots are out
while talking about foreign policy, a colleague just posted this. Tragic on its own terms, we are also going to become irrelevant on the world stage. IRC here is the International Rescue Committee, which does humanitarian work in dangerous areas (not the International Rescue founded by Jeff Tracy and his sons):
After six profoundly rewarding years, this will be my last day working at the IRC. Like thousands of my IRC colleagues and tens of thousands across the humanitarian sector, recent changes in US government policy have led to me losing my job.
On the best days, working at the IRC felt like being a part of The Human Project from Children of Men. Even on the harder days when some spiraling crisis in the world threatened the safety of my colleagues in places like Lebanon, Pakistan, Nigeria or Colombia, I had the opportunity to witness those colleagues continue to put our clients first and proceed in their dedication undaunted. That grit and resilience will inspire me for the rest of my life.
I am angry about what is happening to the IRC's clients and the communities we serve. I am also grateful for the opportunity I had to make a living while helping those people reclaim their lives and power, proud of what I achieved at the IRC and excited to see what's next.
I am also looking to start working again soon. If you know of any opportunities or want to just catch up, please reach out and let's find a time.
Thank you to all the people who helped me become a better professional and man these past 6 years.