• MuskyMelon@lemmy.world
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      4 days ago

      No no just a massive stroke so he’s incapacitated but able to move his little hands and to barely speak. Let it be constitutional crisis when he refuses to step down cause of his ego and the Repugs are too scared to remove him.

  • DarkWinterNights@lemmy.world
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    4 days ago

    The article is a Trump hallucination.

    He’s not wrong that leaders flatter him; but it’s not respect, it’s geopolitical strategy. They’re managing chaos, hedging with China and others, and responding to a weaker US position largely created by Trump himself. This isn’t strength; it’s a soft power collapse that’s opening dangerous doors, mainly for Americans most of all, but likely for everyone else too.

    What Trump sees as deference is actually diplomatic triage. World leaders aren’t engaging him because they admire him; leaders are trying to keep the global order from unraveling faster than it already is. The cost of alienating the U.S. is high, but increasingly, so is relying on it. That shift is the real story, and it’s one that leaves America more isolated with each bluster.

  • Jimius@discuss.tchncs.de
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    4 days ago

    Zelensky has the most to lose. And even he is not doing anything that could be construed as “ass kissing”.

    So it’s a total fabrication, which is not odd coming from a guy who ordered a 4 mile military parade to celebrate his birthday.

    • Skiluros@sh.itjust.works
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      4 days ago

      I am Ukrainian and I was really proud of Zelenskyy and the way he interacted with new administration. He kept his cool while also letting them the current administration know (in a subtle manner) that there is a big gulf between their pipe dreams and reality.

      • Aviandelight @mander.xyz
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        4 days ago

        I’m American and I am in complete awe of Zelenakyy. Humanity gets so few people of his quality in a lifetime. He is truly inspirational.

        • alanjaow@lemmy.world
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          4 days ago

          I feel like he is closer to the norm than we think. We should all strive to be like that, rather than relegating it to random chance. We should also demand more of our leaders.

          • sensiblepuffin
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            4 days ago

            The best rulers are those who hate the idea of ruling. The best leaders are those who are thrust into the situation. What we should be taking away from all of this is that no one who wants power should be given any.

  • ERROR: Earth.exe has crashed@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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    3 days ago

    Pragmatism =/= Kissing ass

    Its like a cop thinking: wow, people really respect me

    No they don’t lol, the moment you’re not looking, they are gonna graffiti ACAB on the police car you’re driving.

  • StopTouchingYourPhone@lemmy.world
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    4 days ago

    Heard it on my morning news program here in Canada. “I’ll do anything. I’ll do anything, sir,” he chuckled. Sounded like he was making fun of an abuse victim. Like that time he mocked the disabled. Filthy predator.

    That any media outlet is featuring his latest truth claim in an uncontested headline is wild. Look at the amount of commentary already produced that assumes his version of events is what’s actually happening.

    • sensiblepuffin
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      We’ve already seen that the media don’t have anyone’s best interests at heart but the elite. We have to stop expecting them to change.

  • xenomor@lemmy.world
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    4 days ago

    I hope other countries realize that entering into trade agreements with the United States is a meaningless endeavor given that we don’t believe we have any responsibility to abide by agreements that we make anymore. We are an entirely unreliable partner.

    • gurnu@lemmy.world
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      4 days ago

      Well, Finnish “leaders” are discussing one-on-one deals with the US, it’s not exactly taking a strong stance against Trump’s bullying… More like bending the knee to save their own investments

      • in4apenny@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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        4 days ago

        And Keir Starmer practically has Trumps entire dick down his throat with Trumps balls on his face, and that’s before any negotiations.

    • nargis@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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      3 days ago

      India is kissing Trump’s arse, unfortunately. They are considering removing tariffs even more than they did before the announcement. Though there’s a UK-India deal floating around as well, and talks with the EU. This might just be anti-China opportunism, though. Apple and Samsung announced that they’re moving their factories to India because of the tariffs.

  • Saleh@feddit.org
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    4 days ago

    And this is why Ireland, France and others weakening the EU response to US tariffs for alcoholic beverages is dangerous. This is only encouraging him and he will use any sign of weakness to bolster himself.

    • Chainweasel@lemmy.world
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      Hopefully the optics of them kissing Trump’s ass will piss the populous off enough that they put pressure on their leaders to not take his shit.

  • kryptonianCodeMonkey@lemmy.world
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    4 days ago

    At best, world leaders may be trying to salvage their current investments in the US and trade sources in the short term. But they are also immediately starting the process to divest from the US, maybe permanently. He may get a short term gain from a handful of countries, but is tanking us long term as everyone distances themselves from us.

    Trade, investments, debts, these things bind countries together and promote better economies the world-wide. The point of Tariffs are to reduce or eliminate these connections to other countries in the effected markets, to isolate and insulate your domestic market from the international market at large. When you put a blanket tariff on all markets on all countries, especially when openly trying to use those as extortion tactics against other countries, you are guaranteeing this isolation. We are well on the way from being isolated from the world, like North Korea, all because of one man without any sense, decency, or limitations. We are fucked.

    • Geobloke@lemm.ee
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      4 days ago

      He’s trying to sell his tariffs to the choir, but the choir isn’t listening any more

    • ByteJunk@lemmy.world
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      4 days ago

      As disgusting as it is, that seems to be exactly what most of the world seems to be doing, trying to get into trump’s good grace and not get fucked by the tariffs.

      Well except for China, who seems to have slapped back just as hard.

      • TankovayaDiviziya@lemmy.world
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        4 days ago

        People have been thinking Trump will let China invade Taiwan. Like, no. Trump is vehemently anti-China from the beginning in any shape or form. So, in that respect, China knows there is no pleasing the orangecrat and therefore doubling down on tariffs will not lose them with anything more. Besides, the tariffs is actually making China and EU come closer together-- as strange as it sounds.

        • ByteJunk@lemmy.world
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          3 days ago

          As China boosts its internal consumption and increases standards of living, along with a growing highly educated population, I can see their values very much aligning with the EU. That sounds like a very decent world order…

      • conditional_soup@lemm.ee
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        4 days ago

        I’m mostly sure that they’re only doing so as a stop gap. Re-alignment takes time, and we’ve sent a loud and clear message that we don’t want to be anybody’s friend anymore. Even if we get Cyber-Bernie 3000 for president in four years, the damage will still be done, and there will always be the lingering understanding that we may just turn around and directly elect Elon Musk as president (don’t fucking talk to me about constitutionality without telling me you’ve been in a coma for the last year first).

  • Hikuro-93@lemmy.ca
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    4 days ago

    And sadly the over 50 countries now desperately calling the White House to beg negotiate are just inflating and reinforcing the Trump administration’s ego and postponing the inevitable.

    Who would have guessed. Said as much in another post this is what happens when you appease to narcissistic bullies. You get further trampled on and they become bolder.

    No matter how much it would be better if we all got along well as before. This is the new reality, and even if we hurt right now we’ll come out on top in the long run, better and more self-reliant, while the US becomes isolated from the world.

    Hope everyone remembers this when the US falls and comes “kissing out collective asses” for sympathy.