Last night, while the President of the United States was away from the White House, spending yet another vacation weekend in Florida, he grew restless in the middle of the night. And at 11:03 p.m., he opened his Truth Social app and went on a late-night posting spree. Over the course of just 42 minutes, he rapidly posted 11 times in a row, including a custom portrait of his own face sketched in gold, and a photo of his face as an overlay at one end of Mount Rushmore, right next to Abraham Lincoln. He also shared a post attacking a sitting member of Congress, Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, calling him “low IQ” and a “thug,” his favorite insults for black people. But the most bizarre was the fake...
It is a well known fact that when dementia takes hold, the patient is most restless at night, frantic and untameable.
How dare both Melania and Trump take offence at Jimmy Kimmel’s joke when Trump is posting that Harkeim Jeffries is a Thug (sp. apologies if spelt wrong)
There is no doubt that Putin has a hand in manipulating Trump, he has a hold over him that is unexplained (money, dirty laundry , dirty deals)
Taking troops out of Germany would be stupid as Putin will come back for more. Please please Generals, intelligent politicians see this rag bag of enablers around Trump are so dangerous not least as they haven’t a clue. The only thing Hegseth gets right is his hair do !
I have never spent such a time crawling as fast as time will allow to November and I don’t live in USA. You guys must be screaming.
Lmao! That demented is becoming nuttier and nuttier. Time for congress to impeach. America has become rogue, untrusful and the world laughing stock. Putin’s plan is working brilliantly. Time for corrupt von trump to exit the stage. Suicide would be the honourable way, but for him I doubt he has the balls required for this extreme, noble and ultimate move. Spoiled kids do not play with adults. Thank you
I agree with the first half of your post. I believe suicide isn't noble; it's a copout. I want to see him tried, convicted, and sent to prison. I want him to contemplate on his life of crime and be put in touch with who he is. I want him to have an opportunity to repent and be able to ask the people of the world for forgiveness for his myriad crimes against humanity in general and against specific peoples....
Catharine Farkas, I could not agree more. I’d stipulate a state operated prison, not a federal prison. In state prisons there are absolutely no pardons, no way! I’d stipulate he’d be paired with a violent multiple sexual abuse offender in for life in his cell 10’x 7 feet. Perhaps he could teach Mr trump a few new tricks if you know what I mean. This man and his posse have circumvented the law at every turn. If we as Americans are going to get tough on the law & restore decency and order, President Trump must be duly and severely punished for a minimum of 20 years, no parole. This would happen to any working class American and as it is President Trump is a working class American despite his crypto currency and his family grifting. What’s good for the goose is good for the gander.
We are normalizing insanity. Politicians are reacting to insane word ms or actions of Trump as of that is reasonable. He does NOT follow the law and u let him. Yes republicans are scum but not a good excuse for not fighting this fight. It is time that we realize our president is not fit for office and must b removed. I will say it for people who are immoral and for people I fear I just must admit are stupid beyond belief. Our president is unfit for office and must b removed now. No more stupid talk of amendment 25 or rigged elections. The whole government structure is beyond most people’s knowledge or understanding. But normalizing insanity is itself insane. Politicians who just pretend they can use past conventions are STUPID. Hear me democrats. Hear me now!!!!! Stop inane talking heads. Our president is ill, insane. A politician a religious leader an influencer anyone must name a date and then Trump must b removed from office . Foreign countries say it is up to the citizens well we need your ,help also. Crimes against humanity. We need indivisible’s help and 50501 to help organize. We need everyone BUT children to grab busses and meet at the designated date and place. Our president is mentally illl. Do u hear that????????????. STOP normalizing the killing or u r a killer too of little girls and millions other. A politician, a judge, a lawyer,-n influencer a doctor a committee come together name a place and time and I swear to god(if I weren’t an atheist) every stupid air time pundent , as u so proudly declare u to b so importantly independent, every citizen, everyone who does not want to b a killer. I swear Jamie Raskin, Bernie Sanders hundreds of influential people unknown to me, Robert DeNero, name a date time and place to demand crimes against humanity, unfit for office, must b removed and damn well people better show up or u r killers… oh what a shame what we are doing. NO CHILDREN should attend. U have no choice or more deaths and destruction and the BLOOD if u dont try, wont wash off your hands. A committee form , name a date and help us organize. If I am only talking to two or three people I swear we are alll SCUM. Organize soon to remove his from office as soon as possible. No violence unless some capital police who have gone through hell or military will help. The protesting veterans broke my heart. How many died after WWII for NOTHING. Join us our president is mentally ill unfit for office. U need to know nothing else. Please Bernie Sanders Jamie Raskin, people I don’t know, I feel a past military will lead us, I beg u name a date, time, place to remove an insane president
I applaud you for your pointed plea but until we (democrats) get enough votes to press an impeachment and win there are no other avenues other than blocking the Whitehouse and the Trump administration with injunctions and subpoenas. It must be more but that doesn’t come with out a percentage of republicans ( brainwashed, cultists)coming to their senses and acting in concert for the good of the United States to remove this man and the administration that rubber stamps his every move. Our father, uncles, grandparents, mothers, aunts fought foreign wars to preserve Democracy, some if not many not returning. Did they fight and die in vain? I think not, they were truly fighters for freedom and America. They were not sycophantic hogs with rings in their noses being pulled along on chains by a despot they swore fealty to for riches or what ever. I hope there are republicans in congress and in the senate that really care about the legacy of Democracy and the promise of America. Willing to go against the flow and once again be on the correct virtuous side of history.
I am sure the rest of the world, and certainly our allies, distinguish between Trump and America. We all know he is stupid, ignorant and crazy, and we are all awaiting his downfall. Those of us who are American voters can and will do it in November if government officials persist in their spineless cowardice. Heather is a national leader among journalists, addressing each issue night after night and carefully recording all its major angles with patriotic constructive criticism. No one else I know of is doing this and so well.
but 70 million Americans voted for Trump in 2024 when his dementia was clear and his servitude to Putin was clear, and at least that many did not bother to vote because the other option was a woman of color. So a lot of people in the world are having an understandably hard time distinguishing between Trump and America. If America can do something this obviously wrong and stupid once (or twice, counting 2016, where Clinton had millions more votes), then it can do it again.
Heather's columns are excellent, but there are others doing it as well - the other Heather, Cox Richardson, on politics with deep history, and Paul Krugman on the economic front, and Jermaine Fowler from a Black perspective, and ... many others.
Most of us fully believe the elections, especially this last one was rigged and stolen. trump said that ‘Elon is great with computers, we have a little secret, and you’ll never have to vote again.’ There was also Russian interference, EPSTEIN Class tech Bros. Palantir-Peter Thiel, Karp, others. The electoral system is nothing but fraudulent and they are making it worse. We need one person=one vote and we wouldn’t be here today. He lost the Popular Votes.
Jan.6, 2021 with his inciting the Treasonous Insurrection should’ve been the end of his criminal career, but RepubliKKKans showed us exactly who they are.
Now we have Project 2025-26 the Heritage Foundation and the EPSTEIN class, Putin, trump’s family, KKKKabinet, most of SCOTUS, RepubliKKKans and Benedict Fetterman all working towards MAGA/MAWA-Make AmeriKKKa White (“christian”) Again. trump is just the puppet/useful idiot controlled by Putin, Netanyahu, EPSTEIN FILES, as they ALL are profiteering off all this-ALWAYS FOLLOW THE BLOOD MONEY 🩸💰
Thanks for your interest, John, but the evidence does not support your assertions. Trump's insanity was clear to you and me in 2024 but did not become widespread public knowledge, reflected in the media, until after the Norway letter, confirmed by his Davos rambling, in January 2026. Polls have shown that Kamala did not lose because she is a woman of color, but for many other reasons. There is no evidence for "a lot of people in the world" having a hard time distinguishing between Trump and America, or that "America" started the war in Iran. And about today's pundits, my point was not that those you cite are not doing as excellent work, but that they are specialists covering parts of the history whereas Heather is connecting the dots.
I don’t think the rest of the world distinguishes between Trump and America any longer. They watch as he becomes “nuttier and nuttier “, and they have finally concluded that he represents America because the political party he claims allows it, stands by and does nothing. Two Republicans, chairmen of the armed services committee have spoken out-finally. I don’t think the President can pull out those troops from Germany by himself. Pretty boy Hegseth has to be involved. Every retired General needs to speak out. I bet General. (Retired) Mark Hertling will be the first. They need to speak out as one. I say retired because if Active Duty Generals would be fired, further diminishing the leadership of the military. It’s time for the Republicans to wake up and remove this cancer before he metastasizes, and he will if unchecked..
With the politically skewed, anti-Constitutional Supreme Court dismantling the Voting Rights Act it will soon be unlikely that voting alone will dislodge Trump. Americans have also yet to see how the endless voting result challenges will get settled (like Bush vs Gore) by skewed Republican judges and election officials. And the damage done to America’s federal institutions (DOJ, FBI and more) will take multiple years to correct. So no, America and the world are far from done with Trump and his mob. But you go ahead and be optimistic. When you discover you have two more years of worsening inflation and international disdain you might find the courage to rebel again. Here’s hoping!
When US troops leave NATO locations, it is collateral damage of a phone call between Trump and Putin. But by forcing Europe to reorient itself in defense policy, this will also lead to fewer U.S. weapons systems being evaluated and purchased, which will harm the U.S. arms industry. If Republican congressmen are now "concerned" about the geopolitical implications, then it seems helpless. They should be horrified.
Is Europe currently threatened by American cooperation with Putin? No. As long as Ukraine wears down the Russian army, Putin will have no more resources for further conflict. So: Europe must continue to support Ukraine, procure its modern drone based weapons system and wait for the midterms.
I think that is coming…and that should be one of our biggest fears. We know he/they are planning to NEVER leave the White House. The New Bunker will hold them.
I fear for a FALSE Flag/s he/they will blame on Iran, Muslims, radical left scum to incite his ICE Gestapo/J6’ers to violence and create that state of emergency and invoke Martial Law.
We can only hope, but I’m still not holding my breath. The MAGA/MAWA KKKult is EXTREMELY Volatile and Dangerous and fully armed.
I think we need to be prepared for the worst. The Nazi Fascist machine has been accelerating out of desperation of November and the EPSTEIN FILES, and ALL the money laundering and grift.
And that’s why ALL were pardoned on Day 1. They are just waiting for the big dog whistles. Jim Jones, People’s Temple, Jonestown, David Koresh and the Branch Davidians, etc. trump MAGA/MAWA KKKult.
Don't despair. I've seen https://www.democracyundersiegedoc.org/videos If "ordinary" American voters also watch it and understand that they have been manipulated, then we can have hope.
My father-in-law, of blessed memory, was one of the soldiers who liberated the concentration camps. I often think about how infuriated and horrified he would be about what Shitler is doing in our own country.
Heather, thanks again for an amazing assessment of the Dumpkof. Isn't there anyone in the WH to stop him? I am reminded of a famous quote attributed to Edmund Burke, an Anglo-Irish politician: The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing". Experts say he didn't actually say those words. What he did say was: When bad men combine, the good must associate, else they will fall one by one, an unpitified sacrifice in a contemptible struggle". Personally I prefer the first quote.
Another quote from Lord Acton (1834-1902) is: Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.
Both quotes are something Hitler's cohorts ignored at their peril.
I have been a big fan of HDR, raved to others ... now, maybe thinking of hitting the 'Unsubscribe button'. When you are good, you are so bloody good (as we say in Oz), but when you are bad, you are ... too long, too repetitious and just a touch boring.
Here's one thing has been increasingly irritating - and not just you. Why do virtually all Trump commentators rip him to shreds for his stupidity, his unfitness & his manifest illiteracy, then in the next breath give him credit for clever (fit for purpose), elaborate, even graphically ingenious social media posts?
What? He does them all by himself? Last night, 11 of them? Seriously? And same applies to the idea that he has opinions & views & grand global strategies. Yet we know he can't read.
Here's something for nothing. I reckon the three Steve's invented TrumpSpeak years ago, and all the they do now over dinner, is light up ChatGTP to bang out that night's Truth Social.
John, I dont think any of his critics would suggest he has the wherewithal to generate these complex posts. However, once he posts them, they are his posts. Attributable to him, regardless of their origins.
He's running on fumes, and they're doing him any favours.
IMHO his trolls pass on this stuff to him and he posts it. As you mention, they become his once he posts them. The posts are specifically developed to assauge his narcissistic personality. They feed his need. Perhaps one reason they get posted so late is that the trolls assess what's going on in events, the monster's momentary state of mind, and then send him stuff late at night because they know he is up and will post it--and that we will react. I try very hard not to react, but the reflecting pool image got to me as being beyond disrespectful. The setting is directly in front of the Lincoln Memorial, sacred ground on the National Mall. The Vietnam Memorial is off to one side. The image is despicable. I don't know how even the most MAGA of MAGA could accept this image, especially those depicted in it alongside him. When we are rutting out all the enablers, I hope we will go after these trolls. For they certainly are enabling him.
As he has decided to pull out 5,000 troops over the next six to twelve months and even future resources out of Germany because he is so thin skinned by what Friedrich Merz said outloud. As well as these two Republicans, Armed Services Committee Chairman Roger Wicker of Mississippi and House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mike Rogers of Alabama in Congress are breaking with their “very concerned” statement. Equate their statement like a Susan Collins statement of past, “being so concerned” but waffling back under the fold.
Buried in the news daily is that Iran and its allies have damaged at least 16 US military sites across 8 Middle Eastern countries during the US-Israeli war with Iran starting on February 28, rendering some of those positions virtually unusable, a CNN-investigation has found.
The damaged facilities constitute the “majority of US military sites” in the region, according to the CNN report, citing a congressional aide familiar with the damage assessments.
"There has been a spectrum of assessments," a source said. "From a pretty dramatic side, of the whole facility is destroyed and needs to be shut down, to leaders who say these things are worth repairing due to the strategic benefit they give the US."
Satellite images showed that Tehran's main targets included US advanced radar systems, communications systems and aircraft deployed in the Middle East, many of them expensive and difficult to replace, said the report, which drew on dozens of satellite images and interviews with sources in the US and Gulf Arab nations.
"It's notable they really identified those facilities as the most cost-effective targets to hit," the congressional aide said. "Our radar systems (are) our most expensive and our most limited resources in the region."
Acting Pentagon Comptroller Jules Hurst III told lawmakers on Wednesday that the conflict with Iran had so far cost US taxpayers $25 billion USD.
Think Friedrich Merz, Germany’s chancellor, is correct by what he stated — “That the United States was being “humiliated” by Iran and appeared to have no exit strategy” Merz was just kind and said the U.S. and not calling it out as “Trump being humiliated by Iran.. “ While the Felon in his mind, himself and his regime see the most iconic Reflection Pools that dramatically reflects the Washington Monument, the Lincoln Memorial, the Mall's trees, and the expansive sky as some Olympic Swimming pool to float in a blowup rubber ducky ..
Great points to add to this. The picture is so much larger than people realize. The propaganda of the regime is insane. There are no credible news outlets on TV showing what’s really going on, and we have Orwell’s “1984” repeating the lies, changing the history, warring whomever, Big Brother, while trump, his family, EPSTEIN Class get richer by the second and Putin, Netanyahu, Xi Jinping, Kim Jong Un, fascist imperialist dictators, ready for their land and cash grabs.
Agreed, these are scary times as to what may come in our immediate future let alone long term. There are many topics that can keep us from a restful sleep but removing ourselves into isolation is one of the worst.. The fleecing of this country is on steroids and is a daily occurrence. The event of 9/11 didn’t happen in a vacuum and that’s when we had allies.. now not so much.. stay safe and healthy..
Yeah…”these are the times that try men’s and women’s souls”!
I’m super nervous for the FALSE Flag of domestic terrorism to blame Iran and Muslims, and radical left scumbags/Democrat liberal leftists, inciting violence and blowing the dog whistles for ICE Gestapo/J6’ers “patriots “ to create a state of Emergency some/they can invoke Martial Law and cancel elections.
This is an especially good analysis today. Resistance is building and that is a good thing. What I am waiting for though is a cogent and coherent response from the Democrats and not just gas prices are high because of Trump’s excursion in Iran. How about something along the lines of what you are hitting upon, that American First, as in America Alone is a dirty lie. That America is first when America puts the world first. And, because so many people in this country can’t see beyond the end of their nose, this idea has to be sold with the specific and tangible benefits that accrue to America as a result of our active engagement with the world. Don’t forget, this entire MAGA enterprise started because the elites in charge assumed that the masses would continue to blindly follow them as they exercised their good judgement about America’s standing in the world. Trump’s message gained traction because the Democrats in 2016 were actively disdainful of the will of the people. Remember the Party machinery screwing Bernie and his millions of supporters? Remember Hillary calling Trump’s supporters a basket of deplorables? Remember Hillary’s campaign assuming traditional Dem strongholds would continue to hold despite being ignored? Remember Kamala in 2024 starting strong then having the message of her campaign being reigned in by the Dem consultant class who think they know better than everyone else? I can only hope that all the would be 2028 candidates are watching and learning what works and what doesn’t work. Because 2028 needs to be much more than a repudiation of Trumpism. It must be the beginning of a new era of possibility and optimism and a “can do” ethos.
Heather- excellent essay as always but there is one factual error. Senator Jack Reed is identified as a Republican. He is a Democrat, the senior Senator from Rhode Island.
At least a couple of GOP Senators are finally speaking out. But where are the rest of them? Most are not that ignorant but they do appear to have no courage and less integrity.
At this point in trumps life he knows what he's doing and doesn't care, this is the end of his political life. Except for getting a Nobel Peace award he can thumb his nose at the world. I just hope he gets impeached but with his ego that man will never change.
He will never stop being a tired whiny bully.
What's truly sad are all those people who adore and clap for him, they are just ridiculous.
It is a well known fact that when dementia takes hold, the patient is most restless at night, frantic and untameable.
How dare both Melania and Trump take offence at Jimmy Kimmel’s joke when Trump is posting that Harkeim Jeffries is a Thug (sp. apologies if spelt wrong)
There is no doubt that Putin has a hand in manipulating Trump, he has a hold over him that is unexplained (money, dirty laundry , dirty deals)
Taking troops out of Germany would be stupid as Putin will come back for more. Please please Generals, intelligent politicians see this rag bag of enablers around Trump are so dangerous not least as they haven’t a clue. The only thing Hegseth gets right is his hair do !
I have never spent such a time crawling as fast as time will allow to November and I don’t live in USA. You guys must be screaming.
Yes we are- it’s not a good feeling at all- thank you for your post! Take care Charlotte ‼️
Out of our skins, yes.
Many are in fact. I feel horrible for our friends across the sea.
Lmao! That demented is becoming nuttier and nuttier. Time for congress to impeach. America has become rogue, untrusful and the world laughing stock. Putin’s plan is working brilliantly. Time for corrupt von trump to exit the stage. Suicide would be the honourable way, but for him I doubt he has the balls required for this extreme, noble and ultimate move. Spoiled kids do not play with adults. Thank you
I agree with the first half of your post. I believe suicide isn't noble; it's a copout. I want to see him tried, convicted, and sent to prison. I want him to contemplate on his life of crime and be put in touch with who he is. I want him to have an opportunity to repent and be able to ask the people of the world for forgiveness for his myriad crimes against humanity in general and against specific peoples....
Catharine Farkas, I could not agree more. I’d stipulate a state operated prison, not a federal prison. In state prisons there are absolutely no pardons, no way! I’d stipulate he’d be paired with a violent multiple sexual abuse offender in for life in his cell 10’x 7 feet. Perhaps he could teach Mr trump a few new tricks if you know what I mean. This man and his posse have circumvented the law at every turn. If we as Americans are going to get tough on the law & restore decency and order, President Trump must be duly and severely punished for a minimum of 20 years, no parole. This would happen to any working class American and as it is President Trump is a working class American despite his crypto currency and his family grifting. What’s good for the goose is good for the gander.
We are normalizing insanity. Politicians are reacting to insane word ms or actions of Trump as of that is reasonable. He does NOT follow the law and u let him. Yes republicans are scum but not a good excuse for not fighting this fight. It is time that we realize our president is not fit for office and must b removed. I will say it for people who are immoral and for people I fear I just must admit are stupid beyond belief. Our president is unfit for office and must b removed now. No more stupid talk of amendment 25 or rigged elections. The whole government structure is beyond most people’s knowledge or understanding. But normalizing insanity is itself insane. Politicians who just pretend they can use past conventions are STUPID. Hear me democrats. Hear me now!!!!! Stop inane talking heads. Our president is ill, insane. A politician a religious leader an influencer anyone must name a date and then Trump must b removed from office . Foreign countries say it is up to the citizens well we need your ,help also. Crimes against humanity. We need indivisible’s help and 50501 to help organize. We need everyone BUT children to grab busses and meet at the designated date and place. Our president is mentally illl. Do u hear that????????????. STOP normalizing the killing or u r a killer too of little girls and millions other. A politician, a judge, a lawyer,-n influencer a doctor a committee come together name a place and time and I swear to god(if I weren’t an atheist) every stupid air time pundent , as u so proudly declare u to b so importantly independent, every citizen, everyone who does not want to b a killer. I swear Jamie Raskin, Bernie Sanders hundreds of influential people unknown to me, Robert DeNero, name a date time and place to demand crimes against humanity, unfit for office, must b removed and damn well people better show up or u r killers… oh what a shame what we are doing. NO CHILDREN should attend. U have no choice or more deaths and destruction and the BLOOD if u dont try, wont wash off your hands. A committee form , name a date and help us organize. If I am only talking to two or three people I swear we are alll SCUM. Organize soon to remove his from office as soon as possible. No violence unless some capital police who have gone through hell or military will help. The protesting veterans broke my heart. How many died after WWII for NOTHING. Join us our president is mentally ill unfit for office. U need to know nothing else. Please Bernie Sanders Jamie Raskin, people I don’t know, I feel a past military will lead us, I beg u name a date, time, place to remove an insane president
I applaud you for your pointed plea but until we (democrats) get enough votes to press an impeachment and win there are no other avenues other than blocking the Whitehouse and the Trump administration with injunctions and subpoenas. It must be more but that doesn’t come with out a percentage of republicans ( brainwashed, cultists)coming to their senses and acting in concert for the good of the United States to remove this man and the administration that rubber stamps his every move. Our father, uncles, grandparents, mothers, aunts fought foreign wars to preserve Democracy, some if not many not returning. Did they fight and die in vain? I think not, they were truly fighters for freedom and America. They were not sycophantic hogs with rings in their noses being pulled along on chains by a despot they swore fealty to for riches or what ever. I hope there are republicans in congress and in the senate that really care about the legacy of Democracy and the promise of America. Willing to go against the flow and once again be on the correct virtuous side of history.
I am sure the rest of the world, and certainly our allies, distinguish between Trump and America. We all know he is stupid, ignorant and crazy, and we are all awaiting his downfall. Those of us who are American voters can and will do it in November if government officials persist in their spineless cowardice. Heather is a national leader among journalists, addressing each issue night after night and carefully recording all its major angles with patriotic constructive criticism. No one else I know of is doing this and so well.
but 70 million Americans voted for Trump in 2024 when his dementia was clear and his servitude to Putin was clear, and at least that many did not bother to vote because the other option was a woman of color. So a lot of people in the world are having an understandably hard time distinguishing between Trump and America. If America can do something this obviously wrong and stupid once (or twice, counting 2016, where Clinton had millions more votes), then it can do it again.
Heather's columns are excellent, but there are others doing it as well - the other Heather, Cox Richardson, on politics with deep history, and Paul Krugman on the economic front, and Jermaine Fowler from a Black perspective, and ... many others.
Most of us fully believe the elections, especially this last one was rigged and stolen. trump said that ‘Elon is great with computers, we have a little secret, and you’ll never have to vote again.’ There was also Russian interference, EPSTEIN Class tech Bros. Palantir-Peter Thiel, Karp, others. The electoral system is nothing but fraudulent and they are making it worse. We need one person=one vote and we wouldn’t be here today. He lost the Popular Votes.
Jan.6, 2021 with his inciting the Treasonous Insurrection should’ve been the end of his criminal career, but RepubliKKKans showed us exactly who they are.
Now we have Project 2025-26 the Heritage Foundation and the EPSTEIN class, Putin, trump’s family, KKKKabinet, most of SCOTUS, RepubliKKKans and Benedict Fetterman all working towards MAGA/MAWA-Make AmeriKKKa White (“christian”) Again. trump is just the puppet/useful idiot controlled by Putin, Netanyahu, EPSTEIN FILES, as they ALL are profiteering off all this-ALWAYS FOLLOW THE BLOOD MONEY 🩸💰
Thanks for your interest, John, but the evidence does not support your assertions. Trump's insanity was clear to you and me in 2024 but did not become widespread public knowledge, reflected in the media, until after the Norway letter, confirmed by his Davos rambling, in January 2026. Polls have shown that Kamala did not lose because she is a woman of color, but for many other reasons. There is no evidence for "a lot of people in the world" having a hard time distinguishing between Trump and America, or that "America" started the war in Iran. And about today's pundits, my point was not that those you cite are not doing as excellent work, but that they are specialists covering parts of the history whereas Heather is connecting the dots.
And Robert Hubbell. HCR!
I don’t think the rest of the world distinguishes between Trump and America any longer. They watch as he becomes “nuttier and nuttier “, and they have finally concluded that he represents America because the political party he claims allows it, stands by and does nothing. Two Republicans, chairmen of the armed services committee have spoken out-finally. I don’t think the President can pull out those troops from Germany by himself. Pretty boy Hegseth has to be involved. Every retired General needs to speak out. I bet General. (Retired) Mark Hertling will be the first. They need to speak out as one. I say retired because if Active Duty Generals would be fired, further diminishing the leadership of the military. It’s time for the Republicans to wake up and remove this cancer before he metastasizes, and he will if unchecked..
With the politically skewed, anti-Constitutional Supreme Court dismantling the Voting Rights Act it will soon be unlikely that voting alone will dislodge Trump. Americans have also yet to see how the endless voting result challenges will get settled (like Bush vs Gore) by skewed Republican judges and election officials. And the damage done to America’s federal institutions (DOJ, FBI and more) will take multiple years to correct. So no, America and the world are far from done with Trump and his mob. But you go ahead and be optimistic. When you discover you have two more years of worsening inflation and international disdain you might find the courage to rebel again. Here’s hoping!
When US troops leave NATO locations, it is collateral damage of a phone call between Trump and Putin. But by forcing Europe to reorient itself in defense policy, this will also lead to fewer U.S. weapons systems being evaluated and purchased, which will harm the U.S. arms industry. If Republican congressmen are now "concerned" about the geopolitical implications, then it seems helpless. They should be horrified.
Is Europe currently threatened by American cooperation with Putin? No. As long as Ukraine wears down the Russian army, Putin will have no more resources for further conflict. So: Europe must continue to support Ukraine, procure its modern drone based weapons system and wait for the midterms.
assuming something like a fair election in November. Trump and his much smarter evil colleagues are working hard on several fronts to prevent that.
If elections take place at all. The Republicans' last joker is martial law.
I think that is coming…and that should be one of our biggest fears. We know he/they are planning to NEVER leave the White House. The New Bunker will hold them.
I fear for a FALSE Flag/s he/they will blame on Iran, Muslims, radical left scum to incite his ICE Gestapo/J6’ers to violence and create that state of emergency and invoke Martial Law.
But there is an epilog in this story. The Golden Age of the Trump regime will end in the „Führerbunker“. After that: Nuremberg Trial.
We can only hope, but I’m still not holding my breath. The MAGA/MAWA KKKult is EXTREMELY Volatile and Dangerous and fully armed.
I think we need to be prepared for the worst. The Nazi Fascist machine has been accelerating out of desperation of November and the EPSTEIN FILES, and ALL the money laundering and grift.
Also, I 100% agree with Lance Rosen, https://lancefrosen.substack.com/p/they-are-planning-a-nationwide-j?r=71veyx&utm_medium=ios
And that’s why ALL were pardoned on Day 1. They are just waiting for the big dog whistles. Jim Jones, People’s Temple, Jonestown, David Koresh and the Branch Davidians, etc. trump MAGA/MAWA KKKult.
Don't despair. I've seen https://www.democracyundersiegedoc.org/videos If "ordinary" American voters also watch it and understand that they have been manipulated, then we can have hope.
But will America survive that?
Is America still alive? Headline found today in thenation: „Republicans Can’t Contain Their Glee Over the Death of the VRA“. Can it get worse?
My father-in-law, of blessed memory, was one of the soldiers who liberated the concentration camps. I often think about how infuriated and horrified he would be about what Shitler is doing in our own country.
Heather, thanks again for an amazing assessment of the Dumpkof. Isn't there anyone in the WH to stop him? I am reminded of a famous quote attributed to Edmund Burke, an Anglo-Irish politician: The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing". Experts say he didn't actually say those words. What he did say was: When bad men combine, the good must associate, else they will fall one by one, an unpitified sacrifice in a contemptible struggle". Personally I prefer the first quote.
Another quote from Lord Acton (1834-1902) is: Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.
Both quotes are something Hitler's cohorts ignored at their peril.
“The world suffers a lot not because of the violence of bad people but because of the silence of good people” - Napoleon Bonaparte
I have been a big fan of HDR, raved to others ... now, maybe thinking of hitting the 'Unsubscribe button'. When you are good, you are so bloody good (as we say in Oz), but when you are bad, you are ... too long, too repetitious and just a touch boring.
Here's one thing has been increasingly irritating - and not just you. Why do virtually all Trump commentators rip him to shreds for his stupidity, his unfitness & his manifest illiteracy, then in the next breath give him credit for clever (fit for purpose), elaborate, even graphically ingenious social media posts?
What? He does them all by himself? Last night, 11 of them? Seriously? And same applies to the idea that he has opinions & views & grand global strategies. Yet we know he can't read.
Here's something for nothing. I reckon the three Steve's invented TrumpSpeak years ago, and all the they do now over dinner, is light up ChatGTP to bang out that night's Truth Social.
John, I dont think any of his critics would suggest he has the wherewithal to generate these complex posts. However, once he posts them, they are his posts. Attributable to him, regardless of their origins.
He's running on fumes, and they're doing him any favours.
IMHO his trolls pass on this stuff to him and he posts it. As you mention, they become his once he posts them. The posts are specifically developed to assauge his narcissistic personality. They feed his need. Perhaps one reason they get posted so late is that the trolls assess what's going on in events, the monster's momentary state of mind, and then send him stuff late at night because they know he is up and will post it--and that we will react. I try very hard not to react, but the reflecting pool image got to me as being beyond disrespectful. The setting is directly in front of the Lincoln Memorial, sacred ground on the National Mall. The Vietnam Memorial is off to one side. The image is despicable. I don't know how even the most MAGA of MAGA could accept this image, especially those depicted in it alongside him. When we are rutting out all the enablers, I hope we will go after these trolls. For they certainly are enabling him.
So well written, thank you.
As he has decided to pull out 5,000 troops over the next six to twelve months and even future resources out of Germany because he is so thin skinned by what Friedrich Merz said outloud. As well as these two Republicans, Armed Services Committee Chairman Roger Wicker of Mississippi and House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mike Rogers of Alabama in Congress are breaking with their “very concerned” statement. Equate their statement like a Susan Collins statement of past, “being so concerned” but waffling back under the fold.
Buried in the news daily is that Iran and its allies have damaged at least 16 US military sites across 8 Middle Eastern countries during the US-Israeli war with Iran starting on February 28, rendering some of those positions virtually unusable, a CNN-investigation has found.
The damaged facilities constitute the “majority of US military sites” in the region, according to the CNN report, citing a congressional aide familiar with the damage assessments.
"There has been a spectrum of assessments," a source said. "From a pretty dramatic side, of the whole facility is destroyed and needs to be shut down, to leaders who say these things are worth repairing due to the strategic benefit they give the US."
Satellite images showed that Tehran's main targets included US advanced radar systems, communications systems and aircraft deployed in the Middle East, many of them expensive and difficult to replace, said the report, which drew on dozens of satellite images and interviews with sources in the US and Gulf Arab nations.
"It's notable they really identified those facilities as the most cost-effective targets to hit," the congressional aide said. "Our radar systems (are) our most expensive and our most limited resources in the region."
Acting Pentagon Comptroller Jules Hurst III told lawmakers on Wednesday that the conflict with Iran had so far cost US taxpayers $25 billion USD.
Think Friedrich Merz, Germany’s chancellor, is correct by what he stated — “That the United States was being “humiliated” by Iran and appeared to have no exit strategy” Merz was just kind and said the U.S. and not calling it out as “Trump being humiliated by Iran.. “ While the Felon in his mind, himself and his regime see the most iconic Reflection Pools that dramatically reflects the Washington Monument, the Lincoln Memorial, the Mall's trees, and the expansive sky as some Olympic Swimming pool to float in a blowup rubber ducky ..
Great points to add to this. The picture is so much larger than people realize. The propaganda of the regime is insane. There are no credible news outlets on TV showing what’s really going on, and we have Orwell’s “1984” repeating the lies, changing the history, warring whomever, Big Brother, while trump, his family, EPSTEIN Class get richer by the second and Putin, Netanyahu, Xi Jinping, Kim Jong Un, fascist imperialist dictators, ready for their land and cash grabs.
We are in scary/dangerous times for sure.
Agreed, these are scary times as to what may come in our immediate future let alone long term. There are many topics that can keep us from a restful sleep but removing ourselves into isolation is one of the worst.. The fleecing of this country is on steroids and is a daily occurrence. The event of 9/11 didn’t happen in a vacuum and that’s when we had allies.. now not so much.. stay safe and healthy..
Yeah…”these are the times that try men’s and women’s souls”!
I’m super nervous for the FALSE Flag of domestic terrorism to blame Iran and Muslims, and radical left scumbags/Democrat liberal leftists, inciting violence and blowing the dog whistles for ICE Gestapo/J6’ers “patriots “ to create a state of Emergency some/they can invoke Martial Law and cancel elections.
Lance Rosen writes some great pieces…
https://lancefrosen.substack.com/p/they-are-planning-a-nationwide-j?r=71veyx&utm_medium=ios
TJ, stay safe and healthy, too.
This is an especially good analysis today. Resistance is building and that is a good thing. What I am waiting for though is a cogent and coherent response from the Democrats and not just gas prices are high because of Trump’s excursion in Iran. How about something along the lines of what you are hitting upon, that American First, as in America Alone is a dirty lie. That America is first when America puts the world first. And, because so many people in this country can’t see beyond the end of their nose, this idea has to be sold with the specific and tangible benefits that accrue to America as a result of our active engagement with the world. Don’t forget, this entire MAGA enterprise started because the elites in charge assumed that the masses would continue to blindly follow them as they exercised their good judgement about America’s standing in the world. Trump’s message gained traction because the Democrats in 2016 were actively disdainful of the will of the people. Remember the Party machinery screwing Bernie and his millions of supporters? Remember Hillary calling Trump’s supporters a basket of deplorables? Remember Hillary’s campaign assuming traditional Dem strongholds would continue to hold despite being ignored? Remember Kamala in 2024 starting strong then having the message of her campaign being reigned in by the Dem consultant class who think they know better than everyone else? I can only hope that all the would be 2028 candidates are watching and learning what works and what doesn’t work. Because 2028 needs to be much more than a repudiation of Trumpism. It must be the beginning of a new era of possibility and optimism and a “can do” ethos.
Some cogent analysis.
One nitpick: The Middle East isn't a continent.
Keep up the good work.
Thank you, Heather, for including your sources.
Heather- excellent essay as always but there is one factual error. Senator Jack Reed is identified as a Republican. He is a Democrat, the senior Senator from Rhode Island.
While he's the greediest, graspingest motherfucker alive, I believe it's his overweening vanity that drives him now.
He's turned into a Philip K Dick villain.
Thanks again for the words that help a lot of us face each day with courage, hope, and determination. Btw, Sen. Reed, of course, is a Democrat.
At least a couple of GOP Senators are finally speaking out. But where are the rest of them? Most are not that ignorant but they do appear to have no courage and less integrity.
At this point in trumps life he knows what he's doing and doesn't care, this is the end of his political life. Except for getting a Nobel Peace award he can thumb his nose at the world. I just hope he gets impeached but with his ego that man will never change.
He will never stop being a tired whiny bully.
What's truly sad are all those people who adore and clap for him, they are just ridiculous.