Trump puts new Russia sanctions passed by Congress on hold, saying waiver is in US national interest

[u/Immediate-Link490]

https://apnews.com/article/russia-sanctions-trump-ukraine-e50c561ab805883bb4e484c092d8fadd

[u/rlam81]

Yup, definitely not an asset

[u/PugsAndHugs95 → u/rlam81]

Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff have literally been conspiring with the Russians on their trips to Moscow to negotiate taking over Lukoil assets in exchange for unknown favors. This is Trump enriching himself by abusing the power of the executive branch in a quid pro quo manner to get kickbacks, just through his son in law and his real estate buddy. It’s crazy the times we live in that we have a Russian asset as president

[u/Striking-Hold-4588 → u/PugsAndHugs95]

Don't forget Kushner's investment fund investing heavily in Israeli defense stocks while also leading peace talked between Israel and Palestinians.

[u/BookQueen13 → u/Striking-Hold-4588]

He's also in bed with the Saudis. They bought EA together.

[u/MelangeBot → u/BookQueen13]

That's nothing. They are now actively helping SA to set up their own nuclear power plants and enrich their own uranium.

[u/ComparisonIcy3709 → u/BookQueen13]

And with that, I will NEVER buy an EA game EVER.

[u/apocalypsedude64 → u/ComparisonIcy3709]

The easiest boycott in history

[u/ranthria → u/ComparisonIcy3709]

Well, that's been a pretty good policy to have for a while now. In truth, unless you're a Sims fiend or Madden chud, you're really not giving up too much.

[u/HotLava00 → u/PugsAndHugs95]

NPR’s podcast Embedded did a series called Trump Stories. I recommend all of them, relevant to his Russia connections is the episode called”Collusion”

https://one.npr.org/i/584353948:1206514006

Edit: thanks for the awards ❤️

[u/ResearcherElegant516 → u/HotLava00]

I'll take your word for it. Between politics and AI, my end-of-the-world meter is full. And that's only for the sake of my family. I don't know how normal people who actually give a damn what happens to them deal with it lol. Situation is FUBAR.

[u/Neberdine → u/ResearcherElegant516]

This seems to be the key to their plan. Hit us with so much shit that we can't process it anymore. I'd like to think there would have been more of a pushback to him helping Russia murder Ukraine at the start of his term. It's really disheartening how little the media seems to care at this point.

[u/zymurgtechnician → u/Neberdine]

To clarify, the media doesn’t not care, it is now an active participant in the destruction. Media companies are now more than ever consolidated to centralize their power and influence, and then also owned by the very same class of people that the federal government is now fully subservient to.

[u/9966 → u/Neberdine]

The US has never had to face what Europe has over and over for 1000+ years: Overthrowing fuckheads and installing a brand new government.

That's why so many nations there have technically only existed in their current forms for about 100 years. That's how long the cycle seems to take.

[u/SoMuchToSee1234 → u/PugsAndHugs95]

If it makes you feel any worse (it should) Jimmy Carter willingly gave up his stake in his family's multigenerational peanut farm to avoid a conflict of interest (Republicans being dicks) after he left office it was over one million dollars in debt and had to be sold.

I wish I could share the Truth Social picture Trump posted like a month ago saying he has made over a billion dollars in market trading since taking office and he's not doing it for himself but for the American people.

[u/drdalek13 → u/PugsAndHugs95]

This person is alive, healthy, and sane, and has no plans to commit suicide

Edit: Half joking, half believe this is honestly where we are in this moment. Thx for the award

[u/B-Z_B-S → u/rlam81]

There's even a Wikipedia page on how Donald Trump is a Russian asset.

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Links_between_Trump_associates_and_Russian_officials

[u/Malibutwo → u/B-Z_B-S]

He's potentially been compromised since 1987 and his first trip to Russia

[u/Marodvaso → u/Malibutwo]

He paid to publish a full anti-Japan diatribe two months after visiting the Soviet Union for the first time in 1987 (and that visit was on July 4th (!!!), no less). For the love of God, how stupid or naïve someone has to be to think it's all just some wild coincidence.

[u/dont_be_that_guy_29 → u/Malibutwo]

Always makes me wonder if the supposed compromising "p tapes" are p-edo tapes

[u/Livid_Importance_442 → u/dont_be_that_guy_29]

I think the "p" in p-tapes has always meant pedo tapes by people in the know.

[u/SamanthaHaine → u/dont_be_that_guy_29]

Always makes me wonder if the supposed compromising "p tapes" are p-edo tapes

Y'all gotta accept that he does not need to be compromised. He worships putin (and xi). He wants to be like them, he looks up to them. They are the cool kids and he wants to be accepted into their club.

He's doing all this shit because he likes it. He's a willing collaborator.

[u/Senior-Display-8733 → u/B-Z_B-S]

This link is interesting too. Russia wanted to get him elected to destabilize the US.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kremlin_papers

[u/BiBoFieTo → u/rlam81]

Putin's dick must look like a cheeto right now.

[u/Positronic_Matrix → u/BiBoFieTo]

Trump is Putin’s cock holster.

[u/dustin-dawind → u/rlam81]

I believe the president has rather eloquently addressed such accusations in the past, saying "No puppet. No puppet. You're the puppet!"

[u/Aggressive_Roof488 → u/dustin-dawind]

Mhm, ok, yep, that settles that beyond any doubt then. Nice with some closure. 🤔

[u/pannenkoek2309 → u/rlam81]

His VP is in Russia as we speak

[u/IllRelative3355 → u/pannenkoek2309]

We have been screwed many times over by this administration and puppet!

[u/FlamingoDiligent9216 → u/rlam81]

Putin is trying to push his ass to do as much as he can until he loses all his power after the mid-terms. They know he’s fucked.

[u/Shadowchaos1010]

Second paragraph starts with the fact that he himself signed the bill last month.

He could've simply vetoed it, but he didn't.

But now circumventing Congress to interfere with a bill he was alright with not too long ago.

Treason, and Congressional Republicans are going to do fuck all despite this is him spitting in their mouths on something they were able to actually accomplish for once.

[u/nufnu → u/Shadowchaos1010]

A waiver was written into it, he's using it

[u/kunderthunt → u/nufnu]

Well I’m sure glad he can coherently explain why that decision is in the best interest of the American people while definitely not shitting his pants or on the constitution at all!

[u/BigBananaBerries → u/kunderthunt]

He'll just say he's getting more diesel into the market to bring prices down & nobody will pull him to say that was going on the market anyway via India & will not change the price in the slightest.

[u/stiffgerman → u/nufnu]

This. Lindsey Graham was a great supporter of Ukraine but even he knew that there had to be some wiggle room for Trump so his Act basically gave the President the authority to apply and revoke sanctions. Lindsey thought that he'd be around to be the "good Angel" on Trump's shoulder and keep him from screwing over Ukraine. Makes you wonder where that heart failure REALLY came from...

[u/HimitsuDragon → u/stiffgerman]

I mean, let's take his ties with China as an example?
Calls them the enemy, bad, whatever and puts big tariffs on them.
BUT also puts tariffs on the rest of the world that hurts the US and turns our trade partners towards China to fill their needs instead to boost China's economy.

Keeps saying bad things about China, but gets his hats and bibles made from there.
China buys his assets at steep prices and over pays at his golf courses... Says he'll let in 500,000 chinese students. So what's that about?

Says all these things, but watch the actions, follow the money.

Russia is promising oil now for sanction lifts. Oil that'd only cover our needs for moments, barely days if at all. It's nothing to the US, but a boon heavily infavor of Russia and it's war vs Ukraine.

But everything is Ukraines fault? They're barely trying anymore with how corrupt they are... Even a host on Fox news went rogue and flat out said this is all Putin's fault. While the other said it's Ukraine's fault and it's because Zelenskiy is arrogant...

[u/AlienInOrigin]

Quite possibly the greatest achievement for Putin was defeating the US without firing a single weapon.

[u/CycloneSP → u/AlienInOrigin]

I still to this day remember a quote in my history books when I was in highschool 20 years ago from a russian leader saying "we cannot defeat the USA from without, we must rot it from within." (paraphrased, cuz my memory sucks)

but basically, this has been an ongoing effort for multiple decades at this point.

edit: a word

[u/Sad_Ad_3169 → u/CycloneSP]

Correct - and working wonderfully. Imagien complaining about "socialism" and "communism" at every turn and being in Putins pocket at the same time. Everything this administration says is a projected admission of their deceit, shitbaggery and treasonous behavior,

[u/Careful-Ant5868 → u/CycloneSP]

Nikita Kruschev

[u/love_glow → u/AlienInOrigin]

The U.S. made the mistake of thinking the Cold War was over after bulkanization of the USSR. They changed gears, and we got soft.

[u/yourmansconnect → u/love_glow]

"Russia should use its special services within the borders of the United States and Canada to fuel instability and separatism against neoliberal globalist Western hegemony, such as, for instance, provoke "Afro-American racists" to create severe backlash against the rotten political state of affairs in the current present-day system of the United States and Canada. Russia should "introduce geopolitical disorder into internal American activity, encouraging all kinds of separatism and ethnic, social, and racial conflicts, actively supporting all dissident movements – extremist, racist, and sectarian groups, thus destabilizing internal political processes in the U.S. It would also make sense simultaneously to support isolationist tendencies in American politics"

The Foundation of Geopolitics -1997

Written by Alexander Dugin, and adopted as basically a handbook for the Russian military and future policy

[u/Named_after_color → u/yourmansconnect]

Gotta admit he was pretty smart to come up with "Just support every extremist at the same time and watch them blow up"

[u/Monetdog → u/Named_after_color]

The same method helped keep the former Soviet states from rebelling against Moscow.

[u/DownWithHisShip → u/love_glow]

The U.S. made the mistake of thinking the Cold War was over after bulkanization of the USSR. They changed gears, and we got soft.

In the 2012 election I think, Romney called out Russia as an enemy and people laughed at him. We all owe Romney an apology...

[u/ScarZealousideal2147 → u/love_glow]

I remember Obama laughing at Romney back in 2012 when he said Russia was the biggest threat to the USA, turns out he was totally right

[u/Nihsvabhav → u/AlienInOrigin]

best way to defeat a democracy is to get their people brainwashed enough to vote for their own defeat

the real culprits are the social media platforms who pretty much aided all the way through with complete deliberation

[u/obiemo]

Trump is not trying to get the price of diesel down by suspending the sanctions. Trump is freeing up Russian assets to help him meddle in the mid terms.

[u/ChucksnTaylor → u/obiemo]

I think more likely Putin said “if you want my help in the midterms here’s what I need you to do for me”

[u/The_Frostweaver → u/ChucksnTaylor]

We may never know what Putin said, but clearly he is persuasive. 80 year olds get scammed every day. But you are suppose to learn from your mistakes and stop letting them talk to the scammers.

Trump's handlers need to get their shit together. No more calls with Putin or Bibi.

[u/highonpizza → u/The_Frostweaver]

putin and bibi likely have tapes of trump doing very bad things to kids

[u/fauxzempic → u/highonpizza]

I remember when the scandal was going to be the pee pee tapes* but given what ties to Mossad that Epstein probably had, there's almost certainly a little digital library containing people in power being absolute monsters in the hands of bibi.

---

*After reading that lawsuit against Vince McMahon where some of the activities included some abusive scat activities, and given how extremely wealthy people I think just get bored with life so they play on the most deviant fringes...AND after realizing that Trump probably poops himself all the time, I bet that he's partaken in the same activities.

[u/Rent-a-guru → u/ChucksnTaylor]

No wonder Trump and Elon were so upset about the data centre strikes. Their whole deal will fall apart if Putin isnt able to interfere with his propaganda network anymore.

[u/Spanky2k → u/obiemo]

It’s not at all a coincidence that within 24 hours of Ukraine taken out the Russian data centres that have been spamming the West with far right bots, the US decided to throttle Starlink access in Ukraine and stop supplying intelligence information. Definitely nothing to do with Trump and the Republicans being pissed that Ukraine inadvertently made the mid term elections much harder for them or anything. Nope.

[u/BardaArmy]

Us national interest is Russian interest. What a time…

[u/DennisTheOppressed → u/BardaArmy]

Putin is still fighting the Cold War. Currently he's winning.

[u/FastCheaporGoodPick2]

My brain explodes trying to fathom how Republicans continue to allow this Russian asset to cater to Putin while trashing relationships with Ukraine, Canada, the EU and other “allies”. He seriously needs to be led out of the White House in handcuffs and charged with treason.

[u/Mateuszaic → u/FastCheaporGoodPick2]

Republicans are russian assets in their entirety

[u/UCLAlabrat → u/Mateuszaic]

This. There's a reason they celebrate the 4th in Moscow. You couldnt write these levels of bullshit.

[u/Valuable_Bread163 → u/FastCheaporGoodPick2]

Remember Trump said he could shoot someone and he wouldn’t lose any voters? He was right. He seems to be able to do whatever he wants. Everyone just lets him get away with it.

[u/Ok_Understanding1986 → u/FastCheaporGoodPick2]

“We HATE communism and LOVE freedom!! …but if Dear Leader says so, adversarial post-Soviet oligarch strongmen are cool…..”

[u/AZFUNGUY85 → u/FastCheaporGoodPick2]

Everyone’s for sale. And business is GOOD.

[u/Psychaitea → u/AZFUNGUY85]

Literally plundering the US. Like private equity taking over a failing company, squeezing out any money they can while bleeding and bankrupting it.

[u/Snoo20140]

MAGA is basically a Russian asset waving American flags. Dumbest fucking people to have ever existed.

[u/No_Vermicelli9543 → u/Snoo20140]

On point. So self destructive. But it’s clear why: Big tech and brainwash anyone they want and align with the politicians in power to keep brainwashing them. As long as they debate “men in women’s sports” and other topics that has no importance to their life, the rich is happy. Cause they can keep robbing them off.

[u/SenorTron]

Congratulations Seppos on your Russian handled leader.

[u/MilkyWayObserver → u/SenorTron]

I don’t understand how there was a War of Independence to leave the Crown, only to give the president more power than a King.

It makes no sense that a President can also veto laws that passed in Congress.

In other countries, the Head of Government makes the laws while the Head of State is a figurehead to keep the Prime Minister or equivalent in check. In the US, the president is both the head of state and head of government.

So much for separation of powers. And of course Congress has been useless throughout this whole ideal.

In a Westminster-style democracy, there would have already been a vote of non-confidence, and an election would have been called by now.

[u/timify10 → u/MilkyWayObserver]

Trump made a deal with Putin to sell Russian Diesel to the US Market

For

Russian interferance with mid-terms,

Withdrawling all 12 of its B-1 Lancer strategic bombers from RAF Fairford

Cut intelligence sharing with Ukraine

Deny Ukraine expanded use of SpaceX Starlink Shield access over Russian territory.

Suspend Starlink shield capability to allow Russian to strike Ukraine.

Removed santions against Russia, approved by Congress.

[u/No_Idea_Guy → u/timify10]

Don't forget that the amount of diesel Russia can spare would last less than a week. 

[u/BigBananaBerries → u/No_Idea_Guy]

It's made out this is flooding the market to bring prices down. That oil was being sold to India before it got sent to the US so there's no more oil on the market. It's just Putin getting Trump to void sanctions under the guise it'll benefit him when it won't.

[u/MerlinsMentor → u/MilkyWayObserver]

In a Westminster-style democracy, there would have already been a vote of non-confidence, and an election would have been called by now.

Not if a majority of the legislators were supporting the Prime Minister, despite his actions. THAT is the problem here -- that those responsible for holding the executive to account (members of Congress) are refusing to do so, despite their oath of office to the Constitution. They are prioritizing the wishes of their political party and its (putative) leader over their responsibility to the citizens according to the constitution.

[u/MacchuWA → u/MerlinsMentor]

With how tight the balance in the US congress is, in a Westminster system, he would 100% be gone. There are enough Republicans who would switch if they thought there was a pathway to get rid of him. In a Westminster system, that would exist with just a few votes changing.

Yes, the Republicans are spineless cowards. But the US system is also deeply flawed

[u/gk_instakilogram → u/SenorTron]

lol it was so obvious for such a long time, but buddy regards will still say - noo! russiagate! not true! prosecution!

[u/VanuasGirl → u/gk_instakilogram]

Not a puppet! You’re the puppet!

[u/TheBrickWithEyes → u/SenorTron]

As an Aussie, growing up with USA vs Russia movies and rhetoric in the 80s, the last 15 years and the full embrace of Russia by Conservatives have been wild.

[u/CanOk6403]

What the fuck is going on? Are all of our law enforcement agencies, intelligence services, and members or government completely compromised or are they just spineless sacks of fat?

[u/CliffordSpot → u/CanOk6403]

He has spent the last 2 years purging the entire government and replacing high level leadership in every agency and the military with his own people.

Yes, they are all completely compromised.

[u/DigDugged → u/CanOk6403]

Ok, so in an attack on our nation that eclipsed 9/11, Russia was able to influence and collude with a candidate in the 2016 elections.

We did not deliver a "shock and awe" response to Russia. We didn't recruit 10 batallions of military hackers to infiltrate and take down the Russian onslaught. We did not, in turn, topple Russia's president. We let Russian-boosted elected officials dismantle our government and weaken our country.

And we just kept letting it happen for 10 more years.

[u/elykl12 → u/DigDugged]

Disclaimer: Look at my comment history, I’m not a right winger

I think one of the best responses I saw was from a Republican commentator (Charles Krauthammer I think?) said early on in the Mueller investigation that any Republican president worth his salt if he found out the Russians interfered with an American election he’d knock out the power in a dozen Russian cities in retaliation

But his refusal to punish Russia gave the game away. Krauthammer also called him and the GOP out over Charlottesville and I’m sure he’d probably be in that Bulwark/ex-Republican crowd nowadays

[u/Outrageous-Yams → u/DigDugged]

really makes you wonder where our intelligence agencies allegiances are doesn't it

[u/HammerOfJustice → u/Outrageous-Yams]

All of the outspoken independent thinkers have been purged from the agencies as well as the military. Our only hope is that there’s enough people in the agencies quietly opposed to what is happening and a gathering information and preparing to use/release it in a way that will cause actual outrage at the Government and damage the Government in the eyes of the people that need to be outraged for things to change.

[u/Outrageous-Yams → u/HammerOfJustice]

I'm just saying, where were they 10 years ago. even I as a public citizen was able to read a bit and see trump's ties to Russia. it was very obvious.

[u/Leucastic_Leopard → u/CanOk6403]

And the military, who allegedly said some very forgettable words about this.

[u/icemanpallmall → u/CanOk6403]

Basically anyone that would have done anything has been fired by now.

[u/Automatic-Unit-8307 → u/CanOk6403]

They are all comprised, they just repeat what dear ole leader say and only go after people asked by dear ole leader.

We are so f

[u/TupacBatmanOfTheHood → u/CanOk6403]

Just spineless for the most part unfortunately

[u/sgtabn173]

Bro is behaving a concerning amount of unworried about the midterms

[u/sexarseshortage → u/sgtabn173]

He literally never faces consequences for anything. Why would he be worried? He's done so much blatantly illegal shit and yet nothing happens.

[u/RM_r_us → u/sgtabn173]

I mean he told Canada to hold off on the supposed election interference. If any country is known for rigging elections, for sure it's Canada 😐

[u/hypnogoad → u/RM_r_us]

Every accusation is a confession. Which means he's interfering with Albertas seperation referendum.

[u/telepek25]

This is just an casual observation from an European observer, but I am amazed that such blatant attempts of normalize relations with a country that has been labeled as an "enemy" for years, aren't met with some sort of public resistance.

Like I'm sorry, but literally an hour after he signed it, there should've been crowds in front of the White House, protesting this shit.

[u/BikerSurgeon → u/telepek25]

They passed a bill which allowed the US to sanction india with some 100-500 percent tariffs for russian oil purchase just a couple of weeks back and now they themselves buy diesel and normalise relations with russia.

[u/SpareBee3442 → u/BikerSurgeon]

Yes, Trump is scrambling because of the damage he is causing to the US and world economies. Don't expect rationality, decency or fairness. You're watching a desperado flailing in his self-inflicted storm of rejection. Even treachery is not a red line for him as he chooses a tyrant over an illegally attacked European democracy.

[u/Hot_Worldliness_8941 → u/telepek25]

Half of the US population is completely jaded and disinterested in anything regarding their government.

They just don’t care.

[u/Buff1965 → u/Hot_Worldliness_8941]

And yet it's hurting them. Canadian here. Im also surprised by the apathy and cowardice in the Home of the Brave these days.

[u/ImThatAlexGuy → u/Buff1965]

American here, “home of the brave” has turned into home of the rage bait. The major populace of America is more concerned about internet likes (good or bad) than actually standing for something. A lot of people have gelatinous spines that bend pretty easily when they found out they can make monetary gain from something.

Social media has turned into a larger plague than people care to admit. The way it’s used and weaponized is clear with how most people believe in anything. Now with A.I. it’s getting harder because older generations, who already are, or are becoming the people in power, are easily duped. It’s very frustrating to witness and have to suffer through.

I still don’t know what we got Trump a second time. I feel like I need to beat my head against a wall all the time.

[u/Comprehensive-Mix931 → u/Hot_Worldliness_8941]

And the other half supports him.

[u/socks_and_scotch → u/telepek25]

No you see, Americans only get up in arms when they are not allowed to hold any slaves anymore.

[u/Unusual_Zone_8822 → u/socks_and_scotch]

Or have their precious guns taken away.

[u/chandr → u/Unusual_Zone_8822]

Even then, only if the right people have their guns taken away.

[u/_javaScripted]

He is so fucking desperate he's floundering hopelessly to try to get fuel prices down before the mid terms. It ain't going to save you buddy.

[u/OilTurbulent1009 → u/_javaScripted]

You are quite possibly underestimating the stupidity of the average American voter

[u/Pumperkin → u/OilTurbulent1009]

The smart ones are voting early. States that allow for it are reporting 4x early voting participation from previous years.

As a poll worker, I implore eligible voters to take advantage of early voting if it is available to you. Election day holds so much uncertainty that can be mitigated by making your vote count before then.

edit: everyone to eligible voters. editorial: voter fraud is extremely rare. Differently papered people do not petition the federal government they are hiding from to cast a ballot in favor or refusal of any issue or candidate.

[u/OilTurbulent1009 → u/Pumperkin]

We vote early every primary and election cycle. So much easier.

[u/Alternative-Form9790 → u/Pumperkin]

Fuck, what has America become?

"Vote early coz the dictator's goons may be out in force on election day."

[u/False_Energy_7290 → u/Pumperkin]

I keep telling my brothers and sisters-in-law to get their ballots in as soon as early voting starts. My eldest brother simply stated he does not care anymore. His apathy is despicable; propagating such a defeatist attitude is what got us here in the first place.

That’s another thing I need to rant about. We shouldn’t have to be anxious about elections all the time. I remember when there was a moment in time where I didn’t have to worry about the system being rigged or my vote not being counted. But now, after almost a whole decade, it feels like there’s a tangible shift in the air. One that could potentially change the course of our brief history. I hope for all our sakes people actually do the right thing and put a stop to this corruption once and for all. Voting will not be enough.

[u/flyingcanuck → u/OilTurbulent1009]

"Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that" - George Carlin

[u/rocklemon → u/flyingcanuck]

Think of how stupid the average republican is, and realize half of them are stupider than that

[u/Staav → u/rocklemon]

There's a reason why republicans just about always try to cut funding for education.

[u/robotractor3000 → u/OilTurbulent1009]

Well theres just literally no way the prices get acceptable before next month. He can sign all kinds of deals with russia, it simply wont move the needle with the US’s gargantuan fuel consumption. He’s selling his soul to the devil for something that straight up has a zero percent chance of working.

[u/PresentOlive4845 → u/robotractor3000]

He's not doing it for the American people, he's doing it for Putin

[u/Wombatapus736 → u/PresentOlive4845]

The diesel "deal" ain't gonna do shit for American consumers. Not nearly enough to make much of a dent in demand. This deal only puts money in Putin's coffers which he'll use to continue his war against Ukraine.

Trump is a corrupt traitor.

[u/The-Jesus_Christ → u/OilTurbulent1009]

He’s telling voters he will bring down prices if GOP win the mid-terms. They are stupid enough to believe it and stupid enough to be ok with Trump withholding relief from them as a bargaining chip

[u/damendred → u/The-Jesus_Christ]

Let's be real, the ones stupid enough to believe his claims about this were going to vote for him anyway.

I doubt many undecided are being swayed here.

[u/ignatious__reilly → u/_javaScripted]

States are helping him though.

I live in North Carolina, and gas is now $3.50 a gallon. The state temporarily suspended the gas tax, but that literally ends two days after the midterms. It’s a political move to win votes right before the election.

And the money they’re using to make up for the lost tax revenue is coming out of our infrastructure budget, to the tune of $372 million.

[u/MechMeister → u/ignatious__reilly]

The southeast is such a pile of dogshit.

[u/AgileDrag1469 → u/MechMeister]

The worst part of the southeast is realizing just how much traction the right wing has made on not just resentful old people, but a new generation of resentful young people that have a high likelihood of keeping the political right in power for decades. Unless this 2026 blue wave results in a 2028 tsunami with sweeping reforms at the federal and state level, we could see another authoritarian back in power by at least 2030. This is exactly how empires decline and ultimately fall: first gradually, then all at once.

[u/Decent-truth1712 → u/_javaScripted]

I think he's doing everything he can to help his Russian master while he still has control of the house and senate. He know that time is running out.

[u/OceanCloud2004 → u/Decent-truth1712]

The accommodations and capitulations certainly have accelerated of late. Putin seems to be flogging his little pony for all he's worth. Get while the getting's good I guess but God, it's just become so utterly shameless. Kraznov in full effect.

[u/Syke_qc]

He is weak.

[u/love_glow → u/Syke_qc]

It seems like he is desperate to help Russia at all costs, optics, and literal Treason be damned.

[u/BigMuscles]

First American president to surrender to Russia.

[u/anywho123]

We’re just cool with one branch superseding another branch of our government now? I mean continuing to let it happen? He already disregards the SCOTUS, might as well ignore and bypass congress. With as beautifully written to be so adaptable to change as the constitution is, the founding fathers really dropped the ball by not putting in guard rails for the wanna be god king that Cheeto Mussolini has become.

[u/M3RC3N4RY89 → u/anywho123]

The founding fathers did put in guard rails. What they didn’t anticipate was everyone responsible for enforcing those guardrails completely abdicating their duties to the nation to instead cede all power to the wannabe dictator.

[u/katy90081 → u/M3RC3N4RY89]

Founding fathers be like no way our descendants will be THAT stupid

[u/Riskyfour → u/anywho123]

Congress has the absolute power to remove him. They just choose not to act.

[u/ddz1507 → u/Riskyfour]

Congress is corrupt

[u/maryconway1 → u/ddz1507]

And yet the polls show it's still 'razor thin' and 'who knows who will win this midterms for control of the house & senate'.

How is this not a slam dunk abolishing of the GOP I have no idea. Other countries do it all the time.

[u/Responsible-Food3681 → u/anywho123]

We need a well-structured and unstoppable way to have recall elections through a supermajority via popular referendum. A right to remove.

We shouldn't have to rely on politicians to save us if they can be in kahoots across branches. Party politics has compromised the impeachment process, so we need to innovate and redistribute the power to nullify a federal office.

E: For those naysaying any chance of a supermajority, keep in mind that a supermajority can be any threshold greater than 50%. 60% is a supermajority as much as 80% is. I think around 67% would be a good place to start.

I absolutely think you can have 2/3 of the population that would care enough to take the time to vote in a popular referendum be in agreement to remove someone from office. I also really don't think you'd have constant elections once the referendum is a known factor, as it would be a self-balancing fear of the people and help reign in impeachable acts just through the threat of popular removal.

[u/Mysterious-Prompt212 → u/anywho123]

Congress is full on supporting Putin at this point.... To the point of trying to destroy a democracy in favor of a Russian dictator. It's unreal.

[u/BellumOMNI]

What's a stronger word for compromised?

[u/Peripatetictyl → u/BellumOMNI]

Kompromat

[u/yeahnoyeahsure → u/Peripatetictyl]

"Putin's Puppet " - quote Hillary Clinton

[u/MrXero → u/BellumOMNI]

Should be Trumped. Because never has there been a better example of one compromised motherfucker. Get this jackass out of office now.

[u/KupoMoogle93]

Why the hell can the president even do this...
Americans love to shit on Europeans for having monarchies still, but the US president unironically is more like a king than anything Europe has.
Even got the hereditary thing going on too where a handful of families fight over the throne.

[u/stig1103]

Once this buffoon is gone the next president will spend their entire first term rebuilding relationships with their allies and it will be a long time before anyone trusts the USA again. The hurt he is doing reputationally to the US abroad at this point is incalculable

[u/Primary-Tiger-5825 → u/stig1103]

While, the whole time the next president is in office, Republicans cry about the state of the country and point at the sitting president as the problem. Maybe it was the self-serving, greed focused, pedophile you guys put in office. Psychotic

[u/Comme-des-Garconns → u/Primary-Tiger-5825]

you guys put in office

Twice!

[u/ReplacementFeisty397 → u/Primary-Tiger-5825]

Sadly, American society is all about promoting greed-focused psychopaths.

[u/FrostingSuper9941 → u/ReplacementFeisty397]

American society votes against it own self-interest because of the strange, deeply sown divisions in it. A hick living on min wage in the Midwest will vote in Republicans who will take away his subsidized Healthcare and food stamps just so the Hispanic or Black family down the street doesn't get them either. Insane.

[u/Twisted-Mentat- → u/stig1103]

And more permanent than most US residents know.

It's become obvious to everyone that the US will likely never regain what they lose in the next 2 years.

The world is tired of Trump and his never ending lies and the society that elevated him to the most important role in the world.

[u/Funwithagoraphobia → u/Twisted-Mentat-]

Exactly what I’ve been saying. This is generational damage. How can any country ever trust the US as a strategic or trade partner again when we’ve demonstrated that we can just vote in a petulant fool who will tear up all previous agreements on a whim?

[u/pingpongpsycho → u/Funwithagoraphobia]

As a tired 69 year old who has seen a lot in his lifetime, I find this so insanely sad.

[u/Comme-des-Garconns → u/Funwithagoraphobia]

we’ve demonstrated that we can just vote in a petulant fool

Twice!

[u/arcspectre17 → u/Funwithagoraphobia]

Trade agreements from his first term he agreed to and claimed were the best!

[u/LostInRetransmission → u/Twisted-Mentat-]

It isn't *solely* Trump.

The world saw that check and balance in the US are broken. Republican are willing to let a US president run roughshod on international contract and relationship. There is no reason to think this will change in the future. Once proven unreliable due to internal issue, there is zero reason you will be reliable again , as long as those internal issue persists.

So there will be a re-normalization after Trump is gone, but unless the leader of all countries are utter imbeciles, there will always be a cautious undercurrent, at best.

[u/samclifford → u/stig1103]

The next Democrat will take office and attempt to undo all the damage only to be voted out after one term in favour of another MAGA type because the country is still falling apart.

[u/DarkCrystalSphere → u/samclifford]

This is the most likely scenario, I fear

[u/BlueDotty → u/stig1103]

A generation

and then the USA won't be a useful ally for anyone

[u/quistodes → u/stig1103]

This happened last time and then Americans voted him back in. You don't get to put this genie back in the bottle

[u/Lost_Marbles1343 → u/quistodes]

No no. You see, the fact that your people voted him in the second time is why America will never regain the international position it has lost. It's not so much that Trump is President again, it's the fact that you guys chose this, willingly. AGAIN!

We all expected Trump to resurface, but for the love of God, you didn't have to actually vote him in and restart the buttfuck circus.

This fuck up is more on the American people than it is on Trump. Just because he ran for President again, doesn't mean he had to win. You all saw how volatile he was the first time and said "Y'all know what? He's a crazy bastard, but I like him. We'll have more of that, yeah, perfect idea. The world will love it!"

[u/Infinite_Respect_]

Trump being a Russian asset obviously for over a decade is absolutely wild to say out loud.

[u/stuetel]

Would somebody maybe have some time to explain this like I'm five?

I'm not from America, I live in the Netherlands, and all I know is that things are getting scary.

[u/Souvi → u/stuetel]

Trump is betraying the entirety of NATO and the US, and all of their allies, for personal profit because he's a Russian asset.

[u/scruffles360 → u/Souvi]

Important to note that it would only take a dozen republicans to stop all of this, but every last one of them would rather have a bit more power than a functional country.

[u/Conscious_Quality803 → u/stuetel]

There was a clause in the Lindsey Graham act which allowed the executive to waive sanctions if it was in the United States' national interests. Trump acted on that before the sanctions went into effect.

In some respects, this is perfectly legal. In others, it's one more sign of the absolute corruption and disgustingly immoral behavior of the American president.

He's a complete piece of shit. I am so disappointed the cholesterol hasn't won yet.

[u/sea_rex2]

That's treason. What are you doing Americans? Get that guy out of the white house, he is ruining your country, your reputation and your economy!

[u/Space-Monkey-17 → u/sea_rex2]

Remember back when Trump was campaigning in 2024 some MAGA freaks were saying they thought it would be OK to have a dictatorship under Trump...Not enough Americans care.

[u/Slimy-But-Whole]

So, we fund Russia. Russia funds Iran. We are in a war with Iran. Worst. President. Ever.

[u/Size---Queen → u/Slimy-But-Whole]

Welcome to never ending wars while the people at the top take in all the profits from it.

[u/RichardEpsilonHughes]

He is a whore to chaos.

[u/Sharp-Definition5308]

Putin's puppet is selling our country to a despotic enemy. Congress needs to clip Trump's wings--bigtime.

[u/JGlassc0k34]

It looks like Trumps "to the death" ally Lindsey Graham, had the bill named after him last a full 2 months. That's what dedicating your life Teump gets you.

[u/big_d_usernametaken]

What the point of having a Congress passing laws if he can just negate them?

[u/PresentOlive4845 → u/big_d_usernametaken]

Normally Congress would impeach him but it's currently controlled by Republicans and they've rolled over for him. This is what happens when Republicans control all 3 branches of government

[u/tanbyte]

This guy needs to be reigned in

[u/tinybathroomfaucet → u/tanbyte]

Or he just needs to, you know

[u/DMNSFW93]

For a country that prides itself on upholding democracy, it certainly likes being pro authoritarian 🫣🫣

[u/certifiedpreownedbmw]

He's not a Russian Asset... he's a Russian Agent.

[u/PluginAlong → u/certifiedpreownedbmw]

I'm going with asset, he's too stupid to be an agent.

[u/SourFix]

What a disgusting senile corrupt piece of lowlife shit.

[u/Chessh2036]

Having a Russian asset as President is something I didn’t think I’d live to see.

If by some miracle the Dems can take the house/senate, is there anything they can do?

[u/No_Idea_Guy]

What would have a Russian asset done differently?

[u/RussellGrey → u/No_Idea_Guy]

They would’ve been less obvious

[u/commonmebro]

Wait, I thought the president couldn't go against Congress?!?

[u/FastActinTenactin → u/commonmebro]

The coward Mike Johnson sent Congress home until after the election, so they don’t give a shit about anything clearly.

[u/Adventurous_Bit1325]

The Supreme Court failed this country by giving him this power.

[u/No-Problem-4228 → u/Adventurous_Bit1325]

The voters gave him power. He picked his supreme court justices

[u/Maniacboy888]

Congress would be furious if they were alive to see this

[u/danAsua]

He's a Russian agent

[u/PsillyFunGuy2]

Wow nobody at all saw this coming when they passed that law…

[u/insanetwit]

Because spoiler alert America, you're with the bad guys now! 

[u/berdown86]

Treasonous, Trump needs to be charged with treason, plain and simple

[u/Mlmmt]

Sooo, Russia has him by the balls... as usual...

[u/Educational-Tone2074]

Trump is under control of putin 

[u/No_Idea_Guy]

Other than Trump being a traitor again, the Republican controlled Congress is complicit through their dereliction of duty. The Trump admin has withheld $177 billion in federal fundings for various programs (including disaster aids) that were aproved by Congress, to use as bargain chips and extortion tools. Trump and his cronies can pick and choose which legislation to enforce without caring for congressional oversight. There is no checks and balances whatsoever, aside from Susan Collins being concerned like always.

[u/Colo-PV-living]

At what point do even the maggots realize he’s not helping the US and is helping Putin?

[u/Y8ser]

He's not even pretending he doesn't work for Russia and more!

[u/Klutzy_Kiwi5391]

Hey USA! After trump gone we don't want to hear about your country for quite a while! We need a break

[u/Devilutionbeast666 → u/Klutzy_Kiwi5391]

I'll admit the Biden Break was god damn perfect for about 4 years. I don't need crazy presidential updates 24/7

[u/LibrarianNo6865]

Russia can’t guarantee he can do this in a few weeks so I guess they don’t care how blatantly obvious this looks

[u/brute-forced]

He is paying his boss to interfere with the midterms

[u/Acrobatic-Affect6724]

Trump is a Russian asset. A war criminal and con man.

[u/KeepYourMindOpen365]

Mike Johnson is equally complicit in this blatant treason and subversion. How much longer are we going to pretend our “President” isn’t, in fact, a Russian Operative?

Edit: and/or Asset/Agent…pick one; they all apply to the POS.

[u/291000610478021]

National interest would have been to NOT ATTACK IRAN

He's such a loser 

[u/boozefiend3000]

Russian asset 

[u/Vizth]

That sphincter eyed sack of shit isn't even trying to hide that he's an asset at this point.

[u/civilPDX]

Fuck Donald Trump. Impeach, investigate, and Imprison.

[u/Citizen-Kang]

Translation: it's in Trump's personal interest.

[u/lukeyellow]

Not only is he flouting Congress but he's aiding and abetting an enemy....

[u/anewbys83]

I didn't know a president could legally stop something passed by congress.