• NocturnalMorning@lemmy.world
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    1 month ago

    If the Epstein stuff is what finally brings down Trump, it would be peak irony. Its a low bar, but at least some of these MAGA ding dongs draw a line at diddling children.

    I honestly thought there was no line for MAGA at this point.

    • nova_ad_vitum@lemmy.ca
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      1 month ago

      If the Epstein stuff is what finally brings down Trump, it would be peak irony. Its a low bar, but at least some of these MAGA ding dongs draw a line at diddling children.

      I have kind of tuned out of this iteration of the Epstein scandal. Why would it bring him down now? Is there really any new information? Everyone with a brain knew he was friends with Epstein and on the list. Americans voted him in twice anyways. Why does it suddenly matter now?

      • chaogomu@lemmy.world
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        1 month ago

        Trump campaigned on releasing the list, likely because Trump and Epstein ran competing human trafficking organizations.

        Epstein had MC2 modeling, and Trump had T Management.

        But both used the same recruiter in Eastern Europe.

        There’s likely more ties as well. But you can sort of see how Trump thought he was Scott Free on this one.

        Now, prior to them opening up modeling agencies, Trump and Epstein had been thick as thieves, so there might also be old files that Epstein kept.

        Anyway it all comes down to Trump literally running on releasing the files, and then quickly walking that back when he found out how many times he was mentioned.

        • nova_ad_vitum@lemmy.ca
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          1 month ago

          That’s my point. Even if it does the worst case scenario here seems to be about 2-3 weeks of noise in the press, followed by the cult getting their prescribed narrative and adopting it wholesale. How does this lead to Trump’s downfall?

      • Invertedouroboros@lemmy.world
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        1 month ago

        It’s that “everyone with a brain” bit that’s different now. Because you’re right, nothing here is new. Trump and Epstein’s ties have been pretty common knowledge to anyone not in the cult.

        What’s changed is that those inside the cult can’t really ignore it anymore. They went from “the democrats are all pedophiles and the Epstein files prove it!” to “they have the Epstein files on their desks, they are just doing some final checks before they release them” to “there are no Epstein files, there never were any Epstein files, and if you think different you need to shut up.”. Cognitive dissonance may be a powerful force, but “the Epstein files” have been the conspiracy bread and butter that’s been holding this cult together for a while now. They were probably willing to bend on just about anything but that.

        A lot of hay is made out of the fact that Trump managed to fuck up running a casino, and it’s true. In a business where the saying goes “the house always wins”, it takes a special breed of incompetance to bankrupt the house. This feels very similar. Dude could have said that aliens stole the Epstein files, Q-anon folks would have bought it. Or better yet don’t say anything at all. I think a lot of folks wouldn’t have bat an eye if Trump’s cronies were still “working on releasing the Epstein files” in 2028.

        But he didn’t do that. He made a huge song and dance about “releasing the Epstein files” then obviously canned it at the last minute. For the rabid conspiracy theoriests that comprise his base, the folks who were willing to invent an entire child trafficing code for pizzagate, that was probably the one manuver even he couldn’t pull.

        Will this mean anything in the long run? Well, I’ve kinda had my hope beaten out of me in that respect. But this does kinda feel different, I will say that.

      • Sailor88@lemmy.world
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        1 month ago

        I am feeling like this is just a big distraction from all sides. “We” are being easily played. All these files have been in the hands of both sides and neither have released them. Either they are all hiding things or there isn’t actually anything beyond the sicko JE.

        Just one more wedge between the citizens (I don’t know you but I hate you) to occupy us while “they” do something else. The uniparty is real.

        • nova_ad_vitum@lemmy.ca
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          1 month ago

          Yes thank your for illustrating the logic that enlightened centrist have used to justify voting for a known rapist twice. Literally just stoner logic.

    • atticus88th@lemmy.world
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      1 month ago

      It was what started the revival and rise of political Trump, QANON was all about stopping diddling children. Or so many of its believers were told.

    • bobbyguy@lemmy.world
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      1 month ago

      there isn’t, they want to legalize deportation to active warzones, ice also has a racial bias (obviously), plus they let some trust fund billionaire who wasn’t even part of the American government make massive budget cuts that will have massive concequences.

      and technically there is a law that says no president of the united states can be convicted of a crime (for declaring wars and other crap) the side affect being that a 36 times convicted felon (and non-convicted rapist) can run for office, win, and then have all charges dropped

  • Lasherz@lemmy.worldM
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    1 month ago

    What does a big thing even mean to someone enacting the American Nazi agenda? Invade Poland?

  • Strider@lemmy.world
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    1 month ago

    Ha, when you’ve already pulled so many crazy stories that it’s not working anymore. Nice.

    Also Epstein did not kill himself.

    Release the Epstein files.

  • bobbyguy@lemmy.world
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    1 month ago

    that bullet should have gone through his head, not his ear, we were two inches away from a better world

  • brucethemoose@lemmy.world
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    1 month ago

    Consider linking the original source instead:

    https://www.thedailybeast.com/trump-is-plotting-this-desperate-move-to-distract-from-epstein-wolff/

    And putting the repost in the comment? It’s more direct and includes, among other things, official responses:

    House. In response to questions from the Daily Beast Tuesday about Wolff’s reporting that Trump was willing to sacrifice Ukraine to distract from his Epstein crisis, White House Communications Director Steven Cheung told the Daily Beast: “Michael Wolff is a lying sack of s— and has been proven to be a fraud. He routinely fabricates stories originating from his sick and warped imagination, only possible because he has a severe and debilitating case of Trump Derangement Syndrome that has rotted his peanut-sized brain.”

    • clif@lemmy.world
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      1 month ago

      Quotes I highlighted from Wolff’s book on trump’s first term, most of them quotes from trump or people in his orbit that came up in interviews for the book.

      “I don’t get it,” Trump said.

      Of course the United States manufactured things, but reality did not match the vision in Trump’s mind.

      “I just do,” Trump replied. “I’ve had these views for 30 years. That doesn’t mean they’re right,”

      It was clear Trump had no clue what that was or who Porter was.

      As far as Porter was concerned Navarro was a member of the Flat Earth Society on trade deficits, like the president himself.

      No answers were forthcoming. But Trump soon forgot his questions.

      “I don’t want to hear that,” Trump replied. “It’s all bullshit.”

      Trump seemed not to comprehend the value and the necessity.

      The president was speaking as if the U.S. military was a mercenary force for hire.

      “He’s a fucking moron,” Tillerson said so everyone heard.

      Cohn concluded that Trump was, in fact, going backwards.

      It seems clear that many of the president’s senior advisers, especially those in the national security realm, are extremely concerned with his erratic nature, his relative ignorance, his inability to learn, as well as what they consider his dangerous views

      "I can’t sit around and listen to this from the president. He’s just a moron.”

      It was clearly Russian propaganda, McMaster said. He and the NSC and intelligence experts had concluded that. But the president had picked it up and shot it out.

      Trump seemed not to remember his own decision because he did not ask about it. He had no list—in his mind or anywhere else—of tasks to complete.

      “The president has zero psychological ability to recognize empathy or pity in any way.”

      Trump had no understanding of how government functioned.

      Trump liked signing. It meant he was doing things,

      The president thought special assistant sounded a lot better, not realizing it was an even lower position.

      Kelly said of the president, “He’s an idiot. It’s pointless to try to convince him of anything. He’s gone off the rails. We’re in crazytown."

      “Can we change the libel laws?” Trump asked

      He had told the West Wing staff and even some on the Hill that the president didn’t understand what DACA was, that he was ignorant of both the policy and the mechanics.

      The president can’t do this on his own, he’d told West Wing colleagues, because if he does it on his own, he’s going to screw it up.

      “He’s a professional liar.”

      “Mr. President, I cannot, as a lawyer, as an officer of the court, sit next to you and have you answer these questions when I full well know that you’re not really capable.”

      He could not say what he knew was true: “You’re a fucking liar.” That was the problem.

    • Hux@lemmy.ml
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      1 month ago

      The “official response” sounds like official confirmation of Wolff’s reporting.

  • selkiesidhe@sh.itjust.works
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    1 month ago

    He’s going to float the idea of giving Alaska to Russia, distracting people from the Epstein fiasco.

    In other words: drumpf is a RAPIST and a PEDOPHILE

    • Soup@lemmy.world
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      1 month ago

      A civil one, at this rate. He already hates the people in the country and there’s no one to go to war with since he became but-buddies with all the dictators and, despite everything, attacking Europe would probably trigger a civil war anyway.

        • Soup@lemmy.world
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          30 days ago

          True, though because of the connection we(Canada) have with the citizens I can’t imagine that going over very well. They’d be better off attacking their own people because other countries probably wouldn’t feel the pull to interject and they’re kinda just shitty like that. If they did attack us they’d be dealing with issues on their own side of the border as much as dealing with us.

  • VM_Abrantes@lemmy.world
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    1 month ago

    Legitimately surprised that he hasn’t staged another “assassination attempt”, it worked so well for him last time.

  • cmoney@lemmy.world
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    1 month ago

    The hell with Ring alarm bells, keep banging the Epstien tRumpstein drum!

  • Modern_medicine_isnt@lemmy.world
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    1 month ago

    I think Trump cares more about the Epstein files than his supporters do. He is actually the one making a big deall out of it.

    I just don’t get why.