Irving Cowboy
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Anything to distract from the shitty economy, Epstein, etc.
President Trump Thread (Part 2)
- Thread starter boozeman
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You do know Trump had nothing to do with it, right?
Irving Cowboy
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You do know that Trump himself is the one who appointed those board members who voted for that name change, right?
Chocolate Lab
Free Phil Mafah!
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You can also answer why Biden didn't release the Epstein stuff. Were you constantly complaining about him not doing that?
Irving Cowboy
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Who knows. Probably because there are prominent people on both sides on those lists, and that's why I didn't think they were going to come out, it wasn't a front burner issue for me. Everyone knows what a sleaze he was, I didn't need to see his name on a client list to confirm that.
What got this spun up was his own MAGA and Q-ANON people talking over the last year of Biden's term saying that they were being hidden by the admin. Trump himself wasn't screaming about it but his supporters were, but I'm sure he thought if he gave it a little lip service leading up to the election he could just let it die off when he won, but that's not what happened. Two of the loudest voices were Patel and Bongino, and there was no way they could maintain any of their online cred if they didn't "release" the files as soon as they got in.
Now they have painted themselves into a corner. If Trump is not incriminated in any of those documents, he sure isn't acting like he's innocent.
Chocolate Lab
Free Phil Mafah!
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There were no Biden supporters calling for it? Okay.
And why does it make him look guilty if it didn't make Biden look guilty?
I think they aren't doing it because as I've said before, our CIA and other intelligence agencies do some awful things that they don't want revealed. Doesn't mean it has anything to do with Trump.
And why does it make him look guilty if it didn't make Biden look guilty?
I think they aren't doing it because as I've said before, our CIA and other intelligence agencies do some awful things that they don't want revealed. Doesn't mean it has anything to do with Trump.
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He doesn't appoint them all. Some are ex-officio. And the vote was unanimous.
Irving Cowboy
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He fired 18 of the 34 Trustees back in February and installed loyalists. The ones that he didn't fire were already his supporters. Doesn't surprise anyone that the vote was unanimous.
What's next, the Trump-Washington Monument?
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Statue of Liberty? Can we change the face to Trump? Who votes on that?
Chocolate Lab
Free Phil Mafah!
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Instead of a book could it be cradling an Archie Bunker avatar.
Chocolate Lab
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This is so true.
Irving Cowboy
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There's something wrong with you guys.
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Yep, I have a TDSer in my family and there are two here. It's definitely a thing.
Bipo
This is damn peculiar....
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Irving Cowboy
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If TDS is real then so is OBDS, (Obama Biden Derangement Syndrome) and our President is possessed by it.
Cujo
Trapped in Purgatory...
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I think this is the larger point that tends to get lost in the drug trafficking and desire for regime change. The last thing we need is either of our largest adversaries gaining a foothold in the western hemisphere.
Venezuela’s close economic, military, and diplomatic ties with China and Russia raise several strategic concerns for the United States, primarily in the context of great power competition, regional influence, and national security. These concerns stem from longstanding U.S. policy views treating Latin America as its sphere of influence (echoing the Monroe Doctrine) and seeing China and Russia as adversarial powers seeking to challenge U.S. dominance.
Undermining U.S. Sanctions and Pressure on the Maduro Regime
China and Russia provide economic and political lifelines that help Venezuela evade or withstand U.S. sanctions aimed at isolating the Maduro government, which Washington considers illegitimate, authoritarian, and linked to narcotics trafficking.
• China serves as Venezuela’s largest oil buyer (accounting for significant crude imports) and has historically extended tens of billions in loans, often repaid in oil, sustaining the regime financially.
• Russia offers diplomatic backing and has helped with debt restructuring or trade.
This undercuts U.S. efforts to force political change or curb activities like alleged drug trafficking and corruption.
Expanding Adversarial Influence in the Western Hemisphere
Venezuela serves as a foothold for China and Russia in Latin America, a region the U.S. traditionally dominates.
• China’s investments (via Belt and Road initiatives) include energy, mining, and infrastructure deals, expanding Beijing’s economic leverage.
• Russia’s ties involve arms sales, military training, and occasional deployments (e.g., bombers or naval visits in the past).
This challenges U.S. regional hegemony and could enable intelligence gathering, dual-use facilities, or proxy influence close to U.S. borders.
Potential Military and Security Threats
Military cooperation raises risks of adversarial presence near the U.S.
• Russia supplies weapons (e.g., fighter jets, air defense systems) and conducts joint exercises, potentially allowing technology transfers or basing opportunities.
• China provides dual-use tech (e.g., satellites or communications).
In a crisis, this could complicate U.S. operations or escalate tensions, though experts note both countries have been cautious about direct military involvement due to their own priorities (e.g., Russia’s Ukraine war, China’s trade focus).
Broader Impacts on U.S. Interests
These ties contribute to regional instability, which affects the U.S. directly through migration surges, transnational crime (e.g., Venezuelan-linked gangs or drug routes), and energy market dynamics (Venezuela’s oil reserves influencing global prices). They also align with China and Russia’s efforts to promote a “multipolar” world order countering U.S. influence.
That said, recent analyses (as of late 2025) suggest Russian and Chinese support has become more symbolic than substantive, with limited willingness to provide major aid amid U.S. pressure campaigns. The core U.S. worry remains the precedent and potential for deeper entanglement in its backyard.
Venezuela’s close economic, military, and diplomatic ties with China and Russia raise several strategic concerns for the United States, primarily in the context of great power competition, regional influence, and national security. These concerns stem from longstanding U.S. policy views treating Latin America as its sphere of influence (echoing the Monroe Doctrine) and seeing China and Russia as adversarial powers seeking to challenge U.S. dominance.
Undermining U.S. Sanctions and Pressure on the Maduro Regime
China and Russia provide economic and political lifelines that help Venezuela evade or withstand U.S. sanctions aimed at isolating the Maduro government, which Washington considers illegitimate, authoritarian, and linked to narcotics trafficking.
• China serves as Venezuela’s largest oil buyer (accounting for significant crude imports) and has historically extended tens of billions in loans, often repaid in oil, sustaining the regime financially.
• Russia offers diplomatic backing and has helped with debt restructuring or trade.
This undercuts U.S. efforts to force political change or curb activities like alleged drug trafficking and corruption.
Expanding Adversarial Influence in the Western Hemisphere
Venezuela serves as a foothold for China and Russia in Latin America, a region the U.S. traditionally dominates.
• China’s investments (via Belt and Road initiatives) include energy, mining, and infrastructure deals, expanding Beijing’s economic leverage.
• Russia’s ties involve arms sales, military training, and occasional deployments (e.g., bombers or naval visits in the past).
This challenges U.S. regional hegemony and could enable intelligence gathering, dual-use facilities, or proxy influence close to U.S. borders.
Potential Military and Security Threats
Military cooperation raises risks of adversarial presence near the U.S.
• Russia supplies weapons (e.g., fighter jets, air defense systems) and conducts joint exercises, potentially allowing technology transfers or basing opportunities.
• China provides dual-use tech (e.g., satellites or communications).
In a crisis, this could complicate U.S. operations or escalate tensions, though experts note both countries have been cautious about direct military involvement due to their own priorities (e.g., Russia’s Ukraine war, China’s trade focus).
Broader Impacts on U.S. Interests
These ties contribute to regional instability, which affects the U.S. directly through migration surges, transnational crime (e.g., Venezuelan-linked gangs or drug routes), and energy market dynamics (Venezuela’s oil reserves influencing global prices). They also align with China and Russia’s efforts to promote a “multipolar” world order countering U.S. influence.
That said, recent analyses (as of late 2025) suggest Russian and Chinese support has become more symbolic than substantive, with limited willingness to provide major aid amid U.S. pressure campaigns. The core U.S. worry remains the precedent and potential for deeper entanglement in its backyard.
Irving Cowboy
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The US hasn't done well with regime changes in more than a few decades.
Now we have a madman trying to conduct his own. Whether it's needed or not, this is not gonna turn out well.
Now we have a madman trying to conduct his own. Whether it's needed or not, this is not gonna turn out well.
Cujo
Trapped in Purgatory...
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We don’t have a great record, though at times we’ve been successful. I don’t think we can allow a nation as large as Venezuela (who used to be prosperous but now ranks 68th in GDP per capital) to continue in its present form without it destabilizing the region.