The Donald Trump thread

[Dorcus]

Re: The Donald Trump thread

More evidence of a dictatorship emerging?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ckgerl183j3o

The Trump administration has fired Gen Timothy Haugh - the head of both the National Security Agency and US Cyber Command - the BBC's US partner CBS has reported.

It is not clear why he was removed, but it comes after a meeting between President Donald Trump and far-right activist Laura Loomer on Wednesday. Ms Loomer reportedly urged Trump to fire specific employees whom she suspected lacked support for his agenda.

She posted on X that Gen Haugh and his deputy Wendy Noble, who US media reported was also let go, "have been disloyal to President Trump. That is why they have been fired."

Before their firings were reported, Trump told reporters he would get rid of any staff deemed to be disloyal.

Wasn't there a "Night of the Long Knives" somewhere? Now where on Earth was it and when ......?

[Wales-Bales]

Re: The Donald Trump thread

Cuba. I forgot about those pesky boys. Does the USA have many dealings with them? The embargo is still active isn’t it?

Israel, less than most countries. Iran, the baseline minimum. Russia and North Korea, nothing… how curious.

The tariffs are reciprocal. What part of reciprocal don't you understand?

[Wales-Bales]

Re: The Donald Trump thread

More evidence of a dictatorship emerging?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ckgerl183j3o

The Trump administration has fired Gen Timothy Haugh - the head of both the National Security Agency and US Cyber Command - the BBC's US partner CBS has reported.

It is not clear why he was removed, but it comes after a meeting between President Donald Trump and far-right activist Laura Loomer on Wednesday. Ms Loomer reportedly urged Trump to fire specific employees whom she suspected lacked support for his agenda.

She posted on X that Gen Haugh and his deputy Wendy Noble, who US media reported was also let go, "have been disloyal to President Trump. That is why they have been fired."

Before their firings were reported, Trump told reporters he would get rid of any staff deemed to be disloyal.

Isn't that something to do with sections of the USA military command orchestrating the Ukraine-Russia war?

[jon1959]

Re: The Donald Trump thread

Isn't that something to do with sections of the USA military command orchestrating the Ukraine-Russia war?

I have read widely and deeply around this issue for the last 11 minutes, and I have concluded they were sacked because they thought Trump is a twat and MAGA is a dangerous reactionary movement represented by loons who have the President's ear like Laura Loomer.

If they thought the same about Vladimir Putin, that is as close as you will get to your Ukraine-Russia war speculation.

[JamesWales]

Re: The Donald Trump thread

Wasn't there a "Night of the Long Knives" somewhere? Now where on Earth was it and when ......?

FFS.

Comparing the murder of hundreds of opponents to high ranking officials losing their jobs under a new head of state?

Hard to even know where to begin with this stuff.

[Wales-Bales]

Re: The Donald Trump thread

I have read widely and deeply around this issue for the last 11 minutes, and I have concluded they were sacked because they thought Trump is a twat and MAGA is a dangerous reactionary movement represented by loons who have the President's ear like Laura Loomer.

If they thought the same about Vladimir Putin, that is as close as you will get to your Ukraine-Russia war speculation.

Why else would you fire a honest and forthright leader who followed the law and put national security first?

[Rjk]

Re: The Donald Trump thread

FFS.

Comparing the murder of hundreds of opponents to high ranking officials losing their jobs under a new head of state?

Hard to even know where to begin with this stuff.

There have been many incidents referred to as the "night of the long knives" - many of them not actually involving literal knives and some of them actually predating the Nazi purge. So please unclutch your pearls.

[Rjk]

Re: The Donald Trump thread

Isn't that something to do with sections of the USA military command orchestrating the Ukraine-Russia war?

no

[jon1959]

Re: The Donald Trump thread

Why else would you fire a honest and forthright leader who followed the law and put national security first?

I suppose if you ate a dishonest and corrupt leader who puts personal wealth, status and vanity before ‘national security’ anything is possible?

[JamesWales]

Re: The Donald Trump thread

There have been many incidents referred to as the "night of the long knives" - many of them not actually involving literal knives and some of them actually predating the Nazi purge. So please unclutch your pearls.

It's not pearl clutching. It's pointing out it's a stupid analogy and offensive to the victims of fascism to label any such conflict (in this case firing a senior advisor) as remotely comparable.

It's beyond ridiculous and makes any sensible discussion of what is quite a statement and newsworthy sacking totally impossible.

[Dorcus]

Re: The Donald Trump thread

FFS.

Comparing the murder of hundreds of opponents to high ranking officials losing their jobs under a new head of state?

Hard to even know where to begin with this stuff.

You know where to begin...stop gaslighting!

[JamesWales]

Re: The Donald Trump thread

You know where to begin...stop gaslighting!

Okay, breath.

Firing members of a national security team is not the same as murdering hundreds of political rivals in cold whilst simultaneously closing down the judiciary and banning rival parties, putting gays, social democrats, conservatives and priests in prison and drawing up plans to wipe the Jewish race off the map of Europe. Context matters.

Look, Biden did similar in 2001.

https://www.politico.com/news/2021/03/26/biden-guts-homeland-security-advisory-council-478156

https://www.politico.com/news/2021/09/08/biden-trump-military-advisory-boards-510526

Few things annoy me more than totally inappropriate comparisons to the Nazis and world war two. Whether it's people on the right thinking Boris is some kind of Churchill figure during lockdown or people on the left thinking nearly everything they don't like is some mystical reimagining of 1930s Germany.

I honestly think it's unbelievable disrespectful of victims.

[Rjk]

Re: The Donald Trump thread

Okay, breath.

Firing members of a national security team is not the same as murdering hundreds of political rivals in cold whilst simultaneously closing down the judiciary and banning rival parties, putting gays, social democrats, conservatives and priests in prison and drawing up plans to wipe the Jewish race off the map of Europe. Context matters.

Look, Biden did similar in 2001.

https://www.politico.com/news/2021/03/26/biden-guts-homeland-security-advisory-council-478156

https://www.politico.com/news/2021/09/08/biden-trump-military-advisory-boards-510526

Few things annoy me more than totally inappropriate comparisons to the Nazis and world war two. Whether it's people on the right thinking Boris is some kind of Churchill figure during lockdown or people on the left thinking nearly everything they don't like is some mystical reimagining of 1930s Germany.

I honestly think it's unbelievable disrespectful of victims.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Night_of_the_Long_Knives_(1962)

[JamesWales]

Re: The Donald Trump thread

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Night_..._Knives_(1962)

Except I don't think people were seriously comparing Harold Macmillan's Govt to the Nazis were they? Same as one can refer to "being in the trenches" or "like the charge of the light brigade". If it's in the context of constant references to the Nazis / WW1 or whatever then it's quite different

As the article says, the name was used mockingly so if people are not seriously comparing the current US administration to them then that's fine too! If they are, it's ridiculous!

Perhaps people were just comparing the sacking of advisors to that well known event in 1962 in the UK govt after all?

[jon1959]

Re: The Donald Trump thread

It's not pearl clutching. It's pointing out it's a stupid analogy and offensive to the victims of fascism to label any such conflict (in this case firing a senior advisor) as remotely comparable.

It's beyond ridiculous and makes any sensible discussion of what is quite a statement and newsworthy sacking totally impossible.

The 'victims of fascism' in 1934 were fascists!

But is the 'stupid analogy' with Ernst Rohm or with Selwyn Lloyd?

As Rjk has helpfully pointed out to you the phrase 'night of the long knives' has a long and varied history and is not just about the murder of brownshirt thugs, but of any major purge within a single party or administration.

My problem with the phrase is that it is not a 'night' - the Trump purge (which is of a totally different scale from previous Presidents) has been rolling for months and shows little sign of slowing down. As long as there are government employees who are not yes men or women, who are not sycophants, who have a sentimental attachment to the law and constitution, the season of the long knives will continue.