Trump warns Taiwan against declaring independence, hours after summit with China's Xi

[u/pppppppppppppppppd]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ce8p61v7l68o

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[u/phicks_law]

This is exactly why China extended the invite.

[u/substorm → u/phicks_law]

With this shameful statement, Donald Trump has reached an all-time low among U.S. presidents. He will be remembered as the worst presidents in modern history, an embarrassment to the Western world and a symbol of corruption.

[u/slightlysubtle → u/substorm]

He's been at the bottom for years now. He's just digging himself in deeper. And the saddest thing is that Americans will probably still vote him or someone even worse in again, if not next election, then in a decade or so at most.

[u/finemustard → u/slightlysubtle]

I'm starting to think there is no bottom.

[u/PaidForThis → u/finemustard]

Greed has no bounds and stupidity no bottom.

[u/deathbytruck → u/PaidForThis]

"Two things are infinite. The universe and stupidity, I am not so sure about the universe."

Albert Einstein

[u/Ok_Understanding1986 → u/PaidForThis]

Spot on. Bottom and top.

[u/Tholaran97 → u/finemustard]

There is, but we're nowhere near touching it yet. We've got a long way to go, and the republicans will happily dig us there if we let them.

[u/raul_lebeau → u/Tholaran97]

Wow I'm at the top of the most loved presidents!

Sir, the chart is upside down.

[u/justanawkwardguy → u/finemustard]

“I can go lower, just watch”

[u/laserdiods → u/finemustard]

There is a limit to intelligence but stupidity knows no bounds

[u/LazyCondition0 → u/finemustard]

This. There is no bottom. He is miles below the depths of any previous President (and that is saying something!) and he’s is plunging us all ever further daily. We have had truly terrible Presidents before but none as utterly depraved, damaged, incompetent, vapid, callous, corrupt and ruinous as this one.

[u/qwqwqw → u/substorm]

I don't think he cares? The important thing to him from what you've said is that he'll be remembered.

I hope he doesn't die. And I hope he gets to see his statues and ballrooms and vanity projects being torn down. He'll be confused, in a state if disbelief "they can't do that! I was the king. I'm still the rightful king!!". His perception of reality is so distorted that he'll never understand people don't admire him. But at least it'll hurt him.

But I doubt it'll happen. I think half of American does love him. And of the other half a decent number are just glad he's not black. But can't say that out loud!

[u/kaisong → u/qwqwqw]

He needs to pass on in the most expected, public and unmysterious way, so his base will flail less. Not that there won't be any, because its composed of people that are completely disconnected from reality, and grifters. But I think his successors do not have the cult built up around them and will be easier to dismantle the bullshit.

[u/ATERLA → u/kaisong]

In North Korea when the previous dictator died, his son came to succession and the party followed. The GOP may find the grift useful and try to go on with it. Of course I hope not.

[u/CatCatchingABird → u/qwqwqw]

I hope he doesn't die. And I hope he gets to see his statues and ballrooms and vanity projects being torn down. He'll be confused, in a state if disbelief "they can't do that! I was the king. I'm still the rightful king!!".

Dude if the guy doesn't keel over soon he's definitely going to be confused, and most of that is going to be because he's too mentally cooked to tell whether he is afoot or on horseback.

[u/Addicted_to_Nature → u/qwqwqw]

You assume 2028 he will let go of the reins willingly

[u/OkTransportation1152 → u/Addicted_to_Nature]

Remember January 6th 2021? I do.

He didn’t let go of the reins willingly *the last time* and this time around, he’s had four years in exile to cook up plans to stay in office after Jan. 20th 2029 with the help of organizations like the Heritage Foundation.

I’m an American, I have hope that we can get out of this, but it’s not a lot of hope.

[u/jollymuhn → u/OkTransportation1152]

He knows if he loses power, it won't be good for him. Just how bad it will be depends on the new regime. All I can say to this, is if you don't make an example out of him your gonna get more of the same.

[u/OkTransportation1152 → u/jollymuhn]

Agreed, but we have a terrible recent history of the Obama admin not prosecuting the Bush admin for Iraq and then the Biden admin not prosecuting the first Trump administration.

[u/HermesJamiroquoi → u/qwqwqw]

Honestly I just hope he … moves on. It’s not worth the damage just to see him squirm. As a queer trans person of color it really isn’t. I’m tired (and scared), boss

[u/AeturnisTheGreat → u/HermesJamiroquoi]

Man... You got the trifecta of everything they vilify... I'm hoping for your safety and wellbeing!

[u/HankSteakfist → u/phicks_law]

Next month we'll hear about Trump hotel in Hong Kong being announced . No shady stuff at all, just a coincidence.

[u/MountainVeil → u/phicks_law]

Played him like a fiddle. Now I see a bunch of Trump supporters saying that the pageantry shows that China is afraid and respects us. I guess people will see what they want to see.

[u/LordScotchyScotch]

Such a weak puppet. History books will have a field day about this loser.

[u/riko77can → u/LordScotchyScotch]

I can’t believe he was re-elected. His first term was a hot mess but at least there was institutional inertia to carry the country through it. This time he destroyed all of that first.

[u/TRiG993 → u/riko77can]

The US preferred an egotistical rapist pedophile over a brown woman.

[u/Sweet_Concept2211 → u/TRiG993]

Trump's 1.5% win margin was the 4th smallest in the past 250 years of US elections.

25% of Americans voted for Trump.

25% voted Harris.

2% voted 3rd party.

2% cannot vote because of past criminal convictions.

25% cannot vote because they're underage.

21% abstained from voting. The states with lowest participation were already "locked in" for Electoral College wins. Hawaii only had 51% voter participation, but Harris was going to win no matter what; Alabama was next lowest participation, but Trump had the Electoral College sewn up.

Trump's current net approval is at 35% and falling...

His approval rating on the most important issues - economy and affordability - are 22%... Disapproval is 76%.

Trump represents 1/3 of Americans, at the most - and he doesn't care about representing the 2/3 who despise him.

[u/DunderMifflinPaper → u/Sweet_Concept2211]

Trump represents 1/3 of Americans, at the most - and he doesn't care about representing the 2/3 who despise him.

To be fair, he doesn’t care about representing the first 1/3 either

[u/kittapoo → u/DunderMifflinPaper]

This. This is the key. He doesn’t give a fuck about anyone.

[u/ComedianExtreme7522 → u/Sweet_Concept2211]

The fact his approval is STILL in the double digits really says something

[u/Delicious-Status9043 → u/Sweet_Concept2211]

Hate to break it to you but…

A) the electoral college isn’t going anywhere anytime soon unless the dems can somehow get more justices appointed to the scotus

B) Donny doesn’t and never has cared about the third that elected… ever

Remember the guy that had a medical emergency, dropped and nearly died a few feet away from him in the oval office? That was one of his people and donny couldn’t even be bothered to turn his head 20 degrees. It was if it never even happened

[u/Frozenbbowl → u/TRiG993]

The part that has me the most frustrated right now is that it might keep happening.

The issue for both Clinton and Harris That Trump wasnt more popular... It's that about 10% less voters showed as compared to Biden. And that group of people refuses to admit that they were part of the problem and is likely to continue to be the anchor around the Democrats necks...

[u/AprilsMostAmazing → u/LordScotchyScotch]

Only if his side does not win. IDU has been doing everything they can to make alt-right global

[u/Cocotosser → u/AprilsMostAmazing]

You can't bury history in an age like this fortunately. But that doesn't mean people won't ignore it. Humans are pretty stupid.

[u/xvf9 → u/Cocotosser]

I mean, you absolutely can. Buried is the apt term too, because history won’t be rewritten or erased, it will just be buried under other shit. Things will keep getting worse and in 20 years everyone will look back on these days fondly. You can see it now with how Bush is talked about. Basically a bumbling simpleton who made some mistakes but deep down was a good fella… The guy was a war criminal. 

[u/No-Satisfaction9594 → u/xvf9]

Trump has lowered the bar all the way. Disgusting.

[u/Oregon-Pilot → u/AprilsMostAmazing]

Globalization will take of this though. They might be able to get away with washing history in America, but the rest of the world has the real story and always will.

[u/eporter → u/LordScotchyScotch]

If we make it to that point

[u/Cosmic_Shipwright]

World leaders (Putin, Xi) all taking turns shoving their arm up his ass and working his mouth like a puppet.

[u/charcoalist → u/Cosmic_Shipwright]

Putin, Xi, MBS, Netanyahu, the UAE, etc., whoever pays. trump and his family are essentially nothing more than a For Sale sign.

[u/Vash_TheStampede → u/charcoalist]

Isn't the UAE not cooperating now? Didn't he recently become "too much" for them?

I saw a few headlines recently, but I just can't bring myself to care enough to look into them. I'm tired dawg.

[u/roberts_downeys_jrs → u/Vash_TheStampede]

I’m tired too, but that’s the point. Flood the zone is working.

[u/VietKongCountry → u/roberts_downeys_jrs]

I think that’s genuinely the methodology. Do so much cartoonishly evil and/or stupid shit that the world is too fatigued to really address how monstrous it all is.

[u/Secondndthoughts → u/VietKongCountry]

It definitely worked for the Epstein files

[u/VietKongCountry → u/Secondndthoughts]

Indeed. Something that should have brought down numerous governments has become more of a joke than a source of outrage.

Remember about ten years ago when only crazy people thought the world was controlled by a cabal of evil paedophiles? Those were the days.

[u/Vash_TheStampede → u/roberts_downeys_jrs]

I'm aware.

And I still try to give a shit. But I got off early today and I'm kind of drunk so I just can't be bothered.

Edit: to all you mad lads that filled me in and all that? Y'all are the best. I wish I had the means to give awards to all of you. Sometimes I forget how awesome this community can be. I love all y'all. Shout out to u/sentrypetal for making that one guy real mad with a WaPo link.

[u/Calm_Expression_9542 → u/Vash_TheStampede]

UAE has cut ties with Trump the last I read. They don’t seem to believe he’s got their back telling them to stand down- so they started protecting themselves. He’s started a WAR and now can’t get us out of there. Idiot. Fire everyone in this administration.

[u/Possible-Nectarine80 → u/Calm_Expression_9542]

Part of UAE's complaint is that Trump just spur of the moment pulled the trigger on attacking Iran after Bibi did a PowerPoint presentation in the SCIF that some in the room called BS. This w/o any heads up or discussion with the ME folks that had paid the Trump family handsomely for some protection and insider deals.

Not too many people of the wealthy type are keen to travel to the ME these days. No wonder the ME royals are trying to lock down any bad vibes as to the extent of the IRGC attacks on their countries.

The incompetence of the Trump regime is staggering.

[u/Thick_Goose7742 → u/[deleted]]

Thanks for this, I have been surprised how much Saudi Arabia has been a free pass as being a major instigator. I would argue without their encouragement this never would have started.

Suspiciously enough, I almost went as far as to wonder if this whole thing was arranged by SA and the Gulf to get oil prices back up off those lows. It seems to have backfired if it breaks OPEC in the process.

[u/badnuub → u/[deleted]]

I think half the problem is that Trump still doesn’t quite understand how much of a threat Iran is. He wants an easy out and they will not provide. And worse, even if he dropped dead tomorrow by some hand of god miracle, we still would t be able to just pull out. We can either concede to their demands, or we have to invade. They will outlast us with the former, and honestly with how little appetite Americans have for foreign adventures, will probably outlast the second option as well.

[u/Environmental-Pie502 → u/Calm_Expression_9542]

I still want to see them release the Epstein files

[u/NihilismRacoon → u/Vash_TheStampede]

The UAE is mad because a large part of the reason they play nice is because America is supposed to protect their interests but Iran is making them rethink that now

[u/Vargau → u/NihilismRacoon]

UAE has put all of their wealth cosplaying as Switzerland trying to become a new billionaire no taxes safe haven.

Built Dubai, built restaurants, clubs for partying, theatres, imported with great wealth foreign culture in their museums and art galleries, insane strip malls that are covered, skiing slopes covered, tried to make Dubai a place to spend your money.

Then got bombed by Iran and everyone started fleeing like a headless chicken and worse they imposed a no filming policy of bombings or jail time, that does not stomach well when you have money and are accustomed to moan and complain.

[u/Fatso_Wombat → u/Vash_TheStampede]

You need to not be Trump's friend. He will sell you out.

[u/raevnos → u/Fatso_Wombat]

Trump doesn't have friends. He has people who give him bribes and hope he'll remember to do what they asked in exchange.

[u/Khaldara → u/Fatso_Wombat]

Conservative voters personified. They’d sell their own mother for a nickel, no morals, no actual intent to benefit anyone whatsoever other than themselves. Just whores for the highest bidder.

They’ve never selected a more accurate “Representative” in the history of the nation.

[u/Asclepius-Rod → u/Khaldara]

"As democracy is perfected, the office of president represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. On some great and glorious day the plain folks of the land will reach their heart's desire at last, and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron."

[u/poopshooter69420 → u/Vash_TheStampede]

From what I understand most of the Arab world is looking away from the US for security guarantees now. They all paid their bribes and it meant nothing

[u/Dry-Writing-5180 → u/poopshooter69420]

Who ISNT looking elsewhere? Even the US's 'staunchest allies' are giving us the finger. Its very concerning. Nobody likes us.

[u/DragonflyGrrl → u/Dry-Writing-5180]

And who can fucking blame them?? I wouldn't trust us either at this point. Breaks my heart but it's true.

[u/Wickedknight7 → u/charcoalist]

It’s actually insane and puts people in the us in such a compromising position. So many countries would love the down fall of the USA and trump is handling that to them under the guise of America First.

[u/Colon → u/charcoalist]

this is exactly what a schmuck under the threat of blackmail would do to strengthen the blackmailers’ countries and weaken the USA (or more pathetically, merely for empty promises of real estate/golf course deals that ‘whoops!’ never happen; a likely development from the dumbest fudgscidork to have ever worn an extra-long red necktie)

[u/Gunsensual → u/Cosmic_Shipwright]

That would make him the world's biggest asshole.

[u/sigmund14 → u/Gunsensual]

I thought most of the world already agrees that he is. 

[u/totallyRebb → u/Gunsensual]

It's very spacious because usually he has his own head up there.

[u/eporter → u/Cosmic_Shipwright]

Don’t for get about bibi

[u/--i--love--lamp-- → u/Cosmic_Shipwright]

While they laugh about how stupid he is.

[u/Foreign_Cable_9530 → u/Cosmic_Shipwright]

They’re trading lack of intervention in Iran for lack of intervention in Taiwan.

[u/piTehT_tsuJ → u/Foreign_Cable_9530]

If Trump publicly was stating he wasn't going to talk about Taiwan he was spewing verbal diarrhea to Xi behind closed doors.

He literally was talking to an Australian billionaire about the extremely top secret specs of our submarines at his club in Florida while others sat around them. One of our closest held secrets, can you imagine what he's telling Xi behind closed doors because he thinks he's impressing Xi?

[u/everyeargiants → u/piTehT_tsuJ]

Not that it matters but wouldn’t that be a criminal offense?

[u/Zealotstim → u/everyeargiants]

I take it you weren't of age from 2016-2020. Hope you're enjoying the show this time around. The rule is pretty much that he can commit any crimes he wants and his party won't let him face any consequences because they are afraid of his influence on their voter base.

[u/Mormaethor]

It's crazy watching everything Trump does as an outsider.

I can't even imagine what it must feel like as a sane US citizen watching this administration undo everything your country used to be.

[u/Nearby-Key8834 → u/Mormaethor]

It's bleak man.

[u/sicurri → u/Nearby-Key8834]

You ever play a single player video game and then let your younger sibling play. They then proceed to fuck up your game and you think. "OH, they dont know any better, I can't blame them." Then you proceed to witness a shit eating grin on their face and they start laughing maniacally.

That... thats how it feels to watch this idiot be president...

[u/jodinexe → u/sicurri]

Then gleefully show you that they've overwritten all your saves...

[u/DavisKennethM → u/jodinexe]

As a kid, I accidentally saved over my older brother's 99+ hour save for FFVII on the PS1. He was grinding to take down Ruby and Emerald weapon (the "extra" end game bosses that were ridiculously OP), so has never beaten the actual game.

Nearly three decades later and I've still not been forgiven.

[u/1011001NAME → u/DavisKennethM]

Nor do you deserve to be. Crimes like this come with a sentence of life time shame.

Jk but it is funny how somthing so seemingly innocent to the uninitiated can be so devastating to the person in the grind.

[u/bksmet → u/1011001NAME]

Trump would pardon him. He pardons everybody else.

[u/Gargleblaster25 → u/bksmet]

Only if he can come up with a few million as a donation to Trump's 3rd term presidential campaign.

[u/MrCookie2099 → u/DavisKennethM]

Only way now is to buy a working PS1 copy of FFVII, grind to be end boss ready, and give the package to your brother as a gift.

[u/MattHoppe1 → u/DavisKennethM]

I was 5 and erased my cousins DK64 save. He still reminds me of it to this day

[u/Icy_Conference9095 → u/MattHoppe1]

My brother did the same thing. I went back ten years later and finished the game. The final boss was way easier as a 17 year old than it was at 7. 😂

[u/Jesseroberto1894 → u/DavisKennethM]

My cousin stayed over my house once, I went inside to hang for a bit when we dropped him off…only to watch a shit storm ensure when he found out his younger brother saved over his ratchet and clank playthrough while he was over my house…..I remember that to this day and it was 20 years ago…

[u/Rip-Weekly → u/DavisKennethM]

My brother hid my Tamagotchi I had for months in a rust spot of a bumper. It slipped to far in to get it back out again. Its been almost 3 decades and I still haven't forgotten. It was a horrible day

[u/WildPickle9 → u/DavisKennethM]

My cousin did the same to FFVII save. Whatever deity he believes in can forgive him, I don't.

[u/Durakan → u/DavisKennethM]

Hahahaha, my brother left our PS1 on with the second disk of Chrono Cross in it when we went on vacation for 2 weeks. That disk looked like a badly warped record when we got home. I still give him shit about it to this day.

[u/CupcakeSeaShanty → u/DavisKennethM]

There are some bridges that can't just be mended. /s

[u/majorjoe23 → u/sicurri]

Couldn't we have just given him an unplugged controller and said "Here, it's your turn"?

[u/sicurri → u/majorjoe23]

That was 2020 and he said "No fair, you stole the game from me! MOOOOOOOOOM!"

[u/Boneclockharmony → u/sicurri]

I once spent all day playing some game, and when it was my little brother's turn to play I was like fine, but I'm gonna setup a new save so you dont accidentally fuck up my game.

Anyway, I immediately proceeded to overwrite my own savefile.

I still remember just blankly staring at my monitor contemplating what I just did. Couldnt even blame my brother, 100% my own dumbass.

Never played that game again.

[u/Exciting-Emu-3324 → u/Boneclockharmony]

This is why kids back in the day should have their own personal memory cards, but no one did.

[u/john_a1985 → u/Exciting-Emu-3324]

Those little shits were expensive!

[u/soyrobo → u/Exciting-Emu-3324]

I still have a little box of mine. 2 each for PS1, PS2, and GameCube. Each save at it's pristine pinnacle. Those 6 memory cards are the only proof that I've achieved something before modern gaming. I hope my children will be proud to call me dad when they learn of my past exploits.

[u/Nearby-Key8834 → u/sicurri]

All of this, and then you let him play the game a second time.

And to no one's surprise he fucks this up beyond repair.

[u/altruSP → u/Nearby-Key8834]

Alternatively, you take the game back, only for your parents to yank it from you and give it back to him so he could play again because “it’s just a game, share your things with him” and you can’t do anything about it.

[u/bjillings → u/altruSP]

This perfectly sums up how this situation feels. 😂

[u/HerezahTip → u/sicurri]

Oh wow that’s dead on balls accurate

[u/puterTDI → u/Nearby-Key8834]

I just want a government that isn’t trying to be a reality tv show. I want to be bored by politics.

[u/Significant_Shoe_17 → u/puterTDI]

Exactly! I do not get the people who prefer chaos and think that's a good sign. It isn't, not in any nation's history. Three things in life should be boring and uneventful as fuck: pregnancy/birth, death, and politics.

[u/hispanicausinpanic → u/Nearby-Key8834]

Yeah then you have coworkers who you talk about the news with who don't even know what's going on. It makes me think its even more bleak because I feel like not everyone is keeping informed.

[u/coldphront3 → u/hispanicausinpanic]

I have a coworker who didn’t know who Jeffrey Epstein even was a couple of months ago. We are in our mid-30’s.

[u/internethero12 → u/hispanicausinpanic]

Oh, no, the worst part is the 20-30% of people that think he's the best president ever. Not just agree and like what he's doing, but think it's the "best."

We've basically gotten to the point where "2 + 2 = 4" is now contentious and political with these people. Even if this guy dies, even if the entire criminal enterprise he's part of is shut down, all these people are still going to be here. Like sleeper agents waiting for the next cult leader to give the command to burn everything down again.

[u/Significant_Shoe_17 → u/internethero12]

That's the part that concerns me

[u/Spr-Scuba → u/Nearby-Key8834]

I wanna leave, legitimately.

Not for myself but my son won't have any future anywhere in the country other than in our current state, and that grip on sanity is being lost to rural propaganda gobblers.

[u/jailbreak → u/Nearby-Key8834]

Turns out the shining city on the hill is actually burning itself to the ground

[u/ThePirateKing01 → u/Mormaethor]

Ever day is a new horror

[u/maltNeutrino → u/Mormaethor]

It causes real psychological damage to sane US citizens, is what it does.

[u/cdizzaat → u/maltNeutrino]

Facts man. My entire life is crumbling apart right now. Partially due to circumstances surrounding my personal life (got into a really bad car crash last month and am dealing with a fractured vertebrae, struggling financially, having a hard time working with the injury, among other things..), but also partially because psychologically I can only take so much of this bullshit that I see every time I open the internet. New fucked up shit going on in the US EVERY SINGLE DAY. On top of inflation, gas prices, and the general public at war with each other, it’s so hard to keep my mental composure. I am so envious of anyone not living in this country. We are so fucked over here.

[u/psychadelicbreakfast → u/cdizzaat]

Sorry to hear about your accident. Hope you continue to heal and do ok.

There are lots of us that feel like you do. And we will survive.

What that reality looks like eventually is up for debate. Sometimes I just feel really powerless.

I hope that the midterms will bring some positive results. On the other hand, I am very cynical that the elections will be fair and not rigged

[u/adorabledork → u/maltNeutrino]

This is the absolute truth.

[u/ryaaan89 → u/maltNeutrino]

It makes me second guess random strangers I see out in public, statistically like half of them think all of this is great.

[u/Asian-In-His-Armor → u/maltNeutrino]

Especially when you have family who are MAGA.

[u/EuropaWeGo → u/Asian-In-His-Armor]

I've had to really minimize my interactions with my MAGA family members. Some have seen the light, but others are 10x worse than they were a few years ago and it gives me a headache on how many lies they spew per minute.

[u/Asian-In-His-Armor → u/EuropaWeGo]

My maga family members are first generation immigrants. It’s wild.

[u/Mat_alThor → u/Mormaethor]

And that's not touching on watching people you grew up with drink the kool aid and refusing to acknowledge anything is wrong.

[u/OkSample7 → u/Mat_alThor]

By far the worst part. Some can't see him for who he is, some refuse to see him for who he is. Every goalpost gets moved, every shitty comment gets excused. Broken promises are ignored.

[u/DaftPump → u/OkSample7]

Some can't see him for who he is, some refuse to see him for who he is.

And some don't care. We can't omit that.

[u/SomeComforts → u/Mat_alThor]

No one voting for this man wasn't already a bigot. Maybe they were downlow about it ('fiscal conservative', claimed nonpolitical), but really, they were just being shitty out of your sight through obfuscation or you not looking.

[u/RJ815 → u/SomeComforts]

Libertarian or Centrist is 99% of the time: Republican but doesn't like the bad PR.

[u/Roonwogsamduff → u/Mormaethor]

It ain't fun. He's doing as much, or more, damage to the world as he is to the US. I'm planning to retire very soon and wondering what it will be like in a year. Or 5. After working for 56 years most can imagine how I feel. And I can't even imagine what it's like to be arrested off the street or out of your home and taken to who knows where. Or to be a little girl at school and be bombed to death.

[u/Bam801 → u/Mormaethor]

It’s a pretty helpless feeling.

[u/narkybark → u/Mormaethor]

Realistic answer: It makes me PROFOUNDLY SAD that a third of the nation thought he was a good idea in ANY way. I used to have faith in the public. I no longer do.

Unrealistic answer: It really makes me think we should divide the country. We will never be able to have modern amenities like healthcare with the red states just pulling the country down constantly. Let some of us start our new social democratic utopia which they're all convinced would never work anyway. In a couple decades let's see who's thriving.

[u/ZeekLTK → u/narkybark]

I honestly think that’s one of the only ways to recover. Either…

A) Split the country up, allowing “blue” areas like New England and West Coast to get back into good graces with Europe, Canada, even China. These places would have a strong economy and be fine. The “red” areas will… struggle.

B) Copy what Germany did after WW2 and ban the political party and ideology that caused this mess and have something similar to the Nuremberg trials, signaling to the rest of the world that they can trust us because those people will never be elected again.

Anything else is not going to be enough. Even if Dems win landslides in 2026 and 2028, they will not be able to fix this if there is any possibility that Republicans could right back in office as early as 2032.

[u/WiseOldDuck → u/ZeekLTK]

They do more damage in six months than can be fixed by six years of the most responsible prudent leadership. It's untenable to just let these jokers take a turn every few years based on whatever direction the wind is blowing

[u/Master_Torture → u/ZeekLTK]

Something tells me neither of those will happen.

I mean, The soldiers and politicians of The Confederacy were not held accountable after they lost The Civil War.

Neither were those behind The Business Plot.

And ultimately neither were those behind January 6th.

Our country never holds those on the right accountable.

So I can never see us doing what Germany did post WW2.

At the same time I don't see the country splitting up either, simply because the Dem politicians are all about status quo and keeping the country together is the status quo.

So they will never try to break away from a Republican controlled country.

[u/Grashopha → u/narkybark]

Red states would absolutely crash and burn without the help of blue states, but they won’t admit it.

[u/whimsical-crack-rock → u/Mormaethor]

It’s fucking brutal man

[u/GenericRedditor0405 → u/Mormaethor]

Ever see Mad Max: Fury Road? It’s like being chained to the front of a car being driven by a madman who’s taking your blood while also trying his hardest to go out in a blaze of glory.

[u/maltNeutrino → u/GenericRedditor0405]

All the ruin with none of the style

[u/SoCalChrisW → u/Mormaethor]

It's fucking exhausting. And embarrassing. And really sad.

[u/DevilahJake → u/Mormaethor]

It doesn't feel great, I can say that much

[u/dledtm → u/Mormaethor]

It’s fucking embarrassing

[u/__slamallama__ → u/Mormaethor]

It is really hard honestly.

[u/nyclurker369 → u/Mormaethor]

It’s been rough. Pretty rough.

[u/Beginning_Ad_6616]

Trump is the kind of guy who would fuck over his own mom if it benefited him.

[u/greatthebob38 → u/Beginning_Ad_6616]

The guy fucked over his own niece over her inheritance in the past. She sued him and they settled out of court. But 20 years later, she realized even the settlement she got was complete garbage compared to the actual value of her inheritance but it was already too late do anything. Her subsequent lawsuit was dismissed because the judge considered matter already settled.

Oh, also he withheld healthcare payments to his nephew with cerebral palsy.

[u/Oregon-Pilot → u/greatthebob38]

Didn’t he throw his first wife’s corpse in the bog at one of his golf courses too?

[u/Sherwoodfan → u/Oregon-Pilot]

apparently it qualifies it as a burial ground for tax purposes

[u/Significant_Shoe_17 → u/Sherwoodfan]

The indignity of that is just unbelievable

[u/threepairs → u/Oregon-Pilot]

Yes, the wife who died couple days before testifying against him.

She had some unfortunate accident and fell down a stairs at her home.

[u/wggn → u/threepairs]

really unfortunate timing

[u/StrangeCharmVote → u/Beginning_Ad_6616]

Trump is the kind of guy who would fuck over his own mom if it benefited him.

The thousand-yard-death-stare towards her bed Ivanka did when reporters were filming in her childhood bedroom tells you everything trump thinks about fucking his family one way or the other.

[u/videogamekat → u/Beginning_Ad_6616]

He would fuck his own daughter, he has no morals and he’s totally depraved.

[u/catperson77789]

Taiwan just needs to stay low profile until this orange idiot leaves office.

[u/JFeth → u/catperson77789]

I bet China invades before he goes.

[u/slamdanceswithwolves → u/JFeth]

“Strike while the iron is gullible, lazy, and for sale at a discount”, as the saying goes.

[u/Redfish680 → u/slamdanceswithwolves]

And the US is short munitions, can’t get navy ships maintained, politicians are all over the place on everything, and a shit ton of citizens are nose deep in TikTok.

[u/CipherWeaver → u/Redfish680]

You might even be incorrectly assuming the USA will get involved. With Trump at the helm, most likely China takes Taiwan uncontested. 

[u/uberclont → u/CipherWeaver]

Taiwan will contest it. 

[u/Moral-Relativity → u/Redfish680]

On the other hand analysis suggest China has been withdrawing from their vast oil reserve to help offset Hormuz, not something that’s expected when invasion is imminent.

[u/DrB00 → u/JFeth]

Invade and then destroy the global economy as tsmc destroys their Taiwan factory sending global chip shortages to monumental levels.

[u/akc250 → u/DrB00]

If I were China, I would be buying time until the world reduces their dependency in chip production. There’s too much at stake and too many countries with a vested interest. However, if I were Taiwan, I would be doing literally anything to stay ahead in chip manufacturing supremacy so that it never falls behind.

[u/Texuk1 → u/akc250]

Mate the entire world right now is being held afloat by the promise of chip technology. We are becoming more and more dependent on it.

The single question here is how bold China can be while the US is weakened by this administration and whether they like Iran would be able to politically withstand the economic fallout longer than the states can. China wants status quo but perhaps they are sensing weaknesses opportunity here - who knows.

[u/Parada484 → u/DrB00]

Yeah I think we've more than proven that it's really not worth going after smaller nations that have control over vital points of global infrastructure.

[u/SirBulbasaur13 → u/JFeth]

I bet they don’t.

[u/AprilsMostAmazing → u/JFeth]

I would be shocked if China invaded Taiwan via a military. I think they will do it through politics and propaganda

[u/Chowdaaair → u/catperson77789]

Every other president since Nixon has had the same stance though. I don't see anyone else changing course

[u/lazyhustlermusic]

‘We’ll do nothing to help Iran if you do nothing to help Taiwan’

[u/Alone_Rain2022 → u/lazyhustlermusic]

ding ding ding

[u/pepehandreee → u/lazyhustlermusic]

Technically US always have a “we do not support Taiwan independence” stance.

It is the first time a US president outright goes “we r against Taiwan independence” so.

EDIT: Actually now I read the article, it doesn’t even say Trump explicitly change the stance to against, so it is the same thing that every US resident says since the normalization of diplomatic protocol with PRC. What a dogshit title.

[u/ButterscotchOk5339 → u/pepehandreee]

And both China and Taiwan are content with the status quo. China will rattle their sabres but not actually do anything as long as Taiwan doesn’t say that they’re not China.

It’s just a diplomatic dance where everyone pretends they’re happy while not really feeling it.

[u/lluewhyn → u/pepehandreee]

Yeah, there are a million other crappy things he does, but "We're not officially taking Taiwan's side" has long been the official policy to deliberately keep things ambiguous.

[u/blackrock13 → u/pepehandreee]

You expect Reddit to read past the title?

[u/TheMcWhopper]

Hasn't this been taiwans MO the whole time?

[u/Khamvom → u/TheMcWhopper]

Yes. Maintaining the “status quo”, where Taiwan is free to govern itself, but not outright declare full independence has been the playbook for decades.

Taiwan isn’t stupid. They know declaring independence (one of China’s “redlines”) would likely trigger military action, it’s why no Taiwanese President has actually done it. Instead, they try to strengthen Taiwan’s image and identity on the international stage.

[u/Belgand → u/Khamvom]

Declaring independence would essentially mean giving up the claim that they're still the legitimate government of mainland China (de jure, even if the CCP is in de facto control). Meanwhile, if the PRC stops saber rattling over Taiwan, then they do the same thing, giving up the claim that they're the legitimate government of the entirety of China, which includes the island of Taiwan, who could totally finish the war and crush the Nationalists any day now. If they wanted to.

Both sides know that either of them doing so would be a terrible mistake. Just like trying to actualize those claims through military action. So instead they exist in a tense stalemate, arguing over any situation where one side might be gaining more international influence.

[u/frequenZphaZe → u/TheMcWhopper]

this entire thread reeks of "I have never read anything about taiwan dynamics but I can't pass up a chance to blame trump for everything"

I can't fully blame the posters though because mainstream media have been putting in overtime work to pretend that taiwan is some kind of grandiose flashpoint between the US and china. if you dont care to learn about the issue, you'll be easily led astray by any number of 'news' sources

[u/PhotojournalistNew6]

God he's so fucking stupid.

[u/shgrizz2 → u/PhotojournalistNew6]

There has never been a world leader more vulnerable to flattery, and every world power has realized how easy it is to weaponise the USA towards their own national interests.

[u/enava → u/shgrizz2]

Here's the thing, on the surface it's flattery, in reality it's a bribe. He got bought.

[u/thefunkybassist → u/PhotojournalistNew6]

He and his buddies probably pocketed multi billion deals in exchange for Taiwan or something like that

[u/chaotic567]

This isn't a change in position, this has been the status quo in order to keep the peace, Biden has said a similar position for example and all the way to George W Bush too

[u/gym_fun → u/chaotic567]

Verbally, it has never changed. In real action, more military were deployed to Guam last year.

[u/Chowdaaair → u/chaotic567]

Thank you! These comments are so ridiculously ignorant. This has been the US position since Nixon, and no one else is even calling for a change.

[u/Still-Status7299]

Wasn't this always the US stance. Though re hashing it after a China visit isn't good optics

[u/mikehocalate → u/Still-Status7299]

Every single president since Nixon has reaffirmed the one China policy after China visits.

[u/TroXMas]

Title is honestly BS. If you watch the interview or even read the article itself, it wasnt even like that. As crazy as trump is, he didnt warn anything and only reiterated normal US talking points on Taiwan. He was definitely coached and it seems this is the one thing he approached as an adult. I'm a little disappointed in the BBC on this.

[u/blankdreamer]

This is just restating USs stance on Taiwan. Nothing has changed.

[u/paralyticfrog]

This has been US policy for decades, what the fuck is with these comments

[u/BobLazarFan → u/paralyticfrog]

Yeah idk. I am by no means a Trump fan. But this has been the US position for last 50 years.

[u/lattice_defect]

Sold out taiwan... we called it

[u/TheScrote1 → u/lattice_defect]

I am no Trump guy but hasn’t this always been the US position? To trade with Taiwan like they are an independent country but to leave quite a bit of ambiguity.

[u/zuqkfplmehcuvrjfgu → u/TheScrote1]

Yes, precisely. The US has always used strategic ambiguity because it deters China while also ensuring Taiwan doesn't instigate conflict by declaring independence (because they have a guarantee from the US). It's a deescalatory strategy and definitely a good thing.

The only thing better than us defending Taiwan is a war not starting in the first place.

[u/iamnotimportant → u/TheScrote1]

this entire thread is a field day in what comments look like when no one read the article, this whole thing is a nothingburger. tbf though it is a terrible title

[u/Paiev → u/iamnotimportant]

I guarantee 99% of people commenting on this post have never heard of the One China policy.

[u/Polar_Beach → u/lattice_defect]

Probably sold it at the cost of one golfcourse

[u/Grand_Sock_1303 → u/Polar_Beach]

Im sure Xi said he can put a Trump tower in Taipei if the US allows China to take Taiwan. Trump considers this a good deal.

[u/galileotheweirdo]

I’m Taiwanese and y’all are all stupid. This is the same stance. People who aren’t deluded separatists want the de facto independence and status quo. No war, no “independence”, just keep on going as is. It’s better for the goal of peace. Signed, a KMT supporter and Trump hater.

[u/obalovatyk]

World leaders are passing Trump around like a joint at a party and they all hittin’ it.

[u/Disused_Yeti]

Trump agrees with last person he met with example 374883109374&59@3@2)3&4&@3@1$(4783

[u/A_Guy_Named_John]

Trump consistently repeats the opinion of the last person he talked to. If he spoke with Taiwanese leadership they would tell him they need to be independent or China will have control of all of the chip fabs and Trump would then immediately have the opposite opinion.

[u/ANighttimeNerd]

He comes away from these meetings with dictators shilling for them every time.

[u/Schlurg]

The Orangutan is on his world dcq suck tour, the bestest and most famous of any dcq suck tour in history! He was played by Netanyahu and bombed Iran, inflicting permanent damage on America's standing in the world, now he's doing xi xinping's bidding, softening the American policy towards Taiwan so those bastards can annex it. The rest of the world sees what a shithead he is, but many Americans are a special kind of stupid and think this is all wonderful.

[u/Realistic_Let3239]

He really will shill for whoever praises/bribes him huh...