Trump's road trip: even worse than you think

[suffragette]

Last edited Sat May 27, 2017, 04:23 PM - Edit history (5)

From including Kushner and excluding National Security Advisor in meeting with Netanyahu to not reading even abbreviated bullet point notes then not listening to the translations of world leaders' speeches, Trump shows that in every moment he will pick the worst path to follow.



https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/may/27/donald-trump-foreign-trip-europe

The latest in the string of daily developments was a report on Friday night that Jared Kushner asked the Russians to set up a secret channel of communication with the Trump transition team, bypassing US diplomatic and intelligence channels. It was a stunning revelation, given that Kushner is not just the president’s son-in-law but his closest foreign policy adviser. When Trump met Israeli prime minster Benjamin Netanyahu, for example, Kushner was in the room but national security adviser HR McMaster was left outside.

~~~
In Europe, Trump had to play a different role: a senior member of a group seeking to act in concert and by consensus. But Trump does not do collegial, a fact that was grasped before in Europe but is now viscerally understood after the president shoved the Montenegrin prime minister out of the way to get front and centre of a Nato leaders’ photo-op. It was demonstrated again at the G7, when he did not even bother to put on headphones to hear the speeches of his fellow world leaders, including his Italian host.

These are the ways of a man without curiosity. He does not read books, and listens fitfully and reluctantly to others. He is reportedly fed up with McMaster because he goes on for too long about world affairs. The briefing papers McMaster’s team drew up before this trip had to be condensed to a few bullet points on a single page for each issue, and even then Trump grew bored of reviewing them before departure, and groused about how long the whole excursion would take.

Trump lack of grasp of the realities of geopolitical alliances and global trade is a reminder that he came to office at the age of 70, having spent his entire adult life in a single business, real estate – a business he inherited, and which was built on bluster, gaming the legal system and forming partnerships of convenience with equally ruthless operators.


Edited to add:
Trump taking a golf cart instead of walking with fellow G7 is making headlines, but so far I haven't seen this connected as yet another example of him separating himself from other G7 leaders, yet again demonstrating his distancing of himself and the U.S. from our traditional allies.
I did notice an important point made in lower paragraphs in an article headlined by his taking the golf cart and think it's worth highlighting as another action that fits with the main points here.

http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/335424-trump-rode-golf-cart-while-g7-leaders-walked-through-siciliy

Trump’s brief separation from the foreign leaders ahead of the photo op comes shortly after he refused to take part in a pledge supporting the Paris climate deal. The U.S. was the only country represented at the summit that did not sign the deal on Saturday.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said there was a “very intense meeting” where all six other nations “made it clear that we want the U.S. to stick to its commitments.”

Edit to add:

Spicer is now saying that Trump wore a single earpiece rather than headphones, so that part is not accurate. See also post#32 from oberliner.

However, the rest stands and now the New York Times has a good article about Trump being "at odds with allies" that further illustrates the divide he is creating.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/27/world/europe/trump-paris-climate-accords-g7.html?_r=1

[underpants]

1. Well yeah but...the orb!

[suffragette]

5. His James Bond villain photo op! Actually, the article also notes how he was treated as the center o

attention in the Middle East, contrasting his satisfaction with that against him being a leader among leaders in Europe.

It's well worth a full read.

[Leghorn21]

2. Holy Mother of God!!!!

"he did not even bother to put on headphones to hear the speeches of his fellow world leaders"

Nooooo frickin comment. Just the usual omgomgomg

Thanks for posting, suffragette, and did I mention OMG?!?

[suffragette]

3. Here's video of him without headphones, pretending to listen

There are others without headphones, but they likely understand more than one language.
Trump is just displaying his arrogance and willful lack of engagement with other leaders.

https://m.

[Leghorn21]

12. Dagnabit, it won't play for me - but I CAN see his eyebrows-up-haughty-face quite clearly -

thanks for posting, suffragette -

also, on second thought, I wondered if he was concerned about the headphones mussing his hair, "his crowning glory", doncha know - "priorities", non?

[suffragette]

22. Never underestimate his vanity, for sure. But feigning listening while willfully disregarding means

To understand what is being said - he clearly is showing his distance from our traditional allies and that he does not give a damn about what they say or about working together with them on any aspect of governance.

[Skidmore]

35. Like when he pretended to write his inaugual address?

A fraud...

[erronis]

23. Maybe he understands Italian? Language of the mafiosi of which he is one

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

26. Doubtful. He barely understands English.

[oberliner]

30. He has an earpiece in his right ear

He has used it for all the meetings thus far in Europe.

[Auntie Bush]

43. He was afraid they might muss up his disgusting hair do.

[ATL Ebony]

46. Is he taking this as an opportunity for a nap -- looks like he's sleep.

[furtheradu]

4. SCATHING report on trump trip.

aka realistic.


I HOPE(!) US media will remember how to do that.

Thanks for this post.

[suffragette]

8. Definitely worth the full read. It goes beyond the surface to make very important points in

Each paragraph.

[furtheradu]

13. Yes, it certainly does!

Background & DETAILS.
Love when that happens!!

Important..need more eyes on it.

[suffragette]

16. It's also scathing about Kushner, pointing out that he's been given a crucial foreign policy role,th

how his background is similarly unqualified and slimy as Trump's.

[gademocrat7]

6. Whiskey Tango Foxtrot

He is a buffoon who is not fit to serve.

[suffragette]

28. WTF, indeed!

[Wellstone ruled]

7. We now know

NATO is truly concerned. My hunch is NATO Members have already drawn up Military Plans excluding the US. They met another Enemy other than Russia,and it is Donald Trump.

[suffragette]

10. Agree with you. Even more that that, he is colluding with Russia and is clearly against NATO.

That alone would be stunning in any President, but given the chaos he swirls around himself,points like that get lost in the dust storm.

Not lost on our NATO allies though.

[Wellstone ruled]

18. And the sad truth is,the GOP

will play see no evil,speak no evil,and hear no evil. Total Isolationist.

[MedusaX]

9. Luckily,for him, it takes no 'acting' on his part to get caught on camera fulfilling Vlad's desires.

[suffragette]

21. Distancing U.S. policy from NATO is a great example of that.

[loyalsister]

11. This...

Trump lack of grasp of the realities of geopolitical alliances and global trade is a reminder that he came to office at the age of 70, having spent his entire adult life in a single business, real estate – a business he inherited, and which was built on bluster, gaming the legal system and forming partnerships of convenience with equally ruthless operators.

He has a lot in common with his voters who still live in the same small town they grew up in. Small world small mind.

[suffragette]

14. Yes, with added arrogance of CEO. I just made comment in golf cart thread and think it fits here:

I wonder if this was as much about being separate, therefore standing out, as not wanting to walk.

In every instance in G7, Trump has worked at either being first or center of attention and creating distance between himself and the other leaders.

These are not the actions of an ally.

[furtheradu]

15. SO THAT'S where the 'liberal media' went!

Seriously, though, US MSM needs to remember they are "the 4th Estate", & OUR DEMOCRACY depends on their fearless, relentless pursuit of TRUTH.
Thanks again for the post.

[suffragette]

17. The Hill just reported an important point, but buried the lede.

http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/335424-trump-rode-golf-cart-while-g7-leaders-walked-through-siciliy

Trump’s brief separation from the foreign leaders ahead of the photo op comes shortly after he refused to take part in a pledge supporting the Paris climate deal. The U.S. was the only country represented at the summit that did not sign the deal on Saturday.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said there was a “very intense meeting” where all six other nations “made it clear that we want the U.S. to stick to its commitments.”



Think I might add this to OP.

[furtheradu]

20. Yes, do, please!

Last edited Sat May 27, 2017, 06:48 PM - Edit history (1)

Read earlier, she also said "it was 6
against 1".

Imagine, European LEADERS & PRESS,saving our Democracy.
CRAZEEEEEEE.

[suffragette]

34. Added link to NYT article with more info on this. The article also notes how U.S. press was kept

Away from Trump during trip.

I will give them credit that they are trying, even while access is being denied them in an unprecedented way.



https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/27/world/europe/trump-paris-climate-accords-g7.html?_r=1


Beleaguered White House aides — who were aboard Air Force One flying to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, when they heard reports that Mr. Trump had called his former F.B.I. director a “nut job” — had hoped the trip would offer a much-needed change of subject. And to some degree, it did, if only because the White House engineered the itinerary to keep Mr. Trump far away from reporters who could ask him questions. They scheduled no news conferences and put the president only in highly controlled situations: a brief photo session with a foreign leader; a teleprompter speech; ceremonial gatherings with other leaders.

[furtheradu]

39. Just saw that! Thank You!

& yes, seems that some reporters are plenty ticked off at being denied access. YAY. 'Bout dang time!!

[dalton99a]

19. In a nutshell, Putin sent a clown to shit on them

[kimbutgar]

24. Looks like"low energy" chump was catching a few winks.

He looks like he is napping. My late mother with dementia would have those "spells"where she would nod off mid conversation.

[suffragette]

25. I think it's about policy. He means to break our traditional bonds with NATO and G7 in favor

of American exceptionalism and strengthening ties to Putin and other countries led by autocrats.

[samnsara]

27. he wants to make the world beg him for a decision...that way hes in the limelight a tad bit longer

....also he has to go home to read what its about anyway

[MrPurple]

37. He's going to go home and wait for Sean Hannity to tell him what happened

[justhanginon]

44. I agree with you. That is my feeling also, the center of attention

at any cost. What a spoiled child always craves and some never outgrow even after seventy years.

[oberliner]

29. The "not listening to translation" thing is not true

It's annoying when the inaccurate stories get mixed in with real ones.

[suffragette]

31. Point taken. I will edit OP to show Spicer is denying this.

[oberliner]

32. Also, Bloomberg WH reporter Jennifer Jacobs

She tweeted: "Trump was indeed listening to foreign leaders via a translation earpiece."

[suffragette]

33. Thanks. I have edited OP to add this info.

[MrPurple]

38. No doubt he uses the earpiece because the headphones would mess up his weave, though

[furtheradu]

36. KICK for more exposure. 💚

& thank YOU for update!

[red dog 1]

40. K&R...Thanks for posting

This child-raping, money-grubbing moron needs to be removed from office....Soon!

[nolabear]

41. Personally I think he took that golf cart because he was afraid of getting shot.

He might be out of shape but it was hardly a footrace. In the cart he had a roof over his head and was surrounded by Secret Service. It would have been really hard to get at him and I think he is now terrified of someone getting to him.

[suffragette]

45. Great point nolabear.

Like any bully, he is consumed by fear.

[furtheradu]

47. Hmm, hadn't thought of that.

He may be skeered for a LOT of reasons right now.

[NastyRiffraff]

42. thank you for this

He is an embarrassment to America and a threat to the world.