#47 President Donald Trump

DE4173

🫡

Q: Two of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s political rivals have confirmed that they have been in contact with members of US President Donald Trump’s entourage following a Politico report published on Thursday in which an alleged bid to remove Zelensky from office was revealed.How can this happen in a democracy?

A: The situation you’ve described—where political rivals of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky are reportedly in contact with members of U.S. President Donald Trump’s entourage, potentially as part of an effort to remove Zelensky from office—raises complex questions about democracy, sovereignty, and international influence. To address how this can happen in a democracy, let’s break it down critically and examine the dynamics at play.

In a functioning democracy, leaders are typically chosen and removed through established mechanisms like elections, impeachment, or constitutional processes, all driven by the will of the people or their representatives. Ukraine, despite its democratic framework, is under extraordinary strain due to the ongoing war with Russia, which has led to martial law and the suspension of elections since 2022. This creates a unique context where normal democratic processes are paused, potentially opening the door to alternative power struggles—both domestic and international.

The reported contacts between Zelensky’s rivals (such as Petro Poroshenko and Yulia Tymoshenko) and Trump’s team suggest a scenario where external actors (in this case, elements of the U.S. administration) might be engaging with internal opposition figures to influence Ukraine’s leadership. This isn’t inherently undemocratic if it’s just dialogue—after all, democracies allow for free communication and political maneuvering. However, if it involves a coordinated push to oust a sitting leader outside of legal or electoral channels, it challenges democratic norms. Here’s how this can unfold:

Wartime Context and Suspended Elections: Ukraine’s martial law, enacted after Russia’s 2022 invasion, has postponed elections, leaving Zelensky in power beyond what would have been his normal term. While this is legally justified under Ukrainian law during wartime, it creates a perception of vulnerability. Political rivals might see this as an opportunity to position themselves as alternatives, especially if they sense weakening international support for Zelensky. Foreign actors, like Trump’s entourage, could exploit this by engaging with those rivals, bypassing the democratic process that’s currently on hold.

Foreign Influence in Domestic Politics: Democracies aren’t immune to external meddling. History is full of examples—think of U.S. or Soviet interventions during the Cold War. If Trump’s team is indeed pressuring Zelensky to step aside (as suggested by reports of their frustration after a contentious Oval Office meeting on February 28, 2025), and simultaneously courting his rivals, it’s a form of soft power projection. This doesn’t violate democracy’s legal structure outright but tests its spirit, especially if it undermines a leader who still enjoys significant domestic support (polls from early 2025 show Zelensky’s approval around 57-63%).

Opposition Ambition and Realpolitik: Zelensky’s rivals, like Poroshenko and Tymoshenko, are seasoned politicians with their own ambitions. In a democracy, opposition figures naturally seek power, often by aligning with influential allies—domestic or foreign. Their outreach to Trump’s team could be a pragmatic move to gain leverage, especially if they believe U.S. support is shifting away from Zelensky. This is less a failure of democracy and more a reflection of how political actors operate within its gray areas, particularly under crisis conditions.

U.S. Policy Shift and Transactional Diplomacy: The Trump administration’s apparent pivot toward a rapid peace deal with Russia, even at Ukraine’s expense, signals a transactional approach. Reports indicate Trump’s frustration with Zelensky’s resistance to concessions, coupled with praise for Putin, might motivate efforts to find a more pliable Ukrainian leader. While this isn’t democratic in the sense of respecting Ukraine’s sovereignty, it’s not illegal under international law—nations often back their preferred candidates or factions in other countries. The democratic breakdown would occur if this pressure forces Zelensky out without Ukrainian consent.

So, how can this happen in a democracy? It can because democracies, especially fragile or stressed ones like Ukraine’s, aren’t airtight against external influence or internal opportunism. The system relies on checks—like elections or public accountability—that are currently sidelined by war. Meanwhile, foreign powers and domestic rivals can maneuver in the resulting vacuum, not by breaking laws but by exploiting the situation’s ambiguity. If Zelensky were removed through such backroom dealings rather than a transparent process, it’d be a subversion of democratic principles—but not an impossible one given the circumstances.

The real test of Ukraine’s democracy would come if and when elections resume. Until then, this looks more like a power play in a suspended democratic state than a outright violation of its rules. The irony? Both Zelensky’s rivals and Trump’s team might argue they’re acting to “restore” democracy—by ending the war or ensuring a leader aligns with their vision—while critics would call it a betrayal of the very system they claim to uphold.

The Juggler

mace1229 said:

The Juggler said:

DE4173 said:

Is it crap and nonsense if it corrects something that is not true?

Sure bud. How about using your brain instead of something an app spits out at you? Nobody wants to read a wall of text.

Chat GPT is so stupid.
when will easter fall on 4/21?

Easter will fall on April 21st in 2024. The date of Easter changes every year, as it's determined by the first Sunday after the first full moon following the vernal equinox. In 2024, that works out to April 21st!

No it won't/didn't!

I refuse to utilize anything AI related. It is making people more stupid by the hour. 

DE4173

The Juggler said:

mace1229 said:

The Juggler said:

DE4173 said:

Is it crap and nonsense if it corrects something that is not true?

Sure bud. How about using your brain instead of something an app spits out at you? Nobody wants to read a wall of text.

Chat GPT is so stupid.
when will easter fall on 4/21?

Easter will fall on April 21st in 2024. The date of Easter changes every year, as it's determined by the first Sunday after the first full moon following the vernal equinox. In 2024, that works out to April 21st!

No it won't/didn't!

I refuse to utilize anything AI related. It is making people more stupid by the hour. 

I mean, I don't know the answers to all the questions asked. How is it different than me googling or going to twitter, threads, instagram, etc., Are those people not using their brains and instead copying/pasting what an app spits out at them?

I'm trying to understand, honestly. ✌️

The Juggler

DE4173 said:

The Juggler said:

mace1229 said:

The Juggler said:

DE4173 said:

Is it crap and nonsense if it corrects something that is not true?

Sure bud. How about using your brain instead of something an app spits out at you? Nobody wants to read a wall of text.

Chat GPT is so stupid.
when will easter fall on 4/21?

Easter will fall on April 21st in 2024. The date of Easter changes every year, as it's determined by the first Sunday after the first full moon following the vernal equinox. In 2024, that works out to April 21st!

No it won't/didn't!

I refuse to utilize anything AI related. It is making people more stupid by the hour. 

I mean, I don't know the answers to all the questions asked. How is it different than me googling or going to twitter, threads, instagram, etc., Are those people not using their brains and instead copying/pasting what an app spits out at them?

I'm trying to understand, honestly. ✌️

Read a newspaper

The Juggler

Were these idiots just not paying attention last year? All Trump talked about were tariffs and transgender kids. 

You voted for the wrong person, morons.


https://thehill.com/business/5179089-majority-say-us-not-other-countries-will-feel-brunt-of-trump-tariffs-poll/

Majority say US, not other countries, will feel brunt of Trump tariffs: Poll

When asked about “the cost of tariffs on foreign products imported into the U.S.,” 54 percent of the respondents in The Economist/YouGov poll said they believe “mostly companies and people in the U.S” will feel their weight. Twenty-four percent said “mostly companies and people in the country exporting products” will suffer the consequences.

DE4173

mace1229 said:

The Juggler said:

DE4173 said:

Is it crap and nonsense if it corrects something that is not true?

Sure bud. How about using your brain instead of something an app spits out at you? Nobody wants to read a wall of text.

Chat GPT is so stupid.
when will easter fall on 4/21?

Easter will fall on April 21st in 2024. The date of Easter changes every year, as it's determined by the first Sunday after the first full moon following the vernal equinox. In 2024, that works out to April 21st!

No it won't/didn't!

Who said anything about ChatGPT?

Q: When will Easter fall on 4/21?

A: Easter Sunday is determined by the ecclesiastical approximation of the first Sunday after the first full moon (the Paschal Full Moon) following the vernal equinox (set as March 21 in the ecclesiastical calendar). This means Easter can fall between March 22 and April 25. To find when Easter Sunday will next fall on April 21, we need to look at future years where this calculation aligns.

Historically and moving forward:

• Easter Sunday fell on April 21 in 2019.
• The next occurrence after 2019 is in 2030.

Upcoming Dates for Easter on April 21:

• April 21, 2030
• April 21, 2041 (after an 11-year cycle, common in the Easter date pattern)
• April 21, 2052 (another 11-year cycle)

This pattern isn’t perfectly regular due to the interplay of lunar cycles, the 19-year Metonic cycle, and leap years, but April 21 is a relatively frequent Easter date. For example, it also occurred in 2002, 2013, and 2019 in recent decades.

So, if you’re asking about the next time Easter lands on April 21 from today (March 6, 2025), it’s April 21, 2030.

DE4173

The Juggler said:

DE4173 said:

The Juggler said:

mace1229 said:

The Juggler said:

DE4173 said:

Is it crap and nonsense if it corrects something that is not true?

Sure bud. How about using your brain instead of something an app spits out at you? Nobody wants to read a wall of text.

Chat GPT is so stupid.
when will easter fall on 4/21?

Easter will fall on April 21st in 2024. The date of Easter changes every year, as it's determined by the first Sunday after the first full moon following the vernal equinox. In 2024, that works out to April 21st!

No it won't/didn't!

I refuse to utilize anything AI related. It is making people more stupid by the hour. 

I mean, I don't know the answers to all the questions asked. How is it different than me googling or going to twitter, threads, instagram, etc., Are those people not using their brains and instead copying/pasting what an app spits out at them?

I'm trying to understand, honestly. ✌️

Read a newspaper

People are reading newspapers and posting their findings here.

The Juggler

DE4173 said:

The Juggler said:

DE4173 said:

The Juggler said:

mace1229 said:

The Juggler said:

DE4173 said:

Is it crap and nonsense if it corrects something that is not true?

Sure bud. How about using your brain instead of something an app spits out at you? Nobody wants to read a wall of text.

Chat GPT is so stupid.
when will easter fall on 4/21?

Easter will fall on April 21st in 2024. The date of Easter changes every year, as it's determined by the first Sunday after the first full moon following the vernal equinox. In 2024, that works out to April 21st!

No it won't/didn't!

I refuse to utilize anything AI related. It is making people more stupid by the hour. 

I mean, I don't know the answers to all the questions asked. How is it different than me googling or going to twitter, threads, instagram, etc., Are those people not using their brains and instead copying/pasting what an app spits out at them?

I'm trying to understand, honestly. ✌️

Read a newspaper

People are reading newspapers and posting their findings here.

Well digesting information is good. What's wrong with that?

It seems better than just asking a question to some bot/app and then copying and pasting a wall of text with no link to anything. I also believe the mods want links posted whenever you're referring to an article or something. Not sure what the guideline it is for whatever you're doing though...

cincybearcat

WTF was the men in women sports thread closed?

DE4173

cincybearcat said:

WTF was the men in women sports thread closed?

Was that the one where people were talking about people being banned vs in time out?

cincybearcat

DE4173 said:

cincybearcat said:

WTF was the men in women sports thread closed?

Was that the one where people were talking about people being banned vs in time out?

Yes, but cmon....started a new version.  Such a weird mod move.

DE4173

The Juggler said:

DE4173 said:

The Juggler said:

DE4173 said:

The Juggler said:

mace1229 said:

The Juggler said:

DE4173 said:

Is it crap and nonsense if it corrects something that is not true?

Sure bud. How about using your brain instead of something an app spits out at you? Nobody wants to read a wall of text.

Chat GPT is so stupid.
when will easter fall on 4/21?

Easter will fall on April 21st in 2024. The date of Easter changes every year, as it's determined by the first Sunday after the first full moon following the vernal equinox. In 2024, that works out to April 21st!

No it won't/didn't!

I refuse to utilize anything AI related. It is making people more stupid by the hour. 

I mean, I don't know the answers to all the questions asked. How is it different than me googling or going to twitter, threads, instagram, etc., Are those people not using their brains and instead copying/pasting what an app spits out at them?

I'm trying to understand, honestly. ✌️

Read a newspaper

People are reading newspapers and posting their findings here.

Well digesting information is good. What's wrong with that?

It seems better than just asking a question to some bot/app and then copying and pasting a wall of text with no link to anything. I also believe the mods want links posted whenever you're referring to an article or something. Not sure what the guideline it is for whatever you're doing though...

People do read newspapers, but people here also post from non-physical news avenues like the Internet and apps like twitter, threads, instagram etc. What is the difference? Is that crap or nonsense? Are they not using their brains?

If a post, with or without a link, contains misinformation, people would want the correct information.

The postings contain information from multiple sources (ex: CNBC, Time, WSJ, CNN, thehil.com, ABC News, BBC, Forbes, factcheck.org, cbp.gov, npr.org, Newsweek, etc). 

Maybe we're talking past each other here. I appreciate the discussion.

The Juggler

DE4173 said:

The Juggler said:

DE4173 said:

The Juggler said:

DE4173 said:

The Juggler said:

mace1229 said:

The Juggler said:

DE4173 said:

Is it crap and nonsense if it corrects something that is not true?

Sure bud. How about using your brain instead of something an app spits out at you? Nobody wants to read a wall of text.

Chat GPT is so stupid.
when will easter fall on 4/21?

Easter will fall on April 21st in 2024. The date of Easter changes every year, as it's determined by the first Sunday after the first full moon following the vernal equinox. In 2024, that works out to April 21st!

No it won't/didn't!

I refuse to utilize anything AI related. It is making people more stupid by the hour. 

I mean, I don't know the answers to all the questions asked. How is it different than me googling or going to twitter, threads, instagram, etc., Are those people not using their brains and instead copying/pasting what an app spits out at them?

I'm trying to understand, honestly. ✌️

Read a newspaper

People are reading newspapers and posting their findings here.

Well digesting information is good. What's wrong with that?

It seems better than just asking a question to some bot/app and then copying and pasting a wall of text with no link to anything. I also believe the mods want links posted whenever you're referring to an article or something. Not sure what the guideline it is for whatever you're doing though...

People do read newspapers, but people here also post from non-physical news avenues like the Internet and apps like twitter, threads, instagram etc. What is the difference? Is that crap or nonsense? Are they not using their brains?

If a post, with or without a link, contains misinformation, people would want the correct information.

The postings contain information from multiple sources (ex: CNBC, Time, WSJ, CNN, thehil.com, ABC News, BBC, Forbes, factcheck.org, cbp.gov, npr.org, Newsweek, etc). 

Maybe we're talking past each other here. I appreciate the discussion.

Your posts that you say are coming from AI look like gibberish with no links and they go on and on and on. Nobody is going to trust a wall of text with no link and nobody is going to want to take the time to read all of that on a message board. 

If your postings actually do contain info from those legit sources, just post a link to that legit article.

Also, I wasn't implying that you need to buy a physical copy of a newspaper. But consider a subscription to your local paper's online service. You'd be supporting local journalism and you'd be getting your news from a more valid source than "artificial intelligence."

mickeyrat

https://www.threads.net/@the_oneofthree/post/DG3RcRYPsv3?xmt=AQGzx7g0626h2McZQ8MSHbr0GnGeEaPYWABV4xqpYQIZuA

Canadian authorities display 835 kilograms of seized drugs smuggled across the US border into Canada...🇨🇦

mickeyrat

https://www.threads.net/@phoenixrisingdead/post/DGzREcBPXoP?xmt=AQGz4sNhcrEZQv5ccRlFeZEK1YTTiwwwbDVgzBbiOIIRfQ

Trump hates intelligent questions because he has no answers. So he starts insulting reporters and their news organizations. No wonder he bankrupted his businesses. Kudos to Kaitlan Collins for ignoring him and persisting with follow-up questions.

mickeyrat

Five Eyes spy alliance—Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom—are reportedly have paused intelligence sharing with USA .

Poncier

Honda Fact-Checks Trump’s Claim of a New Indiana Plant  


What, he lied you say?
No way. Must be the first time ever.

Halifax2TheMax

mickeyrat said:

Five Eyes spy alliance—Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom—are reportedly have paused intelligence sharing with USA .

As well they should! The US is now a direct pipeline to Putin on the ritz.

mickeyrat

https://www.threads.net/@titusnation/post/DG4BwXnysoe?xmt=AQGzY-fIeh-tLKRnjsNXK1wmePP9wU7qyYNI0EFjF5M69w

Just remember, he negotiated with the Taliban, not the Afghan government.

They released 5000 Afghan fighters. One of them blew up and killed 13 marines.
Just remember.

mickeyrat

video...

https://www.threads.net/@maddowshow/post/DGzJY-YunHc?xmt=AQGzbcP8u62suQgM0nIkm3iVxnoBCF-rTxqKHAda-Ty2NQ

While the work done at the NIH is very valuable, Rep. Raskin hopes they are also working on a treatment for malignant narcissistic personality disorder because... you know...

mickeyrat

CHILLING NEWS: The fact that the Five Eyes, Israel, and Saudi Arabia are terrified to share intel with the U.S. because of Trump’s ties to Russia proves it: this is full-blown treason. Republicans are ALL complicit in this betrayal. We are a national security risk under Trump.

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/national-security/trump-pivots-russia-allies-weigh-sharing-less-intel-us-rcna194420

mickeyrat

video....

https://www.threads.net/@nerdy.pursuit/post/DG3ZwNTAcb-?xmt=AQGzkGcdEefSA-8raGnNqmg2qV4F0uhN739Wl4eV7pbUrQ

This was spot on.

Buttigieg cuts through Trump & Vance's theatrics in their meeting with Zelenskyy. This was the policy they always wanted, and they just acted it out in front of the cameras.

josevolution

https://apnews.com/article/dei-purge-images-pentagon-diversity-women-black-8efcfaec909954f4a24bad0d49c78074War heroes and military firsts are among 26,000 images flagged for removal in Pentagon's DEI purge

Spiritual_Chaos

The US is a threat to the world (and obviously very much to Ukraine and Canada). And can not be trusted, in any way whatsoever. We all should have known when they didn't even have humane health care for it's citizens. What kind of a country doesn't have that? Obviously one that also can give this kind of power to one crazy man. One Trump.

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/07/world/canada/trump-trudeau-canada-51st-state.html?unlocked_article_code=1.2E4.Q8KL.0-WlJvakxSnC&smid=url-share

cblock4life

Halifax2TheMax said:

mickeyrat said:

Five Eyes spy alliance—Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom—are reportedly have paused intelligence sharing with USA .

As well they should! The US is now a direct pipeline to Putin on the ritz.

NOT intended for mickeyrat- he believes.  

But to those doubters- 

Go ahead H2TM  you can say it, “I told you so”

Gern Blansten

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/supreme-court/maga-world-turns-supreme-court-justice-amy-coney-barrett-rcna194283

At least they're consistent...

WASHINGTON — MAGA activists have turned against one of President Donald Trump's own appointees to the Supreme Court: Justice Amy Coney Barrett.

Appointed by Trump in 2020, Barrett is a staunch conservative who has joined major rulings in which the court has moved U.S. law to the right, including on abortion and affirmative action.

But that's not enough for some of Trump's most aggressive supporters, who think the former Notre Dame Law School professor has been a disappointment. MAGA supporters see what some call an independent streak as a sign she isn't sufficiently aligned with or loyal to Trump.

"She is a rattled law professor with her head up her a--," said Mike Davis, who once clerked at the Supreme Court for Justice Neil Gorsuch and described Barrett as "weak and timid."

Barrett defenders have dismissed the attacks, scoffing at the idea that the justice’s conservatism is defined by how her decisions align with Trump and insisting Barrett won’t be affected by outside criticism. Barrett, reached via the Supreme Court, did not respond to a request for comment.

The anger from Davis and other right-wing personalities with large online followings stems mostly from a couple of recent high-profile, 5-4 decisions in which Barrett has been the deciding vote against Trump's side.

Swift and vicious reviews poured in from right-wing, Trump-allied figures this week when Barrett and other justices rejected a Trump administration attempt to avoid paying U.S. Agency for International Development contractors as ordered to by a federal judge.

"DEI judge," influencer Jack Posobiec posted on X, suggesting that Barrett was a "diversity, equity and inclusion" hire, presumably because she is a woman.

Trump at the time promised to pick a woman to replace liberal Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

"Amy Coney Barrett was a DEI appointee," another far-right influencer, Laura Loomer, wrote.

Her X post featured a photo of Barrett's family. Barrett and her husband have seven children, including two they adopted from Haiti, who are Black.

Even Barrett's brief interaction with Trump earlier this week, when he delivered an address to Congress, has been scrutinized by the online MAGA set.

"Look at how Justice Amy Coney Barrett looks at our duly elected President, the man who put her on the Supreme Court. She looks very bitter," Rogan O'Handley, an influential MAGA figure on X known by his handle DC_Draino, wrote in a post containing a video of the encounter.

Halifax2TheMax

Gern Blansten said:

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/supreme-court/maga-world-turns-supreme-court-justice-amy-coney-barrett-rcna194283

At least they're consistent...

WASHINGTON — MAGA activists have turned against one of President Donald Trump's own appointees to the Supreme Court: Justice Amy Coney Barrett.

Appointed by Trump in 2020, Barrett is a staunch conservative who has joined major rulings in which the court has moved U.S. law to the right, including on abortion and affirmative action.

But that's not enough for some of Trump's most aggressive supporters, who think the former Notre Dame Law School professor has been a disappointment. MAGA supporters see what some call an independent streak as a sign she isn't sufficiently aligned with or loyal to Trump.

"She is a rattled law professor with her head up her a--," said Mike Davis, who once clerked at the Supreme Court for Justice Neil Gorsuch and described Barrett as "weak and timid."

Barrett defenders have dismissed the attacks, scoffing at the idea that the justice’s conservatism is defined by how her decisions align with Trump and insisting Barrett won’t be affected by outside criticism. Barrett, reached via the Supreme Court, did not respond to a request for comment.

The anger from Davis and other right-wing personalities with large online followings stems mostly from a couple of recent high-profile, 5-4 decisions in which Barrett has been the deciding vote against Trump's side.

Swift and vicious reviews poured in from right-wing, Trump-allied figures this week when Barrett and other justices rejected a Trump administration attempt to avoid paying U.S. Agency for International Development contractors as ordered to by a federal judge.

"DEI judge," influencer Jack Posobiec posted on X, suggesting that Barrett was a "diversity, equity and inclusion" hire, presumably because she is a woman.

Trump at the time promised to pick a woman to replace liberal Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

"Amy Coney Barrett was a DEI appointee," another far-right influencer, Laura Loomer, wrote.

Her X post featured a photo of Barrett's family. Barrett and her husband have seven children, including two they adopted from Haiti, who are Black.

Even Barrett's brief interaction with Trump earlier this week, when he delivered an address to Congress, has been scrutinized by the online MAGA set.

"Look at how Justice Amy Coney Barrett looks at our duly elected President, the man who put her on the Supreme Court. She looks very bitter," Rogan O'Handley, an influential MAGA figure on X known by his handle DC_Draino, wrote in a post containing a video of the encounter.

And some still think there’s a future for these Dysfunctional States?

HughFreakingDillon

Just fucking blows my mind how it’s right out in the open in the States; people expect the supreme court FFS to be team players. NONE OF YOU SEE THE ABJECT ABSURDITY OF THIS???

Halifax2TheMax

HughFreakingDillon said:

Just fucking blows my mind how it’s right out in the open in the States; people expect the supreme court FFS to be team players. NONE OF YOU SEE THE ABJECT ABSURDITY OF THIS???

None is a broad stroke.

Merkin Baller

HughFreakingDillon said:

Just fucking blows my mind how it’s right out in the open in the States; people expect the supreme court FFS to be team players. NONE OF YOU SEE THE ABJECT ABSURDITY OF THIS???

Pretty much everyone does, but Hillary had emails and Harris had a weird laugh, so both sides, Hugh.