Drumpf - Epstein Friend/ US Prez 47/ War Criminal*

Subject: RE: Drumpf - Epstein Friend/ US Prez 47/ War Criminal*
From: Donuel
Date: 28 May 26 - 03:49 PM

'Fort Trump Knox' seems to have the FBI investigating an ex-CIA agent for the theft of over 300 gold bars. Everything is up for grabs in this new MAGA identity society.

I guess the gangland Don didn't get his cut.

Subject: RE: Drumpf - Epstein Friend/ US Prez 47/ War Criminal*
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 28 May 26 - 10:56 PM

Correction: Old white guys are fighting tooth and nail to hold onto the power they assumed was theirs in perpetuity.

Funny thing about a multicultural society, women and minorities (who will soon be called "majority minority" in many US states) aren't willing to give up progress so some old white guys can reminisce and keep bonking their secretaries (who are under NDAs to not complain).

Subject: RE: Drumpf - Epstein Friend/ US Prez 47/ War Criminal*
From: Helen
Date: 29 May 26 - 05:52 AM

I saw a worrying news article earlier today but thankfully -

US prosecutor denies launching criminal investigation into E Jean Carroll

"In short: US Attorney Andrew Boutros has denied his office has launched a criminal investigation into E Jean Carroll, the writer who accused US President Donald Trump of raping her in the mid-1990s.

"Chicago's top federal prosecutor said a criminal investigation has not opened up and has never opened up into into E Jean Carroll.
What's next?


The article is short and worth reading.

"Carroll's lawyer, Robbie Kaplan has not responded to requests for comment."

Subject: RE: Drumpf - Epstein Friend/ US Prez 47/ War Criminal*
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 29 May 26 - 11:23 AM

A brief detour to Texas politics, where Ken Paxton is named "the most corrupt politician" (obviously second behind Trump):

From satirist Andy Borowitz today:

HOUSTON—Texas Republican senate nominee Ken Paxton ripped his Democratic rival on Wednesday, alleging that Rep. James Talarico lacked the requisite criminal experience to represent the Lone Star State in Washington.

“With all due respect, my opponent doesn’t have the cojones to go on a crime spree,” he told a crowd of supporters in Houston. “James Talarico never saw a law he didn’t abide.”

Drawing a stark contrast between himself and Talarico, Paxton said, “My criminal record is as big as Texas itself.”

Paxton warned that, given the prevailing criminal environment in Washington DC, Texans would be electing a non-criminal like Talarico “at their peril,” adding, “Texas deserves a criminal who doesn’t need on-the-job training.”

Subject: RE: Drumpf - Epstein Friend/ US Prez 47/ War Criminal*
From: Donuel
Date: 30 May 26 - 02:28 PM

Trump has the right to be an ass hole
He has the right to be a dick.
But that does not mean in any way
That I have to listen to your shit.
While your smarts are truly minimal
Your acts are totally criminal
While you live in a golden castle
You will forever be an ass hole

Subject: RE: Drumpf - Epstein Friend/ US Prez 47/ War Criminal*
From: The Sandman
Date: 30 May 26 - 04:00 PM

Trump represents multi national capitalism, not paternal capitalism. I think he is in politics for himself, but in another few years he will have questions to answer about his behaviour

Subject: RE: Drumpf - Epstein Friend/ US Prez 47/ War Criminal*
From: r.padgett
Date: 31 May 26 - 07:52 AM

"A judge on Friday ordered the removal of Donald Trump’s name from the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, ruling that the prestigious Washington DC venue cannot be renamed without an act of Congress.

US district judge Christopher Cooper in Washington directed the Trump administration to take down all physical signage bearing Trump’s name and to eliminate any references to a “Trump Kennedy Center” from official materials within 14 days." news item

Ray

Judge must use his power to charge Trump with contempt of court he is big head

Subject: RE: Drumpf - Epstein Friend/ US Prez 47/ War Criminal*
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 31 May 26 - 02:10 PM

”in another few years he will have questions to answer about his behaviour”

Judging by recent photos and videos, I’ll be very surprised if he lives long enough to complete his term of office. He looks well buggered, I’m amazed he’s not being subjected to 25A, section 4 already.

Subject: RE: Drumpf - Epstein Friend/ US Prez 47/ War Criminal*
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 31 May 26 - 02:43 PM

That won't happen with this hand-picked by him and his inner group of cabinet members. The cabinet during the first term *might* have done it if they were in place now, but he made sure to choose yes-people who would let him do whatever the hell he wants. However sick he is.

Subject: RE: Drumpf - Epstein Friend/ US Prez 47/ War Criminal*
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 31 May 26 - 03:12 PM

Yes, that had occurred to me too, SRS. Nobody could genuinely accuse that bunch of ‘doing the right thing in the best interests of the US nation’.

Subject: RE: Drumpf - Epstein Friend/ US Prez 47/ War Criminal*
From: Helen
Date: 31 May 26 - 04:16 PM

I decided earlier not to post the link about Drumpf's supposed "health" check because I suspect that the Doc is being paid to declare what little t told him to say - but here it is:

Donald Trump's doctor says he is in 'excellent health'. Here's what's in the president's medical report

In summary the Doc said, "move along everyone, nothing to see here" so there is no point reading the manufactured guff, IMO.

ABC (Oz) reported it as read with no political commentary but I can read their journalists' minds after all of their previous reports. I would love to have been a fly on the wall when they first received the report but my little buzzy insect ears would have fallen off with the loud roaring laughter booming around the room.

Subject: RE: Drumpf - Epstein Friend/ US Prez 47/ War Criminal*
From: Rain Dog
Date: 31 May 26 - 04:26 PM

What where Biden's medical reports like?

I am not aware of any other country that gives their leaders a medical.

I agree that I find the medical reports ludicrous but they are of little importance in the strange times in which we are living.

Subject: RE: Drumpf - Epstein Friend/ US Prez 47/ War Criminal*
From: r.padgett
Date: 01 Jun 26 - 01:53 AM

So little t still showing his racism and will not leave until the nuclear enrichment ability of Iran has been sorted ~ would he have done this to Russia, China and North Korea or Swede, North Korea and UK if they had enrichment ability?

Ray

Subject: RE: Drumpf - Epstein Friend/ US Prez 47/ War Criminal*
From: Hrothgar
Date: 01 Jun 26 - 04:14 AM

Possibly the Cabinet don't want to use the 25th Amendment because they don't trust each other. Remember, the main thing holding them together is their shared ability to kiss Bone Spur's backside.

Subject: RE: Drumpf - Epstein Friend/ US Prez 47/ War Criminal*
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 01 Jun 26 - 06:33 AM

I’m C&P-ing this piece because it’s so funny, and I think we all need something to laugh about…

”From the Resolute Desk of Donald J Trump

“Ladies and gentlemen, patriots, beautiful patriots, maybe the best patriots frankly, we have a little situation, not a big situation because with me everything always works out beautifully, but some of the so-called entertainers that were supposed to perform at our incredible Freedom 250 celebration, which by the way is going to be bigger than Woodstock, bigger than the moon landing, bigger than Elvis, frankly, some of them are backing out. Sad. Very sad. Weak people. Weak, frightened people.

Hegseth came to me, Pete, great hair, tremendous television head, maybe one of the best, and he said, ‘Sir, with tears in our eyes, some of the performers are dropping out. They’ve been gotten to by the Radical Left, probably Obama, maybe Hillary’s emails, could even be George Soros, nobody knows. Very dark forces.’ JD was there nodding very seriously because JD understands music tremendously. Stephen Miller too. Stephen actually wanted to deport several of the musicians immediately, but I said, ‘Stephen, relax. We have bigger things to do. Like saving freedom.’

And they all looked at me and said, ‘Sir, maybe this is actually an opportunity. Maybe the American people deserve not just a president, but an entertainer president. A musical president. The greatest musical president in history.’

And I said, wow. Interesting.

Because nobody knows music better than me. Nobody. Elton John told me that personally. He said, ‘Donald, your ear is unbelievable.’ Tremendous guy. Little flamboyant maybe, with the glasses and the costumes and all that, not sure politically where he stands, honestly it changes every week with these people, but talented. Very talented. And I thought perhaps I should step in myself. Because frankly, many people are saying they’d rather see me perform anyway. Bigger crowds. Much bigger.

So I’ve decided I may debut a few incredible songs at Freedom 250. Very moving songs. Beautiful songs. Songs for the people.

We’re doing ‘Can You Feel the Hate Tonight’ from the famous movie The Lyin’ King. Fantastic movie about fake news in the animal kingdom. We’re also doing ‘Saturday Night’s Alright for Golfing,’ which frankly is about me and the beautiful game of golf, a game I’ve almost perfected physically and spiritually.

Then we have ‘I Guess That’s Why They Call It Fake News,’ very emotional ballad. People cry during that one. Grown men. Strong men. Marines. Steelworkers. They cry.

Also performing ‘Goodbye Yellow Brick Wall,’ which is about border security. Very important song. Maybe my most political.

Then a romantic classic: ‘Please Let Stormy Daniels Go Down on Me.’ Probably not appropriate for children but neither is CNN frankly.

And closing the night, perhaps my greatest musical achievement, ‘Tiny Hands, Sir.’ Beautiful anthem. Incredible anthem. Standing ovation every time. Lee Greenwood heard it and said, ‘Sir, this is almost too patriotic.’

The failing entertainers who dropped out? Morris Day, Young MC, The Commodores, frankly I never liked them that much anyway. Total lightweights. Nobody even remembers Young MC. I thought he was a tax form. And The Commodores? Lionel was the talented one, everybody knows that. They’re saying they don’t want politics involved, but meanwhile they perform for billionaires and hedge fund guys all the time. Hypocrites. Total hypocrites.

But we still have incredible talent. Vanilla Ice is staying. Loyal guy. Tremendous hair. Great instincts politically. Bret Michaels too. Bret called me personally and said, ‘Sir, every rose has its thorn, but you are the rose.’ Beautiful moment. I almost cried.

And unlike these cowardly dropouts, the Freedom 250 celebration will continue because America doesn’t cancel freedom. We celebrate it. With smoke machines. With giant flags. With cage fighting. With beautiful military flyovers. And perhaps with me at a grand piano in a gold-sequined jacket singing Elton John songs to the largest audience ever assembled in Washington D.C.

Bigger than Lincoln. Bigger than Kennedy. Bigger than Springsteen, frankly.

And honestly? Elton should be thanking me.”
Thank you for your attention to this matter! And god bless some Americans. “

From Michael Jochum,
Author of Not Just a Drummer: Reflections on Art, Politics, Dogs, and the Human Condition
Veteran drummer, writer, observer of the absurd, and still foolish enough to believe truth matters.

Subject: RE: Drumpf - Epstein Friend/ US Prez 47/ War Criminal*
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 01 Jun 26 - 07:46 AM

good one!!!

Subject: RE: Drumpf - Epstein Friend/ US Prez 47/ War Criminal*
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 01 Jun 26 - 03:33 PM

Keeping with the music scene, apologies if this has been posted before but I saw it for the first time today. The wonderful Marsh Family performing Bohemian Trumpsody

Enjoy :-)

Subject: RE: Drumpf - Epstein Friend/ US Prez 47/ War Criminal*
From: Donuel
Date: 01 Jun 26 - 05:37 PM

Like June, courage is breaking out all over.
In the courts, music, associations, and even Republicans.

All except for media and tech giants

Subject: RE: Drumpf - Epstein Friend/ US Prez 47/ War Criminal*
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 02 Jun 26 - 01:09 AM

Speaking of ‘courage breaking out - from Josh Helfgott’s FB Page yesterday…

”BREAKING?? Jon Ossoff just walked onto a stage in Atlanta and said Donald Trump is a “failed president and a national disgrace” who’s desperately building monuments to himself because he knows nobody will honor him when he’s gone.

At a packed rally, the Georgia senator used Trump’s own vanity projects as Exhibit A. He tore into the plan to print a new $250 bill with Trump’s face on it, the half-built bunker-ballroom on the White House lawn, and the push to slap Trump’s name on the Kennedy Center and other public spaces.

“He’s trying to put his face on the money,” Ossoff told the crowd. “He’s building a monument to himself. But Atlanta, he’s doing these things now because no one will honor him when he’s gone. Because he’s a failed president and a national disgrace.” The line hit so hard that clips of it are already everywhere online.

Ossoff didn’t stop there. He tied Trump, JD Vance, and Stephen Miller together as “small men” who think national greatness comes from bloodlines and dominance instead of ideas. “This is what small men like Donald Trump and JD Vance and Stephen Miller will never understand,” he said in another viral moment.

“Our national greatness flows not through our blood or our genes but through our ideas.” He reminded the crowd that American identity is built on an idea — that all people are created equal with inalienable rights — not on a single man’s face stamped on buildings and currency.

Then he pivoted to what Trump’s ego politics is costing people in real life. Ossoff laid out how Trump’s second term has jacked up prices, gutted health-care subsidies, and attacked voting rights while the First Family’s wealth soars.

He mocked a president who spends nights rage-posting on Truth Social and days obsessing over his personal brand while shrugging off a war in the Middle East, a housing crisis, and rural hospitals on the brink. “They think the presidency is their playground,” Ossoff said, “while working families in Georgia are deciding which bill not to pay this month.”

What made the speech land wasn’t just the insults — it was the contrast. On one side, a leader who wants his own face on the money, a fortress ballroom with a drone base on the roof, and his name welded onto the country’s cultural landmarks.

On the other, a young senator talking about health care, democracy, racial equality, and the basic idea that America is bigger than any one man’s ego. In a cycle full of fear and cynicism, Ossoff’s rally felt like something rare: a reminder that you can call out authoritarian clownery in plain English and still talk about what this country could be if we chose ideas over idolatry.

If you appreciate my posts, it would mean the world if you followed my page. Thank you for being here.”

Subject: RE: Drumpf - Epstein Friend/ US Prez 47/ War Criminal*
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 02 Jun 26 - 01:16 AM

A brave act on the part of Sen. Ossoff - presumably he will be a marked man going forward - but far more of this kind of courage may be needed if there’s to be a turn-around at the mid-terms.

Subject: RE: Drumpf - Epstein Friend/ US Prez 47/ War Criminal*
From: Donuel
Date: 02 Jun 26 - 06:33 AM

Rome had bread and circus but Trump has a gladiatorial circus on the White House lawn and a clown circus in government and war.

The bread is very expensive.

Subject: RE: Drumpf - Epstein Friend/ US Prez 47/ War Criminal*
From: The Sandman
Date: 02 Jun 26 - 02:05 PM

he has brought the presidency into disrepute

Subject: RE: Drumpf - Epstein Friend/ US Prez 47/ War Criminal*
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 02 Jun 26 - 02:29 PM

Ya think?

Subject: RE: Drumpf - Epstein Friend/ US Prez 47/ War Criminal*
From: Donuel
Date: 03 Jun 26 - 08:22 AM

Vocabulary according to Trump:

Respect is created by fear.
Freedom is wealth.
Expertise is loyalty.
Lies are the path to new truth.
Poverty is the key to slavery.
Whites are the one true race, all others are sub species.
There is a reason why witches are women and historically burned at the stake.
Revenge is beautiful.
Service and sacrifice is a fool's sucker game.
Love is money.
The golden rule is he with the most gold rules.

Subject: RE: Drumpf - Epstein Friend/ US Prez 47/ War Criminal*
From: Donuel
Date: 03 Jun 26 - 10:50 AM

New illegal rules:

Government job guarantees are revoked.
Whistleblowers can now be punished.
NPR

Subject: RE: Drumpf - Epstein Friend/ US Prez 47/ War Criminal*
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 03 Jun 26 - 12:20 PM

Pulte's family built crappy houses all through this area, along with Fox and Jacobs, both are synonymous with poor workmanship. The credo extends to the family, and now that Trump has made his housing secretary (who went into the records to find anything he could turn to dirt against Trump antagonists) he will have his hands on intelligence info. And as "Acting" he doesn't go through senate approval. There are a couple of things that can be used to leverage him back out of there, hopefully. The FISA court has to be renewed by the end of next week and the seanate can hold that back, threaten Trump to let it expire unless he gets rid of Pulte.

Subject: RE: Drumpf - Epstein Friend/ US Prez 47/ War Criminal*
From: Donuel
Date: 03 Jun 26 - 04:19 PM

I am currently boycotting CBS and any future acquisitions.

The acting director of intelligence only knows how to acquire real estate and rent or sell properties. He knows nothing about intelligence.

A good way to follow independent journalists can be found on YouTube on shows like Substack. They are not controlled by corporate masters.

Subject: RE: Drumpf - Epstein Friend/ US Prez 47/ War Criminal*
From: Donuel
Date: 04 Jun 26 - 05:26 PM

Randy Rainbow RFK
song starts at midpoint.

Subject: RE: Drumpf - Epstein Friend/ US Prez 47/ War Criminal*
From: Donuel
Date: 08 Jun 26 - 08:48 AM

Like a Tom Clancy novel, what if US cyber security at an all time low, allowed China to hack Trump directly and get his crypto coin wallet codes while leaving an Israeli footprint to drive Trump over the edge when he discovers his fortune is gone.

Subject: RE: Drumpf - Epstein Friend/ US Prez 47/ War Criminal*
From: MaJoC the Filk
Date: 09 Jun 26 - 01:41 PM

.... Just got back on Sunday from a largely news-free (and thereby largely stress-free) holiday. Can someone remind us all where His Putrescence got booed by the crowd? a soccer match or summat, but the article's fallen off the back end of BBC Red Button.

Just saw the Marsh Family rendering. Thumbs up all round in this household.

Subject: RE: Drumpf - Epstein Friend/ US Prez 47/ War Criminal*
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 09 Jun 26 - 01:43 PM

The basketball playoff, game three was in New York City but he decided to attend so all of the "president is in town" protocol had to mess up watch parties and how people got in (now 2 hours early and with no bags).

Subject: RE: Drumpf - Epstein Friend/ US Prez 47/ War Criminal*
From: MaJoC the Filk
Date: 09 Jun 26 - 02:00 PM

Meanwhile, from discussions elsewhere on whether His Horrendousness's health would limit his term:

> it may be sooner [than two-and-a-half years], declining
> health and such?

That won't stop Them, They'll keep him as an upright^† symbol of the American Ruler for decades to come.

† As soon as the heart stopped pumping, the orange embalming fluid he's been using for years had its chance to set into its gel state, keeping the body fresh, flexible and posable. The exoskeleton servos can be glitchy, but They explain away the inappropriate grabbing and the arm wrestling as "power moves". The voice synthesis has always been rough, as the push to avoid the "Stephen Hawking monotone" meant they had to sacrifice the vocabulary and coherence, but nobody worth bothering with has ever spotted the lapses. Most importantly, the Presidential brain is still as sharp and active as it ever has been.

Mayhap someone's overfitting the data points. My personal suspicion is that the alleged ballroom doesn't have a bunker: it's a crypt, with a swing door for ease of egress. Muahahaha.

Subject: RE: Drumpf - Epstein Friend/ US Prez 47/ War Criminal*
From: Donuel
Date: 10 Jun 26 - 07:36 AM

George Bush, Bill Clinton, and Donald Trump all turn 80 this summer.
Trump says he's bored and doesn't care about a number of things such as the Iran war and American finances for non-billionaires.

Make America break again is going full bore. ICE has detained over 500 babies and toddlers. Obviously, the worst of the worst.

Before Jews in Nazi Germany had to wear yellow stars the gays had to wear pink triangles. Some of you will see the similarities of Trump rule.

Subject: RE: Drumpf - Epstein Friend/ US Prez 47/ War Criminal*
From: r.padgett
Date: 11 Jun 26 - 07:39 AM

US Senate must hammer down on little t and stop his squandering US Govt monies ~ no more shooting at Iran ~ Iran is a sovereign nation and little t needs to be reeled in

Make proper agreement with Iran and bring the soldiers home

Ray

Subject: RE: Drumpf - Epstein Friend/ US Prez 47/ War Criminal*
From: Donuel
Date: 11 Jun 26 - 08:05 AM

A Trump ceasefire is a double lie.

Subject: RE: Drumpf - Epstein Friend/ US Prez 47/ War Criminal*
From: Donuel
Date: 11 Jun 26 - 03:15 PM

Trump's fascism wounds my heart with monotonous languor.

Subject: RE: Drumpf - Epstein Friend/ US Prez 47/ War Criminal*
From: The Sandman
Date: 11 Jun 26 - 05:00 PM

Trump has escalated the war in Iran, that number has reached more than 50,000, according to a U.S. military official.

Subject: RE: Drumpf - Epstein Friend/ US Prez 47/ War Criminal*
From: Donuel
Date: 12 Jun 26 - 11:49 AM

50K dead?

Trump is the epitome of white supremacy.

Subject: RE: Drumpf - Epstein Friend/ US Prez 47/ War Criminal*
From: Donuel
Date: 12 Jun 26 - 06:50 PM

Neither you nor I can save mankind from self-annihilation. That the tipping point has occurred during the Trump decade is merely a coincidence. Our fathers did what they had to do without knowledge, and we have done little to undo the mistakes or read the writing on the walls. Kudos to the token good done by good people, but it is so easy for the best of us to be reversed. The timetable has been accelerated toward global runaway heat and greed.

I've been a witness to history, some of it unthinkably violent and an abomination of values some of us hold dear. If people knew the whole truth, they would riot in the streets daily. Too much is made of the financial roots of power. Truths held by the invisible hand of power have stymied our better destiny.

Is there other life out there? Good heavens, to dodge it is not just a failure of imagination but a failure to see the limits of our own stupidity. We rely upon the agency of our tools and science, not up to the challenge of seeing beyond military applications. I'm an old man now who will not leave a mark like dictators and tyrants who crave loyalty and trust. The truth as I see it has only visited punishment upon me and is lost amid all the other grains of sand on the beach.

Subject: RE: Drumpf - Epstein Friend/ US Prez 47/ War Criminal*
From: Donuel
Date: 13 Jun 26 - 02:41 PM

It seems like no one has ever told Trump that a closed mouth gathers no foot.

Subject: RE: Drumpf - Epstein Friend/ US Prez 47/ War Criminal*
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 13 Jun 26 - 06:50 PM

Courts pushed back and said he can't place his name on the Kennedy Center. The White House wanted to fight it, but nope, the name is coming down.

MS NOW played a Live Stream that showed the scaffolding being put up. Here's a later video from CSpan. (A guy on a cherry picker with a chisel would do - the sooner they get that buffoon's name off of there, the better.) Now there's a large white and blue striped shower curtain of sorts hanging in front of the building. They don't want to show the public the dismantling of the name, because we sure would enjoy it! A much better show than the nonsense on the South Lawn.

Subject: RE: Drumpf - Epstein Friend/ US Prez 47/ War Criminal*
From: Donuel
Date: 14 Jun 26 - 09:14 AM

Also, the courts have blocked the closure of the Kennedy Center in the next several years for a Trump gilding. The event of the Mark Twain Awards might now continue. They will honor Bill Maher this year.

Subject: RE: Drumpf - Epstein Friend/ US Prez 47/ War Criminal*
From: r.padgett
Date: 15 Jun 26 - 12:52 AM

O thought that said gelding

Wooden spoon for little t ~ if he says he is a peacemaker deserving a medal

Ray

Subject: RE: Drumpf - Epstein Friend/ US Prez 47/ War Criminal*
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 15 Jun 26 - 07:20 AM

Did any of our US-contingent watch the reportedly appalling spectacle of the ‘250’ debacle on the White House Lawn? From Michael Jochum, drummer with Korn et al, on FB today…

”As if this White House UFC circus had not already thoroughly embarrassed the presidency, the institution, and the country, it somehow managed to descend even further into the gutter.

Fresh off his fight, Josh Hokit grabbed a microphone at an event being staged on the grounds of the White House and shouted, “Michelle Obama is a man.”

That was it. That was the contribution. Not a thought about America. Not a reflection on the nation’s 250th anniversary. Not a word about service, sacrifice, citizenship, or unity. Just a juvenile insult aimed at a former First Lady in front of a cheering crowd that has increasingly confused cruelty with courage and ignorance with authenticity.

Let’s be clear about what happened here. A man was handed a microphone at the White House, the White House, and chose to use it to hurl a playground taunt at a former First Lady. If you had written this scene into a political satire ten years ago, an editor would have rejected it for being too absurd and too on-the-nose.

This is the same White House where presidents have hosted world leaders, negotiated peace agreements, comforted grieving families, honored military heroes, welcomed civil rights icons, and attempted to project the best version of America to the rest of the world. On this particular evening, however, it served as the backdrop for a multimillion-dollar spectacle where one of the featured attractions was a fighter shouting insults about Michelle Obama.

And perhaps the most predictable part of all was what came immediately before it. Hokit thanked Jesus.

Of course he did.

Nothing captures the contradiction at the heart of modern performative outrage culture quite like invoking faith and humility moments before publicly humiliating someone for applause. Somewhere between the Beatitudes and the microphone, the message appears to have gotten lost.

What makes the entire episode so revealing is that it strips away all the patriotic wrapping paper surrounding this event. The giant flags. The military flyovers. The endless speeches about America. The declarations of strength. The choreographed displays of toughness. Beneath all of it lies something much smaller, much pettier, and much more juvenile. Strip away the fireworks and sponsorship logos and what remains is often little more than grievance, mockery, and the desperate need to own perceived enemies.

Michelle Obama has spent years encouraging education, public service, healthy living, and civic engagement. Whether one agrees with her politics is irrelevant. She conducted herself as First Lady with a level of discipline, composure, and dignity that stands in stark contrast to the carnival atmosphere that unfolded on the South Lawn. The fact that a former First Lady became the target of a cheap insult at an event supposedly celebrating America tells you everything you need to know about the priorities of the people involved.

The entire evening increasingly felt like a metaphor for the age we are living through. A giant steel structure towering over the White House. Billionaires congratulating billionaires. Corporate sponsors plastered everywhere. Politicians, influencers, and celebrities mingling beneath patriotic branding. Fighters emerging through rooms historically reserved for diplomacy. And now, apparently, insults directed at former First Ladies serving as entertainment.

This wasn’t strength. It wasn’t patriotism. It wasn’t even rebellion.

It was trashy. White Trashy.

Not because of the sport. Not because of the athletes. Not because Americans enjoy competition. It was trashy because a building that is supposed to symbolize the highest aspirations of a democratic republic was treated like the set of a reality television food fight.

For years, defenders of Trump have insisted that critics were overreacting. That every new outrage was being exaggerated. That every breach of decorum was insignificant. Yet nights like this reveal the cumulative effect. Standards matter. Institutions matter. Symbols matter. Once you stop caring about them, eventually you find yourself applauding insults where statesmanship once lived.

And that is precisely what happened at the White House tonight. And Trump fell asleep. Again.

Michael Jochum - Not Just a Drummer: Reflections on Art, Music, Politics, Dogs, and the Human Condition.”

AFAIK, it wasn’t broadcast to UK audiences, and I wouldn’t have watched it if it was - I’d rather stick red-hot needles in my own eyes - but I’d be interested to hear how others regarded the proceedings.

Subject: RE: Drumpf - Epstein Friend/ US Prez 47/ War Criminal*
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 15 Jun 26 - 11:09 AM

"White trash" is an epithet often aimed at those who live in mobile home parks, but Trump has made it clear that he can turn anyplace into a trashy residence.

Meanwhile, John Oliver has done a stunning report about New College Florida on his Last Week Tonight show. It's astonishing how angry these white men are at anything that suggests women, minorities, and smart people should be part of the conversation and have good schools that serve their needs.

Subject: RE: Drumpf - Epstein Friend/ US Prez 47/ War Criminal*
From: MaJoC the Filk
Date: 15 Jun 26 - 01:29 PM

From an ElReg discussion on California trying to restrict 3D printers from making gun parts^†:

Re: I thought Americans liked guns?

Meanwhile America implodes in on itself and its enemies don't have to lift a finger.

FBI Uncovers Al-Qaeda Plot To Just Sit Back And Enjoy Collapse Of United States

The headline says it all.

† As Douglas Adams would have said: This is, of course, impossible.

Subject: RE: Drumpf - Epstein Friend/ US Prez 47/ War Criminal*
From: MaJoC the Filk
Date: 15 Jun 26 - 01:57 PM

.... and from a New World article by Matthew d'Ancona:

In a city of awe-inspiring monuments, military memorials and neoclassical statuary, this ugly spectacle has already been nicknamed "the trailer park on Pennsylvania Avenue".

    -- "How Trump Lost at Fight Club", The New World issue 486 (June 11th 2026)

Six hundred tons of gaudy steel in a semicircle do not make a triumphal arch: they make an Ozymandias statement.

Subject: RE: Drumpf - Epstein Friend/ US Prez 47/ War Criminal*
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 16 Jun 26 - 04:46 AM

From Gavin Newsom yesterday…

”Today, my wife & I joined Donald Trump’s hit list. He has directed his Department of Justice to investigate us. They have not found a crime - they are simply trying to find one.

He isn't coming after me because of mean tweets, but because I am considering running for President.

He hates that I consistently call him out. He is simply the most corrupt President in American history.

We have nothing to hide.

Mr. President, come after me. I am not going anywhere.

The country is watching.”

Good man!