Donald J. Trump wins Presidency

Michael Flynn was fired as national security adviser because he misled the White House about his ties to Russia.

 
Putin denied knowing Flynn to start off then when this pic surfaced he backpeddled and said he 'didn't really talk to' fired National Security Advisor Michael Flynn when they sat together at Russia Today gala.   That's Flynn on Putin's right.


Closeup:

Ah right! Maybe Putin couldn't remember who he was either....

bb1 wrote:Ah right! Maybe Putin couldn't remember who he was either....

He would know exactly who he was - anyone who gets that close to Putin would have been vetted by Security down to the color of his socks!! LL

I just don't see what this is supposed to mean, LL. The grey-haired woman in the photo is Jill Stein, the US Green candidate.....

bb1 wrote:I just don't see what this is supposed to mean, LL. The grey-haired woman in the photo is Jill Stein, the US Green candidate.....

Quite a cast list!!

It was a (red) star-studded affair, the December 2015 dinner celebrating the 10th birthday of Russian TV network RT. At a luxe Moscow hotel, President Vladimir Putin and a host of Russian luminaries toasted a state-backed news channel that U.S. intelligence calls a Kremlin mouthpiece.

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/guess-who-came-dinner-flynn-putin-n742696

I swear the US is losing its marbles, LL. One half is convinced Evil Rooskis are hiding under their beds, just waiting to murder them in their sleep and steal their 'democracy'.

And the other half is convinced Evil Mooslimes are hiding under their beds, waiting to murder them in their sleep and steal their 'democracy'.

http://news.sky.com/story/live-james-comey-testifies-on-fbi-russia-investigation-10908557

Former FBI director James Comey says he created a memo about a January meeting with President Trump because "I was honestly concerned that he might lie"
Mr Comey says he has no doubts Russia interfered in the 2016 election
Comey: The Trump administration tried to defame me and the bureau by saying it was in disarray
On President Trump's suggestion there are potential recordings of their conversation: "Lordy, I hope there are tapes"
Mr Comey was fired in May, allegedly after "losing the confidence of almost everyone in Washington" and is testifying on the FBI's investigation into alleged Russian meddling in the US election
He claims President Trump repeatedly asked him to drop the investigation into the resignation of former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn

Is anyone ever going to explain exactly HOW Russia supposedly interfered in the election? Various persons keep repeating this, but no-one has explained, in wee words and short sentences, just what it is the Evil Russkis did?

Maybe they did, maybe they didn't, but please, can we have something that rises above tittle-tattle and allegations?

Donald Trump state visit 'delayed' after President 'told PM he will not come if people protest against him'.

Donald Trump has reportedly told the Prime Minister he will not come to the UK on a state visit if there are large-scale protests against him, according to reports.

The American President is said to have told Theresa May he does not want to come if people do not welcome his visit.

The message was allegedly communicated in a phone-call between the pair in the last few weeks, according to the Guardian.

A senior White House official said Mrs May and Mr Trump did not discuss the issue when they spoke by telephone on Friday, although they have on earlier calls.

It comes after Mr Trump caused upset in the wake of the London terror attack when he criticised the Mayor of London Sadiq Khan for telling people to remain calm.

Mr Khan called on Mrs May to cancel the visit, as did a number of other public figures.

A Downing Street advisor who was present during the phone-call told the newspaper that Mrs May was surprised by the statement.

It is expected that the visit will be put on hold for some time as British public opinion about the American President is not overwhelmingly positive. More at link.

https://uk.news.yahoo.com/donald-trump-state-visit-apos-125114718.html

Ah, diddums, don't the nasty people want to see you and cheer you? LL

It's entirely Trump's own fault, IMO.

Now, I don't like Khan, nor his politics, but he is the elected Mayor of London, and represents Londoners. When Trump made those spiteful remarks while Londoners' blood was still on the pavement, he insulted millions of people.

It may have played well with his domestic admirers, who are obsessed with Moo-slimes, but it was a diplomatic disaster.

Another theory being aired is that Trump is actually scared to come to London, because due to Khan being a Moo-slime, he will be plotting with other Moo-slimes to assassinate Trump.

I'd be more than happy to chuck a very bad egg at Trump, he really makes me angry. Did you see Junior seems to have shafted him?

WASHINGTON ― Donald Trump’s eldest son seemed to confirm fired FBI director James Comey’s account that the president expressed “hope” Comey would end the FBI investigation into former national security adviser Mike Flynn’s contacts with Russian officials, contradicting the president’s denial that he made such an appeal.

While defending his father in a Fox News interview with Judge Jeanine Pirro, a Trump ally, the younger Trump said there would have been “no ambiguity” if the president had made the request to Comey during a Feb. 14 Oval Office meeting, despite the president and his personal lawyer disputing the exchange.

“When he tells you to do something, guess what? There’s no ambiguity in it, there’s no, ‘Hey, I’m hoping,’” Donald Trump Jr. told Pirro on Saturday, trying to explain that it could not have been a direct request. “You and I are friends: ‘Hey, I hope this happens, but you’ve got to do your job.’ That’s what he told Comey.”

https://www.yahoo.com/news/donald-trump-apos-son-suggests-182039466.html

It's all happened before, LL - think Borgias!

It was always 50-50 whether Trump would be a great president or a disaster - unfortunately, 'disaster' seems to have won.

Many, me included, hoped he would bring fresh thinking to Washington, especially over foreign policy, but he's just doubled down with the very worst of past policies.

Saudi Arabia, FFS!

I remember being out on a limb here as an anti-Trumper, which was why I kept a low profile! Oh, I see his wife and her precocious son are finally moving into the White House. LL

I rather like Melania, and Barron is just a child......I don't blame her for wanting to keep him well away from the circus.

The alternative to Trump was Clinton, who was all set to start WW3 by shooting down Russian planes over Syria, following the triumphs of her aggressive foreign policy in Ukraine, Iraq, Libya, etc....

Under those circumstances, Trump was the better bet; unfortunately, far from draining the swamp, he appears to be drowning in it.

This thread, and the comments, on a pro-Trump site is a perfect example of the sheer ignorance afflicting much of Team Trump:

http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2017/06/hypocrite-jeremy-corbyn-says-welcomes-cancellation-president-trumps-visit-uk/

None of them seem to grasp that when Trump attacked Khan, it was as bad as if Tony Blair had insulted Mayor Guiliano after 9/11. Trump didn't just insult Khan, he insulted London and the wider UK.

I don't like Khan - or Corbyn - but there are some things you simply do NOT do in tragic circumstances. IMO, Trump has messed up badly over this, and would be a fool to think he would be welcome in London after those remarks.

Found this, like father, like son. LL

Trump Jr. called a 'disgrace' for criticizing London mayor

LONDON (AP) March 23, 2017 — Donald Trump Jr. is facing criticism for a tweet sent in the hours after Wednesday's London attack that included a months-old comment from London Mayor Sadiq Khan that terror attacks are part of living in a big city, but left out that Khan was noting that residents need to "be prepared" for such attacks.

Trump Jr. tweeted : "You have to be kidding me?!: Terror attacks are part of living in big city, says London Mayor Sadiq Khan." The tweet included a link to a Sept. 22 story from Britain's Independent newspaper that included Khan's quote to the Evening Standard days earlier. Khan was speaking to the newspaper from New York, a day after a bomb went off in the city, leaving more than two dozen people hurt.

"Part and parcel of living in a great global city is you've got to be prepared for these things. You've got to be vigilant. You've got to support the police doing an incredibly hard job," he said. British Member of Parliament Wes Streeting was among numerous Britons who responded to the tweet with criticism. He called Trump Jr. "a disgrace" and accused him of using a terrorist attack for "political gain."

When asked about Trump Jr. on Thursday, Khan told CNN: "I'm not going to respond to a tweet from Donald Trump Jr. I've been doing far more important things over the past 24 hours." He added that "terrorists hate the fact" that cities including London, New York and Paris have "diverse communities living together peacefully."

Today is Donald J Trump's 71st birthday.    May he continue to live in interesting times.    Lamplighter  
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On Donald Trump’s 71st birthday, 71 things he's said that may keep you up at night.
https://www.yahoo.com/news/donald-trump-71st-birthday-71-035000555.html
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Trump Is No Orange ‘Julius,’ but He Does Share Traits With Other Tyrants of Rome.
http://www.thedailybeast.com/trump-is-no-orange-julius-but-he-does-share-traits-with-other-tyrants-of-rome?yptr=yahoo

Apart from anything else, it doesn't seem to occur to the Trumps that they really are tempting fate by insulting Khan like this.

I actually don't know what makes them imagine there is a single city or large town in the US which is mysteriously immune from terrorist attacks - it's a matter of when, not if, the next one happens there.

Donald Trump under investigation for potential obstruction of justice – reports.

Federal investigation into Trump campaign’s ties to Russia has expanded to include whether the president tried to thwart it, the Washington Post reports

Donald Trump is reportedly being investigated for potential obstruction of justice by the special counsel looking into Russia’s interference in the 2016 presidential election. This marks the first time that the ongoing investigation, which has hung over Trump since his inauguration, has potentially implicated the president himself.

The Washington Post reported on Wednesday night that the federal probe into the Trump campaign’s ties with Russia during the 2016 campaign, being overseen by Robert Mueller, has now expanded into whether the president attempted to thwart that investigation.

The allegations of obstruction of justice apparently center on Trump’s efforts to encourage former FBI director James Comey to drop an investigation of former national security adviser Michael Flynn. Comey testified under oath to Congress last week that Trump told him in a private meeting, “I hope you can see your way clear to letting this go, to letting Flynn go. He is a good guy. I hope you can let this go.” Trump has since said Comey said things that “weren’t true” while under oath and that he was “100% willing” to testify before Congress.

Flynn, who resigned as national security adviser in February after serving in that position for less than a month, had come under scrutiny for undisclosed conversations with Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak and then misleading vice-president Mike Pence about the nature of his contacts with the high-ranking Russian official.

Comey was fired in May by Trump and the president cited “this Russia thing” as a reason for the FBI director’s sacking in an interview with NBC News. The White House had initially claimed Comey’s handling of the investigation into Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email server was the reason for his firing before Trump contradicted his staff’s statements on the topic.

In addition to his alleged attempts to influence Comey, Trump reportedly intervened with Dan Coats, the director of national intelligence, in an attempt to ask him to persuade Comey to back off the FBI investigation of Flynn, a close Trump ally. In addition, Trump allegedly asked both Coats and Adm Mike Rogers, the head of the National Security Agency, to issue statements denying evidence that his campaign colluded with Russia in the 2016 campaign. Both men reportedly declined to do so.

Both the Post and the New York Times are reporting that Mueller is seeking to interview Coats, Rogers and Richard Ledgett, the former deputy director of the National Security Agency, in an attempt to gain more information about potential efforts by Trump to obstruct justice.

The reported expansion of the investigation comes only days after speculation mounted that the president might fire Mueller, stoked by a television appearance by Trump confidante Chris Ruddy where he said “terminating” the special counsel was under consideration. Rod Rosenstein, the deputy attorney general who would be responsible for making such a decision, told senators on Tuesday that there was “no secret plan” to sack Mueller. However, White House deputy press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders told reporters late Tuesday, “While the president has the right to [fire Mueller], he has no intention to do so.”

The White House referred a request for comment on Wednesday to Marc Kasowitz, Trump’s personal attorney. Mark Corallo, a spokesman for Kasowitz, told the Guardian: “The FBI leak of information regarding the president is outrageous, inexcusable and illegal.” In response to a follow up question about whether anything in the Washington Post story was inaccurate, Corallo simply reiterated his previous statement.

The FBI’s press office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/donald-trump-under-investigation-potential-232516681.html

I have to confess, LL, I have completely lost track of this. I have NO idea who is supposed to have said or done what, or why they said or did it. No-one seems able to produce any clear, simple evidence of wrongdoing.

Will Trump sack Mueller? His Florida friend says he's considering that.

Chris Ruddy, the Newmax CEO and Florida pal of Donald Trump, says the president is considering firing special counsel Robert Mueller.

“I think he’s weighing that option,” Ruddy said Monday on PBS NewsHour. “I think it’s pretty clear by what one of his lawyers said on television recently.”

He added: “I personally think it would be a very significant mistake.”

http://www.tbo.com/blogs/the-buzz-florida-politics/will-trump-sack-mueller-his-florida-friend-says-hes-considering-that/2327063
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There are 2 ways Trump could have Mueller fired, and one of them led to Nixon's downfall.

President Donald Trump's close friend told PBS on Monday night that the president was "weighing" whether to fire Robert Mueller, the special counsel overseeing the FBI's investigation into Russia's interference in the 2016 election.

Trump could order Mueller's dismissal. But he would not be able to fire him directly unless he ordered the repeal of the special-counsel regulations adopted in 1999, according to Neal Katyal, the former acting solicitor general, who helped draft the regulations governing the appointment of a special counsel.

But that would be an "extravagant" move, Katyal wrote in a Washington Post column on May 19. If Trump wanted Mueller gone, it is more likely he would order Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein to fire him.

http://uk.businessinsider.com/can-trump-fire-special-counsel-robert-mueller-2017-6?r=US&IR=T

VP Pence hires Watergate veteran as personal lawyer.

Washington (AFP) - US Vice President Mike Pence has hired a personal lawyer to deal with requests from the special counsel investigating possible collusion with Russia during the 2016 election, a top aide said Thursday.

"The Vice President has retained Richard Cullen of McGuire Woods to assist him in responding to inquiries by the special counsel," Pence communications director Jared Agen said in a statement.

"The vice president is focused entirely on his duties and promoting the president's agenda and looks forward to a swift conclusion of this matter."

Pence's announcement comes after several weeks of deliberations, featuring several candidates, an administration official said, adding that no taxpayer money will be used.

A final decision was made to hire Cullen earlier this week.

Cullen -- who has experience litigating the Iran-Contra investigation, Watergate and the 2000 vote recount in Florida -- is a former US attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia.

Pence's move follows a decision by President Donald Trump to hire outside counsel Marc Kasowitz and could signal the investigation is entering a new phase.

Amid reports that special counsel Robert Mueller is also looking into whether Trump tried to obstruct justice, several White House aides are expected to be contacted by his team and are in the process of "lawyering up."

https://www.yahoo.com/news/vp-pence-hires-watergate-veteran-personal-lawyer-220815815.html
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Trump uses social media to question probe of his campaign.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump complained on social media about the wide-ranging investigation of Russian interference in the U.S. election as Robert Mueller appeared to widen his probe to include whether Trump tried to obstruct justice.

"You are witnessing the single greatest WITCH HUNT in American political history - led by some very bad and conflicted people!" Trump wrote on Twitter, in a pair of messages that ended with a reference to his campaign slogan "Make America Great Again."

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/trump-uses-social-media-probe-151442652.html

I confess to having NO idea who these people are, it's all got way too confusing for me.

Now this, I can understand...

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/u-s-sending-4-000-additional-troops-afghanistan-article-1.3251847

An additional 4,000 American troops are headed for Afghanistan, a Trump administration official told The Associated Press on Thursday.

The forces will join nearly 10,000 U.S. troops embedded in a war-torn country where combat operations technically came to an end in 2014. The Pentagon is hoping the deployment will break a stalemate between American-backed Afghan forces and Taliban fighters.

Defense Secretary James Mattis could officially announce the surge as early as next week, the AP reported.

“We are not winning in Afghanistan right now. And we will correct this as soon as possible,” Mattis told the Senate Armed Services Committee earlier this week.

There have been almost 2,400 U.S. military deaths in Afghanistan since 2001. Three U.S. soldiers were killed there last weekend in an attack claimed by the Taliban.

Great idea, get yet more Americans and Afghanis killed protecting the CIA's poppy fields.

Trump breaking his word about bringing troops home is, IMO, far more important than this endless uproar about Russia - or whatever it is. Indeed, if I was cynical, I would say the Russia stuff is a smokescreen for more serious matters.

Someone needs to hand Mattis a history book and tell him the US is NEVER going to 'win' in Afghanistan - not one single invader ever has.

Graveyard of Empires, etc....

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/jun/16/trump-to-announce-new-restrictions-on-cuba-trade-and-travel

Donald Trump will on Friday announce new restrictions on trade and travel to Cuba on Friday, but will not entirely reverse Barack Obama’s 2015 rapprochement with Havana.

Diplomatic relations will remain, and so will commercial flights, but travel to Cuba will be more tightly monitored and business will face restrictions aimed at ensuring that Cuban military and intelligence organisations do not benefit.


Trump's 'recalibration' with Cuba could bring down the shutters once more
Read more
“The new policy will empower the Cuban people,” a senior White House official said. “It does not target the Cuban people but the measures are designed to restrict the flow of money to oppressive elements of the Cuban regime.”...etc.

Oh FFS, do they NEVER learn? This won't 'empower the Cuban people', it will give the Castro regime every dictator's favourite thing - an external enemy they can blame for everything.