Want to understand what Trump is doing?

imaround

Massive protests in cities all over the country today.

Lawsuits out the wazoo to try and stop some of this.

People are starting to overcome our shock and mobilize.

I'm not sure it will do any good.

Good to hear of the protests. Imaround, I think it will take some time for the movements against Trump to get organised and focused, becuase there are probably different elements involved - on Gaza, on womens health, and the more complicated ie the mass sackings and Musk control over treasury etc, which currently involve legal action, but trust it will come. (easy to say to you from over here, I know)

Trump’s latest idea of buying the Gaza Strip isn’t going anywhere. So the MSM will need to work overtime on damage limitation if it’s trying to save Trump’s reputation on this one.

The mainstream media has sanewashed Trump for a year. Trump has sued most of the MSM and they have backed down. They are now complicit.

Yes it does Whitewave. And I hope it happens quickly, because right now the opposition is floundering.

The opposition needs a leader.

Massive protests in cities all over the country today.

Lawsuits out the wazoo to try and stop some of this.

People are starting to overcome our shock and mobilize.

I'm not sure it will do any good.

They had to do a hurried U turn in the National Transportation Safety Board where they had issued the orders to reduce numbers like most other federal departments

Orders went out, then the awful Washington Air Crash. Whilst Trump loudly blamed the DEI

They quietly withdraw instructions to cut employees in the agency which keeps the skies as safe as possible.

CNN quote, "the National Transportation Safety Board informed employees they were not eligible for the program as the agency scrambles to keep investigators from leaving, despite initially receiving the offer"

They are also going after the CIA but thats a complicated picture given it operates in secrecy

"CIA sends ‘buyout’ offers to entire workforce"

"Trump and his allies have claimed at different points that intelligence officers at the CIA have been part of a “deep state” determined to undermine him, and some critics have described the deferred resignation program as a purge – something Trump officials have denied."

www.cnn.com/2025/02/04/politics/cia-workforce-buyouts/index.html

The White House’s aggressive import taxes aren’t just going to increase prices on Chinese exports to the U.S. – they’re also going to close a tax loophole that allows companies like Shein and Temu to ship packages under $800 into the US duty free. While the tariffs will definitely hurt the fast fashion brands, analysts expect that Americans will continue buying the cheap clothes and trinkets – because who can resist a good deal?

And while cheap trinkets are set to get more expensive, you might not even be able to get them straight from the source anymore.

The United States Postal Service announced yesterday that it would immediately stop accepting packages from Hong Kong and China besides letters. The agency didn’t say why it will be blocking parcels from China, but the convenient timing of the decision has to mean it's related to the tariffs, right?

What "special relationship"? No one and no country has a "special relationship" with Trump as far as I can see. IMO the best way to be "proactive" is not to rely on Trump and his administration and to try to build more co-operation and trade with our nearest neighbours ie Europe with whom we already do a great deal of our trade.

Exactly where does Trump position the special relationship which could unravel very quickly? Or more importantly, where does the Uk position itself with Trump? Time to be proactive rather than perpetually reactive?

LizzieDrip

It’s chilling isn’t it WW!

Yes, chilling. As are his plans for Gaza now.

Whitewavemark2

So thinking about this, that would be the equivalent of say Cummings taking over, big government departments including HMRC - getting rid of the heads and other staff, moving in youngsters who are given the “key” and passcodes to all our data etc.

Blimey!!

It’s not just a question of access to data, which is bad enough. It is the fact that they can stop paying federal government employees and federal government agencies.

It’s like Cummings stopping all civil servants’ wages and all payments to the NHS, the courts, the police etc.

imaround I’ve googled my own questions (above) and I see that there is some opposition and protest to Musk’s actions.

How is that being reported by the US media? Is there a ‘sense’ that this opposition is gaining traction?

Sorry for all the questions - I’m naturally a very inquisitive person

imaround I have a question - is there any visible, vocal opposition to what Musk is doing? Are the Democrats denouncing it? Are there any demonstrations by ordinary people?

I know a lot of people voted for Trump but also a lot didn’t. Hopefully they’re making their voices heard🤞🙏

I wonder what other data he will have access to?

Companies in Europe?

What about the security and data collated by the CIA etc?

It’s chilling isn’t it WW!

So thinking about this, that would be the equivalent of say Cummings taking over, big government departments including HMRC - getting rid of the heads and other staff, moving in youngsters who are given the “key” and passcodes to all our data etc.

Blimey!!

Musk has entered NOAA or National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration and the Department of Commerce. He was bragging on X about hitting the IRS next.

Dictators don't care about court orders. The DOJ has already said Musk doesn't have to comply in their opinion.

I think there is only one way out of this. I hope that isnt the case.

I’ve come to the conclusion, that he is carving up the world, or at least what he considers his sphere of influence.

If the law suits result in judgements against Musk, how are the judgements going to to be enforced?

If you want to keep track of the lawsuits thay have been filed against his unconstitutional acts so far.

www.justsecurity.org/107087/tracker-legal-challenges-trump-administration-actions/

Wyllow3

Yes - amidst it all, the most dangerous move is probably what already was alluded to above, Elon Musks' DOGE task force gaining access to data and payment systems.

Further to the articles I posted this morning, it has now been found that Musk now has 'write' access to the Fed payments system. This means that new code can be inserted and brings even closer the danger that fiddling with the code could completely crash the whole system. Which could quite possibly destroy the US economy...

‪Nathan Tankus‬ ‪@nathantankus.bsky.social‬
·
6h
EMERGENCY PIECE: Previous reports that Musk's DOGE programmers only have "read only" access is inaccurate. I can confirm what @wired.com first reported at 1 AM today that they have Read & WRITE access with a source in BFS referring to this as "apocalyptic"

www.crisesnotes.com/day-five-of-the-trump-musk-treasury-payments-crisis-of-2025-not-read-only-access-anymore/

"Donald Trump's niece leads backlash as Elon Musk's DOGE team granted unprecedented power"

www.indy100.com/politics/trump/donald-trump-elon-musk-doge

She is anti Trump but its interesting she chose that issue, one thing I didnt realise came up, which is

"The controversial move allows the department access to the sensitive personal data, including social security numbers, of millions of Americans as well as many businesses,

some of which are competitors of Musk’s own ventures

Claremont

And Brexiters who proudly shouted 'Sovereignty' re Brexit- now seem totally happy to bow to Trump and Musk, with joy. Unbelievable.

Our government can’t say what most people think of Trump because we’re so dependent post Brexit on trade with America.