That is spot on HousePlantQueen.
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News & politics
The problem with Donald Trump....
(256 Posts)This was written during Trump's previous period as POTUS, and I think it sums up, eloquently, just what it is that Brits ( and presumably other nationalities) dislike about him. It is worth a read.
Nate White
“Why do some British people not like Donald Trump?” Nate White, an articulate and witty writer from England wrote the following response:
A few things spring to mind. Trump lacks certain qualities which the British traditionally esteem. For instance, he has no class, no charm, no coolness, no credibility, no compassion, no wit, no warmth, no wisdom, no subtlety, no sensitivity, no self-awareness, no humility, no honour and no grace – all qualities, funnily enough, with which his predecessor Mr. Obama was generously blessed. So for us, the stark contrast does rather throw Trump’s limitations into embarrassingly sharp relief.
Plus, we like a laugh. And while Trump may be laughable, he has never once said anything wry, witty or even faintly amusing – not once, ever. I don’t say that rhetorically, I mean it quite literally: not once, not ever. And that fact is particularly disturbing to the British sensibility – for us, to lack humour is almost inhuman. But with Trump, it’s a fact. He doesn’t even seem to understand what a joke is – his idea of a joke is a crass comment, an illiterate insult, a casual act of cruelty.
Trump is a troll. And like all trolls, he is never funny and he never laughs; he only crows or jeers. And scarily, he doesn’t just talk in crude, witless insults – he actually thinks in them. His mind is a simple bot-like algorithm of petty prejudices and knee-jerk nastiness.
There is never any under-layer of irony, complexity, nuance or depth. It’s all surface. Some Americans might see this as refreshingly upfront. Well, we don’t. We see it as having no inner world, no soul. And in Britain we traditionally side with David, not Goliath. All our heroes are plucky underdogs: Robin Hood, Dick Whittington, Oliver Twist. Trump is neither plucky, nor an underdog. He is the exact opposite of that. He’s not even a spoiled rich-boy, or a greedy fat-cat. He’s more a fat white slug. A Jabba the Hutt of privilege.
And worse, he is that most unforgivable of all things to the British: a bully. That is, except when he is among bullies; then he suddenly transforms into a snivelling sidekick instead. There are unspoken rules to this stuff – the Queensberry rules of basic decency – and he breaks them all. He punches downwards – which a gentleman should, would, could never do – and every blow he aims is below the belt. He particularly likes to kick the vulnerable or voiceless – and he kicks them when they are down.
So the fact that a significant minority – perhaps a third – of Americans look at what he does, listen to what he says, and then think ‘Yeah, he seems like my kind of guy’ is a matter of some confusion and no little distress to British people, given that:
• Americans are supposed to be nicer than us, and mostly are.
• You don’t need a particularly keen eye for detail to spot a few flaws in the man.
This last point is what especially confuses and dismays British people, and many other people too; his faults seem pretty bloody hard to miss. After all, it’s impossible to read a single tweet, or hear him speak a sentence or two, without staring deep into the abyss. He turns being artless into an art form; he is a Picasso of pettiness; a Shakespeare of shit. His faults are fractal: even his flaws have flaws, and so on ad infinitum. God knows there have always been stupid people in the world, and plenty of nasty people too. But rarely has stupidity been so nasty, or nastiness so stupid. He makes Nixon look trustworthy and George W look smart. In fact, if Frankenstein decided to make a monster assembled entirely from human flaws – he would make a Trump.
And a remorseful Doctor Frankenstein would clutch out big clumpfuls of hair and scream in anguish: ‘My God… what… have… I… created?' If being a twat was a TV show, Trump would be the boxed set.
#Donald Trump
HousePlantQueen
This was written during Trump's previous period as POTUS, and I think it sums up, eloquently, just what it is that Brits ( and presumably other nationalities) dislike about him. It is worth a read.
Nate White
“Why do some British people not like Donald Trump?” Nate White, an articulate and witty writer from England wrote the following response:
A few things spring to mind. Trump lacks certain qualities which the British traditionally esteem. For instance, he has no class, no charm, no coolness, no credibility, no compassion, no wit, no warmth, no wisdom, no subtlety, no sensitivity, no self-awareness, no humility, no honour and no grace – all qualities, funnily enough, with which his predecessor Mr. Obama was generously blessed. So for us, the stark contrast does rather throw Trump’s limitations into embarrassingly sharp relief.
Plus, we like a laugh. And while Trump may be laughable, he has never once said anything wry, witty or even faintly amusing – not once, ever. I don’t say that rhetorically, I mean it quite literally: not once, not ever. And that fact is particularly disturbing to the British sensibility – for us, to lack humour is almost inhuman. But with Trump, it’s a fact. He doesn’t even seem to understand what a joke is – his idea of a joke is a crass comment, an illiterate insult, a casual act of cruelty.
Trump is a troll. And like all trolls, he is never funny and he never laughs; he only crows or jeers. And scarily, he doesn’t just talk in crude, witless insults – he actually thinks in them. His mind is a simple bot-like algorithm of petty prejudices and knee-jerk nastiness.
There is never any under-layer of irony, complexity, nuance or depth. It’s all surface. Some Americans might see this as refreshingly upfront. Well, we don’t. We see it as having no inner world, no soul. And in Britain we traditionally side with David, not Goliath. All our heroes are plucky underdogs: Robin Hood, Dick Whittington, Oliver Twist. Trump is neither plucky, nor an underdog. He is the exact opposite of that. He’s not even a spoiled rich-boy, or a greedy fat-cat. He’s more a fat white slug. A Jabba the Hutt of privilege.
And worse, he is that most unforgivable of all things to the British: a bully. That is, except when he is among bullies; then he suddenly transforms into a snivelling sidekick instead. There are unspoken rules to this stuff – the Queensberry rules of basic decency – and he breaks them all. He punches downwards – which a gentleman should, would, could never do – and every blow he aims is below the belt. He particularly likes to kick the vulnerable or voiceless – and he kicks them when they are down.
So the fact that a significant minority – perhaps a third – of Americans look at what he does, listen to what he says, and then think ‘Yeah, he seems like my kind of guy’ is a matter of some confusion and no little distress to British people, given that:
• Americans are supposed to be nicer than us, and mostly are.
• You don’t need a particularly keen eye for detail to spot a few flaws in the man.
This last point is what especially confuses and dismays British people, and many other people too; his faults seem pretty bloody hard to miss. After all, it’s impossible to read a single tweet, or hear him speak a sentence or two, without staring deep into the abyss. He turns being artless into an art form; he is a Picasso of pettiness; a Shakespeare of shit. His faults are fractal: even his flaws have flaws, and so on ad infinitum. God knows there have always been stupid people in the world, and plenty of nasty people too. But rarely has stupidity been so nasty, or nastiness so stupid. He makes Nixon look trustworthy and George W look smart. In fact, if Frankenstein decided to make a monster assembled entirely from human flaws – he would make a Trump.
And a remorseful Doctor Frankenstein would clutch out big clumpfuls of hair and scream in anguish: ‘My God… what… have… I… created?' If being a twat was a TV show, Trump would be the boxed set.
#Donald Trump
After watching Trump talking to the Ukranian president last night and seeing him being such a bully, your post is even more apt.
I see the King has invited Trump through Starmer.
Feel free to take him on a tour of the Tower. 
Iam64
Accepting the USA voted for Trump isn’t denied but that doesn’t mean we ‘get over it’.
The Tate brothers are reported to have left Romania for America in a private jet earlier today. Imagine, a world leader actively enabling dangerous men like them, encouraging them to visit/live in the country they are responsible for
Do we know for sure that Trump enabled their release?
I mean, it wouldn't surprise me - since Trump was inaugurated, just about anything's possible. But I'm becoming wary (not weary!) about what I read and, in this current political climate, want to make sure I'm sticking to facts.
Maybe First Buddy will be pleased to see / meet them - he allegedly said that Andrew Tate would make a good British Prime Minister so appears to think highly of him - alongside Tommy Robinson.
(What is it with this meddlesome fool Musk and his apparent obsession with our government and political-system which, judging from some of his observations, he clearly doesn't understand?)
Anyway, back to the Tates.
Andrew Tate says women belong in the home, can’t drive, and are a man’s property.
He also thinks rape victims must “bear responsibility” for their attacks and dates women aged 18–19 because he can “make an imprint” on them, according to videos posted online.
In other clips, the British-American kickboxer – who poses with fast cars, guns and portrays himself as a cigar-smoking playboy – talks about hitting and choking women, trashing their belongings and stopping them from going out.
“It’s bang out the machete, boom in her face and grip her by the neck. Shut up bitch,” he says in one video, acting out how he’d attack a woman if she accused him of cheating. In another, he describes throwing a woman’s things out of the window. In a third, he calls an ex-girlfriend who accused him of hitting her – an allegation he denies – a “dumb hoe”. (The Guardian reporting on video-clips of Tate)
He is, allegedly, admired by some hard-rightists - not to mention our own Nigel Farage who said he thinks he's a good role model for young men.
Is Tate the kind of individual who's gradually going to creep into the mainstream, where we're encouraged to "listen to what he's got to say" before we condemn him?
It's possible. I'm not accusing Trump of being a rapist, but he apparently did have a penchant for grabbing women by the nether-region (because he's rich and "they let you do that") - and millions of people voted for him - as his boast could be dismissed as locker-room talk. So he's gone full-mainstream.
Will they return to face the charges levelled against them - one does wonder.
Meanwhile, De Santis (Gov Florida) apparently didn't know they were arriving - no advance warning (he says) - and that "they are not welcome here".
* Allira* I love that image of Mr Trump as Violet Elizabeth: thank you !
Of course Hamas are bullies, I'm sure most Palestinians are afraid of opposing them because they have power over them as well as guns.
Churchview
*Ronib "Don’t suppose anyone is interested in the outcome of Trump’s involvement in talks over Ukraine? Wouldn’t it be a thing most wonderful if the killing stopped?"*
It appears the outcome of Trump's involvement is that Ukraine get "the right to fight on" in return for access to its minerals.
Stopping the killing doesn't seem to have been the intention.
Russia raped and the USA plundered.
Sadly this is the truth.
However, it’s shocking but unsurprising.
ronib
foxie48 just watching the news - seems that Putin isn’t the only leader killing - Hamas also notched up the numbers. I don’t think the term bully is that accurate. Are Hamas bullies?
Yes, Hamas are bullies, they are terrorists, they are murderers and they are dictators!
Casdon
I doubt Artols will get that reference Allira, it’s about as British as they come! You’re right though.
Probably not but it did just pop into my mind this morning.
Then I had the horrendous vision of Trump in a frilly dress and ringlets stamping his feet and threatening to thrceam and thrceam 'til he's thick unless he gets his own way over Gaza, Ukraine, Greenland etc.
The shame is not yours Syracute, nor is it inaround’s, the shame is with Trump and his cronies, and all those who support them.
I feel only sympathy for those having to live in the US governed by this monstrosity.
We have relatives in NYC who feel completely incredulous.
Please do keep posting and keeping us updated.
I doubt Artols will get that reference Allira, it’s about as British as they come! You’re right though.
Arto1s
Please, why can’t you all accept that Trump is my President….Get over it,
I think we're all to well aware that Trump is your President and, as POTUS, he is one of the most powerful men in the world.
Just because he was elected President doesn't mean he's the right man for the job, though.
He's like a male version of Violet Elizabeth Bott but with all that power - which is quite frightening.
Arto1s
Please, why can’t you all accept that Trump is my President….Get over it,
Well, he is my president as well and he is far more of a danger then I ever thought . He does in no way belong there as a leader . He is just trying to destroy our democracy one bit at a time . We have for the first time voted with Russia and North Korea in the UN . Shame ! Trump is using threat to Mexico , Canada and Europe in a vile manner . He even threatened Putin . He thinks everyone will just do what he says or else . He is ripping apart our country in ways I never dreamed possible . Slowly , people, judges and other republicans are starting to push back on this crazy, no thought chaos . His latest press briefing with his cabinet was the latest circus of absurdity ! It is truly a shameful time to be American .
Here is a great article about a regretful Trump voter. It is Washington Post without a payeall
archive.is/2025.02.27-114505/https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/02/27/fired-federal-worker-trump-voter/
This is what I mean when I say they won't care until it hurts them.
Welcome to MAGA folks. Where the need to win and be right overrides anything else.
Their opinion? They won't discuss it. He is president. Get over it.
They are completely incacapable of thoughtful discussion. In fact they attempt to shut down discussion with a firmly stated "get over it", often.
They lack empathy or understanding of how their choice affects anyone else in the world. They won, you should get over it.
This right here is why this won't be over until they feel the pain of what Trump is doing. When they lose health care, or their home, or loved ones, they may wake up. Maybe.
foxie48 just watching the news - seems that Putin isn’t the only leader killing - Hamas also notched up the numbers. I don’t think the term bully is that accurate. Are Hamas bullies?
Chocolatelovinggran
Arto1s please may I have your response to my earlier post about the Tate brothers return to Florida?
In an interview with another YouTuber, he said he was "absolutely a misogynist", and added: "I'm a realist and when you're a realist, you're sexist. There's no way you can be rooted in reality and not be sexist."
In that same video, he described women as "intrinsically lazy" and said there was "no such thing as an independent female".
Tate is very popular with some in the Trump camp.
It would definitely be interesting to hear what Trump's female supporters think about him - and his popularity.
But I doubt we will. Or if we do, it might be along the lines of, "who cares what he thinks" type of response.
Arto1s please may I have your response to my earlier post about the Tate brothers return to Florida?
I haven't seen Artol's express any opinion than we should stop criticising Trump because he's his/her president. Sorry but I need a better reason than that!
With regard to Ronib's comment tell that to Navalny's widow, the Skripals, Prigozhin, Yushenkov, Politkovskaya, Litvinenko, Estemirova, Magnitsky, Nemtsov etc. Putin isn't a bully? He's a cold murderer who will kill or try to kill anyone who is in opposition to him.
ronib
Give Americans a break? Trump was inaugurated just over a month ago- he really isn’t Superman by any stretch. AGAA4
... true (though it is possible he might believe he's SM).
Only a month in - but there's already been quite a lot of 'fall-out', courtesy of First-Buddy, and there have been protests.
So maybe not such a bad question to ask - Trump did promise to act quickly, and he has... so...
Wyllow3
Arto1s
Please, why can’t you all accept that Trump is my President….Get over it,
I think the problem for posters here is that you are just repeating "Trump is my president - get over it", with predictable results "no we won't get over it"
But not engaging in actual discussions about all the policy measures he is bringing in. Cut the DEI? Slash Medicaid? cut all USAID? suspend swathes of government workers? Re open Gitmo?
Fair enough, this thread is more about his character, but if you pop over to "what Trump is doing"
www.gransnet.com/forums/news_and_politics/1345403-Want-to-understand-what-Trump-is-doing-Part-2?pg=20
and make your POV known people may not agree but we could see why you support him?
Well said Wyllow3.
The point that appears to be missed by said poster is that Trump is more than simply "my president", he is arguably the most, or one of, the most powerful men in the world. And that being the case, we all have a stake in what is happening and what might happen in the future because of his actions, dealings and policies.
The ripple-effect of his actions might well affect all of us, so to be told to 'get over it' is really rather insulting. And as an argument has no validity.
Give Americans a break? Trump was inaugurated just over a month ago- he really isn’t Superman by any stretch. AGAA4
I would welcome American posters to tell us how life is better for them with Trump as Potus. Genuine question.
It’s not a ‘pile on’ towards Artols. No-one is preventing her from expressing her opinion.
That many posters disagree with that opinion is not a ‘pile on’ - it’s simply them expressing their opinions.
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