Gransnet forums

News & politics

Is there an argument for saying that UK citizens who support Trump are unpatriotic?

(113 Posts)
PoliticsNerd Wed 07-May-25 01:32:03

In answer to henetha, a question mark simply indicates that the sentence before it is a question.

Rosie51 asked: "What is a discussion if not opinions?"
An unfounded opinion is not a discussion even though opinions formed are what makes a discussion. A discussion needs opinions that are grounded in something more than just a feeling or a hunch and that "something" is the explanation of how you arrive at your opinion. When opinions are unfounded, they don't add to the conversation; they weigh it down and prevent us from engaging with each other. A healthy discussion isn't just about having opinions, it's about being able to explain why you hold those opinions, and being open to having your opinions challenged and refined by evidence and reasoning.

Rosie51 Wed 07-May-25 00:46:20

PoliticsNerd

I wasn't really asking for opinions (although thank you for adding to the discussion). Perhaps I could clarify by asking when does this sort of thinking about a foreign leader and country become "unpatriotic"?

I'm confused! What is a discussion if not opinions? Why start a thread where you don't want opinions, what do you want, just single word replies "agree"?

nanna8 Wed 07-May-25 00:37:08

No. I think supporting Starmer is unpatriotic though.

Dickens Tue 06-May-25 23:55:18

I was labelled as unpatriotic for voting to remain in the EU - in fact, the accuser called me a traitor.

However, as I genuinely believed our country's best interests were served by remaining in it - I think it was a silly observation.

It someone supports Trump's actions to date and thinks they too serve our nation's interests, they can hardly be considered treacherous - by the same token.

The fact that I, and a few others, think Trump is a raging, foolish, narcissist, is neither here nor there.

henetha Tue 06-May-25 23:21:31

Depends what you mean by support.
Most of us are simply giving opinions.
So if someone openly admires Trump, is that support?
Your title for this thread ended with a question mark, so therefore you were inviting opinions. Just saying.

Allira Tue 06-May-25 22:32:22

I wasn't really asking for opinions
So what was the point of the thread?

Allira Tue 06-May-25 22:31:07

No.
How can it be unpatriotic?

Supporting an enemy with which your country is at war is unpatriotic. We are not at war with the USA.

PoliticsNerd Tue 06-May-25 22:30:06

I wasn't really asking for opinions (although thank you for adding to the discussion). Perhaps I could clarify by asking when does this sort of thinking about a foreign leader and country become "unpatriotic"?

Norah Tue 06-May-25 22:20:28

No.

Different opinions which I don't understand, but not unpatriotic.

M0nica Tue 06-May-25 22:07:22

I agree with RosiandhermMaw misguided, but not unpatriotic.

ronib Tue 06-May-25 21:28:00

At the end of the day, how does a mere person know what the outcome is of any of Trump’s policies? Trump may be causing some harm to his own country- isn’t it a bit too early to say? And what does it mean to support Trump as a Uk voter?

RosieandherMaw Tue 06-May-25 21:11:33

One could question their judgement, their political intelligence, their awareness of the lunatic's foibles, but let's not accuse them of an absence of patriotism.

PoliticsNerd Tue 06-May-25 20:55:47

Shouldn't a UK citizen's primary loyalty and concern be for the well-being and interests of their own country? Supporting a foreign leader, especially one whose policies can be seen as detrimental to UK interests or values, could be viewed as a betrayal of that loyalty. If you see Trump's policies as harmful to the UK economy then supporting him could be seen as putting a foreign agenda before their own nation's.

Also a UK citizen seen as undermining or criticising UK institutions while praising those of another nation could be interpreted as unpatriotic.

This is probably just another matter of perception but I do begin to feel that the support by some for a foreign leader and therefore a foreign country is now becoming questionable.

Perhaps this could be compared with communist supporters during the cold war, but of course there will be other views too.