The opening act was tumultuous. Phase two of Trump’s presidency could be even more so.

Phase one of the Trump presidency is ending. However unpredictable and unnerving it has been, the coming phase could be even more so.

The opening phase came to a close in a week in which the president displayed the same characteristics that got him to the White House in the first place: a reliance on gut and guile, disregard for the experts and a flair for the dramatic. Expect more of the same, perhaps much more.

Trump seemingly has decided to fly solo. Advice may come his way, but at this point, after 14 months in charge of the White House, he is making clear that he will operate independently. He is surrounding himself with advisers more likely to reinforce his own instincts rather than those who would attempt to nudge him gently in directions he prefers not to go. He will still bend at times but will feel freer to trust himself more than others.

The week brought the abrupt (although not unexpected) removal of national security adviser H.R. McMaster, who was replaced by John Bolton, a hawkish former ambassador to the United Nations. Following the humiliating firing of Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and the elevation of CIA Director Mike Pompeo to fill his spot, the changes could fundamentally alter the character of Trump’s national security team at a time of momentous decisions looming about North Korea and Iran.

More in the link below. But is Trump really treading a dangerous path? Probably not. But for all the presidential shenanigans, there's no sign of the wall on the Mexican border, the "One China" policy has not been scrapped, Kim the 'Rocket Man' has cocked a snook at Trump due to the latters banal utterances, NATO is no longer "obsolete" which he has promised to dump (at least some days of the week), and the Iran nuclear agreement endures for now despite Trump's outrageous refusal to recertify it. The United States embassy is still in Tel Aviv, the North American Free Trade Agreement hangs on, and Trump's warning of levying stiff tariffs on imports of steel and Aluminium raising the hackles of many especially China rings hollow. Even Trump's decision to quit the Paris climate accord has not yet been made effective and apart from stopping some morsels of aid to Pakistan which is aiding and abetting the Taliban in Afghanistan to kill Americans for years, is yet to take any concrete action by not declaring Pakistan a state sponsor of terror.

Is Trump likely to become more capricious in the coming months? If so, it portends danger not only to America but the world too. Already, Putin and Xi Jinping are stepping into the void created by him. This is inevitable. The message from the White House is one of withdrawal from global responsibility, be it for the environment, trade, European stability or the fate of the Middle East and the Indo-Pacific region. He has done nothing to assuage the fears of the littoral countries bordering the South China Sea, emboldening China to claim it as its own backyard, and expanding its military stranglehold in the region with impunity.

So what's in store? And with Bolton now on Trump's bandwagon, I'd say the future looks grim!

Perhaps Senator John McCain, has offered the best rebuke to Trump:

"To refuse the obligations of international leadership and our duty to remain 'the last best hope of earth' for the sake of some half-baked, spurious nationalism cooked up by people who would rather find scapegoats than solve problems is as unpatriotic as an attachment to any other tired dogma of the past that Americans consigned to the ash heap of history.

"We live in a land made of ideals, not blood and soil. We are the custodians of those ideals at home, and their champion abroad. We have done great good in the world. That leadership has had its costs, but we have become incomparably powerful and wealthy as we did. We have a moral obligation to continue in our just cause, and we would bring more than shame on ourselves if we don't. We will not thrive in a world where our leadership and ideals are absent. We wouldn't deserve to."

Well? That was Phase 1. Let's see how Phase 2 unfolds.

www.washingtonpost.com...

McCaims statements dripped with American exceptionalism

Looks like old war mongerer McCain is disappointed that Trump opened up for talks with NK instead of bowing to the"obligations of international leadership" by starting another war.

He hasn't so much decided to fly solo, as everybody else has realised it's impossible to work with him and quit, or been fired for daring to have opinions that differ from the Glorious Leaders.

Also I think a lot of people now just won't touch him with a bargepole, because they have a sense of where this whole sorry mess is heading. And they don't want to get dragged down with him.

a reply to: OrionHunterX

Once the rest of the planet realizes that they CAN live WITHOUT the USA, they will. They will move on and we will slowly be isolated. Putin is hoping for it. He and China can run the planet. How does that sound?

Europe is moving ahead without us. We will only be important because we can blow the planet up. As far as people listening to the US, umm, not so much.

Right now, how can you listen to a liar (Trump) and believe what he's saying? The only people who believe Trump are his supporters. They believe everything he says and he lies to them ALL THE TIME. Good for them. The rest of the people on this planet are not so naive.

originally posted by: MostlyReading
Looks like old war mongerer McCain is disappointed that Trump opened up for talks with NK instead of bowing to the"obligations of international leadership" by starting another war.


You do realize, that just two weeks BEFORE NKOREA said they were open to talks, that they said to the US. "The world has accepted us as a Nuclear Power" So I am at a wait and see stance...Also it was not trump who came up with the Sanctions, he just signed them....As far as NKOREA all he was, and is, is a signature. It has zero to do with trump.


If trump would have had his way, we would have nuked em.....









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a reply to: MiddleInsite

Let russia and china tackle all the world problems . Let them spend all their money on the war on terrorism . If you think the USA is brutal I think you will find russia and china much worse .

a reply to: 10uoutlaw

I'll be long gone before YOUR KIDS have to put up with that world. Russia and China will not TACKLE world problems. Only THEIR problems.

And I never said the USA was brutal. Your words not mine. I love the USA. It's a GREAT place to live. I may even vote Trump in for a second term. He's BETTER than having a DEM in office. LOL!

a reply to: OrionHunterX

Perhaps Senator John McCain, has offered the best rebuke to Trump:

Do you honestly believe this statement? McCain has done everything in his power to fight Trump. Along with many R & D's. To me they are ruining America.

They are worried about their pockets and their pockets only. If you continue to be lead around by the nose so be it.

originally posted by: bigfatfurrytexan
McCaims statements dripped with American exceptionalism

It's a world view, not a cult. If you think America can go it alone say so...but deep down you know going it alone is not a viable scenario, nor do you speak for all Americans, however much you would like to think so.

Season two will focus on Robert Muellers investigation and trumps defense. Peppered with sex scandals, staff changes, corruption, nepotism ...umm, come to think of it I think season two is really just a rerun of season one. With different commercials.

a reply to: MostlyReading

McCain is Ghandi compared to Bolton.

a reply to: smurfy

To help alleviate my confusion, can you tell me what you mean by "you"?

originally posted by: Sillyolme
Season two will focus on Robert Muellers investigation and trumps defense. Peppered with sex scandals, staff changes, corruption, nepotism ...umm, come to think of it I think season two is really just a rerun of season one. With different commercials.

And lawsuits and marches. Don't forget those!

a reply to: OrionHunterX

Really? So now we're using McCain as some example. The Man who wanted to destroy Syria with Obama?

The world will be a better place when McCain is on the ash heap of history.

Trump is the President of the United States period. No other President in modern times has met this much resistance to change. He had to sign this $1.3T Budget Bill to fund the government, as we're literally 6 months into the Fiscal Year. Year 1 Complete! He'll likely have an additional 7-years to accomplish the rest, simply for the fact of what he's actually accomplished in just the first year. After 8-years of retrograde and abject incompetence from NOBAMA it's quite a marvel. Regardless of these useful idiots gnashing their teeth about gun control, where most of them only know that guns taste like pennies, we will win. Because we're good at it. Success breeds success, failure likewise. Those that have, will be given more, those that don't will be stripped of the little they possess. This is Universal Law, and when these are broken, these laws rebound with a vengeance! What I'm looking forward to is the trigger point when these fanatical and ignorant tyrants overtly move towards a Coup because then Patriots will step forward and shut it down. Nature is brutal, and if we cannot get along in a balanced manner, then the ones with the skills, knowledge, and abilities will neutralize the ones with the ineptitude, naiveté, and impotence!

a reply to: OrionHunterX

It never ceases to amaze me how the 2008 Most Racist Man in America has become a respected elder statesman in the eyes of those who once had nothing positive to say about him.

I wonder, in ten years, will Democrats be quoting the words of Donald Trump as they lambast the 2028 Republican Presidential Nominee?

the ones with the skills, knowledge, and abilities will neutralize the ones with the ineptitude, naiveté

That means you and the rest of the Trump voters wil be gone! If only that were true.

originally posted by: Painterz
He hasn't so much decided to fly solo, as everybody else has realised it's impossible to work with him and quit, or been fired for daring to have opinions that differ from the Glorious Leaders.

Also I think a lot of people now just won't touch him with a bargepole, because they have a sense of where this whole sorry mess is heading. And they don't want to get dragged down with him.

First let me say that President Trump does put America first.

Its funny how you leftists, R & D, try to foist upon the president the bottom of the barrel with both people and ideas especially from congress and then blame the president because he won't play ball. Those congressional critters who call themselves Americans, sold out decades ago. Cry me a river...

Lost a lot of respect for Trump when he signed that budget. Before that, he had my support. Yeah, he is rough around the edges but what Yankee isn't. Oh and he likes sex who doesn't. I dont pretend to know the inner workings of foreign trade, but I can say every since Clinton signed the deal with China and Bush signed the deal with Canada and Mexico it seems our manufacturing jobs went to crap. I don't think you will find another nation in the world that would put other nations ahead of its own people.

On policy with North Korea, I don't think Trump created the crisis and it stems back through many years of the failed foreign policy.

My family sacrificed a lot to immigrate here and paid a lot of money earned with sweat and tears. If amnesty is given I can honestly say I would consider suing the government for the money and time we spent doing the process the right way.