The Epstein Files

[Angst]

EE, so i believe you're outlining why reps/his voter base are turning on him. so question on point (e); i barely ever, ever see or hear any right wingers talk reasonably about soft power. like, they definitely understand it exists and is useful, it's not that. but when trump's previous behavior as to eg the eu was going on, most of the environment around it was... supportive? it was kind of rallying around him. tariffs, bullying, threatening calls, military shows of strength, all that stuff seemed to rally his base, and i say that out of experience both anecdotically (from personal experience with right wing acquaintances) and going by assorted data.

so question is - you think this behavior of harsh showcase of force and mistreatment of allies actually is bad for his public support?

i can definitely believe you, mind you. but i still remember the environment during the last year. maybe it's one of those loyal-until-breaking-point things. that reps don't like it, but will defend it as part of the package, and with enough cracks in the dam, they turn on it. this is also very normal behavior, so wouldn't surprise me

 

[KMRblue1027]

Some of his voters for sure have turned on him; Latinos who put him over the top last year. You saw that more in NJ then anywhere else but they swung 15 points Dem basically erasing all the gains he's made since 2016 with them. Because he misdiagnosed why he won thinking it was anything but inflation. Trump's hardcore base is not enough to win an election only enough to hold about 44 Senate seats and 200ish house seats. So this could be calculated by the GOP congress to get him to ether course correct (unlikely) or 1st step towards removal (also unlikely but a bit more plausible). Otherwise they are about to get slaughtered in 2026 and they can finally see that.

 

[EnglishEdward]

@ Angst

Not being a US citizen, I don't think I can quite get inside their mindset.

However us Brits note that US people seem to be more result oriented.

In so much as Trump's blustering seemed to get results (increase in defence spending by
European members of NATO), they were quite happy for him to piss the Europeans off.

But the problem is that it is difficult to see what Trump has actually won for the USA
by his stance towards Brazil, Canada, China, Mexico, Russia and Venezuela etc.

@ KMRblue1027

I am hardly surprised when they see the heavy handedness of ICE on their communities.

 

[Lexicus]

Noam Chomsky is In The Files, big time

 

[Klaus Hergersheimer]

Trump's presidency might not make it to the end of this year.

I find this outcome highly unlikely. I think Trump sincerely wanted to release the files, could have done it, but felt like he had to be compelled into doing it so he did not look like he was caving to some partisan pressure. As his brain tends to operate differently from most people.

 

[JollyRoger]

If Trump sincerely wants to do something , he does it. He does not mind looking like a TACO vendor.

 

[Samson]

If Trump sincerely wants to do something , he does it.

Like saying "Quiet piggy" to a professional journalist for asking a question about the biggest news story today.

Spoiler The journo :

 

[soundjata]

The way I see it, it seems to me that a number of things have or are occurring at much the same time.

(a) the ceasefire in Israel means that many may feel there is less need to support him
(b) his policy on Ukraine is being demonstrated as ineffective
(c) his turning US troops inwards towards the states likely worries conservatives as it is a nasty precedent
(d) his extraordinary use of the presidency to shake groups down to enrich his family is a nasty precedent
(e) his policy and relations with foreign leaders is seen as losing the USA soft power
(f) the mid term elections mean republican candidates want to distance themselves from a flawed POTUS

The Epstein files is merely a convenient tool arising about now to lame duck him.

I like that you put things in perspective.

Political games are certainly happening in USA.

Outside USA, Russia and Israel strike harder. Today. Do they sense weakness or is it a coincidence?

 

[danjuno]

I think Trump sincerely wanted to release the files

He called them a hoax. Give me a break.

 

[Gori the Grey]

but felt like he had to be compelled into doing it so he did not look like he was caving to some partisan pressure

You're walking a pretty fine line here: not fine with being compelled by Ds (which how could they have anyway? so this wasn't really in the offing) vs fine with being compelled by the whole Congress.

Trump doesn't like to look as though he's being compelled by anyone.

That's what makes me think this thing has got away from him, his previous iron grip on his party is slackening.

Haven't been tuned in enough to the news yet today to hear how he has reacted to it. That's my next stop after here.

 

[Cloud_Strife]

I find this outcome highly unlikely. I think Trump sincerely wanted to release the files, could have done it, but felt like he had to be compelled into doing it so he did not look like he was caving to some partisan pressure. As his brain tends to operate differently from most people.

Why do you bend over backwards for someone who has been proven by his own words and actions to deserve nothing more than scorn

 

[Sarin]

For anyone wondering where's the catch:
There's a provision in the bill: "DOJ is permitted to withhold certain information such as the personal information of victims and materials that would jeopardize an active federal investigation."
In other words, Trump's goons can choose what will actually be released. I'd bet that if anyone is implicated in the released files, it will be Democrats and Trump's opponents within Rep party.

 

[Klaus Hergersheimer]

He called them a hoax. Give me a break.

he uses a lot of words he does not know what they mean.

You're walking a pretty fine line here: not fine with being compelled by Ds (which how could they have anyway? so this wasn't really in the offing) vs fine with being compelled by the whole Congress.

Because rightly or wrongly he sees it as a distraction from, well, whatever it is he'd rather talk about...And he tends to talk about a lot of disconnected things. As far as I've seen here he had little contact with Jeffrey Epstein in very long time, and thus, he has zero compunction to release the records on a guy he himself had no dealings with since. In other words, he didn't see the Epstein stuff as his problem. So now, making congress tell him to do something means that the next time he's asked to, he gets to tell everyone they need to go to congress and draft such a request...

I'm not excusing it; I'm just exploring the psychology of the guy.