Trump and Russia

[fernweh]

A Russian aid is quoted as saying Trump relied on certain forces to win the election and not has to meet his obligations. That goes on to talk about presidential assassination attempts (not just trumps). Are they blackmailing him? Are they just trying to start political unrest in the US? Both?

www.yahoo.com/news/putin-aide-issues-ominous-warning-153252084.html

[stuffandthings]

I think it's both. Putin's entire goal with regard to the US is to undermine faith in democracy. I also think he owes Russia a LOT of money, AND they have intelligence on him that they are using as blackmail. This was an issue during his first term and it'll be an issue this time, too.

[sonrisa]

OF course they are blackmailing him. That's been an open secret since 2016 (remember the pee tapes? Because I do).
Also yes, Putin wants to undermine the US and Trump is his useful idiot.

[litebright]

It is to Putin's advantage to undermine the U.S. in every way possible. Most of what I have read is that the primary focus has been propaganda/election lies to spin people up and make them distrust government and anger/divide voters, which has benefitted Trump.

I think the "useful idiot" thing applies again. It's not an allyship or any kind of respect, or the fear that the rest of the world has and TBH Russia doesn't even need to put the work in to blackmail him. Why bother, when Putin can flatter and manipulate him and pump lies in that people eat up? The U.S. has barely been able to hold Trump accountable for anything and he won despite being a convicted felon, half the country would never believe it/wouldn't mind even if it was revealed that he was an actual Russian agent.

Apparently one of the first things Russian state TV did after he won was to air Melania's nude pics and laugh at them as part of "congratulating" him. Russia is contemptuous of him but will use him as much as possible to weaken the U.S. 

[sonrisa]

Nov 12, 2024 13:11:29 GMT -5 litebright said:

Apparently one of the first things Russian state TV did after he won was to air Melania's nude pics and laugh at them as part of "congratulating" him. 

I have very little sympathy for that hateful, shitty woman who is at least partially responsible for her husband's political success and definitely complicit. 

But this brings out my last sliver of compassion for her. It will resurface when they publicize whatever damning information Trump is using as blackmail to keep her in that marriage.

(I think she'd leave if she could. Not for any principled reason but because she hates his ugly face, can't stand being around him, and wants to be a toxic billionaire on her own time, out of the public scrutiny of a First Lady).

[curbsideprophet]

I am sure they are blackmailing him. Obviously they have been working on manipulating voters for years.

They sent bomb threats to polling locations on Election Day. Of course they are meddling in the election. www.fbi.gov/news/press-releases/fbi-statement-on-bomb-threats-to-polling-locations

I think any areas that had threats should have a hand recount and audit. Do I expect us to actually do that, no. Seems like we have just said that the country and burn it to the ground. All in the name of pretending we had one last free and fair election.