Trump, May 2017: 100 days of [unintelligible]

http://i.imgur.com/qSzsKKR.gif

#BREAKING: Trump will give a speech on Islam in Saudi Arabia, @AFP is reporting

— Sara Hussein (@sarahussein) May 16, 2017

oh good

what did the President not know, and when did he not know it?

everything, always?

who the fuck even is going to write that speech? there are like zero non-terrifying options.

xp

i missed the mcmaster thing, but from tpm:

Then there was a key revelation just before McMaster left the podium.

He said this: “I should just make maybe the statement here that the president wasn’t even aware where this information came from. He wasn’t briefed on the source or method of the information either.”

To me this is not at all surprising. Sometimes even the President doesn’t learn about sources and methods unless there’s a specific need. Often it’s just not relevant in terms of what the President needs to know. Even normal Presidents get gobs of information every day about different parts of the world. But Trump isn’t normal. We know he insists on extremely toplined briefings. Just the most essential bullet points. So on its own, I don’t find this hard to believe.

McMaster’s point seemed to be that President Trump was not even in a position to reveal sources and methods because he didn’t know them. This is too cute by half. No one ever suggested he did. All the reporting has suggested that Trump revealed details from which sources and methods could be inferred.

The possibility this does raise is that Trump simply didn’t realize the information he mentioned was that sensitive or really, really secret. We simply don’t know.

i'm guessing the new story from trump will be that it wasn't his fault because he didn't know it was sensitive information in the first place. in that case, i wonder who will get scapegoated and fired. not him, obviously

who the fuck even is going to write that speech? there are like zero non-terrifying options.

my sources say that steve bannon has had multiple wet dreams about writing a speech about islam to be delivered by a US president in saudi arabia

Trump will probably just ad lib the speech, possibly show off the election map to his Muslim friends

maybe this would be a good time for bannon to persuade trump to ramp up the west's war with islam, world war 3, which bannon believes is already underway. he said that at at a skyped-in speech to a conference at the vatican not that long ago, so i'm assuming he still believes it, and now would be a perfect time to create a new distraction in the form of a world war

You can't expect the president to know or have any interest in these kinds of things. I mean, you can't concern yourself with the particulars of national security AND watch 6-8 hours of Fox News in a day, y'know? Priorities.

The possibility this does raise is that Trump simply didn’t realize the information he mentioned was that sensitive or really, really secret. We simply don’t know.

http://www.masterjules.net/chauncey.jpg

closed ranks http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2017/05/16/trumps-fans-shrug-off-oval-office-leak-215140?lo=ap_a1

Is it too much to hope that he gets stoned to death by a bunch of angry Saudis?

BREAKING: AP Source: CIA director to brief House intel committee Tuesday on Trump sharing classified information with Russians.

— The Associated Press (@AP) May 16, 2017

why would politico publish that story

oh wait, politico

Top Trump cheerleader Ann Coulter — who has recently soured somewhat on the president over his failure to deliver on his signature promise to build a “big, beautiful wall” between the United States and Mexico — was also dismissive of the report.

“The president has plenary authority to do whatever the fuck he pleases with ‘classified information,’” she wrote in an email.

What’s more, Coulter argued, unlike his predecessor, Trump has been able to keep his hands to himself around Eastern Europeans. “At least Trump forbore, unlike Obama, from placing his hand reassuringly on the soviet ambassador’s thigh,” she wrote.

mcmaster: he has the right to disclose this information, but don't worry he has no idea where it came from or what the implications of its disclosure might be

“It’s total bullshit,” said Charles Johnson, a prominent internet troll close to the administration.

we have met the leaker and he is we

“The president has plenary authority to do whatever the fuck he pleases with ‘classified information,’” she wrote in an email.

i think the comparison to a president sharing/declassifying the nuclear launch codes with say, north korea, is a good one. it wouldn't be illegal for a president, right? i tried to do a quick fact check on that but googling "can the president legally share nuclear launch codes" just opens up a hole in the ground containing a giant slide to a room with no exit with infinite slapping hands

"mcmaster: he has the right to disclose this information, but don't worry he has no idea where it came from or what the implications of its disclosure might be"

i mentioned this above. this is the excuse all last night. he is a newborn baby and doesn't know how anything works.

which is a really sad and scary excuse.

yeah whew, it's reassuring to know that there's nothing in the rules that says a president can't be dangerously incompetent and have no idea what they're doing with critically important things - thanks, herbie ray mcmaster!

i'm so shocked when Ann talks dirty

It increasingly seems that the POTUS has carte blanche to (as Ann says) to whatever the fuck he wants AS LONG AS it doesn't violate his oath of office.

I feel like we need to do some patching before the next update.

I gave my step-mother-in-law a pat on the butt once yet I have not told her my friend's secrets. i guess id be a shit president?

What’s more, Coulter argued, unlike his predecessor, Trump has been able to keep his hands to himself around Eastern Europeans. “At least Trump forbore, unlike Obama, from placing his hand reassuringly on the soviet ambassador’s thigh,” she wrote./

ahem

http://www.trueactivist.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/mel3.jpg

Heh. But you omit that Ivana was also an import.

Anyways my nominee for next thread title is "Priming the Trump."

You're welcome.

Kellyanne is annoyed!

Taking a moment from more important matters to respond .... pic.twitter.com/B0uL0ME0Bi

— Kellyanne Conway (@KellyannePolls) May 16, 2017

Imagine those fingers curling like fries around those quotation marks

yeah uh none of that is a denial that she said what she was reported to have said

"I have complete confidence in..." is the usual pre-betrayal line, Kellyanne; pls try to keep up.

One of the better lines from a GOP Senator of late

Sen. Tillis: "If it is true that info was shared w/ the Russian ambassador then it seems to me it should be ok to share with U.S. senators."

— Tarini Parti (@tparti) May 16, 2017

that would be a cold burn if Tillis had a brain

It is possible a synapse flared.

to level a charge of treason you only need two witnesses to an act of someone giving aid and comfort to the enemy. according to the constitution. i looked it up.

treason is raising taxes on the wealthy iirc

The sec of state also has broad declassifying powers i think and republicans were still upset about hillarys forwarded emails to huma abedin.

So weirrrrrrrrreredrdeeerefvvv

come on, we have always been at war with Huma Abedin

Hope someone asks Spicer about this!

Kimberly Guilfoyle says she's talking with Trump administration about press secretary job https://t.co/6xXhjdsddM via @mercnews

— Tara Palmeri (@tarapalmeri) May 16, 2017

Per NYT, the info that Trump blabbed came from Israel.

That won't make the upcoming trip there awkward at all!

that was my guess

can see Bibi wanting Pence

50 Shades of Pence

It takes three books for him to work up the courage to sit down to dinner with a woman who isn't his wife. But it's soooooo hot when he finally does.

Rampant enthusiasm!

Corker asked if Trump can still be trusted with classified info. Pauses, shrugs, "sure."

— Erica Werner (@ericawerner) May 16, 2017

relevant to ilx's interests

http://68.media.tumblr.com/2a4722d3035e9683a992e884cf096e6a/tumblr_oq23jvDQLf1vjcb7vo1_1280.jpg

a modicum of good news: Cornyn has withdrawn from consideration for FBI director, so unless Trump picks Rogers his choice won't be NAKEDLY political.

having said that, he'll probably just say fuck everything and pick Giuliani.

chuck norris or gtfo

I have a feeling more and more of the potential candidates have been looking at the last few days and going "Um...maybe not."