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Trump, A Very Useful Idiot, Buckles In Alaska, Disastrously Sells Out Ukraine And The West

For America Trump = Unceasing Sabotage, Plunder, And Betrayal

Simon Rosenberg

Aug 16

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Morning all. Yes, it was as horrible as we all feared. Trump literally rolls out the red carpet for Putin on American soil and not only does he get nothing in return, but yesterday our weak, cowardly and corrupt leader broke with Ukraine and the Europeans/NATO and adopted Putin’s position on the conflict, folding like a cheap suit.

Here’s the NYT this morning, “Trump Backs Putin’s Route for Talks” (gift link):

President Trump appeared on Saturday to split from Ukraine and key European allies after his summit with President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia, adopting Mr. Putin’s preference for pursuing a sweeping peace agreement instead of the urgent cease-fire Mr. Trump said he wanted before the meeting.
Doing so would give Russia an advantage in the talks, which are due to continue on Monday when President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine visits Mr. Trump at the White House. It breaks from a strategy Mr. Trump and European allies, as well as Mr. Zelensky, had agreed to before the U.S.-Russia summit in Alaska, and it provoked a chilly reception in Europe, where leaders have time and again seen Mr. Trump reverse positions on Ukraine after speaking with Mr. Putin.
Mr. Trump wrote on Truth Social early on Saturday that he spoke by phone to Mr. Zelensky and European leaders after his meeting with Mr. Putin. He said that “it was determined by all that the best way to end the horrific war between Russia and Ukraine is to go directly to a Peace Agreement, which would end the war, and not a mere Ceasefire Agreement, which often times do not hold up.”
But European leaders issued a statement that did not echo Mr. Trump’s claim that peace talks were preferable to a cease-fire. Britain, France, Germany and others welcomed Mr. Trump’s efforts to stop the war but threatened to increase economic penalties on Russia “as long as the killing in Ukraine continues.”
Mr. Trump confirmed Mr. Zelensky’s announcement earlier Saturday that the Ukrainian president would come to the White House on Monday. If that visit goes well, Mr. Trump said, he would schedule another meeting with Mr. Putin.
Skipping cease-fire talks and going straight for a peace deal has been a demand of Mr. Putin’s in the long diplomatic effort to reach an end to the war in Ukraine. With Russia advancing on the battlefield, a cease-fire would give Ukraine relief from Moscow’s attacks and deprive Mr. Putin of some leverage at the bargaining table. Before his meeting with Mr. Putin, Mr. Trump had agreed with European allies and Mr. Zelensky that no peace negotiations could begin without a cease-fire in place.
Mr. Zelensky, who was left out of the summit, said in a statement that he and Mr. Trump would on Monday “discuss all of the details regarding ending the killing and the war.”
Mr. Trump, in an interview with the Fox News host Sean Hannity after the summit, put the onus for securing peace on Mr. Zelensky. “Now it is really up to President Zelensky to get it done,” he said. “I would also say the European nations have to get involved a little bit.”

“Now it is really up to President Zelensky to get it done” means it is time for Ukraine to surrender.

Here’s another take on what we saw yesterday:

So, what happened yesterday we now know is Putin got the photo op on American soil, told Trump what to do, and went home:

Here’s a Fox News report from Alaska:

The way that it felt in the room was not good. It did not seem like things went well. And it seemed like Putin came in and steam rolled, got right into what he wanted to say and got his photo next to the president and then left

Here’s a similar report from MSNBC:

What struck me was the looks on the faces of a lot of the American, delegation here. Caroline Leavitt, Steve Witkoff, who came into the room, then left quickly. Leavitt appeared to be a bit stressed out, anxious. Their eyes were wide, almost ashen at times

Here’s John Bolton last night. Watch this:

Bolton concludes that Putin got most of what he wanted, Trump very little and that Trump seemed very tired, very tired.

A few notes on all this…..

Trump has been a terrible, terrible leader for America, the worst in our history. He is hurting our economy, raising prices, endangering the fiscal integrity of the country, wrecking the US government, attacking science and our universities, undermining our health care system and public health, abandoning our Constitutional order and the rules-based global system that the US had led for 80 years, ensuring the planet warms faster, angering our allies and appeasing our adversaries. It’s hard to imagine how he could have done more damage to America than he has in these initial seven months.

As we like to say here it is been seven months of unceasing and unprecedented sabotage, plunder and betrayal.

And here we are in deep August, the time when Washington and European capitals shutter, and Trump is still going. Still needing the spectacular. Still needing to feel STRONG and POWERFUL and MANLY. Occupying DC. Creating an elaborate SUMMIT. Firing the BLS Director. Bringing Zelensky to Washington. Drunkenly throwing tariffs at the world. Announcing a big new ballroom so legions can come kiss the ring all at once. His VP has been on vacation, as has Congress and yet Trump keeps going…….

There is something desperate about all this. Why can’t he play golf for a few weeks? He’s an old man with health problems. His gait was very wobbly yesterday, and as John Bolton said he looked very, very tired. My own take on why we are all here, why I am writing today rather than gardening and filling my bird feeders, is that Trump is aware that his powers are ebbing. He is in political, physical and cognitive decline. Elon emasculated him, repeatedly. He and his agenda are wildly unpopular. No matter how much he rages the economy is slowing down, prices are rising and the deficit exploding. ACA premiums are skyrocketing and our health care system is starting to buckle. An ideological follower of his fired 500 rounds - 500 - at the Center for Disease Control a few days ago. He still has not negotiated a single trade deal, not ended the war in Ukraine or Bibi’s murderous spree in Gaza. Putin keeps manhandling and humiliating him. House Republicans defied him in August, subpoenaed the Epstein files from the Department of Justice and then had to adjourn early to prevent further damage. He cannot make Epstein, Maxwell and his sordid past go away. Democrats have begun to step into their power.

It turns out that Trump is weak, not strong. Losing, not winning. Failing, not succeeding. A villain, not a hero. And he knows it. His staff knows it. And in his desperation and decline, every step he has taken to RESTORE his STRENGTH and POWER and MANHOOD has failed. He had his worst poll of his 2nd term this week, coming in at 38% approve, 60% disapprove, a staggering level of rejection and disapproval. What John Bolton was implying with his “tired” comment was that Trump was looking not just tired, but defeated.

The bluster and blather will come. The Truths, the troops, the spectacles, the damage, the lies and the never ending bullshit. But this thing ain’t going as they planned and its getting harder and harder to spread all that lipstick and orange bronzer on the Trumpian pig.

Now, Let’s Get To Work Everyone!!!!!!!!!!!!

Support Hopium’s Priority Candidates And Party Committees - A reminder that Election Day, 2025 is a little less than three months away and early voting starts in Virginia in less than six weeks - September 19th!

As background learn about 1) our big recommendations to the family coming out of the 2024 elections 2) the many important wins we had together last cycle 3) my latest thinking on where we are and the path forward for the Hopium community.

Donate, volunteer, learn more about our candidates and opportunities here. I consider all these options must dos for anyone serious about winning this year and next year...

Mikie Sherrill NJ Gov (2025) - $250,000 goal, $52k raised - Donate | Learn More | Volunteer | Watch my interview with Rep. Sherrill
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Our updated fundraising goals are now for the end of the year, December 31st, except for the 2025 races, which are now for Election Day, 2025.

Our Recommended Actions - We are prioritizing three actions today. You can get our full list of recommended actions here. Let’s get to it:

1 - Call Your Senators and Member Of The House And Demand They Act Upon Our Four-Part Agenda - While it is recess we need to be loud this week, very, very loud. Make the case for our our emerging four part agenda, and demand they 1) Stand with Ukraine and work to block Trump’s selling out of the West to Putin 2) Roll back Trump’s terrible tariffs 3) Block the expansion of ICE and the use of the military on our streets 4) End the war on science, higher education and the public health of the American people, and demand the removal of wacko Bobby Kennedy from the leadership of HHS.

2 - Bring “Resolutions Of Condemnation” To Your Community - Inspired by the tactics of our Founders learn about how Hopium members are advancing “Resolutions of Condemnation” in their communities across the country and consider bringing this initiative to your state, country or city/town.

Remarkably, members of this community are now advancing 63 (!!!!) resolutions projects in 20 states. Can we get to all 50 states by the fall election?

Our newly updated Resolutions page includes a new chat for folks to report in on their progress or seek counsel from those interested in launching a resolutions project in their community. This is one way to fight back against Trump’s unprecedented abandonment of our Constitutional order.

3 - Grow Hopium And This Wonderful Community Of Proud, Plucky, Patriots - We’ve set a goal of trying to grow the Hopium community from the 152,000 we are now to 175,000 by Election Day, 2025. Do what you can to encourage your friends, family and colleagues to become a summer subscriber to Hopium, free or paid. If each current paid subscriber brings in just one new subscriber this summer and fall we will hit our goal.

To encourage the growth of our community annual paid subscriptions are 10% off through Labor Day. Use that link to buy gift or group subscriptions, and join our new referral rewards program too. A further note - if you want to up your support of Hopium a powerful way to do it is to buy group or gift subscriptions for others.

Finally, please self-report your activities to our daily paid subscriber chat. These reports help inspire all of us to do more and fight harder! Been impressive to see how many of you remain involved in local, in person protests of all kinds in your communities. Keep it up!!!

Keep working hard all. Proud to be in this fight with all of you, and a fight it truly is - Simon

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