The Art of the Deal, OK, Sort of...
Yes, it's TDS. Trump Distraction Syndrome.
Remember just a couple of years ago when we were all worried that artificial intelligence would be misused by politicians to create videos of their opponents saying outrageous things? There were concerns that candidates would have to spend time and money to refute the lies that seemed so real. Frankly, I for one never anticipated that the technology would be used in such a glaringly juvenile way as this...
Yep, it's an AI generated video of Donald Trump playing all the instruments in a rendition of the group Journey's song "Don't Stop Believing." He actually posted the video himself on his vacuous little social media site "Truth Social," which, by the way, is neither.
I'm sure JFK would have done this, too, if he had the technology.
This followed his screed about Bruce Springsteen, who had the temerity to criticize His Orangeness on stage in the UK...
This is a two-fer in that the Biden fixation goes along with the critique of looks and talent that we've all come to know and cringe at. It seems superfluous to compare the 78-year-old Trump with a guy only 3 years his junior...
And of course, apropos of nothing, really, he decided to slam Taylor Swift again...
"Has anyone noticed that, since I said 'I HATE TAYLOR SWIFT,' she's no longer 'HOT?'" Trump wrote on Truth Social.
Really? So, we have basically elected an internet troll as President.
It continued this Sunday...
Then he posted a long-debunked 90's video about the so-called "Clinton murders" including Vince Foster and JFK, Jr. Yes, he did that.
And of course, more rants about Biden's use of an "Autopen" device to create signatures, a tool in use since Truman and a more primitive predecessor used by Thomas Jefferson. And, yes, it's been used by Trump.
But, Trump toady, the doltish Rep. James Comer (R-Meshuggahville) has promised a full congressional investigation into this common presidential tool, along with no doubt, Biden's extensive use of cars and airplanes.
And it's this kind of infantile nonsense that I suspect is not only an expression of his thin-skinned vulgarity, but also serves another purpose.
It gets people talking about this and not more serious concerns.
For example, there is his just concluded Middle East trip, and I know, his amen corner at Fox have talked about his masterful deal making abilities. Trump says he brought in $14 trillion in investments, which is half the U.S. economy, from a few days in the desert with autocrats and a photo op. If you believe that, I’ve got beachfront property in Houston to sell you. This isn’t economic policy, it’s fantasy cosplay with a press team.
The White House did not explain why agreements predating Trump's presidency were included in the totals, but a spokesman said the listed deals included “reaffirmed investments” from companies that had agreements in the region before Trump returned to office.
Trump made similar proclamations in 2017 following a trip to the region during his first presidency, Middle East experts said, but some of those agreements never came to fruition. Said one...
"He compiled a list of real deals that he has struck, aspirational deals that may or may not have been struck, phony deals that won’t be struck, and deals struck by his Democratic predecessor that will be credited to himself, and he comes up with a gigantic number close to a trillion."
The Huffington Post ran the numbers...
Trump’s White House website, indeed, does not show a number anywhere near $14 trillion or even $10 trillion.
The website’s “Trump Effect” page that tracks “major investment announcements” that were “made possible by President Trump’s leadership” lists pages of figures, including $1.2 trillion from Qatar, $500 billion from Apple, and $11 billion from Gilead Sciences clear down to $6 million from LGM Pharma. When totaled, they come to $3,928,720,700,000. Even if the $200 billion in new investment claimed from the Emirates visit is added to that, it still amounts to only $4.1 trillion — about $10 trillion short of Trump’s claims.
Trump has claimed a $1.2 trillion investment deal from Qatar. Qatar’s annual GDP is a bit less than $250 billion per year. So he’s claiming an investment that would require every dollar every Qatari earns over the next five years.
But, the White House also never explained why the trip only included nations in which the Trump family is doing business. The Trump Organization run by his sons Uday and Qusay, signed real estate deals in the Kingdom even after Trump was elected. Of course, his son-in-law Jared Kushner got a $2 billion handshake from Prince Mohammed Bin Bonesaw after his father-in-law left office.
Qatar, you say? While everyone is talking about the $400 billion flying 70's bachelor pad 747, Trump is opening a Trump International Golf Resort outside of Doha.
Incidentally, the airplane deal was "vetted" by the Justice Department and cleared, as announced by Attorney General Pam Bondi, who is a former paid lobbyist for...wait for it...yes, Qatar.
It's Mar A Lago with more legroom.
He then went to the United Arab Emirates where, coincidentally, there is a deal to build a Trump International Hotel and Tower in Dubai.
And then there's the Trump family's crypto venture World Liberty Financial. A state backed fund in Abu Dhabi is using it to facilitate a $2 billion deal. The crypto ventures website lists President Trump as chief crypto advocate and two co-founders of this venture are Zack Wickoff and Alex Wickoff. They're the sons of Steve Wickoff who's listed as a co-founder emeritus. If that name rings a bell, he's a real estate investor, a golf buddy of Donald Trump's and the president's special envoy to the Middle East.
Meanwhile, the brain trust at Fox rhapsodizes about his astonishing business acumen. This while the US credit rating was downgraded because the Congress is debating how best to add $5 trillion to the US national debt at Trump's behest. Chief nitwit, Jesse Watters, who is perhaps the dimmest bulb in the Fox chandelier, referred to Trump conducting a "master class" in business negotiation overseas.
Let's see...
Levy tariffs on China.
China doesn't respond.
Increase said tariffs.
China equals them.
Increase again.
China doesn't respond.
OK, lower them and claim victory.
Yep, sounds like the art of the deal to me.
Now, he is part of the Texas Outlaw Writers, and if this doesn't pan out, the outlaw part will still work as he will indeed resort to robbing banks.