Trump says he doesn't think about Americans' finances 'even a little bit' in Iran talks

مرگ بر آمریکا said:
You are misinformed.
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Militaries always feel some allegiance to the military and the nation that is separate from an allegiance to the political leadership. It is not historically uncommon for them to disregard orders from the political leadership, if in their opinion it would be against the interests of the nation.

Iran is a little worse than that. There is another allegiance to the religion. The Supreme Leader is not an elected leader, and is in many ways more important than the elected leaders.

All of that together would mean there is not a strong allegiance to political leadership among the IRGC.
 
Jake Starkey said:
... which is always far better than the garbling your offer.
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Jakey, I don't know how, but I forgot to add you to the list in the following reply. Consider yourself added. I hate for you to feel left out.

Because I'm always fair, I'll copy/paste this message to each of the morons I've referenced so you all have the same information and opportunity.

Evince is begging me to explain how one of your AI searches is either wrong or missing the point, but that's not going to happen anymore. I've decided to stop reading shit from you morons. If you, Grimy Pecker, Nomad, and Death to America want me to keep educating you, recruit one more member with at least three brain cells to post your questions or any sad attempt to win an argument using AI. I'll happily demonstrate again why morons wielding AI is just well-written stupidity. Did you read my lesson about low resolution thinking and the single variant arguments? Obviously not.

Your problem is simple. You're all truly morons. It's not entirely your fault. You were probably born stupid. IQ does not come from hard work. You cannot study your way to a higher one. You're stuck with what mommy gave you, maybe after she chased too much meth or couldn't set down that coffee brandy. Regardless, the results speak for themselves.

From now on you get short, super simple replies because that's all you deserve and comprehend. Keep following me and obsessing, that's fine. I remember third grade too. The little girl who pretends to hate the boy, hits him in front of her friends, and acts disgusted is actually obsessed and thinks of nothing else. Same with you sad little drones. You're all crushing hard and can't control it. I get it, but I really hate to tell you, the feelings are not mutual.
 
Walt said:
Militaries always feel some allegiance to the military and the nation that is separate from an allegiance to the political leadership. It is not historically uncommon for them to disregard orders from the political leadership, if in their opinion it would be against the interests of the nation.

Iran is a little worse than that. There is another allegiance to the religion. The Supreme Leader is not an elected leader, and is in many ways more important than the elected leaders.

All of that together would mean there is not a strong allegiance to political leadership among the IRGC.
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You are misinformed.
 
Tobytone said:
Jakey, I don't know how, but I forgot to add you to the list in the following reply. Consider yourself added. I hate for you to feel left out. Because I'm always fair, I'll copy/paste this message to each of the morons I've referenced so you all have the same information and opportunity. Evince is begging me to explain how one of your AI searches is either wrong or missing the point, but that's not going to happen anymore. I've decided to stop reading shit from you morons. If you, Grimy Pecker, Nomad, and Death to America want me to keep educating you, recruit one more member with at least three brain cells to post your questions or any sad attempt to win an argument using AI. I'll happily demonstrate again why morons wielding AI is just well-written stupidity. Did you read my lesson about low resolution thinking and the single variant arguments? Obviously not. Your problem is simple. You're all truly morons. It's not entirely your fault. You were probably born stupid. IQ does not come from hard work. You cannot study your way to a higher one. You're stuck with what mommy gave you, maybe after she chased too much meth or couldn't set down that coffee brandy. Regardless, the results speak for themselves. From now on you get short, super simple replies because that's all you deserve and comprehend. Keep following me and obsessing, that's fine. I remember third grade too. The little girl who pretends to hate the boy, hits him in front of her friends, and acts disgusted is actually obsessed and thinks of nothing else. Same with you sad little drones. You're all crushing hard and can't control it. I get it, but I really hate to tell you, the feelings are not mutual.
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Be glad Dammon let's you here, because we love slapping you around.
 

Trump's killer quote exposes his bind on Iran and inflation​




Trump's remark this week that "I don't think about Americans' financial situation" as he weighs his next moves in Iran may have inadvertently captured the fundamental bind he's in: how to pressure Iran without spooking markets and sending oil prices soaring.

Why it matters: Trump currently has no clear way to square his desire to end the war on his terms with the need to rein in inflation and keep the stock market humming in an election year.

Between the lines: What Trump appeared to mean in Tuesday's remark is that domestic economic concerns won't deter him from whatever steps he feels are necessary to stop Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.
  • That nuance is certain to be lost in the campaign ads Democrats cut highlighting the quote.
  • "The president could have chosen different words, but this is what he thinks," a Trump adviser told Axios.
  • The problem, a second Trump adviser acknowledged, is that "Iran has more time, and they're counting on our political calendar to benefit them."
Friction point: Iranian officials have made clear they believe time is on their side, and that Trump is sensitive to rising oil prices and market volatility.
  • Recent economic data showing a gas-driven inflation spike — and poll numbers suggesting voters blame the president and his fellow Republicans — don't help Trump's case that he can ride this out as long as it takes.
  • Republican pollsters and consultants acknowledge that gas price increases driven by the war in Iran will make it harder to sell their midterm message on issues like tax cuts.
  • But the second adviser insisted Trump is "serious about a non-nuclear Iran," political considerations be damned.
The big picture: Trump has made clear ever since a ceasefire was reached six weeks ago that he was in the market for a deal and reluctant to resume the war.
  • His negotiators thought they were getting close to a preliminary agreement with Tehran last week, but Iran's counterproposal disregarded Trump's key nuclear demands.
  • Trump called the Iranian position unacceptable, and threatened a heavy price for Tehran's inflexibility.
  • Trump's team is now discussing options for military escalation to break the deadlock, while recognizing the risk of exacerbating the economic turmoil.
Behind the scenes: U.S. officials don't expect Trump to take any dramatic steps during his trip to China, but think he could make his next move immediately afterward.
  • U.S. officials say one option is to resume "Project Freedom," with the Navy attempting to break the logjam in the Strait of Hormuz.
  • Another is to launch a new bombing campaign focusing on Iranian infrastructure, as Trump has repeatedly threatened.
  • Israeli officials say they'll be on high alert this weekend in case Trump decides to resume the war. Any such operation would take place in coordination with the Israeli military, the officials say.
State of play: Some U.S. officials believe the American blockade is squeezing Iran and could force the country to buckle even without further kinetic action.
  • Trump and his team have portrayed Iran as on the verge of economic cataclysm, though at least some U.S. intelligence analyses suggest the economy and oil infrastructure could hold up for several months.
  • And while individual Iranians will certainly feel the strain, Iran's authoritarian system is less responsive to public discontent.
  • White House spokesperson Olivia Wales said: "President Trump's ultimate responsibility is the safety and security of Americans – which is why the President will never allow the world's number one state sponsor of terror to have a nuclear weapon."
  • She added that Trump had "been clear about short-term disruptions as a result of Operation Epic Fury," but argued his agenda would "keep America on a solid economic trajectory."
What to watch: Even if Trump declared the war over tomorrow, Iran could still throttle shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
  • If he launches new attacks, there could be a swift rise in oil prices and drop in the stock market.
  • But with Iran's latest posture dampening hopes of a deal, expectations of renewed warfare are on the rise.
The bottom line: Trump says he won't think about Americans' finances "even a little bit" if he makes such a decision, insisting that stopping Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon is his singular focus. In the process, he handed Democrats a ready-made attack ad.
 

Trump’s ‘financial situation’ gaffe underscores his Iran war problem​


Trump has governed throughout his second term like a man who wields unconstrained power. It tends to prompt frustrations for him later when the approach runs headlong into reality.

His gaffe this week, when he said he didn’t consider Americans’ finances while trying to resolve the Iran war, epitomizes the problem.

When asked Tuesday how much Americans’ economic concerns were motivating his push for a peace deal, Trump responded: “Not even a little bit.”

“The only thing that matters when I’m talking about Iran [is] they can’t have a nuclear weapon,” Trump said. “I don’t think about Americans’ financial situation. I don’t think about anybody. I think about one thing: We cannot let Iran have a nuclear weapon. That’s all.”

Trump is no stranger to dismissive comments about the economic plight of everyday Americans. But this suggested he just didn’t care — as if it wasn’t even on his radar.

That risks sounding particularly tone-deaf given how bad the president’s economic numbers are and how much Americans already perceive him to be neglecting the issue.

Predictably, Republicans quickly tried to explain away Trump’s comments.

While retiring Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina told CNN that Trump’s comments were “concerning,” others have sought to downplay them.

Sen. John Cornyn of Texas told CNN that it was “just a sort of a throwaway line.” Sen. Cynthia Lummis of Wyoming declined to comment to a MeidasTouch reporter, “mostly because I think he actually does care.”

Others like House Speaker Mike Johnson and Rep. Troy Nehls of Texas fell back on the idea that the “context” of Trump’s comment might not be so bad. Nehls also encouraged people to “relax.”

And then there was Vice President JD Vance. He claimed Wednesday that Trump’s comments had been misrepresented. But he also sounded a much more conciliatory, feel-your-pain note on the economy than Trump did.

He said twice that the administration cares about Americans’ finances. He swore three times that it was focused on the issue.

But, of course, this is Trump.

There is a plausible explanation for his dismissiveness toward the financial impacts of the war: that he’d simply like to pretend they don’t exist.

The financial effects are, after all, the main constraint on him holding out for a peace deal with Iran that meets all his demands. Higher gas prices especially are the primary cost of the war that Americans are feeling, especially given the US military strategy has kept casualties low on its side.

And crucially, those domestic repercussions are something that his foe, the Iranian government, doesn’t have to worry about as much. While the war and the US blockade on the Strait of Hormuz are unquestionably causing more damage to Iran’s economy than the United States’, the authoritarian government in Tehran simply isn’t as responsive to complaints of its citizens.

That, like many aspects of this conflict, creates a kind of asymmetric warfare where the opposition has a much larger built-in pain tolerance — and more leverage because of it.

There’s even a valid argument that this is the kind of thing Trump should be telegraphing to Iran. By saying that he’s not considering Americans’ economic pain, he’s signaling that he’s not overly anxious to cut a deal to end the war. In short, that he’ll hold out for his demands.

(Of course, there are already myriad other data points to suggest Trump is actually quite anxious for a deal to bring the war to an end.)

But by speaking dismissively about Americans’ finances, Trump could actually be hurting his leverage.

The war is already unpopular, and Trump’s approval rating on the economy keeps dropping. To the extent his dismissiveness exacerbates both, it could increase the pressure on the US president to get out of the war. Not to mention, if the war drags on past the midterms and Democrats gain control of the House, Trump will have to deal with a less cooperative Congress.

And there is reason to believe his comments could hurt Republicans come November. Polls, after all, show Americans writ large simply don’t see the point of the war and don’t view it as worth the economic costs. Another shows three-quarters of them think Trump hasn’t paid enough attention to Americans’ cost of living.

And no issue looms larger over this election — and most elections — like the economy.

There was an easy way for Trump to prevent this, though: Build the case for the war ahead of time. Lay out discreet and consistent goals and make sure the American people were bought-in and ready to sacrifice personally for the greater good.

But Trump didn’t even try to make that case.

He instead launched the war suddenly and then spent weeks backfilling the justifications for what he had just done.

It was almost like he didn’t even think he had to explain himself to the American people and do the legwork to build support — as if that were an unnecessary nuisance.

That sensibility existed on Day One of his second term and the day the Iran war began, and it persists to this day.
 
مرگ بر آمریکا said:

Trump’s ‘financial situation’ gaffe underscores his Iran war problem​


Trump has governed throughout his second term like a man who wields unconstrained power. It tends to prompt frustrations for him later when the approach runs headlong into reality.

His gaffe this week, when he said he didn’t consider Americans’ finances while trying to resolve the Iran war, epitomizes the problem.

When asked Tuesday how much Americans’ economic concerns were motivating his push for a peace deal, Trump responded: “Not even a little bit.”

“The only thing that matters when I’m talking about Iran [is] they can’t have a nuclear weapon,” Trump said. “I don’t think about Americans’ financial situation. I don’t think about anybody. I think about one thing: We cannot let Iran have a nuclear weapon. That’s all.”

Trump is no stranger to dismissive comments about the economic plight of everyday Americans. But this suggested he just didn’t care — as if it wasn’t even on his radar.

That risks sounding particularly tone-deaf given how bad the president’s economic numbers are and how much Americans already perceive him to be neglecting the issue.

Predictably, Republicans quickly tried to explain away Trump’s comments.

While retiring Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina told CNN that Trump’s comments were “concerning,” others have sought to downplay them.

Sen. John Cornyn of Texas told CNN that it was “just a sort of a throwaway line.” Sen. Cynthia Lummis of Wyoming declined to comment to a MeidasTouch reporter, “mostly because I think he actually does care.”

Others like House Speaker Mike Johnson and Rep. Troy Nehls of Texas fell back on the idea that the “context” of Trump’s comment might not be so bad. Nehls also encouraged people to “relax.”

And then there was Vice President JD Vance. He claimed Wednesday that Trump’s comments had been misrepresented. But he also sounded a much more conciliatory, feel-your-pain note on the economy than Trump did.

He said twice that the administration cares about Americans’ finances. He swore three times that it was focused on the issue.

But, of course, this is Trump.

There is a plausible explanation for his dismissiveness toward the financial impacts of the war: that he’d simply like to pretend they don’t exist.

The financial effects are, after all, the main constraint on him holding out for a peace deal with Iran that meets all his demands. Higher gas prices especially are the primary cost of the war that Americans are feeling, especially given the US military strategy has kept casualties low on its side.

And crucially, those domestic repercussions are something that his foe, the Iranian government, doesn’t have to worry about as much. While the war and the US blockade on the Strait of Hormuz are unquestionably causing more damage to Iran’s economy than the United States’, the authoritarian government in Tehran simply isn’t as responsive to complaints of its citizens.

That, like many aspects of this conflict, creates a kind of asymmetric warfare where the opposition has a much larger built-in pain tolerance — and more leverage because of it.

There’s even a valid argument that this is the kind of thing Trump should be telegraphing to Iran. By saying that he’s not considering Americans’ economic pain, he’s signaling that he’s not overly anxious to cut a deal to end the war. In short, that he’ll hold out for his demands.

(Of course, there are already myriad other data points to suggest Trump is actually quite anxious for a deal to bring the war to an end.)

But by speaking dismissively about Americans’ finances, Trump could actually be hurting his leverage.

The war is already unpopular, and Trump’s approval rating on the economy keeps dropping. To the extent his dismissiveness exacerbates both, it could increase the pressure on the US president to get out of the war. Not to mention, if the war drags on past the midterms and Democrats gain control of the House, Trump will have to deal with a less cooperative Congress.

And there is reason to believe his comments could hurt Republicans come November. Polls, after all, show Americans writ large simply don’t see the point of the war and don’t view it as worth the economic costs. Another shows three-quarters of them think Trump hasn’t paid enough attention to Americans’ cost of living.

And no issue looms larger over this election — and most elections — like the economy.

There was an easy way for Trump to prevent this, though: Build the case for the war ahead of time. Lay out discreet and consistent goals and make sure the American people were bought-in and ready to sacrifice personally for the greater good.

But Trump didn’t even try to make that case.

He instead launched the war suddenly and then spent weeks backfilling the justifications for what he had just done.

It was almost like he didn’t even think he had to explain himself to the American people and do the legwork to build support — as if that were an unnecessary nuisance.

That sensibility existed on Day One of his second term and the day the Iran war began, and it persists to this day.
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When Trump says things like that aloud, it makes it clear he is planning on controlling the midterm elections. Even rightys should be offended by that. Presidents' always say they are working for the people. whether they are or not. He put the people in their place, which is nowhere and they are inconsequential. This is a terrible gaffe. It should be harmful in the midterms. He showed he thinks he has that taken care of.
 
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