Trump throws his own allies under the bus - Another Day - Brian Tyler Cohen

[TexasTowelie]

BTC: Trump's minions try to clean up the president's mess overseas. It's a filthy job, but someone has to actually they really shouldn't have to. This is just another day.

The World Economic Forum is underway in Davos and while Trump is headed there tomorrow, he's making his presence known well before that.

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Wolf Blitzer: This morning on social media, he posted this AI generated image of him planting the US flag in Greenland with a sign declaring it a US territory established this year.

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BTC: Yes, apparently Trump thought his barrage of unhinged rhetoric over the past week about taking over Greenland still wasn't delivering on the clarity of his intentions so he figured an even less subtle visual aid might clear things up. It's like sending a dick-pic in that it's unwanted, unnecessary, and the person on the receiving end is showing it to their friends and making fun of you. So, I've heard.

By the way, what's so sad is that there's definitely a part of Trump that thinks that if he plants a flag on Greenland, we own it. To Trump, taking over another country is like calling shotgun. Rules are rules. But maybe it's me. Maybe this is some high-level strategy that my tiny brain can't even begin to wrap my head around and it's actually something that only others in positions of equally immense power can truly understand.

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Wolf Blitzer: President Trump overnight shared a text message from the French president Emmanuel Macron that said in part, and I'm quoting him now, “I do not understand what you are doing on Greenland.”

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BTC: That's Emmanuel Macron saying this, seen here prepping for his role in Top Gun Trois. But if the president of France doesn't understand, a guy who can wrap his head around this being the epitome of entertainment {image of pantomime} and a steady diet of wine and cigarettes being the essential diet for looking gorgeous, if he can't comprehend what Trump is doing, that should be a little bit of a tell.

And Macron isn't the only one having trouble with this. It turns out when you're the world's largest superpower and you just call dibs on a NATO ally, people have questions, which is why Trump sent his go-ahead team to Davos to clear a few things up.

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Maria Bartiromo: How do you justify taking over a country when in fact Denmark and Greenland have said they are not interested?

Scott Bessent: Well, Maria, I think the president has a very strong view on Western Hemispheric security and believes that the US should not outsource our national security. Uh he believes that Greenland is essential for the Golden Dome Missile Shield and he also the the president as usual, it's the move after the move.

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BTC: Oh, this is chess. Forgive me for thinking we were watching the chaotic whims of some power- hungry autocrat. Turns out publishing private text between world leaders and posting high school level AI slop is all part of the strategy.

But Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent understands that some people might still be a little rattled by Trump's rhetoric, and he wants them to know there's no need to worry.

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Bessent: I tell everyone, sit back, take a deep breath, do not retaliate. Do not retaliate. uh the president will be here uh tomorrow and he will get his message across. I believe he is going to have meetings and and again also have an open mind that you know why why why this rapid response. (repeated words deliberately not edited to emphasize nervousness}

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BTC: Exactly. Chill out. Why is everyone losing their shit over this? Just because the president of the United States brings about the same sense of calm as Joe Pesci and Goodfellas is no reason to get all bent out of shape. Would anybody else like to soften the blow for Dear Leader?

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Nigel Farage: Let's be frank. You know, friends can disagree in private and that's fine.

Mike Johnson: Mhm.

Nigel Farage: And that's part of life, part of politics. But to have a US president threatening tariffs unless we agree that he can take over uh Greenland by some means without it seems even getting the consent of the people of Greenland. I mean, this is a very hostile act. There's no other way I can put it.

Mike Johnson: Yes, the president has a certain manner in which he goes about doing things.

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BTC: {long-winded rant} My god, being sent overseas to help articulate an American president's vision did not used to be such a brutal task, but these days it is the equivalent of bracing your current friends for when your childhood friend is about to come over. Guys, uh quick reminder before my buddy um Nick gets here. Great guy. like truly big heart, but also he does have a um particular manner in which he likes to do things. So like if he misspells a word when we're playing Scrabilator, just let it go, okay? And I mean really let it go. Don't even glance at each other because if he catches you, he will definitely toss the whole board over and just give everybody the finger. But other than that, he is um Todd, I know that you have a cousin who's trans, right? Uh, do me a favor. Don't mention that he is on this kick where every member of the trans community has put themselves through hormone therapy, extensive surgery, years of traumatic ridicule all so that they could break records on their high school swim team. I know it's silly, but it's just one of his things. But honestly, y'all are going to love him. He's got the best stories. Everyone bought a gift for him, right? Something that at least looks valuable. Okay, I see everybody here is raising their hands except Matt. So, Matt, you don't have to, but this night will go a hell of a lot smoother if you just given that watch on your wrist. I know. I know it was a gift from the auto plant for your 20 years of employment, but it is a small price to pay for a fun hang, wouldn't you say? So, um, let's see. Uh, no biggies, but um, everybody here, if football comes up, y'all hate Minnesota and Chicago and San Fran and both LA teams, but trust me, it's going to be great. He's got he's a lot of laughs, got a ton of energy. My friend Bill {image of Bill Maher displayed} even had dinner with him recently. Can vouch for the fact that he's super funny. One more thing. Uh he did try and um gosh, I wish there was another word for this, but I suppose brevity serves me best here. He tried to rape multiple women. So, there's that. But seriously, great guy.

Frankly, I found it kind of refreshing when one of Trump's lackeys took an entirely different tack.

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World Economic Forum Host: Can I bring you back to Greenland?

Howard Lutnick: No.

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BTC: Yes. It's always a good sign when the Secretary of Commerce doesn't even want to discuss a move that could bring about economic disaster for the country he serves. I wonder, does Howard Lutnick know how badly he's coming off like an avoidant spineless coward?

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Lutnick: No.

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BTC: Got it. Just checking.

The reality is it should not be this hard to defend the decisions of the president of the United States. When everyone speaks the same language, we should not need a translator. When the leader of the free world, whose words can move markets and whose hands have access to our nuclear arsenal, says something, we should not need him to train a group of grown men to say, "Oh, you all can just relax. He's not really like that."

Years ago, being an advocate for the president was actually a rewarding gig. But now, it is the equivalent of following an unruly dog around, cleaning up the mess he makes every five seconds. This afternoon, during his nearly two-hour Rambleathon press conference to mark his first year in office, Trump doubled down on his Greenland obsession.

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WH Reporter: How far are you willing to go to acquire Greenland?

Trump: You'll find out.

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BTC: That's the president of the United States saying nothing is off the table when it comes to Greenland. Hey, can we get a uh translator in here?

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Dana Perino: I also think President Trump could claim the win here already, and he probably is planning to do that. So like when McCaskill is there saying he's definitely going to use military power like from the comfort of your kitchen like that's not happening. I do believe that when they all get there today that tomorrow he'll get in a room and he'll be like you guys you guys ready to deal and they'll be ready to deal.

Kayleigh McEnany: I think he's his own best messenger.

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BTC: Even the people who don't work for him, but still kind of work for him, are willing to continually debase themselves on national television, touting his total ineptitude as 4D chess mastery. Donald Trump is not a strategic visionary, a negotiating phenom, or some masterful global architect. He is a power- hungry real estate tycoon who's convinced every single one of his sycophants to clean up his shit on a daily basis. But at a certain point, things will get so bad for our nation that no amount of positive spin will be enough to save us from his truly dangerous instincts. And how bad will it be?

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Trump: You'll find out.

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BTC: Exactly.