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Trump says countries like UK can fight for their oil

(205 Posts)
Fallingstar Tue 31-Mar-26 13:05:48

www.theguardian.com/world/live/2026/mar/31/iran-latest-updates-trump-threats-oil-spill-dubai-tehran-jerusalem-strikes

So the latest from Trump is that the UK and other European countries should go to the Straits of Hormuz and fight for their own oil because he isn’t going to help them anymore if they don’t help him.
So a quick translation of Trump speak for yourself -

I started an illegal war and don’t know how to get out of it so am blaming everyone else and expecting them to clean up the mess I made.’

NotSpaghetti Sat 04-Apr-26 10:49:44

Here is a clock (as mentioned earlier)

www.tickcounter.com/countdown/6133013/days-until-trump-is-out-of-office

Grandmabatty Sat 04-Apr-26 09:16:36

Hes now attacking democrat run states, claiming fraud. This was not unexpected but is a forerunner of the results of the mid terms which are forecast to favour Democrats massively. Trump tells you what he's going to do before he does it. He will not accept the results of the midterms and will shout fraud, then make an executive order banning Democrats. And his dictatorship will continue

Wyllow3 Sat 04-Apr-26 08:33:08

Well now, inevitably, a US plane (cost: 75 million pounds - see BBC newsfeed) has been shot down, and another claimed to be targeted: one of the two crew has been rescued, one is missing, and Iran are after him of course.

How much more will the US public take?

Cossy Fri 03-Apr-26 19:43:36

FriedGreenTomatoes2

Well Trump is not alone. Most of the UK mocks Starmer, he is disastrously mockable.

In your humble opinion!

Starmer’s ratings have increased somewhat thanks to his calm and measure approach with Trump.

Trump also mocks women and the disabled, is that also to be admired?

Smileless2012 Fri 03-Apr-26 19:30:25

Well it wouldn't have been America's would it Maremia.

Maremia Fri 03-Apr-26 18:05:28

Now just supposing Starmer had been weak or stupid enough to answer Trump's Call of Duty. Those Posters who think we should have followed Trump into this illegal war, whose troops would have been the first 'boots on the ground' onto that killing ground of an Island.
Whose warships should have been first into the Strait to face the Iranian barage?

Casdon Fri 03-Apr-26 12:58:24

Every day of the 949 will no doubt have new slights and toys out of the pram moments too. By the time he goes, there will be nobody he has not disrespected, I imagine.

NotSpaghetti Fri 03-Apr-26 12:38:45

Total days left for this man 1,022
But only 949 days till he becomes a "lame duck" because the transfer period is quite long. 73 days.

I hope nothing he does stops him from going.

I feel there should be a countdown clock somewhere! grin

Fallingstar Fri 03-Apr-26 12:35:30

Casdon

Trump mocks everybody. Just yesterday he sounded off about Bruce Springsteen, President Macron, even Vance. He does it when he perceives people have slighted him (ie they have had the balls to disagree with him). He is a weak, insecure man whose only defence mechanism is to bully, as men like him so often do.

He is a vain empty husk of a man who constantly needs his ego stroking. Anyone who dares criticise him or goes against him will be insulted in a peevish childlike manner.
I have never seen or heard a person like him in all my 76 years and have no wish to hear or see the like of him once he leaves office.

Casdon Fri 03-Apr-26 12:29:21

Trump mocks everybody. Just yesterday he sounded off about Bruce Springsteen, President Macron, even Vance. He does it when he perceives people have slighted him (ie they have had the balls to disagree with him). He is a weak, insecure man whose only defence mechanism is to bully, as men like him so often do.

icanhandthemback Fri 03-Apr-26 12:25:08

Whitewavemark2

I bet Trump is bitterly regretting listening to Netanyahu.

It will be interesting to see if this is the case and he takes his revenge.

I don't think Trump does regret. He will justify it all to himself whatever the consequences. If all else fails, he will just blame Pete Hegseth!

FriedGreenTomatoes2 Fri 03-Apr-26 12:15:00

Well Trump is not alone. Most of the UK mocks Starmer, he is disastrously mockable.

Whitewavemark2 Fri 03-Apr-26 12:01:56

I bet Trump is bitterly regretting listening to Netanyahu.

It will be interesting to see if this is the case and he takes his revenge.

Cossy Fri 03-Apr-26 11:28:08

Wyllow3

It's insane man trying to force Europe to build more killing machines and recruiting more soldiers....spending money on war

Its sits very badly with me, as Trump is on a zero sum game.

No one wins

How far do we join in?

No, I'm not a total pacifist, we do need "Defence" but do we let Trump turn the world into seething enemies, armed to the teeth? It fits with his philosophy, I'm pretty sure he enjoys it

There is more than a touch of nihilist in him. More than a grandiosity found in Revelations, a delight to play with Armageddon..

👏👏👏👏

Elegran Fri 03-Apr-26 11:22:12

But some more than others. People, surviving or dead, are the casualties of war. The boots and bodybags are just equipment.

Smileless2012 Fri 03-Apr-26 11:11:56

sorry, meant to post all of them.

Smileless2012 Fri 03-Apr-26 11:11:05

IMO none of them Elegran.

Elegran Fri 03-Apr-26 10:04:06

OldFrill

AGAA4

Is that all you have to say OldFrill on a serious subject? I am much more affronted by what is actually happening than words.

Id previously contributed to this thread, do keep up if your going to patronise me.

Words matter. They put the colour into a cold grey account and the living nuances into an expressionless statement of intent. It is not pedantry to be aware of that, and of how much influence the exact meanings are of the words chosen.

There is a difference between "boots on the ground" and "men deployed on the battlefield" Boots on their own don't carry out the orders of the top brass back home making theoretical plans. Boots don't bleed and suffer when the enemy don't fll in with the plan. Boots don't have parents and families to grieve when they don't return from their deployment.
"Body bags" are empty containers for the debris of war. Once they have been filled, they can be replaced from the stores. Soldiers who have been killed in action or died of their wounds are "casualties", and they are much more than that. They are dead human beings, who cannot be replaced as individuals, as sons, daughters, partners, parents, friends, workmates, colleagues.

Which of these terms speak of the futility of war?

MaizieD Fri 03-Apr-26 09:46:02

I wonder what the cost of using a longer route, compared with paying $2 million for passing through the Strait, would be?

After all, once the difference in the time it would take had been planned for a longer route should be manageable,

petra Fri 03-Apr-26 09:36:48

It’s now glaring obvious that the us isn’t going to win this fight ( well everyone except Donny)
Has anyone told him what a nice little earner he has handed Iran.
In February approximately 150 ships per day transited through the strait. Now we know that quite a few are paying $2millon for this privilege.
Maybe you get a discount for more than one ship but it’s still an eye watering amount of money.

Grandmabatty Fri 03-Apr-26 09:24:41

What keeps me going, is the phrase attributed to Robert the Bruce when hiding in a cave(allegedly), 'This, too, will pass.'
Elderly men won't be around forever. Everyhing i read from Usa commentators, points to a man who is physically and mentally deteriorating at an ever increading rate. The pendulum will swing back again and Democrats will put the kibosh on Trumps power grabs.

Whitewavemark2 Fri 03-Apr-26 09:00:32

Article today bySimon Jenkins saying how unfortunate the world is to have two such men as Trump and Putin - both intent on totally unnecessary wars, both with immense power and the ability to cause utter mayhem.

Unlucky is a vast understatement.

Cossy Fri 03-Apr-26 08:29:11

This whole situation makes me very angry!

Trump attacked Iran without going through congress, Netanyahu played him as he wanted to attack Iran.

Trump attempted to drag us into this War, we said no thank you, but we’ll help destroy launched missiles.

Neither we, nor Europe, have to have reasons, we do not owe Trump any kind of explanations.

In the meantime let’s just ignore Gaza and Ukraine and don’t worry about those Iranian citizens who so hoped for something much much more.

Wyllow3 Fri 03-Apr-26 08:23:32

It's insane man trying to force Europe to build more killing machines and recruiting more soldiers....spending money on war

Its sits very badly with me, as Trump is on a zero sum game.

No one wins

How far do we join in?

No, I'm not a total pacifist, we do need "Defence" but do we let Trump turn the world into seething enemies, armed to the teeth? It fits with his philosophy, I'm pretty sure he enjoys it

There is more than a touch of nihilist in him. More than a grandiosity found in Revelations, a delight to play with Armageddon..

David49 Fri 03-Apr-26 08:01:06

The only country capable of solving the Iran "problem" is China, they are sitting back until Trump has got bored and Iran is on its knees. They could if they chose stabilize the whole region, by insisting that Iran stopped the nuclear and terror activity, Iran would have to take notice of that because without China they could not rebuild.

So the US looses the war and China wins the peace.