Summary

Putin’s actions after Trump’s election, including a delayed congratulations and a denial of a phone call, suggest a lack of respect for Trump’s personal relationship with him.

Russia’s intelligence chief’s statement that Trump owes them favors for their support in his election, along with hints that he is expected to “pay back” certain obligations, amounts to a bold threat of blackmail.

Trump’s foreign policy, which favors a realignment with Russia, may be challenged by Putin’s actions and the revelation of Russian interference in the election.

  • Kyrgizion@lemmy.world
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    2 days ago

    Trump was never under the impression that anyone is his friend. All his relationships, including to his wife and biological children, are transactional.

    Russia has dirt on him and has for a loooong time. That’s why Putin doesn’t need to suck his dick like the rest of the world’s wannabe dictators do.

    • UnpopularCrow@lemmy.world
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      1 day ago

      I’m nearly certain it is true that Russia has dirt on him. But serious question: what possible dirt on trump could even slightly alter his base in the United States? I’m not convinced anything could. They could have videos of him raping an entire kindergarten class and his cult wouldn’t care. So at this point, what power does Putin actually hold? Trump (in theory) could tell Putin to fuck off and that would be the end of it.

      I think it’s admiration and not blackmail that keeps trump sucking Putin’s dick. I think Trump looks at Russia and wishes he could have the same unchecked power that Putin has and so he looks up to him.

      • jballs@sh.itjust.works
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        1 day ago

        Seriously great question at this point. In 2016 it was commonly accepted knowledge that if Putin released a video of Trump getting pissed on by a woman in a Moscow hotel, that would be the end of his political career.

        Since then, he’s been found to be a rapist in court, has attempted to overthrow the government, and has been found guilty of about 3 dozen felonies with more charges pending - which doesn’t matter any way since Trump’s judges have granted him legal immunity to anything he wants to do. And he was just convincingly reelected with his party winning both the House and Senate.

        At the point, Putin could put out a video of him personally pegging Trump, and it would make no difference.

        • rumba@lemmy.zip
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          1 day ago

          There are photos of him hanging with Epstein.

          Ghislaine Maxwell said in court that he frequented Epstein’s Manhattan mansion, where she would introduce him to her friends and acquaintances.

          If there was anything to that, and the KGB had some media to support that fact. Certainly, some decent part of his base is unshakable, but not the whole base. It would have to be some pretty gross crap, but I don’t think it’s anywhere near impossible.

          • jballs@sh.itjust.works
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            1 day ago

            I dunno. The human part of me wants to believe that there would be something that would be to much for his base to stomach. But the pessimist in me that’s still processing last week’s election makes me think there could be a video of Trump and Epstein raping a 13 year old and his base wouldn’t give a shit.

      • Kyrgizion@lemmy.world
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        1 day ago

        I don’t think it’s “compromat”. They just bankrolled his entire real estate empire since at least the 80’s. That creates a certain debt to be repaid.

        • foggenbooty@lemmy.world
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          1 day ago

          It’s likely a bit of both. Trump has no issue not paying his debts and several entities that have done business with him have gone under because of that.

          Russia has to have something on him for him to consider not blowing them off. It’s likely it could be as simple as him considering them a formidable enemy. They could cause problems for him and his family, potentially the foreign assets of his company, etc. They’re not a small bank or drywall company to be messed with.

        • Kyrgizion@lemmy.world
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          1 day ago

          They probably do, but:

          • at this point if surfaced they’ll be claimed as ai- generated
          • his sycos don’t care at all. Nothing he could do would ever sway their opinion, and you can’t reason someone out of a position they didn’t arrive at using reason in the first place. It’s very much a ‘feeling’ thing instead of facts.
      • noride@lemm.ee
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        1 day ago

        I think it’s proof of his wife’s infidelity. That would make him a ‘cuck’ and the only bigger sin than that in his world is being a liberal.

      • peopleproblems@lemmy.world
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        1 day ago

        I don’t think Trump is capable of admiration, and I also don’t think it’s dirt keeping him in check.

        It might simply be that Trump is that stupid. The parallels between descriptions of Trump and Hitler are striking as well.

        If Trump doesn’t respond to the international humiliation it will be intentional, otherwise if he got his way with the Unitary Executive Power, then he’d just glass Russia and be free from that chain (while probably getting lots of us killed).

        The only thing we know for certain is Russian propaganda is rarely intended for Western audiences.

    • tigeruppercut@lemmy.zip
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      1 day ago

      I don’t think he’s capable of having friends, but the dictators of the world are filling the daddy’s-love-shaped hole in his orange heart, so he defers to them in vain hope that he’ll feel something he never got as a kid.