[🇺🇸] USA News/Views

[Saif]

Japan pays about $10 billion per year for the US forces to do sentry duty in Japan. Its chump change for Japan. No problem.......The Japanese are super smart on avoiding conflict with both Russia and China.

Will Japan go nuclear to maintain balance of power with China and Russia?

 

[Lulldapull]

Will Japan go nuclear to maintain balance of power with China and Russia?

It’s the same ambiguity like Iran or Israel on nukes. Japan can go nuclear tonight…..but using nukes today is like committing suicide.

I’ve mentioned this before that nukes are suicide weapons. Anybody thinks they can use them and get away with the consequences is like they admitting that suicide is an option.

WW2 era legacy weapons got no place in the modern world.

And everyday now we are reminded that neither are airplanes nor tanks nor warships!

 

[Lulldapull]

Check this out guys......kinna budtameez hae ga Trump:

Harris Has low IQ, Trump Says - Other Media news - Tasnim News Agency

TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Former US president Donald Trump has said his rival for the November election, Vice President Kamala Harris, is a “low-IQ individual.”

www.tasnimnews.com

Oh bhaaaaaaannnnccchhhhh.........

 

[Saif]

Judge to sentence Trump before inauguration

The New York judge presiding over president-elect Donald Trump’s hush money case on Friday set sentencing for 10 days before his January 20 inauguration and said he was not inclined to impose jail time.

www.newagebd.net

Judge to sentence Trump before inauguration
Agence France-Presse . New York, United States 05 January, 2025, 00:50

Donald Trump

The New York judge presiding over president-elect Donald Trump’s hush money case on Friday set sentencing for 10 days before his January 20 inauguration and said he was not inclined to impose jail time.

Judge Juan Merchan said Trump, the first former president ever convicted of a crime, can appear either in person or virtually at his January 10 sentencing.

In an 18-page decision, Merchan upheld Trump’s conviction by a New York jury, rejecting various motions from Trump’s lawyers seeking to have it thrown out.

The judge said that instead of incarceration he was leaning towards an unconditional discharge—meaning the real estate tycoon would not be subject to any conditions.

The sentence would nevertheless see Trump entering the White House as a convicted felon.

The 78-year-old Trump potentially faced up to four years in prison but legal experts—even before he won the November presidential election—did not expect Merchan to send the former president to jail.

‘It seems proper at this juncture to make known the court’s inclination to not impose any sentence of incarceration,’ the judge said, noting that prosecutors also did not believe a jail term was a ‘practicable recommendation’.

Trump, who is expected to lodge an appeal that could potentially delay his sentencing, denounced the decision late Friday.

‘This illegitimate political attack is nothing but a Rigged Charade,’ he wrote on his platform Truth Social.

Calling Merchan a ‘radical partisan’, Trump added that the order was ‘knowingly unlawful, goes against our Constitution and, if allowed to stand, would be the end of the presidency as we know it.’

Trump was convicted in New York in May of 34 counts of falsifying business records to cover up a hush money payment to porn star Stormy Daniels on the eve of the 2016 election to stop her from revealing an alleged 2006 sexual encounter.

Trump’s attorneys had sought to have the case dismissed on multiple grounds, including the Supreme Court’s landmark ruling last year that former US presidents have sweeping immunity from prosecution for a range of official acts committed while in office.

Merchan rejected that argument but he noted that Trump will be immune from prosecution once he is sworn in as president.

‘Finding no legal impediment to sentencing and recognising that presidential immunity will likely attach once defendant takes his oath of office, it is incumbent upon this court to set this matter down for imposition of sentence prior to January 20, 2025,’ the judge said.

Trump spokesman Steven Cheung denounced Merchan’s decision to set sentencing for the former president, calling it a ‘direct violation of the Supreme Court’s Immunity decision and other longstanding jurisprudence.’

‘This lawless case should have never been brought and the Constitution demands that it be immediately dismissed,’ Cheung said in a statement.

‘President Trump must be allowed to continue the presidential transition process and to execute the vital duties of the presidency, unobstructed by the remains of this or any remnants of the Witch Hunts,’ he said.

‘There should be no sentencing, and president Trump will continue fighting against these hoaxes until they are all dead,’ Cheung added.

Trump also faced two federal cases brought by special counsel Jack Smith, but both were dropped under a long-standing justice department policy of not prosecuting a sitting president.

In those cases, Trump was accused of conspiring to overturn the results of the 2020 election he lost to Joe Biden and removing large quantities of top secret documents after leaving the White House.

Trump also faces racketeering charges in Georgia over his alleged efforts to subvert the 2020 election results in the southern state, but that case will likely be frozen while he is in the White House.​

 

[Saif]

Biden says he could have defeated Trump

Joe Biden thinks he could have won reelection if he had stayed in the White House race, he said in an interview published Wednesday -- while conceding he was unsure if he would have served another full term.

www.thedailystar.net

Biden says he could have defeated Trump

Joe Biden thinks he could have won reelection if he had stayed in the White House race, he said in an interview published Wednesday -- while conceding he was unsure if he would have served another full term.

The 82-year-old Democrat, who leaves office on January 20, was asked by USA Today if he believed victory over Republican Donald Trump was a realistic prospect last November, and he pointed to unspecified polling and said: "I think yes."

"I really thought I had the best chance of beating him. But I also wasn't looking to be president when I was 85 years old, 86 years old. And so I did talk about passing the baton," Biden said.

"But I don't know. Who the hell knows? So far, so good. But who knows what I'm going to be when I'm 86 years old?"​

 

[Saif]

Trump sentenced to 'unconditional discharge' for hush money conviction

A judge sentenced Donald Trump to an unconditional discharge Friday for covering up hush money payments to a porn star despite the US president-elect's last-ditch efforts to avoid becoming the first felon in the White House

www.thedailystar.net

Trump sentenced to 'unconditional discharge' for hush money conviction

US President-elect Donald Trump speaks at a news conference at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida on December 16. Photo: AFP

A judge sentenced Donald Trump to an unconditional discharge Friday for covering up hush money payments to a porn star despite the US president-elect's last-ditch efforts to avoid becoming the first felon in the White House.

The judge spared Trump prison or a fine even though the 34 counts of falsifying business records on which he was convicted in May 2024 carried potential jail time.

Instead, New York judge Juan Merchan handed down the mildest criminal sanction available, an unconditional discharge -- a relatively uncommon measure.

"Never before has this court been presented with such a unique and remarkable set of circumstances," said Merchan.

"The only lawful sentence that permits entry of a judgment of conviction without encroaching on the highest office of the land is an unconditional discharge."

Trump attended his sentencing virtually, with the judge, lawyers and media packed into the scruffy Manhattan courtroom that was the backdrop to the trial's high drama, legal wrangling and vitriolic personal attacks by the divisive Republican.

"This has been a very terrible experience. I think it's been a tremendous setback for New York and the New York court system," Trump said before the discharge was passed.

"It was done to damage my reputation, so I would lose the election."

The former president appeared on screens in the courtroom with two large US flags behind him, wearing a red tie with white stripes and looking on impatiently as the brief proceeding unfolded.

Ahead of the sentencing, prosecutor Joshua Steinglass said Trump had been convicted of a "premeditated and continuous deception."

"The verdict in this case was unanimous and decisive and it must be respected," he said.

The trial saw Trump forced to look on as a string of witnesses testified that he had fraudulently covered up illicit payments to porn star Stormy Daniels in an effort to stop her disclosing their tryst ahead of the 2016 presidential election, which he ultimately won.

Trump had sought a suspension of the criminal proceedings after a New York State appeals court dismissed his effort to have the hearing delayed.

But the Supreme Court ruled that the sentencing could proceed.

Prosecutors opposed the effort to stave off sentencing, 10 days before Trump is due to be sworn in for a second term, arguing it was wrong for the apex court to hear the case when the mogul still had avenues of appeal to pursue in New York.

FIRST PRESIDENTIAL CONVICTION

An unconditional discharge is a measure without any sanctions or restriction that nonetheless upholds the jury's guilty verdict -- and Trump's infamy as the first former president to be convicted of a felony.

The 78-year-old Trump had potentially faced up to four years in prison.

"He's sticking his middle finger at the judge, the jury, the system of justice, and laughing," said Pace University law professor and former prosecutor Bennett Gershman ahead of the sentencing.

Outside the courthouse, Trump supporters held a giant banner emblazoned with their idol's name that was buffeted by high winds. There was also a small vigil of anti-Trump demonstrators behind a hoarding reading "Trump is guilty."

Trump's counsel had argued sentencing should have been postponed while the Republican appealed his conviction, but New York state Associate Justice Ellen Gesmer rejected that on Tuesday.

Trump repeatedly called the prosecution a "witch hunt" which Steinglass said was "designed to have a chilling effect."

"This defendant has caused enduring damage to public perception of the criminal justice system," the career prosecutor said.

Trump's lawyer Todd Blanche said he "very, very much disagree with much of what the (prosecution) just said."

Trump was certified as the winner of the 2024 presidential election on Monday, four years after his supporters rioted at the US Capitol as he sought to overturn his 2020 defeat.​

 

[Saif]

How Trump’s resurgence could affect the global order

Will Trump pressure Gulf states to sever ties with China, risking economic fallout?

www.thedailystar.net

How Trump’s resurgence could affect the global order

US President Donald Trump and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, DC, on March 14, 2017. FILE PHOTO: AFP

As Donald Trump prepares to assume office as the 47th president of the United States, the world braces for a seismic shift in global politics. His second term, bolstered by a stronger electoral mandate and full Republican control of both chambers of Congress and the Supreme Court, is poised to challenge the fragile framework of the so-called "rules-based international order." This order, long championed by Western democracies, particularly the US, may be heading toward an uncertain future under Trump's leadership. His unpredictable and transactional approach to both domestic and foreign policy suggests that the US' global role could be radically redefined, with profound consequences for geopolitics.

A mandate for disruption

First, Trump's return to power is unlike his first term. He steps into the Oval Office now with fewer constraints. Republican dominance in Congress and a conservative Supreme Court majority effectively give him an open field to enact his agenda. However, this concentration of power doesn't guarantee smooth sailing. Trump's presidency is likely to encounter internal divisions, public backlash, and global resistance.

On the other hand, Trump's hardline rhetoric and actions signal that he will govern with an iron fist. His renewed pledge to implement aggressive immigration policies foreshadows a crackdown on undocumented immigrants and asylum seekers. His appointed border chief has already hinted at mass deportations, even involving naturalised citizens. The suggested approaches will undoubtedly devastate countless families but may also backfire due to labour shortages in key industries like agriculture and construction, exacerbating inflationary pressures in an already fragile economy.

The high-tech sector also stands at a crossroads. Trump's protectionist trade policies, including a proposed 25 percent levy on Canadian and Mexican imports and punitive measures against China, threaten to ignite trade wars. While such policies may appeal to nationalist sentiments, they risk crippling supply chains and driving up consumer prices. Even Trump's behind-the-scenes adviser, Elon Musk, has warned that the US' economic future depends on attracting skilled labour—a policy area seemingly at odds with Trump's restrictive immigration stance.

The UN and the decline of multilateralism

Perhaps the most telling indicator of Trump's global stance will be his treatment of international institutions. His disdain for multilateral organisations like the United Nations is well-documented. During his first term, Trump withdrew from the Paris Agreement and the World Health Organization, signalling his disregard for collective global action.

This time, Trump may go further. If the UN condemns US or Israeli actions, Trump could threaten to slash funding or even withdraw from the organisation altogether. His administration is likely to disregard international law when it clashes with US interests. Ironically, Trump's blatant dismissal of global norms might expose the hypocrisy of a system that enforces international law selectively—harshly penalising adversaries while excusing allies.

Foreign policy: Isolationism or neo-imperialism?

In foreign policy, Trump's intentions are murkier but no less concerning. His approach to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war will be a litmus test for his broader global strategy. During his first term, Trump dismissed the conflict as irrelevant to US interests. Now, he may attempt to position himself as a peacemaker by engaging Russian President Vladimir Putin in back-channel diplomacy. However, such a move could fracture NATO and undermine the Atlantic alliance that has underpinned Western security since World War II.

Biden's strategy of militarily containing Russia has left Ukraine devastated and Europe on edge. Trump's potential pivot toward conciliation with Russia could force European allies to reconsider their security postures. Yet, this rapprochement might also embolden Moscow, accelerating the erosion of the post-Cold War order. The US could face a painful choice: accept strategic setbacks or escalate forcefully to reassert dominance.

In the Middle East, Trump's policies are expected to be even more aggressive than during his first term. His unwavering support for Israel is likely to deepen, potentially encouraging Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to pursue further annexation of the occupied West Bank and continue military aggression in Gaza. Trump's disregard for Palestinian rights, coupled with his administration's readiness to recognise illegal settlements, could permanently extinguish hopes for a two-state solution.

The possibility of Trump launching strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities or pushing for regime change in Tehran raises the spectre of a wider regional conflict. His "maximum pressure" campaign, marked by the assassination of Iranian General Qasem Soleimani during the first Trump administration, failed to curb Iran's influence. Still, Trump appears undeterred and may double down on the confrontational strategy. Such actions could inflame anti-American sentiment, destabilise the Gulf region and strain relationships with traditional allies like Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

Trump's relationship with Gulf monarchies, particularly Saudi Arabia and the UAE, will likely be in the spotlight. His first foreign trip as President in his first term was to Riyadh, underscoring the strategic importance he places on these alliances. But gulf nations have been diversifying their alliances, deepening ties with China and even engaging diplomatically with Iran. Saudi Arabia's growing relationship with Beijing—joining BRICS and partnering in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization—poses a potential conflict with Trump's "America First" agenda. Will Trump pressure Gulf states to sever ties with China, risking economic fallout? Or will he tolerate these relationships to maintain regional stability?

The Abraham Accords, which normalised relations between Israel and several Arab states, could also expand under Trump. Saudi Arabia remains hesitant to formally recognise Israel without progress on Palestinian statehood. Israel's intransigence makes such normalisation unlikely, potentially stalling Trump's ambitions for deeper Israeli-Arab integration.

Trump's second term could take the US down one of two distinct paths. A return to isolationism would accelerate the decline of US global dominance, creating space for a multipolar world led by rising powers like China. Alternatively, Trump might adopt a neo-imperialist model, blending nationalist rhetoric with aggressive military and economic strategies. This approach could drag the US into more direct confrontations, resembling the Cold War but with more fragmented battle lines.

Unlike the 20th century, today's geopolitical tensions are not centered in Europe. While Trump may focus on Russia-Ukraine and Middle Eastern conflicts, South Asia might remain relatively untouched—at least during the early years of his presidency. This selective engagement could leave critical regions vulnerable to Chinese and Russian influence.

On the other hand, Trump's authoritarian tendencies, evident during his first term, are likely to intensify. His admiration for strongmen like Vladimir Putin, Narendra Modi, Xi Jinping and Kim Jong Un reveals his comfort with autocratic governance. Trump has openly mused about having dictatorial powers, raising concerns about democratic backsliding in the US.

Trump's second presidency is set to redefine global politics in unpredictable ways. His leadership could either bolster the US' waning dominance or accelerate its decline. Trump's actions could reshape alliances, provoke conflicts, and challenge the very foundations of the global system as we know it now. While a lot remains to be seen, one thing is for certain: the world is entering uncharted territory. And with Trump at the helm, the journey ahead will be anything but predictable.

Dr Rakib Al Hasan is a physician, author, activist and international award-winning youth leader of Bangladesh. He is the founder and executive director of the Centre for Partnership Initiative.​

 

[Saif]

Key Trump executive orders signed on day one

On his first day back in the White House, President Donald Trump signed a series of executive orders, including rescinding Biden-era executive actions and withdrawing the US from the Paris climate accord...Trump told Fox News host Sean Hannity during his campaign that he would be a d

www.thedailystar.net

Key Trump executive orders signed on day one

Photo: AFP

On his first day back in the White House, President Donald Trump signed a series of executive orders, including rescinding Biden-era executive actions and withdrawing the US from the Paris climate accord.

Trump told Fox News host Sean Hannity during his campaign that he would be a dictator only on "day one" and use his presidential powers to close the southern border with Mexico and expand oil drilling.

"After that, I'm not a dictator," he said.

As executive orders rolled in on Monday, the accelerated pace amounted to a shock-and-awe campaign. Trump promised in his inaugural speech that these orders would amount to a "complete restoration of America".

So far, here's what we know about the most significant executive orders and actions Trump signed on Monday.

ENDING BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP

The order: Along with a slew of immigration-focused orders, Trump is targeting automatic citizenship for US-born children of immigrants in the country illegally, to begin 30 days from January 30.

What Trump said: The order specifies that it would limit birthright citizenship if a person's "mother was unlawfully present in the United States and the father was not a United States citizen or lawful permanent resident at the time of said person's birth", or "when that person's mother's presence in the United States at the time of said person's birth was lawful but temporary".

What it means: Birthright citizenship, which guarantees citizenship to anyone born on US soil, is protected by the 14th amendment and any attempt to revoke it will likely bring immediate legal challenges. The order attempts to deny documents recognising US citizenship for individuals who meet that criteria and are born in the US 30 days after the order was signed.

LEAVING THE WHO

The order: Trump signed an order to have the US exit the World Health Organization (WHO).

What Trump said: "World Health ripped us off, everybody rips off the United States. It's not going to happen anymore," Trump said at the signing. He accused the WHO of mishandling the Covid-19 pandemic and other international health crises.

What it means: The US will leave the WHO in 12 months' time and stop all financial contributions to its work. The US is the biggest financial backer to the United Nations health agency.

RENAMING THE GULF OF MEXICO

The order: Trump ordered two name changes: the Gulf of Mexico and Alaska's Mount Denali.

What Trump said: "President Trump is bringing common sense to government and renewing the pillars of American Civilization," the executive order said in part.

What it means: Trump ordered the Gulf of Mexico to be renamed the "Gulf of America", something he promised earlier this month at a press conference. He will rechristen Alaska's Mount Denali as Mount McKinley, a change first made by former president Barack Obama in 2015 to reflect the traditions of Alaska Natives as well as the preference of many Alaska residents.

It will have no bearing on what namespreferences are used internationally.

REVOKING ELECTRIC VEHICLE TARGETS

The order: Trump revoked a non-binding executive order signed by Biden aimed at making half of all new vehicles sold in 2030 electric.

What Trump said: "The United States will not sabotage our own industries while China pollutes with impunity," Trump said on Monday afternoon.

What it means: Part of an effort to repeal Biden's environmental protections, Trump has also promised to roll back auto pollution standards finalized by Biden's administration last spring.

RECLASSIFYING FEDERAL EMPLOYEES, MAKING THEM EASIER TO FIRE

The order: Trump's executive order reclassified thousands of federal employees as political hires, making it much easier for them to be fired.

What Trump said: Aides to the president have long heralded mass government firings as part of an attack on the so-called "administrative" or "deep" state.

What it means: Trump effectively reinstates "Schedule F", an executive order he signed in the last year of his first term, seeking to reclassify tens of thousands of federal workers. (Biden rescinded the order.)

Key aides to Trump have called for mass government firings. Project 2025 made attacks on the deep or administrative state a core part of Trump's second term. The rightwing playbook called for civil servants deemed politically unreliable to be fired and replaced by conservatives.

DECLARING A NATIONAL ENERGY EMERGENCY

The order: Trump declared a national energy emergency as part of a barrage of pro-fossil fuel actions and efforts to "unleash" already booming US energy production that included also rolling back restrictions in drilling in Alaska and undoing a pause on gas exports.

What Trump said: The order means "you can do whatever you have to do to get out of that problem and we do have that kind of emergency," Trump said at the White House late on Monday.

What it means: The declaration would allow his administration to fast-track permits for new fossil fuel infrastructure. It is likely that the order, part of a broader effort to roll back climate policy, will face legal challenges.

CREATING A POLICY RECOGNISING ONLY TWO GENDERS

The order: Trump signed an order to remove "gender ideology guidance" from federal government communication, policies and forms. The order makes it official policy that there are "only two genders, male and female".

What Trump said: "Agencies will cease pretending that men can be women and women can be men when enforcing laws that protect against sex discrimination," the order states.

What it means: The order reverses a Biden-era executive action on the acceptance of gender identity.

PAUSING THE TIKTOK BAN

The order: Trump signed an executive order temporarily delaying the enforcement of a federal ban on TikTok for at least 75 days.

What Trump said: "I guess I have a warm spot for TikTok that I didn't have originally," Trump said at the White House, as he signed executive orders according to the New York Times.

What it means: Trump ordered his attorney general to not enforce the law requiring TikTok's sale. Trump says the pause allows for time to chart an "appropriate course forward" to protect national security and not abruptly shut down the popular app. In his first term, Trump favored a TikTok ban, but has since changed his position due to factors including his own popularity on the app.

RESCINDING 78 BIDEN-ERA EXECUTIVE ACTIONS

The order: Trump ordered 78 Biden-era executive actions to be rescinded, including at least a dozen measures supporting racial equity and combating discrimination against gay and transgender people.

What Trump said: "I'll revoke nearly 80 destructive and radical executive actions of the previous administration," Trump told a crowd in Washington after his inaugural speech. He also said he would end policy "trying to socially engineer race and gender into every aspect of public and private life" and push for a "colour blind and merit-based" society.

What it means: The orders signal a reversal of Biden-era policy that prioritized implementing diversity measures across the federal government. Trump repealed orders signed by Biden advancing racial equity for underserved communities and the aforementioned order combating discrimination based on gender identity or sexual orientation.

DECLARING A NATIONAL BORDER EMERGENCY

The order: Trump signed an order at the White House declaring an emergency at the southern US border, along with several other immigration-related policies.

What Trump said: "All illegal entry will immediately be halted, and we will begin the process of returning millions and millions of criminal aliens back to the places from which they came," Trump said in his inauguration speech.

What it means: The executive action paves the way to send US troops to the southern border and makes good on campaign promises to implement hardline immigration policies. There are limited details about how the administration planned to execute its sprawling set of immigration actions that were all but certain to face legal and logistical challenges.

Immigrant communities across the country are bracing for Trump's promise to carry out the "largest deportation program in American history", beginning as early as Tuesday morning.

ISSUING PARDONS FOR JANUARY 6 DEFENDANTS

The order: Trump issued pardons for offenders and commutations related to the January 6 attack on the Capitol. He will direct the Department of Justice to dismiss cases currently in progress.

What Trump said: "I'm going to be signing on the J6 hostages, pardons, to get them out," Trump said during his rally speech. "We'll be signing pardons for a lot of people, a lot of people." Trump said he has pardoned about 1,500 defendants charged in the January 6 attack on the US Capitol and issued six commutations.

What it means: Trump made his pledge to issue pardons for those with convictions related to the January 6 Capitol attack a core part of his re-election campaign. On the campaign trail, Trump often featured the national anthem sung by prisoners in a Washington DC jail. There are more than 1,500 people federally charged with associated charges.

With Trump back in the White House, justice department investigations into January 6 crimes are expected to cease.

WITHDRAWING FROM THE PARIS CLIMATE AGREEMENT

The order: Trump issued executive action withdrawing the US from the 2015 Paris agreement, along with a letter informing the United Nations of the decision.

What Trump said: "I am immediately withdrawing from the unfair, one-sided Paris Climate Accord rip off" Trump said during a rally at the Capital One Arena. In his inaugural speech, Trump said he would use executive action to "end the Green New Deal".

What it means: In 2017, Trump exited the Paris agreement. Upon taking office in 2021, Biden rejoined. Monday's order makes good on a Trump election promise to withdraw from the 2015 global treaty seeking to avoid the worst impacts of the climate crisis.

Exiting the Paris agreement is part of Trump's broader efforts to roll back climate protections and policy. Trump has described Biden's efforts to grow the US's clean energy sector as "the green new scam".

Source: The Guardian​