Can you imagine what Trump's conversations with foreign leaders must be like?

[milestogo]

He is basically incoherent, ill-informed, and full of bluster 100% of the time.

Even in a conversation in which he is NOT breaking the law these calls must be bizarre and embarrassing to our country.

[StarfishSaver]

1. They probably have to keep their phones on mute for most of the call

so he can't hear them guffawing ...

[dalton99a]

2. He lies and insults them if they are not a dictator

While deferential to leader like Putin and North Korea's Kim, Trump can become frustrated with other world leaders, as he did with then Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull. Trump didn't want to honor an agreement between Turnbull and President Barack Obama regarding refugees. After a long and contentious back-and-forth, Trump told Turnbull, "I have had it. I have been making these calls all day and this is the most unpleasant call all day. Putin was a pleasant call. This is ridiculous."

But it's another meeting with Trudeau that is more telling. Trump told supporters at a fundraiser in Missouri in 2018 that he insisted during one meeting with Trudeau that the US has a trade deficit with Canada -- that it buys more from Canada than it sells to the country. Trudeau was right that the US has a trade surplus with Canada.

"I said, 'Wrong, Justin, you do.' I didn't even know. ... I had no idea. I just said, 'You're wrong,'" Trump recalled. "You know why? Because we're so stupid. ... And I thought they were smart. I said, 'You're wrong, Justin.' He said, 'Nope, we have no trade deficit.' I said, 'Well, in that case, I feel differently,' I said, 'but I don't believe it.'"

Trump later argued on Twitter, despite the facts published by his commerce department, that there is a deficit.

[Doodley]

3. It is the playbook of a spoiled-rotten four year old. 1/ Cry that it isn't fair.

2/ Call others names and denigrate them. 3/ Boast about how smart he is. 4/ Offer bribes to get more candy.

[dawg day]

4. Dr. Talmadge was saying that Trump can barely "converse" anymore

... In the sense of talking to someone, listening to their response, and replying to that. Instead, he just talks and talks, free association. There's no desire to interact or have a communication.

I remember that from my own experience with a relative in mid-stages of dementia. He would go off into these lectures (usually incoherent) and be angry if anyone actually tried to break in and say something in response. I thought it was rude and egotistical, but now I wonder if it was just an inability to hear-understand-respond.

The other day at the border, when Trump was going on and on about the secrets of the "wall", he turned to the official and demanded-- "Tell us more about that, General."
And the officer immediately and sharply (though congenially) said no, that would not be a good thing to talk about.

Trump was startled and laughed, and said something about that being good, and then took off on another rant/lecture. He couldn't get really what the general was meaning or engage with that.

Supposedly with his staff now, he mostly just yells at them.


John M. Talmadge, MD
@JohnMTalmadgeMD