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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsTrump "charmed" the Chancellor of Germany?
Or so says the current speaker.
Somewhere Angela Merkel just did a spit take.
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Trump "charmed" the Chancellor of Germany? (Original Post)
dflprincess
Aug 2020
OP
Richard Grenell - a Trumpist used to interfere in European governments and trash intelligence
muriel_volestrangler
Aug 2020
#7
TomSlick
(11,108 posts)1. Chancellor Merkel was not alone.
Botany
(70,576 posts)2. An America 1st Foreign Policy?
Had anybody told Vlad Daddy about this?
Kali
(55,019 posts)3. who is this bozo?
dflprincess
(28,082 posts)5. I think I heard he said he had been ambassador to Germany
but don't quote me. I haven't recognized most the speakers at this.
And who was the Black guy that was on before this clown? He was billed as a Civil Rights activist and gave the Republican party credit for passing the 15th Amendment....apparently the man hasn't paid much attention since that happened.
muriel_volestrangler
(101,360 posts)7. Richard Grenell - a Trumpist used to interfere in European governments and trash intelligence
Grenells tenure as ambassador to Germany has been rocky, at least from Berlins perspective. He has palled around with far-right groups, spoken openly of a desire to change Angela Merkels government, and made statements about U.S. views that sounded like direct orders to sensitive German ears. Last spring, leaders of two German political parties called him a brat and a failure and urged his ouster. Even in the annals of awkward things done by Trump appointees overseas, this was unprecedented. But if anything, those controversies have only helped Grenells reputation in the eyes of President Trump.
...
He also made appearances in the scheming of Rudy Giuliani and his allies, according to now-indicted Giuliani associate Lev Parnas. Parnas told the Daily Beast that he was told to ask Grenell for advance notice if the Department of Justice were to move to extradite an indicted Ukrainian oligarch, Dmytro Firtash, from whom Giuliani hoped to get compromising information. Parnas also claims Grenell said he would comply. It would, to put it mildly, not be normal or legal for an ambassador to tip off a private citizen to a law-enforcement move. It would also be odd, because Firtash was not in Germany, and so one wouldnt have expected the U.S. ambassador there to know anything about criminal procedures involving him.
Media coverage so far has focused on the concerns of intelligence professionals, allied countries, and Democrats that Grenell lacks intelligence qualifications. But that line of critique misses the point. One might argue that Grenell has been serving, unrecognized, as Trumps high commissioner to Europe, and this Cabinet-level appointment gives him more authority in that role. But it also places an absolute loyalist in a position to, from Trumps perspective, manage the intelligence community so that it cannot do him harm.
The president has made it clear, again and again, that he seeks to remake the national security infrastructure so that it does his bidding and promotes his ends. He does not recognize the idea sacred to national security professionals of a higher national interest to which even a president must subordinate her or himself. That has been clear in every aspect of how he and his allies defended his plan to block military aid to Ukraine until the Kiev government produced dirt on a Democratic rival. It was clear in the subsequent firing of Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman from his White House job, and in Trumps call for the Pentagon to investigate Vindman for wrongdoing. And its clear in the events that led to Grenells appointment: The Washington Post reported on Thursday that Joseph Maguire, a previous favorite for the job, was dropped by Trump because of his perceived personal disloyalty. It has been reported that Grenell will hold the job only in an acting role because he is too controversial to be confirmed.
https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2020/02/richard-grenell-director-national-intelligence.html
...
He also made appearances in the scheming of Rudy Giuliani and his allies, according to now-indicted Giuliani associate Lev Parnas. Parnas told the Daily Beast that he was told to ask Grenell for advance notice if the Department of Justice were to move to extradite an indicted Ukrainian oligarch, Dmytro Firtash, from whom Giuliani hoped to get compromising information. Parnas also claims Grenell said he would comply. It would, to put it mildly, not be normal or legal for an ambassador to tip off a private citizen to a law-enforcement move. It would also be odd, because Firtash was not in Germany, and so one wouldnt have expected the U.S. ambassador there to know anything about criminal procedures involving him.
Media coverage so far has focused on the concerns of intelligence professionals, allied countries, and Democrats that Grenell lacks intelligence qualifications. But that line of critique misses the point. One might argue that Grenell has been serving, unrecognized, as Trumps high commissioner to Europe, and this Cabinet-level appointment gives him more authority in that role. But it also places an absolute loyalist in a position to, from Trumps perspective, manage the intelligence community so that it cannot do him harm.
The president has made it clear, again and again, that he seeks to remake the national security infrastructure so that it does his bidding and promotes his ends. He does not recognize the idea sacred to national security professionals of a higher national interest to which even a president must subordinate her or himself. That has been clear in every aspect of how he and his allies defended his plan to block military aid to Ukraine until the Kiev government produced dirt on a Democratic rival. It was clear in the subsequent firing of Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman from his White House job, and in Trumps call for the Pentagon to investigate Vindman for wrongdoing. And its clear in the events that led to Grenells appointment: The Washington Post reported on Thursday that Joseph Maguire, a previous favorite for the job, was dropped by Trump because of his perceived personal disloyalty. It has been reported that Grenell will hold the job only in an acting role because he is too controversial to be confirmed.
https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2020/02/richard-grenell-director-national-intelligence.html
greenjar_01
(6,477 posts)4. Merkel is very public in painting him as a deeply malignant fool
Charmed? She won't be near him without a phalanx of diplomats and guards.
StClone
(11,686 posts)6. The Guy with the striking tiny mustache maybe
Trump's mind is traveling through time making synchronicity out of anachronistic spider webs. Reagan would be proud-bat shit crazy proud.
durablend
(7,464 posts)8. What I'd imagine *really* happened
Donald unzipped his pants and the chancellor *laughed* (and may have pointed too)