Donald Trump has had a bizarre day, acquiring a new plane and making a mystery trip to the Presidential retreat at Camp David. The smart money suggests he has taken his cabinet and military personnel to the President's country retreat to limber them up and seek ideas on successfully invading and taking over Cuba. Here's how the President's day has unfolded.
Trump Kicks the Tyres on His New Plane
Donald Trump has gone to Camp David for the weekend. For most presidents, that's not unusual. For Donald Trump, it's a bit odd because he hates Camp David. The smart money says Trump has taken his cabinet and military personnel to Camp David to limber them up and seek ideas on the recipe for successfully invading and taking over Cuba. That might even have happened by the time you read this.
Why Does He Want to Invade Cuba?
On the most basic level, it's because he remembers what it felt like to do Venezuela, and he's finally shaken off the bad things from the war in Iran. In his mind, he could do Cuba on more of a Venezuela timescale compared to an Iran timescale.
Trump Got His Plane
The new jet was a gift from Qatar. We have spent a lot of time in these roundups talking about the jumbo jet Qatar has given to Donald Trump for free, and specifically the time it usually takes for the US armed forces and secret service to approve such a vehicle for presidential travel. It's worth noting that at least part of the reason for the delay is the existing arrival and release of the forthcoming official update of Air Force One. Those time periods, well intentioned as they are to Trump's family, mean arms down and behind.
There's a Reason It Takes So Long to Make an Air Force One
Being Air Force One and being a jumbo jet are not the same thing, and it's not just a matter of levels of luxury. There's a new fleet of official Air Force Ones due for delivery next year and the year after, which have been works in progress for several years. A huge drag on preparing them for use is that the security services have to dismantle it piece by piece, combing every inch of the structure, behind every wall and every panel, to look for recording devices, bugs, and sabotage from foreign hostile powers. While the official replacement Air Force Ones have been undergoing this process for several years, some are questioning how it's possible for Qatari Force One to have gone through the same level of scrutiny in less than a year.
“The safety and security of the commander in chief is our highest priority,” Troy Meink, secretary of the air force, said in a statement on Friday. “From the beginning, we meticulously evaluated every requirement to accelerate delivery while maintaining the high standards expected of the presidential mission.”
Trump Accused of Lying in Furious Row with PM of Italy
Donald Trump has sparked an explosive row with Italy after claiming PM Giorgia Meloni begged him for a photo. “Italy and I never beg,” Meloni fumed in a response video, accusing Trump of lying and of cosying up to enemies of the West. Trump was seen deep in conversation with Meloni at the G7, where they were photographed on a small sofa. “She begged me to take a photo with her. I felt sorry for her,” Trump told Italian TV channel La7 in a brief phone interview. “She's probably happy I spoke to her.”
A furious Meloni published an Instagram video hitting back at Trump's claims, saying she was “frankly stunned.” “I don't know why the US president behaves this way towards allies,” Meloni said, saying it was not the first time it had happened. In April, Trump spoke to Italian daily Corriere della Sera in which he criticised Meloni's refusal to back the Iran war. Meloni didn't respond publicly at the time. “I can only say it is regrettable he does not show the same determination towards the enemies of the West and towards the enemies of the US - whose leaders he instead appears to be far more accommodating with,” she said in her video today. She added: “There is one thing he needs to remember: neither I nor Italy ever beg.”
The bust-up has prompted Italy's deputy PM to cancel a trip to the US planned for early next week. Antonio Tajani abruptly called Trump's claims “serious and offensive” toward Meloni and all of Italy.
Trump Blames Green Reflecting Pool on Vandals with Chemicals
Donald Trump has blamed the distinctly Kermit-y tinge of the Lincoln reflecting pool on vandals with chemicals. Not, for the avoidance of doubt, on him being a crappy project manager. Here's what he had to say: “We've had some real problems with vandalism at the beautiful Reflecting Pool, which sits between The Washington Monument and The Lincoln Memorial. Just like three days ago, they destroyed the grass outside of the Pool, they've also done everything possible to hurt the inside surface that was just installed. No different than the chemicals that were used on the National Mall, they used something similar in the Reflecting Pool to try to destroy and demean our beautiful work. Lightweight ABC Reporter, Jonathan Karl, was seen sticking his hand into the Pool, and trying to rip the rubber off of the surface. The algae is 75% gone, and the condition will soon be completely remedied, and the area that was vandalized, fortunately, is just a small area of damage, and will be fixed early next week. It's a shame that the Radical Left Lunatics, most likely Dumocats, who have spent their lives trying to ruin our Country, are free to do so. Law Enforcement is actively investigating this situation, and will hopefully have it resolved soon.”
