Trump surrenders to China, habeas corpus now under threat
The David Pakman Show - May 12, 2025
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Trump SURRENDERS to China and he wants YOU to say THANK YOU!
Donald Trump announced a 90-day pause in the U.S.-China trade war, temporarily rolling back some tariffs that he had previously imposed. Markets surged on the news, but the move is not a trade deal—just a delay in Trump’s self-inflicted economic conflict. Trump now seeks credit for easing a crisis of his own making, without achieving any of the trade goals he originally promised.
Trump Press Secy COLLAPSES when asked about Trump’s FREE AIRPLANE
Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, dismissed concerns about Qatar donating a $400 million plane, calling it a “little favor” and denying any quid pro quo involving Trump. She said the legal details are still being worked out but assured it would comply with the law. Leavitt insists the gift was meant for the Department of Defense, not Trump personally, and that Qatar won’t want anything in return.
From yesterday’s show:
UH-OH: Trump’s OWN STAFF is starting to turn on him!
A new report reveals that a current Trump insider is alarmed by chaos and possible criminal behavior within the former president’s inner circle. The source, once drawn to Trump’s anti-D.E.I. stance, now describes a leader in mental decline, heavily influenced by advisers like Stephen Miller. While not a full defection, this disillusionment hints at broader unrest behind the scenes.
From yesterday’s show:
WOW: Pence POUNDS Trump in STUNNING interview
Former Vice President Mike Pence criticized Donald Trump’s blanket tariff plan, calling it harmful to consumers—a basic economic truth. While some framed this as brave, it’s really just common sense, not a political shift for Pence. The fact that such obvious statements seem bold highlights how Trump has warped the standards of political discourse. Pence may be right on tariffs, but he remains a key figure in the same extremist movement that enabled Trump.
More on the show:
— Fox News tries to sell Trump’s fake China “deal” with glowing chyrons… until their own guest says there’s no deal at all
— Trump is gifted a 400 million dollar golden jet by Qatar while in office — and yes, he gets to keep it
— Trump is now actively exploring suspending habeas corpus, while Newark’s mayor is arrested protesting ICE the same day — full-blown fascism is here
— Senator John Barrasso dodges questions about habeas corpus and opens the door to civil war logic: “probably won’t come to Congress”
— Trump clearly has no idea what he’s signing in a trade photo op and asks what the document is after picking up the pen
— Trump’s press secretary collapses under basic questions about the Library of Congress, D.E.I., and Trump’s own luxury tariff plan
— JD Vance begins walking back Trump’s promise to end the war in Ukraine in 24 hours — we’re on day 107
-- On the Bonus Show: New poll shows Americans putting life plans on hold amid Trump-era economic anxiety, GOP escalates state attacks on trans rights, and white South Africans arrive in the U.S. under Trump’s refugee program, much more...
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A group of European leaders just played Trump...
They found a way to try and drive a wedge between him and Putin.
A few days ago, the leaders of France, Germany, Poland, and the UK gathered in a room with Zelensky. They then made an unscheduled phone call to Trump.
In that call, they disclosed a plan to give Putin an ultimatum: agree to a 30-day ceasefire and begin negotiations for peace, or they would supply Ukraine with overwhelming military support and coordinate additional sanctions that could suffocate a Russian economy finally beginning to show the mortal wounds of economic isolation.
In this call, they convinced Trump that this threat alone would force Putin to the negotiating table.
And they convinced Trump that if this worked... he would get the plaudits.
The truth is, they know Putin doesn't want peace. As I've explained countless times, anyone who actually understands Putin and his geopolitical priorities knows he doesn't want a democratic Ukraine to survive.
Trump, evidently, has failed to grasp this. He still sees everything as a real estate deal and fails to appreciate the deeper ideological aspirations at play.
He is also notoriously easy to persuade, especially by someone like Macron. Starmer, meanwhile, is Trump's new best friend after he went along with his charade of a bilateral trade agreement. They've been buttering him up for this whole time.
Macron, Starmer, Merz, Tusk, and Zelensky appealed to Trump's vanity and his ignorance... and it looks like it worked.
They managed to get his verbal approval for the ultimatum during the call. And before anyone had the chance to explain the implications to Trump... they announced it. One by one, they gave speeches to the media where they made it absolutely clear that Trump was in on the deal. The USA was party to the ultimatum.
Putin then had to either accept an immediate ceasefire by Monday... or defy Trump.
As expected, before the deadline even came close, Putin rejected the offer outright. Because he does not want peace.
Trump has now effectively sanctioned the European plan for complete and unrestricted support of the Ukrainian military and agreed to cooperate on additional economic sanctions on Russia.
Just like that, the USA appears to be back on Ukraine's side, and it's all thanks to an unscheduled phone call.
I don't know whose plan it was, but it was brilliant.
David Pakman --- You would Not Remember Ronald Reagan's Last Year --- Too Young --- He was in Full Blown Dementia...We "Old" People Remember...the GOP Hid it from Americans. Like Nixon, He was Delusional, at Best --- as His Term Ended...so, Tubby is Not the First Looney Toon as POTUS ---