SalamanderSleeps
SalamanderSleeps's JournalFrom France comes a call for Trump's America to return Lady Liberty.
PARIS (AP) — Hey, America: Give the Statue of Liberty back to France.
So says a French politician who is making headlines in his country for suggesting that the U.S. is no longer worthy of the monument, which was a gift from France nearly 140 years ago.
Raphaël Glucksmann, as a member of the European Parliament and co-president of a small left-wing party in France, can’t claim to speak for all of his compatriots.
But his assertion in a speech this weekend that some Americans “have chosen to switch to the side of the tyrants” reflects the broad shockwaves that U.S. President Donald Trump’s seismic shifts in foreign and domestic policy are triggering in France and elsewhere in Europe.
“Give us back the Statue of Liberty,” Glucksmann told supporters of his Public Place party, who applauded and whistled, on Sunday.
“It was our gift to you. But apparently you despise her. So she will be happy here with us,” Glucksmann said.
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AP AUDIO: From France comes a call for Trump’s America to return Lady Liberty. Here’s why it won’t happen
AP correspondent Julie Walker reports on the fight over the Statue of Liberty after a French lawmaker demands its return.
The White House brushed back on the comments Monday, saying France instead should still be “grateful” for U.S. support during World War I and World War II. Glucksmann, in turn, then shot back that French gratitude for Americans’ wartime sacrifices is “eternal,” but added: “If the free world no longer interests your government, then we will take up the torch, here in Europe.”
“No one, of course, will come and steal the Statue of Liberty,” he wrote in X posts. “The statue is yours. But what it embodies belongs to everyone.”
Can France claim it back?
Dream on.
UNESCO, the United Nations’ cultural arm that has the statue on its list of World Heritage treasures, notes that the iconic monument is U.S. government property.
It was initially envisaged as a monumental gesture of French-American friendship to mark the 100th anniversary of the July 4, 1776, Declaration of Independence.
But a war that erupted in 1870 between France and German states led by Prussia diverted the energies of the monument’s designer, French sculptor Frédéric-Auguste Bartholdi.
The gift also took time to be funded, with a decision made that the French would pay for the statue and Americans would cover the costs of its pedestal.
Transported in 350 pieces from France, the statue was officially unveiled on Oct. 28, 1886.
Is France’s government offering asylum to Lady Liberty?
No. French-U.S. relations would have to drop off a cliff before Glucksmann found support from French President Emmanuel Macron’s government.
For the moment, the French president is treading a fine line — trying to work with Trump and temper some of his policy shifts on the one hand, but also pushing back hard against some White House decisions, notably Trump’s tariff hikes.
Macron has let his prime minister, François Bayrou, play the role of being a more critical voice. Bayrou tore into the “brutality” that was shown to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during his White House visit and suggested that Trump’s administration risked handing victory to Russia when it paused military aid to Ukraine.
Glucksmann’s party has been even more critical, posting accusations on its website that Trump is wielding power in an “authoritarian” manner and is “preparing to deliver Ukraine on a silver platter” to Russia.
In his speech, Glucksmann referenced New York poet Emma Lazarus’ words about the statue, the “mighty woman with a torch” who promised a home for the “huddled masses yearning to breathe free.”
“Today, this land is ceasing to be what it was,” Glucksmann said.
What is the White House saying?
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, when asked about Glucksmann’s comments, responded that the U.S. would “absolutely not” be parting with the landmark in New York Harbor.
Leavitt is one of three administration officials named in a lawsuit by The Associated Press on First and Fifth Amendment grounds. The AP says the three are punishing the news agency for editorial decisions they oppose. The White House says the AP is not following an executive order to refer to the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America.
“My advice to that unnamed low-level French politician would be to remind them that it’s only because of the United States of America that the French are not speaking German right now,” Leavitt said Monday, apparently referencing the U.S. fight with Allied powers to free France from Nazi occupation during World War II and alongside France during World War I. “They should be very grateful.”
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France US Statue of Liberty-Leavitt 176
During a news conference, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt says the U.S. will not heed a French lawmaker’s call to hand back the Statue of Liberty.
But the debt of gratitude runs both ways. Leavitt skipped past France’s key role in supporting the future United States during its war for independence from the United Kingdom.
In his subsequent follow-up, Glucksmann said that his call for Lady Liberty to travel back across the Atlantic to France had been intended as “a wake-up call.”
“We all in Europe love this nation to which we know we owe so much,” he posted. “It will rise again. You will rise again. We are counting on you.”
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AP journalist Zeke Miller contributed to this report from Washington.
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Karoline Leavitt makes Kellyanne Conway's performance look like ballet.
"Karoline if you have shit in one hand, and a wish in the other, one is going Sean Spicer."
Choose wisely.
Everything Trump touches dies.
https://apnews.com/article/france-trump-statue-of-liberty-glucksmann-248cbd501c7b66d7b37988bf6abdacf8
Elon Musk's private security detail gets deputized by US Marshals Service
The US Marshals Service has deputized members of Elon Musk’s private security detail, giving them certain rights and protections of federal law enforcement agents, three law enforcement officials familiar with the matter told CNN.
It was not immediately clear how many members of Musk’s security team were made special deputies.
Musk, the tech billionaire and ally of President Donald Trump, does not currently have a US Secret Service detail – meaning members of his personal security detail were limited in what they could do in Washington, DC.
Now that members have been deputized, they have more rights and could be authorized to carry weapons on federal grounds. It also means that if something went awry with the detail, the Marshals Service could be held legally liable, one law enforcement source said.
https://www.cnn.com/2025/02/20/politics/elon-musk-private-security-deputized-marshals-service/index.html
So, I asked on a lark, this question of the ChatGPT. Is Trump a Russian asset?
Based on publicly available information, an exact probability remains speculative, but given Trump's history of favorable statements toward Putin, business dealings with Russian interests, and intelligence reports raising concerns about Russian influence, a reasonable estimate could fall in the 40-70 range.
Low-end (40%) if you believe that Trump's actions are explainable by personal admiration for authoritarian leaders, business interests, or political strategy rather than direct compromise.
High-end (70%) if you consider long-term Russian intelligence strategies, his unusual policy decisions favoring Russia, and financial connections as strong indicators of potential compromise.
Ultimately, without definitive proof, it's impossible to say with certainty—but the risk level is far from negligible.
You said:
What about the server attempt in the Russian Embassy at the beginning of his term in office?
ChatGPT said:
You're likely referring to reports that Jared Kushner, Trump's senior advisor and son-in-law, allegedly discussed setting up a secret backchannel of communication with Russian officials through the Russian Embassy during the transition period in late 2016.
Key Details:
In December 2016, Jared Kushner reportedly suggested using Russian diplomatic facilities to establish a secure line of communication between Trump’s team and the Kremlin.
The proposal was discussed with Sergey Kislyak, Russia’s ambassador to the U.S., and was intercepted by U.S. intelligence.
The idea was to avoid U.S. government monitoring by using Russian-secured communications, which is highly unusual for an incoming administration.
The plan was never carried out, but the mere suggestion raised alarm among intelligence officials.
Why This Matters:
Secrecy & Evasion – Why would Trump’s team need to use Russian channels instead of official U.S. intelligence communications?
Unprecedented Move – No previous U.S. administration has attempted something like this.
Pattern of Behavior – This, combined with Trump’s later actions (e.g., private meetings with Putin with no U.S. officials present, dismissing Russian election interference), raises further concerns about his relationship with Russia.
Does This Increase the Probability That Trump Is Compromised?
Yes, it strengthens the argument for a higher probability of compromise. If we previously estimated 40-70%, this could push it closer to 60-80%, particularly given Trump’s consistent pro-Russia stance.
Would you like a deeper dive into any other incidents?
You said:
yes
ChatGPT said:
There are several other incidents that add weight to the argument that Trump may have been compromised by Russian interests. Below are some key events that, when considered together, make the case for a higher probability of compromise.
1. Trump Tower Moscow Deal (2015-2016)
During the 2016 campaign, Trump pursued a lucrative Trump Tower Moscow project while publicly claiming he had "no business in Russia."
Michael Cohen, his former lawyer, later testified that he lied to Congress about when discussions ended. Talks continued well into 2016.
Cohen said he was in direct contact with Dmitry Peskov, Putin’s press secretary, to facilitate the deal.
Trump himself signed a letter of intent for the project.
🔹 Implication: Trump had significant financial incentives in Russia while running for president, which could have been leveraged as kompromat (compromising material).
2. Helsinki Summit (2018)
Trump met one-on-one with Putin in Helsinki with no U.S. officials or note-takers present.
At the press conference, Trump sided with Putin over U.S. intelligence agencies regarding Russian interference in the 2016 election.
His direct quote:
“President Putin says it's not Russia. I don't see any reason why it would be.”
The press conference was widely seen as an act of public subservience to Putin.
🔹 Implication: The secrecy of the meeting and Trump’s unwillingness to criticize Putin, even when given the opportunity, raise concerns about whether he was acting under external influence.
3. Classified Intelligence Sharing with Russian Officials (2017)
Just one day after firing FBI Director James Comey, Trump hosted Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Ambassador Kislyak in the Oval Office.
During the meeting, he leaked classified intelligence about an Israeli source within ISIS.
The meeting itself was only covered by Russian state media, as U.S. press was banned.
🔹 Implication: Sharing top-secret intelligence with Russian officials, especially amid concerns about Russian election interference, suggests a reckless, if not deliberate, prioritization of Russian interests.
4. Withholding Military Aid to Ukraine (2019)
Trump froze $400 million in military aid to Ukraine, a key deterrent against Russian aggression.
He attempted to pressure Ukrainian President Zelensky into investigating Joe Biden’s son, Hunter Biden.
The incident led to Trump’s first impeachment.
🔹 Implication: Freezing aid directly benefited Russia, which was actively at war with Ukraine. This move aligned perfectly with Putin’s interests.
5. Trump’s Call for Russia to Hack Hillary Clinton (2016)
During the 2016 campaign, Trump publicly called on Russia to find Clinton’s deleted emails:
“Russia, if you're listening, I hope you’re able to find the 30,000 emails that are missing.”
The same day, Russian hackers targeted Clinton’s email servers.
🔹 Implication: This suggests direct coordination or, at the very least, encouragement of Russian cyber activities.
6. Weakening NATO and Encouraging Russian Expansion
Throughout his presidency, Trump repeatedly threatened to pull the U.S. out of NATO.
NATO is the biggest check on Russian military expansion in Europe.
Reports indicate he told aides he would withdraw from NATO in a second term.
His comments about letting Russia "do whatever the hell they want" to NATO allies were widely seen as an invitation for further aggression.
🔹 Implication: Weakening NATO is one of Putin’s top strategic objectives. Trump’s actions directly aligned with Russian geopolitical goals.
Final Assessment
Individually, these incidents could be dismissed as coincidence, ignorance, or self-interest. But taken together, they suggest a consistent pattern of behavior that benefits Russia at the expense of U.S. interests.
If I were to update the probability estimate:
❗70-90% likely that Trump is, in some form, a compromised asset—whether through financial leverage, blackmail, or ideological alignment.
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Plug in this question yourself.....and see what happens.
Did even 1 Republican say ANYTHING when Representative Joe Wilson said, "You Lie"?
I think that the Democrats that say their colleagues crossed the line, last night, should kindly sit down.
Joy Reid is that something missing from the panel on MSNBC.
Brian Roberts and Rebecca Kutler should be ashamed for their treatment of Joy, and Katie Fang.
When they die in hospital I hope they die having only basic cable as company.
A blast from the past!
Russian ambassador told Moscow that Kushner wanted secret communications channel with Kremlin.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/russian-ambassador-told-moscow-that-kushner-wanted-secret-communications-channel-with-kremlin/2017/05/26/520a14b4-422d-11e7-9869-bac8b446820a_story.html
Am I the only person that saw this article?
Trump says Canada, Mexico tariffs on Saturday may not include oil
WASHINGTON, Jan 30 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday said he would soon decide whether to exclude Canadian and Mexican oil imports from the 25% tariffs that he has vowed to impose on Saturday on the countries' products.
"We may or may not. We're going to make that determination probably tonight," Trump said about whether he would impose tariffs on Canadian and Mexican oil. He added that this would partly depend on prices and on whether the two countries "treat us properly."
Trump has set a Saturday deadline to impose 25% tariffs on imports from Mexico and Canada to push the two largest U.S. trading partners to take action to halt illegal migrants and shipments of fentanyl from crossing their borders into the U.S.
But Trump on Thursday said the North American duties would be imposed "for a number of reasons" and said the tariff level "may or may not rise with time."
Trump also said he was still considering new tariffs on Chinese goods, citing its part in the fentanyl trade. He has threatened a 10% duty on all Chinese goods, after imposing punitive tariffs on some $370 billion worth of Chinese imports during his first term in office.
More at link: https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/trump-says-us-will-place-25-tariffs-goods-mexico-canada-2025-01-30/
God forbid he piss off the oil companies.
He is like 3d chess in reverse.
Springfield Ohio is really standing up!
Oh yeah, the new food is excellent!
Go Springfield!
Please follow the link below.
https://www.springfieldnewssun.com/news/seldom-was-heard-a-discouraging-word-city-meeting-a-rare-oasis-of-positivity/5C4ZZZEH4JG4BIEK3KQ7JBSWVA/
Seldom was heard a discouraging word: City meeting a rare oasis of positivity.
Springfield Ohio is really standing up!
Oh yeah, the new food is excellent!
Go Springfield!
Please follow the link below.
https://www.springfieldnewssun.com/news/seldom-was-heard-a-discouraging-word-city-meeting-a-rare-oasis-of-positivity/5C4ZZZEH4JG4BIEK3KQ7JBSWVA/
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Member since: Sun Aug 21, 2022, 07:34 PMNumber of posts: 754