Be Excellent To Each Other

That sounds familiar!

No, Interwebs, I do not want to see a picture of Messers Trump and Gove over breakfast.

Interesting that Trump has come right out and said he'll be looking to do a trade deal with the UK post haste.
From his POV, this kicks off his foreign policy with a good dash of gravitas (and politically, is one in the eye for his predecessor who would have us 'at the back of the queue'...), and from the UK's perspective, it's surely good news under the circumstances.

Some pretty harsh words for Merkel, too, not just in her immigration policy terms, but also the remark that the EU exists as a vehicle for Germany. In terms of the Euro at least, I'd almost entirely agree, as long stated.

It's not looking great on the NATO front either; most of the member states' free ride has just juddered to a halt, I'd say.

Huh. It's almost as if those are the exact things that would be drawn up in a Best Possible Case Scenario That Is Better Than Our Wildest Dreams by Vladimir Putin.

Arguing for increased defence spending in the other countries of the alliance is fair enough. What's worrying, and destabilising, is his utter lack of regard for NATO and mutual defence. I don't think his comments are going to please anybody other than Mr Putin.

I'm horrified that right-wingers are now anti-NATO and anti-European cooperation. Don't they realise how both European cooperation and NATO kept the peace in Europe, and Europe free from Russian invasion, during the postwar era?

Cavey, presumably you support the far-right AfD gaining power in Germany?

Isolationism, along with nativism of the sort we see from Mr Trump, has a long history in US politics, going right back to George Washington. It's not really a practical option when you're the big superpower: I'm sure China and Russia would love to fill the void if the US retreats in on itself.

You're shouting into the void, I'm afraid.

Mr Trumps statements about NAFTA and TPP make me doubt his whole-hearted commitment to Free Trade.

I think it's fairly clear that he doesn't believe in fair trade and the attendant globalisation.
For whatever reason, it seems the term "Special Relationship" even actually has some basis of truth with Trump and the UK, but in more general terms - especially with the Chinese, Koreans and Japanese, he's a lot less keen, on level playing fields at least.

Ask him directly yourself then.

What's the point? He won't give a straight answer…

No, strangely enough, I am not a supporter of the Far Right in Germany. Fucking strange that, huh.

Now please, pretty please - kindly fuck off from this thread? Please? Thanks.

Hi Cavey!

Yeah, Trump seems a lot keener on the UK at the moment then he does of elsewhere, and a UK - US trade deal would be a real boost to the UK. However, with Trump I think it's a case of "believe it when you see it" - he's hardly above saying things without any intention of fallowing though.

Oh come on, Trump is dangling a carrot, we'll still be screwed over as he will get May to say something so stupid about Europe that we have no choice to go the US, then they will have us over a barrel and royally shaft us, before leaving us out to dry as they don't give a fuck, they are the US.

I don't think it's that clever, he's just carrying on with blurting out the opposite of everything Obama said regardless of any other consideration.

The US likes us economically because we're the English-speaking doorway to the European Union markets. Once we lose that unique selling point, well, you can fill in the rest.

I thought it was hilarious that the Herald published a story about how the whole world thought the Herald was really funny and awesome.

His falling out with Alex Salmond is testimony to why you should approach him with caution.

He doesn't give a shit about the UK. He wants some positive press.

Note that after he said that the UK should not go to the back of the line on trade, Gove asked if that meant that they would receive priority of any kind. Trump refused to say that. Gove shows incredible naivety by saying that Trump is a businessman, and that means he sets out to get the best deal for both parties.

That's literally the opposite of what a 'businessman' does.

Perhaps Mr Gove and Mr Trump are more similar than I thought in their need to feel important and respected.

[Aside] Mr Gove and Mr Trump: like Mr Burke and Mr Hare, but creepier.

My knowledge of the USA process runs out here - presumably any Trade Deal would have to be hammered out by the State Dept ( and others, I imagine ) and then passed by Congress? It's not as if Trump can stamp a big form saying "Free trade for all!", although I guess any negotiation is unlikely to get started without his prompting.

"Miniature American Flags for others!"

And neither should he, except to the extent that it is advantageous to the USA for him to do so.

I'm not sure why people seem to think he should.

Because he's a businessman.

Normally I'd watch things like this because of history and the importance of ceremony in political life etc but on Friday I think I'll go to a TV-less pub rather than watch Mr Trump's coronation.

But it will feature America's number 2 Bruce Springsteen tribute act! You don't want to miss that!

Soooo....the Northern Ireland power-sharing executive has collapsed then.

I'm not sure how many people do, outside of just generally treating your allies in a positive manner. I think it is just convenient for the likes of Gove to pretend that he's invested in the success of the UK (and likewise politically convenient for Trump).

Well the prevailing message from May and the brexit camp appears to be that we'll get better trade deals from our 'friends' than we currently get being part of the world's largest economy, so they're definitely trying to persuade the public that we'd somehow be in a favourable position negotiating a trade deal with a United States that it looking like being exceptionally protectionist.

If anybody believes that a US-UK trade deal wouldn't be TTIP except simply for the UK, then I have a bridge to sell you.

As the week comes to an end, I may just start drinking heavily and re-watching old Obama speeches…

Hi there Peter!
Are you still in North Carolina? If so how have the Tarheels taken to the new GOP majority?

From the way the last couple of weeks have gone, I'd be surprised if it wasn't TTIP plus an additional 20% tariff uplift for daring to sell Americans things not made in America.

Pfft, India have already said how happy they'll be to have a free trade deal with us, without any awkward additional requirements, right? The good ol' Commonwealth still hold a soft spot for us.

We're like the smelly old uncle that still gives them presents on Christmas.

I'm currently in Houston! But only because my flight home from SFO got hit by storms and we had to divert to Texas. Slightly scary.

Back home in NC, Durham is still in a state of shock. We're a town that is roughly 50%/50% black/white and has been a haven for LGBTQ people in the last decade or so (we've been ground zero for a lot of the transgender bathroom protests). But you don't have to drive too far to find people who are very happy with the upcoming situation. At least we managed to turf out the Governor!

I have filed papers for US citizenship in the last month; it's looking like I'm staying here, so it might be nice to have a say in how things are run…

Excellent stuff. Be sure to give the more accurate of the two accepted answers to the 'what caused the civil war' question on the citizenship test

Reavers

And over a case of maladministration. It's almost like normal politics!

I'm going to Belfast in mid-March: if things haven't been resolved by then I'll happily step in as governor.

I've heard that they've pulled out. Clearly they were no match for the Dealmeister.

Heh. Well, I guess we'll have to see how it all pans out; I may well be wrong but I can certainly see benefits to the newly-formed Trump administration in getting the UK onside ASAP. It's pure politics for sure, but none the less potentially beneficial.

One thing's for absolute certain, though: Obama never did us any favours, Farage is right on that score I'm sorry to say.

From my POV, I never saw any alternative whatsoever to so-called "Hard Brexit" - this is the ONLY Brexit, and all that talk of '...weeell, of COURSE the Germans will want to sell us their Mercedes cars and business will prevail over politics" as the naive tosh it always was. Like, as if the French, the Italians or whoever else is remotely going the "let" the Brits have access to the Free Market in any a la carte shape or form; we always could file that right alongside the £350 million/week NHS red bus bullshit.

For me, May is facing up to this reality, as we all of us now surely must, and make the best of it. The EU certainly will not want a UK with zero Corporation tax. (I might though )

I don't see why. Trump is overtly protectionist, we still don't have any skilled trade negotiators, and May's government would accept any old shit deal so they can trumpet how we don't need the EU. There's no way a deal with the US will be good for us.

Would we like a shit sandwich, or a sandwich made of shit?