As the Worms Squirm: People Mag. Turns on Trump

By Jeralyn, Section Media
Posted on Wed Jul 19, 2017 at 03:25:38 PM EST
Tags: (all tags)

Share This: Digg!

[Note: Turn off your computer speakers before reading further, there's auto-play video on the links below-- no avoiding them.)

Is the media turning on Donald Trump and his family ? Check out the new issue of People Magazine. The cover is a photo of Donald Trump, Ivanka, Donald Jr. and Jared. (No Eric or Tiffany or Melania.) The Cover reads, "The Trump Family Secrets and Lies." It adds:

Donald Trump taught his children to fight dirty and win, no matter the cost. How the ruthless family culture has shaped Don Jr., his siblings, and the Presidency

The headline to one article on Donald, Jr., reads, "‘Stay Away from Donnie Trump’: Inside Don Jr.’s Drinking, Womanizing and Frat Guy Antics'". It cites and links to a 2004 New York Magazine article in which the author interviewed Trump, Jr. and his college classmates.

[More...]

There's even an article on how Donald, Jr. is having a harder time coping than his siblings and wants these next four years to be over. It also says Ivanka is his father's favorite and she has "long outshone" Donald, Jr.

I don't know what the Trump clan did to anger People Magazine, but I can't help wonder if People just popped the lid and scores of media sites will now try to out-best each other in Trump dirt.

People also links to this Vanity Fair article that cites this Facebook post from November, 2016 by another college classmate of Donald, Jr.

I would normally object to this kind of character-bashing. But Donald Trump, Jr. has thrust himself into the limelight with his Twitter chatter, and more importantly, he's mentioned considering running for office himself. We have enough know-nothing Trumps in politics. I don't want to see any more.

Meanwhile, where is Melania? She didn't fly back to D.C. with Donald Sunday from his NJ resort even though she and Trump both were in their box for the U.S. Golf Open(Ivanka and Jared did.) Did she go to Trump Tower?

The Pentagon is now paying $130k a month to rent space at Trump Tower, even though Donald hasn't been back there once since he moved to D.C. in January. (The Wall St. Journal obtained the lease documents but the article is subscription only.)

< Supreme Court Upholds Grandparent Exemption to Travel Ban | Ride Sally Ride, Continued >

Legal

Nothing on this site should be construed as legal advice. TalkLeft does not give legal advice.

TalkLeft is not responsible for and often disagrees with material posted in the comments section. Read at your own risk.

As the Worms Squirm: People Mag. Turns on Trump | 28 comments (28 topical)

Readers Must Login or Create an Account to Comment

Granted, Donald Jr.'s a public figure. (5.00 / 1) (#1)
by Donald from Hawaii on Wed Jul 19, 2017 at 04:40:26 PM EST

Still, the guy's womanizing proclivities, assuming they're with other legally consenting adults, are really none of my business and I'd like to keep it that way.

Call me old-fashioned in that particular respect, but I think a lot of us did some personally embarrassing things when we were young and stupid in college, which we otherwise would never have wanted our mothers, fathers and grandparents to know about. I just consider it ill-mannered and poor breeding to disclose such stories to a tabloid.

My personal moral code is such that I would never willingly and publicly betray my old college buddies, teammates, dorm mates and girlfriends that way, and I would hope that they'd do the same by me. We've all since grown up (hopefully), and we've moved on. Why do something like that for its own sake, which can only hurt someone and bring them grief?

Donald Jr.'s political and business activities on behalf of Old Yellowhair are certainly fair game. But his personal life shouldn't be, if only because we really ought to respect the privacy of those individuals who likely didn't realize at the time that they were also signing up for Mr. Toad's Wild Right-Wing Ride some 18-20 years hence, when first they befriended him back in the day.

Aloha.

I think we know why (5.00 / 1) (#2)
by CaptHowdy on Wed Jul 19, 2017 at 06:34:02 PM EST

Ivanka is his "favorite"

Just...eewu

Bleh...to each her own (5.00 / 1) (#7)
by Militarytracy on Wed Jul 19, 2017 at 07:41:36 PM EST

But I'd chew my arm off as the sun rose in order to not awaken him as a younger woman if I imbibed enough to wake up in Trump Jr's bed.

Trump (none / 0) (#9)
by CaptHowdy on Wed Jul 19, 2017 at 07:44:13 PM EST

Threatens Mueller in the link above.

We were discussing firing the other day

Hmmmmm


Jr or Sr threatening? (none / 0) (#10)
by Militarytracy on Wed Jul 19, 2017 at 07:45:03 PM EST

: Agent Orange himself (none / 0) (#13)
by CaptHowdy on Wed Jul 19, 2017 at 08:03:59 PM EST

This should be interesting (none / 0) (#3)
by CaptHowdy on Wed Jul 19, 2017 at 06:38:54 PM EST

Trump Jr., Kushner, Manafort scheduled to testify in high-stakes hearings next week

If he shows.

Jr and Manafort are supposed to be public. Wed.

Manafort (none / 0) (#4)
by NYShooter on Wed Jul 19, 2017 at 06:53:56 PM EST

should be the most interesting. He was deeply involved in Russia long before the Trump Clan came a-calling. He might be as corrupt as the rest of them, but he was dealing in Russia independently first, and has a treasure trove of information to reveal (or trade with.)

Also, I understand his parting with Trump wasn't accompanied with tears and kisses. If I was The Donald, Manafort is the witness I'd be sweating the most over.


: Yeah (none / 0) (#5)
by CaptHowdy on Wed Jul 19, 2017 at 06:55:35 PM EST

I agree.
It's not clear either will show.

New NYTimes interview (none / 0) (#6)
by CaptHowdy on Wed Jul 19, 2017 at 07:21:29 PM EST

Lot of stuff of interest. Can't cut and paste but he trashes Sessions and warns Mueller to stay away from his finances

I wonder why

It would (5.00 / 1) (#16)
by Ga6thDem on Thu Jul 20, 2017 at 05:28:56 AM EST

seem that he's mad at Sessions for recusing himself. I guess he expected Sessions to behave more like a mafia lawyer for Trump.


Trump said at the time that he didn't (none / 0) (#17)
by Anne on Thu Jul 20, 2017 at 07:27:38 AM EST

think Sessions should have recused himself, and I think Trump's reported rage that Sessions did was because he had expected Sessions to serve as a sort of force field of protection, believing that Sessions would be able to cut off any investigations at the pass.

Pretty sure Trump saw the recusal as a betrayal, expecting Sessions' loyalty to lie with the president, not with the country, or the Constitution Sessions took an oath to protect and defend. And with the recusal, I think Trump stopped seeing Sessions as being any use to him at all. I don't know what the over/under is on when/whether Sessions will resign, but I don't see how he can continue in his job after such a public trashing.

If Sessions does resign, I worry about who Trump will name as a replacement, because there are some possibilities out there that make my hair stand on end.

Apparently, Trump has it in for Sessions, Rosenstein, Comey (still), McCabe and Mueller. For some reason, Trump never sees conflicts in his own actions/decisions, only in those who have the potential to hurt him in some way.

I can't decide if Trump is looking for a constitutional crisis, or just blindly heading in that direction, but I don't see any of this going anywhere good. I think he's feeling the squeeze, and we all know that Trump does not react well to being backed in a corner.

We sure do live in interesting times, don't we? Lordy.


I am astonished at Trump's character assassination (5.00 / 2) (#18)
by Militarytracy on Thu Jul 20, 2017 at 08:42:14 AM EST

Of everyone he spoke of. And he's pointing out their "conflicts of interest". That means beyond a shadow of doubt Trump knows some of his conflicts of interest are going to be exposed to the people and legal scrutiny. Counter accusations, it's what folks like him live by and they get way out ahead when they know what is going to be revealed about them. Trump is always over confident though and miscalculates long term end results. He also miscalculates the consequences of everything that's really ahead of him.

I suspect Russian money has been bailing him out of poor business decisions for some time now. Cracks me up, golf is a dying sport but he's going for it.

And when all you really are is a brand and you publicly and globally destroy your name in every way as he's doing, I don't know what is left. Course he's almost done in this life. The disaster will remain for the Trump children to attempt to navigate.


The "unfair" part (5.00 / 4) (#19)
by CaptHowdy on Thu Jul 20, 2017 at 08:51:48 AM EST

Is interesting. Very interesting way to put it. Unfair to who, the "president" he says. Why exactly?

I agree with Anne. It's not really clear but this guy seems to be simply stumbling toward a constitutional crisis out out pure ignorance and hubris.

If there is a grand plan I sure don't see it.


: I think he's flailing (none / 0) (#27)
by Ga6thDem on Thu Jul 20, 2017 at 12:18:03 PM EST

around throwing stuff out there to see what will save himself.

BTW (none / 0) (#20)
by CaptHowdy on Thu Jul 20, 2017 at 08:56:10 AM EST

I am starting to think you were right. I think he is likely to at least try to fire Mueller. I think he has no choice. The firestorm he might possibly survive is probably looking like a better option than having Muller drag the skeletons out of his very large closet.

Starting with finances but probably not ending there. He knows better than anyone what's there to find. And panic is setting in.

I really think we are entering a very dangerous time. Cause this thing is moving fast.


I've been wondering if there's any (5.00 / 1) (#25)
by Anne on Thu Jul 20, 2017 at 10:06:40 AM EST

chance he would resign if he could get some kind of guarantee that none of the dirt Mueller digs up would be made public, because I think as smart as he thinks he is, he's no match for Mueller.

And if Don, Jr. and Jared really are going to show up for their date with the committee, there has to be some panic about that, too. Junior may be able to okey-doke Sean Hannity and his audience, but he has no idea how out of his league he will be in front of a congressional committee.

Or will Trump fight until the last dog dies? I think he might keep fighting if it was just him, but I have a sense that he's not going to be willing to see his family tarred and feathered before a national audience.

I think it's always been about the money, and about a man who thought somehow the power of the presidency would be enough to protect from public view what I'm sure is a cesspool of shady business practices.

Donald Trump does not care one whit about "the American people." He is a hollow man who cares about being the object of adoration and adulation, and he will say and do whatever he has to to get it.

He's dangerous, and very, very damaged.


i made a comment (none / 0) (#28)
by CaptHowdy on Thu Jul 20, 2017 at 03:16:22 PM EST

a while back along the lines of "winning the presidency could end up being the worst thing that ever happened to Trump and his little Family enterprise".

i really dont think he expected to win. i believe it was always about raising his profile. and always being able to say Hillary stole the election. then...he won. wait, what? i won?

suddenly the eyes of the world are on every shady thing he ever did. and there is plenty to see. anyone who has followed this guy as i have since the 80s when i lived in NY knows, oh yeah. PLENTY to see.

if he had just kept doing what he was doing he could have continued being rich and getting richer. conning and flim flamming as he always has. but thats not what happened.

the best criminal prosecutor and investigator
probably living on the planet at this time is now digging into every slimy thing he ever did.

IMO it will not end well for Trump Inc.


: and maybe not for us (none / 0) (#29)
by CaptHowdy on Thu Jul 20, 2017 at 03:17:49 PM EST

either.

: well (none / 0) (#30)
by Lora on Thu Jul 20, 2017 at 05:00:42 PM EST

I thought so once, but if he had a little Russian help, and he KNEW he was going to have help, maybe he was not so surprised after all.
Maybe just horrendously unprepared for the job and didn't really care.
I agree he probably didn't realize how much scrutiny he would be under for every little thing.
And I hope you are right about the ending!

He's trying to emotionally set up his audience (none / 0) (#21)
by Militarytracy on Thu Jul 20, 2017 at 09:09:09 AM EST

To fire a bunch. He puts his junk out there and waits to hear support. If he doesn't get that, he'll isolate and control who even gets to speak to him because he only wants to hear what he wants to hear.

He must not be finding enough support around him right now to do it. I think maybe this interview is him fishing for new known names to publicly support him on this. He'll give them a job and a fan base for that support. That's how he works it.


Like yesterday on healthcare (none / 0) (#22)
by Militarytracy on Thu Jul 20, 2017 at 09:18:24 AM EST

He came out supporting 3 different solutions. That just confused everyone though who is worried about their healthcare coverage and availability. For some of us it is life and death right now. Where is our leader taking us, what's the plan? He just wants a bill passed. He doesn't care what's in it. He threw all that out there though just fishing. He doesn't lead, he only knows how to use everyone.

I feel bad for his kids again after reading the People articles. They have some real rough abandonment issues.


I can't imagine (none / 0) (#23)
by CaptHowdy on Thu Jul 20, 2017 at 09:25:39 AM EST

His treatment of Sessions is going to go over well with Senate republicans.


: No sir (none / 0) (#24)
by Militarytracy on Thu Jul 20, 2017 at 09:41:04 AM EST

Alabama is still strongly Trump though. So much so I think the state citizens/voters will throw Sessions under this bus in a heartbeat. Any Senators from deep red states are going to be owned by Trump, or do something equivalent to martyring their seats.
Sessions is frozen in place though in a sort of karmic agony. Never dreamed he'd go down like this. Can he unrecuse himself? That's the only solution to his Alabama base ever loving him fully again. If Trump goes down singing Sessions failed, Sessions will never be able to live it down or outlive the stain in his home state.
I don't even know if Russia would offer him a retirement home. He is no longer useful.

And right on que (none / 0) (#14)
by CaptHowdy on Wed Jul 19, 2017 at 08:26:30 PM EST

As I guess a companion to the interview where Trump warns Mueller to stay away from his finances the Times breaks another story that says that is almost certainly NOT going to happen-

BIG GERMAN BANK, KEY TO TRUMP FINANCES, FACES NEW SCRUTINY


The presidency for Trump (none / 0) (#26)
by KeysDan on Thu Jul 20, 2017 at 10:10:19 AM EST

is a trophy toy, and, worse came to worse, he would bail...or try to just stick it out and not run again. However, investigating his business is a different story...a grift that keeps on giving...that crosses a Mueller line. Expect a constitutional crisis.


: He's going to fight it all like a rabid dog (none / 0) (#31)
by Militarytracy on Sat Jul 22, 2017 at 11:34:18 AM EST

He might have cut bait when he was younger and then wrote a book. I think his brain is too old to get to that sort of response though now. He's completely reptilian now. And he's hearing over and over again how much he sucks, how much his family sucks, he's going to be the craziest basta we've ever seen.

Please don't put personal (none / 0) (#15)
by Jeralyn on Wed Jul 19, 2017 at 10:14:55 PM EST

character attacks in your comments -- they are not allowed here and some of those I just deleted are potentially libelous.