Dripping Faucets and Seizing Greenland: Trump Is Back and Chaos Ensues

The New York Times ^ | Jan. 7, 2025 Updated 10:22 p.m. ET | David E. Sanger

[E. Pluribus Unum]

There was talk of the rising number of beached whales in Massachusetts, the victim, the president-elect said, of those windmills that have been erected off the coast. They “are driving the whales crazy, obviously.”

There was a vow to rename the Gulf of Mexico, by presidential decree, to the “Gulf of America.” And then there was Donald J. Trump’s refusal to rule out using military force to seize the 51-mile Panama Canal on national security grounds, along with the 836,000 square miles of Greenland, the world’s largest island.

Mr. Trump’s family and supporters like to say “We are so back!” and they are, without doubt. Yet as the man who will be president again spun out threats and angry denouncements of the Biden administration and personal grievances for more than an hour on Tuesday in the living room of his Mar-a-Lago club, something else was back: the chaotic stream-of-consciousness presidency.

Mr. Trump has returned to our daily national cognizance, even though one could argue he never really left. Tuesday’s news conference was a reminder of what that was like, and what the next four years may have in store.

He waxed on about a favorite complaint during his first term: Shower heads and sink faucets that don’t deliver water, a symbol of a regulatory state gone mad. “It goes drip, drip, drip,” he said. “People just take longer showers, or run their dishwasher again,” and “they end up using more water.”

Then he moved on to the prospect of a military clash with Denmark. After refusing to rule out the prospect of coercing a NATO ally with the use of force if it remained reluctant to turn over property the president-elect coveted, Mr. Trump suggested that Denmark had a dubious claim on Greenland anyway.

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[mfish13]

It’s the New York Times, Jake.

[Responsibility2nd]

“I’ll take how to troll liberals out of their minds for $1000, Ken.”

[Frank Drebin]

[BlueStateRightist]

Except the NY Times and its MSM peers have 1/2 (and falling) the relevance they had only 4 years ago. Trump knows this, and the fact that consequently they cannot hurt him.

[1Old Pro]

Here’s one of the most striking things not said about Trump’s press conference.

In 4 years, Biden did not do even one of these and the media sat silent protecting him.

[DoodleBob]

I’ll repeat myself…

There is a basic reality in terms of the Presidential candidacy, and the Executive himself.

Over the years, The Presidency went from a job where the nation wanted a guy who had ideas and leadership qualities, to sort of like the slot for lead singer in Van Halen.

You can have a killer frontman like David Lee Roth, who excites and slays live and propels the band creatively, but who is a trainwreck in terms of everything else.

You can get Sammy Hagar, who is ultra competent but not terribly motivating and not your primary pick for frontman.

Then there is Gary Cherone, who is great in Extreme but lost in VH and, today, nobody can name ONE thing Cherone did in VH.

Trump is Diamond Dave.

In 2024, America wasn’t voting for competency. We are voting for the Frontman of America. And maybe that’s ok - maybe we NEED a Frontman more than a vocalist right now.

In this contest, the nation and populism and normal people wanted Diamond Dave. And Dave is unifying people like nobody-look at the rappers with Trump in The Bronx and the minority vote he got. It’s stunning.

But we need to be honest with ourselves. Trump is a train wreck in terms of personnel choices, and he can get carried away with social media. That is the cost of solid SCOTUS picks and abortion overturned, a cranking economy, and no wars.

Trump won the Diamond Dave vote, which was drawn to a guy who took a bullet and unifies people. Harris got the increasingly shrinking Gary Cherone vote

Ultimately, regardless of who gets into the WH, never forget….the American People are Eddie, Michael, and Alex-a monster band that is invariant to the guy in the singer slot. WE run the nation.

[KarlInOhio]

Did I miss the surprise early inauguration?

[Omnivore-Dan]

Drive the dems crazy. I love it.

[NorthMountain]

In 2024, America wasn’t voting for competency.

Speak for yourself.

I voted for the least incompetent candidate, the least evil candidate, the least corrupt candidate, who had any reasonable chance of actually winning.

[Blennos]

I watched the entire press conference. Brilliant performance by Trump. If this is “chaos,” then let’s have a lot more of it. Please bring it on!

The only qualm I might have is: why is Trump still doing these traditional MSM hostile press conferences?

[Pollard]

The only chaos in the US right now is the fires in Cali and is self inflicted by LA/Cali.

The UK government is in chaos right now, also self inflicted.

[Jamestown1630]

At least there is 'consciousness'.

[DeplorablePaul]

Trump is playing RISK!. I love it. We used to play 72 hour marathons in college.

[dfwgator]

"Greenland is game to you?"

[metmom]

He isn’t even in office yet.

They need to step back and do some deep breathing...

[Angelino97]

Trump is playing RISK!. I love it.

The game of Neocons.

I wanted a president that would focus on domestic problems (immigration, inflation, crime, free speech, etc).

[faucetman]

“”There was a vow to rename the Gulf of Mexico, by presidential decree, to the “Gulf of America.” “

presidential decree??????

LIES! Trump said it would require legislation and MTG is already preparing to introduce a bill in Congress to do just that!

What is this Moron talking about? Maybe he should listen to Benny Johnson at the Benny Show podcast on YouTube.

The ENTIRE Trump press conference (LIVE) and right after that an interview with MTG about her bill to rename the G of M to the G of A.

I saw it LIVE. I didn’t need to wait for the legacy lying media NYT to learn the TRUTH.

WHO NEEDS THEM? Answer: NOBODY.

[faucetman]

NYT = propaganda, not news.

[Dahoser]

You’re a little off there. We elected a front man and a man who can get things done. Sure, his personnel choices first time around were terrible in too many instances, but this time around they’re much better and he has a VP who actually wants to work with him and not undermine him and lie to us as Judas Pence did.

First time around he had a hostile Republican Congress led by that sniveling backstabber Paul Ryan and helped in great measure by the Turtle. It’s not supposed to be like that this time, but we’ll find out shortly when it comes to how much money is going to be spent on the wall and the legislation we need to reverse this offshore drilling ban.

Despite the bad personnel and despite the hostile Congress, President Trump still got a lot of things done first time around. He wasn’t just preening for the cameras and then spending the rest of the day putting into a glass in the oval office. This guy was working and trying to do as much as possible and he’s going to be doing the same. He already is.

You shouldn’t mistake someone setting the tone for that being his only function and purpose. The same could have been said about Ronald Reagan. He was great with the press and making speeches and setting the tone whether he was talking about the evil empire or The shining City on the hill. But in between those he got things done. It’s the same with Donald J Trump.