Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News Editorials & Other Articles General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

Swede

(39,275 posts)
Tue Mar 17, 2026, 09:48 AM Yesterday

The Smell of Panic in the White House

You can see a lot of desperation in the Trump regime these days as there has come a realization that they have made a grave mistake attacking Iran. Members of the regime, including Donald Trump himself, ranted about the press coverage this weekend even threatening networks with losing their licenses. And Trump, after trashing our traditional allies for over a year, is now demanding that they send ships to bail him out to keep the Strait of Hormuz open for shipping.
Ten days ago, after the U.K. agreed to send two aircraft carriers, Trump arrogantly dismissed them. “That’s OK, Prime Minister [Keir] Starmer, we don’t need them any longer — But we will remember,” he added. “We don’t need people that join Wars after we’ve already won!”
Now Trump is panicking. Yesterday he demanded help from our allies. “I’m demanding that these countries come in and protect their own territory, because it is their own territory.

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1FQeVvK4wE/

34 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
The Smell of Panic in the White House (Original Post) Swede Yesterday OP
And again, tsf's alligator mouth got his hummingbird ass in trouble. Buns_of_Fire Yesterday #1
Just spit out my coffee..This is golden! BattleRow Yesterday #5
We won't escort our own ships out! GreatGazoo Yesterday #2
We all knew he was out of his depth. Baitball Blogger Yesterday #3
The best example of this.... AZ8theist 3 hrs ago #31
All maga cares about is that he'd white and male. ananda 3 hrs ago #32
Like Jake and Elwood Blues in The Blues Brothers movie, Dr. T 2 hrs ago #33
The smell of panic is when sanitation forgets to empty out tRumps diaper bin. nt yaesu Yesterday #4
Starmer is a wobbly stooge. 617Blue Yesterday #6
He's smart enough not to hitch his wagon to the trump star... Wounded Bear Yesterday #7
Meaning? ColoringFool 23 hrs ago #9
He's letting us drop bombs from UK. He could learn from Carney Canada. 617Blue 22 hrs ago #21
and now is when the orange pedo becomes the most dangerous. Javaman 23 hrs ago #8
He'll drop a nuke on Tehran Danascot 30 min ago #34
Iran action going sideways is making headlines, of course. MSM should remember that the same ignorance, cruelty, wiggs 23 hrs ago #10
My Dream Wish Mr.Bee 23 hrs ago #11
Yes. Please. BurnDoubt 23 hrs ago #13
Please "Make it so" vapor2 18 hrs ago #29
Exactly what it appears is happening. BradBo 23 hrs ago #12
Trump is "demanding." The guy is a delusional lunatic. CaptainTruth 23 hrs ago #14
Panic gfarber 22 hrs ago #15
Failure has few friends. C_U_L8R 22 hrs ago #16
It's About Damned Time People Stood Up To This Asshole groundloop 22 hrs ago #17
Putin would like nothing better popsdenver 22 hrs ago #18
The UK initially offered to help MustLoveBeagles 22 hrs ago #19
I still have hope our democratic republic will survive Joinfortmill 22 hrs ago #20
And the head of Counter Terrorism just resigned... Mustellus 22 hrs ago #22
. dalton99a 22 hrs ago #23
I think more people are seeing him for Emile 22 hrs ago #24
And a big chicken whose only trick is laying eggs that break and spill Attilatheblond 22 hrs ago #26
FAFO... NEOH 22 hrs ago #25
By "their own territory" he telegraphs that's how he views other countries ChicagoTeamster 20 hrs ago #27
The truly insane thing is that ships can't upen the Strait Bluetus 19 hrs ago #28
A SHITSHOW on a scale we've never before seen Blue Owl 13 hrs ago #30

Buns_of_Fire

(19,126 posts)
1. And again, tsf's alligator mouth got his hummingbird ass in trouble.
Tue Mar 17, 2026, 09:57 AM
Yesterday

(If you can picture a 300-pound hummingbird.)

GreatGazoo

(4,587 posts)
2. We won't escort our own ships out!
Tue Mar 17, 2026, 09:58 AM
Yesterday

The war is 99% offense and 1% defense.

Worse: we are letting Iranian oil out but no one else's! Iran is controlling which ships get out.

Iran is selling twice as much oil now as it did before the war started! Insanity.

Best coverage of this aspect of the war:

Baitball Blogger

(52,246 posts)
3. We all knew he was out of his depth.
Tue Mar 17, 2026, 10:03 AM
Yesterday

But the MAGAs believe they can do no wrong and have all the answers. Unfortunately, they'll learn nothing from this. They'll fall back on what they know best: Blame Biden. Blame the Democrats.

AZ8theist

(7,306 posts)
31. The best example of this....
Wed Mar 18, 2026, 07:07 AM
3 hrs ago

...was an interview I saw of a Doturd supporter in Ohio in 2015.
He said this country needed a "successful" businessman to lead it. "Trump was a very successful businessman".....

He watched "The Apprentice" and thought it was real. Definitively proved to me that MAGATS are MORONS.
And because his followers are profoundly stupid and racist, we ended up with this vile piece of shit in the White House.

Dr. T

(622 posts)
33. Like Jake and Elwood Blues in The Blues Brothers movie,
Wed Mar 18, 2026, 08:26 AM
2 hrs ago

Last edited Wed Mar 18, 2026, 10:19 AM - Edit history (1)

Dementia Donnie is on a mission from god. Only the voice he's hearing isn't god.

617Blue

(2,407 posts)
21. He's letting us drop bombs from UK. He could learn from Carney Canada.
Tue Mar 17, 2026, 12:04 PM
22 hrs ago

He uses weasel words.

Javaman

(65,638 posts)
8. and now is when the orange pedo becomes the most dangerous.
Tue Mar 17, 2026, 10:47 AM
23 hrs ago

I smell a nuke in the offering.

Danascot

(5,220 posts)
34. He'll drop a nuke on Tehran
Wed Mar 18, 2026, 10:11 AM
30 min ago

and the MAGATS reactions will range from shrug to applause.

wiggs

(8,786 posts)
10. Iran action going sideways is making headlines, of course. MSM should remember that the same ignorance, cruelty,
Tue Mar 17, 2026, 10:51 AM
23 hrs ago

arrogance, recklessness, inexperience, and malign intent is the basis for decisions across all departments and policy areas in the US with similar consequences. Same people, same outcomes.

ETTD.

Mr.Bee

(1,792 posts)
11. My Dream Wish
Tue Mar 17, 2026, 10:56 AM
23 hrs ago

is Republican party wakes up, send in the US Marshals to arrest him for treason and liquidates ALL his assets to repay the government the taxpayer money he's squandered!
(Oh course it's only a dream)!

BradBo

(1,002 posts)
12. Exactly what it appears is happening.
Tue Mar 17, 2026, 11:37 AM
23 hrs ago

Vietnam, Afghanistan, Iraq all quagmires.
We can’t win a war against terrorism.
Russian is throwing their whole economy at Ukraine and their in a quagmire still.

gfarber

(269 posts)
15. Panic
Tue Mar 17, 2026, 11:45 AM
22 hrs ago


There once was a leader named Don
Who swaggered like wars could be won,
He scoffed at allies,
With bluster and lies—
“Too late!”—till he needed them, on the run.

He barked at the press in a huff,
Claimed coverage was simply too rough,
“Pull licenses fast!”
He thundered, aghast—
When headlines refused to play fluff.

He boasted, “We’ve already won!
No help needed—victory’s done!”
But ten days went by,
Cue panic on high—
Now suddenly everyone, come!

He sneered at the Brits and their fleet,
Dismissed them as late to the feat,
But tides tend to turn,
And egos can burn—
Now he’s begging those same folks to meet.

So there in the strait, full of dread,
With earlier bravado long dead,
He’s shouting “It’s yours!
Defend your own shores!”
(Translation: “Please bail me instead.”)

Disclaimer: Yes, an AI helped write this—because if you’re looking for pure, hand-crafted literary suffering, you’re welcome to go produce some yourself. If you like my attempts, consider clicking the link.

https://buymeacoffee.com/gfarber



groundloop

(13,793 posts)
17. It's About Damned Time People Stood Up To This Asshole
Tue Mar 17, 2026, 11:52 AM
22 hrs ago

He's gotten whatever he wanted his entire life and sees no reason that shouldn't continue. For too long after he stuck his nose into politics people still caved in to him without putting up a fight. FINALLY there's light at the end of the tunnel.

I'm just worried about all the damage he'll do (as if he hasn't done way too much already) in his desperate attempts to keep attention away from the tRump-Epstein Files.

popsdenver

(2,202 posts)
18. Putin would like nothing better
Tue Mar 17, 2026, 11:52 AM
22 hrs ago

than all the NATO countries in Western Europe to commit to helping out down there, and have their military weapons wiped out.......
It will make it soooo much easier for Putin to make his move on Western Europe, with their losses.......

MustLoveBeagles

(16,032 posts)
19. The UK initially offered to help
Tue Mar 17, 2026, 12:00 PM
22 hrs ago

They were rebuffed and insulted. Ukraine offered to help. Same answer. NOW he's making demands from every country he's previously insulted? Most, if not all, have have politely told him to fuck off.

Who does he think he is? Not the President surely. He thinks it's Gavin Newsom.

Joinfortmill

(21,009 posts)
20. I still have hope our democratic republic will survive
Tue Mar 17, 2026, 12:01 PM
22 hrs ago

But, I think the world order is shifting. 'The shining city on the hill' is badly tarnished.

Mustellus

(415 posts)
22. And the head of Counter Terrorism just resigned...
Tue Mar 17, 2026, 12:11 PM
22 hrs ago

.. cause Trump killed his father, his mother, his wife (?) and his sister. How does a country thats always accused of Terrorism .. respond to a terrorist attack?

hint: Mar - a - Lago has been referred to as "Trump's Blanket Fort".

Emile

(42,075 posts)
24. I think more people are seeing him for
Tue Mar 17, 2026, 12:23 PM
22 hrs ago

what he's always been, Con-Man blowing smoke out his ass.

NEOH

(297 posts)
25. FAFO...
Tue Mar 17, 2026, 12:24 PM
22 hrs ago

The leopards are coming…The leopards are coming…Maybe they’ve already arrived.

ChicagoTeamster

(863 posts)
27. By "their own territory" he telegraphs that's how he views other countries
Tue Mar 17, 2026, 02:06 PM
20 hrs ago

Like Canada, Greenland, the Panama Canal, Trump thinks that might makes right and he can claim other countries resources and that our European allies should do the same.

Except that even though they did that in their post WWII colonial decline era when the UK worked with the US to overthrow the Iranian government, among other things. They're getting out of that game and Trump wants to drag the US into it.

Bluetus

(2,707 posts)
28. The truly insane thing is that ships can't upen the Strait
Tue Mar 17, 2026, 03:00 PM
19 hrs ago

There is high ground over the strait. Any ship is a sitting duck. Iran can attack with rockets, torpedos, and drones.

Every shipper and their insurance company knows this. Every NATO country knows this and would have explained that to Trump and his drunk Secretary of War if they had asked BEFORE bombing schools and everything else.

There are 2 ways to get the strait open:

1) Send in 50,000 troops and occupy the entire Iranian coastline along the Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz and Gulf of Oman.

2) Leave. Just get the F out.

Guess which one Trump will pick. And notice Netanyahu isn't offering to put thousands of Israeli soldiers inside Iran. Why should we?

Latest Discussions»General Discussion»The Smell of Panic in the...