# Trump's disgusting shakedown of Zelensky **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Tags:** trump\ **Created:** [February 28, 2025, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-disgusting-shakedown-of-zelensky/1014940 "2025-02-28T19:52:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2025, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-disgusting-shakedown-of-zelensky/1014940/41 "2025-02-28T21:28:48Z")
I recommend bringing Angela Merkel back for a cameo visit to scare the ever-loving shit out of Trump. Watching this man-baby in full pout [refusing to shake hands with a diminutive female leader](https://youtu.be/uLfukuEutIU?si=Aar6RO8TGvodLb0q) because he might look weak always warms my heart. Stranger ---
**Author:** ![velomont](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/8491ac/32.png) [@velomont](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/velomont)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2025, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-disgusting-shakedown-of-zelensky/1014940/42 "2025-02-28T21:32:03Z")
It’s actually a bloody good thing that that was televised. Stupid for Trump to do that, but damn glad he did. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2025, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-disgusting-shakedown-of-zelensky/1014940/43 "2025-02-28T21:34:31Z")
I’m going to wait and see how the press in general presents this before I determine whether Trump fucked up or not. ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2025, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-disgusting-shakedown-of-zelensky/1014940/44 "2025-02-28T21:35:22Z")
It may hurt him internationally. At this point, MAGA voters might maybe wake up after the leopards eat their faces. They will keep on cheering at least til then. ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2025, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-disgusting-shakedown-of-zelensky/1014940/45 "2025-02-28T21:41:50Z")
> [@DocCathode](#): > > At this point, MAGA voters might maybe wake up after the leopards eat their faces. They will keep on cheering at least til then. MAGA voters don’t give a shit about Ukraine, or international relations, or that Trump is transparently a Putin stooge even if he is too stupid to realize it. And (checking that this is in the Pit…yes!) what a smug little smiling cunt JD Vance is. Remember when he was going to be the great conservative counterpoint to MAGA? Remember when he called Trump “America’s Hitler”? What a shitbug in vaguely human form. Stranger ---
**Author:** ![Trieste](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Trieste](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trieste)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2025, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-disgusting-shakedown-of-zelensky/1014940/46 "2025-02-28T21:43:04Z")
Yeah, his petulant baby look was classic! T ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2025, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-disgusting-shakedown-of-zelensky/1014940/47 "2025-02-28T21:45:01Z")
> [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](#): > > Trump is transparently a Putin stooge [![](https://ih1.redbubble.net/image.5670036288.1906/flat,750x,075,f-pad,750x1000,f8f8f8.jpg) ](https://ih1.redbubble.net/image.5670036288.1906/flat,750x,075,f-pad,750x1000,f8f8f8.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2025, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-disgusting-shakedown-of-zelensky/1014940/48 "2025-02-28T21:45:34Z")
My name is Doc Cathode, and I endorse this message. ---
**Author:** ![Dissonance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/85f322/32.png) [@Dissonance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dissonance)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2025, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-disgusting-shakedown-of-zelensky/1014940/49 "2025-02-28T21:46:28Z")
Gosh, why ever would a narcissistic man-child like TFG hold a grudge against someone he had “a perfect phone call” with in 2019 that led to his first impeachment? ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2025, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-disgusting-shakedown-of-zelensky/1014940/50 "2025-02-28T21:46:34Z")
> [@Locrian](#): > > Yeah. Have NATO accept Ukraine, Trump throws hissy fit, withdraws from NATO. Hilarity ensues. 😃 _Withdraws_ from NATO? Hell, I wouldn’t strenuously object if NATO _expelled_ the US, after this crap. Is that something that can happen? ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Winston\_OBoogie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.winston_oboogie/32/2945_2.png) [@Dr.Winston\_OBoogie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Winston_OBoogie)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2025, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-disgusting-shakedown-of-zelensky/1014940/51 "2025-02-28T21:48:55Z")
That’s not funny. At least Moe, Larry, and Curly were funny. ---
**Author:** ![Coriolanus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/coriolanus/32/18769_2.png) [@Coriolanus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coriolanus)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2025, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-disgusting-shakedown-of-zelensky/1014940/52 "2025-02-28T21:50:01Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > I’m going to wait and see how the press in general presents this before I determine whether Trump fucked up or not. The Independant [U.S. officials blast ‘cowardly puppets’ Trump-Vance as GOP leaders hail president’s threats to Zelensky as ‘America first’ | The Independent](https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-vance-zelensky-republicans-reaction-b2706942.html) (probably as liberal as a UK news site gets) is certainly leaning toward “Trump fucked up” > Trump even at one point expressed solidarity with Putin, noting that they were both targets of investigations into the president’s 2016 campaign. Putin “respects” him, Trump said, because they “went through a hell of a lot” together. and quotes a Democrat before Graham > “Let’s cut to the chase: The president of the United States is a coward who is Vladimir Putin’s puppet,” Democratic Rep. Seth Moulton, a Marine Corps officer, told CNN. “And the vice president of the United States is a pogue (sic? I don’t think Vance even knows who Shane MacGowan was) and a coward who is Donald Trump’s puppet.” But I like that quote. I think the BBC is a bit shell-shocked and trying to report on this like it’s a story that makes sense. ---
**Author:** ![OldOlds](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a3d4f5/32.png) [@OldOlds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldOlds)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2025, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-disgusting-shakedown-of-zelensky/1014940/53 "2025-02-28T21:50:25Z")
So I post often about my secret obsession with a certain RWNJ site’s comments. Ukraine is one of the few things MAGA is not unified on. A significant number of them recognize that Ukraine is where our support should be, and there is some argument over this. I’d say majority MAGA supports Trump, but not all. ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2025, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-disgusting-shakedown-of-zelensky/1014940/54 "2025-02-28T21:55:47Z")
> **[State Department terminates U.S. support of Ukraine energy grid restoration](https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/state-department-terminates-us-support-ukraine-energy-grid-restoration-rcna194259)** > > The USAID initiative had invested hundreds of millions of dollars in helping Ukraine's energy grid recover from attacks from Russia. ---
**Author:** ![Gorsnak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gorsnak/32/7587_2.png) [@Gorsnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorsnak)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2025, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-disgusting-shakedown-of-zelensky/1014940/55 "2025-02-28T22:00:04Z")
I don’t believe there’s any mechanism to expel a NATO member. However, the European contingent could simultaneously all withdraw from NATO and announce a new EU-based defensive military alliance that would be pretty much identical to NATO minus US & Canada. There are a half dozen or so minor nations that are in NATO but not the EU or vice versa, but nothing that would pose much of a problem for a Europe-based military alliance. And frankly, I kind of expect to see something like this happen unless some miracle happens to stop Trump’s insanity relatively soon. ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2025, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-disgusting-shakedown-of-zelensky/1014940/56 "2025-02-28T22:00:53Z")
> [@wguy123](#): > > Has the entire right drank the Russian Kool-Aid? Yes. My father’s military career revolved around the Cold War with the Soviet Union as our enemy. I remember him going to play some big war game in the early 80s while we were in Germany that included our NATO allies. My MAGA mother has been spewing straight up Russian propaganda for the last few years: We promised Russia NATO would never expand. Zelensky is a Nazi! We had labs producing bio-weapons in Ukraine. i.e. The Russian invasion was justified and they’re the good guys. It’s like she’s just shitting all over my father’s career, and really, her father’s career as well, by placating our enemies. For some reason, I’m guessing bribery, a lot of Republican politicians like Russia now. ---
**Author:** ![Coriolanus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/coriolanus/32/18769_2.png) [@Coriolanus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coriolanus)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2025, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-disgusting-shakedown-of-zelensky/1014940/57 "2025-02-28T22:01:58Z")
Geez, they certainly got that in before 1700 EST. No way could the fix have been in. I smell Musk. ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2025, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-disgusting-shakedown-of-zelensky/1014940/58 "2025-02-28T22:03:29Z")
> [@Coriolanus](#): > > But I like that quote. In the case of Vance, in the military a POG is a person other than a grunt. He didn’t mean Vance wasn’t a member of a beloved Irish band. ---
**Author:** ![EnglishGrey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/englishgrey/32/14111_2.png) [@EnglishGrey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EnglishGrey)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2025, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-disgusting-shakedown-of-zelensky/1014940/59 "2025-02-28T22:03:56Z")
Jesus. Fucking. Christ. At this point I am clinging to the whisper of hope that comes with the idea that… on this trajectory even this clown will soon do something so awful everyone can see it. Even 70 million+ american voters. Perhaps in 2 weeks. ---
**Author:** ![Ann\_Hedonia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ann_hedonia/32/319_2.png) [@Ann\_Hedonia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ann_Hedonia)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2025, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-disgusting-shakedown-of-zelensky/1014940/60 "2025-02-28T22:16:51Z")
> [@Gorsnak](#): > > I don’t believe there’s any mechanism to expel a NATO member. However, the European contingent could simultaneously all withdraw from NATO and announce a new EU-based defensive military alliance that would be pretty much identical to NATO minus US & Canada. There are a half dozen or so minor nations that are in NATO but not the EU or vice versa, but nothing that would pose much of a problem for a Europe-based military alliance. > > And frankly, I kind of expect to see something like this happen unless some miracle happens to stop Trump’s insanity relatively soon What they might do ( and I think they should do ) is something that pisses Trump off so mightily that he throws a baby tantrum and withdraws the US from NATO - then everyone else can vote really fast to admit Ukraine. Maybe if all the existing members vote to formally censure him…….they really should, because they need to pull a show of strength against his mad king act. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-disgusting-shakedown-of-zelensky/1014940.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-disgusting-shakedown-of-zelensky/1014940.md?page=4)