Trump Timeline ... Trumpocalypse

[Michael Scally MD]

In a rebuke to the Trump administration, more than 130 Republicans joined House Democrats in opposing a Treasury Department plan to lift Russian sanctions against companies controlled by a Vladimir Putin ally.

The 362 to 53 vote registers formal House disapproval of plans to relax sanctions against companies controlled by Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska, and comes despite last-minute appeals by Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin. A similar measurehttps://www.washingtonpost.com/us-policy/2019/01/16/gop-senators-protect-trump-administrations-plan-lift-russian-sanctions/?utm_term=.fa0d661ade53 (narrowly failed in the Senate)this week, despite 11 Republicans breaking ranks to vote with Democrats.

Treasury said it intends to lift sanctions the U.S. imposed last year against Deripaska’s companies, including a major aluminum producer, while keeping sanctions intact against Deripaska himself.

 

[Michael Scally MD]

 

[Michael Scally MD]

 

[Michael Scally MD]

 

[Michael Scally MD]

 

[Michael Scally MD]

 

[Michael Scally MD]

 

[Michael Scally MD]

 

[Michael Scally MD]

February 13: Trump fires Mike Flynn
February 14: Trump asks Comey to let investigation go
February 16: Trump channels Vladimir Putin's views on the matter

 

[Michael Scally MD]

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[Michael Scally MD]

In which the commander in chief dismisses the House Speaker's planned trip to Afghanistan, a country where American troops are deployed, as "a public relations event."

 

[Michael Scally MD]

Washington (CNN)Two years into his presidency, Donald Trump is fueling unprecedented uncertainty and anxiety inside the Pentagon. In private conversations over the past month, many of them unsolicited, more than a dozen key military officers, enlisted personnel and senior civilians have expressed worry and concern to CNN. None of the officials have spoken publicly about this, as military law prohibits active-duty personnel from criticizing a sitting president.

It's not just Trump's unpredictable decision making that has officials on edge, it's also his penchant for politicizing the military— something that's come into focus in recent months as he's struggled to fulfill his campaign promise to crack down on immigration and build a border wall. His decision to draw down troops in Syria and his claims that ISIS is defeated have also rankled military commanders who felt it wasn't well thought out.

Some of the highest-ranking officers say there is a new atmosphere of unease inside the Pentagon, particularly among some of the most senior ranks, over the President's inclination to use the military to achieve certain partisan policy objectives. Behind the scenes officials are trying to keep it all at bay. "The amount of time we have to spend making sure our statements and what we say is apolitical is astronomically higher than ever before," one senior military officer told CNN.

If commanders order the troops to perform a mission for reasons that are political — rather than based on national security grounds — the fundamental nature of the US military is changed, several officials worry. That line has already been crossed in the minds of some over the issue of sending troops to the border. It could become even more of a problem should the President decide to declare a national emergency to gain access to Defense Department funds to build the wall.

On top of that, there are also general concerns about the President's foreign policy decisions, particularly his public announcement to pull US troops out of Syria. Wednesday's suicide attackin Manbij in northern Syria that killed American service members raises the question of whether the President's decision to withdraw troops might have resulted in ISIS or other groups seeing a vulnerability and attacking US forces.

Pentagon officials have also been unnerved by requests from the White House National Security Council, which continues to ask the Pentagon for options to attack Iran. Military planners CNN has spoken to say these requests are concerning since there is no real understanding of how Iran might react — or exactly what military objective the Trump Administration is trying to achieve. It's the ultimate worry: the White House orders some type of strike, perhaps against Iranian-backed fighters in Syria, and Tehran retaliates in a counterattack.

 

[Michael Scally MD]

In which the commander in chief dismisses the House Speaker's planned trip to Afghanistan, a country where American troops are deployed, as "a public relations event."

 

[Michael Scally MD]

In which the commander in chief dismisses the House Speaker's planned trip to Afghanistan, a country where American troops are deployed, as "a public relations event."

 

[Michael Scally MD]

 

[Michael Scally MD]

 

[Michael Scally MD]

 

[Michael Scally MD]

 

[Michael Scally MD]

 

[Michael Scally MD]