Then call them the Clinton Files.
The Trump Card...
- Thread starter muttly
- Start date
Actually, he's right. The partial release of the Epstein files are a case in point for all to see. Here is just one example. The law required the full release of all files, except for some very limited exceptions designed to protect the victims. One of the many violations of law included a 119-page document that was fully blacked out ... every word on every page. That is EXACTLY the Trump disdain for the law Ragman refers to.
Nonsense. Everyone on planet Earth with rational minds, and even all but one House and Senate Republican call them the Epstein files.
And speaking of Clinton, here's what he said today about the files in which he is named or pictured. Bill Clinton is clearly not afraid of the Epstein files, but Trump seems to be terrified.
Last edited:
Also interesting is that Biden didn’t take the cognitive test and reportedly wasn’t asked to by his medical staff. So using the argument that if a person repeatedly was asked to take cognitive test, that’s a sign that there is a cognitive issue going on, but if you’re not asked to take a cognitive test the person is likely fine? Oh, ok.
Biden was never asked by his medical staff in the past 10 years to take a cognitive test.
Hey Grok, was Biden suffering from cognitive decline that he likely would have done poorly on his test?
Last edited:
Did Dems GAF about the “rule of law” and the Clinton Files when Biden was president? No
How many times did ATeam post about demanding the release of the Clinton files during the Biden presidency? Answer 0
Hey Grok, how many times did Dems demand release of the Clinton files during the Biden regime?
They are still called the Epstein files and Clinton himself just called for their full release, including every mention and photo of him. Also, did you notice that EVERY Republican in the US House and US Senate (except 1) voted for a law that compels Trump to release all the files? Have you noticed the public polling that shows overwhelming support for the same?
This is not a partisan demand. It is the will of the Congress and the will of the people ... and it is also the law. It became the law when Trump signed the bill into law. Did you happen to notice that as well?
Yesterday was the first time Bill Clinton or his representatives called for the release of the “Epstein” files. Interesting…
Per Grok:
It may be interesting to you. It's also a moot point. Congress did not pass a bill requiring Clinton to release all Epstein files. They passed a bill requiring Trump to do so. Clinton did not sign that bill into law. Trump did. The American people are not saying they want Clinton to release the Epstein files. They're saying they want Trump to release them. The survivors are not demanding that Clinton release the files. They are demanding that Trump do so.
If it was not obvious before, it's obvious now. Trump is conducting a full-fledged Epstein-files cover-up operation. The cover-up itself is a crime.
Last edited:
Inherent Contempt
I learned a new term today: "Inherent Contempt"
Inherent contempt is a power used by the House and Senate to enforce its mandates directly without the help of the executive or judicial branches. While it is usually associated with subpoenas, lawmakers are now invoking it to enforce a specific law: the Epstein Files Transparency Act.
Attorney General Pam Bondi missed the legally mandated December 19, 2025, deadline to release the unredacted Epstein files. Because she is in violation of a federal statute rather than just a request for information, representatives Thomas Massie and Ro Khanna are drafting an inherent contempt resolution to bypass the usual legal process.
Inherent contempt provides the House with a direct enforcement mechanism through the Sergeant at Arms. Under this authority, the House can order the Sergeant at Arms to physically arrest and detain an individual who is in violation of its mandates. This includes the power to take Attorney General Pam Bondi into custody and hold her within the Capitol complex or a designated location until she complies with the Epstein Files Transparency Act.
While the physical arrest of a cabinet official is legally possible, the resolution currently being drafted by Massie and Khanna focuses on the Sergeant at Arms' role in enforcing financial penalties. In this application of the power, the Sergeant at Arms would be responsible for serving the notice of contempt and overseeing the collection of personal fines, which are proposed at $5,000 per day.
The use of the Sergeant at Arms is critical because it removes the Department of Justice from the process entirely. Because the Sergeant at Arms reports only to the House, they can act even if the Executive Branch refuses to cooperate. This ensures that the House has a way to bypass the very agency being accused of the cover-up, moving the enforcement of the Epstein Files Transparency Act out of the hands of the DOJ and into the direct control of Congress.
Can Trump Pardon Bondi to Evade Inherent Contempt Actions?
In a word, no.
While the President’s pardon power under Article II is extremely broad, it is generally limited to "Offenses against the United States," which refers to federal crimes. Legal experts argue that inherent contempt does not fall under this category.
Simple Majority Vote
An inherent contempt resolution is passed by a simple majority vote in the House.
My view: The Democrats cannot retake the House soon enough.
I learned a new term today: "Inherent Contempt"
Inherent contempt is a power used by the House and Senate to enforce its mandates directly without the help of the executive or judicial branches. While it is usually associated with subpoenas, lawmakers are now invoking it to enforce a specific law: the Epstein Files Transparency Act.
Attorney General Pam Bondi missed the legally mandated December 19, 2025, deadline to release the unredacted Epstein files. Because she is in violation of a federal statute rather than just a request for information, representatives Thomas Massie and Ro Khanna are drafting an inherent contempt resolution to bypass the usual legal process.
Inherent contempt provides the House with a direct enforcement mechanism through the Sergeant at Arms. Under this authority, the House can order the Sergeant at Arms to physically arrest and detain an individual who is in violation of its mandates. This includes the power to take Attorney General Pam Bondi into custody and hold her within the Capitol complex or a designated location until she complies with the Epstein Files Transparency Act.
While the physical arrest of a cabinet official is legally possible, the resolution currently being drafted by Massie and Khanna focuses on the Sergeant at Arms' role in enforcing financial penalties. In this application of the power, the Sergeant at Arms would be responsible for serving the notice of contempt and overseeing the collection of personal fines, which are proposed at $5,000 per day.
The use of the Sergeant at Arms is critical because it removes the Department of Justice from the process entirely. Because the Sergeant at Arms reports only to the House, they can act even if the Executive Branch refuses to cooperate. This ensures that the House has a way to bypass the very agency being accused of the cover-up, moving the enforcement of the Epstein Files Transparency Act out of the hands of the DOJ and into the direct control of Congress.
Can Trump Pardon Bondi to Evade Inherent Contempt Actions?
In a word, no.
While the President’s pardon power under Article II is extremely broad, it is generally limited to "Offenses against the United States," which refers to federal crimes. Legal experts argue that inherent contempt does not fall under this category.
Simple Majority Vote
An inherent contempt resolution is passed by a simple majority vote in the House.
My view: The Democrats cannot retake the House soon enough.
Last edited:
What Happened to Trump's BRICS Threats?
On Nov. 30, 2024 Trump made a threat and reiterated it with greater force on Jan. 30 2025.
Trump's Nov. 30 Truth Social post was:
"The idea that the BRICS Countries are trying to move away from the Dollar while we stand by and watch is OVER. We require a commitment from these Countries that they will neither create a new BRICS Currency, nor back any other Currency to replace the mighty U.S. Dollar or, they will face 100% Tariffs, and should expect to say goodbye to selling into the wonderful U.S. Economy. They can go find another 'sucker!' There is no chance that the BRICS will replace the U.S. Dollar in International Trade, and any Country that tries should wave goodbye to America."
Trump's Jan 30 Truth Social post was:
"The idea that the BRICS Countries are trying to move away from the Dollar, while we stand by and watch, is OVER. We are going to require a commitment from these seemingly hostile Countries that they will neither create a new BRICS Currency, nor back any other Currency to replace the mighty U.S. Dollar or, they will face 100% Tariffs, and should expect to say goodbye to selling into the wonderful U.S. Economy."
Since January 30, 2024, the US Dollar has declined 9.5%.
On October 31, 2025, the BRICS nations launched the official pilot of "The Unit," a digital settlement instrument designed to bypass the US dollar and the SWIFT messaging system.
Additionally, BRICS has launched BRICS Pay, the BRICS Grain Exchange, and the BRICS Precious Metals Exchange. This is a three-pronged strategy to strip the US dollar of its role as the middleman for the world’s most essential resources. As of December 2025, each of these has moved from lofty rhetoric"into functional, localized pilots.
Related: The price of gold and silver are skyrocketing. On Inauguration Day, 2025, it took $2,702 US dollars to buy an ounce of gold and $30 to buy an ounce of silver. Today, the price is $4,490 for gold (a 66.2% increase) and $72 for silver (a 137.0% increase).
Questions:
1. Why has Trump not followed through with his threats? Why has he not imposed 100% tariffs on the BRICS countries that are clearly and openly acting to undermine the US dollar?
2. The "mighty U.S. Dollar" Trump spoke of before is obviously less mighty now. How did that come to be? Why did it come to be?
3. Beyond partisan blaming and political oversimplification, what's the real reason?
Short Answer:
Trump is a damn fool with a flame thrower. He has no idea how the global economy works and his wrongheaded approach has increased BRICS determination and accelerated their actions. The dollar Trump vowed to protect is weaker as a result, and likely to become weaker still. While Trump likes to throw his tariff weight around in an isolated, on-again, off-again, random fashion, BRICS countries have been cooperative, systematic and diligent. They fully intend to establish a dollar-alternative trading system and, so far, it's working out very well for them. It's an amazing change that some of these countries are no longer using U.S. dollars to buy their oil from OPEC countries.
The mighty dollar will soon be mighty no more. It will be one of many global currencies in a multi-polar world. This means the vast power the U.S. once enjoyed because the dollar was once he global reserve currency will be diminished, in large part due to Trump's boneheaded moves. Previous administrations also had a hand in this over the years. They provided the kindling. Trump lit the fire and added a ton of fuel.
On Nov. 30, 2024 Trump made a threat and reiterated it with greater force on Jan. 30 2025.
Trump's Nov. 30 Truth Social post was:
"The idea that the BRICS Countries are trying to move away from the Dollar while we stand by and watch is OVER. We require a commitment from these Countries that they will neither create a new BRICS Currency, nor back any other Currency to replace the mighty U.S. Dollar or, they will face 100% Tariffs, and should expect to say goodbye to selling into the wonderful U.S. Economy. They can go find another 'sucker!' There is no chance that the BRICS will replace the U.S. Dollar in International Trade, and any Country that tries should wave goodbye to America."
Trump's Jan 30 Truth Social post was:
"The idea that the BRICS Countries are trying to move away from the Dollar, while we stand by and watch, is OVER. We are going to require a commitment from these seemingly hostile Countries that they will neither create a new BRICS Currency, nor back any other Currency to replace the mighty U.S. Dollar or, they will face 100% Tariffs, and should expect to say goodbye to selling into the wonderful U.S. Economy."
Since January 30, 2024, the US Dollar has declined 9.5%.
On October 31, 2025, the BRICS nations launched the official pilot of "The Unit," a digital settlement instrument designed to bypass the US dollar and the SWIFT messaging system.
Additionally, BRICS has launched BRICS Pay, the BRICS Grain Exchange, and the BRICS Precious Metals Exchange. This is a three-pronged strategy to strip the US dollar of its role as the middleman for the world’s most essential resources. As of December 2025, each of these has moved from lofty rhetoric"into functional, localized pilots.
Related: The price of gold and silver are skyrocketing. On Inauguration Day, 2025, it took $2,702 US dollars to buy an ounce of gold and $30 to buy an ounce of silver. Today, the price is $4,490 for gold (a 66.2% increase) and $72 for silver (a 137.0% increase).
Questions:
1. Why has Trump not followed through with his threats? Why has he not imposed 100% tariffs on the BRICS countries that are clearly and openly acting to undermine the US dollar?
2. The "mighty U.S. Dollar" Trump spoke of before is obviously less mighty now. How did that come to be? Why did it come to be?
3. Beyond partisan blaming and political oversimplification, what's the real reason?
Short Answer:
Trump is a damn fool with a flame thrower. He has no idea how the global economy works and his wrongheaded approach has increased BRICS determination and accelerated their actions. The dollar Trump vowed to protect is weaker as a result, and likely to become weaker still. While Trump likes to throw his tariff weight around in an isolated, on-again, off-again, random fashion, BRICS countries have been cooperative, systematic and diligent. They fully intend to establish a dollar-alternative trading system and, so far, it's working out very well for them. It's an amazing change that some of these countries are no longer using U.S. dollars to buy their oil from OPEC countries.
The mighty dollar will soon be mighty no more. It will be one of many global currencies in a multi-polar world. This means the vast power the U.S. once enjoyed because the dollar was once he global reserve currency will be diminished, in large part due to Trump's boneheaded moves. Previous administrations also had a hand in this over the years. They provided the kindling. Trump lit the fire and added a ton of fuel.
Last edited:
Good, good.
The economy be humming and the Lefty’s be bumming. And just the beginning. The pump is getting primed for a dynamic, booming economy. And all the Left will be yammering about is Epstein. Too funny.
The economy be humming and the Lefty’s be bumming. And just the beginning. The pump is getting primed for a dynamic, booming economy. And all the Left will be yammering about is Epstein. Too funny.
I was surprised by the number. I was thinking tariffs would have slowed the economy down by increasing prices. While the price increases are indeed evident, economic activity has not slowed. If you consider that number alone, the US economy is robust. One odd thing about this "robust" economy is the jobless rate. It's 4.6%, which is the highest level of joblessness in more than four years.
Put another way, the US Economy is GREAT if you ignore the higher prices Americans now pay and the fewer jobs they now have.
They’ll move them to the border and have Border Patrol help ICE in the cities.
It's not that simple. You would do well to read up on the implications of the SCOTUS ruling.
Trump Plays With Boats in the Caribbean, China Encircles Taiwan
Trump is playing a really stupid game with China here.
One of the Venezuelan tankers he seized had oil going to China. China understands Trump's blockade sets the stage to potentially deny South and Central American resources to China (including strongly desired silver which China sources from here).
Not to be trifled with, China made a naval show of force and surrounded Taiwan. An additional aggravating factor is the recently announced U.S. record $11.1 billion arms package to Taiwan.
Number of military troops:
China: 3,170,000
Taiwan: 2,595,000
US: 2,127,500
Naval Vessels:
China: 400
Taiwan: 90
US: 294
The US has 11 aircraft carriers to China's 3, but the US deploys it's carriers worldwide. Operating in its home seas, with US aircraft carriers within easy missile range from China mainland and navy ships. China can sink US carriers with swarm attacks. Even if the US moved every Navy ship it has to fight a war over Taiwan, the US fleet would be vastly outnumbered.
The US has no technology advantage over China. Many Western military high-tech weapons are Chinese made.
China can get all the oil it needs from Russia, Iran, and other Arab countries. The US gets most of its chips, magnets and rare-earth minerals from Taiwan and China. Without chips, magnets, and rare-earth minerals, US defense suppliers and industry in general will be brought to their knees. Every missile Trump fires must be replaced and rare-earth minerals are required to do that. Every car made in the US (and worldwide) includes rare-earth materials.
Additionally, China holds enough US Treasury bonds to totally tank the US market at will by selling them in bulk.
Recently, China and other BRICS countries brought the BRICS Unit live. This is a viable alternative to the US Dollar and essentially the end of the dominance the US previously enjoyed through the SWIFT system. While the US Dollar and SWIFT are not going away, China and its BRICS allies will soon no longer need them to transact global commerce. It has already happened that Arab countries accepted not US Dollars but Chinese Yuan as payment for oil.
Beyond the formal members and partners, roughly 32 countries now participate in the broader BRICS media and informational agenda, and over 50 nations have expressed varying levels of interest in joining or aligning with the bloc's de-dollarization initiatives. As of December 2025, the expanded BRICS bloc (including the 10 full members and the official partner countries) represents a majority of the global population and a larger portion of the world economy than the G7 nations.
Since Trump launched his trade war against the world, China has enhanced its already existing trade relationships with dozens of countries. Reports from December 2025 indicate that China’s annual trade surplus in goods has surpassed $1 trillion for the first time in history. This surge is largely attributed to a strategic pivot toward non-U.S. markets.
Put simply:
He does not have the cards he thinks he does. He is mentally incapable of comprehending the many nuances of international trade and geopolitics. His simple mind incorrectly perceives a simple game of I win, you lose, one isolated deal at a time.
International trade and geopolitics is not a simple game, and because Trump cannot grasp that, the status and power of the US is in rapid decline. The countries that do understand international trade and geopolitics are running circles around Trump and winning the real game that is actually being played.
Trump is playing a really stupid game with China here.
One of the Venezuelan tankers he seized had oil going to China. China understands Trump's blockade sets the stage to potentially deny South and Central American resources to China (including strongly desired silver which China sources from here).
Not to be trifled with, China made a naval show of force and surrounded Taiwan. An additional aggravating factor is the recently announced U.S. record $11.1 billion arms package to Taiwan.
Number of military troops:
China: 3,170,000
Taiwan: 2,595,000
US: 2,127,500
Naval Vessels:
China: 400
Taiwan: 90
US: 294
The US has 11 aircraft carriers to China's 3, but the US deploys it's carriers worldwide. Operating in its home seas, with US aircraft carriers within easy missile range from China mainland and navy ships. China can sink US carriers with swarm attacks. Even if the US moved every Navy ship it has to fight a war over Taiwan, the US fleet would be vastly outnumbered.
The US has no technology advantage over China. Many Western military high-tech weapons are Chinese made.
China can get all the oil it needs from Russia, Iran, and other Arab countries. The US gets most of its chips, magnets and rare-earth minerals from Taiwan and China. Without chips, magnets, and rare-earth minerals, US defense suppliers and industry in general will be brought to their knees. Every missile Trump fires must be replaced and rare-earth minerals are required to do that. Every car made in the US (and worldwide) includes rare-earth materials.
Additionally, China holds enough US Treasury bonds to totally tank the US market at will by selling them in bulk.
Recently, China and other BRICS countries brought the BRICS Unit live. This is a viable alternative to the US Dollar and essentially the end of the dominance the US previously enjoyed through the SWIFT system. While the US Dollar and SWIFT are not going away, China and its BRICS allies will soon no longer need them to transact global commerce. It has already happened that Arab countries accepted not US Dollars but Chinese Yuan as payment for oil.
Beyond the formal members and partners, roughly 32 countries now participate in the broader BRICS media and informational agenda, and over 50 nations have expressed varying levels of interest in joining or aligning with the bloc's de-dollarization initiatives. As of December 2025, the expanded BRICS bloc (including the 10 full members and the official partner countries) represents a majority of the global population and a larger portion of the world economy than the G7 nations.
Since Trump launched his trade war against the world, China has enhanced its already existing trade relationships with dozens of countries. Reports from December 2025 indicate that China’s annual trade surplus in goods has surpassed $1 trillion for the first time in history. This surge is largely attributed to a strategic pivot toward non-U.S. markets.
Put simply:
- Trump started a trade war. China is winning it.
- China has shown it can survive and prosper without the US markets to sell into.
- Trump seizing oil tankers is akin to bringing a knife to a gunfight, and he may not even realize what fight he's in.
He does not have the cards he thinks he does. He is mentally incapable of comprehending the many nuances of international trade and geopolitics. His simple mind incorrectly perceives a simple game of I win, you lose, one isolated deal at a time.
International trade and geopolitics is not a simple game, and because Trump cannot grasp that, the status and power of the US is in rapid decline. The countries that do understand international trade and geopolitics are running circles around Trump and winning the real game that is actually being played.
Last edited:
US Bankruptcies Under Trump
In 2025, U.S. bankruptcy filings surged to their highest levels since 2010, with total cases increasing by roughly 10% to 15% compared to the previous year (when Biden was in office, so, no, you cannot blame Biden for 2025 results).
Corporate bankruptcies were particularly impacted as businesses struggled with a "perfect storm" of high interest rates, persistent inflation, and new trade tariffs that significantly raised operating costs. While the economy grew overall, the retail and manufacturing sectors faced a wave of "mega bankruptcies" from major companies with over $1 billion in assets, such as Spirit Airlines and several large retail chains. Personal bankruptcies also rose sharply, driven by record-high credit card debt and the resumption of student loan collections.
In 2025, U.S. bankruptcy filings surged to their highest levels since 2010, with total cases increasing by roughly 10% to 15% compared to the previous year (when Biden was in office, so, no, you cannot blame Biden for 2025 results).
Corporate bankruptcies were particularly impacted as businesses struggled with a "perfect storm" of high interest rates, persistent inflation, and new trade tariffs that significantly raised operating costs. While the economy grew overall, the retail and manufacturing sectors faced a wave of "mega bankruptcies" from major companies with over $1 billion in assets, such as Spirit Airlines and several large retail chains. Personal bankruptcies also rose sharply, driven by record-high credit card debt and the resumption of student loan collections.
Last edited: