The Trump Card...

[ATeam]

Did the Iranians Not Get the Memo?

On Saturday, February 28, 2026, shortly after the first bombs were dropped in Operation Epic Fury, Trump released an 8-minute video address via Truth Social. Excerpts

"For many years, you have asked for America’s help. But you never got it. No president was willing to do what I am willing to do tonight. Now you have a president who is giving you what you want. So let’s see how you respond. America is backing you with overwhelming strength and devastating force. Now is the time to seize control of your destiny, and to unleash the prosperous and glorious future that is close within your reach. This is the moment for action. Do not let it pass."

"To the members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard, the armed forces and all of the police, I say tonight that you must lay down your weapons and have complete immunity. Or in the alternative, face certain death. So, lay down your arms. You will be treated fairly with total immunity, or you will face certain death."

Other than in the Kurdish Northwest (ethnic minority), where the perpetual Kurdish rebellion has flared up once again, where is the uprising? Where are the Iranians rising to seize control? Where are the Revolutionary Guard defections?

 

[Ragman]

Yes, Iran's "Supreme Leader," Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was a really bad person. So are Vladimir Putin, Kim Jong Un, and Xi Jinping.

But here's a harsh truth for MAGA — so is Donald Trump.

That's what they don't understand about their beloved leader.

How most sane, rational people view horrible human beings like Putin, Jong Un, Jinping, and the now-late Khamenei — along with monsters such as Saddam Hussein, Muammar Gaddafi, Joseph Stalin, and, of course, the most infamous dictator of them all, Adolf Hitler — is exactly how Trump is viewed by most of the world and by everyone who didn’t vote for him.

I get tired of this pushback from Trump supporters that typically goes something like, "That's a ridiculous and unfair comparison. Hitler killed millions. Trump hasn't."

This idea that either you're completely and absolutely as horrible as another terrible person — otherwise you're nothing like them — is an absurd fallacy.

Is Trump as bad as Hitler, Hussein, or Jong Un? No — but that's because we have a Constitution and laws in place that have put up some sense of guardrails around him, even as he tries everything he can to ignore all of them.

I've said it before: Trump is a lot closer to being Hitler than he is Ronald Reagan.

When I say Trump is just like all these other bad dictators, it's because he shares practically all of the same traits.

He's an insecure, egotistical, authoritarian nationalist who demands complete, unwavering loyalty; doesn't want any checks on his power; believes the media should only exist to promote his propaganda; calls any and all political opposition to him — even from within his own party — "traitors" and "enemies of the people"; attempts to abuse his power to bully others into doing what he wants; believes the military should serve him, not the people; wants to suppress opposition; wants his government to run elections; has tried to manipulate elections by claiming any that he loses were "rigged"; has suggested we cancel elections; constantly uses various groups he opposes as scapegoats for everyone's problems; and has said on multiple occasions that, despite our co-equal branches of government, he can "do whatever he wants."

Which is exactly the attitude and personality traits every horrible person I've listed in this post shares.

Hell, even another trait — dictators wanting their names and faces everywhere — that's Trump. He's renamed the Kennedy Memorial after himself, wants to name his ballroom after himself, wants to name the arch he plans to build after himself, wants to rename Penn Station and Dulles Airport after himself, and he's hung banners with his face all over government buildings.

Just like every dictator in modern human history has done.

I say this without the slightest bit of hesitation: if it weren't for our Constitution and the few pillars of our government that are still standing up to him, Trump would be much worse than he is now. He would continue evolving toward a more brutal and violent dictatorship.

Just look at the differences between his first and second administrations. His first was bad — the second one has been exponentially worse.

There's a reason why he often heaps praise on people like Putin, Jinping, and Jong Un, and other "strongmen," while he's very quick to attack and criticize leaders of democracies.

That's not a coincidence. He admires dictators and views leaders who have to answer to the people who elected them as "weak."

So, this idea that because he's not "as bad" as every horrible monster I've listed here means that he's not the same type of person is . We simply have a Constitution and a system of government that, for now, has kept him somewhat in check. But trust me, he's doing everything he possibly can to erode that system, centralize power, and make himself the lone person in this country to whom everything and everyone answers.

And if you don't believe that, you're woefully naive.

Again, what MAGA needs to understand — and I'm sure most never will — is that the way most of the world views these horrible, brutal dictators who do nothing but make the world a worse place for everyone but themselves is exactly how most of the world, and every single person who voted against Donald Trump, views him.

 

[ATeam]

Yes, Iran's "Supreme Leader," Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was a really bad person. So are Vladimir Putin, Kim Jong Un, and Xi Jinping.
But here's a harsh truth for MAGA — so is Donald Trump.

Bingo!!!

Is Trump as bad as Hitler, Hussein, or Jong Un?

He's working on it. Red hats - brown shirts. ICE - SS. Unprovoked war - Iran

When I say Trump is just like all these other bad dictators, it's because he shares practically all of the same traits.

He's an insecure, egotistical, authoritarian nationalist who demands complete, unwavering loyalty; doesn't want any checks on his power; believes the media should only exist to promote his propaganda; calls any and all political opposition to him — even from within his own party — "traitors" and "enemies of the people"; attempts to abuse his power to bully others into doing what he wants; believes the military should serve him, not the people; wants to suppress opposition; wants his government to run elections; has tried to manipulate elections by claiming any that he loses were "rigged"; has suggested we cancel elections; constantly uses various groups he opposes as scapegoats for everyone's problems; and has said on multiple occasions that, despite our co-equal branches of government, he can "do whatever he wants."

Which is exactly the attitude and personality traits every horrible person I've listed in this post shares.

Again, Bingo!!!

Hell, even another trait — dictators wanting their names and faces everywhere — that's Trump. He's renamed the Kennedy Memorial after himself, wants to name his ballroom after himself, wants to name the arch he plans to build after himself, wants to rename Penn Station and Dulles Airport after himself, and he's hung banners with his face all over government buildings.

Just like every dictator in modern human history has done.

The parallels are clear and concerning.

When I was a young college student studying history, I sometimes wondered and could never explain how so many Germans could not only allow Hitler to grow as a political force, but eagerly line up behind that evil autocrat. Now I know.

 

[Ragman]

A really easy way to get Trump supporters worked up and ticked off is to call them "fascist." Immediately, they'll get defensive, go into attack mode, and completely deny that it's true.

So, to borrow a line from the movie Saw, I want to play a little game...

MAGA:

Obviously, you feel that Donald Trump should have the first and final say on everything going on in this country.

That's called centralized control under one leader.

You clearly believe in "America first," at all costs, and have a very loud and public sense of "patriotism."

That's called ultranationalism.

With Trump's frequent attacks on the media, threats to sue different networks and journalists for reporting on things that aren't favorable to him, and his attempts to weaponize the Department of Justice to go after his enemies, you obviously would prefer if the media served more as a PR mouthpiece for Trump — much in the way Fox News, Newsmax, and the rest of the right-wing media does — and are fine with him trying to suppress anyone who stands up to him.

That's called suppression of opposition.

Given that Trump has threatened companies, schools, and other organizations with retaliation from the government if they don't comply with his demands, you make it very clear that you're okay with a president using that power to control corporations, media, educational institutions, and just about any other entity he feels he can pressure into doing what he wants.

That's totalitarianism.

You can't deny there's a hyper-sense within MAGA of "pride in the military" and trying to use it as a means of intimidation, whether it's Trump's military parade or ordering the National Guard to patrol the streets of American cities. Now, with Trump's war against Iran, this administration is promoting all of this by literally calling it "Operation Epic Fury" and framing it as the United States' might against the Iranian military.

That's militarism.

In addition to Trump's attempts to bully various businesses, educational institutions, and organizations, he's had the government take over parts of Intel, with threats to seize parts of other companies. All the while, Trump openly chimes in and tries to influence various business decisions and mergers to pressure these companies into doing what he wants. His tariff policy has also served as a broad, unilateral move, enacted fully by him without any congressional support, to raise taxes on all American importers, which are being paid by American consumers.

That's economic control.

And what would MAGA be without all of the rallies Trump likes to hold and brag about? For over a decade, Trump has loved holding these big events that are entirely focused on him — events where he pitches an "us vs. them" mentality filled with emotional manipulation, demanding unwavering loyalty and admiration from those who follow him. Then, of course, there's his desire to name everything from his ballroom, to the arch he wants to build, to Dulles Airport, Penn Station, and he even did rename the Kennedy Memorial after himself. We also can't forget about the huge banners he's put up on government buildings all over the country.

That's mass mobilization and propaganda.

So, MAGA, please, explain where anything I've just described about Donald Trump is false. I'm all ears.

Now, let's take a look at the definition of fascism and its most common traits:

Fascism: a far-right, authoritarian political ideology characterized by dictatorial power, extreme nationalism, and the suppression of political opposition. It typically involves:

- A single, powerful leader who embodies the state and demands loyalty.

- Ultranationalism, often tied to myths of national rebirth or superiority.

- Totalitarian control over politics, society, and culture, including propaganda and censorship.

- Suppression of dissent, including opposition parties, free press, and independent institutions.

- Militarism and expansionism, glorifying strength, discipline, and often war.

- Economic regulation that serves the state’s goals, subordinating private interests to national objectives.

While Donald Trump supporters despise being called fascists, it's not really me — or anyone else — who's putting them in that bucket. It's the literal definition and the common traits of fascism that are doing that.

We're just pointing out the factual, defined reality of what they are based upon who and what they support.

 

[muttly]

A really easy way to get Trump supporters worked up and ticked off is to call them "fascist." Immediately, they'll get defensive, go into attack mode, and completely deny that it's true.

So, to borrow a line from the movie Saw, I want to play a little game...

MAGA:

Obviously, you feel that Donald Trump should have the first and final say on everything going on in this country.

That's called centralized control under one leader.

You clearly believe in "America first," at all costs, and have a very loud and public sense of "patriotism."

That's called ultranationalism.

With Trump's frequent attacks on the media, threats to sue different networks and journalists for reporting on things that aren't favorable to him, and his attempts to weaponize the Department of Justice to go after his enemies, you obviously would prefer if the media served more as a PR mouthpiece for Trump — much in the way Fox News, Newsmax, and the rest of the right-wing media does — and are fine with him trying to suppress anyone who stands up to him.

That's called suppression of opposition.

Given that Trump has threatened companies, schools, and other organizations with retaliation from the government if they don't comply with his demands, you make it very clear that you're okay with a president using that power to control corporations, media, educational institutions, and just about any other entity he feels he can pressure into doing what he wants.

That's totalitarianism.

You can't deny there's a hyper-sense within MAGA of "pride in the military" and trying to use it as a means of intimidation, whether it's Trump's military parade or ordering the National Guard to patrol the streets of American cities. Now, with Trump's war against Iran, this administration is promoting all of this by literally calling it "Operation Epic Fury" and framing it as the United States' might against the Iranian military.

That's militarism.

In addition to Trump's attempts to bully various businesses, educational institutions, and organizations, he's had the government take over parts of Intel, with threats to seize parts of other companies. All the while, Trump openly chimes in and tries to influence various business decisions and mergers to pressure these companies into doing what he wants. His tariff policy has also served as a broad, unilateral move, enacted fully by him without any congressional support, to raise taxes on all American importers, which are being paid by American consumers.

That's economic control.

And what would MAGA be without all of the rallies Trump likes to hold and brag about? For over a decade, Trump has loved holding these big events that are entirely focused on him — events where he pitches an "us vs. them" mentality filled with emotional manipulation, demanding unwavering loyalty and admiration from those who follow him. Then, of course, there's his desire to name everything from his ballroom, to the arch he wants to build, to Dulles Airport, Penn Station, and he even did rename the Kennedy Memorial after himself. We also can't forget about the huge banners he's put up on government buildings all over the country.

That's mass mobilization and propaganda.

So, MAGA, please, explain where anything I've just described about Donald Trump is false. I'm all ears.

Now, let's take a look at the definition of fascism and its most common traits:

Fascism: a far-right, authoritarian political ideology characterized by dictatorial power, extreme nationalism, and the suppression of political opposition. It typically involves:

- A single, powerful leader who embodies the state and demands loyalty.

- Ultranationalism, often tied to myths of national rebirth or superiority.

- Totalitarian control over politics, society, and culture, including propaganda and censorship.

- Suppression of dissent, including opposition parties, free press, and independent institutions.

- Militarism and expansionism, glorifying strength, discipline, and often war.

- Economic regulation that serves the state’s goals, subordinating private interests to national objectives.

While Donald Trump supporters despise being called fascists, it's not really me — or anyone else — who's putting them in that bucket. It's the literal definition and the common traits of fascism that are doing that.

We're just pointing out the factual, defined reality of what they are based upon who and what they support.

Do you have a link to the long cut and paste screed you posted here?

 

[muttly]

I say this without the slightest bit of hesitation: if it weren't for our Constitution and the few pillars of our government that are still standing up to him, Trump would be much worse than he is now. He would continue evolving toward a more brutal and violent dictatorship.

Do you mean when a leftist activist judge makes a ruling with no legal basis to try thwart Trump and all he does is legally appeal it? A court with no enforcement mechanism but Trump abides by it regardless of how ridiculous and stupid the judge is? Worst Dictator EVA.

 

[ATeam]

Trump Says, "Join the Patriots"

In his 2/28/26 video address Trump said:

"To the members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard, the armed forces and all of the police, I say tonight that you must lay down your weapons and have complete immunity. Or in the alternative, face certain death. I once again urge you to peacefully merge with the Iranian Patriots, and work together as a unit to bring back the Country to the Greatness it deserves."

Put yourself in the boots of an Iranian police officer who wants to comply.

Who exactly are "the patriots" you are supposed to merge with? There is no organized group by that name. And if you do join this non-existent group, how will Trump know so that you get the immunity he promised?

An Iranian police officer would have no idea what Trump is talking about or how to proceed. That's understandable because Trump doesn't either. He tweets out policy at night while his imaginary world plays out in his head.

 

[ATeam]

Why Trump Must Put US Boots on the Ground in Iran or Give Up

Robert Pape is a professor at the University of Chicago and a renowned expert on the effectiveness of air power. He says history shows that air power alone has never successfully produced positive regime change.

Tactical Success vs. Strategic Failure: While modern "smart bombs" are 100% successful at hitting their targets (like the Natanz nuclear facility), they are almost 0% successful at changing the politics of the country.

The Injection of Nationalism: When a foreign power bombs a nation, it naturally triggers a "rally around the flag" effect. This makes the local population more likely to support their government (even one they hate) against the outside "aggressor," which actually hardens the regime's grip rather than loosening it.

The Record of History: Decades of research shows that for over a century—from the Blitz in WWII to more recent campaigns in Libya and Serbia—airstrikes without a major ground invasion or a pre-existing, highly organized local rebel army have NEVER installed a stable, government that is friendly to the bombing country.

The Successor Problem: By "decapitating" the current leadership, the U.S. risks creating a power vacuum that will be filled by even more radical, younger, and more aggressive elements of the IRGC, rather than the "moderate patriots" Trump is hoping for.

 

[ATeam]

Do you mean when a leftist activist judge makes a ruling with no legal basis to try thwart Trump and all he does is legally appeal it? A court with no enforcement mechanism but Trump abides by it regardless of how ridiculous and stupid the judge is? Worst Dictator EVA.

Trump would abolish the Courts or make himself immune if he could. The US Supreme court has helped him move in that direction which makes the court itself complicit in Trump's ongoing attempt to consolidate power and defeat the checks and balances the Constitution provides.

The question is not how good of a dictator Trump is or if he is the "Worst Dictator EVA." The question is how do Americans who remain loyal to the Constitution stop the enemies of the Constitution, foreign and domestic?

One of the ways is through the courts, which remain somewhat intact. Another way is citizen activism like we saw in Minneapolis. When tens of thousands of citizens took to the streets to protest, and when thousands of those organized themselves into ICE watchers, Trump backed down.

 

[ATeam]

Oil Prices

WTI crude price was $77.05 per barrel when Trump took office on 1/2/25. The price moved lower through the year, bottoming at $57.26 on 12/16/25. Today, the price hit a new high at $90.90.

The last time the WTI price was in $91 territory was a brief peak in Sept. 2023, after which it headed lower. It was consistently in the $91 range in Aug. 2022.

To those who credited Trump with falling oil prices in 2025, will you blame him for rising prices in 2026?