1. No, because that would mean he'd have to name all the countries he has business interests in. I'd be shocked if that happened.
2. Him lying is surprising to you? Trump lying is as natural as him breathing.
Maybe I'm a bit shy to attribute some sort of Machiavellian genius to this administration honestly. Not sure what to make of it, but I find it incredibly clumsy and embarrassing. Trump likes to jerk himself off as an ally to the military, yet this EO completely undermines the military and intelligence apparatus of the country. It fucks over our own businesses and universities. Washington's own Attorney General has said himself that he isn't interested in any sort of compromise with the Justice Department over the EO, such as limiting it to people who've never actually been here before. So it's going to go to the Supreme Court, regardless of how the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals rules. The Judge was a W appointee, so the White House blaming this on judicial activism is pure propaganda as well. I really think the braintrust there is really just that stupid. They're asking for a world of hurt if they don't somehow back down from this. Unless he's going to attack the Supreme Court as well?
I'd be shocked but I wouldn't deem it impossible. I mean, there are at least several people in his cabinet who would love to see this happen and it wouldn't be a surprise if they can pressure trump, over time, to make this happen. From what I can tell trump will face increasing opposition to his agenda from many places, including his own party. From what I gather that leaves 3 possibilities, that trump keeps going as he is now, that he gives up and delegates everything, or that he gets increasingly desperate and tries increasingly crazier thing. We are talking about someone who seems less than stable and even his own team struggles to not present as a child to the public, who knows what effect having actual power could have on his head.
Lying? No. What is surprising to me is basically the admission of the lie so to speak. I mean, whatever the case this is a betrayal to his own base. Unless his supporters see whatever trump does and says as him trying to keep that promise regardless of the circumstances which is entirely possible as well.
I think not taking the administration seriously is a mistake to be honest. In the same way that a few months back it was a huge mistake to think trump didn't have a chance to win the election. In the specific case I mention, we also have to consider that overall trump at least has a media savy team. And they have bannon, trolling the media would be second nature to a guy like that.
Honestly, I would be surprised if trump
didn't attack the supreme court. I mean, such a thing wouldn't be surprising for an average republican. Just look at what republicans did over obama's supreme court nominee. That wasn't done by insane fringe republicans who would rather destroy the world than have it not go their way. That was done by generic republicans. Withholding the nomination is something that should have caused insane backslash from people, it is something that should have tainted the record of every republican involved for generations to come, it is something the party should absolutely be "caught goat fucking" levels of ashamed. Its a brutal undermining of one of the US most important institutions over partisan chicanery. And again, that was done by all republicans, not a few fringe insane ones. Trump will absolutely go further than that if it is politically convenient. I mean, he just blamed the US justice system for the next terrorist attack. Turmp, his cabinet or his supporters do not actually care about US institutionality even a little bit.