this post was submitted on 22 Aug 2025
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[–] inclementimmigrant@lemmy.world 11 points 2 hours ago (1 children)

This is what fascism does and why it never lasts. They all turn each other because there's no trust, only power and pettiness.

[–] bigfondue@lemmy.world 2 points 1 hour ago

Given how horrible Trump looked the other day, with his drooping eye, I bet the sharks smell the blood in the water.

[–] MourningDove@lemmy.zip 19 points 11 hours ago (1 children)

I guarantee that even if they don’t find anything, they’ll find something.

[–] Madison420@lemmy.world 1 points 5 hours ago

He had copies of the Epstein files with unredacted names I can almost guarantee it.

[–] Formfiller@lemmy.world 27 points 13 hours ago* (last edited 13 hours ago) (2 children)

We’re getting closer to the night of the long knives

[–] phutatorius@lemmy.zip 2 points 19 minutes ago

Perhaps coincidentally, I heard that there have been an unusually large number of rumors of a purge in Russia, from sources who usually don't comment on such things. I wonder if Trump is just trying to be like his daddy figure?

[–] HugeNerd@lemmy.ca 2 points 2 hours ago

The knives are made in China and sold on late night TV, never need sharpening!

[–] bender223@lemmy.today 20 points 13 hours ago

Damn, that's crazy. How about them EPSTEIN FILES tho.

[–] Corkyskog@sh.itjust.works 29 points 22 hours ago (2 children)

I wonder if the people doing the raiding ever think "hey wait a minute... What's to stop them from doing this to me in the future"

[–] MourningDove@lemmy.zip 6 points 11 hours ago (1 children)

They never think that. I promise you.

[–] madcaesar@lemmy.world 4 points 7 hours ago (1 children)
[–] phutatorius@lemmy.zip 1 points 19 minutes ago

Fascism values action and denigrates thought.

[–] zd9@lemmy.world 4 points 16 hours ago

as long as they see more lgbtq and brown people getting it first, then they'll have "won" in their minds

[–] floofloof@lemmy.ca 212 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (3 children)

The raid is part of a “national security investigation in search of classified records,” a person familiar with the matter told NBC News.

FBI Director Kash Patel tweeted “NO ONE is above the law… @FBI agents on mission” at around 7 a.m. ET, the same time his agents reportedly arrived at Bolton’s home in Bethesda, near Washington, D.C.

Then if someone were to be caught with classified records in the bathrooms and poolside storage rooms at Mar a Lago, they'd be facing some serious legal consequences, right? No one is above the law, right, Kash?

[–] givesomefucks@lemmy.world 96 points 1 day ago (2 children)

That's not what they're looking for...

The only reason they'd raid Bolton is if they thought he might be holding onto an "insurance policy", likely Epstein related.

I think a lot of people who worked around the Epstein shit is gonna start getting raided.

They want to release their doctored version, and they're trying to make sure no one has what they've redacted before they release it.

Logically, there aren't many other reasons for this...

[–] FishFace@lemmy.world 84 points 1 day ago (4 children)

Remove tinfoil before opening mouth.

This is much simpler: Bolton opposed Trump, therefore he is an enemy of Trump, therefore an enemy of the state, therefore a legitimate target for harassment through law enforcement. Same way if in Russia someone opposes Putin he will have goons come after him. It all discourages any kind of opposition, because most opponents will go away if you just trash their house or beat them up a bit.

[–] phutatorius@lemmy.zip 1 points 17 minutes ago

Yeah, he's been on news shows a lot lately shit-talking Trump. This is payback for that.

[–] BarneyPiccolo@lemmy.today 2 points 7 hours ago

Exactly. This was sending a message, not to Democrats, but to Traditional Republicans who might be considering opposing the MAGA takeover. There is no Republican Party, it's the MAGA PARTY now, so get on board, or else!

[–] CosmoNova@lemmy.world 25 points 1 day ago

It's right out of the autocracy handbook. The orange is intimidating and soon getting rid of his opposition one raid at a time. And every raid sends a clear message to his enemies and allies: "Do not oppose the Czar."

[–] givesomefucks@lemmy.world 11 points 1 day ago (2 children)

You think as much as trump is freaking out about Epstein...

That he's just going after random people who aren't actively causing him problems?

He's simple minded, and there's a lot of pressure to release more info. If he releases something, and says it's everything, anyone that might have retained information from prior to Joe Biden's presidency is a threat.

Bolton could have literal.proof about what the government had prior to Biden, saying that's the likely motivation isn't "tinfoil" it's Occam's razor.

[–] FishFace@lemmy.world 5 points 1 day ago (1 children)
  1. What makes you think John Bolton would have anything Epstein-related?
  2. What about the many, many other individuals Trump has targeted with the DoJ and other branches of government? Do they all have an Epstein-related "insurance policy" as well?
  3. What makes you think Trump is "freaking out" about Epstein? He has said several things disapproving of the intense interest in Epstein, but that's not enough to make me think that any time he abuses the government to target his opponents it must be because of that.

This is like all conspiracy theories: you've got a pet idea that would be exciting if it were true and so you're minded to ignore any alternative explanations for the facts.

If he releases something, and says it’s everything, anyone that might have retained information from prior to Joe Biden’s presidency is a threat.

What's to prevent him from saying they've fabricated it?

[–] givesomefucks@lemmy.world 15 points 1 day ago (5 children)
  1. Because ever since Kissinger the national security advisor has been the conduit between the president and intelligence agencies. And Bolton was in that position when the FBI opened the safe at Epstein's place. The one filled with video and electronic files that somehow "disappeared".

  2. If I said a rectangle was a square, would you say that's only possible if every rectangle was a square?

  3. Reality...

Now, one question for you:

  1. What about America in 2025 makes you write off every conspiracy as fake? You know there are real life co spiracies every fucking day? Are you expecting people to just give trump the benefit of the fucking doubt that he wouldn't pull a conspiracy? It hasn't even been five years since he fucking cnspired to overthrow the USA government resulting in a real life insurrection. But this is too out of pocket for you? You can't imagine Trump's administration would do that?

Come the fuck on...

If you don't understand still, nothing else I ever say will help you. Best of luck.

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[–] AmidFuror@fedia.io 9 points 1 day ago (5 children)

What would Bolton have had to do with the Epstein materials? He was National Security Advisor.

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"Conservatism consists of exactly one proposition, to wit: There must be in-groups whom the law protects but does not bind, alongside out-groups whom the law binds but does not protect."

[–] Lucky_777@lemmy.world 11 points 1 day ago

Rules for thee

[–] themeatbridge@lemmy.world 80 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (1 children)

Bolton is a massive piece of shit and he deserves to be eaten by the monster he helped create. That said, this is still wrong. Prosecuting critics is not an acceptable fascist escalation just because the target is a fascist. If John Bolton doesn't have rights, then neither do you.

"I will decide who is a Jew!"

- Hermann Göring

[–] HootinNHollerin@lemmy.dbzer0.com 42 points 1 day ago (1 children)

John Bolton goes on a lot of shows, YouTube shows, and podcasts criticizing trump. They’re going after critics now…

[–] Noblesavage@lemmy.world 27 points 1 day ago

I think we need to call it what it is now - a purge.

Purges can be both violent and nonviolent. I'd argue that the Trump administration is purging through deportations, litigation, and now raids against detractors. Likely, this style of purging will only escalate towards more violence through the legal system until it reaches an explosive, physically violent moment. We're not even a year into his term...

We've seen this all before. History doesn't repeat, but it often rhymes.

[–] Bahnd@lemmy.world 14 points 22 hours ago (1 children)

I heard this on the radio this morning and could have sworn they called him Michael Bolton and could not tell if they were doing an office space bit.

[–] PodPerson@lemmy.zip 2 points 16 hours ago (1 children)

Ya know, I love his music.

[–] terminhell@lemmy.world 2 points 14 hours ago

I celebrate his entire catalog.

Weaponization of law enforcement isn't on any fascism checklist, is it?

[–] Yawweee877h444@lemmy.world 56 points 1 day ago

Bolton turned against trump.

Cash Patel and Bongino are protecting trump.

EPSTEIN

EPSTEIN

EPSTEIN

[–] grvtrkr05@piefed.social 18 points 1 day ago (1 children)

"No-one is above the law" is blatantly untrue though isnt it?

[–] terminhell@lemmy.world 2 points 14 hours ago

Temporarily. Death comes for us all. Universal law.

[–] peoplebeproblems@midwest.social 17 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Man

Trump's purges of former political allies turned enemies is boring as fuck. Like shit, Heritage Foundation might be the influencers of Nazis, but they certainly are worse than Nazis in every meaning of the word.

If he's going to screw us all at least give us a show or get us off you know?

[–] FauxLiving@lemmy.world 12 points 1 day ago

Don’t forget the Federalist Society and their decades long campaign to groom law students to be placed in the Supreme Court

[–] just_another_person@lemmy.world 23 points 1 day ago (2 children)

These aren't FBI agents, these are newly recruited thugs and sycophants abusing their power. Patel is going to do a number of these things to various people Trump doesn't like and find nothing, OR they'll start dropping manufactured evidence and try to keep people in custody.

Point is, this is ramping up fast, and it's finally here. If it only stays as an intimidating tactic to shut people up, that would be shocking. I expect planted evidences, and the whole shebang before a judge stops this. They're probably getting warrants from Aileen Cannon or some bullshit.

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[–] BigMacHole@sopuli.xyz 21 points 1 day ago (1 children)

It's ILLEGAL to Take Home Classified Documents?

[–] cabron_offsets@lemmy.world 25 points 1 day ago

Not if you store them by the shitter at your gaudy estate where foreign agents can roam free at the cost of a $100K membership.

Checkmate, libtard.

[–] Bronzebeard@lemmy.zip 13 points 1 day ago (1 children)

So bolton clearly has a copy of the Epstein list

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[–] Hegar@fedia.io 14 points 1 day ago (1 children)

John Bolton is a staunch imperialist who should've been in jail for his role in bush era war crimes and corruption. He collaborated with the first trump regime then had the gall to complain that their actions may not have been entirely above-board.

If he ends up in jail for running afoul of his ideological proteges it would be as close to poetic justice as we get under fascism.

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