Fiona Hill: "The president was trying to stage a coup"

[annabenedetti]

“The president was trying to stage a coup. There was little chance of it happening, but there was enough chance that the former defense secretaries had to put out that letter, which was the final nail through that effort. They prevented the military from being involved in any coup attempt. But instead, Trump tried to incite it himself,” said Fiona Hill, Trump’s former top Russia adviser. “This could have turned into a full-blown coup had he had any of those key institutions following him. Just because it failed or didn’t succeed doesn’t mean it wasn’t real.”

Trump Officials Rush to Keep Him From Sparking Another Conflict—at Home or Abroad​ High-ranking national-security officials have spent the last 24 hours scrambling to figure out how to keep their commander-in-chief, Donald Trump, from inciting further violence at home, spilling national secrets, or sparking last-minute confrontations with international foes. The concerns in the upper echelons of the administration’s national-security community range from fears inside the Pentagon that the president will do or say something that effectively throws the U.S. into a military confrontation with another country to anxieties in the intelligence apparatus that Trump will divulge classified intelligence on his way out, according to four officials who spoke with The Daily Beast about the matter. All requested to remain anonymous in order to speak more openly about the discussions. “This isn’t a hypothetical anymore,” said one senior administration official. “This is real. What happened yesterday changed the calculus. People are concerned about [the president’s] state of mind.”

Much more at the link.


“Yesterday was the worst day for the Republican Party since Lincoln’s assassination.”
— Joe Grogan, Trump’s former top domestic policy adviser

 

[annabenedetti]

Of interest: the sudden replacement of several top-echelon officials at the DOD in November, followed by the unprecedented letter from all living former Defense Secretaries in January reminding Defense officials that "...“there’s no role for the U.S. military in determining the outcome of a U.S. election. Efforts to involve the U.S. armed forces in resolving election disputes would take us into dangerous, unlawful and unconstitutional territory..."

Redstate's take on the replacements, at the time: "So the SecDef, the policy chief, the chief of intelligence, and the SecDef’s chief of staff were all replaced in a 24-hour period. There is a lot of speculation on the reasoning. Some of it stupid, like the idea that Trump is preparing a military coup."

Reading the comments below the Redstate piece, here the first one:

"This means that, should riots occur, Trump can reliably call on his military leadership to act in accordance with the law."

 

[annabenedetti]

Maryland Governor Says Pentagon ‘Repeatedly Denied’ Approval To Send National Guard To Capitol​

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan said Thursday that the Department of Defense “repeatedly denied” to authorize deployment of Maryland’s National Guard troops to help quell violence at the Capitol on Wednesday.

Hogan said during a press conference that he convened an emergency meeting of his “unified command team” when he was informed of a mob of Trump supporters descending on the Capitol as lawmakers attempted to certify President-elect Joe Biden’s victory.​

​

Hogan says he mobilized 200 “specially trained” state troopers and instructed Maj. Gen. Timothy Gowen, the general of the Maryland National Guard, to mobilize his troops.​

​

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer called Hogan from an “undisclosed bunker” and were “pleading” with him for assistance from his state and national forces, the governor said.​

​

However, Hogan, who requires the Department of Defense’s authority to mobilize his National Guard troops, said he was “repeatedly denied” approval to do so from the Pentagon despite being “ready, willing and able” to assist.​

​

Hogan said he had a “back and forth trying to get that authorization” and that, about an hour and a half later, Secretary of the Army Ryan McCarthy gave approval to send his troops to Washington, D.C.​

​

Federal authorities were not guarding the Capitol at the time of the attack, leaving the job to the Capitol Police, who were quickly overrun by the mob.

President Trump reportedly refused initial requests to send in the National Guard, with Vice President Mike Pence ultimately interfacing with Defense Department officials and giving the order to mobilize units.

Hogan, a Republican, called for President Trump’s removal in the wake of the attack. "I think there's no question that America would be better off if the president would resign or be removed from office,” he said.

 

[annabenedetti]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1347907999562670080

First and foremost, I am very upset and heartbroken over the murder of Officer Sicknick who passed away after an altercation with violent protesters on Weds. It’s become increasingly clear that rank & file members of the Cap Police were lead into an incredibly dangerous situation.

The vast majority of Capitol Police officers bravely defended our nation’s Capitol and put their lives on the line to protect Members of Congress and our historic Capitol building.

Meanwhile, there was an epic failure of intelligence/ preparation among leadership in the department. The Capitol Police Chief & House Sergeant at Arms have resigned, an important step to fully uncover the failures of this event & reestablish trust in the security on Cap. Hill.

As for disturbing videos we’ve all seen that seem to show some officers letting rioters behind barricades & taking selfies with them: I can assure you these videos are being thoroughly investigated & there will be consequences for any deviations from proper training & protocols.

Additionally, for the entire U.S. Congress, including key figures in the line of succession, to be left so vulnerable to violent insurrectionists is a failure. Plain and simple. It’s unacceptable, and can never be allowed to happen again.

As for the perpetrators: we are working closely with the @FBI and U.S. Attorney offices around the country to identify those who participated, and ensure they are brought to justice.

The evidence we have seen thus far of rioters in possession of zip tie handcuffs, Molotov cocktails, and other weapons is deeply unsettling and is being fully investigated.

We must not ignore that what happened on Wednesday was an act of domestic terrorism that was brought on by incendiary comments and behavior of the United States President.

The defining trait of our democracy for the past 200 years has been the peaceful transfer of power from one administration to another. Instead of supporting our democratic values, this President has chosen to plant and sow unfounded conspiracies about a free and fair election.

This unprecedented behavior cannot go unanswered. President Trump must be repudiated. I am calling for his Cabinet to invoke the 25th Amendment. If they lack the courage to do so, we must file Articles of Impeachment to remove the President.

At least five people lost their lives because of what happened last week, and our national security was put at severe risk. Not only must we get to the bottom of how and why this was allowed to happen, we have a duty to ensure it never EVER can happen again.

 

[Gary K]

Well, just keep on with the propaganda from the swamp. We've known for years many Republicans are just renamed Democrats and are actually just as socialistic and controlled by the CCP as the Democrat's are. So, good luck trying to influence anyone here with your propaganda. We've all read your posts for years and understand your agenda and methods.

I know that's a shock to you because you think, or at least pretend, that all your opponents are as dumb as a box of rocks but that's ok. We pity you.

 

[JudgeRightly]

Thread 'Johnathon Turley! Once again Turley debunks Democrat lies' https://theologyonline.com/threads/johnathon-turley-once-again-turley-debunks-democrat-lies.55291/

 

[JudgeRightly]

 

[Gary K]

I wonder if his reference to an Instagram poll asking if the next election would be fair or just was real? I have never even looked at Instagram so know nothing about it. He's just so tongue-in-cheek it's hard to know.

 

[The Berean]

The idea that this was a coup attempt by Trump is beyond stupid. And I'm not even a Trump supporter. If Trump wanted to stage a real coup then why not do what what people do in REAL coup's? In real coup's the military is almost always used. Why didn't Trump used the military? Instead Trump sent in QShaman and a bunch of mostly unarmed people (though a few had firearms and explosives) wearing MAGA hats and carrying confederate flags? Seriously? In real coups the military takes over, arrests members of the government and usually imposes martial law. This is what a REAL coup looks like.

 

[Idolater]

Who actually protects the rule of law? What is the backstop or failsafe for the rule of law? We all know that the Constitution is the highest law in the land, but what if the government established by the Constitution fails to uphold, protect and defend the Constitution?

Then there is no rule of law anymore.

Unless there's something outside of the Constitution's own government that upholds the rule of law.

And that something is real. It is We the People, we are the people who actually own the Constitution, the government created by the Constitution is supposed to take care of our Constitution for us. And if they do not do that, then the final court of appeals as it were, is the American people ourselves.

But so now what? Let's say that we believe the government is derelict in their Constitutional duty. What can or should we do?

 

[chair]

The idea that this was a coup attempt by Trump is beyond stupid. And I'm not even a Trump supporter. If Trump wanted to stage a real coup then why not do what what people do in REAL coup's? In real coup's the military is almost always used. Why didn't Trump used the military? Instead Trump sent in QShaman and a bunch of mostly unarmed people (though a few had firearms and explosives) wearing MAGA hats and carrying confederate flags? Seriously? In real coups the military takes over, arrests members of the government and usually imposes martial law. This is what a REAL coup looks like.


View attachment 292

Coups aren't normally undertaken by the elected leader of a country. So calling this a 'coup' isn't accurate.

What is Presidents Trump's real motivation in recent events? Does he realistically expect to somehow remain president? I'm not convinced of his sanity. I even wonder if he'll commit suicide on Jan. 20.

 

[JudgeRightly]

Coups aren't normally undertaken by the elected leader of a country. So calling this a 'coup' isn't accurate.

This is true.

However, it's still a coup.

Not because Trump is the one leading it, but because the Democrat Party is, backed by the CCP.

What is Presidents Trump's real motivation in recent events? Does he realistically expect to somehow remain president?

You clearly haven't been paying attention to anything he's said recently.

I'm not convinced of his sanity. I even wonder if he'll commit suicide on Jan. 20.

If Trump ends up dead, it won't be because he chose to end his own life.

 

[annabenedetti]

Coups aren't normally undertaken by the elected leader of a country. So calling this a 'coup' isn't accurate.

This isn't a normal president.

There's a reason the former Secretaries of Defense sounded the warning.

 

[annabenedetti]

If Trump wanted to stage a real coup then why not do what what people do in REAL coup's? In real coup's the military is almost always used. Why didn't Trump used the military?

How do you know he didn't try? Why did he replace 4 top Pentagon officials in a day and install loyalists, and why did the former Secretaries of Defense release their warning letter?

Instead Trump sent in QShaman and a bunch of mostly unarmed people (though a few had firearms and explosives) wearing MAGA hats and carrying confederate flags? Seriously? In real coups the military takes over, arrests members of the government and usually imposes martial law. This is what a REAL coup looks like.

Again, how do you know that wasn't the plan? Trump was desperate to stay in office, and amoral enough to do anything to make that happen.

 

[JudgeRightly]

How do you know he didn't try? Why did he replace 4 top Pentagon officials in a day and install loyalists,

Replacing your enemies with people you can trust is a perfectly acceptable thing to do for the leader of a nation.

and why did the former Secretaries of Defense release their warning letter?

Because they, like you, hate Trump?

Again, how do you know that wasn't the plan? Trump was desperate to stay in office,

Desperate to stay in office? What, wanting to remain in power when the opposition is wrongfully trying to take your position away from you by deception and lies is "desperate"?

and amoral enough to do anything to make that happen.

See, now, this is just Trump bashing. Gonna have to tell you to stop, or I'm going to remove you from the thread. I'd rather not.

 

[annabenedetti]

Trump attacks Pence as protesters force their way into Capitol

President Trump on Wednesday turned on his own vice president, bashing Mike Pence for declining to illegally overturn the result of the election just as pro-Trump protesters stormed the Capitol building.

"Mike Pence didn’t have the courage to do what should have been done to protect our Country and our Constitution, giving States a chance to certify a corrected set of facts, not the fraudulent or inaccurate ones which they were asked to previously certify. USA demands the truth!" Trump tweeted.

Mike Pence didn’t have the courage to do what should have been done to protect our Country and our Constitution, giving States a chance to certify a corrected set of facts, not the fraudulent or inaccurate ones which they were asked to previously certify. USA demands the truth!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 6, 2021

The president's tweet came as Pence was ushered out of the Senate chamber after protesters overwhelming law enforcement outside the building and broke inside.


Pence is being hunted in the Capitol by insurrectionists chanting "Hang Mike Pence!" while Trump is attacking him. Meanwhile, his advisors are disturbed by his enthusiasm while watching it all unfold on TV, as one WH insider put it, with "borderline enthusiasm."

No surprise there, the reality TV host is watching his season finale unfold...

 

[annabenedetti]

See, now, this is just Trump bashing. Gonna have to tell you to stop, or I'm going to remove you from the thread. I'd rather not.

This is my thread. You're going to remove me from my own thread?

What you call Trump bashing is being talked about all over the country, and much of the bashing is coming from his own MAGA base who's disgusted with him for conceding. They wanted "the blood of martyrs to water the tree of liberty." And they're talking about trying again on the 20th., but there will be a lot more National Guard troops than there were on the 6th. when the Pentagon refused the first calls for them.

 

[annabenedetti]

The growing crowds outside the Capitol on Wednesday afternoon sounded menacing but at bay as senators began to debate challenges to the electoral college vote. A top adviser to Majority Leader Mitch McConnell stepped out of the ornate chamber for a short break.

Alone in the Capitol’s marble halls, just outside the chamber’s bronze doors, it was suddenly apparent that the citadel of U.S. democracy was falling to the mob incited by President Trump.

A cacophony of screaming, shouting and banging echoed from the floor below. McConnell’s security detail rushed past and into the chamber. The adviser began walking toward the Rotunda and came face to face with a U.S. Capitol Police officer sprinting in the opposite direction. The two made eye contact and the officer forced out a single word: “Run!”

The aide to McConnell (R-Ky.) darted down a side hallway lined with offices. He jiggled one locked doorknob, then another. A co-worker poked his head out of the office of McConnell’s speechwriter. The adviser lunged, pushing him and a colleague back inside.

The screaming and shouting soon seemed right outside. Only then, a text alert from Capitol police blared on every phone in the room: “Due to security threat inside: immediately, move inside your office, take emergency equipment, lock the doors, take shelter.”

Three senior GOP aides piled furniture against the door and tried to move stealthily, worried that the intruders would discover them inside. In waves, the door to the hall heaved as rioters punched and kicked it. The crowd yelled “Stop the steal!” Some chanted menacingly, referring to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi: “Where’s Nancy? Where’s Nancy?”

 

[annabenedetti]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1348292912375881729

 

[JudgeRightly]

This is my thread. You're going to remove me from my own thread?

Oh, this is your thread? Well, this isn't your theology board. So yes, I will remove you from your own thread, or I'll simply lock the thread. But since I don't like locking discussions unless I have to, I'd rather not do the latter.

What you call Trump bashing is being talked about all over the country,

Saying:

Trump was . . . amoral enough to do anything to make that happen.

. . . is bashing Trump for no reason, and is attacking his character, rather than his position and choices.

Knock it off.