this post was submitted on 22 Aug 2025
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politics

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[–] MourningDove@lemmy.zip 12 points 5 hours ago

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

[–] Formfiller@lemmy.world 17 points 7 hours ago* (last edited 7 hours ago)

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

[–] bender223@lemmy.today 16 points 8 hours ago

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

[–] Corkyskog@sh.itjust.works 23 points 16 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 3 points 5 hours ago (1 children)

They never think that. I promise you.

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

They never think.

[–] zd9@lemmy.world 3 points 10 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 194 points 23 hours ago* (last edited 23 hours 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 87 points 23 hours 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 78 points 23 hours ago (3 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.

[–] BarneyPiccolo@lemmy.today 1 points 1 hour 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 22 points 22 hours 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 10 points 22 hours 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 21 hours 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 14 points 21 hours ago (1 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.

[–] FishFace@lemmy.world 1 points 18 hours ago

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 "conduit"? Correct me if I'm wrong but the National Security Advisor isn't out kicking in doors when the FBI go on raids. The FBI is not an intelligence agency (it has an intelligence branch) and being the "conduit" doesn't mean he has the ability, inclination, foresight or skullduggery to gather such "insurance policies."

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

If you said that on a specific day the sun rose because you had prayed really hard for it to pray the previous day, I would be asking you what about all the other days when it rose without your apparent intervention.

Reality…

Not good enough.

What about America in 2025 makes you write off every conspiracy as fake?

I'm calling out your conspiracy theory thinking. Target John Bolton with an FBI investigation is a conspiracy, is a fascist abuse of power and is not, in any way, giving Trump "the benefit of the doubt." But it's not conspiracy theory thinking, because there's no super secret bullshit that only a select few are smart enough to work out - it's the regular kind of secret stuff that we can infer based on facts and evidence.

To believe your story I have to believe that there's a high chance John Bolton has "the Epstein list" and has kept it as insurance. You have given me no reason to believe this except that Bolton was head of - not the FBI, not the DoJ, but the National Security Council. So what? On the basis of such weak evidence you'd be saying that thousands of government officials have Epstein related "insurance".

You're not, though, because you're not actually basing this on any thought process which takes evidence into account.

[–] ripcord@lemmy.world 1 points 22 hours ago
[–] AmidFuror@fedia.io 9 points 23 hours ago (1 children)

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

[–] Maeve@kbin.earth 3 points 23 hours ago (1 children)

Epstein being Mossad would be national security related

[–] AmidFuror@fedia.io 8 points 23 hours ago (1 children)

Some of you have gone off the deep end.

[–] MisterOwl@lemmy.world 5 points 23 hours ago (1 children)

With this administration, anything is possible.

[–] baldingpudenda@lemmy.world 5 points 23 hours ago (1 children)

I think what he's saying is that the simpler explanation is that Trump hates people not sucking his dick and regurgitating his bullshit statements. Bolton has been doing the rounds and not following the trump line. So now trump hates him, which means the regime hates him.

[–] Maeve@kbin.earth 3 points 22 hours ago

More than one thing can be true at the same time.

[–] CosmicTurtle0@lemmy.dbzer0.com 18 points 22 hours ago

"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 23 hours ago

Rules for thee

[–] Bahnd@lemmy.world 13 points 16 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 10 hours ago (1 children)

Ya know, I love his music.

[–] terminhell@lemmy.world 2 points 8 hours ago

I celebrate his entire catalog.

[–] HootinNHollerin@lemmy.dbzer0.com 40 points 21 hours 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 26 points 19 hours 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.

[–] themeatbridge@lemmy.world 73 points 23 hours ago* (last edited 23 hours 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.

[–] BrianTheeBiscuiteer@lemmy.world 19 points 21 hours ago

"I will decide who is a Jew!"

- Hermann Göring

[–] grvtrkr05@piefed.social 16 points 19 hours ago (1 children)

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

[–] terminhell@lemmy.world 2 points 8 hours ago

Temporarily. Death comes for us all. Universal law.

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

[–] Yawweee877h444@lemmy.world 52 points 23 hours ago

Bolton turned against trump.

Cash Patel and Bongino are protecting trump.

EPSTEIN

EPSTEIN

EPSTEIN

[–] peoplebeproblems@midwest.social 16 points 19 hours 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 19 hours 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 22 points 22 hours ago (1 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.

[–] Dragomus@lemmy.world 2 points 22 hours ago

Planted evidences? Yeah most likely, also probably will be something small and unrelated to the case but enough for a judge to glue it together with a hefty sentence.
(Simplified example: weed on the premises -> supporting drug trafficking -> supporting violent gangs -> danger to the usa)
Heck, his book alone might be construed as anti trump, anti presidential so therefore anti USA and dangerous.

A judge stopping it? Nah, none of them will, and if one might think it's ridiculous enough to pull on the brake he or she will be overruled by an appeals court. The law is Trump and trump is the law.
(so hey, if he IS the law he can never be above it ... nor below...)

[–] BigMacHole@sopuli.xyz 22 points 23 hours ago (1 children)

It's ILLEGAL to Take Home Classified Documents?

[–] cabron_offsets@lemmy.world 25 points 23 hours 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 12 points 21 hours ago (1 children)

So bolton clearly has a copy of the Epstein list

[–] HubertManne@piefed.social 2 points 21 hours ago

came to say this.

[–] Hegar@fedia.io 13 points 22 hours 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.

[–] homesweethomeMrL@lemmy.world 2 points 19 hours ago

This, exactly. When he accepted the role of trump’s UN envoy to (in his mind) further his idiot evillrey, I said “remember John, anybody who supports trump will get shit on. No exceptions.”

Little late, but sure.

[–] betterdeadthanreddit@lemmy.world 0 points 23 hours ago

I just hope this leads to us finding out what he looks like under the ridiculous fake glasses, nose, and mustache.

Okay, the glasses might be real, I'm not entirely sure on that one.