The sort of man who’d lie about the fiery death of a friend just after it happened—for profit—doesn’t belong in polite society, let alone in office. This report relates, too, to the Butler Incident.
Thank you for informing us of the 1989 helicopter incident. He’s beyond disgusting and evil. Let’s vote blue and make sure he never gets close to the White House ever again.
The fact that the “presser” is now being near-universally panned as spectacularly incoherent, intemperate, rambling, and lie-filled” is borderline miraculous (although Fox is saying that it was flawless). As you noted, all of this information has been available to the media from the moment Trump stepped on the stage. As you also noted, it is so much worse than the lies he spewed at his media gaggle. IMHO as a sane but non-medical observer, DJT is not sane and probably has never been. He is and has been a deranged, narcissistic sociopath for at least his adult life. Just as he has always been a racist and a misogynist. I admit that there were times early on when he didn't come off as completely unhinged, but he was never playing with a full deck. And the Captain Queeg moments are pretty much the norm now. You would not need to be diving into to the batshit crazy helicopter story if we had a real press doing the job that a real press is supposed to do. If Trump is ever carted off to an institution for mental health treatment, as he should be, I'm sure the press will interview him there - and probably use the Mr. President salutation. If we keep our democracy and the history of this period is documented, the failure of the press will be among the most shameful aspects. Anyway, thanks for continuing to commit real journalism. You and other alternative media outlets may finally be breaking through.
So absolutely correct. The press has been so complicit that you almost want to believe THEY are the liars and frauds and malignant narcissists just like Trump.
More likely, they are just greedy, average narcissistic fools, who fail to understand how their lives would be upended if tRump were to regain the White House. He's PROMISED to prosecute members of the press, and who honestly thinks he'd be anything but indiscriminate about it, if he had at his fingertips, the full force of his very own DOJ?
I've begun to realize that the lessons of WWII are far enough in the past that they seem as unreal as the Greek myths of gods and goddesses.
We MUST do a better job of educating our young. The whole reason the Extreme Right doesn't want education made available to everyone is that the masses would understand that there are democratic options that give them at least some say in their country's government.
Hard to believe anyone with ANY, not MANY mental/intellectual impairments could be potus once, let alone possibly twice. If candidates are required to fork over their tax returns (which Lardass never did) wouldn't it be more important, post-Trump, to require an actual cognitive test by an actual physician in good standing? (This would eliminate Trump's Drs. Bernstein and Jackson.)
I knew about this crash but not the details. In the story I heard somewhere-and that I believed because it seemed like Trump-the employees who died had information he didn't want known about his casino fraud, so he made sure via faulty mechanics that the helicopter went down. The truth is equally abhorrent. In fact more so, because it presents the specific reality of trump's evil brain.
There have been rumors about why the helicopter went down. I have not indulged them here because we have no reliable evidence on the question. Did Trump commit crimes in Atlantic City? Yes. Were some of his executives aware of those crimes? It is likely. Had Trump, by 1989, been identified by Russian intelligence as someone the Kremlin wanted to protect because he might one day be president? Yes, that is confirmed. But we do not know for sure that these three men had evidence of Trump criminality; that Trump wanted them dead; or that the crash was suspicious. To be clear, there is no reason to put anything *past* Trump—he did, after all, try to murder a classmate with his bare hands via defenestration while at a military academy as a teenager—but as a journalist I have to distinguish very clearly between what I believe him to be capable of based on his biography and what I can actually show via reliable sourcing he did.
That's fair, Seth and I agree with your rationale. The one piece I'll add is that, after years of Noel sharing backstage Apprentice info (and in that case, was there for), he has also shared the helicopter info without pushback or threats from trump or his attorneys. While that certainly doesn't attest to its veracity, for a man that sues everyone in his orbit for disparagement or well, for anything, I find it odd that he hasn't attempted a cease and desist to Casler.
Seth, I'm glad you published this story but I remember hearing (via Noel Casler?) that although Trump owned 2 or 3 helos at that time, his executives were made to fly on a chartered aircraft (makes sense, as who among us is going to crash his own helicopter, right) and that there was a known crack in one of the rotors. What makes this so believable is that it's Trump.
Noel Casler has talked about that helicopter crash often and yes, they had damaging information about the casino business and were either about to testify or he knew DOJ was coming for the testimony - I can't remember. But either way, Noel has insinuated it might not have been as much an accident as reported. There were also drugs involved somehow, but darn it, can't remember.
See my comment above. I am comfortable with the statements Noel has made about Trump that relate to things he witnessed firsthand but I find his comments on this crash to be pure speculation. But again, see my comment above for more.
Hey Seth! A commenter on another platform said that Kevin Roberts of the Heritage Foundation, and project 25 fame, is related to Chief Justice John Roberts.
If that’s true, it’s huge.
I got nothing from Google. Can you fact check that for us?
Roberts, seems like a common enough name, but I’ve never heard it used, except for these two.
I think we’re missing the point on why Christians follow Trump … in front of the camera and 10+ ministers in maybe 2016 he claimed that he “accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and Saviour” etc. Blah blah blah. He made a big show of it. So it doesn’t matter what he did, or said, then or now, because his sins are “washed away.” Same for Putin and all the other “Christian” autocrats.
A little off topic for this great article by Seth, but here’s something else we’re missing the point about. Trump speaks in projections. Right? He accuses others of doing what he and GOP are guilty of. We discovered this long ago. So when he says Biden is mad / unhappy / pissed that he was “kicked off” the dem ticket and it’s unconstitutional etc … what he’s really saying is that HE is worried HE is going to be replaced!!!! Wouldn’t that be an upset for this election cycle!!??
Some say his supporters wouldn’t allow it … that’s old news.
Some say it’s too late cause he was officially nominated … I predict the campaign is talking about it and he’s pissed!!!
Thank you, Seth. Putting the dividing line firmly between fact and Trump lies as always. We so appreciate that, especially when MSM celebrates the narcissistic sociopath. As for his cult, there are no pejoratives strong enough. I'm going away for a scream now...
Thank you for this exhaustively researched commentary about the helicopter crash, from all the false angels that trump put forth - no rides or conversations with Willie Brown, plus the real helicopter ride that ended in tragedy for Trump's employees. May some part if the main stream media pick this up and run with it.
As always, great post. I remember the helicopter incident and what Trump said afterwards.
Seth, I've been following the war in Ukraine closely for years, and a few days ago came upon something about Kellyanne Conway that is most troubling. I can't find that you've posted about it so you may not know. I follow Tymofiy Mylovanov, the president of the Kyiv School of Economics, and was shocked to find a thread by him about Viktor Pinchuk and Kellyanne Conway dated 8/6: ''It is exciting that Ukrainian oligarch Viktor Pinchuk has hired former Trump advisor Kellyanne Conway for $50,000 per month to lobby U.S. lawmakers and opinion makers on the importance of Ukraine to global democratic principles. 1/ @KyivIndependent writes about pro-Ukraine lobbying efforts, which are betting on a potential pivot by Donald Trump to take a tougher stance against Putin, aiming to appeal to moderate voters and key swing states with significant Ukrainian and East EU diaspora communities. 2/'' The replies, including mine, were scathing. https://x.com/Mylovanov/status/1820915121763361268 Here is my search on X for ''Viktor pinchuk kellyanne conway'': https://x.com/search?q=Viktor%20pinchuk%20kellyanne%20conway&src=typed_query&f=top I and others view this as exceedingly dangerous. 3 days ago I contacted a university history professor I know who specializes in Ukraine, to inform him about it. Haven't received a response yet.
I know who Viktor Pinchuk is. I'm aware of his long history. Ukrainians in Ukraine who support this cannot possibly be aware of who Kellyanne Conway is, and from what Mylovanov posted, may not know that Trump will not change his position towards Ukraine. There is a large Ukrainian diaspora in the US, and my guess is that she will be lobbying them with promises about Trump. It scares the bejabbers out of me.
DT is deeply unwell physically, mentally, and emotionally. If he hadn’t already done so much damage to this country, I might have some pity for him. But I am beyond that, and I just want him to be gone from the face of the Earth. What frightens me even more is that millions of Americans will vote for this completely broken and despicable individual on November 5. I simply can’t wrap my mind around it.
Notice how trump always makes himself the hero in his fabricated stories. I coulda died, I almost died, I took a bullet for you. Just like his BS story on J6 that he had a physical altercation with a secret service agent that prevented him from going to the Capitol with his followers. Trump is a coward who would never put himself in harms way
Well couple of observations. Tramp is now going through the incompetence gruel that the media put Biden through. I am hesitant to embrace it or promote it because I want him to stay in the race. If they throw some other Republican in there (if that be possible at this point), they might enjoy the same momentum the Harris/Walz ticket is enjoying and the individuals who have had, and looking like more joining-can’t vote for Tramp will flock to who ever they come up with. Secondly, during his past two elections, I tried the tactic of - what if this guy was your neighbor? This neighbor who borrowed your lawn mower and brought it back broken, blamed you that you gave him a piece of junk lawn mower and then had his lawyer sued you for some make believe damage to his property? Or your neighbor that said lustfully inappropriate things about your pubescent daughter. Or who had their dog do his business on your property and would not stop when asked. I mean think of any neighbor gripe-believe me, there are a plethora of them. It received absolutely zero traction. He just made the statement yesterday that while on the campaign tour, a waitress hugged and kissed him and “maybe he would not be returning to the First Lady” as a result. They all seem to have brain worms. Also, Mormons-Utah-Romney (RHINO) does not help Tramp chances either.
Thank you for informing us of the 1989 helicopter incident. He’s beyond disgusting and evil. Let’s vote blue and make sure he never gets close to the White House ever again.
The fact that the “presser” is now being near-universally panned as spectacularly incoherent, intemperate, rambling, and lie-filled” is borderline miraculous (although Fox is saying that it was flawless). As you noted, all of this information has been available to the media from the moment Trump stepped on the stage. As you also noted, it is so much worse than the lies he spewed at his media gaggle. IMHO as a sane but non-medical observer, DJT is not sane and probably has never been. He is and has been a deranged, narcissistic sociopath for at least his adult life. Just as he has always been a racist and a misogynist. I admit that there were times early on when he didn't come off as completely unhinged, but he was never playing with a full deck. And the Captain Queeg moments are pretty much the norm now. You would not need to be diving into to the batshit crazy helicopter story if we had a real press doing the job that a real press is supposed to do. If Trump is ever carted off to an institution for mental health treatment, as he should be, I'm sure the press will interview him there - and probably use the Mr. President salutation. If we keep our democracy and the history of this period is documented, the failure of the press will be among the most shameful aspects. Anyway, thanks for continuing to commit real journalism. You and other alternative media outlets may finally be breaking through.
So absolutely correct. The press has been so complicit that you almost want to believe THEY are the liars and frauds and malignant narcissists just like Trump.
More likely, they are just greedy, average narcissistic fools, who fail to understand how their lives would be upended if tRump were to regain the White House. He's PROMISED to prosecute members of the press, and who honestly thinks he'd be anything but indiscriminate about it, if he had at his fingertips, the full force of his very own DOJ?
I've begun to realize that the lessons of WWII are far enough in the past that they seem as unreal as the Greek myths of gods and goddesses.
We MUST do a better job of educating our young. The whole reason the Extreme Right doesn't want education made available to everyone is that the masses would understand that there are democratic options that give them at least some say in their country's government.
I don't think that's a stretch
Hard to believe anyone with ANY, not MANY mental/intellectual impairments could be potus once, let alone possibly twice. If candidates are required to fork over their tax returns (which Lardass never did) wouldn't it be more important, post-Trump, to require an actual cognitive test by an actual physician in good standing? (This would eliminate Trump's Drs. Bernstein and Jackson.)
What you said Margo.
I knew about this crash but not the details. In the story I heard somewhere-and that I believed because it seemed like Trump-the employees who died had information he didn't want known about his casino fraud, so he made sure via faulty mechanics that the helicopter went down. The truth is equally abhorrent. In fact more so, because it presents the specific reality of trump's evil brain.
There have been rumors about why the helicopter went down. I have not indulged them here because we have no reliable evidence on the question. Did Trump commit crimes in Atlantic City? Yes. Were some of his executives aware of those crimes? It is likely. Had Trump, by 1989, been identified by Russian intelligence as someone the Kremlin wanted to protect because he might one day be president? Yes, that is confirmed. But we do not know for sure that these three men had evidence of Trump criminality; that Trump wanted them dead; or that the crash was suspicious. To be clear, there is no reason to put anything *past* Trump—he did, after all, try to murder a classmate with his bare hands via defenestration while at a military academy as a teenager—but as a journalist I have to distinguish very clearly between what I believe him to be capable of based on his biography and what I can actually show via reliable sourcing he did.
That's fair, Seth and I agree with your rationale. The one piece I'll add is that, after years of Noel sharing backstage Apprentice info (and in that case, was there for), he has also shared the helicopter info without pushback or threats from trump or his attorneys. While that certainly doesn't attest to its veracity, for a man that sues everyone in his orbit for disparagement or well, for anything, I find it odd that he hasn't attempted a cease and desist to Casler.
Seth, I'm glad you published this story but I remember hearing (via Noel Casler?) that although Trump owned 2 or 3 helos at that time, his executives were made to fly on a chartered aircraft (makes sense, as who among us is going to crash his own helicopter, right) and that there was a known crack in one of the rotors. What makes this so believable is that it's Trump.
Noel Casler has talked about that helicopter crash often and yes, they had damaging information about the casino business and were either about to testify or he knew DOJ was coming for the testimony - I can't remember. But either way, Noel has insinuated it might not have been as much an accident as reported. There were also drugs involved somehow, but darn it, can't remember.
See my comment above. I am comfortable with the statements Noel has made about Trump that relate to things he witnessed firsthand but I find his comments on this crash to be pure speculation. But again, see my comment above for more.
Hey Seth! A commenter on another platform said that Kevin Roberts of the Heritage Foundation, and project 25 fame, is related to Chief Justice John Roberts.
If that’s true, it’s huge.
I got nothing from Google. Can you fact check that for us?
Roberts, seems like a common enough name, but I’ve never heard it used, except for these two.
I too would love to see the answer to this! Please?
I’ve been saying that for years. He belongs in prison. In a psyche ward AND off the planet. Period.
I think we’re missing the point on why Christians follow Trump … in front of the camera and 10+ ministers in maybe 2016 he claimed that he “accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and Saviour” etc. Blah blah blah. He made a big show of it. So it doesn’t matter what he did, or said, then or now, because his sins are “washed away.” Same for Putin and all the other “Christian” autocrats.
Quite a loop hole for these criminals, I’d say!!!
A little off topic for this great article by Seth, but here’s something else we’re missing the point about. Trump speaks in projections. Right? He accuses others of doing what he and GOP are guilty of. We discovered this long ago. So when he says Biden is mad / unhappy / pissed that he was “kicked off” the dem ticket and it’s unconstitutional etc … what he’s really saying is that HE is worried HE is going to be replaced!!!! Wouldn’t that be an upset for this election cycle!!??
Some say his supporters wouldn’t allow it … that’s old news.
Some say it’s too late cause he was officially nominated … I predict the campaign is talking about it and he’s pissed!!!
Thank you, Seth. Putting the dividing line firmly between fact and Trump lies as always. We so appreciate that, especially when MSM celebrates the narcissistic sociopath. As for his cult, there are no pejoratives strong enough. I'm going away for a scream now...
Thank you for this exhaustively researched commentary about the helicopter crash, from all the false angels that trump put forth - no rides or conversations with Willie Brown, plus the real helicopter ride that ended in tragedy for Trump's employees. May some part if the main stream media pick this up and run with it.
As always, great post. I remember the helicopter incident and what Trump said afterwards.
Seth, I've been following the war in Ukraine closely for years, and a few days ago came upon something about Kellyanne Conway that is most troubling. I can't find that you've posted about it so you may not know. I follow Tymofiy Mylovanov, the president of the Kyiv School of Economics, and was shocked to find a thread by him about Viktor Pinchuk and Kellyanne Conway dated 8/6: ''It is exciting that Ukrainian oligarch Viktor Pinchuk has hired former Trump advisor Kellyanne Conway for $50,000 per month to lobby U.S. lawmakers and opinion makers on the importance of Ukraine to global democratic principles. 1/ @KyivIndependent writes about pro-Ukraine lobbying efforts, which are betting on a potential pivot by Donald Trump to take a tougher stance against Putin, aiming to appeal to moderate voters and key swing states with significant Ukrainian and East EU diaspora communities. 2/'' The replies, including mine, were scathing. https://x.com/Mylovanov/status/1820915121763361268 Here is my search on X for ''Viktor pinchuk kellyanne conway'': https://x.com/search?q=Viktor%20pinchuk%20kellyanne%20conway&src=typed_query&f=top I and others view this as exceedingly dangerous. 3 days ago I contacted a university history professor I know who specializes in Ukraine, to inform him about it. Haven't received a response yet.
I know who Viktor Pinchuk is. I'm aware of his long history. Ukrainians in Ukraine who support this cannot possibly be aware of who Kellyanne Conway is, and from what Mylovanov posted, may not know that Trump will not change his position towards Ukraine. There is a large Ukrainian diaspora in the US, and my guess is that she will be lobbying them with promises about Trump. It scares the bejabbers out of me.
DT is deeply unwell physically, mentally, and emotionally. If he hadn’t already done so much damage to this country, I might have some pity for him. But I am beyond that, and I just want him to be gone from the face of the Earth. What frightens me even more is that millions of Americans will vote for this completely broken and despicable individual on November 5. I simply can’t wrap my mind around it.
Notice how trump always makes himself the hero in his fabricated stories. I coulda died, I almost died, I took a bullet for you. Just like his BS story on J6 that he had a physical altercation with a secret service agent that prevented him from going to the Capitol with his followers. Trump is a coward who would never put himself in harms way
Well couple of observations. Tramp is now going through the incompetence gruel that the media put Biden through. I am hesitant to embrace it or promote it because I want him to stay in the race. If they throw some other Republican in there (if that be possible at this point), they might enjoy the same momentum the Harris/Walz ticket is enjoying and the individuals who have had, and looking like more joining-can’t vote for Tramp will flock to who ever they come up with. Secondly, during his past two elections, I tried the tactic of - what if this guy was your neighbor? This neighbor who borrowed your lawn mower and brought it back broken, blamed you that you gave him a piece of junk lawn mower and then had his lawyer sued you for some make believe damage to his property? Or your neighbor that said lustfully inappropriate things about your pubescent daughter. Or who had their dog do his business on your property and would not stop when asked. I mean think of any neighbor gripe-believe me, there are a plethora of them. It received absolutely zero traction. He just made the statement yesterday that while on the campaign tour, a waitress hugged and kissed him and “maybe he would not be returning to the First Lady” as a result. They all seem to have brain worms. Also, Mormons-Utah-Romney (RHINO) does not help Tramp chances either.
Great stuff, Seth...