Trump & the F-35

tincansailor · by **tincansailor** » 24 Feb 2016, 10:52

After Donald Trump's big win in Nevada last night the chances of him being elected president is becoming more possible. Trump has made some ill-informed statements about the F-35 during a radio interview on the Huge Hewitt radio show.

http://www.airforcetimes.com/story/mili ... /74800906/

God help us if he's elected president and decides to personally inject himself into the program. A man as impulsive as Trump could decide to cancel or greatly cutback the program. Now that the F-35 is on it's way to operational status this knuckle head could start the death spiral F-35 opponents have been dreaming of for so many years. After all Trump read a media report that said the plane's not has good as the planes we already have. "You generals only want to make money for LM." He told JEB Bush "When it's the right time I'll know more about foreign policy then you do." I'm sure when the times right he'll know more about defense policy, and weapons systems then any of his generals.

spazsinbad · by **spazsinbad** » 24 Feb 2016, 10:58

From the URL cited above from last paragraph - perhaps some F-35 test pilots need to whisper to the TRUMP a little:

"...“Test pilots are amazing people. They know better than anybody,” he [TRUMP] said...."

charlielima223 · by **charlielima223** » 24 Feb 2016, 11:39

if that Foxtrot Tango is elected I'm (greater possibility now) leaving the US to fight ISIS in Iraq or Syria with the Kurds. Yes I know that if I do that I'll relinquish my citizenship but at least I wont be in a country with that a S S hat at the helm... that and I get to kill ISIS scum bags so its a win win. Besides what does that Foxtrot Tango know about Defense/Military let alone business... just look at all those "successful" business ventures. Living in Las Vegas I can tell you the Trump Tower here isn't as NICE or a well decorated as the other major casinos on the strip.

Given his complete ignorance and self absorbed attitude shouldn't this be in the basement dweller section?

weasel1962 · by **weasel1962** » 24 Feb 2016, 11:44

Trump is a smart guy that knows how to game the system. LM will probably pay a ton of cash to a certain consultancy firm and suddenly the F-35 is the best plane in the world to Trump.

Can't say the same for the dopes who vote for him though.

sferrin · by **sferrin** » 24 Feb 2016, 14:12

tincansailor wrote:After Donald Trump's big win in Nevada last night the chances of him being elected president is becoming more possible. Trump has made some ill-informed statements about the F-35 during a radio interview on the Huge Hewitt radio show.

http://www.airforcetimes.com/story/mili ... /74800906/

God help us if he's elected president and decides to personally inject himself into the program. A man as impulsive as Trump could decide to cancel or greatly cutback the program. Now that the F-35 is on it's way to operational status this knuckle head could start the death spiral F-35 opponents have been dreaming of for so many years. After all Trump read a media report that said the plane's not has good as the planes we already have. "You generals only want to make money for LM." He told JEB Bush "When it's the right time I'll know more about foreign policy then you do." I'm sure when the times right he'll know more about defense policy, and weapons systems then any of his generals.

On the other hand, somebody like Trump isn't stupid. As soon as the brass tells him it's what's what I'm thinking he'd back off. Hell, even an avowed narcissistic pacifist like Obama isn't dissing it.

shrimpman · by **shrimpman** » 24 Feb 2016, 14:41

America survived Clinton, then Bush Junior, survived Obama, maybe they will survive Trump too. Each time they had a president with (to put it diplomatically) slight intellectual disabilities, the guy came with a staff of amazing advisors who were able to put things right most of the time. I admit that this Trump character does not looks like someone who listens to good (or any at all) advice, but he seems to like the idea of bullying smaller countries and bombing the bejeezers out of Middle East. He’s going to need F-35. I don’t think he would have any reasons to play around with the program. If Obama did not cancel it, no one will.

bigjku · by **bigjku** » 24 Feb 2016, 14:52

Trump at his core is a deal maker and business guy. As the Air Force has a good business case for the F-35 once given details on it I wouldn't be too worried. Trump in my view is less tied down to any one position than any politician at this level I can recall. It should be interesting if he got the job but I think for the most part his deal making instincts kick in and he focuses on getting things done.

weasel1962 · by **weasel1962** » 24 Feb 2016, 15:17

Bush 43 and the subprime crisis. Nice set of advisers to create interesting times. Look on the bright side, Muslims, the chinese, koreans and the pope...Trump would need as much weaponry as he can lay his hands on. The F-35 and fox news will come in handy. Ivana Trump as supreme court nominee? Lots of experience in divorce cases...

XanderCrews · by **XanderCrews** » 24 Feb 2016, 15:26

tincansailor wrote:
God help us if he's elected president and decides to personally inject himself into the program. A man as impulsive as Trump could decide to cancel or greatly cutback the program. Now that the F-35 is on it's way to operational status this knuckle head could start the death spiral F-35 opponents have been dreaming of for so many years

Just that little detail called "congress" to worry about. elected president, not king.

Every election the candidates give these big speeches like they are going to rise above all those checks and balances and get it done. Come on. The guys opening move is to destroy military capability and cost tens of thousands of jobs despite what everyone in the us government and military is going to tell him?

lie, bluff, whatever you want to call it, its just another trump whopper and he knows it as he says. I think that is a big difference between him an 08 obama. 08 obama believed his own hype. Trump knows its an act

vilters · by **vilters** » 24 Feb 2016, 15:52

Trump is a "deal maker". => To fill his pockets. (And his pockets only).

Russia needs the F-35 technology : => He will sell the F-35 airframe/avionics to Russia to fill his right pocket.

China needs some good engines: => He will sell the engine to China to fill his left pocket.

4 years over?
Trump happy, Russia happy, China happy.

str · by **str** » 24 Feb 2016, 15:58

A few facts:

First, Trump (nor any of the 20ish candidate that have or are running for president this last year) has made the F-35 (good or bad) a campaign issue, unlike (say) the Liberals in Canada.

Second, none of us know any of these people personally. We don't know if they are smart, dumb, crazy, or whatever. We don't even know what most of these people believe, because everything they say (even Trump) is filtered though what is basically marketing. Every speech, every slogan, is targeted at a specific voter.

Third, it's still the primary. What politicians say publicly in the primary means even less than usual. "Pivot".

Fourth, the president alone cannot single handedly cancel a congressionally mandated program like F-35. Even if the winner decides to stop.work immediately, (s)he would be subject to override.

Fifth, there remains widespread support for this program in the Pentagon, the Capitol, and among the states (which have no control over a federal program, but can exert considerable influence).

Now an opinion:

Even if a candidate was disinclined towards JSF, and given that they'd be fighting DoD, both houses, and a majority of thebstates, it's unlikely they'd want to spend that kind of political capital on a issue they didn't even run on.

les_paul59 · by **les_paul59** » 24 Feb 2016, 16:12

the f-35 is too far along now to have a death spiral, just the fact that so many nato countries are buying the plane would make that scenario very difficult. Trump is in campaign mode, by default he is going to trash anything and everything that has occurred over the last 7 years if it benefits his short term polling numbers. Not to mention the f-35 has congressional support because of how the program is distributed throughout the states

luke_sandoz · by **luke_sandoz** » 24 Feb 2016, 18:26

Trump repeats over and over how he will re-build the Amercian military.

Assumping a Trump POTUS & Republican Senate & House, that should be very doable political wise.

sferrin · by **sferrin** » 24 Feb 2016, 18:41

luke_sandoz wrote:Trump repeats over and over how he will re-build the Amercian military.

Assumping a Trump POTUS & Republican Senate & House, that should be very doable political wise.

What should be doable, killing the F-35 or re-building the military? :?:

vilters · by **vilters** » 24 Feb 2016, 18:45

Funny times are coming.

Trump on the west, Putin on the east, we in between.....

It's gonna be amusing. Expensive but amusing.