If there is one thing we have learned about Donald Trump over the last 10 years – for New Yorkers, over the last 50 – it is that you cannot believe anything he says.
Trump lies like water runs down a drain, like a rug lies on the floor. When the news is on and he begins to speak, I mute the sound. I can't stand the sound of his voice, and the constant babbling lies just get me angry. How many times does one have to attend the same horse and pony show with the same performance before one gets tired of the plot? And he moves his hands back and forth like he's playing a concertina that has no sound. Worthless. I didn't even watch the Iran bombing last night. I had too much *important* work to do. How we are going to get through the next 3.5 years I just cannot fathom.
Add to those hand motions the way he twists his shoulders back and forth when he's talking, and the way he hunches forward on the table, head projecting forward of his chest and lower arms bracing himself. All of that, to me, projects uncertainty subliminally.
This is rude and crude, but wouldn't it be kinda fun to have a camera somewhere in his increasingly baggy trousers, allowing us to observe what's happening, front and back, as he shovels out the sh**?
I can't stand to hear him either. During his first term, when I still watched TV news, I used to say I would pay good money to any TV network that promised not to air the sound of his voice. Now they couldn't pay me enough to even look at him playing his ridiculous Air Accordion.
I don't think this moron uses 1000 different words a year. And what he says must be described as simple baby talk which he will (pardon the redundancy) repeat over and over again. He is speaking to his base, who are truly base people.
Thank goodness for the mute button. Whenever I am forced to listen to him my IQ drops and the blood pressure goes up. The jerk is gonna kill me yet.
That's done to hide the fact that he's clueless about what you are saying. Look, he's a sleazy real estate operator. He hasn't a clue about how government operates. In truth, he's not really running the show. There are others behind the scene that are telling him what to do and what he can get away with. It's very obvious if you watch him carefully. Ted Cruz, also a stupid gasbag, got a taste of this in a recent interview.
Not if you are amoral. Do you think Hitler, or Stalin or Bolsonaro had any revision to the terrible things they did? They thought what they were doing were for good. It seems all the Republicans that are siding with Trump (and most, if not all of them are) haven't a tinge of revulsion to the chaos and inhumanity they are causing. They are actually celebrating it.
And yet: "Donald Trump will be learning that it’s a brand new thing to lie yourself out of inconvenient facts like dead American bodies." He's lied convincingly to America and the world about the dead American bodies from Covid, January 6, measles, DOGE budget cuts, and probably other events I can't think of right now.
If we do suffer casualties Trump will lie. Hr will have DODseal off military bases so that reporters will not have access to seal coffins unloaded. He'll threaten families with denial of benefits to keep them silent.
I also have been thinking ahead to non-nuclear consequences for us, thinking of things like September 11. My husband and I won't be flying together anywhere any more unless we are also flying with our daughter. No point in making her parentless because Iran decided to attack. I read your piece on Thursday and dreaded my transatlantic flight on Friday. Made it back before hearing the news from you that Trump had dropped bombs on Iran.
It is the dystopian nightmare of living in a Kakistocracy that we cannot wake up from. Marci Cook was saying on an EU program called Europe Calling, that two Russians wrote into the NYT and said that the US does not even have words in the language to make sense of what is going on. She suggested a few words that they have that we do not.
Waiting to hear what types of reactions there will be. No plane, airport, government building, US or Israeli embassy is safe now. What about sports events, concerts, or any other place where lots of people gather? Will they be safe? And, it seems the US is not working with other countries so much anymore to gather and share intel. What will that mean for us, for them? I have long said that when Donald Trump became president the US and the world was going to be that much less safe and just over 5 months in he has us in a war.
It means a few extremely stupid persons and one extemely Stupid President enabled by the feckless, faithless, fatuous, rich and feebleminded have set us on a path that will be hard to quit. Your seatbelt on?
After reading Micheal Sellers latest on the obliterated nonsense being tossed out by the usual ignoble poltroons today, Lucian definitely adds his usual flair to Trumps bombgate idiocy!!
As Robert Kaplan wrote in the Atlantic, US wartime presidents wield and misuse enormous power. In trumps case it takes little imagination to predict how his regime will use let’s say a terror attack on US soil to demolish what’s left of constitutional democracy and rule of law.
I am worried about national labs, especially when nuclear physicists work. Also, airports, planes, concert halls, sports venues, hospitals, etc... A tit for a tat. Infrastructure, also cyber attacks.
As a child my mom took me to see The Battle of Algiers many times. It suited her anti-colonialist sentiments. I remember the women disguising themselves with blonde hair and French hair cuts and carrying bombs in purses which they would leave somewhere. Trump has gotten rid of the head of TSA, and greatly reduced the numbers of people. All of this safety is compromised so that billionaires can reduce their taxes if they are paying any at all.
When Hegseth announced at his press conference how brilliant Trump is and how Iran's nuclear program is completely decimated the only surprise was that he didn't have a "Mission Accomplished" banner in the background.
Ernst Rohm, head of the SA (Brownshirts), August 1932, speaking of Hitler: "...he was so beset with flatterers who worshipped him unconditionally and never dared contradict him [that they had a close friendship]. Two years later Hitler had Rohm murdered.
I wish! Unfortunately, I have NEVER ever heard Miller criticize anything Donnie has done (other than to countermand Donnie's request to ICE to allow lenience on brown farm and hospitality workers...but he did that very quietly).
Why should Miller endanger himself? He stands in the shadows behind Donnie: he gets to exercise his fanatical hatred of Hispanics; he's close to power and he has Donnie's ear but doesn't threaten Donnie's love & craving for the spotlight. The only way he could get himself thrown under the bus would be to very publicly somehow say something that would hurt Donnie' exceedingly thinskinned "feelings" (pride or ego) and I doubt he would ever do that--Miller really is the perfect evil minion.
Rohm's control of the 3 million members of the SA, dwarfing the 100,000 man regular army, was a minus in Hitler's eyes. So was Rohm's outspoken radicalism. Think of Herr Miller (nee Mueller?) as Reichminister who knows not to upstage the boss. Still, no one is ever "safe." If there is an afterlife, Robespierre, Trotsky and Bukharin can be found playing three-person euchre.
Since you use the word "par," is it any coincidence that T***p's sport of choice has gone, as he's blubbered up, from squash to tennis to golf, all games where he could and can whack at balls that insult his own by being bigger? [Legal disclaimer: Any resemblance to an actual question which demands an answer is purely coincidental.]
Hegseth makes me want to hurl every time I look at his stupidly smug face. As he must surely know that he's on the outs with Donnieboy, Heggie certainly regurgitated enough ridiculously exaggerated praise of tRump to please even that human black hole of sycophancy. I'm surprised they didn't all wear muck boots, the bullshit was so deep.
I unfortunately watched Donny the Feckless-Catheter-Wearing-Warrior-Not give his awful speech while The Three Stooges stood behind him, nodding their heads in agreement like bobble-head dolls. Donny couldn’t help himself as he praised (himself) Bibi, his brother from another mother. But what really got me was the hissing sound that came from his filthy mouth after every sentence he completed. I so want he, Bibi, their staff, and families to be swiftly appearing before The Hague so very very soon. In the meantime, this video came out and just shook the shit outta me because it is happening! https://substack.com/@yayneabeba/note/c-128129248?r=3ff5b&utm_medium=ios&utm_source=notes-share-action
You are absolutely right ..Trump sees all his actions in terms of how they make him look to the world. Hegseth's briefing Sunday morning aimed at flattering his image much more than explaining what US forces did in Iran. It's all egocentric, not strategic thinking. God help us!
Absolutely brilliant analysis. Knowing Trump for 50 years, you see right through his bullshit to consequence land, an absolute fucking dangerous moron.
I have never felt ambivalence like this. I want a regime change in Iran. I don’t want Iran to have nuclear weapons and a viable nuclear program. I hate what the mullahs have done to the young women of Iran. I am Jewish, a Zionist —and I don’t want this war. Yet I sense existential conflict that has nothing to do with the Dominionist wet dream of Armageddon or the equally squalid fantasy not of globalized Intifada but worldwide jihad.
I’ve read the history. I follow the strategy and tactics. And all I can think to do is quote Hamlet- “and look you for my poor part, I’ll go pray.”
Exactly! I think Bibi waited until his handlers hustled iddle Twumpie back from the G7 possibly feeling angry and abused (actually, I think that's Donnie's default setting) and offered the bait of redeeming his (supposed) "strongman" image......and twumpie snapped it right up and then did his little tap dance (smirking all the while) to throw the media and the rest of us off -- although it's highly unlikely that the Iranians were fooled.
I can only wonder if the Iranians might take instability as an opportunity to erupt. Khamenei in his bunker had named potential successors, not naming his son. I do not think I would run this risk.
there’s no public record disclosing the nationalities or ethnicities of members at Mar‑a‑Lago—and the likelihood of identifying Iranian or Persian members is essentially zero due to how the club operates:
⸻
🔐 1. Strict Privacy & Confidentiality Policies
• The Mar‑a‑Lago Club privacy policy explicitly declares that all personal data shared during membership or visits is kept confidential, shared only with affiliates or service providers as needed, and never publicly disclosed  .
• The club’s Terms of Service reinforce transparency in internal procedures but make no mention of revealing demographic information like nationality .
⸻
🕵️♂️ 2. No Public Visitor or Member Logs
• Investigations (e.g., by ProPublica, CREW) have found that neither Mar‑a‑Lago nor the federal government releases lists of members or guests—even Secret Service does not maintain or make such lists available .
• This policy applies uniformly, regardless of a person’s background or citizenship.
⸻
👤 3. Public Figures Don’t Indicate Membership
• A few high-profile Iranian‑American individuals—like Makan Delrahim (former DOJ Antitrust chief), Bijan Kian, Reza Zafari, and Hamid Moghadam—are publicly known to have connections in business or politics .
• However, none are confirmed members of Mar‑a‑Lago. Without personal statements or provenance showing membership, it remains unknown.
⸻
✅ Bottom Line
• 🔒 Mar‑a‑Lago does not publish membership by nationality or ethnicity.
• 🕵️♂️ There’s no credible evidence that any Iranian or Persian individuals are members.
• Only if someone publicly declares their membership would it become known.
Mar-a-Lago, as a private club and the frequent residence of former President Donald Trump, has some protective measures in place when Trump is present, but it is not a fortified military installation. Here’s a detailed breakdown of what air defenses and security protocols exist—or don’t exist—when he is there:
⸻
🔐 1. Secret Service Protection (Primary Defense Layer)
When a former president is present:
• The U.S. Secret Service takes full responsibility for physical security, including airspace coordination, perimeter control, and access screening.
• This includes temporary flight restrictions (TFRs) and coordination with federal aviation agencies.
⸻
🛫 2. Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFRs)
• The FAA regularly issues TFRs over Mar-a-Lago when Trump is on-site.
• These restrict civilian aircraft from flying within a 30-nautical mile radius, with tighter rules within a 10-mile inner core.
• The TFRs are enforced by:
• NORAD (North American Aerospace Defense Command)
• U.S. Air Force fighters on standby from nearby bases (e.g., Homestead ARB)
• Airborne early warning systems (AWACS) in some cases
Consequence for violation: Aircraft can be intercepted, escorted away, or forced to land.
⸻
🧭 3. Ground-Based Air Defense?
There is no publicly acknowledged, permanent ground-based air defense system (e.g., missile batteries, radar stations) installed at or near Mar-a-Lago. However:
• During presidential visits, mobile air defense systems (e.g., man-portable anti-air systems or radar units) could be temporarily deployed.
• Such deployments are not confirmed publicly for security reasons, but precedent from G7 meetings and presidential travel suggests they are likely in high-threat environments.
⸻
🚁 4. Coast Guard and Maritime Patrol
Mar-a-Lago is waterfront property, so the U.S. Coast Guard establishes maritime security zones:
• Restricted boat access
• Patrol boats and radar coverage around the shoreline
• Coast Guard helicopters and drones may provide low-altitude surveillance
⸻
🛰️ 5. Aerial Surveillance and Drones
• Drones are banned within the TFR.
• The Secret Service may use counter-drone technology (RF jammers, radar) to detect and mitigate potential threats.
• There are reports of contracted or federal surveillance aircraft orbiting overhead during high-risk periods.
⸻
🛡️ 6. Other Assets Potentially Involved
While not confirmed for Mar-a-Lago, the following are often used for VIP protection:
• Portable counter-UAS systems (e.g., DroneDefender, SkyWall)
• Mobile radar stations to detect low-flying aircraft or drones
• Communication jamming gear to disable remote-controlled threats
⸻
🧯 7. Limitations and Risks
• When Trump is not in residence, Mar-a-Lago is just a private club with no federal air defense posture.
• Former presidents receive Secret Service protection for life, but the surrounding area does not maintain elevated military readiness unless triggered by specific events.
⸻
✅ Summary Table
Defense Element When Trump is Present When Absent
FAA Flight Restrictions Active (TFR within 30 mi) Not active
NORAD/Air Force Interception On alert via regional assets Not in effect
Secret Service Perimeter Full detail, including airspace coordination Minimal or none
Coast Guard Maritime Zone Enforced Lifted
Ground-Based Air Defense Possibly temporary/mobile only None
The chaos created with this attack is half the point. The other half is what Trump has done is destabilize this region for years to come. Without a moderate regime in Tehran the Middle East will be hearing a lot of booms in the coming years.
There are still too many unanswered questions about what comes next but one certainty is Donald Trump will be there to give us his usual BS. It seems too many of us want that rather than the truth.
Yes, the truth and transparency are exactly what we need, but unfortunately we can’t expect that from this regime. The regime continues to stoke the flames of instability and chaos. We cannot continue down this path.
I agree with you 100%! I never believe what the 🍊clown says. Btw, I first heard about him back in 1983 and he made national news during the mid-late 1980’s when he was dating wife #2 while still married to his first wife. Made national news when he bankrupted all his casinos in Atlantic City, NJ. He’s a con artist and has been doing it for many years.
And that’s not the 1/2 of it. Recall: Trump Airline? Trump university? Trump Mortgage? Trump Travel? Trump Steaks? Trump Vodka? And the Stable Genius who will end the Russian war in Ukraine in 1 day? And on and on and on and on ad nauseam.
Trump lies like water runs down a drain, like a rug lies on the floor. When the news is on and he begins to speak, I mute the sound. I can't stand the sound of his voice, and the constant babbling lies just get me angry. How many times does one have to attend the same horse and pony show with the same performance before one gets tired of the plot? And he moves his hands back and forth like he's playing a concertina that has no sound. Worthless. I didn't even watch the Iran bombing last night. I had too much *important* work to do. How we are going to get through the next 3.5 years I just cannot fathom.
Add to those hand motions the way he twists his shoulders back and forth when he's talking, and the way he hunches forward on the table, head projecting forward of his chest and lower arms bracing himself. All of that, to me, projects uncertainty subliminally.
And can he sit back in a chair EVER????
No. His Depends might fail on him.
This is rude and crude, but wouldn't it be kinda fun to have a camera somewhere in his increasingly baggy trousers, allowing us to observe what's happening, front and back, as he shovels out the sh**?
I can't stand to hear him either. During his first term, when I still watched TV news, I used to say I would pay good money to any TV network that promised not to air the sound of his voice. Now they couldn't pay me enough to even look at him playing his ridiculous Air Accordion.
I don't think this moron uses 1000 different words a year. And what he says must be described as simple baby talk which he will (pardon the redundancy) repeat over and over again. He is speaking to his base, who are truly base people.
Thank goodness for the mute button. Whenever I am forced to listen to him my IQ drops and the blood pressure goes up. The jerk is gonna kill me yet.
Agree - and the twist of his neck and head down move - makes me vomit!
That's done to hide the fact that he's clueless about what you are saying. Look, he's a sleazy real estate operator. He hasn't a clue about how government operates. In truth, he's not really running the show. There are others behind the scene that are telling him what to do and what he can get away with. It's very obvious if you watch him carefully. Ted Cruz, also a stupid gasbag, got a taste of this in a recent interview.
Not if you are amoral. Do you think Hitler, or Stalin or Bolsonaro had any revision to the terrible things they did? They thought what they were doing were for good. It seems all the Republicans that are siding with Trump (and most, if not all of them are) haven't a tinge of revulsion to the chaos and inhumanity they are causing. They are actually celebrating it.
Lucian, brilliant and insightful as always.
And yet: "Donald Trump will be learning that it’s a brand new thing to lie yourself out of inconvenient facts like dead American bodies." He's lied convincingly to America and the world about the dead American bodies from Covid, January 6, measles, DOGE budget cuts, and probably other events I can't think of right now.
If we do suffer casualties Trump will lie. Hr will have DODseal off military bases so that reporters will not have access to seal coffins unloaded. He'll threaten families with denial of benefits to keep them silent.
Please my head will explode - is there no end to this insanity!????
No, there isn't an end to this insanity until and unless Felon47 is dead, which I hope will be sooner than the end of his current term.
I agree with everything you are saying.
I also have been thinking ahead to non-nuclear consequences for us, thinking of things like September 11. My husband and I won't be flying together anywhere any more unless we are also flying with our daughter. No point in making her parentless because Iran decided to attack. I read your piece on Thursday and dreaded my transatlantic flight on Friday. Made it back before hearing the news from you that Trump had dropped bombs on Iran.
It is the dystopian nightmare of living in a Kakistocracy that we cannot wake up from. Marci Cook was saying on an EU program called Europe Calling, that two Russians wrote into the NYT and said that the US does not even have words in the language to make sense of what is going on. She suggested a few words that they have that we do not.
Waiting to hear what types of reactions there will be. No plane, airport, government building, US or Israeli embassy is safe now. What about sports events, concerts, or any other place where lots of people gather? Will they be safe? And, it seems the US is not working with other countries so much anymore to gather and share intel. What will that mean for us, for them? I have long said that when Donald Trump became president the US and the world was going to be that much less safe and just over 5 months in he has us in a war.
The last 5 months have been akin to watching a fire spread across a carpet, heading for the drapes.
Karen, that is a great analogy.
It means a few extremely stupid persons and one extemely Stupid President enabled by the feckless, faithless, fatuous, rich and feebleminded have set us on a path that will be hard to quit. Your seatbelt on?
After reading Micheal Sellers latest on the obliterated nonsense being tossed out by the usual ignoble poltroons today, Lucian definitely adds his usual flair to Trumps bombgate idiocy!!
As Robert Kaplan wrote in the Atlantic, US wartime presidents wield and misuse enormous power. In trumps case it takes little imagination to predict how his regime will use let’s say a terror attack on US soil to demolish what’s left of constitutional democracy and rule of law.
Exactly, people are already discussing possible martial law and no midterm or other elections.
I believe Felon47 will use any excuse, however flimsy, to declare martial law and suspend the 2026 elections. Dictatorship is on the horizon.
Stan, I agree!
Already been reported that Iranian sleeper cells will be unleashed.
I am worried about national labs, especially when nuclear physicists work. Also, airports, planes, concert halls, sports venues, hospitals, etc... A tit for a tat. Infrastructure, also cyber attacks.
As a child my mom took me to see The Battle of Algiers many times. It suited her anti-colonialist sentiments. I remember the women disguising themselves with blonde hair and French hair cuts and carrying bombs in purses which they would leave somewhere. Trump has gotten rid of the head of TSA, and greatly reduced the numbers of people. All of this safety is compromised so that billionaires can reduce their taxes if they are paying any at all.
Anne, Carney is speaking truth to power. I wish that the EU would do that too. Here is the take on it in Canadian Dean Blundell's Substack.
https://open.substack.com/pub/deanblundell/p/canada-just-cut-the-cord-mark-carney?r=f0qfn&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false
When Hegseth announced at his press conference how brilliant Trump is and how Iran's nuclear program is completely decimated the only surprise was that he didn't have a "Mission Accomplished" banner in the background.
Ernst Rohm, head of the SA (Brownshirts), August 1932, speaking of Hitler: "...he was so beset with flatterers who worshipped him unconditionally and never dared contradict him [that they had a close friendship]. Two years later Hitler had Rohm murdered.
Does that mean that Stephen Miller should be looking over his shoulder?
I wish! Unfortunately, I have NEVER ever heard Miller criticize anything Donnie has done (other than to countermand Donnie's request to ICE to allow lenience on brown farm and hospitality workers...but he did that very quietly).
Why should Miller endanger himself? He stands in the shadows behind Donnie: he gets to exercise his fanatical hatred of Hispanics; he's close to power and he has Donnie's ear but doesn't threaten Donnie's love & craving for the spotlight. The only way he could get himself thrown under the bus would be to very publicly somehow say something that would hurt Donnie' exceedingly thinskinned "feelings" (pride or ego) and I doubt he would ever do that--Miller really is the perfect evil minion.
He is the devil on his shoulder and there is no angel on the other one!
Rohm's control of the 3 million members of the SA, dwarfing the 100,000 man regular army, was a minus in Hitler's eyes. So was Rohm's outspoken radicalism. Think of Herr Miller (nee Mueller?) as Reichminister who knows not to upstage the boss. Still, no one is ever "safe." If there is an afterlife, Robespierre, Trotsky and Bukharin can be found playing three-person euchre.
Par for the course.
Since you use the word "par," is it any coincidence that T***p's sport of choice has gone, as he's blubbered up, from squash to tennis to golf, all games where he could and can whack at balls that insult his own by being bigger? [Legal disclaimer: Any resemblance to an actual question which demands an answer is purely coincidental.]
True that.
Hegseth makes me want to hurl every time I look at his stupidly smug face. As he must surely know that he's on the outs with Donnieboy, Heggie certainly regurgitated enough ridiculously exaggerated praise of tRump to please even that human black hole of sycophancy. I'm surprised they didn't all wear muck boots, the bullshit was so deep.
As quickly as he got his first phrase out, I turned the TV off.
Andy Borowitz said George W Bush offered to lend it to him
I unfortunately watched Donny the Feckless-Catheter-Wearing-Warrior-Not give his awful speech while The Three Stooges stood behind him, nodding their heads in agreement like bobble-head dolls. Donny couldn’t help himself as he praised (himself) Bibi, his brother from another mother. But what really got me was the hissing sound that came from his filthy mouth after every sentence he completed. I so want he, Bibi, their staff, and families to be swiftly appearing before The Hague so very very soon. In the meantime, this video came out and just shook the shit outta me because it is happening! https://substack.com/@yayneabeba/note/c-128129248?r=3ff5b&utm_medium=ios&utm_source=notes-share-action
The US is not a member of the International Criminal Court...so no trip to The Hague for the orange psychopath nor for Dumbya....
Posted this video on my FB page earlier today.
👏🏼👏🏼
Surprisingly, I have seen that on FB! I expect Suckerberg yanked it, however...so I think I'll post it again!
You are absolutely right ..Trump sees all his actions in terms of how they make him look to the world. Hegseth's briefing Sunday morning aimed at flattering his image much more than explaining what US forces did in Iran. It's all egocentric, not strategic thinking. God help us!
Can God really help us?
He hasn't shown that He wishes to, so far.
Absolutely brilliant analysis. Knowing Trump for 50 years, you see right through his bullshit to consequence land, an absolute fucking dangerous moron.
I have never felt ambivalence like this. I want a regime change in Iran. I don’t want Iran to have nuclear weapons and a viable nuclear program. I hate what the mullahs have done to the young women of Iran. I am Jewish, a Zionist —and I don’t want this war. Yet I sense existential conflict that has nothing to do with the Dominionist wet dream of Armageddon or the equally squalid fantasy not of globalized Intifada but worldwide jihad.
I’ve read the history. I follow the strategy and tactics. And all I can think to do is quote Hamlet- “and look you for my poor part, I’ll go pray.”
Attacking Iran only gives the mullahs more power and control over Iran.
Regime change will have to come from the Iranian people.
Netanyahu wanted to bring the U.S. into this conflict and Trump took the bait.
Bibi manipulated trump. trump is a sucker. Look how Putin sucker punched him.
Exactly! I think Bibi waited until his handlers hustled iddle Twumpie back from the G7 possibly feeling angry and abused (actually, I think that's Donnie's default setting) and offered the bait of redeeming his (supposed) "strongman" image......and twumpie snapped it right up and then did his little tap dance (smirking all the while) to throw the media and the rest of us off -- although it's highly unlikely that the Iranians were fooled.
"I'll keep you in suspense." This seems to be his MO most of the time
I can only wonder if the Iranians might take instability as an opportunity to erupt. Khamenei in his bunker had named potential successors, not naming his son. I do not think I would run this risk.
Does Mar-a-Largo have robust air defenses?
Any recent Persian members who have coughed up the zillion-dollar entrance fee?
Problem would be that Trump has no idea that “Persian” is Iranian.
there’s no public record disclosing the nationalities or ethnicities of members at Mar‑a‑Lago—and the likelihood of identifying Iranian or Persian members is essentially zero due to how the club operates:
⸻
🔐 1. Strict Privacy & Confidentiality Policies
• The Mar‑a‑Lago Club privacy policy explicitly declares that all personal data shared during membership or visits is kept confidential, shared only with affiliates or service providers as needed, and never publicly disclosed  .
• The club’s Terms of Service reinforce transparency in internal procedures but make no mention of revealing demographic information like nationality .
⸻
🕵️♂️ 2. No Public Visitor or Member Logs
• Investigations (e.g., by ProPublica, CREW) have found that neither Mar‑a‑Lago nor the federal government releases lists of members or guests—even Secret Service does not maintain or make such lists available .
• This policy applies uniformly, regardless of a person’s background or citizenship.
⸻
👤 3. Public Figures Don’t Indicate Membership
• A few high-profile Iranian‑American individuals—like Makan Delrahim (former DOJ Antitrust chief), Bijan Kian, Reza Zafari, and Hamid Moghadam—are publicly known to have connections in business or politics .
• However, none are confirmed members of Mar‑a‑Lago. Without personal statements or provenance showing membership, it remains unknown.
⸻
✅ Bottom Line
• 🔒 Mar‑a‑Lago does not publish membership by nationality or ethnicity.
• 🕵️♂️ There’s no credible evidence that any Iranian or Persian individuals are members.
• Only if someone publicly declares their membership would it become known.
⸻
Mar-a-Lago, as a private club and the frequent residence of former President Donald Trump, has some protective measures in place when Trump is present, but it is not a fortified military installation. Here’s a detailed breakdown of what air defenses and security protocols exist—or don’t exist—when he is there:
⸻
🔐 1. Secret Service Protection (Primary Defense Layer)
When a former president is present:
• The U.S. Secret Service takes full responsibility for physical security, including airspace coordination, perimeter control, and access screening.
• This includes temporary flight restrictions (TFRs) and coordination with federal aviation agencies.
⸻
🛫 2. Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFRs)
• The FAA regularly issues TFRs over Mar-a-Lago when Trump is on-site.
• These restrict civilian aircraft from flying within a 30-nautical mile radius, with tighter rules within a 10-mile inner core.
• The TFRs are enforced by:
• NORAD (North American Aerospace Defense Command)
• U.S. Air Force fighters on standby from nearby bases (e.g., Homestead ARB)
• Airborne early warning systems (AWACS) in some cases
Consequence for violation: Aircraft can be intercepted, escorted away, or forced to land.
⸻
🧭 3. Ground-Based Air Defense?
There is no publicly acknowledged, permanent ground-based air defense system (e.g., missile batteries, radar stations) installed at or near Mar-a-Lago. However:
• During presidential visits, mobile air defense systems (e.g., man-portable anti-air systems or radar units) could be temporarily deployed.
• Such deployments are not confirmed publicly for security reasons, but precedent from G7 meetings and presidential travel suggests they are likely in high-threat environments.
⸻
🚁 4. Coast Guard and Maritime Patrol
Mar-a-Lago is waterfront property, so the U.S. Coast Guard establishes maritime security zones:
• Restricted boat access
• Patrol boats and radar coverage around the shoreline
• Coast Guard helicopters and drones may provide low-altitude surveillance
⸻
🛰️ 5. Aerial Surveillance and Drones
• Drones are banned within the TFR.
• The Secret Service may use counter-drone technology (RF jammers, radar) to detect and mitigate potential threats.
• There are reports of contracted or federal surveillance aircraft orbiting overhead during high-risk periods.
⸻
🛡️ 6. Other Assets Potentially Involved
While not confirmed for Mar-a-Lago, the following are often used for VIP protection:
• Portable counter-UAS systems (e.g., DroneDefender, SkyWall)
• Mobile radar stations to detect low-flying aircraft or drones
• Communication jamming gear to disable remote-controlled threats
⸻
🧯 7. Limitations and Risks
• When Trump is not in residence, Mar-a-Lago is just a private club with no federal air defense posture.
• Former presidents receive Secret Service protection for life, but the surrounding area does not maintain elevated military readiness unless triggered by specific events.
⸻
✅ Summary Table
Defense Element When Trump is Present When Absent
FAA Flight Restrictions Active (TFR within 30 mi) Not active
NORAD/Air Force Interception On alert via regional assets Not in effect
Secret Service Perimeter Full detail, including airspace coordination Minimal or none
Coast Guard Maritime Zone Enforced Lifted
Ground-Based Air Defense Possibly temporary/mobile only None
Drone Mitigation Systems Likely deployed None
⸻
Wait, Pete Hegseth was at work at 8 a.m.?
He had been drinking all night.
Came straight from the bar
Strange how Netanyahu isn’t mentioned even once this analysis. Why not discuss the real elephants in the room?
By the way, I’ve seen no coverage of what happens when a site for uranium enrichment is blown to bits.
What happens to all of that radioactive material?
Are we supposed to believe an implosion of the site will contain the toxic waste?
Been wondering this too!
Bibi’s never worth mentioning, he’s a criminal, just like the career criminal in the Oval KL
Dead on Lucian, pardon the pun.
The chaos created with this attack is half the point. The other half is what Trump has done is destabilize this region for years to come. Without a moderate regime in Tehran the Middle East will be hearing a lot of booms in the coming years.
There are still too many unanswered questions about what comes next but one certainty is Donald Trump will be there to give us his usual BS. It seems too many of us want that rather than the truth.
Yes, the truth and transparency are exactly what we need, but unfortunately we can’t expect that from this regime. The regime continues to stoke the flames of instability and chaos. We cannot continue down this path.
Oh yes we can continue down this path! And we will until enough of us demonstrate that we won’t allow it anymore.
The ball is in our park. Do something!
It’s not going to be pretty, is it?
Pretty grim, like the Grim Reaper.
Jebus H. I hope this thing blows over. Nuclear war in the Middle East would spread worldwide.
Time to go as low as Trump...he will be known as the only President who got his job by beating 2 women...
I agree with you 100%! I never believe what the 🍊clown says. Btw, I first heard about him back in 1983 and he made national news during the mid-late 1980’s when he was dating wife #2 while still married to his first wife. Made national news when he bankrupted all his casinos in Atlantic City, NJ. He’s a con artist and has been doing it for many years.
And that’s not the 1/2 of it. Recall: Trump Airline? Trump university? Trump Mortgage? Trump Travel? Trump Steaks? Trump Vodka? And the Stable Genius who will end the Russian war in Ukraine in 1 day? And on and on and on and on ad nauseam.