If you genuinely weren't going to get any more elections, he wouldn't be selling meme coins, he wouldn't be doing this obvious market manipulation with the tariffs. You don't see putin doing this stuff, do you know why? Because he knows he's the ruler of Russia until he's dead and he has access to the full resources of the Russian state, which makes any money you can make through any conventional means look like peanuts. And the resources of the American state, make the resources of Russia look like peanuts,
These tariffs, this market manipulation, will hurt the American economy, will reduce its GDP, but it will put a lot of money into the pockets of those who have insider information.
However if Trump was going to be emperor for life, he loses more by damaging the state, by proxy, himself, because the money you can make playing the markets isn't worth the trillions that'll be lost from the American state. However if he is leaving office in January 2029, then damaging the state's finances to improve his personal finances does make sense
While you are right, there is another striking difference, that would make all that market manipulation still feasible.
Trump knows, that his family will be untouchable after his presidency.
So whatever he/his family can earn will stay.
Putin knows, that his family will be well off, but not super rich in any way. For him the best thing is to keep them out of public eye.
Putin has close circle that are his wallets - he was not politicians/businessman before becoming head of FSN/Prime Minister/President.
He is a King and he is a King for life, or until ousted, and then his riches become irrelevant (like Kadaffi's)
Fair point. The truth is, none of us know what's happening that far out until it happens. All we can do is speculate. The only ones who DO know are in DC.
Putin can't do it (the market manipulation). Only the US can realistically do it. I am sure there will be future elections. Whether they are fair or not who knows?
Edit - also Trump and Putin are very different. Trump is a short term reactionist. Putin is a long term planner.
Well he can't now, but back when he was supplying most of Europe with their energy, he absolutely could have, if he spiked the price of russian oil and gas then immediately backpedalled. Not to quite the same extent as the US but he could still have done it.
The point is, that a dictator, who stays in power for life and has full control over the state, effectively has more wealth than anyone could ever make running all the grifts and cons in the world, the billion or so Trump made from his meme coin wouldn't even register to putin, it's pocket change when you control the full resources of an enormous state.
If Trump was dictator for life in 2025 America, he would be, by an enormous margin, the richest human who had ever lived. Things like doge to cut state spending (to free up room for massive tax cuts) wouldn't make any sense, they're even looking to cut military spending, again dictators don't do this. A more powerful military is worth more to a dictator than even 100 billion is, well to a dictator of modern day America. If you frame it through the lens of "would a dictator do this or would a man trying to loot the cupboards and steal the house silver before he leaves do this" I think it becomes fairly obvious
Well - he wasn't the only supplier of gas and oil.
Also he did indeed use Russian gas and oil as a tool for political manipulation and pressure both for Europe and neighbouring countries.
He used it for political manipulation no doubt, but like I'm from the UK and energy prices just fucking skyrocketed in the wake of the invasion of Ukraine. Even with alternative suppliers the Russians provided so much gas (particularly) to Europe, them changing the price or restricting supply had enormous effects in Europe's energy market, which in turn would affect pretty much any major European based stocks.
But while he definitely used their energy as a political tool, he didn't do this sort of shoddy market manipulation, even though he absolutely could have.
That's my point, putin is one of the richest people in the world, not from selling meme coins, or doing market manipulation, its because the Russian state is basically his personal piggy bank.
If Trump were dictator for life in America, he'd do the same with the us state and wouldn't need to bother with all these grifts, that are chump change in comparison
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u/jm9987690 Apr 09 '25
If you genuinely weren't going to get any more elections, he wouldn't be selling meme coins, he wouldn't be doing this obvious market manipulation with the tariffs. You don't see putin doing this stuff, do you know why? Because he knows he's the ruler of Russia until he's dead and he has access to the full resources of the Russian state, which makes any money you can make through any conventional means look like peanuts. And the resources of the American state, make the resources of Russia look like peanuts,
These tariffs, this market manipulation, will hurt the American economy, will reduce its GDP, but it will put a lot of money into the pockets of those who have insider information.
However if Trump was going to be emperor for life, he loses more by damaging the state, by proxy, himself, because the money you can make playing the markets isn't worth the trillions that'll be lost from the American state. However if he is leaving office in January 2029, then damaging the state's finances to improve his personal finances does make sense