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Balloon Juice

Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

No offense, but this thread hasn’t been about you for quite a while.

I like political parties that aren’t owned by foreign adversaries.

Seems like a complicated subject, have you tried yelling at it?

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Disappointing to see gov. newsom with his finger to the wind.

Balloon Juice, where there is always someone who will say you’re doing it wrong.

There are more Russians standing up to Putin than Republicans.

They want us to be overwhelmed and exhausted. Focus. Resist. Oppose.

Hey Washington Post, “Democracy Dies in Darkness” was supposed to be a warning, not a mission statement.

There are times when telling just part of the truth is effectively a lie.

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You are here: Home / Economics / C.R.E.A.M. / The Third Lady’s “Peace Letter” & Why Trump Will Never Release the Epstein Files

The Third Lady’s “Peace Letter” & Why Trump Will Never Release the Epstein Files

by Betty Cracker|  August 18, 20258:50 am| 49 Comments

This post is in: C.R.E.A.M., Open Threads, Politics, Republican Stupidity, Assholes, Clown Shoes, General Stupidity

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As we wait to see how Trump will humiliate the U.S. today by carrying water for Putin,* can we talk about the “peace letter” from Melania Trump that Fox News was crowing about a couple of days ago?

Fox News Digital exclusively obtained the “peace letter” the first lady penned to Putin, which President Trump hand-delivered to the Russian leader before their summit in Alaska, Fox News Digital has learned.

Immediately upon receiving the letter, Putin read it as the American and Russian delegations looked on.

Having read the “peace letter,” I wonder how challenging it was for Putin, a genocidal dictator who’s feeding his own countrymen into a meat grinder so he can keep murdering Ukrainian civilians every day, to keep a straight face. Or if he even bothered.

Here’s an image of the letter, followed by the entire text:

The Third Lady's "Peace Letter"

August 15. 2025

Dear President Putin,

Every child shares the same quiet dreams in their heart, whether born randomly into a nation’s rustic countryside or a magnificent city-center. They dream of love, possibility, and safety from danger.

As parents, it is our duty to nurture the next generation’s hope. As leaders, the responsibility to sustain our children extends beyond the comfort of a few. Undeniably, we must strive to paint a dignity-filled world for all – so that every soul may wake to peace, and so that the future itself is perfectly guarded.

A simple yet profound concept, Mr. Putin, as I am sure you agree, is that each generation’s descendants begin their lives with a purity – an innocence which stands above geography, government, and ideology.

Yet in today’s world, some children are forced to carry a quiet laughter, untouched by the darkness around them -a silent defiance against the forces that can potentially claim their future. Mr. Putin, you can singlehandedly restore their melodic laughter.

In protecting the innocence of these children, you will do more than serve Russia alone-you serve humanity itself. Such a bold idea transcends all human division, and you, Mr. Putin, are fit to implement this vision with a stroke of the pen today.

It is time.

Sincerely,

(illegible scrawl that mimics Trump’s serial killer-style signature)

Jesus. I’m not a national security expert like our Mr. Silverman or even an amateur Kremlinologist, but my guess is Putin was unmoved by this missive from a person he likely regards as a low-rent Slovenian hooker.

***

Speaking of Slovenian hookers (not that there’s anything wrong with Slovenians or sex workers!), I strongly suspect the real reason Trump will never release the Epstein files is that they contain anecdotes like the following:

Clipped the key part here which was provided below by @quintonthomas.bsky.social. This is from Entitled a new Prince Andrew bio just published by Andrew Lownie in the UK. I mentioned this book in a recent post. In fairness to all involved this is what Epstein claimed in 2007. Needless to say …

[image or embed]

— Josh Marshall (@joshtpm.bsky.social) August 16, 2025 at 5:35 PM

The Epstein files likely contain lots of non-actionable gossip about Trump and billionaire GOP donors who spend winters in Palm Beach. Unlike Trump, who often brags about his piggish behavior in public, maybe some of the rich weirdos in the file are capable of shame.

But Trump isn’t, and he doesn’t particular care about anyone else, so why not release the files? Maybe because speculation that Trump married sloppy seconds from Epstein would be personally humiliating. I guess it’s possible Trump really is withholding smoking-gun evidence that he raped underaged girls, but I doubt it. (I doubt evidence is in the files, I mean, not that Trump is a rapist.)

So, to protect the fragile ego of a repulsive swine, Ghislaine Maxwell, convicted sex offender, gets to do her time in a celebrity prison camp with the possibility of a pardon/commutation at the end of Trump’s term if she keeps quiet. Epstein’s victims get disrespected by Trump and his wholly owned subsidiary, the Department of Justice. And the rest of us are left to wonder what the hell is in those files.

Open thread.

*PS: Here’s a gift link to a piece from Anne Applebaum at The Atlantic: “Trump Has No Cards.” It’s good.

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    49Comments

    1. 1.

      MazeDancer

      August 18, 2025 at 9:02 am

      Wonder if Putin handed Trump a lovely, heartfelt letter outlining the Epstein files Russia could release while they were in the Beast. Bet he’s got nice pics of Melania, too.

      Times for today’s Trump-Zelensky meetings.

      1:00 – Trump greets Zelensky

      1:15 – Bilateral with two men

      2:15 – Trump greets European leaders.

      3:00 – Meeting with European leaders

      All times according to Yahoo Australia. Who knows what will really happen. And bet JD attends the bi-lat so they can pummel Zelensky again.

      Also, when’s lunch?

      Reply
    2. 2.

      Scout211

      August 18, 2025 at 9:03 am

      I had read about that “peace letter” that Melania allegedly sent to Putin, but I hadn’t seen a photo of it.  That signature in Trump’s handwriting, using his beloved sharpie is more than bizarre.

      Reply
    3. 3.

      RevRick

      August 18, 2025 at 9:03 am

      Wow! New Cygnal poll has Democrats at +13 on the generic ballot for the midterms 48-35!

      Reply
    4. 4.

      Doug R

      August 18, 2025 at 9:04 am

      So Red Sparrow had report for boss?

      Reply
    5. 5.

      bbleh

      August 18, 2025 at 9:07 am

      @Doug R: thus the unaccompanied ride in Trump’s limo, away from pesky note-takers and other witnesses.

      @MazeDancer: is JD back from being snubbed in the UK yet?  What a waste of skin …

      Nice piece by Applebaum.  Pity that it’s utterly beyond Little Lord Fartleroy.  And of course all his supporters want is to watch Black and brown people get beat up by masked goons on TV.

      Sigh.  Go join a resistance group.  Meet nice people.

      Reply
    6. 6.

      hueyplong

      August 18, 2025 at 9:07 am

      I wonder whether, at the “summit,” Putin when talking to his (domestic) flunkies referred to American flunkies Trump and Rubio as “Moose and Squirrel.”

      Reply
    7. 7.

      MattF

      August 18, 2025 at 9:12 am

      Looks to me like the best outcome of today’s meetings would be a real public breakup between Trump and the Europeans. Could happen.

      Reply
    8. 8.

      Betty Cracker

      August 18, 2025 at 9:18 am

      Trump posted this about the upcoming meeting with Zelensky and the European leaders on his crap social media site:

      Big day at the White House tomorrow. Never had so many European Leaders at one time. My great honor to host them! ! ! President DJT

      The Fake News will say that it is a big loss for President Trump to host so many great European Leaders at our beautiful White House. Actually, it is a great honor for America! ! ! President DJT

      A big day at the White House. We have never had so many European Leaders here at one time. A great honor for America! ! ! Lets see what the results will be? ? ? President DJT

      Sounding a little defensive.

      Reply
    9. 9.

      Scout211

      August 18, 2025 at 9:21 am

      @Betty Cracker: Sounding a little defensive.

      Scavino (and social media minions) trying too hard to fluff the boss.

      Reply
    10. 10.

      Layer8Problem

      August 18, 2025 at 9:24 am

      @RevRick: But I don’t understand how that’s possible; Democrats have done nothing to fix inflation in the last seven months.
      //

      Reply
    11. 11.

      Jeffro

      August 18, 2025 at 9:27 am

      Lets see what the results will be? ? ? President DJT

      The question marks are because even he doesn’t know what he will do or say, not until it’s over (and maybe not even then)

      Reply
    12. 12.

      bbleh

      August 18, 2025 at 9:27 am

      @Layer8Problem: Joe Biden’s inflation, remember.  It’s his fault.

      Reply
    13. 13.

      Chief Oshkosh

      August 18, 2025 at 9:28 am

      @MazeDancer: I predict that there will be no visits after the one-on-one btw Zelensky and Trump. Trump won’t be up to it and his handlers will use the opportunity to insult the “Euro trash.”

      Reply
    14. 14.

      Scout211

      August 18, 2025 at 9:29 am

      Axios is reporting that the White House asked Ukrainian officials if Zelenskyy will be wearing a suit today.

      Reply
    15. 15.

      Layer8Problem

      August 18, 2025 at 9:31 am

      @bbleh:  Well thank goodness he’s no longer torturing us with his feckless agedness or there’d be some cross people let me tell you.

      Reply
    16. 16.

      Baud

      August 18, 2025 at 9:33 am

      @Scout211:

      The American people are asking if Trump will be sucking Putin’s dick today.

      Reply
    17. 17.

      Baud

      August 18, 2025 at 9:33 am

      @RevRick:

      New Cygnal poll has Democrats at +13 on the generic ballot for the midterms 48-35!

       

      I hope those people never read Blue sky.

      Reply
    18. 18.

      zhena gogolia

      August 18, 2025 at 9:54 am

      That letter is very weird.

      Reply
    19. 19.

      Mr. Bemused Senior

      August 18, 2025 at 9:59 am

      @zhena gogolia: [ & @Betty Cracker: ]
      weird, yes. “President DJT” 3 times, what’s up with that? And no “thanks for your attention.” Maybe it’s supposed to be 3 separate posts, each one shown between commercials on TV. [or probably you mean Melania’s letter, yeah that’s weird too. ]

      Reply
    20. 20.

      tam1MI

      August 18, 2025 at 10:01 am

      @RevRick: Wow! New Cygnal poll has Democrats at +13 on the generic ballot for the midterms 48-35!

      “bUt WhAt AbOuT tHe PrIcE oF eGGs?”

      Reply
    21. 21.

      Hunter Gathers

      August 18, 2025 at 10:03 am

      The ‘Horse Feathers’ administration – if the Marx Brothers were both stupid AND vindictive.

      Reply
    22. 22.

      Betty Cracker

      August 18, 2025 at 10:03 am

      @zhena gogolia: Right? Maybe she wrote it herself. Even a fourth-rate PR flak would have known to avoid some of the odder phrasing.

      Reply
    23. 23.

      RandomMonster

      August 18, 2025 at 10:03 am

      Thank you for the gift link, BC.

      Reply
    24. 24.

      Layer8Problem

      August 18, 2025 at 10:04 am

      That’s quite the letter, full of sunshine and hope, just the thing to bring a quiet tear to a war criminal’s eye.  And Melania Trump is just a simple girl who likes to cook and sew.

      Reply
    25. 25.

      Sure Lurkalot

      August 18, 2025 at 10:06 am

      @MazeDancer:

      What I see from that schedule is there’s no longer any expectation that Trump can attend a meeting longer than about 3 hours before someone has to put him down for a nap, which the media will spin as some queen to queen’s level three move.

      Reply
    26. 26.

      SiubhanDuinne

      August 18, 2025 at 10:14 am

      @Scout211:

      President Zelenskyy will be in uniform, as is his wont.

      Reply
    27. 27.

      Gin & Tonic

      August 18, 2025 at 10:14 am

      @Betty Cracker: ​”So many leaders at one time.”

      So five heads of state, the head of NATO and the head of the EU drop all their plans and fly to Washington on 48 hours’ notice – during August, when nobody in Europe actually works. What did they learn about Friday that we haven’t (yet?)

      Reply
    28. 28.

      RevRick

      August 18, 2025 at 10:30 am

      @Baud: Though I signed up for Bluesky, I only encounter it here. Sounds like a good place to avoid.
      The poll is likely an outlier, but it does point to the fact that the general public is quickly souring on Trump and the Republicans. And if it’s at all nearly accurate, the GOP could well lose both the House and Senate!

      Reply
    29. 29.

      Soprano2

      August 18, 2025 at 10:31 am

      @zhena gogolia: How fast do you think the speculation that it’s actually a coded message to Putin will start?

      Reply
    30. 30.

      Soprano2

      August 18, 2025 at 10:32 am

      @Sure Lurkalot: I remember all the hand wringing about how Biden couldn’t keep up with the grueling schedule the president has to keep. It looks to me like they can actually adapt the schedule to the president. *rolleyes* At this point I’m surprised he can do 3 hours of anything other than watching TV.

      Reply
    31. 31.

      RevRick

      August 18, 2025 at 10:33 am

      @tam1MI: That’s exactly why the poll has the GOP in the toilet.

      Reply
    32. 32.

      RevRick

      August 18, 2025 at 10:34 am

      @Layer8Problem: Blame always attaches to the President. Always.

      Reply
    33. 33.

      Soprano2

      August 18, 2025 at 10:35 am

      @Gin & Tonic: It’s scary to think about, isn’t it? You know their intelligence is better than ours at this point.

      Reply
    34. 34.

      MattF

      August 18, 2025 at 10:37 am

      @Gin & Tonic: Agree. This requires, at a minimum, strong interactions among the Europeans. The additional floating paranoia is the chef’s kiss but I can’t (yet) take it seriously.

      Reply
    35. 35.

      Scamp Dog

      August 18, 2025 at 10:38 am

      @zhena gogolia: There isn’t even anything resembling an ask in Melania’s letter, just a vague wish that Ukrainian children have a better future. Putin thinks the best way to do that is to conquer Ukraine and make them all Russian. She couldn’t say “cease the invasion!”, for crying out loud.

      Reply
    36. 36.

      hells littlest angel

      August 18, 2025 at 10:41 am

      I’m not a national security expert like our Mr. Silverman or even an amateur Kremlinologist, but my guess is Putin was unmoved by this missive from a person he likely regards as a low-rent Slovenian hooker.

       

      However, after dipping the letter in a chemical solution, he was able to read a very interesting progress report on Agent Krasnov.

      Reply
    37. 37.

      MazeDancer

      August 18, 2025 at 10:50 am

      Fashion report: Zelensky in pre-meeting meeting with special rep Kellogg.

      Mr. Zelensky sporting the black, short-sleeved t-shirt he was wearing when he got off the plane.

      Not known if he will change to a sleeveless muscle shirt before meeting with Trump. Or if the Euro Leaders will all wear UKraine First t-shirts. But hope remains alive.

      Reply
    38. 38.

      Uncle Cosmo

      August 18, 2025 at 10:54 am

      @RandomMonster: That “gift link” takes me to a subscription page with no obvious way to get to the article other than by signing up. Any penny I’d send to that rag = two cents wasted. In the immortal words of efgoldman, fuckem!

      Reply
    39. 39.

      trnc

      August 18, 2025 at 10:57 am

      If you consider that Putin’s view is that Russian children deserve protection and a “proper” education and Ukrainian children are nothing but pests who may grow up one day to fight Russia, Melania’s letter can be interpreted as “Excellent work, Mr Putin. Please keep it up.”

      Reply
    40. 40.

      Nettoyeur

      August 18, 2025 at 10:57 am

      @Gin & Tonic: Heretofore, the EU will refer to DJT as Neville Trump.

      Reply
    41. 41.

      trnc

      August 18, 2025 at 11:01 am

      @Scamp Dog: There isn’t even anything resembling an ask in Melania’s letter, just a vague wish that Ukrainian children have a better future.

      You’re assuming she’s referring to the Ukrainian children, rather than the Russian children.

      Reply
    42. 42.

      Nettoyeur

      August 18, 2025 at 11:10 am

      Kremlin TV guests regularly espouse drowning or  burning Ukrainian children who refuse to learn Russian.

      Reply
    43. 43.

      Gloria DryGarden

      August 18, 2025 at 11:34 am

      @Baud: indeed.

      he wants a bigger dick, that’s one way to get it..

      also, it becomes irresistibly tempting to say trump sucks.

      __
      of note in Melania’s letter with sharpie signature, she not only doesn’t “ask”, she dots her i, but doesn’t cross her T.

      Reply
    44. 44.

      SFAW

      August 18, 2025 at 12:12 pm

      Skimmed comments, so maybe I missed it, but:

      Melanie’s sig looks exceedingly similar to Shitgibbon’s (in terms of penmanship). Which reminded me of years-ago separate comments from Mrs. SFAW and the SFAW-ette (both medical practitioners) who noted that Shitgibbon’s sig was similar to those of either schizophrenic or psychotic persons (I don’t remember which).

      Reply
    45. 45.

      SFAW

      August 18, 2025 at 12:15 pm

      @Gloria DryGarden:

      he wants a bigger dick, that’s one way to get it..

      He already is — not has — the biggest dick ever to occupy the Oval Office.

      Reply
    46. 46.

      SFAW

      August 18, 2025 at 12:17 pm

      @Nettoyeur:

      Heretofore, the EU will refer to DJT as Neville Trump.

      Or Neville Chumperlain.

      Reply
    47. 47.

      Boris Rasputin (The Evil Twin)

      August 18, 2025 at 12:46 pm

      I’m pretty sure Putin has the Epstein files among his Komromat. Maybe he’ll leak the whole lot if he wants to really screw Trump?

      But does the FSM love us that much?

      Reply
    48. 48.

      Betty

      August 18, 2025 at 2:01 pm

      @SiubhanDuinne: I saw a picture of him wearing an all black suit.

      Reply
    49. 49.

      WTFGhost

      August 18, 2025 at 8:54 pm

      Jesus. I’m not a national security expert like our Mr. Silverman or even an amateur Kremlinologist, but my guess is Putin was unmoved by this missive from a person he likely regards as a low-rent Slovenian hooker.

      My guess is, the hardest thing was not going into “compassion mockery” voice, because that’s the only way Real Manly Men pretend such words are written.

      “da laffter… of da *CHIIIIILLLLLDREEEEEEEN!*” or however they would say it.

      In that way, he’s precisely like the Coward-in-Chief – both think compassion is a weakness to be exploited, not a virtue to nourish, and think pain, and tears, is, by themselves, are cause for laughter.

      Such men are truly emasculated, because what powers good men, is, they know they can’t do it alone, even if they’re the best at everything. So they group together, and value laughter and joy over pain and tears, and in some ways they’re weak – you can trick them again, and again, by feigning injury – but when you launch your attack, expecting these weak men to break and run, their compassion for each other, and their love and belief in something greater, means that they won’t break. And people who mock pain and tears aren’t lauded as heroes when they come back injured, so such people aren’t as willing to stand, and fight, and be hurt, or killed(!!!) rather than breaking and running.

      TL;DR: the human tribe is far more powerful than the bully tribe. I just hope they see what’s happening in time to give a damn, and have it matter.

      Reply

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