Trump has less idea of what's going to happen than the average reader of this newspaper. The man isn't just mentally incapable, he was an idiot to start with. If you want to see the trend, look at his sons!
Trump is only paying attention to any subject when someone is talking to him about it - whether the cameras are on or not. He doesn't know how to plan anything except his latest stunt, which he plans in real time while he is doing it.
There is going to be a rolling series of disasters leading up to an election stunt war with Iran to ensure he runs for re-election as a "war president" and beyond that, Trump has no plan at all. "Start war to get second terms." That's his plan.
North Korea will devolve into farcical threats because the Joint Chiefs won't obey his orders to attack. The Wall is going to be somehow declared to be underway before November, no matter whether it is happening or not.
Trump is really going to take America down, and nobody is doing anything to stop hiim.
"We`ll see" if Trump & Kushner go to jail when Mueller gets done digging into their Russian money laundering activities. Actually it should be a slam dunk but the DC swamp stretches all the way to Wall St and Las Vegas where Netanyahu`s buddy ,Sheldon Adelson lives. It is slow wading in the swamp muck. A Democratic Congress would give Mueller a fleet of airboats to speed his progress. Vote the Trump abettors out of office , the future of the nation depends on you.
Will see ? or we just got the same raise we having been getting for the last eight years. Pretty much proved giving companies money didn’t land in our pockets again. How many companies like Amazon Costco and so on are raising prices with those great tax cuts. So giving me more in my paycheck did nothing for me but pay more to greedy companies.
1
And this "We'll see" free-wheeler caught in a maelstrom of failed actions, lies, and hypocrisy has the press salivating over a possible Nobel Prize for his mastery of something world-saving that hasn't happened yet. Could the reports be more depraved and slothful
1
Since he doesn't understand his job all he does is flip flop and "we'll see". He talks gibberish most of the time because he does't know what he's doing. He has created a 3-ring circus with all his scandals and lies that will continue until his term is over and we get rid of him and get down to the job of repairing all his damage.
1
Here's my problem. I can see, and what I see is disgusting, grotesque, evil, stupid, greedy, and many other negative things.
This is the ultimate unpatriotic president, willing to sell our future for his 30 pieces of silver. Bombs and climate change, cheating, stolen elections, ruined schools, a violent highly armed theocracy that ignores the Jesus of the Gospels, the list goes on and on.
"Evil, be thou my good" (Paradise Lost) is a rule for survival - quick and dirty death of the soul - until it isn't.
3
Trump's "we'll see" means he doesn't have a clue. He has to wait for Fox & Friends to tell him what to do. Until then... we'll see.
6
He's been using "We'll see what happens" or some variant of it since long before the inauguration. It's clearly a way to cover his rear while trying to appear both strong and unpredictable, but to this citizen, at least, it just makes him sound clueless.
This is especially so since one of the variants he often uses is "If we get [XX], that would be great. If we don't, that's OK too," (you can Google it and come up with an abundance of examples), which strongly signals what I suspect is the truth, namely that he actually neither knows nor cares about the issue he's talking about. All he cares about is framing whatever happens as a WIN for TRUMP.
3
"we'll see", new slogan for trump if he can run again.. he may be sitting in jail.
2
It's not a verbal tic: Trump talks like a TV pundit teasing the next segment, because that's what he wants to be, deep down: he wants to be one of those dopes who he watches, who get to spout off about everything, be right about nothing, and be obnoxious, while having no responsibilities to anyone.
3
For a buffoon like Trump “We’ll see” is a major step forward. Vagueness is preferable to simply being wrong. Plus it might imply a dim awareness that subtlety and complexity are lurking beneath the surface. The big worry is that Trump is being played by world leaders and may be in an explosive mood when he awakes to that fact.
2
An earlier version of Pres. Obama's "Let me be clear" was Pres. Nixon's "Let me say this about that." This was so well-worn it was used as the title of various articles, for example, a NYT review by Christopher Hitchens, Oct 8, 2000.
1
Whenever Trump replies, "We'll see," or "Time will tell," that means he doesn't have a clue or any idea about what he was asked.
You guys should know this by now!
5
There's no reason the president should divulge his strategy to the public. "We'll see what happens" is a common - and very acceptable - expression for that purpose.
1
There are two reasons I can think of why Trump keeps saying "We'll see." First, he hasn't thought through (or isn't even aware of) the issue being presented to him by the questioner and doesn't want to say something stupid. Second, and more important for Trump, is that he think it creates suspense, and thus more attention for himself. That is of course what matters to him most. Kind of like The Apprentice: "Whom will the Donald fire next? Tune in tomorrow!"
3
"We'll see," is a more suitable phrase for a con-man manipulator like Trump to direct at his base than, "Think about it."
Because thinking is the last thing he wants people to do.
3
"We'll see." Makes me think of a parent torturing a child with the possibility of punishment.
2
"We'll see" just means Trump doesn't have a clue. That's all.
4
"We'll see what happens", is the response of a vacuous mind spinning its wheels with nothing worthwhile or intelligible to say. This is Trump's fall-back phrase every time there is a question that is above his mental pay grade, which is almost always.
The literal translation in his case is "I haven't got a clue".
The man is mentally and morally bankrupt.
2
I'll translate. "We'll see" means "I'm checked out, uninformed on the issue, am done talking about this, and five minutes from now won't remember the conversation or will deny ever having had it. Being president is lot less like being a king or mob boss than I had hoped."
2
If it were only Howard Stern that Trump was talking to, it wouldn't much matter what "we'll see" really means. But, this individual is the supposed leader of the free world, so it matters very much what this guy is thinking. The first time this lazy "we'll see" blows up in his and our faces, is when the country will demand a leader who understands that words matter.
2
'We'll see' is what I say when I have no idea what someone is talking about, or really don't care. More of a verbal fill-in until the subject changes.
1
What he means is "we'll see.... Right after this commercial break/next episode"
1
When my father used to say "We'll see" when we asked his permission for something, we usually took it to mean "It's not gonna happen."
1
“We’ll see what happen” represents the Trump geopolitical strategy.
1
"We'll see" is a perfect dual purpose response for Trump -- he has no idea what he's talking about, has no real policies, or any idea how to formulate any, so he has no other answer. In this, he's part of the "we" who will "see" what happens.
Also, it's just another way for the huckster to say "Be sure to tune in tomorrow for the next exciting episode!"
14
President Trump is negotiating. In negotiation there is free will and it can take a turn at any moment. It is impossible for him to define a outcome of another free will or situation. You have to "see what happens".
2
I think he uses the phrase "we'll see" because he really doesn't have a policy or plan, and he knows that he is liable to change his mind depending on who he talks to last. I also think he uses to avoid answering difficult questions--formulating a meaningful answer to a complex question requires a certain organization of thought that he is just not capable of. He has "the best words" but only in the context of campaign style rhetoric.
17
My husband and I have a good friend that has driven his friends crazy for years with a similar response. Whenever we ask him to do something with us, he’ll say something like “I’ll get back to you.” We have come to understand that he is either unable to make up his mind or is hoping a better offer will come in. Then we wait and wait, unable to finish our plans, because we are now waiting for him.
In the president’s case, his tic could be for the same reasons, or it could be that he is hoping to watch Fox News to find out what the commentators would have him do.
19
"We'll see" is DJT usual response to may things. Often it's “soon,” “very soon,” “very, very soon,” “in the coming weeks” or even “immediately.” see NYT from September 2017..https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/09/27/upshot/trump-statements-s...
7
“We’ll see” is not simply a verbal tic. It represents the entirety of Trump’s strategies- for everything. That is, he does not plan, cannot formulate complex strategy, and relies only on chaos. A person with more vision would at least be able to describe their desired end, when outlining what may come next in a process or series of events they may be able to influence. Apparently Mr. Trump is just not capable of this level of complex thought.
16
We'll se = I have no idea and don't know what I'm doing
19
What happens when we finally "see"? Open your eyes and find out. Trump is a fraud.
8
This article attempts to split hairs when there is simply a single fat, giant hair ball. "We'll see." means the POTUS doesn't know himself and is too lazy or skillful enough to say something intelligent or diplomatic in response.
9
If the writer had done their homework the article would have given us the box-score on how these postponed revelations have panned out.
2
Which "we" is Trump using ?
Is it the Imperial " We ", or does he mean , along with him, others in his administration ?
I know which of the two I think, and I also think the overwhelming majority of other Times readers would agree.
3
The phrase probably means I don't have a clue what's going on!
Please vote in November!!!
7
“after a while it’s like, ‘He really doesn’t know what’s going to happen, does he?’”
Uh, short answer, "No".
6
Another candid shot of our frumpy folded-arms emotionally unhinged/challenged Presidunce.
8
the President is stupid, incompetent, hot headed, ill-advised (not that he listens), otherwise clueless, impetuous, ill-informed, incapable of inquiry, lazy, greedy, a fool, probably a crook, and doing it all by making it up as he goes along.
this is terrifying.
12
What else can a man with no understanding of the issue(s) and no plan say?
8
Trump is an empty vessel. Morally, intellectually and in every other way. Of course he doesn't have any answer for us - he has no answer within himself.
12
We are the people, we are not supposed to wait for the King to show us when he's ready, we are supposed to know what our leaders are doing bu increasingly we don't.
4
“We’ll see” - (Trump thinking, “depending on if I have a job in the White House or not”)
3
Will Trump get impeached or leave in disgrace? "We'll see what happens"
5
"We'll see" = "You'll know when I know."
5
Out here in The Real America, everbody is 1000% TRUMP!! Ain't nobody in this trailer park that ain't got a Big American Flag and a Red MAGA hat!!!
I saw almost $7 more in my paychek ever two weeks from my manager job down at DollarDaze and I am patriotically spending it all real quick to buy 100% America-made gasoline!! [Keep hopin' I can see the needle move! LOL }
Not only that, those Great Big Tax Cuts for The Big Companies is helpin' us too! Just last week we got a Great Big 10¢ Price Cut on the cat food we use to make casserole. Now THAT's what MAGA is all about!!!
TRUMP 2028!!!
6
Sad! Many people are saying. Okay?
4
Trump says “we’ll see” because he has to return to moronic advisers such as Sean Hannity and the guy who owns the National Enquirer to explain the world to him.
7
Why call it a verbal tic? The man just doesn't know what he's talking about.
4
When is the last time you believed anything said?
2
Question: When will we see Trump get impeached.
Answer: We'll see.
4
Mexico WILL pay for it (we'll see).
3
If Trump wants that Nobel Peace Prize, he cannot afford to rip up the Iran Nuclear Deal.
1
Trump alias Daddy Warbucks will promise that Tomorrow will bring sunshine just wait and see. So my next question is then what? Bomb? Please someone, get him away from his fantasies. He is unable to read more than a few lines of the daily briefings, his level of self-agrandizment is pathological. The White House seems to most rarional people and world leaders is operating as a casino,
2
What's wrong with it?
Seems to work better than the "Strategic Patience" of doing nothing coined by Obama.
1
"We’ll see what happens" is the catchphrase of a mindless moron rargeted at idiots, perfectly crafted to say nothing about anything.
5
We'll see = I have no earthly clue.
Many people are saying = I'm just making this up.
I just found out = last person I spoke to said...
Believe me = do nothing of the sort.
7
Notice it’s not “you’ll see” but “we’ll see” as in “I’m in the audience too, and if it fails, we’re both to blame”.
2
Even though great animosity still keeps some of these Aisan nations apart, it won't be long before China, North Korea, and South Korea will be able to start negotiating their own arrangements with the UK and the EU. Eventually, possibly (not likely soon), Japan will work with them. What we need to remember is that the American sensibility is, at core, a selfish one that tends to excuse certain kinds of dishonorable behavior for a winning outcome. The PacRim nations, however brutal in many ways, do not trust Trump and see his pubescent approach to negotiations as not only stupid but also dishonorable. They do not take him seriously. Confucius may have established an undemocratic order, but the nations who are informed by honor, discipline, and responsibility, however badly implemented, will eventually ignore the US, bowing and smiling at the White House while they create a global economy not dependent (or even willing to work with) the U.S.
4
An added benefit of the “we’ll see” response is that its vagueness frustrates the media, who are hungry for content to feed their 24-hour news grind.
2
Trumpspeak is the language of a man acting in bad faith who wants to avoid accountability and keep all manner of "spin" options open. Let's take North Korea. It is the strategic interest of the US to keep South Korea and Japan protected from NK, and thus also protected from the Chinese. That was true almost 70 years ago, and remains true today. So one would expect a US President to say, "I expect North Korea to disarm and I will keep US troops on the peninsula to ensure they do." Trump says "we'll see" because he doesn't want to lose the chance to "negotiate" and give himself a "win" by unilaterally agreeing to withdraw troops from the peninsula and maybe win the Nobel Peace Prize and have the Republicans keep control of the House because of his "achievement" and then he can fire Mueller.
3
"We'll see"...is more or less the same as
"who knows?" as in "who knows what I'll do" since
that seems to be closest to how he makes his "decisions".
But it is also not far from how lots of the wannabee alpha guys who form his base make their personal decisions too, so you
can see the nature of the predicament we're all in as well
as the nature of his appeal to them.
Re Iran, one thing is presumably clear. That media event in Israel a few days ago was part of a plan worked out earlier
in the year that is supposed to give il duce all the talking points and pretext he needs for his next "we'll see".
That seven year duration he
claimed was all the agreement was good for
is an excellent example of how thorough ignorance
and complete indifference to briefing papers, if not actual
indifference to using lies to justify/rationalize policy, will get this country in seriously very big trouble in the near future.
But another thing is far less clear. What do Iran and
the responsible partners to the agreement actually do after that "decision"?
3
The problem with Trump’s use of the phrase "we'll see" is simply this: when Trump says it, he doesn't mean "no one, not even I, can truly predict the future." Instead, he means "not only do I not know what I'm going to do, I don't know what I'm talking about. In fact, I don't even know what I'm saying."
6
Everything with Trump is we'll see and then many of the we'll sees just disappear from his agenda. I believe Trump is a big talker and not always a big doer.
3
The problem is that 'we'll see' is his answer to any issue of depth because he has no clue. He manages day by day, if not minute by minute, with no strategic thinking whatsoever except for self-preservation, enrichment and self-aggrandizement. Let us stop the 'carnage' and get him out with a strong opposition vote in the mid-terms. That will be a critical first step to save us all from more damage from what will be seen as the worst president in US history.
4
I think it would be best if we just stopped asking Trump questions. Otherwise he might feel compelled to make a decision. Just tell him how huge his inauguration crowds were and wait for november 2020.
1
Trump apparently recognizes he has reached his limits of the Peter Principle. Defensively he uses the phrase "we will see" to keep distance from making decisions and hoping the events take care of themselves through neglect or the actions of others.
3
"We'll see" is a perfect rejoinder to the journalist hyenas who yell out off-the-cuff questions and digs in a quest to play "gotcha" and provide anti-Trump fodder for the nightly news.
It's too bad that Bush was "the decider". The world we live in today would a vastly different place if his administration hadn't mucked up the Middle East. Now "W" is being given a serious run for his money by another Republican who has even less business being within hailing distance of the White House. What a bed we've made for ourselves that we all now must lie in.
4
I think the author over-analyzes the situation...
Trump's signature approach to pretty much anything is unpredictability. "We'll see" is a classic nothing statement that provides absolutely no definitive position.
"We'll see" scared the heck out of North Korea (along with the "bigger button") since he may ultimately mean going to war.
"We'll see" sets the stage for trade negotiations with China since he may (or may not...) follow through on hated tariffs.
"We'll see" drives politicians, foreign adversaries and liberals crazy. Trump is all about keeping people guessing so that he can gain the optimal negotiating advantage. How do you paint someone in a corner when they say "we'll see"? You don't. All you have left is "he doesn't know what he wants" or "he doesn't understand the complexities of the issue". Both are wrong. Trump leverages his unpredictability to achieve his goals. He's been doing this for years.
Underestimate Trump at your own peril. Just ask Hillary...
1
Trump has transformed into a humble president who has in his 15 months in the white house realized he is not the most powerful person in the world and not the most powerful American. The constraints and limits to make things happen are many. In a way that is a good thing because his campaign hype was sufficient to get him in the white house but to get all his wishes and campaign promises delivered may not have been the best thing to have happened. We'll see is an expression of uncertainty as well as an opening to events that may or may not happen as can be predicted. There is a lot of behind the scene diplomacy that has to occur before one can say for sure what will happen. We know what the US wants from North Korea but what does it want from the USA besides a promise not to invade North Korea and lift sanctions. I bet the meeting between Kim and Trump is not just to dine with kim chee being served, it will be formal signing of agreements that have been previously agreed to. With regard to Iran, I assume that there will be push to renegotiite the current Iran deal. As far as the Trade agreements having some wiggle room to not impose tariffs in case there are severe repercussions to the US economy. One thing one can say for sure is that Trump is not stupid and reckless. Trump is result oriented and still fixated on his goals.
I personally am very uncomfortable having a world wide known lier representing this country in important negotiations. So far the president has revealed nothing of his boastful ability at the negotiating table. If I was one of the other countries involved I would resent having to face such a weak individual and take his word on anything. His dishonesty is legend.
2
"We'll see" is less important than what precedes it. Usually it comes after a passage in which Trump has recited a meandering collection of vague and disparate talking points about the subject at hand.
For me, it is the tell that even he has realised that he is sounding uninformed and erratic, and is his attempt to round off his speech with something approaching a veneer of thoughtful consideration.
2
"We'll see what happens." In the meantime the country is on the verge of a breakdown. When will the GOP realize that they are endangering our nation by not making Trump accountable for any of his negative behavior, actions or decisions which are ruining individual lives and the health of the nation.
1
Dishonest financial people have a habit of making announcements about upcoming announcements when promoting their pump and dump securities. Trump has taken a page from their playbook. I keep wondering when his core base of supporters will realize he is merely a box of noxious air. Hopefully soon.
2
Yes, "we'll see" that Tillerson and Kelly were right!
1
Just look at him—and listen to him.
This is the state of the U.S. Presidency.
1
Yet more evidence that when pundits say Trump is transactional what they should say is he's just making it up as he goes along. That's a shoddy and dangerous way to be president.
2
The article saves one of the best points for the last--“Free styling only works when things are going pretty well.”
President Trump seems to many to be advancing America's interests. At this moment, the free styling is working.
The success of the matters on the Administration's plate (e.g., N Korea, Iran, an alliance to challenge China's trade practices) are too important to America for Trump's many critics to root against.
I hope that doesn't bother them too much. Maybe they'll tweak their position a bit to release the strain.
Why over-complicate this? Occam's Razor suggests the simplest explanation why Trump says "We'll see" is that he has little or no idea of the details of the subject matter, much less when or what the outcome might be.
If I were asked by reporters whether and when we'll be able to harness thermonuclear fusion for energy, I'd proudly say "We'll see."
So is that what Trump means? I guess we'll see.
11
"We'll see" is typical bureaucratic weasel talk, said by people who don't want to commit to something and risk failure, but who also want the option to claim credit if things go well.
I don't know why people try to make it into something different just because it came out of Trump's mouth.
15
He's making it up as he goes along. He says "we'll see" because he really has no clue. Speaks to the kind of orientation one must have when one behaves as erratically as he.
18
I would interpret this to mean he does not know what he plans to do, nor does he have an inkling of what is likely to happen or even what he wants to have happen.
14
For some reason, I am reminded of the way retail stores constantly move stuff around. But beyind the churn, maybe the point is to render the world so chaotic that nobody is smarter about anything than Trump.
3
I am tired of Journalist reaching for false equivalency or trying to find parallels between Trump and past presidency instead of admitting that Trump stands alone as unfit to be president. Like Bruni once said trying to make sense of Trump is like watching a fly flying in a glass jar. There is nothing there to see
23
The hallmark of a narcissist is to repeat to oneself and the world, "Only I have the vision. Only I can perform the mission." In my Federal agency, many a career advance has been thwarted by the candidate copping such an attitude of indispensability, when anyone can be replaced, and strutting around in a uniform like the Duce or Hitler of bygone days doesn't help their cause either.
6
When I was a child I’d ask my parents for this or that. When the response was “we’ll see” I soon learned that that meant “no.”
Don’t know what it means from President Trump. Just remembering.
5
When other people do it, it's called waffling. And he doesn't only do it with foreign policy. It also happens whenever he runs into too much opposition on domestic issues, for example the "Dreamers..." He's been going back & forth on that one for quite a while now.
4
in Trump’s case this might actually be wise, straddling the fence until a clear decision (or not) presents itself ; if only he’d apply the same caution in his impulsive tweets and call-in rants (for his own sake, not ours, since they have been most enlightening as to his true state of mind)
3
Donald Trump is like a petulant child. He lacks the emotional maturity that is necessary for the office he holds. He is wholly ignorant of the basic tenants of a democracy, the fundamentals of American jurisprudence and history based on empricle evidence. Donald Trump is a clear and present danger to this nation.
16
If Trump quashes the Iran agreement, it will send the message that a nuclear deal is nothing more than a circus. This is precisely what Kim Jong-un wants. So he would rather have Trump re-neg on the Iran agreement than keep it. He can now point to America's own untrustworthiness to justify his future behavior. This is how bad actors operate.
Trump is Kim's role model, and Trump can see himself in Kim. Just remember, most of Trump's deals have turned sour.
10
Given the amount of ignorance, obfuscation, and outright lies emanating from the White House, "We'll never know" would be more accurate.
13
... and also, alongside this vague, ambivalent verbal tic, at every single Press briefing, Sarah H. Sanders can be heard using a tic of her own in answers to questions about Trump's meaning regarding issues large & small:
The President has very clearly said ... President Trump has made it very clear that ..
The President has always been clear that ... & on & on & on. Not true. Not true. Not true.
22
Regarding Huckabee Sanders, her main verbal tick is : “ I’m not gonna get into that right now, I’m not gonna get into the specifics right now”...” the president has already addressed that (he hasn’t ), so I’m not gonna comment on that right now”
She never has anything to say, they briefing is a complete joke. “Sad” as her boss is fond of saying.
1
This is nihilism in a nutshell: just shake up everything and see where the chips fall. Anything else is sure to be better than what already is.
8
I agree with other commenters that "we'll see" is a reasonable response in many situations. Good to hold the president accountable for followup.
However, can we (almost) stop paying attention to what Trump says? He's been caught lying thousands of times in less than a year and a half; I think he's lost the right to be taken at his word. It has become like in "Moscow on the Hudson", where Robin Williams hears Russian news say something about another great harvest, and everyone just rolls their eyes and makes sarcastic comments.
3
There is a pattern to the Presidents behavior. He excels, (BIGLY), at whipping up a frenzy and building up to what could be a (gigantic, catastrophic, enormous, insert your adjective _____) event, then backing away to what amounts to the status quo.
I will resist the temptation to say that this President excels at this and not much else, because he also recognizes a bandwagon or coattails to ride on, but honestly, the world is still here. I would argue that this presidency has been detrimental to the nation, the people and the general state of world affairs, but I would also find quite a few to argue with.
The issues are not what Trump says, but what he does and does not do, and, the gap between his enunciations and his actions. Mueller will present facts and findings to the courts and the Congress, who can say where that will go? The best chance for any of us to effect change is to vote, and to assist our friends, relatives and neighbors in getting to the polls. Be bold, ask if they need a ride, or help in verifying their registration. Check vote dot org, check your favorite search engine for where you can register to vote in your zip code.
No matter who you back, just do it.
5
When Trump is shouting to his fired-up small town crowds, all kinds of junk pours out of his mouth. And whatever nonsense he spews, they find something to glom onto and love.
When he's around people who don't outwardly support and applaud his negative dogma, or worse, can't be fooled by empty words, he becomes pedantic.
In between, he tries to sound wise with, "We'll see."
12
It’s like we have a flowing blonde tanned stoner as president, and a high school history teacher as the press.
Mr. Hand: Food will be eaten on your time. Why are you continuously late for this class, Mr. Spicoli? Why must you shamelessly waste my time like this?
Spicoli: [thinks it over] I don't know.
Mr. Hand: [writes I DON'T KNOW on the chalkboard] I like that. Hmm Hmm. "I don't know," that's nice. 'Mr. Hand, will I pass this class?' 'Gee Mr. Spicoli, I don't know.' That's nice, I really like that. You know what I'm gonna do? I'm going to leave your words on my board for all my classes to enjoy, giving you full credit of course, Mr. Spicoli.
Spicoli: All right!
1
This would be a great line for the Dems to use in the fall:
" Trump says 'We'll see what happens.' Show him what happens when people vote!"
9
What is shocking is “we’ll see...” is about the only time Trump speaks and we know he isn’t lying.
4
Glad someone is finally picking up on this verbal tick and how meaningless it is.
4
"We’ll See,’ Trump Says on North Korea. And Iran. And Nafta. And So On."
Through out his life, Mr. Trump has always received advice from others. Most of his "decisions" are what others have persuaded him to do. So, on Iran he must be waiting for Mr. Netanyahu's decision. On North Korea, he is waiting for Fox News pundits to show him the way or possibly one of his major financial backers tell him where to go and what should be his next step.
8
Trump is clearly in way over his head and the "we'll see" is his way of giving himself a way to blame someone else if (and when) things fall apart.
His repertoire of verbal tics, like everything else about him, cannot be believed, relied upon or trusted.
I still keep hoping I'll wake up with Auntie Em putting a cool compress on my forehead and telling me it was just a dream.
3
It ("We'll see") drives. me. crazy. I feel like we're all being toyed with in the lead-up to the season finale.
4
It's painfully and embarrassingly obvious to any objective observer that Trump's "We'll see" is a go-to phrase he uses because he has nothing of substance to add to his response ... not surprising, given his complete lack of knowledge of (and interest in) almost every issue facing our country. Blinded by his narcissism, he deludes himself into believing this phrase implies he has some secret plan in the works that he doesn't yet want to reveal. But all he reveals-- every day and in every way--is that he is unfit to be president of the United States.
13
"We'll see." is Trump's method for creating suspense. He wants everyone to tune in to the next episode of Reality Show President.
10
Trump reminds me of those movies where a kid inherits a baseball team and decides to manage it. The only difference is that this is real and Trump hasn't a clue about how to run anything but his mouth.
2
Trump says "we'll see" because he has no clear plans, no firm ideas, no core beliefs (except, of course, for the belief in his own personal enrichment). Add in another one of his favorites, "believe me," and you have the verbal tics of an epic conman and huckster aka Trump in a nutshell.
7
"We'll see what happens" is a passive-aggressive device used in an attempt to maintain control while taking on no real responsibility. It is the perfect catch phrase for someone like Mr. Trump. He must use it CONSTANTLY on his poor children!
3
You’ve got it all wrong. Trump says “we’ll see” to keep people in suspense, in a state of uncertainty and turmoil. Creating this state in people makes him feel powerful, a feeling he always craves. Those who know Trump says he likes to create chaos. Saying “we’ll see” is an extension of that.
3
When presidents in the past said: “We’ll see” or “We’ll see what happens.” They pretty knew “what outcomes could be achieved” and that this rhetoric meant to end a debate, because they didn’t want to let the cat out of the bag when pressured.
With Trump, that rhetoric has become automatic, because his thoughts were mostly elsewhere when he gave his answers. When he thinks about his own legal troubles, he says to himself: “We’ll see what happens.”
2
"We'll see" is a perfectly acceptable first response for any issue one addresses, i.e.,"we'll see" what transpires and we'll make a well thought out policy determination. Unfortunately, we ONLY see the former and, sadly, never the latter.
8
So let me get this straight. He's asked if he deserves the Nobel Peace Prize. If he says yes, he would be excoriated. If he says no, it would be interpreted that North and South Korea peace talks will fail. So he says "we'll see," and that answer is not acceptable either. Getting rather nitpicky NYT, no? Funny, I remember the last president saying "let me be clear" quite often without it being remarked on at all. Oh wait, I forgot...
7
From "I alone can fix it" to "we'll see".
Nitpicky?
We'll see, no?
4
Yes, President Obama pondered every word he spoke before he uttered it, striving to be clear and concise.
4
Oh my. You’re working so hard, aren’t you? So, you honestly don’t understand the difference between a “let me be clear,” or any other introductory place holder/windup that we all use daily (“as I was saying,” “not for nothing but,”) and a painfully out of depth conman/entertainer’s desperate attempt to buy time and keep you titillated? Are you still waiting on what those investors in Hawaii came up with?
7
What reward does trump earn from destabilizing the US economy?
What benefit does trump reap from sowing seeds of ill content between citizens in our own nation?
What honor does trump receive from lying to our faces?
What security does trump feel from threatening war around the globe?
What deals take the place of past agreements trump decides to end?
More worrying is who will realize the greatest benefit and joy as all these things culminate for the United States over the next two years of trump's presidency?
Why do 60 million people sleep so well at night when I can't stop my heart from pounding, my mind from racing, while my fears of the future are mounting?
13
Maybe they share Vlad Putin's desire to see the US shatter into all its individual states.
4
The Art of the Demagogue:
Repeatedly promise a future fantasy after repeatedly telling tall tales about your past.
Trump tempts with his high tower fable while concealing his dirty low-life.
Trump needs to be governed.
Please vote his Congresdional GOP enablers out of office this November.
18
I'll be glad when a Dem administration comes into office and amateur hour finally comes to an end.
8
You will have to wait until 2025 for even a chance. Hope your safe space is reserved.
"We'll see" is a much more intelligent response than having a TV melt-down about "witch hunt" during questioning of unrelated topics.
6
Maybe “we’ll see” is waiting to what Sean Hannity and Fox and Friends tell Trump what to do.
18
He wants to see what his advisors & Republicans come up with so he can blame them when it all goes wrong. Who is saying this man deserves a Nobel when he hasn’t even met with North Korea? He will pull one of his stunts & walkout. Oh the reason for the meeting at the DMZ is a photo op. Hope he steps across & they arrest him for crimes against the North Korean peoples.
3
Netanyahu is the Israeli Colin Powell. Iran has no nuclear weapons but we must have a war to get them out of the way for the U.S. to control the oil rich Mideast.
1
"We'll see," says Trump. I will wait and observe because, like Chance the Gardener says, "I like to watch."
6
What a nincompoop!
He hasn’t a clue on how to deal with other nations. His bully actions with the tradesmen he used to have work for him, won’t work on the international stage.
In fact he hasn’t a clue on how to be president.
9
The psychological effect of “we’ll see”, is damaging to all. It implies complete authority and hangs over all, but the speakers head, like a sword.
2
Obama pulled us out of a financial fiasco (courtesy of GW Bush) and Trump has been trying to take credit. He has been riding on Obama’s shirttails ever since he’s been elected while simultaneously trying to destroy every accomplishment that Obama achieved. I don’t know what Mueller has in mind for Trump, but I would encourage him to move expeditiously before Trump can get fully enmeshed in North and South Korea and the Iranian Agreement. Everyone and everything this trainwreck of a president touches turns into a catastrophe.
13
I'm starting to wonder if Trump's short-term goal of getting back at Obama is just part of a much longer term plan to destroy the wide variety of American financiers who cut him off in the early 90s.
Trump's actions indicate he has no true loyalty to the USA. Since he thinks he is God's gift to the world, I can sense his willingness to burn America to the ground as long as he exacts revenge.
13
To complete the phrase: "We'll see... what they say on Fox, and I'll do what they say I should because I'm a clueless dolt and I'm kind of hungry and No Collusion."
8
I don't want to see what happens because I disagree with virtually everything this president is doing. Please Mr. Mueller hurry up and help us get rid of him.
9
Some argue DJT's verbal ticks such as "We will see" are clever ploys and emerge from his businees background and are effective at keeping clever world leaders and adversaries at bay. Such rationalization fails to account for why other clever world leaders do not use, let alone overuse as DJT does, such simplistic utterances.
7
When President Trump says "We'll see", he means he is suspending judgement on the issue. He will decide on it later.
Is it possible that well meaning journalists have had no management experience?
1
They a2te not well meaning just partisan leftists with mo integrity
1
Yes . . . later.
Later.
First, a tweet about something frivalous and entirely unimportant, like a correspondent dinner I didn't attend, or a book I didn't read, or a collusion I have no part in . . .
Then . . . I'll do my job. Later.
1
“We’ll see” is another way of saying “who knows”. Certainly not Trump. He has no idea what he’s doing therefor he has no idea what the outcome will be. It’s a terrible “management” style.
4
There was no "we'll see" when he allowed the missile attack on Syria, removing 20% of Syria's airforce.
There was no "we'll see" when he sent missiles to Syria again in a second response to Syria's use of chlorine/Sarin gas on children.
There was no "we'll see" when he decided to relocate the USA embassy to Jerusalem.
There will be no "we'll see" when he pulls USA out of the Iran deal.
It appears that Trump sees more than Ms. Rogers.
2
Actually there have been no conclusive results from any of those actions yet so I guess "we'll see what happens."
1
Adults realize that the future holds whatever it holds that is unknowable in the present, and predictions are generally an immature activity.
"We'll see" is the most intelligent thing to say about the future most of the time.
2
"We'll see." "People tell me..." "People are saying..." "We're looking into that...." "In about two weeks..." "It will be beautiful..."
Wouldn't it be refreshing to have him speak honestly once ( I know, I know ) and just say "I haven't got a clue."
8
I guess if I had confidence in Donald Trump's grasp of policy and of how to govern effectively, then the phrase "We'll see" would have a Zen Master's weight: reflective, cautious, even doubtful would be okay.
But Trump is an ignorant fool with about the same grasp on world events as a seventh grader. With that as a guide, "we'll see" has about as much weight as whipped cream.
8
He could say “I don’t have the answer for that right now.” Or “There are too many unknowns for me to speculate on an outcome.” Or “that’s all I can say at the moment.” Or “I am considering many different approaches.”
But all those responses would require modesty, humility and measure. And truth.
8
Iran is an Obama deal.
The shallow ignorant thug-who don't even read his 2 pages PDB, let alone Iran deal- will not rest until he crashes everything Obama ever did.
Obama-no doubt- will have the last laugh.
Trump will end up escorted out of the WH shackled from head to toes by US marshalls.
6
My parents handles five inquisitive kids the same way. When we asked "When will we..." go to the movies, get a another dog or cat, etc., their immediate response was "pretty soon." We eventually discovered that "pretty soon" never actually arrived.
6
Donald, the King of Narcissism, has a lot of interesting phrases. "We'll see" simply kicks the can down the road, and is a phrase he uses to escape contradictory commitments made earlier in contradictory statements which undercut any confidence that he has some idea of what he is doing. The most telling one is "Most people don't realize" which suggests that he knows something a lot of other people don't know and, therefore, he's a lot smarter than the rest of us. Yesterday, it was "Most people don't realize what a big country Mexico is" which, presumably, includes 127 million Mexicans, a few million others who have crossed through it to escape terrorizing gangs in countries to the south, and millions of others who have looked at an atlas. Then there is the repeated use of "deal," as if he is still promoting sales of his book. It's either a "great deal" or a "terrible deal" or "I can get a much better deal," but it's all about him. Donald's comfort zone takes him to speak to his base, where the undereducated are fed lines of adulation by his prompters, like over the weekend, in Pennsylvania, where the audience agreed to shout "Nobel" over and over, as Donald stands ready to take credit for any non-aggression pact with North Korea or to walk away from it rather than do the harder work of negotiating, apparently something he is not as good at as he claims. We're stuck with him, of course, until a showdown with Mueller or a new Congress with the spine to impeach.
7
Trump's free styling will only work as long as Obama's economy remains strong and that's not going to happen with tariff's punishing farmers and others and jobs that will soon be lost. No one in his administration has a clue about reality.
8
Our very stable genius, with the grammatical acuity and intellectual depth of a third grader will perhaps finally "let us see" what happens when he's forced to sit before a Grand Jury and submits his testimony to Mueller. We'll finally be treated to seeing how well it works out for him. An indicted sitting President. That's what we'll see. A House and Senate with Democratic majorities in November. That is what we'll see. Godspeed.
6
"We'll see" is one of Trump's favorite dodges. What does he actually see and when does he see it? Reality is in the mind's eye of the beholder. Some minds are so deluded they can't see what is before them.
3
It’s reasonable not to want to make predictions about the outcome of an event, particularly one which has many variables over which the putative predictor has no control.
So this “tic” isn’t the worst of trump’s numerous flaws. And it’s quite possible that not only doesn’t he want to commit to an answer (which is fine), but he probably doesn’t even fully understand the question being asked or the underlying issue. Since he’s not a great ex temp speaker (except when he’s using tried-and-true, trite formulae to get his base barking and jumping), any educated speculation he attempts will be disastrous.
4
If anyone deserves the Nobel Peace Prize, it's President Moon Jae-in.
4
Who exactly is the 'we' in "We'll see"? It is widely reported that Trump does not often heed the advice of his cabinet, agencies and legal team, so it cannot be they. Maybe the 'we' really comes down to just himself and his friends at Fox.
3
The Iran nuclear deal that was signed by no one was made by President Obama to the great favor of Valerie Jarrett the Iranian in the White House. Valerie's parents are influential political figures in Iran. Mr. Obama cuddled up with the biggest exporter of terrorism and set up the Iran nuclear deal which was signed by no one to give Iran the most amount of wiggle room. Instead of condemning the dishonesty of the Iranian government (not the people of Iran), the NYT goes after Mr. Netenyahu not in order to defend Iran but to defend Mr. Obama's knucklehead foreign policy.
A related verbal tic of Trump’s is “we’re going to look at” something. This is his stock response when someone asks, and is expecting, him to do something about something. Terrorism. Gun violence. “We’re going to look at a lot of things.” Of course it means he will look at nothing. “We’ll see what happens” means he has no idea what’s going to happen but whatever does, he will take credit for it—so of course he doesn’t want to lock himself into a position before what happens happens.
3
When Mr. Trump says, “We’ll see,” he’s reallly saying “I have no idea what the facts are on this issue. Furthermore, I have no interest in learning them.”
To him, the only important issue is himself: his image and how he is perceived.
5
Important negotiating tactic:
Keep the other side wondering.
Never tip your hand as to what you’d ultimately accept.
1
Trump needs a war to take attention off of the Mueller Investigation that appears to be getting close. You have to be naïve to think that when Trump constantly says "there is no collusion with this Russia thing," has a whole bunch of people on his staff (including his son) who have have made contact with Russians, is consistent about diverting attention away from the investigation, contemplated firing Mueller, ridiculed Sessions for having recused himself from the Russia investigation, is active in obstructing the investigation, praises Putin and refuses to implement sanctions on Russian meddling, and is worried that his election may be considered fraudulent, that he is totally innocent of collusion/ conspiring or whatever you want to call it? He is not innocent and he know it!!!
2
Trump persists in trying to run the presidency as an off-shoot of his reality t.v. show, more concerned with ratings, polls and with the numbers attending his rallies than with real policies.
That's why it is futile to wonder what Trump is thinking...it isn't something he does.
4
Face it- we have at best an unstable guy in the WH. At worst he maybe be crazy as a loon.
3
Why has it taken all this time for this reporter to understand Trump's 'We'll see?" That's what he says in response to any question about which he hasn't a clue! The real problem is that he then doesn't follow up to develop an answer. He just leaves it out there to foster confusion. Or, he just doesn't understand the question enough to pursue an answer. Or, he just doesn't care about an answer. I suspect the latter applies in most cases. He fails to see that he reinforces his ignorance on so many subjects. It is a reflex catch phrase on the order of so many Millenials' "You know!"
2
And just this morning, Trump tweeted once again his displeasure with the Mueller investigation, including this threat: "At some point I will have no choice but to use the powers granted to the Presidency and get involved!" He could have added, "We'll see!"
1
Psychopaths love to be provocative. Throwness is a strategy from the Art of War. Being thrown makes it hard to think. Deep breaths, people. Avoiding sensations don't resolve throwness, critical thinking does, resilience does. You can counter the triggers by teaching yourself the habit of noticing when you get thrown and replacing that fight flight and freeze reaction by asking, what is actually happening? Take deep slow breaths to engage your parasympathetic system. Empathy works too, so does putting your feet about your heart for about ten minutes. Meanwhile, being triggered, chronically, and trying to control others is hard on your body.
“We’ll see what happens” is what you’d say if you’re on the sidelines watching as things play out. Trump has always been on the sidelines taking pot shots. Now that he’s become our accidental president, he can’t wrap his head around being “the buck stops here” guy.
4
Trump’s tax cuts, mentioned in the piece as a policy victory and popular with his base, are no longer being touted by Republicans because a majority of Americans realize that the only big-winners are the very rich. Let’s not perpetuate this myth.
12
"We'll see"?
Trump has created so much uncertainty, to the point of almost dangerous. North and South Korea could come to a peace deal, and treaty, but Trump could come along and send the deal off the rails. Then, there is Iran. The under investigation, scandal ridden, Israeli Prime Minister is taking a page from the George W. Bush administration to justify a war with Iran. Complete with phantom weapons of mass destruction.
Then, there are the tariffs, which all enacted, will not only isolate the United States, but send this country, and possibly the world, into a repeat of the Great Recession.
Finally, there is the every growing scandal of Trump, his administration, his party and Russian involvement not only in the election, but his administration.
"Well' see" certainly does not ring any sense of confidence or a positive outcome. What it does evoke is very rough times, and stormy seas, ahead. And, Trump is one misstep away from seeing his house of cards collapse, taking millions of Americans with him. Something, that would taken years to recover, from.
5
"We'll see" if the pre-summit hoopla over a Nobel Peace Prize for the "ultimate deal" to denuclearize the Korean peninsula actually occurs under the master of "The Art of the Deal." Meanwhile, war drums are starting to beat (see articles in today's Times) as it appears that Donald Trump will take the exact opposite course in pulling out of the JCPOA (aka the Iran Nuclear Accord). So, does that not negate any peace prize? Only in the Alice-in-Wonderland world of Trump supporters does one deserve a Nobel Peace Prize for denuclearizing North Korea while simultaneously allowing Iran to restart its nuclear program. I guess "'We'll see.'"
15
“Mr. Latimer said that while Mr. Trump enjoys a strong economy and policy victories, like tax cuts”
a strong economy: thanks Obama!
policy victories, like tax cuts: a victory, really? Then, why all the deafening silence?
28
I stopped listening to Trump a long time ago. His rhetorical tics, such as “we’ll see” and “people say ...” expose his ignorance, incoherence, and signal his own insecurity about being president. I count the days until this serial abuser of the English language leaves office by any means necessary. As he would say, we’ll see...
120
We have been led by academics who learned about life in a textbook. Like many of my business professors who never owned a business. They were not very clever or tough. Trump and his ways are different as he does not show his hand. Thats a good thing in a world of clever leaders who want to take advantage of our country.
6
Tough is fine but not when combined with ignorance, bad judgement, narcissism, impetuousness and selfishness.
Or maybe he does not show his hand because he is making things up as he goes and does not know what he is doing.
6
Yeah, I’m with you..... Trump is obviously a stable genius. Bigly.
1
He says we'll see because, quite simply, he has NO CLUE, not a one, no information, no decision, no information. He doesn't have grasp what he needs to do and is waiting for someone to tell him as he can't retain any information.
He is a moron, an uneducated village idiot. Pathetic that his only answer is We'll See rather than here is my decision and my leadership. He is INCAPABLE of demonstrating intellect or leadership.
95
In the case of Mr.Trump using the phrase it actually means, "I do not have a clue".He means it to appear that there is some hidden agenda , a rabbit that he can pull out of the hat at the last minute.When he says "we'll see " it is a stalling tactic until he can figure out a misrepresentation that will make him look good.
49
after the last couple years i cringe when i see the word politician applied to the president in residence at this current time. i see the words crook liar dummy all used to describe him. the word lacking in this day and age is Artiste. yes our president is the most successful STREET ARTIST in the history of art. his catchphrase is all telling about the character of the man. he claims to not own anything. well so be it. he owns nothing let alone his own thoughts. that is his Art. he is and has been an open book for all the things that can go wrong and should be a cautionary tale for others. if his Art is something one wants to emulate well there are plenty of empty galleries for this kind of behavior.
8
Please don't demean real artists, including street artists.
1
Of course, as most of us already know by now; when Donald trump says "We'll See", it means nothing more than he has no idea of what he's doing -- and like everything else he's done throughout his very privileged life, it means flying by the seat of his pants.
After all, this is someone who's said on more than one occasion that he's very smart, that he doesn't need anybody else, and that he goes by his 'gut'.
So how are we supposed to know what he's going to do, when he hasn't even figured it out yet?
19
It really doesn't matter how Trump answers any questions put to him, because no matter what off-the-cuff lie he tells, it will change to another off-the-cuff lie the next day. At least his 'I'll see' answers saves us from having to wade through the garbage that comes out of his mouth, hoping to pick some treasures out of the contaminated litter.
10
At what point would the ongoing decline in the President's mental health becomes serious enough to invoke Section 4 of the 25th Amendment? At what point would it be apparent that the verbal tics have become the ravings of a blithering idiot? With ever passing day, that moment seems to be getting closer, which is why the passivity of "I guess we'll see what happens" sure looks like a recipe for disaster, for all concerned.
10
I like that the NYT’s has amended their headlines..... “And so on.” Now make it a little more accurate, and stop giving credence to his diatribes. May I suggest “Trump blathered on” which is really more to the point?
14
When Trump actually decides something, it's really not decided. Witness the on again, off again, on again steel and aluminum tariffs - my head is spinning keeping track of who the tariffs actually apply to.
9
Trump's standard rhetoric;
We'll see what happens.
We're looking at it.
Who knew that? Almost nobody.
It's a disgrace.
I'm a genius.
But it's working. His base has hardened even further.
The weird mashup of grievance in Michigan the other night showed
that the Trump mania is deepening.
The psychotic break in nigh.
12
I think it's funny that the writer is trying to assign any meaning to Trump's words. His words, literally, have no meaning. Trump says whatever he thinks what will earn him the most immediate praise and doesn't know or care whether it is true.
Sad!
20
"We'll see" is a veiled threat meaning "I have no clue."
12
“We’ll see,” means “Youllsee when it happens.” Why is that wrong? The Times isn’t a party to the negotiations...
3
Maybe because Trump is not really party to negotiations on issues he has no knowledge of. Does that help?
3
Sure, once in a while, but he overuses it and then often nothing happens which impacts his credibility.
1
I don't think "we'll see" will cut it with Mr. Mueller. Because Mr. Mueller HAS seen.
22
Trump has lived his entire live being able to buy loyalty and protection.
Not so much fun now, is it?
7
Slow news day? If memory serves, Obama said “let me be clear” a lot. And he was never very clear. Maybe the Times could repost the article they wrote about that?
5
Obama was almost always clear.
25
When Obama said "let me be clear", what followed was ALWAYS made clearer.
1
Sorry but Obama is NOT the president. This article is about the current so-called president!
1
My parents used to say “we’ll see” whenever I was getting to insistent about most anything, just to put me off.
9
Well, were they wrong?
1
To Mr. Latimer: we have already figured out that Trump's "We'll see" means he has no idea what is going on or what the realistic possibilities are in any given situation. His verbal tic is a way of masking his utter cluelessness from his equally clueless base.
11
"We'll see" means he is waiting for someone (Fox and Friends) to make the decision for him.
If people like Sen.Graham think President Trump should get the Nobel Prize for Peace they whistling in the wind and don't know Swedes. He will never be awarded the prize unless he brings peace to the whole world and doesn't blow it up. I work summers at an international camp for teenagers and we often have kids from Scandinavia. Last summer several of them wouldn't return because of Trump's treatment of immigrants. If kids are turned off by America do you think their elders are going to give awards to this despicable president. I don't think so. I know Swedes as my grandparents were Swedish immigrants and they had values that are absent today. Those values are still present in Sweden.
9
It's the Norwegians who award the Nobel Peace Prize, not the Swedes, who give out the prize for scientific and artistic breakthroughs. The Norwegians dislike how Sweden stayed neutral during WWII but allowed the Germans to use their highways as avenues for invading Norway.
It's beginning to sound like Trump has his own mafia. There is something very wrong with how he does "business." No one knows anything about his finances, he pays people for silence, he throws people under the bus even after they have been loyal to him, he fires anyone who crosses him, he has media outlets in his pocket, and he is using his position to enrich himself and a his business cronies at the expense of the American people. And, even though he is a buffoon, the GOP Congress seems to bow down to him for some ungodly reason. Someday we will know why this man has gotten away with all of this. And, it will not reflect well on US democracy.
9
45’s personality disorders help to make “we’ll see” his favorite phrase. He relishes the thought of all this people being held in anxious limbo for his next disastrous decision to be set in stone. The only predictions that can be made about his decisions is that they will be irrational and he doesn’t care how many will suffer because of it. This is all just a game to him and maybe the Republicans will start to care when they realize they are also the victims.
6
don't forget the famous "two week" time frame he used to fling out to tease the press and the public. he's so invested in his teevee persona that keeping viewers and ratings is all he cares about. i have NEVER seen such a boring, silly NITWIT in my life, let alone one who holds the highest office in the land!
1
Frankly, "we'll see" is an improvement over the inane bragging that Mr. Trump has rightly been castigated for, including by this paper. But, of course, this being 2018 everything, even an improvement, must be made into a negative to keep the political fires stoked.
I would much rather the president rein in his Tweets and off the cuff boasts and predictions with a "we'll see" attitude, for it at least offers some hope, however marginal, that he may allow himself to give more consideration to serious topics.
1
China/N.K. have determined that a President Trump, desperate for a recognized win, will make concessions that N.K. will not get in the future.
That is why N.K. is playing nice.
4
It's simply a function of the limits of an intellect and corresponding vocabulary: constricted, primitive, trivial, irrelevant, banal, trite, hackneyed, and unoriginal; unfortunately a reflection of what much of popular culture and limited educational outcomes have wrought.
3
All you need to "see" is just look.
The first half of last year, North Korea's Un regularly threatened the US with "drowning in a lake of nuclear fire." He would plunge America into a "nuclear holocaust," and other similar threats. And the nuclear bomb tests and missile test went on and on.
And then in August, President Trump laid a powerful warning on "the little fat man:" stop the threats and the tests, or we will use our nuclear capabilities on you, and you and your capital will disappear.
Un's threats stopped. His missile and nuclear tests stopped. He hasn't had one since.
And now, he says he will have on further tests, and is willing to negotiate a Korean de-nuclearation.
All you have to do is look.
2
It is clear that magicians have no trouble fooling you.
2
He "runs" the government the same way he ran his reality TV show: "Tune in next week".....
Someone needs to explain to this 11am to 5pm president that this is all very, very real.
4
A verbal tic? Maybe.
Or maybe Trump just doesn’t know what his questioner meant or what to do about it.
Just buyin’ time ... all the time.
3
Trump's "We'll see" is not intended to "signal a veiled threat to adversaries" or to "avoid accountability." He needs to fall back on it simply because there is no there there.
It is the knee-jerk response of a man who does not have the intellectual or linguistic wherewithal to answer the questions put to him.
He does not read history (or anything, for that matter); and his short attention span precludes detailed daily briefings. He is as ignorant of the past as he is ill-informed regarding the present.
Is it any wonder he equivocates about the future?
5
Instead of "We'll see", lets get the house republicans to create an impeachment of fearless leader. I will even take a Pence over this nut case. We'll see? And that's the way it is May 2 2018!
1
"We'll see" is exactly what my mother said every single time I told her I really, really wanted a pony.
7
This is like analyzing Dick and Jane sentences for hidden meaning.
4
What Clinton and Obama could not and would not accomplish on the Korean peninsula, is now being accomplished by Trump. It must gall Obama who received a Nobel peace prize with exactly zero accomplishments to watch this president actually compel Kim Jung un and North Korea to come to the peace table. What Clinton could not accomplish with outright giveaways of nuclear technology and thousands of tons of oil, and what Obama could not accomplish by making empty threats, Trump is accomplishing with pressure backed by negotiation. It is a pleasure to watch the Democrats, liberals and progressives sniping at a president who actually makes things happen.
1
Time will tell whether or not Trump will manage to derail what’s being accomplished by the leaders of South and North Korea. “We’ll see what happens.”
4
North Korea is playing this wisely. They are smart. Who would you rather make a deal with; someone desperate to have something significant on the history record or someone who actually cares about the future. Trump will make a deal with North Korea and to our detriment. They have nuclear weapons that work seemingly quite well. Next step is economic development and legitimacy which will be granted by Trump and hailed as the deal of a life time. I suppose after this he will have a beautiful casino he wants to sell us.
1
Don't start counting chickens.
Having Trump as president is like the difference between night and Doris Day: Que Sera, Sera.
3
If President Obama had achieved the success Trump has with North Korea he would’ve been given another Nobel prize by now.
2
Exactly what has been accomplished in Korea?
This is what my mother always told me when I requested something down the road (a school dance, visiting a friend, etc.). Frustrated me no end. My mom was no fool, but the President sure is. He’s playing us along like children. Mom eased up as I became a teen. This narcissistic big baby never will. It’s about control—one thing to raise a child, quite another to continue to play our beloved country like another episode of The Apprentice.
2
Nice, historic account of US leaders on their unaccountable ways to address complex issues. Who knew Presidentin' would be so hard?
2
It’s a way of pretending he is not the one responsible for the decision.
4
There's no calculation here. He's just not that smart, and has the vocabulary of a sixth-grader.
3
Maybe Obama should have said "We'll see", rather drawing his infamous and toothless red line in the sand of Syria.
2
He is finally beginning to realize he has absolutely no idea what he is talking about, what these issues pertain to, and that he has no understanding of the consequences of what he does. He also finds himself without any actually trusted advisers, just sycophants who parrot his own idiocy back to him. He is running out of time and ideas.
Or he is slipping into full Alzheimer’s, much like his father before him. 71 years old, eats mountains of junk food, and no discipline- sounds like his brain is deteriorating to me.
Regardless, America is screwed.
2
It's another way of saying: "We remain cautiously optimistic and will continue to monitor developments through further discussion." Or some such thing. Relax.
1
If only this president was someone who gave anything that much thought...
3
Cautiously optimistic? The difference between an optimist and a pessimist is a pessimist has more information.
1
People might take him seriously if his vocabulary was rich enough to use or understand words with more than one syllable.
2
Sounds more like the leadership style of a mob boss than a President of the United States.
"We'll see..." is in the same category as "it would be a shame to see anything happen to that nice family of yours".
28
This sitting (so-called) President is an embarrassment to me and everyone in this nation (regardless if they realize it or not). He is a superficial inheritance baby that hides his insecurities of these facts behind bravado and pomp... oh yes, and trite catch phrases. He has shown all of us the pitfalls of pretending to be intelligent. He has, for years got by with wielding his wealth against those who work for him. You can see it in his eyes that stare blankly into inner conversations of his own oncoming demise.
69
As usual the liberal know it alls on the west (and east) coasts believe they speak for all Americans. The gall of these people amazes. They still believe Hillary should have won; after all, it was her birthright. Fortunately for the rest of us, democracy does not work that way.
"We'll see" means Trump thinks he might not be in office for much longer as over his shoulder Mueller is standing.
2
Everything about trump* is “we’ll see”, pre-gloating, bragging, boasting about things that have not yet happened or been accomplished. He’s gotten away with it for his first year, but consequences are piling up. Eventually maybe even his #BodySnatched base will recognize him for what he really is: everything their parents sternly taught them NOT to be. But I wouldn’t bet the mortgage on it.
12
What we'll really see is what an incredible flaming dumpster fire of a human being 63 million bamboozled Americans thought was a fine idea to manage the country with.
Such electoral incompetence on a truly catastrophic scale....like hiring a Roulette table operator as your heart surgeon, except that this clown operator also prefers political Russian Roulette.
Deplorable beyond description.
163
Here's another Trump speech tic: "Incredible." Everything (and everyone) he likes (or that like him) is "incredible": the "incredible" White House physician; the "incredible" crowds that turn out for his speeches. But the truth is that everything this president says or does is "incredible" in the literal dictionary sense of the term: "unbelievable, hard to believe, far-fetched, implausible, improbable, highly unlikely, dubious."
123
"Like no one has ever seen before."
It’s what people say when they don’t know. It also occasionally means “no.”
20
When Trump says "We'll see" he means that he has no knowledge or understanding of the subject at hand and no idea what to do about it. But he has to act like he's in charge and on top of things. Except he isn't.
121
I prefer the honesty of "we'll see" in a situation involving negotiating with other countries where give and take is required.
I don't have issue with it although I can see how journalist would hate it. It would be so much easier to attack a president stating how something will work out before parties have a chance to iron out the issues.
6
Mr. Trump would label someone "weak" if he or she used the phrase, "we'll see"
3
How much credit are you going to keep giving this guy? He's not saying "we'll see" because he's acutely aware of the finer details and intricate policy considerations going on and has carefully rationalized that it could hurt the US national interest by revealing too much too early, he's using "we'll see" precisely because he hasn't seen anything yet! He has no idea what is going on! How could he? Where would he find the time? He's too busy on twitter or the phone to Fox & Friends complaining about how badly he's being treated by the media.
Trump's sentences never contain more than seven or eight unique words, hence his appeal to the under educated masses who applaud him for "telling like it is". But didn't you prefer it when you knew your President was smarter than you?
3
We are the people as in government for the people, by the people and of the people. We are supposed to KNOW....
"We'll see" if Trump starts World War Three to avoid the Mueller investigation.
17
What is wrong with refusing to engage in needless prognostication? Why commit yourself to a position that may be wrong thereby giving your opponents fodder for criticism.
Maybe it's a New York thing. I too decline to predict the future.
12
People expect their "leader" to be able to intelligently answer policy questions. Nothing else betrays this President's lack of leadership skills like his inability to do so.
10
The point is Trump declines to even predict his own thoughts and actions, until he sees them in his rear view mirror, as surprised as the rest of us.
8
Trump regularly tells us what other people/countries are going to do. Usually he's wrong but that doesn't faze him or his supporters.
The comments here say a lot about how much this nook of the world is a groupthink echo chamber.
[And thank you, NYT, for allowing freethinking comments in here, after a long embargo. Even Bret Stephens has been let off the choke-chain.]
The comments show sorts of overheated, impliedly intellectual takes on how Trump is dumb, is crazy, or some kind of lesser Stooge who never made it to Curly Joe level.
A lot of presumption, that effectively says that the writer is very smart (or enlightened), and what seems to work is not working at all.
Doctrine above empirical observation: if what is getting done seems to work, then you're just deluded or benighted. Ha Ha Ha!
This may assume even more of a faith-doctrine tone as it becomes apparent that Trump is not getting all his kits from Acme, and he's not going to fall down like Wile E. Coyote.
Enjoy the short films!
3
One man’s groupthink echo chamber is another man’s groupthink echo chamber.
Me, I take smart and enlightened over Trump’s GOP any day.
3
As a child, when my parents said "we'll see" in response to one of my requests, I came to know that meant they had no idea what to say.
I don't understand why this country won't just get real, quit the hateful games, and admit that we have elected a dangerously unqualified man for the job he holds.
What's more, one predictable characteristic of narcissists is that they are NEVER at fault for anything. Even when they try to say "I'm sorry" they look like they're channeling The Fonz; they can't get the words out.
And so In this case, "we'll see" is a sentence that, if finished, would include the words "...what happens and if it fails, whom I will blame."
103
My father's "We'll see" meant "No," whereas his "I'll consider it" meant "Yes." He didn't realize his tic until the day I crowed at his "I'll consider it."
“We’ll see” , means Trump will have to consult Israel and Saudi Arabia.
26
This non stop anti Trump hit pieces are becoming more absurd by the day. Now it has become wrong to have all the facts regarding a decision before making it when the time is right. Clue to the left , liberal god Obama made a lot of bad decisions. The Iranian Deal is a current in your face one as the Iranians have expanded to the border of Israel and war could break out at any moment
4
You almost had me at the beginning of your comment, but then you started stoking a war with Iran.
We are the aggressors against Iran.
We overthrew their elected leader to install the Shah. Reagan cut a deal with them to hold the hostages longer in exchange for missiles. We shot down their commercial airliner with hundreds dead. We patrol the waters off their coast. Israel bombed their country.
Stop trying to start a war in Iran. They have a larger population, a better military, and more defensible terrain than Iraq. The American People are not interested in another quagmire, and Iran is not a threat to the U.S.
I'll believe that Iran is going to attack Israel when I see it. They are not interested in that suicide mission.
If we should attack any Middle Eastern century, it should be Saudi Arabia, the world's largest exporter extremist terrorist propaganda, a monarchy with no interest in democracy, that has beheaded more people than ISIS. But instead we are helping them commit daily war crimes against the people of Yemen.
The Constitution calls for defense, not offense. We have no business attacking countries in the Middle East, and if we weren't attacking them over and over for decades, terrorists would not be coming here.
1
Obama was an intelligent man with a brain. He spoke in full sentences. He understood policy. He appointed as Secretary of Energy an MIT nuclear physicist, Dr. Ernest Moniz, who negotiated a very good deal with the Iranians.
I don't know what "a current in your face means." As an educated liberal, I certainly don't need any clues from you.
8
No wonder you think the Iran deal was bad, if your evidence is "the Iranians have expanded to the border of Israel and war could break out at any moment." The Iran deal was meant solely to keep Iran from developing nuclear weapons for 10 years. It has so far succeeded in that goal, based on IAEA inspections. Obama was not trying to prevent Iran from doing the things you mentioned, he was focused on preventing them from doing those things with nukes in their back pocket. I hope such an analysis is not too complicated or otherwise frustrating for you. There are plenty of people for whom it isn't, but Trump isn't one of them
Avoiding accountability, lack of planning and foresight, TV mode (stay tuned), lack of policy direction, "flexibility," transactional--all these "reasons" account for why trump says this. Bottom line, he has no clue nor real interest nor investment in the outcome, and this phrase lets him avoid responsibility. Long-term planning and goals are limited to what he will eat for his next meal!
19
We are his newest reality show and “we’ll see” is part of the cliffhanger device, right?
More importantly, it is indicative of his cluelessness.
63
Yes. I'm surprised no one else picked up on this. It's show-runner-ese for "tune in next week to see what happens,"
2
Stay tuned for next week's episode! The ratings should be great!
12
We will never "see" because he hasn't a clue himself.
17
"We'll see" is his way of saying, "I'll decide and I'll let you know what the answer is. Meanwhile, you'll be in suspense, under my power." It's a power trip, a curiously informal form of fascist leadership.
But it does work - because we allow it to. We shouldn't.
Kim Jong-Un is a fascist, liar, cheater, proliferator, supporter of terrorism, mass murderer and murderer of his own family. Trump, by comparison, is merely a fascist, liar, cheater, crook, and traitor. As far as we know, he is not a murderer (yet). Both are evidently good showmen.
Certainly we should talk to North Korea, but it blows my mind that people are expecting something constructive and reliable from this pair.
30
Whenever as kids we asked our father for something he didn't want to do, he said, "We'll see." We took that to mean "no." Trump wants to be liked and doesn't want people angry at him and he doesn't want to take responsibility for his actions. So as my father did, he says "We'll see."
11
One would almost think he wasn't part of any of it, just 'observing,' like the rest of us. And as often as he refers to himself in the the third person, I'm beginning to think even he doesn't want to be associated with his dismal admin.
11
Mr. Latimer said that while Mr. Trump enjoys a strong economy and policy victories, like tax cuts, aimed at his base..."
The tax cuts were "aimed at his base?" Just because Latimer, Trump and the Republicans are saying it doesn't make it true.
Trump's base voters got -- at most -- a couple of extra dollars a week, perhaps enough to buy a couple of jars of Ragu on the weekly grocery shopping trip to Walmart. Meanwhile the average 1%-er walked off with an average tax cut measured in the tens of thousands of dollars.
61
Dear North Korea,
When you see Trump, please keep him. The rich states are willing to pay good money. The poor states can't afford a good education system. That is the main reason they voted him into office.
11
Could it be that Trump is displaying atypical candor when he says "we'll see"? Perhaps he's admitting that he doesn't see or know what's going to happen. It may depend on what he hears on Fox and Friends.
7
‘We’ll See’...after my staff informs me about reality.
‘We’ll See’...after I start paying attention.
‘We’ll See’...after I watch Fox & Friends in the Morning.
‘We’ll See’...how I feel about it during my early morning Twidiot session.
‘We’ll See’...after Sean Hannity tells me what to do.
Actually, ‘We’ll See’ what Robert Mueller's investigation of this Imposter-In-Chief has to say about Trump Treason and the most unqualified so-called 'President in modern American history.
‘We’ll See’ what American voters have to say about this imposter on Novemver 6 2018.
‘We’ll See’ what an unbelievable fake, phony and fraud this deplorable spoiled rotten son of a millionaire truly is who is currently flushing himself and America down a Trump Toilet.
247
When Trump can control the outcome, he unleashes all sorts of belligerent threats. But when he can't, he throws up his hands and cries, "We'll see." It's his way of squirming out of situations he clearly doesn't understand, and when he knows he's in over his head. He gets angry or flustered because he's a weakling, utterly unable to do the job for which he ran.
49
Q. And who's going to pay for the wall?
A. We'll see.
20
“Free styling only works when things are going pretty well.”
According to Trump, things are going pretty well....
2
I am worry about the accountability and the responsibility of our commander in chief when facing challenges other than mid term election result, or fulfilling campaign promises( Mexico border wall. for example). We will slowly, if not steadily walk into doomsday if our president do not wear deeper sense of responsibility for his actions, no matter what high end he is for.
1
"We´ll see," coming from parents is interpreted by children as meaning: "No, but I don´t have the energy to argue about this, so let´s kick the whole thing into the long grass."
75
It seems to me political journalists have all gone kind of brain dead on North Korea. All sorts of odd notes being struck and no one is asking why. Trump's diffident tone is only one *really* bizarre note. Moon jumping up with his Nobel suggestion. For what, exactly? Odd-tempered tweets? Schoolyard taunts? Putin gone radio silent while having meetings with Trump? Trump's continuing silence about those contacts. Xi and Putin conducting joint war games? Discussing NoKo? Effect of Bolton's arrival? Kim makes a head-snapping "Exorcist"-worthy conversion? And the best anyone comes up with is Trump's hard line worked?!! Is this a joke? Chauncey Gardiner for real? Trump would sell out SoKo in a minute for a Nobel (You know who has one.) And happily agree to pull out of SoKo, declare it a victory for his "policy" of America First" and Russia gets a new client state. Japan ends up in the lurch.
21
I have a slightly different take on the "we'll see..."---which he also utters without the "...what happens." When I heard this recently, I immediately associated it with parental figures from my childhood who were reminding me that they had the power to decide things and that they weren't going to let me participate in the decision-making process. Further, they weren't even going to let me know when I would know the decision. Thus I see this verbal tic as consistent with his authoritarian stance (in G. Lakoff's terms, the "strong father" Republican leader). It's not quite as blatant, though, as "I'll see..." would be, so the plural first-person subject pronoun pretends to include the addressee.
Adding the "...what happens" is also interesting, because "happen is a verb that doesn't have an overt agent. My instinct is also that it is supposed to suggest to us that Trump will be deploying his "deal-making expertise" that we can't be expected to understand.
So in combination I agree that the "we'll see what happens" is a strategy of evasion (with strong connotations of oneupmanship).
98
I think he just doesn't have a clue! PERIOD!
5
I doubt Trump is that self-aware; he's frightened and is hoping someone's good-enough idea will bail him out. The "tough Dad" is Pence—heartlessly so.
2
Trump is not a learned man. He doesn’t study history..he barely reads. His main inspiration is the adamant ranting of Fox & Friends.
What he does rely on are the principles of power he copied from Roy Cohn:
Deny everything
Attack critics ruthlessly
Keep everyone off balance & afraid while bullying
These thuggish techniques won him the election & his base. “We’ll see...” is a cover up for muddled thinking posturing as belligerent authority.
280
"We'll see" the last refuge of someone who doesn't know enough to answer a question intelligently.
352
Yes- when he says "We'll see" I hear "I don't know"
23
As the Washington, DC-based Capitol Steps once said, "Uncertain times call for uncertain leadership".
29
So on November 6th, we’ll just see what happens!
208
Exactly. “We’ll see” whether or not he honors the peaceful transfer of power to the candidate who soundly beats him in 2020
Washington is broken. Let's put an allegedly successful businessman, master deal-maker and someone who tells it like it is in the WH to fix it.
We'll see what happens.
81
Yes. The key word is “allegedly.” Especially because he has himself made all the allegations about his mastery and success. But we in NY, who have known this con man forever, can separate his bluster and veneer from the truth of his deeds and distractions. He is a one-man circus, and now he’s in the biggest arena of all, putting on a show.
6
Trump’s homework is certainly piling up!
11
Perhaps a story about what we have not seen is also apropos. And what we have not seen is capitulation to a paper tiger in North Korea who has whipped every president he has come into contact with prior, we will not see ridiculous trade agreements between China and other abusive countries that take advantage of administrations with zero negotiation skills, and we will not allow a fascistRegime to become a nuclear power in the Middle East. It is so easy for the New York Times to pick phrases like this as a cudgel against their favorite target in President Trump, all the while ignoring enormous strides against ever advancing national threats.
1
Our tough military action - also in service to Israel's defensive anxieties- resulted in the Iraq debacle. Sometimes the threat of military action does not qualify as smart strategy. Sometimes dumb bluster is catastrophic.
15
except that absolutely nothing has been negotiated yet except a budget busting tax bill. we don't know if he can negotiate or if he is just thinking he can bully world leaders as he has done with contractors, business partners, attorneys etc
"We'll see" is essentially a punt. It's a way of effectively ending discussion on a subject without offering any concrete action. It's also a way of keeping every option open for the future without boxing yourself in.
Some might see this as shrewd, but given his track record and body of work I see it as lazy.
271
He's finally starting to get a few smarts and realize that he can't predict the future. Too many others and events he has no control over that may change what needs to be done. Or perhaps the best option may be to do...nothing. "We'll see".
While running his company he could make wild statements and if it didn't pan out, he could change course, blame or fire someone else. Who would have told him he was wrong? I don't admire him, never have; but he no longer can make everyone shut up, fire all of government or even stop the comedy writers.
Half the stuff he's being advised on he doesn't even comprehend - he's not having the fun he thought he would. He can only go on how he feels about someone, that's why his cabinet picks are such disasters, Nirvana for him will be after he's out of office and able to sit and criticize what others say or are doing, what he used to do without anyone expecting anything more or better from him.
He's on the hot seat now.
4
On the higher level "we'll see" is rather considered as "I don't have any clue what I'm gonna do".
178
The phrase means nothing.
When said, it confirms that the user of such empty language has decided the dark maze of fate alone will determine the outcome of any givin situation.
No present action taken.
No future action to be determined .
No conclusion.
Down the rabbit hole we go.
78
First he has to see if he's keeping his job - then we'll see.
24
Decoding "We'll see":
1. Plural: WE'll see -- i.e., the speaker also has no idea what will happen. It's not as though he said "you'll see" (I know but am not telling you).
2. This go-to, default phrase ranks quantitatively lower. His main phrase is "Believe me," so needed when he know that others regard him as a pathological liar. Trump has the same idea underlying phrases like "really" (I'm not making this up).
A father confessor would have his work cut out if he dealt with this lost soul.
37
It means he has no idea how to handle these situations.
127
We're still waiting "to see" when it's okay for Donald Trump to show America those tax returns that are under audit. "If I run for President, I'll release them." "If I get the nomination, I'll release them." "If I'm elected. . . after I'm sworn in."
He did the same thing about any proof that Barack Obama was not a citizen. Then, finally, when using the lie to gather his base had no further utility, "We don't talk about that any more."
"The warranty on this car? Sure, it's around here somewhere, we'll have it for you when you come in for the first oil change."
36
If I remember correctly, another Trump tactic has been to write in a clause that allows him or his company to void a pre-sale contract and raise the price on a condo if demand for a property is strong. Buyers would say, "But we had a deal," and Trump would reply "Yes, and now we have a new deal. You can either buy the condo at the higher price or walk away."
It's another version of "we'll see."
139
"We'll see". It's a perfect phrase. It sets expectations at a reasonable level--while negotiations are ongoing. It promises nothing, but simply says..."We're working on it--and if we can get a good deal, we'll take it".
There's nothing wrong with "We'll see".
15
There's nothing right with it either. It's a meaningless response.
15
Well, sure. But when it comes from Trump you know it means he just doesn't have a clue what he's supposed to be talking about.
18
When my mother said it, it meant "No."
7