Alex's Asteroid Astrology

With the increased attention being paid to Trump’s Russian connections after that soul-crushing joint press conference with Vladdie Putin in Helsinki last Monday, I thought it was time to review what we know astrologically about Donald Trump’s oligarch obsession. We’ve given bits and pieces of this over the past year in several articles, but nowhere has it been assembled into a comprehensive overview.

Until now.

We’ll be using asteroids Russia, Moskva (Russian for Moscow, its capital), Vladimir and Putilin (closest to Putin) for that side of the equation, and America, Whitehouse, Washingtonia and Troemper (for Trump) on the other side, but several other PNAs will make an appearance as well (like Mueller for the Special Counsel, Bilk for possible financial shenanigans, and Helsinki, for that press conference debacle).

So let’s get started. Born 14 June 1946, Donald Trump’s 22 Gemini Sun is involved in a Grand Cross which establishes his Russkie bona fides beyond a doubt. In exact square is asteroid Moskva at 22 Virgo, showing a strong pull to the Russian power center; this also suggests a deep-seated personal identification with Russia, it is somehow a part of his core being (Sun). Since Trump was born just hours before a Lunar Eclipse, with his Moon at 21 Sagittarius, both Lights are involved with Moskva, the Moon also in square, giving emotional force to Trump’s Russian connection, and potentially making it a thing of habit as well, something comforting and familiar, almost familial.

Trump and Putin exchange a friendly handshake at the Helsinki Summit

But that’s where the coziness ends. Because modifying all that touchy-feely, self-referential stuff are asteroid Achilles and TNO Salacia, both at 24 Sagittarius, and TNO Chaos at 24 Pisces. Achilles shows an inherent weakness or vulnerability, something which threatens to destroy the native (think “Achilles heel” here); Salacia relates to scandalous or sensational behaviors, often of a sexual nature (like, I dunno, perhaps a pee tape?). This exact pairing shows lewd sexual contact to be a congenital flaw for Trump, a point of possible downfall or destruction (and having asteroid Clifford at this same degree, for Stephanie Clifford, AKA porn star Stormy Daniels, shows just how powerful it can be, but that’s another story). Chaos leaves anarchy, disorder, confusion and turmoil in its wake; with his Sun in close square (and being transited currently by this same body) Trump is a natural agent of this degenerative force, but it cuts both ways – Trump spreads Chaos like so much manure on a plowed field, but he’s also susceptible to its effects, which can wreak havoc in his life.

And Moskva is right there in the middle of things; it’s his personal internal, emotional connection with all things Russian which has the potential to enact the negative ramifications of both Achilles and Chaos. And if you think that’s bad, take a look at this!

One view of Trump’s relationship with former spymaster Vladimir Putin

There is another Grand Cross active in Trump’s nativity. This one keys off asteroid Nemesis at 16 Cancer. Nemesis is named for the Greek goddess of divine retribution and vengeance, a sort of cosmic equalizer and enforcer who takes down a peg those mere mortals who overreach themselves or express prideful arrogance, also known as hubris, a term taken from the Greek goddess Hybris. Hybris sets them up, and Nemesis knocks them down; they’re the original mythic tag team.

Nemesis is exactly conjoined asteroid Bilk. Named for an observatory in Dusseldorf, Germany, Bilk functions extremely well in its English language usage capacity as a cheat, con or swindle. It appears in high relief in the charts of such notable con men as Bernie Madoff, Carlo Ponzi (inventor of the eponymous pyramid scheme), Joseph “Yellow Kid” Weil, Victor Lustig (who fraudulently sold the Eiffel Tower, not once, but twice!), and Frank Abagnale (whose con career was dramatized in “Catch Me if You Can”).

Trump & Putin – it’s getting harder and harder to tell them apart, as this Time Magazine cover photo suggests

So just in and of itself, Nemesis exact with Bilk suggests a cosmic comeuppance at some point for financial misdealing. But here’s where it gets interesting: Nemesis is squared by asteroid Russia at 12 Aries! The undoing which Nemesis represents is tied up with Russian interests or entanglements, likely of a business or financial nature. Incredibly, Russia is conjoined by asteroid Mueller at 13 Aries, for Special Counsel Robert Mueller, the man tasked with unraveling the intricate connections between Trump and his Russian cohorts, and who will constitute a pivotal figure in Trump’s self-generated downfall, should it ensue.

Further Russian connections are indicated by Nemesis’ conjunction with asteroid Sergej, an alternate spelling of Sergei, a common Russian first name; and its opposition to asteroid Lavrov at 15 Capricorn, a common Russian surname. Now wait a minute – that sounds familiar: Sergei Lavrov? Oh, right! That’s the name of Russia’s current Foreign Minister, you know, the guy Trump brought into the Oval Office in May 2017, the day after he fired FBI Director James Comey, to brag about how that action took the heat off him in the Russian investigation. Yup, that’s the one!

Trump in the Oval Office, laughing it up with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov (left) and Russian Ambassador Sergei Kislyak, the day after Comey’s firing

So we have no less than three Russian referents tied in that Grand Cross to Trump’s retributive Nemesis, allied to his suspect financial dealings. And for the icing on that cosmic cake, we have asteroid Helsinki, which until last week served no obvious purpose whatsoever. Today, however, we have clearer sight, and asteroid Helsinki exactly opposed Nemesis from 16 Capricorn brings a whole new perspective and understanding to the situation. It was Trump’s bizarre lickspittle performance with Putin at that Helsinki press conference which made it so widely apparent that there is, indeed, something very rotten in the state of Trumpmark.

And just to put a lovely bow on this package, the final arm of that Grand Cross is occupied by natal Jupiter at 17 Libra, conjoined Chiron at 14. Jupiter rules politics and foreign policy; Chiron suggests maverick behaviors and a possible wound from that quarter. The entire Grand Cross was just activated by that Solar Eclipse at 20 Cancer, exactly opposed transit Pluto and transit asteroid Vladimir, just four days before the Helsinki Summit.

We haven’t yet talked about the villain in the piece (unless, of course, you count Trump himself), Vladimir Putin. Asteroid Vladimir at 23 Scorpio in Trump’s birth chart closely conjoins his 24 Scorpio IC, marking Putin as a foundational figure in Trump’s life, with angular importance and force. And asteroid Putilin at 18 Taurus conjoins Trump’s natal asteroid Lie at 17, and is within orb of his Midheaven at 24 Taurus.

Trump and Putin appear briefly before their private meeting in Helsinki; note the differing body language – Putin is relaxed, laid back, almost bored; Trump is forward on the edge of his seat, hands steepled, like an errant schoolboy awaiting his headmaster’s harangue

Now, I know the more skeptical among you will be looking askance at my use of Putilin for “Putin”, despite the obvious appropriateness of the symbolism of having a PNA ostensibly representing Russia’s President in conjunction with Trump’s penchant for untruths (Lie), affecting his career and status in the world (Midheaven). But don’t take my word for it – in his own birth chart, Vladimir Putin’s (born 7 October 1952) asteroid Putilin appears at 15 Aquarius, trine the 13 Libra Sun and stationary, turning direct the very day he was born! That sure looks like a cosmic endorsement of Putilin as Putin’s celestial placeholder to me. At least until something better comes along.

So there’s Trump at birth. What about today? Trump’s current Solar Return began on June 13^th, 2018. It shows the Sun and Moon again linked, this time just after a New Moon, with the Sun returned to 22 Gemini and the Moon at 25. Also here is transit Chaos at 23 Gemini, evoking turmoil, and asteroid Putilin at 29 Gemini, bringing Trump and Putin into direct contact, making the Russian president a formative influence on the year. All on the 21 Gemini Descendant, conveying angular force and momentum, and squared transit asteroid Troemper at 25 Vigo, marking yet another personal contact point (or three, if you count Troemper’s conjunction with Trump’s natal Moskva at 22 Virgo, linking the birth and Solar Return charts in real time).

German magazine “Der Spiegel” offers their take on the morphing between Trump and Putin

As if that wasn’t enough, the cosmos obliged with a trine from this Gemini stellium to asteroid Russia, which at 28 Libra is stationary, having turned direct ten days prior. There’s also an inconjunct to asteroid Vladimir at 27 Capricorn, which itself conjoins Achilles at 1 Aquarius, showing Putin as a potential vulnerability or weakness for the year ahead. Lastly, asteroid Moskva at 1 Leo is exactly opposite Achilles, reiterating the source of vulnerability, as well as sesquiquadrate transit Neptune at 16 Pisces, ruling confusion, deception, espionage, subterfuge and fraud. Neptune is itself conjunct asteroid Washingtonia at 15 Pisces, lending an aura of fantasy or ineffectuality to Congress, an inability to perceive reality when it goosesteps up and bites them.

OK, OK, so the Russian Bear’s paw prints are all over Trump, at birth and for the current year. But there’s no connection to the administration, right? I mean, other than the fact that Trump heads it. Right?

Well… kind of. In spades, actually.

The Russian flag flies proudly over Trump’s White House; not content with Crimea, has Putin annexed 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue?

“Born” on 20 January 2017, the Trump administration has a Sun at 0 Aquarius conjoined the 26 Capricorn MC. Also here is asteroid Whitehouse, at 22 Capricorn, with asteroid America just a bit earlier in the zodiac, at 14 Cap. Asteroid Russia, which is again stationary, making it an embedded point in the administration’s “consciousness”, falls at 4 Gemini, in trine to the Sun; Russia turned direct just four days later. Russia exactly opposes Trump’s 2018 Solar Return asteroid Karma at 4 Sagittarius, suggesting that it has the power to affect his personal destiny as president this year. And Trump’s Solar Return Vladimir at 27 Capricorn conjoins the administration Sun, MC and its Whitehouse, with Achilles conjoined the administration Sun from 1 Aquarius, just to put into focus the fact that this is the pivotal year for that connection, when Putin (Vladimir) achieves his highest ambitions (MC) regarding the Oval Office (Whitehouse), by preying on Trump’s inherent flaws (Achilles).

Asteroid Moskva at 3 Aries is sextile the Sun, affording opportunities for the Kremlin and the While House to work together, and is conjoined by asteroid Troemper on one side, at 9 Aries, and asteroid Putilin on the other, at 26 Pisces. While Troemper and Putilin are not technically within orb of each other, they are linked via Moskva, and Putilin is exactly sextile the administration MC. It’s also trined Washingtonia at 28 Scorpio, and exactly quintile (72 degrees) America, which puts Putin too much in our business for comfort.

Why is that when Trump talks, we hear Putin speaking? Oh, right…

Asteroid Vladimir at 19 Libra conjoins Jupiter at 22 (and these conjoin Trump’s natal Jupiter at 17 Libra), exactly squared Whitehouse, giving Putin (Vladimir) some degree of influence in the administration’s (Whitehouse) foreign policy (Jupiter) and Trump’s own political fortunes (his natal Jupiter). Finally, asteroid Helsinki at 15 Gemini is exactly sesquiquadrate the administration Sun, and is slowing to its own station, though it won’t turn direct for another two weeks. From there, Helsinki conjoins Trump’s natal Uranus, evoking controversy and shocking actions or statements.

So, yeah, Russia is kind of important in the administration chart as well.

And what about Putin himself? How does he fit into all this, personally? How about a Sun/Saturn/Neptune/Mercury combination, at 13, 17, 21 and 22 Libra respectively, all reinforcing that natal Nemesis Grand Cross for Trump? Also involved here is Putin’s natal Damocles, that doom hanging unseen overhead, which at 16 Capricorn is exactly conjunct Trump’s Helsinki and exactly opposed his Nemesis. Damocles has an extremely erratic orbit, spending almost 75% of its 40-year cycle in Aquarius, so anytime you find it other than in the Sign of the Water Bearer, pay attention! Here it also squares Putin’s Sun, making him potentially the bringer of that unforeseen calamity. Putin’s natal Helsinki at 19 Cancer also ties to Nemesis by conjunction, and is exactly squared the Vladimir of the administration.

At Helsinki, Putin passes, and Trump receives; the ball’s in your court, POTUS!

And just down the celestial pike is Putin’s Achilles, conjunct America at 22 and 23 Cancer. This is getting a bit wide of the Nemesis Grand Cross, but in itself represents Putin’s ability to exploit weaknesses and vulnerabilities in the US, especially in the body politic during the Trump administration, whose Jupiter exactly squares Achilles. To wrap up the Nemesis theme, Putin’s natal Nemesis at 11 Scorpio squares Trump’s natal Pluto at 10 Leo and ties to Trump’s Soli-Lunar Grand Cross by semisquare and sesquiquadrate, making Putin potentially a powerful agent in Trump’s self-undoing or destruction (Pluto). It also opposed transit Whitehouse at 9 Taurus for the Helsinki Summit.

Additional connections abound. Putin’s natal Moskva at 25 Gemini conjoins Trump’s natal and Solar Return Suns, and exactly conjoins the Solar Return Moon; it’s also stationary, turning retrograde a week after Putin’s birth, suggesting a strong pull toward Russia’s capital for the former KGB agent who would one day run the show. His Pluto at 22 Leo conjoins Washingtonia at 26, asserting some degree of power, control or manipulation of the US federal government, with the potential for a devastating outcome. Add to this Putin’s natal Whitehouse at 5 Aries, conjoined TNO Eris at 7, and you have an image of Putin sowing strife and discord (Eris) into the US via the Oval Office (Whitehouse). This paring closely opposes Trump’s natal Neptune at 5 Libra – is he a dupe, or a co-conspirator (both Neptune)? Which is worse?

If Trump is thrown out of office, he can always get a job mopping up for Putin at the Kremlin

Natal Troemper at 21 Virgo is widely conjoined36 Russia at 29, and both connect to Trump’s natal Moskva at 22 Virgo, itself exactly on the US Neptune, a sign that Russia (Russia, Moskva) under Putin could subvert or deceive (Neptune) the US under Trump’s (Troemper) auspices. All these points square Trump’s natal Sun, personalizing these energies yet further.

Even James Bond creator Ian Fleming couldn’t craft a plot as intricate as this one; who would believe it?

So if you’ve had any lingering doubts about the level of Donald Trump’s enmeshment in Russia, put those aside. It’s all right there, written in the stars.