# The current second Trump administration: a compendium of horrors **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Tags:** trump\ **Created:** [November 6, 2024, 9:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-current-second-trump-administration-a-compendium-of-horrors/1009774 "2024-11-06T09:17:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 123
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2025, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-current-second-trump-administration-a-compendium-of-horrors/1009774/2446 "2025-10-22T19:27:59Z")
This is _enraging._ ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2025, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-current-second-trump-administration-a-compendium-of-horrors/1009774/2447 "2025-10-22T20:17:59Z")
If I were to be the next president, the first thing I would do is order the Army Corps of Engineers to blow it up. No permits, no appropriation, no debate. I will be a jolly fascist. ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2025, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-current-second-trump-administration-a-compendium-of-horrors/1009774/2448 "2025-10-22T20:30:12Z")
They did it. They finally, really did it. You maniacs! You tore it down! Damn you! Oh, goddamn you all to hell! ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2025, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-current-second-trump-administration-a-compendium-of-horrors/1009774/2449 "2025-10-22T21:14:31Z")
Color me ignorant, but how does one - even if they are the President - get to just tear down a portion of a federal building? Especially one of the White House’s historical significance? Has anyone seen any indication of lawsuits being filed trying to enjoin this? Just crazy! ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2025, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-current-second-trump-administration-a-compendium-of-horrors/1009774/2450 "2025-10-22T21:31:11Z")
“I was just following orders” has a long and sordid history. The current criminal regime is also demonstrating something every despot knows: plan in secret, execute quickly before the opposition even recognizes what you’re doing. Normal planning for something like this would be years to a decade or 2. If it got that far. If you just do it, it’s done in an afternoon or two. Deeds defeat any/all processes. And checks and balances. So just keep slamming out deeds and the other side is helpless. Autocracy 101. ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2025, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-current-second-trump-administration-a-compendium-of-horrors/1009774/2451 "2025-10-22T21:39:17Z")
> [@Dinsdale](#): > > Has anyone seen any indication of lawsuits being filed trying to enjoin this? Just crazy! “As the subject premises have already been demolished, Plaintiff’s claim is hereby deemed moot and accordingly dismissed for lack of standing.” ---
**Author:** ![Sylvanz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/fbc32d/32.png) [@Sylvanz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sylvanz)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2025, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-current-second-trump-administration-a-compendium-of-horrors/1009774/2452 "2025-10-22T21:42:13Z")
I know right? This is pissing me off almost more than anything else. I’m not sure why, but _enraging_ is at minimum of the way I feel about this _ **Despoiling** _ of our house. Maybe it’s the symbolism of it all, or maybe it’s the smug in your face screw you feel. Grrrr! ---
**Author:** ![Buck\_Godot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buck_godot/32/6573_2.png) [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2025, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-current-second-trump-administration-a-compendium-of-horrors/1009774/2453 "2025-10-22T22:04:29Z")
And that is one of the primary reasons for him to do it. 😡 ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2025, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-current-second-trump-administration-a-compendium-of-horrors/1009774/2454 "2025-10-22T22:27:16Z")
[https://www.politico.com/news/2025/10/22/white-house-demolition-sends-shock-waves-spurs-calls-for-pause-00618230](https://www.politico.com/news/2025/10/22/white-house-demolition-sends-shock-waves-spurs-calls-for-pause-00618230) This offers some idea of what currently passes for oversight. Yeah, I know there is so much more significant going on, but I’ve gotta hand it to the guy. He keeps coming up with new ways to surprise me! ---
**Author:** ![Tatterdemalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/43a26b/32.png) [@Tatterdemalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tatterdemalion)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2025, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-current-second-trump-administration-a-compendium-of-horrors/1009774/2455 "2025-10-22T22:30:42Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > The current criminal regime is also demonstrating something every despot knows: plan in secret, execute quickly before the opposition even recognizes what you’re doing. I expect that whoever comes next is going to have to rip it all out and rebuild anyway because, since this is a Trump project, it almost certainly isn’t up to code. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2025, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-current-second-trump-administration-a-compendium-of-horrors/1009774/2456 "2025-10-22T22:44:53Z")
> [@Tatterdemalion](#): > > whoever comes next Still with the optimism. ---
**Author:** ![Tatterdemalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/43a26b/32.png) [@Tatterdemalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tatterdemalion)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2025, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-current-second-trump-administration-a-compendium-of-horrors/1009774/2457 "2025-10-22T22:48:41Z")
I don’t have any great hopes that it will be a democratic (or Democratic) process, but there’s no way that Trump is long for the world. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2025, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-current-second-trump-administration-a-compendium-of-horrors/1009774/2458 "2025-10-22T22:59:16Z")
I’m awful glum right now, but thanks for the reminder. ---
**Author:** ![not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/not_what_you_d_expect/32/3246_2.png) [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/not_what_you_d_expect)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2025, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-current-second-trump-administration-a-compendium-of-horrors/1009774/2459 "2025-10-22T23:08:31Z")
This is so astonishingly stupid. Does he not realize that when people say men think with the wrong head, that it’s only a joke. JFC, has he ever been asked to explain how a goddamn circumcision could possibly be responsible for autism? I would dearly love to hear his explanation. Now I’m imagining SNL doing a skit with the foreskins having consciousness. Maybe they could form a dance troupe. ---
**Author:** ![PhillyGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@PhillyGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhillyGuy)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2025, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-current-second-trump-administration-a-compendium-of-horrors/1009774/2460 "2025-10-23T01:35:02Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > If I were to be the next president, the first thing I would do is order the Army Corps of Engineers to blow it up. No permits, no appropriation, no debate. > > I will be a jolly fascist. A jolly fascist would turn the ballroom into a lockup for Trumpers. Your proposal sounds to me like normal dictator stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2025, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-current-second-trump-administration-a-compendium-of-horrors/1009774/2461 "2025-10-23T01:40:50Z")
Not if you blew it up by filling it with fireworks. ---
**Author:** ![PhillyGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@PhillyGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhillyGuy)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2025, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-current-second-trump-administration-a-compendium-of-horrors/1009774/2462 "2025-10-23T01:46:52Z")
50 percent cost overrun before they’ve even started excavating the foundation: [Mr. Trump said Wednesday that the ballroom will cost $300 million - up from the $200 million figure that White House officials initially cited.](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/demolish-white-house-east-wing-ballroom-trump-cost/#) Is this fixed price, cost-plus, or something else? ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2025, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-current-second-trump-administration-a-compendium-of-horrors/1009774/2463 "2025-10-23T01:52:54Z")
Who is paying for this? ---
**Author:** ![Sylvanz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/fbc32d/32.png) [@Sylvanz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sylvanz)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2025, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-current-second-trump-administration-a-compendium-of-horrors/1009774/2464 "2025-10-23T01:54:43Z")
We are. There’s no doubt in my mind. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2025, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-current-second-trump-administration-a-compendium-of-horrors/1009774/2465 "2025-10-23T01:55:27Z")
Yeah…but is the official answer? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-current-second-trump-administration-a-compendium-of-horrors/1009774.md?page=122) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-current-second-trump-administration-a-compendium-of-horrors/1009774.md?page=124)