# 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:** 173
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2026, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-current-second-trump-administration-a-compendium-of-horrors/1009774/3446 "2026-04-24T21:17:39Z")
[![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpl75CkShZBybgyYgqDRwHQM9DKvKQ2GovgF2vR7fZ537VeOc6TSjyfWmZlzvf7s4AJsTR7IjNjrNBDpSmSoA1ex5ZyUZY0RTnKk7Hm02NovQIrTkFybVxCS10SPhT2HrQRsO8E6bjgQPA/s720/ethrthsdfdxf.jpg) ](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpl75CkShZBybgyYgqDRwHQM9DKvKQ2GovgF2vR7fZ537VeOc6TSjyfWmZlzvf7s4AJsTR7IjNjrNBDpSmSoA1ex5ZyUZY0RTnKk7Hm02NovQIrTkFybVxCS10SPhT2HrQRsO8E6bjgQPA/s720/ethrthsdfdxf.jpg) Or treads. ---
**Author:** ![PhillyGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@PhillyGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhillyGuy)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2026, 12:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-current-second-trump-administration-a-compendium-of-horrors/1009774/3447 "2026-04-25T12:17:48Z")
[The 85-Year-Old Widow Snagged by Trump’s Immigration Crackdown](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/25/us/french-ross-mahe-ice-detention.html?unlocked_article_code=1.dlA.tICd.xayYMloiUi-W&smid=url-share) > [@](#): > > In her first interview since being deported, Marie-Thérèse Ross-Mahé, the French widow of a former G.I., recounted her experience in ICE detention. . . . > > After her arrest on April 1, Ms. Ross-Mahé was swallowed into the country’s sprawling immigration detention system, where, she said, she was chained by her wrists and ankles to other inmates and loaded onto buses and a plane “like a potato sack.” . . . > > The experience stunned Ms. Ross-Mahé, who previously considered herself a supporter of President Trump and so admired his policy to deport illegal immigrants that she thought it should be adopted in France. . . . > > She said an ICE officer told her she had been illegally in the United States between September, when her 90-day visa ended, and early December, when her green card application was submitted. So — doesn’t matter what your skin color is. What matters is enforcing dumb rules and coming closer to making the numbers. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2026, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-current-second-trump-administration-a-compendium-of-horrors/1009774/3448 "2026-04-25T14:53:59Z")
> [@enipla](#): > > In next episode: “Why don’t we put wheels on ships???” > > I’m actually waiting for this. I’m stealing this. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2026, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-current-second-trump-administration-a-compendium-of-horrors/1009774/3449 "2026-04-25T15:02:36Z")
Please do @Johnny_L.A . I’m honored. Next up - “Why can’t airplanes fly under water?” Just think of the most freaking absurd thing someone can say, and there you go… You have DJT. I’m really wondering if his IQ ever broke 70. ---
**Author:** ![MikeF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@MikeF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeF)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2026, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-current-second-trump-administration-a-compendium-of-horrors/1009774/3450 "2026-04-25T15:20:01Z")
My understanding is that the navy won’t even place the order until 2028. With a 3-5 year build time, at best, the orange menace will probably not live long enough to see the first one completed. This assumes that the next administration doesn’t cancel the whole thing before the first weld. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2026, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-current-second-trump-administration-a-compendium-of-horrors/1009774/3451 "2026-04-25T15:24:18Z")
It would take 3-5 years just to design it, at least. And since it’s not needed, and will never be built, I suspect a lot of long lunches. ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2026, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-current-second-trump-administration-a-compendium-of-horrors/1009774/3452 "2026-04-25T15:30:12Z")
> [@enipla](#): > > Next up - “Why can’t airplanes fly under water?” They did it in that Sky Captain movie! Are you telling me the US military is weaker than a movie??!!? ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2026, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-current-second-trump-administration-a-compendium-of-horrors/1009774/3453 "2026-04-25T15:32:35Z")
> [@enipla](#): > > It would take 3-5 years just to design it, at least. And since it’s not needed, and will never be built Just take an existing design, cross out all the current armaments, and scribble in “Lasers&shit”. Trump won’t know the difference. ---
**Author:** ![DavidNRockies](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidnrockies/32/6279_2.png) [@DavidNRockies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidNRockies)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2026, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-current-second-trump-administration-a-compendium-of-horrors/1009774/3454 "2026-04-25T15:36:41Z")
These battleships are supposed to have [**electromagnetic railguns**](https://www.twz.com/sea/everything-new-we-just-learned-about-the-trump-class-battleship-program). I thought **[electromagnets couldn’t get wet](https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/trump-79-gets-confused-explaining-095006965.html)**?? Huh. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2026, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-current-second-trump-administration-a-compendium-of-horrors/1009774/3455 "2026-04-25T15:57:43Z")
> [@PhillyGuy](#): > > What’s confusing me is that some news reports seem to be saying that Sec. Phelan was fired for taking Trump’s insistence on quickly building a Trump Class Battleship more seriously than Hegseth. Apparently Phelan had gone over everyone’s heads _including_ Hegseth and the Navy professionals (even the Hegseth appointees) to push his vision of the “Trump Battleship” in spite of how (a) it fit no one’s actual war plans _even in the administration_ (b) there was no way to build it before the 2030s and (c) in the meanwhile it would take limited resources away from badly needed replenishing of numbers of other types. ---
**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:** [April 25, 2026, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-current-second-trump-administration-a-compendium-of-horrors/1009774/3456 "2026-04-25T15:58:59Z")
> [@DavidNRockies](#): > > These battleships are supposed to have **[electromagnetic railguns](https://www.twz.com/sea/everything-new-we-just-learned-about-the-trump-class-battleship-program)**. Are we sure Trump doesn’t think a railgun is a gun that uses rails as ammunition? ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2026, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-current-second-trump-administration-a-compendium-of-horrors/1009774/3457 "2026-04-25T16:16:44Z")
> [@DavidNRockies](#): > > These battleships are supposed to have **[electromagnetic railguns](https://www.twz.com/sea/everything-new-we-just-learned-about-the-trump-class-battleship-program)**. > > I thought **[electromagnets couldn’t get wet](https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/trump-79-gets-confused-explaining-095006965.html)**?? Electromagnetic _catapults_ don’t work if they get wet. Electromagnetic _rail guns_ are an entirely different technology. /s ---
**Author:** ![robby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robby/32/11048_2.png) [@robby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robby)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2026, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-current-second-trump-administration-a-compendium-of-horrors/1009774/3458 "2026-04-25T16:53:16Z")
> [@JRDelirious](#): > > > [@PhillyGuy](#): > > > > What’s confusing me is that some news reports seem to be saying that Sec. Phelan was fired for taking Trump’s insistence on quickly building a Trump Class Battleship more seriously than Hegseth. > > Apparently Phelan had gone over everyone’s heads _including_ Hegseth and the Navy professionals (even the Hegseth appointees) to push his vision of the “Trump Battleship” in spite of how (a) it fit no one’s actual war plans _even in the administration_ (b) there was no way to build it before the 2030s and (c) in the meanwhile it would take limited resources away from badly needed replenishing of numbers of other types. If true, he needed to be fired. And whatever it is that Trump and Phelan want to build, one thing they _aren’t_ is a “battleship.” It will have neither big guns nor heavy armor, which are the defining characteristics of a battleship. But sure, they can call it whatever they want since it will be cancelled before any ship sets sail. > **[The Golden Fleet’s Battleship Will Never Sail](https://www.csis.org/analysis/golden-fleets-battleship-will-never-sail)** > > The recently announced “Trump” class of battleships is cast as the world’s largest and most powerful ships. But these ships will take years to design, cost $9 billion each, and run counter to the Navy's new concept of distributed operations. They... ---
**Author:** ![PhillyGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@PhillyGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhillyGuy)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2026, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-current-second-trump-administration-a-compendium-of-horrors/1009774/3459 "2026-04-25T23:52:01Z")
> [@robby](#): > > But sure, they can call it whatever they want since it will be cancelled before any ship sets sail. Being more of a pessimist, I will set aside discussion of this claim for the all too possible third Trump administration compendium of horrors thread. ---
**Author:** ![PhillyGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@PhillyGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhillyGuy)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2026, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-current-second-trump-administration-a-compendium-of-horrors/1009774/3460 "2026-04-26T00:20:34Z")
[Trump Axes Entire National Science Board](https://www.ibtimes.co.uk/trump-dismisses-national-science-board-1793637) > [@](#): > > The sudden termination removes the independent oversight body responsible for guiding the National Science Foundation and its substantial federal budget. I asked three AI’s if Trump has the power to do this. One said no; the other two say maybe. Does anyone have a prediction on whether this horror will stand? ---
**Author:** ![ekedolphin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ekedolphin/32/10003_2.png) [@ekedolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ekedolphin)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2026, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-current-second-trump-administration-a-compendium-of-horrors/1009774/3461 "2026-04-26T00:25:01Z")
If the entire Republican Party was really a cabal of aliens from outer space hellbent on destroying America, I’m not sure we could tell the difference. ---
**Author:** ![Pazu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pazu/32/15522_2.png) [@Pazu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pazu)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2026, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-current-second-trump-administration-a-compendium-of-horrors/1009774/3462 "2026-04-26T01:03:29Z")
[Trump and his (liquor) cabinet were just evacuated from the White House Correspondents Dinner after “loud noises” were heard in the lobby.](https://www.c-span.org/event/public-affairs-event/white-house-correspondents-dinner/442315) ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2026, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-current-second-trump-administration-a-compendium-of-horrors/1009774/3463 "2026-04-26T01:12:06Z")
> From NYTimes > > # Live Updates: Trump Rushed Out of Dinner Amid Reports of Shots Fired > > Secret Service officers at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner, where Trump was set to speak, rushed the president out. > > President Trump was rushed out of the White House correspondents’ dinner on Saturday night after several loud bangs were heard, and the Secret Service officers with guns drawn sprinted through the aisles to reach the president. > > According to the White House press pool, a group of reporters who travel with the president, a member of the Secret Service shouted, “Shots fired.” There was no sign the president was hit. > > Guests were about five minutes into the dinner hour when a commotion could be heard toward the back of the ballroom. Security officials then sprinted through the aisles toward the stage where the president was seated. Gasps were heard and then hundreds of attendees dropped under their seats at their tables. > > Security officials with weapons drawn emerged on the dais as the president and the first lady, Melania Trump, were quickly escorted out. Not a gift link: [https://www.nytimes.com/live/2026/04/25/us/trump-correspondents-dinner-shooting?searchResultPosition=1#heres-the-latest](https://www.nytimes.com/live/2026/04/25/us/trump-correspondents-dinner-shooting?searchResultPosition=1#heres-the-latest) ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2026, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-current-second-trump-administration-a-compendium-of-horrors/1009774/3464 "2026-04-26T01:16:19Z")
One wonders if the whole thing was a setup; regardless, it sounds like nobody was hurt and that’s the most important thing. ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2026, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-current-second-trump-administration-a-compendium-of-horrors/1009774/3465 "2026-04-26T01:19:00Z")
Wouldn’t it be … something … if some prankster had set up a small but powerful transmitter preloaded with the sound of several gunshots and tucked it away in some obscure spot in or just outside the ballroom, then set a timer or had a remote control to start it shortly after the dinner commenced? > [@nearwildheaven](#): > > One wonders if the whole thing was a setup Hey, that’s one way of stopping Trump’s monologue, or anyone else’s. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-current-second-trump-administration-a-compendium-of-horrors/1009774.md?page=172) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-current-second-trump-administration-a-compendium-of-horrors/1009774.md?page=174)