# 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:** 61
**Author:** ![wguy123](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wguy123/32/3161_2.png) [@wguy123](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wguy123)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2025, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-current-second-trump-administration-a-compendium-of-horrors/1009774/1202 "2025-03-25T01:19:36Z")
Watch Hegseth besmirch Goldberg. Hegseth is 100% an idiotic moron that shouldn’t be in charge of a convenience store. > **[BREAKING: Hegseth responds to Atlantic article: 'Nobody was texting war plans'](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdG34I9lfgs%2F)** > > Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth attempts to set the record straight on the Atlantic article. #foxnews #trump #hegseth #security #securitybreach Subscribe to F... ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2025, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-current-second-trump-administration-a-compendium-of-horrors/1009774/1203 "2025-03-25T01:26:04Z")
> [@PhillyGuy](#): > > There is a chance of a Waltz arrest Waltz, Walz, that meth cook Walt, someone’s gotta go to prison! ---
**Author:** ![Al128](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/al128/32/16541_2.png) [@Al128](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Al128)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2025, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-current-second-trump-administration-a-compendium-of-horrors/1009774/1204 "2025-03-25T01:42:50Z")
> [@PhillyGuy](#): > > As for letting them all get away with it, Trump might. What… No "lock them up? " ---
**Author:** ![PhillyGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@PhillyGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhillyGuy)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2025, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-current-second-trump-administration-a-compendium-of-horrors/1009774/1205 "2025-03-25T02:28:36Z")
> [@Al128](#): > > > [@PhillyGuy](#): > > > > As for letting them all get away with it, Trump might. > > What… No "lock them up? " I wasn’t clear. Trump might let all his people get away with it. But not all Democrats. It seems hard to believe Trump would be so careful to get his people into key Justice Department positions and then fail to arrest any leading Democrats. I can’t see DJT getting rid of someone like Hegseth, whose Senate confirmation was a Trump triumph. But if all knew was this, I’d say the administration is letting Hegseth twist: > [@](#): > > Hegseth sought to discredit Jeffrey Goldberg, The Atlantic’s editor-in-chief, after his [explosive story](https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2025/03/trump-administration-accidentally-texted-me-its-war-plans/682151/) detailed how he was added to texts in a commercial app where Hegseth laid out the targets of airstrikes on Yemen-based Houthi fighters. > > You’re talking about a deceitful and highly discredited so-called journalist who’s made a profession of peddling hoaxes,” an uncharacteristically angry Hegseth said about Goldberg, a well-regarded Washington reporter and editor. “This is a guy who peddles in garbage.” > > . . . > > National Security Council spokesperson Brian Hughes appeared to contradict Hegseth’s comments on Monday night by confirming the existence of the group and offering no denials as to its content. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2025, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-current-second-trump-administration-a-compendium-of-horrors/1009774/1206 "2025-03-25T03:09:18Z")
> [@PhillyGuy](#): > > You’re talking about a deceitful and highly discredited so-called journalist who’s made a profession of peddling hoaxes,” an uncharacteristically angry Hegseth said about Goldberg, a well-regarded Washington reporter and editor. “This is a guy who peddles in garbage.” Hegseth is using the standard Trump playbook, “deny, deny” and “attack, attack”. Trouble is, Goldberg has a record of the texts that Hegseth claims were never sent. Hegseth’s claims will work with the MAGA cult, but not with those of us still in contact with reality. I saw the interview of Hegseth’s denials and attacks. He was jumping around frantically like a kid on a sugar overdose and making no sense whatsoever. Actually, he was a perfect icon of Trump 2.0 – a hyperactive child overdosed on sugar. (Although in the case of Hegseth, it’s equally likely he was drunk.) ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2025, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-current-second-trump-administration-a-compendium-of-horrors/1009774/1207 "2025-03-25T03:10:04Z")
> [@wguy123](#): > > Hegseth is 100% an idiotic moron that shouldn’t be in charge of a convenience store. Hegseth commenting on Hillary Clinton’s email server issues in 2016: > Pete Hegseth in 2016: “How damaging is it to your ability to recruit or build allies with others when they are worried that our leaders may be exposing them because of their gross negligence or their recklessness in handling information?” - [SOURCE](https://newrepublic.com/post/193099/pete-hegseth-text-war-plans-group-chat) and… > Pete Hegseth in 2016: “The people we rely on to do dangerous and difficult things for us rely on one thing from us: That we will not… be reckless with the dangerous things they are doing for us. That’s the national security implications of a private server that’s unsecured.” I think this headline sums it up: Full Headline: **Calls for Hegseth’s Resignation Spread After War Plans Text Blunder: ‘If This Doesn’t Get You Fired, Nothing Does’** > **[Calls for Hegseth's Resignation Spread After War Plans Text Blunder: 'If This...](https://www.latintimes.com/calls-hegseths-resignation-spread-after-war-plans-text-blunder-if-this-doesnt-get-you-fired-579141)** > > Demands for Hegseth to resign abound following report of classified military plans shared via text message in a group chat with The Atlantic's editor-in-chief. Not gonna hold my breath waiting for it though. > **[https://preview.redd.it/49hkh2t8bpqe1.jpeg?auto=webp&s=3c50ecb6e862241c371d4...](https://preview.redd.it/49hkh2t8bpqe1.jpeg?auto=webp&s=3c50ecb6e862241c371d4f31975ebf7c82416bfc)** ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2025, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-current-second-trump-administration-a-compendium-of-horrors/1009774/1208 "2025-03-25T12:45:19Z")
This is good (article and 30 second video): > **[CNN montage shows Trump officials in Signal chat condemning Hillary Clinton](https://www.yahoo.com/news/cnn-airs-brutal-montage-trump-085950657.html)** > > Pete Hegseth, Marco Rubio, John Ratcliffe and Mike Waltz all publicly criticized Clinton for failing to use proper government channels to share classified information ---
**Author:** ![zimaane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a3d4f5/32.png) [@zimaane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zimaane)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2025, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-current-second-trump-administration-a-compendium-of-horrors/1009774/1209 "2025-03-25T13:49:23Z")
Trump did claim that his administration would be transparent. FYI, the Intelligence leaders will be testifying before the Senate committee at 10 am edt today. Should be interesting ---
**Author:** ![DWMarch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dwmarch/32/1010_2.png) [@DWMarch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DWMarch)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2025, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-current-second-trump-administration-a-compendium-of-horrors/1009774/1210 "2025-03-25T14:17:44Z")
> [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > This is good (article and 30 second video): Unfortunately, no Republican has ever died of hypocrisy. In fact, they seem to have a natural 100% immunity to it (and the accompanying shame) which they can build to even greater strengths by actively engaging in hypocritical acts. > [@zimaane](#): > > Trump did claim that his administration would be transparent. Somehow I don’t think “post the war plans for a reporter to see” was what he meant. I have also seen talking heads speculating that the reason why they are doing this on Signal is to avoid the Presidential Records Act. ---
**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:** [March 25, 2025, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-current-second-trump-administration-a-compendium-of-horrors/1009774/1211 "2025-03-25T14:39:39Z")
> [@nearwildheaven](#): > > Nothing this administration does would surprise me, unless it was something that actually made sense. I read @wolfpup’s post to my wife. She said the same thing. ---
**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:** [March 25, 2025, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-current-second-trump-administration-a-compendium-of-horrors/1009774/1212 "2025-03-25T14:52:09Z")
> [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > Pete Hegseth in 2016: “How damaging is it to your ability to recruit or build allies with others when they are worried that our leaders may be exposing them because of their gross negligence or their recklessness in handling information?” - [SOURCE](https://newrepublic.com/post/193099/pete-hegseth-text-war-plans-group-chat) Thanks for that. I’ve posted it as a comment on a Facebook post by @RepRickLarsen. ---
**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:** [March 25, 2025, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-current-second-trump-administration-a-compendium-of-horrors/1009774/1213 "2025-03-25T21:37:35Z")
> [@DWMarch](#): > > I have also seen talking heads speculating that the reason why they are doing this on Signal is to avoid the Presidential Records Act. I have seen it pointed out that Signal lets you “disappear messages”, and thus any evidence. Also that it can’t be downloaded onto most Federal devices, so they were apparently using their own. Which is rather bad for security, to say the least. > “Their personal phones are all hackable, and it’s highly likely that foreign intelligence services are sitting on their phones watching them type the shit out,” the former White House official warned. [Article from Poltico](https://www.politico.com/news/2025/03/25/signal-cybersecurity-trump-war-planning-00246881) on the incident. ---
**Author:** ![PhillyGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@PhillyGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhillyGuy)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2025, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-current-second-trump-administration-a-compendium-of-horrors/1009774/1214 "2025-03-26T01:12:17Z")
There was another executive order targeting a law firm today: > **[Addressing Risks from Jenner & Block](https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/03/addressing-risks-from-jenner-block/)** > > By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered: Section 1.  > [@](#): > > Jenner & Block LLP (Jenner) is yet another law firm that has abandoned the profession’s highest ideals, condoned partisan “lawfare,” and abused its pro bono practice to engage in activities that undermine justice and the interests of the United States. . . . > > Government contracting agencies shall, to the extent permissible by law, require Government contractors to disclose any business they do with Jenner . . . This won’t get much attention the day after the revelation about the security lapses, but it disturbs me more. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2025, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-current-second-trump-administration-a-compendium-of-horrors/1009774/1215 "2025-03-26T01:25:18Z")
I quickly skimmed the EO out of curiosity to see what Jenner had done to offend the Orange Felon. My inferences from reading between the lines was that (a) they had some involvement in investigations or prosecutions against the Orange Menace, (b) they have defended transgender rights, and (c) they apparently have a DEI program of some kind, and all such programs are inherently evil because they disadvantage the natural supremacy of white males. I suppose that should be enough to blacklist them, if not throw them all in jail. 🙄 Especially point (a)! The more these personal vendettas pile up, the more the USA begins to resemble a banana republic. ---
**Author:** ![PhillyGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@PhillyGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhillyGuy)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2025, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-current-second-trump-administration-a-compendium-of-horrors/1009774/1216 "2025-03-26T02:54:13Z")
WaPo isn’t useless yet: [Law firms refuse to represent Trump opponents in the wake of his attacks](https://wapo.st/41XkLl3) > [@](#): > > Biden-era officials said they’re having trouble finding lawyers willing to defend them. . . . > > . . . the president is following a playbook from other countries whose leaders have sought to undermine democratic systems and the rule of law, including Russia, Turkey and Hungary. Leaders in those countries have similarly attacked lawyers with the effect of hollowing out a pillar of justice systems to expand their power without violating existing laws. They have successfully used the strategy to blast away their political opposition and any effort to counter their actions through courts. > > “The law firms have to behave themselves,” Trump said at a Cabinet meeting Monday. ---
**Author:** ![aurora\_maire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aurora_maire/32/328_2.png) [@aurora\_maire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aurora_maire)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2025, 7:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-current-second-trump-administration-a-compendium-of-horrors/1009774/1217 "2025-03-26T07:27:51Z")
It looks like Trump is trying to set up his own banking system with his crypto ventures. I guess the whole “presidents aren’t supposed to be doing any business other than being president” thing is totally in the dustbin of history. Yesterday he introduced a “stablecoin”. I don’t really know what that’s all about (and he doesn’t either) but I’m definitely sure it’s a way for people to give him a lot of money. Interesting article though. [Donald Trump’s crypto business launched a dollar coin called USD1: What we know so far | Fortune Crypto](https://fortune.com/crypto/2025/03/24/world-liberty-financial-usd1-stablecoin-donald-trump-binance-cz/) ---
**Author:** ![duality72](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duality72/32/3910_2.png) [@duality72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/duality72)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2025, 8:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-current-second-trump-administration-a-compendium-of-horrors/1009774/1218 "2025-03-26T08:30:28Z")
For reference. > **[Stablecoin](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stablecoin)** > > A stablecoin is a type of cryptocurrency where the value of the digital asset is supposed to be pegged to a reference asset, which is either fiat money, exchange-traded commodities (such as precious metals or industrial metals), or another cryptocurrency. In theory, 1:1 backing by a reference asset could make a stablecoin value track the value of the peg and not be subject to the radical changes in value common in the market for many digital assets. In practice, stablecoin issuers have yet St... So it’s supposed to be a less risky form of cryptocurrency, but it remains to be seen if that’s achievable. ---
**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:** [March 26, 2025, 8:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-current-second-trump-administration-a-compendium-of-horrors/1009774/1219 "2025-03-26T08:53:38Z")
And Jimmy Carter had to give up his peanut farm. ---
**Author:** ![wguy123](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wguy123/32/3161_2.png) [@wguy123](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wguy123)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2025, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-current-second-trump-administration-a-compendium-of-horrors/1009774/1220 "2025-03-26T15:14:21Z")
> [@aurora\_maire](#): > > Yesterday he introduced a “stablecoin”. Can’t believe he didn’t do his typical Trump branding. Introducing StableGeniusCoin. More Stable and far more Genius than any other. ---
**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:** [March 26, 2025, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-current-second-trump-administration-a-compendium-of-horrors/1009774/1221 "2025-03-26T15:36:57Z")
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