# The Trump Administration: A Clusterfuck in the Making Part Deux (Part 1) **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [June 22, 2020, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083 "2020-06-22T03:36:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 39
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2020, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/767 "2020-07-10T03:57:54Z")
As per _The Family Circus_, it was undoubtedly [Ida Know, Not Me, and/or Nobody](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/0f/99/5e/0f995eebacb8e215edbe1a88965b7412.gif). 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2020, 11:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/768 "2020-07-10T11:30:16Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > Police radio transmissions were not recorded. And the dispatchers didn’t keep a written log? Bullshit. ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2020, 12:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/769 "2020-07-10T12:07:46Z")
> [@KarlGauss](#): > > [This is a non-paywalled link](https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/09/opinion/tammy-duckworth-tucker-carlson.html?unlocked_article_code=AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACEIPuonUktbfq4hkT1UbCibSRdkhrxqAwuTGxbktw3PjJyuKTixez6EJHoOD9l2IbqN5Y8A02XKbWNpFevcJdcBF89V-bQZrWhX65dyNgogEKCE47tq4U2k6gZ7EGO1n-zGvM2XmdKIunezg-k_baGi8W_GL0nUrLB134scwLSHc0nYDx6vPF-Vwy4M-ia9nXsYmMG9GMCqavPDoCgF8PsGFb3ze6wowXeJeXFLDjILWquJAIEgJVwWwHD4o6n086dheJNoSIK35Shcic8f7irkWYXd6HAff9RjJPzLHrAA73RZPRA) to a remarkably eloquent and stirring editorial by Tammy Duckworth from today’s NYT. > > As one commenter said, “This is what leadership looks like”. Damn. That was a very moving article. It encapsulates very well, as Senator Duckworth puts it, “the difference between true patriotism and hateful nationalism”. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2020, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/770 "2020-07-10T12:37:16Z")
Reporting today claims that Cohen wasn’t sent back to prison because he was out in a restaurant but because he refused to sign an NDA prohibiting him from talking to the press and publishing a book he’d been writing in prison about Trump. More investigative reporting will be done but there appears to be no standing prohibition from writing and publishing a book while in prison, so this is being viewed with some suspicion regarding the source of the NDA condition being placed on Cohen. ---
**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:** [July 10, 2020, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/771 "2020-07-10T13:37:46Z")
Boo fucking hoo. > **[Trump the victim: President complains in private about the pandemic hurting him](https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-the-victim-president-complains-in-private-about-the-pandemic-hurting-himself/2020/07/09/187142c6-c089-11ea-864a-0dd31b9d6917_story.html)** > > In lengthy monologues, Trump portrays a deadly pandemic, stalled economy and deep-seated racial unrest as happening to him rather than the country. > Callers on President Trump in recent weeks have come to expect what several allies and advisers describe as a “woe-is-me” preamble. > > The president rants about the deadly [coronavirus](https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2020/02/28/what-you-need-know-about-coronavirus/?itid=lk_inline_manual_3) destroying “the greatest economy,” one he claims to have personally built. He laments the unfair “fake news” media, which he vents never gives him any credit. And he bemoans the “sick, twisted” police officers in Minneapolis, whose killing of an unarmed black man in their custody provoked the nationwide racial justice protests that have confounded the president. > > Gone, say these advisers and confidants, many speaking on the condition of anonymity to detail private conversations, are the usual pleasantries and greetings. > > Instead, Trump often launches into a monologue placing himself at the center of the nation’s turmoil. The president has cast himself in the starring role of the blameless victim — of a deadly pandemic, of a stalled economy, of deep-seated racial unrest, all of which happened _to him_ rather than the country. > 
 Po-po Donnie. ---
**Author:** ![asahi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asahi/32/8693_2.png) [@asahi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asahi)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2020, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/772 "2020-07-10T14:03:36Z")
Looks like Fauci might not be long for this administration. > **[Trump says Fauci 'made a lot of mistakes'](https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/trump-says-fauci-made-lot-mistakes-n1233402)** > > The infectious disease expert says he hasn't briefed the president on coronavirus in two months. Another “adult in the room,” who thought he could do good for the country by staying in public spotlight to be the voice of reason amid the chaos, is about to be shit canned for making the president look bad. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2020, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/773 "2020-07-10T14:06:27Z")
> [@asahi](#): > > Looks like Fauci might not be long for this administration. > > Another “adult in the room,” who thought he could do good for the country by staying in public spotlight to be the voice of reason amid the chaos, is about to be shit canned for **making the president look bad.** President, shit can yourself. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2020, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/774 "2020-07-10T14:13:38Z")
Why would he do that? None of this is _his_ fault; nothing ever is. ---
**Author:** ![k9bfriender](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k9bfriender/32/3283_2.png) [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2020, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/775 "2020-07-10T14:24:36Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > President, shit can yourself. And make sure to flush 10 times. ---
**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:** [July 10, 2020, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/776 "2020-07-10T14:28:45Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > Why would he do that? None of this is _his_ fault; nothing ever is. In fact, Donnie is the victim! (See my post above.) Everybody is just mean to him all the time! 😭 đŸ€„ ---
**Author:** ![asahi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asahi/32/8693_2.png) [@asahi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asahi)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2020, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/777 "2020-07-10T14:30:38Z")
I wish people who really should have known better (Fauci, Mattis, McMaster, etc) would have quit sooner and ripped his ass up in public a lot more vocally. Fuck protecting or respecting the office of the presidency. If 63 million dumb asses who voted for this bag of dicks didn’t respect the office, why should they. The point is to try to reach at least enough people in this group of 63 million and remind them that they made a potentially fatal decision to vote for this idiot. “Fatal” in the sense that real people are dying because of his incompetence and willful lying to the public on a daily basis. Trying to make nice and all that is just rolling over and getting fucked. And lots of people are getting fucked by their own personal decision to take it in the rectum. Sorry for being so crude - not in the mood to write particularly good, thoughtful prose at the moment. ---
**Author:** ![Akaj](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/akaj/32/145_2.png) [@Akaj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Akaj)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2020, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/778 "2020-07-10T14:50:53Z")
Correct me if I’m wrong – I thought Trump couldn’t fire Fauci. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2020, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/779 "2020-07-10T14:55:40Z")
He can order the HHS Sec to order the NIH Dir to fire Fauci. Or he can just bounce Fauci off the Corona task force. Which he has already effectively done. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2020, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/780 "2020-07-10T14:57:00Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > In fact, Donnie is the victim! (See my post above.) Everybody is just mean to him all the time! 😭 đŸ€„ [Republicans are ALWAYS the REAL victims! :rolleyes:](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-are-always-the-real-victims-rolleyes/823506) ---
**Author:** ![Akaj](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/akaj/32/145_2.png) [@Akaj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Akaj)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2020, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/781 "2020-07-10T14:57:31Z")
> [@QuickSilver](#): > > He can order the HHS Sec to order the NIH Dir to fire Fauci. Or he can just bounce Fauci off the Corona task force. Which he has already effectively done. Ignorance fought – thanks! ---
**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:** [July 10, 2020, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/782 "2020-07-10T14:58:24Z")
> [@Akaj](#): > > Correct me if I’m wrong – I thought Trump couldn’t fire Fauci. Covered in this article: > **[Can President Trump Fire Dr. Fauci? | FedSmith.com](https://www.fedsmith.com/2020/04/23/can-president-trump-fire-dr-fauci/)** > > There has been recent speculation that President Trump might fire Dr. Anthony Fauci, but can the president really do this given that Fauci is a federal employee? Under Federal law, he can be fired if _he is found_ to have engaged in “misconduct, neglect of duty, malfeasance, or failure to accept a direct reassignment or to accompany a position in a transfer of function”, is or to be “less than successful [in his] executive performance.” ---
**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:** [July 10, 2020, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/783 "2020-07-10T15:04:21Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > 
“misconduct, neglect of duty, malfeasance
" Contradicting Donnie or ~~making him look~~ revealing that he is stupid surely qualify as appropriate offenses. ---
**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:** [July 10, 2020, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/784 "2020-07-10T15:26:26Z")
He can’t fire him directly, but he can instruct him not to talk to the press without prior authorization and then fire him for insubordination if he defies that order. ---
**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:** [July 10, 2020, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/785 "2020-07-10T15:38:13Z")
No, he can’t. From the article: However, prior to being terminated for performance or conduct, Dr. Fauci must be given the due process protections offered by 5 U.S.C. § 7543(b), which provides that he is entitled to: 1. at least 30 days’ advance written notice, unless there is reasonable cause to believe the [employee](https://www.law.cornell.edu/definitions/uscode.php?width=840&height=800&iframe=true&def_id=5-USC-1193469614-721900943&term_occur=999&term_src=title:5:part:III:subpart:F:chapter:75:subchapter:II:section:7513) has committed a crime for which a sentence of imprisonment may be imposed, stating the specific reasons for the proposed action; 2. a reasonable time, but not less than 7 days, to answer orally and in writing and to furnish affidavits and other documentary evidence in support of the answer; 3. be represented by an attorney or other representative; and 4. a written decision and the specific reasons therefor at the earliest practicable date. In the unlikely event Dr. Fauci has to participate in this process, he has, in most instances, appeal rights to the MSPB, and the Federal Circuit. ---
**Author:** ![Slash1972](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slash1972/32/6461_2.png) [@Slash1972](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slash1972)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2020, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/786 "2020-07-10T15:51:12Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > appeal rights to the MSPB Good luck with that. Last I heard, there are no board members on the MSPB to appeal to. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083.md?page=38) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083.md?page=40)