# The Trump Administration: A Clusterfuck in the Making **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [December 7, 2016, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070 "2016-12-07T00:25:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1065
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2018, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/21285 "2018-06-10T04:36:50Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > Trump’s childlike hands are no match for the might of the modern Frenchman: > > [He Left a Mark - TPM – Talking Points Memo](https://talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/he-left-a-mark) Revenge for that idiotic yank-you-off-balance thing Trump does instead of a normal human handshake. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2018, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/21286 "2018-06-10T05:36:18Z")
> [@PatriotX](#): > > I have noticed on this MB and a couple of others that the “smart” GOP supporters have been noticeably silent in re Trumpco. > > It’s mostly the noisy, conspiracy theorists who are still buying Trumpco products. > …the same folks who bought the Obama is a Kenyan Muslim. > I suspect that after the mid-terms the currently silent GOP members may find their voices. On Election Day would be preferable. ---
**Author:** ![smithsb](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smithsb/32/12107_2.png) [@smithsb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smithsb)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2018, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/21287 "2018-06-10T05:47:50Z")
> [@Gorsnak](#): > > Canada’s interest is to minimize the damage Trump does to the Canadian economy. I fail to see why we should set fire to our economy by needlessly antagonizing him just because you were dumb enough to elect him. It’s your fuck up. You fix it. We’ll just be hunkered down over here as best we can. > > Anyways, if you go look at the list of stuff we’re putting retaliatory tariffs on, they’re all aimed directly at business and industry in the constituencies of congressional leadership. Why the hell does the executive have the power to unilaterally declare tariffs anyways? Shouldn’t that be the province of the legislative branch? Congress gave away the power to the president in times of war and national emergencies and thru other acts. Good summary here: "There are many ways the president can impose tariffs without congressional approval. To name a few: **Through the Trading With the Enemy Act of 1917** , the president can impose a tariff during a time of war. But the country doesn’t need to be at war with a specific country — just generally somewhere where the tariffs would apply. (This is how Richard Nixon imposed a 10 percent tariff in 1971, citing the Korean War.) **The Trade Act of 1974** allows the president to implement a 15 percent tariff for 150 days if there is “an adverse impact on national security from imports.” After 150 days, the trade policy would need congressional approval. **There’s the International Emergency Economic Powers Act of 1977** , which would allow the president to implement tariffs during a national emergency. Trump’s White House cited Section 232 of the **Trade Expansion Act of 1962** , a provision that gives the secretary of commerce the authority to investigate and determine the impacts of any import on the national security of the United States — and the president the power to adjust tariffs accordingly." > **[Why Trump can raise steel tariffs without Congress](https://www.vox.com/2018/3/8/17097206/trump-tariffs-congress)** > > Congress has been shifting trade regulation powers to the executive branch for decades. Nixon, yes, Nixon wielded the power based on the Korean Conflict not being over:rolleyes:. Obama tried this with tires with (predictably) bad results. It cost jobs, lost money, didn’t work, … > **[Trump can learn from Obama’s tariff debacle - Washington Examiner](https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/2460816/trump-can-learn-from-obamas-tariff-debacle/)** > > Trump made an informal announcement Thursday, declaring that the United States would soon be setting a 25 percent tariff on imported steel and a 10 percent tariff on imported aluminum. The tariffs would not target a specific country, just the two... ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2018, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/21288 "2018-06-10T05:50:52Z")
With all these celebrity hangings becoming a fad, is there any hope Chump may jump on the bandwagon? I was thinking of mailing him a noose as a hint but don’t want the Secret Service all over my ass. Maybe I could put Ted Cruz or John McCain on the return address. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2018, 11:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/21289 "2018-06-10T11:03:56Z")
> [@slumtrimpet](#): > > A picture is worth a thousand words. > [https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-44426442](https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-44426442) I like [the drawings in pictures 7 and 8](https://m.sohu.com/picture/234957222?_f=m-index_top_pic_1) much better to portray what happened. ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2018, 11:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/21290 "2018-06-10T11:34:33Z")
Russia was booted out of the G8. Now it is time to boot the USA out of the G7. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2018, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/21291 "2018-06-10T12:44:58Z")
Trump did that himself, but it will all be forgotten when the government is restored to adult supervision. Brazil and India have larger economies than Russia. Let them _in_. ---
**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:** [June 10, 2018, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/21292 "2018-06-10T13:01:47Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > Trump did that himself, but it will all be forgotten when the government is restored to adult supervision. > > Brazil and India have larger economies than Russia. Let them _in_. It will never be forgotten. Forgiven perhaps, but never forgotten. We’re also assuming that by the time our government is restored to adult supervision (if and whenever that happens), that Putin and Trump haven’t incited waves of nationalism within Europe that might complicate any efforts toward reconciliation on our end. ---
**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:** [June 10, 2018, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/21293 "2018-06-10T13:27:50Z")
> [@Monty](#): > > I like [the drawings in pictures 7 and 8](https://m.sohu.com/picture/234957222?_f=m-index_top_pic_1) much better to portray what happened. Can you link to pictures 7 and 8? All I get is Picture 1 (the same as in **slumtrimpet** ’s link), and some Japanese text. No apparent way to click over to 7 & 8. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2018, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/21294 "2018-06-10T13:27:51Z")
So why is he sitting while everyone else is standing? ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2018, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/21295 "2018-06-10T13:37:40Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > Can you link to pictures 7 and 8? All I get is Picture 1 (the same as in **slumtrimpet** ’s link), and some Japanese text. No apparent way to click over to 7 & 8. It seems to be a mobile only friendly site, and won’t link to anything other than the first picture. It should be Chinese text, though. ---
**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:** [June 10, 2018, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/21296 "2018-06-10T13:50:44Z")
> [@Monty](#): > > It should be Chinese text, though. You’re right. Haven’t had coffee yet. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2018, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/21297 "2018-06-10T13:51:59Z")
Edit timed out. > [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > Can you link to pictures 7 and 8? All I get is Picture 1 (the same as in **slumtrimpet** ’s link), and some Japanese text. No apparent way to click over to 7 & 8. It seems to be a mobile only friendly site, and won’t link to anything other than the first picture. It should be Chinese text, though. **septimus** found #7 [here](https://5b0988e595225.cdn.sohucs.com/q_70,c_zoom,w_750/images/20180610/dc1ac9f03fe84c4c9bcd2c84405d8e72.webp); #8 just had TRUMP as an acronym for: Trashy Racist Unqualified Misogynistic Pig ---
**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:** [June 10, 2018, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/21298 "2018-06-10T13:54:54Z")
> [@Monty](#): > > **septimus** found #7 [here](https://5b0988e595225.cdn.sohucs.com/q_70,c_zoom,w_750/images/20180610/dc1ac9f03fe84c4c9bcd2c84405d8e72.webp) ‘Note from Finder: There is no application set to open the document.’ Don’t worry about it though. . ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2018, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/21299 "2018-06-10T13:56:12Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > So why is he sitting while everyone else is standing? Doesn’t one normally sit while defecating? ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2018, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/21300 "2018-06-10T14:10:10Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > So why is he sitting while everyone else is standing? One of the anthems must have just finished. ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2018, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/21301 "2018-06-10T14:16:17Z")
> [@Monty](#): > > The answer to all of that is “He is not Hillary”. They are all firmly convinced thst Ms. Clinton would be worse. Ask for details of that thought process and they will just repeat the mantra. What, there are no other Republicans that could fill in? ---
**Author:** ![Gorsnak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gorsnak/32/7587_2.png) [@Gorsnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorsnak)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2018, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/21302 "2018-06-10T14:36:12Z")
> [@smithsb](#): > > Congress gave away the power to the president in times of war and national emergencies and thru other acts. Good summary here: > > "There are many ways the president can impose tariffs without congressional approval. To name a few: > > **Through the Trading With the Enemy Act of 1917** , the president can impose a tariff during a time of war. But the country doesn’t need to be at war with a specific country — just generally somewhere where the tariffs would apply. (This is how Richard Nixon imposed a 10 percent tariff in 1971, citing the Korean War.) > **The Trade Act of 1974** allows the president to implement a 15 percent tariff for 150 days if there is “an adverse impact on national security from imports.” After 150 days, the trade policy would need congressional approval. > **There’s the International Emergency Economic Powers Act of 1977** , which would allow the president to implement tariffs during a national emergency. > Trump’s White House cited Section 232 of the **Trade Expansion Act of 1962** , a provision that gives the secretary of commerce the authority to investigate and determine the impacts of any import on the national security of the United States — and the president the power to adjust tariffs accordingly." > > [https://www.vox.com/2018/3/8/17097206/trump-tariffs-congress](https://www.vox.com/2018/3/8/17097206/trump-tariffs-congress) > > Nixon, yes, Nixon wielded the power based on the Korean Conflict not being over:rolleyes:. > > Obama tried this with tires with (predictably) bad results. It cost jobs, lost money, didn’t work, … > [https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/trump-can-learn-from-obamas-tariff-debacle](https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/trump-can-learn-from-obamas-tariff-debacle) None of which apply to the steel and aluminum tariffs. Trump isn’t even pretending this has anything to do with national security. He apparently thinks it’s about Canadian dairy supply management, as if the US doesn’t have massive agricultural subsidies itself. Clearly the legislative branch has completely abdicated its responsibility here. ---
**Author:** ![AnalogSignal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/analogsignal/32/1085_2.png) [@AnalogSignal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AnalogSignal)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2018, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/21303 "2018-06-10T15:03:05Z")
Trumpty Dumpty is acted like a toddler throwing a tantrum at the G7. This guy is disgraceful and needs to be removed from office before he starts World War 3. > **[European leaders are indignant and defiant over Trump’s G-7 statement. But...](https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/european-leaders-are-outraged-by-trump-over-g-7-statement-but-theyre-not-surprised/2018/06/10/e7f54887-9022-4adb-9fb1-092c33cb3e91_story.html)** > > The president’s last-minute refusal to sign the joint statement with America’s closest allies was met with shock but also resignation in Europe, where leaders have grudgingly accepted an increasingly isolated U.S. presence on the world stage. “How is it possible to work this way if once you have agreed to something, two hours later the guy decides he doesn’t agree with what he agreed with?” said François Heisbourg, a former French presidential national security adviser. “It was not a surprise,” said Norbert Röttgen, chair of the foreign affairs committee in Germany’s parliament, the Bundestag. “The president acted and reacted in the childish way he could be expected to.” ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2018, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/21304 "2018-06-10T15:40:40Z")
I would dearly love to have Kim Jong-Un open the summit by declaring that the US has shown that it cannot be trusted to honor any agreement, and walk away. (Trump would probably launch nukes in response, so OK maybe that’s not worth it.) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070.md?page=1064) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070.md?page=1066)