# 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:** 1135
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2018, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/22685 "2018-07-11T19:40:37Z")
Naw, feeding suspected foreign agents misinformation to see if it gets back to you via foreign channels is spycraft 101. ---
**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 11, 2018, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/22686 "2018-07-11T19:46:55Z")
> [@jsc1953](#): > > If I were head of NATO, I’d be setting a canary trap for Trump this week: feed him some bogus info about NATO upgrading its choice of aircraft, or something…see if it turns up in Russian intercepts. > > That’d be interesting. I mean, horrifying. Someone could casually mention the new F-69. You know the one. Maverick flew it inverted in _Top Gun_. ---
**Author:** ![jasg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f0a364/32.png) [@jasg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasg)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2018, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/22687 "2018-07-11T20:35:15Z")
> [@SteveG1](#): > > And now Trump is attacking NATO (the single greatest - and only - obstacle to Russian expansionism in Europe) again. In an amazing show of “projecting your crimes on the Other”, he is accusing Germany of being a Russian “captive”. Because German leaders weren’t smart enough to secure Trump’s permission before negotiating a 2005 gas pipeline deal with Russia. > > On Monday he goes to Helsinki, to get his performance appraisal and marching orders from Putin - with nobody else in the room. I half expect him to announce that we are joining the Warsaw Pact. ---
**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 11, 2018, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/22688 "2018-07-11T20:39:24Z")
> **[Trump Just Announced Tariffs on $200 Billion More Chinese Goods](https://fortune.com/2018/07/11/trump-china-trade-war-200b/)** > > This time it's different I admit, my prediction about Trump’s trade war gambit might turn out to be way wrong, and not in a good way. I was of the opinion that Trump would start a mini trade conflict but back off and declare himself the winner before shit gets real. Alas, I really don’t know what the fuck he’s doing - and apparently neither do all of the news outlets that usually try to wipe his ass, like the WSJ, Fortune, and Washington Examiner. I’m beginning to wonder if he’s determined to see riots in the streets of Beijing. ---
**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 11, 2018, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/22689 "2018-07-11T21:27:37Z")
> [@asahi](#): > > I’m beginning to wonder if he’s determined to see riots in the streets of **Beijing**. You misspelled “American cities”. ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2018, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/22690 "2018-07-11T21:32:29Z")
> [@enipla](#): > > It was the Elton John…comparison I was thinking of. Though there are plenty to choose from. > > It wouldn’t be illegal to feed Trump some incorrect or miss-leading info that he might brag about knowing to Putin, would it? At this point I would see it as the right thing to do, and a valid piece of CounterIntel. Tell him bogus shit, knowing he will share it? I think that is exactly what they should do, with an official verbatim record of exactly what they “fed” him, cc: to Meuller and all news agencies foreign AND domestic afterwards. But Meuller should get the advance copy. ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2018, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/22691 "2018-07-11T22:28:51Z")
> [@SteveG1](#): > > At this point I would see it as the right thing to do, and a valid piece of CounterIntel. > > Tell him bogus shit, knowing he will share it? I think that is exactly what they should do, with an official verbatim record of exactly what they “fed” him, cc: to Meuller and all news agencies foreign AND domestic afterwards. But Meuller should get the advance copy. Then we can all look forward to Paul Ryan and Mitch McConnell telling us how “concerning” they find this incontrovertible proof of treason, and Sean Hannity and Rudy Giuliani telling us how it shows that Trump is a saint being persecuted for his sainthood, and Alan Dershowitz telling us that none of it matters because presidents are above the law. ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2018, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/22692 "2018-07-11T22:51:28Z")
> [@SaneBill](#): > > A cross that is sort of lit up… Am I reading too much out of this… ? Yeah, probably, but I think it’s equally reasonable to end up where you did. ---
**Author:** ![Ann\_Hedonia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ann_hedonia/32/319_2.png) [@Ann\_Hedonia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ann_Hedonia)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2018, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/22693 "2018-07-11T23:00:49Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > Oh, Mannyfort, you bad boy! Have you been busted breaking the conditions of your _jail sentence_ by sending surreptitious emails? > > [https://twitter.com/maddow/status/1017100508211838977?s=19](https://twitter.com/maddow/status/1017100508211838977?s=19) The actual court document is eye-opening. > **[7-11-18-US-Oppo-Manafort-Motion-to-Continue.pdf](https://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/4594533/7-11-18-US-Oppo-Manafort-Motion-to-Continue.pdf)** > > 69.55 KB Remember how, a couple of weeks ago, Manafort’s was whining about being in “solitary confinement”. It turns out he’s not even in a cell. It sounds like he has a little apartment inside the jail all to himself, with a private bath and shower and a separate workroom. And a computer and a phone for his exclusive use. They even gave him extension cords so he could use the computer in the bedroom as well as the workroom. And they aren’t even making him wear a prison uniform. It seems like he’s living well, no wonder he was looking to postpone the trial. ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2018, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/22694 "2018-07-11T23:11:05Z")
> [@Ann\_Hedonia](#): > > The actual court document is eye-opening. > > [https://assets.documentcloud.org/documents/4594533/7-11-18-US-Oppo-Manafort-Motion-to-Continue.pdf](https://assets.documentcloud.org/documents/4594533/7-11-18-US-Oppo-Manafort-Motion-to-Continue.pdf) > > Remember how, a couple of weeks ago, Manafort’s was whining about being in “solitary confinement”. It turns out he’s not even in a cell. It sounds like he has a little apartment inside the jail all to himself, with a private bath and shower and a separate workroom. And a computer and a phone for his exclusive use. They even gave him extension cords so he could use the computer in the bedroom as well as the workroom. > > And they aren’t even making him wear a prison uniform. It seems like he’s living well, no wonder he was looking to postpone the trial. Good read. Thanks for posting the link, **Ann Hedonia**. Judge Ellis denied Manafort’s request that he be allowed to remain at Warsaw. He’s heading to Alexandria after all. Hoist on his own petard. \ [Judge Ellis says, "Enjoy your new digs!](https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-russia-manafort/ex-trump-aide-manafort-says-he-has-vip-treatment-in-jail-taped-calls-idUSKBN1K12RI) (Reuters) ---
**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 11, 2018, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/22695 "2018-07-11T23:17:07Z")
I liked this: > [@](#): > > In a rebuttal, Manafort’s lawyers said the effort put into monitoring their client’s phone calls showed that Mueller had “unlimited resources” **and accused his office of choosing conversations “to support its version of events.”** Those rotten bastards! What kind of dirty lawyer trick is this?! 😛 Well, if that’s the case, I’m sure Mr. Manafort’s attorneys will have no trouble showing plenty of other conversations that contradict, eh. :dubious: :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2018, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/22696 "2018-07-12T01:33:49Z")
Lol, a well-known poster here also accused someone of, how did he put it, “writing what you wanted to write and omitting what you wanted to omit.” Also, the judge made a valid point: “The professionals at the Alexandria Detention Center are very familiar with housing high-profile defendants including foreign and domestic terrorists, spies and traitors.” [http://www.kimt.com/content/national/487940471.html](http://www.kimt.com/content/national/487940471.html) D’oh! (Remember this was the “Trump-friendly” judge whom the Rightards thought would be Mueller’s biggest obstacle a few months ago.) ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2018, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/22697 "2018-07-12T03:06:09Z")
Donald Zarda is suing his former employer in federal court, claiming they fired him for being gay. The federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has sided with Zarda, saying discrimination against gay people is a violation of federal law. On the employer’s side, a lawyer for the Department of Justice argued that the Civil Rights Act of 1964 does not protect LGBT Americans from being fired because of their sexual orientation > **[Trump Administration Argues Against LGBT Protections](https://www.newsweek.com/trump-doj-fired-being-gay-lgbt-issues-jeff-sessions-673398)** > > Trump's Justice Department says companies should be allowed to consider an employee's "out-of-work sexual conduct." ---
**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:** [July 12, 2018, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/22698 "2018-07-12T03:35:01Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > Oh, Mannyfort, you bad boy! Have you been busted breaking the conditions of your _jail sentence_ by sending surreptitious emails? > > [https://twitter.com/maddow/status/1017100508211838977?s=19](https://twitter.com/maddow/status/1017100508211838977?s=19) Nitpick (which you _had_ to know was coming): it’s pretrial confinement in lieu of being able to trust him to comply with the conditions of bail, not a jail sentence. The fact that it _is_ pretrial confinement probably factors into his access to relatively comfy conditions at Warsaw. One hopes that his accommodations will be a bit less luxurious at Alexandria. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2018, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/22699 "2018-07-12T03:50:27Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > Those rotten bastards! What kind of dirty lawyer trick is this?! You won’t catch Giuliani doing this. In fact, he often seems to go out of his way to say things that damage his client’s case. ---
**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:** [July 12, 2018, 10:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/22700 "2018-07-12T10:15:51Z")
Donald Trump loves asbestos so much, a Russian asbestos manufacturer put Trump’s face on their product. > **[Trump loves asbestos so much his face is being used to sell it](https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/trump-loves-asbestos-so-much-his-face-is-being-used-to-sell-it-1275141187960?cid=sm_npd_ms_tw_ai)** > > Donald Trump is what you could call an asbestos truther - which one Russian asbestos company is using to their advantage, marketing their products with the president's face. ---
**Author:** ![Banquet\_Bear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/banquet_bear/32/373_2.png) [@Banquet\_Bear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banquet_Bear)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2018, 10:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/22701 "2018-07-12T10:54:58Z")
…its scary when the local news websites use the “breaking news ticker” with Trump in the title because that hardly ever happens. My heart actually held a beat. And this is what it said: “Donald Trump makes an unscheduled speech amid crisis talks at NATO.” > **[Recap: Donald Trump to make statement at NATO summit](https://www.stuff.co.nz/world/105455235/live-donald-trump-to-make-statement-at-nato-summit)** > > US president plans to make an unscheduled speech at the NATO summit in Brussels. Fuck this bullshit. I’m too angry to quote what’s he said. I’m going to go watch Wellington Paranormal. I can’t deal with this shit. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2018, 11:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/22702 "2018-07-12T11:17:54Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > Oh, Mannyfort, you bad boy! Have you been busted breaking the conditions of your _jail sentence_ by sending surreptitious emails? > > [https://twitter.com/maddow/status/1017100508211838977?s=19](https://twitter.com/maddow/status/1017100508211838977?s=19) But…but…but…her emails! > [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > Donald Trump loves asbestos so much, a Russian asbestos manufacturer put Trump’s face on their product. > > [Trump loves asbestos so much his face is being used to sell it](https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/trump-loves-asbestos-so-much-his-face-is-being-used-to-sell-it-1275141187960?cid=sm_npd_ms_tw_ai) Where Donald is heading, they’ll need to bury him in asbestos underwear. ---
**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 12, 2018, 12:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/22703 "2018-07-12T12:06:53Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > You misspelled “American cities”. Nah, I mean that Trump might have already envisioned China getting a complete ass kicking, and that he envisions the Chinese bending down and kissing his ring. If that’s where his mind is at, if it’s not enough to simply win a few concessions (which the Chinese and US probably already agreed to anyway) then holy Christ are we in for a wild ride. ---
**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 12, 2018, 12:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/22704 "2018-07-12T12:08:36Z")
> [@Banquet\_Bear](#): > > …its scary when the local news websites use the “breaking news ticker” with Trump in the title because that hardly ever happens. My heart actually held a beat. And this is what it said: > > “Donald Trump makes an unscheduled speech amid crisis talks at NATO.” > > [Stuff](https://www.stuff.co.nz/world/105455235/live-donald-trump-to-make-statement-at-nato-summit) > > Fuck this bullshit. I’m too angry to quote what’s he said. > > I’m going to go watch Wellington Paranormal. I can’t deal with this shit. Putin’s. Bitch. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070.md?page=1134) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070.md?page=1136)