# 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:** 131
**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:** [March 21, 2017, 10:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/2601 "2017-03-21T10:01:21Z")
> [@Bayard](#): > > On April 5-6, there will be a meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Brussels. > > The US Secretary of State will not be attending. > > [http://mobile.reuters.com/article/idUSKBN16S04I?feedType=RSS&feedName=topNews&utm\_source=twitter&utm\_medium=Social](http://mobile.reuters.com/article/idUSKBN16S04I?feedType=RSS&feedName=topNews&utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=Social) > > Yeah, who needs to hang out with those NATO dorks? Instead, Tillerson will stay in the US to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping at Mar-a-Lago. Later in the month, Tillerson will make time to meet with Vladimir Putin in Russia. Because we want to show NATO that we care. > > I don’t have a link handy, and I don’t have the physical or emotional strength to find it again on my phone, but earlier today I read that after meeting Xi today, Tillerson publicly stated that he shared Xi’s goal of “mutual respect”. This phrase is evidently a Big Deal in China, where it is taken to mean that the US and China stay out of each other’s way. AIUI, China sees “mutual respect” as including the US not meddling in China-Taiwan issues, among other issues. Chinese media reported that Tillerson’s use of this phrase signaled a diplomatic victory for China. > > So, whaddya think? Tillerson went to China and let them get the upper hand (terrible deal!)? Or he didn’t understand the importance of this phrase and stumbled into an apparent capitulation? Either way, this is maybe one of those times where having the advice of foreign service professionals would have helped. > > Remember when Trump told us all how tough he’d be on China? Man, he was gonna show those Chinese who’s boss! Maybe he was using air quotes around the word “tough”, cuz handing Xi a diplomatic victory then skipping a NATO summit to meet with him sounds a little less tough than I imagined. Man, Stevie Wonder has a better grasp of the optics of all this more than these turkeys. ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2017, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/2602 "2017-03-21T14:38:52Z")
> [@Catamount](#): > > If Mike Pence doesn’t get dragged down by this as well. Which he very well may be. Pence is doing his level best to tacitly demonstrate distance from the Trumperfuck Amanglation without actually making any open statements against Trump. I don’t like Pence and think that in his own way he might be an even worse chief executive than the short-fingered vulgarian currently occupying the office (figuratively if not literally), but aside from the revelation of using an AOL email account (seriously?) to conduct state business, he really hasn’t had any major missteps or gaffs. And while using a private email account is irregular, he claims to have followed the letter of the law in making all communications using the account available for public record, and so sidestepping the worst part of the Hillarymail blunder by giving both the appearance and reality of being obstructive. I think Pence would be happy to take over, clear house of everybody with the taint of Trump on them, and fill them back up with the ranks of hyperconservative reactionary professional political advisors who are ostensibly qualified and willing to fall fully in line with the neoconservative GOP agenda that is dominating Congress. Stranger ---
**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:** [March 21, 2017, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/2603 "2017-03-21T17:46:37Z")
The list of undocumented aliens who are on Trump’s list of “criminals” released from sanctuary cities includes one released by the Sacramento County Sheriff’s office. The Sacramento County Sheriff is a right wing Republican and a strong Trumpista. ---
**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 21, 2017, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/2604 "2017-03-21T19:28:57Z")
> [@Bayard](#): > > On April 5-6, there will be a meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Brussels. > > The US Secretary of State will not be attending. > > [http://mobile.reuters.com/article/idUSKBN16S04I?feedType=RSS&feedName=topNews&utm\_source=twitter&utm\_medium=Social](http://mobile.reuters.com/article/idUSKBN16S04I?feedType=RSS&feedName=topNews&utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=Social) > > Yeah, who needs to hang out with those NATO dorks? Instead, Tillerson will stay in the US to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping at Mar-a-Lago. Later in the month, Tillerson will make time to meet with Vladimir Putin in Russia. Because we want to show NATO that we care. To be fair, were I a responsible Secretary of State, I might very well be scared shitless of Trump meeting the Chinese president all alone while I’m off in Europe. Much as I might like to repair relationships with our allies in NATO, possibly preventing a disastrous trade war (or actual war) with China might take precedence. Not that I particularly think that’s what Tillerson is doing here, but it’s certainly plausible. ---
**Author:** ![Grey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b782af/32.png) [@Grey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grey)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2017, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/2605 "2017-03-21T19:38:03Z")
Oh I doubt it. Trump seems to subscribe to the idea of imperial spheres and has no time at all for an expanding liberalism grounded in a framework of laws. The US is the center of the most integrated global society ever and in his view that’s a weakness. ---
**Author:** ![amarinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3be4f8/32.png) [@amarinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarinth)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2017, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/2606 "2017-03-21T20:15:50Z")
> [@duality72](#): > > To be fair, were I a responsible Secretary of State, I might very well be scared shitless of Trump meeting the Chinese president all alone while I’m off in Europe. Much as I might like to repair relationships with our allies in NATO, possibly preventing a disastrous trade war (or actual war) with China might take precedence I’d think the other way. I’d want plausible deniability when it comes to light that Trump has made a bunch of deals with China, giving them whatever they want in exchange for more favorable positions for Trump branded crap. I’d want to be able to say “wasn’t at that meeting. See - here’s me, in Brussels with NATO. No idea he was selling off the farm.” ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2017, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/2607 "2017-03-22T00:06:44Z")
> [@duality72](#): > > Not that I particularly think that’s what Tillerson is doing here, but it’s certainly plausible. Is it really implausible to think he’s going to Russia to smooth over some troubles with ExxonMobil’s projects there? ---
**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:** [March 22, 2017, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/2608 "2017-03-22T03:11:23Z")
Trump sicced his lawyers on a teenage girl whose website had images of kittens scratching a picture of Trump. > **[Exclusive: Trump Sics Lawyers on Teen for Making Silly Site Where Kittens...](https://observer.com/2017/03/trump-cease-and-desist-kitten-punch-site/)** > > The high schooler meant it as a silly project for her resume. ---
**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:** [March 22, 2017, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/2609 "2017-03-22T04:24:11Z")
> [@Rick\_Kitchen](#): > > Trump sicced his lawyers on a teenage girl whose website had images of kittens scratching a picture of Trump. > [Trump Sends C&D to Teen Coder of TrumpScratch, Where Cats Punch POTUS | Observer](http://observer.com/2017/03/trump-cease-and-desist-kitten-punch-site/) Judging from the article the lawsuit is over the unauthorized use of Trump’s name and image. Does that have any possible legal merit? He’s a public figure by any definition. Is he going to send cease and desist letters to media outlets telling them they can’t use his name or image in news reports he doesn’t like? Or is this just another example of Trump trying to crush somebody who annoyed him through legal costs even though he doesn’t have a valid case? ---
**Author:** ![Crazyhorse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crazyhorse/32/31_2.png) [@Crazyhorse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crazyhorse)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2017, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/2610 "2017-03-22T04:36:14Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > Or is this just another example of Trump trying to crush somebody who annoyed him through legal costs even though he doesn’t have a valid case? This, I think. In any case the Streisand effect from this is going to be yuge. Big league. I give it a week before there are similar sites all over the web hosted on servers outside of the US. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2017, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/2611 "2017-03-22T04:40:02Z")
> [@Crazyhorse](#): > > In any case the Streisand effect from this is going to be yuge. Big league. Not really. Given the amount of attention paid to every single thing that Trump says and does, i don’t think the Streisand Effect is even relevant to this or any other situation that he’s involved with. ---
**Author:** ![Crazyhorse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crazyhorse/32/31_2.png) [@Crazyhorse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crazyhorse)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2017, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/2612 "2017-03-22T04:43:28Z")
> [@mhendo](#): > > Not really. > > Given the amount of attention paid to every single thing that Trump says and does, i don’t think the Streisand Effect is even relevant to this or any other situation that he’s involved with. It will cause a lot of people who never would have thought about making a website where you can bat a picture of Trump around with kitten paws to think about doing it now. That is the Streisand effect. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2017, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/2613 "2017-03-22T04:47:28Z")
But the principle still doesn’t work in Trump’s case. The whole Streisand Effect revolves around the idea that an attempt to suppress publicity ends up leading to massively increased publicity. Whether or not more people think about creating stupid little Trump-bashing websites, it is basically impossible for Trump to get any more publicity than he already has. Hence my argument that it makes no sense to talk about a Streisand Effect in this case. ---
**Author:** ![Crazyhorse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crazyhorse/32/31_2.png) [@Crazyhorse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crazyhorse)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2017, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/2614 "2017-03-22T04:50:43Z")
It’s an extension of the term you pedantic twit. It has also come to mean any case where making a fuss about something causes you to get even more of what you’re fussing about. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2017, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/2615 "2017-03-22T04:54:07Z")
Yeah, this will lead to heaps more people making fun of Trump, because no-one except this one girl from San Francisco was doing that before! ---
**Author:** ![Crazyhorse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crazyhorse/32/31_2.png) [@Crazyhorse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crazyhorse)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2017, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/2616 "2017-03-22T04:55:04Z")
No it will lead to heaps more people making websites where you can bat his image around with kitten paws. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2017, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/2617 "2017-03-22T05:13:58Z")
> [@Rick\_Kitchen](#): > > Trump sicced his lawyers on a teenage girl whose website had images of kittens scratching a picture of Trump. > [Trump Sends C&D to Teen Coder of TrumpScratch, Where Cats Punch POTUS | Observer](http://observer.com/2017/03/trump-cease-and-desist-kitten-punch-site/) Well, it is obvious that the kittens were Meowslim terrorists. ---
**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:** [March 22, 2017, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/2618 "2017-03-22T05:50:17Z")
Brigitte Gabriel, founder of anti-Muslim organization ACT for America, posted that she was going to be in a White House meeting, and asked her followers for topics she could discuss. When asked about it, the White House (heh, I accidentally typed “Shite”) denied that they had any knowledge of her. Until she posted pictures of herself at the White House. At which point the White House commenting. > **[Founder Of Anti-Muslim Group Says She’s Attending White House Meeting](https://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/brigitte-gabriel-white-house-meeting-claim)** > > The founder of the anti-Muslim group ACT for America claimed Monday night that she would be attending a meeting at the White House. Brigitte Gabriel asked readers for advice on what to bring up in the… ---
**Author:** ![Mijin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mijin/32/9369_2.png) [@Mijin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mijin)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2017, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/2619 "2017-03-22T05:54:44Z")
I’m _beginning_ to enjoy this presidency now, just because it looks like it won’t last long. I mean, I know there aren’t many ways for a term to end prematurely, but it’s a shitstorm already with just self-inflicted wounds. What’s going to happen when real events (dear boy) occur? Hope this doesn’t make me complacent though. ---
**Author:** ![Crazyhorse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crazyhorse/32/31_2.png) [@Crazyhorse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crazyhorse)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2017, 5:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/2620 "2017-03-22T05:55:41Z")
> [@mhendo](#): > > Not really. > > Given the amount of attention paid to every single thing that Trump says and does, i don’t think the Streisand Effect is even relevant to this or any other situation that he’s involved with. Behold the Streisand effect [site’s traffic explodes after Trump tries to shut it down](http://www.dailykos.com/story/2017/3/21/1645921/-Pootie-site-s-traffic-explodes-after-Trump-tries-to-shut-it-down) > [@](#): > > Good job, Mr. Trump! It seems you were as successful convincing Lucy as you were threatening holdouts on the healthcare bill. After you met with them today, even more GOP congresscritters said they were a “no.” > > Likewise, until you sent your attack dogs to threaten a young woman, her website had received fewer than 2,000 visits. But since news broke about your ham-handed approach, nearly 40,000 more people have had a blast batting your hateful mug around. Go Lucy! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070.md?page=130) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070.md?page=132)