# 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:** 1423
**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:** [December 23, 2018, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/28445 "2018-12-23T14:24:29Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > [DONALD TRUMP, INCREASINGLY ISOLATED AND ANGRY, IS RETREATING TO WATCH MORE TV THAN EVER](https://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump-increasingly-isolated-and-angry-retreating-watch-more-tv-ever-1269643) > > The gist of the article is covered in the headline. What I came here to post was this comment that was on the article: ‘The people that voted for Trump remind me when my parents purchased a timeshare in Alcapulco.’ And…? What did I miss? ---
**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:** [December 23, 2018, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/28446 "2018-12-23T14:29:27Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > And…? What did I miss? The people who buy timeshares in ‘Alcapulco’ [sic] (or anywhere else) are being ripped off, so people who buy them are falling for a scam in the same way people who voted for Little Donnie Fail-Fail did. ---
**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:** [December 23, 2018, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/28447 "2018-12-23T14:34:17Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > The people who buy timeshares in ‘Alcapulco’ [sic] (or anywhere else) are being ripped off, so people who buy them are falling for a scam in the same way people who voted for Little Donnie Fail-Fail did. Thank you. I’m a simple woman and often woefully literal-minded. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Greenjeans](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr.greenjeans/32/551_2.png) [@Mr.Greenjeans](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Greenjeans)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2018, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/28448 "2018-12-23T14:52:06Z")
> [@mistymage](#): > > Tiffany is the only one who, so far, hasn’t sucked hard. > [@Superdude](#): > > Although it wouldn’t surprise me if Tiffany had a sex tape that got leaked. So you two will agree to disagree? ---
**Author:** ![Fiveyearlurker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@Fiveyearlurker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiveyearlurker)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2018, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/28449 "2018-12-23T14:58:11Z")
Apologies if this particular idiocy has been discussed, but [this quote](https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2018/12/21/18151835/trump-coyotes-border-wall-government-shutdown): “A nation without borders is not a nation at all,” Trump said. “Without borders, we have the reign of chaos, crime, and —\*\* believe it or not\*\* — coyotes.” with the term, “believe it or not” in there, sure seems to indicate that actual coyotes are somehow a problem at the border. The “believe it or not” does not make any sense in any other reading of that sentence. ---
**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:** [December 23, 2018, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/28450 "2018-12-23T15:03:15Z")
> [@Ruken](#): > > They’ve been pretty critical of him all along, especially policies they see as bad for business. I disagree. The WSJ was mildly critical on tariffs but has been remarkably quiet on Trump in general until recently. Now they are leading investigations into Trump corruption. I now see both headlines and editorials critical of Trump in WSJ. I think this means big donors will be supporting a Republican primary challenger. Trump will have trouble raising funds for 2020 now that he is being seen as bad for business. Fox is a different story. There are individual critical voices starting to appear. Most notably Brian Kilmeade on Trump’s favorite show Fox & Friends. But they are so embedded in his bullshit that it will be a slow process for them to change. If and when Fox flips on Trump, the MAGA hat wearing idiots will flip quickly. They believe whatever pablum they are fed. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2018, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/28451 "2018-12-23T16:05:12Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > [DONALD TRUMP, INCREASINGLY ISOLATED AND ANGRY, IS RETREATING TO WATCH MORE TV THAN EVER](https://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump-increasingly-isolated-and-angry-retreating-watch-more-tv-ever-1269643) Like Bob Geldofs’ character in _Pink Floyd: The Wall_? ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2018, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/28452 "2018-12-23T16:08:15Z")
> [@AnalogSignal](#): > > I disagree. The WSJ was mildly critical on tariffs but has been remarkably quiet on Trump in general until recently. Now they are leading investigations into Trump corruption. I now see both headlines and editorials critical of Trump in WSJ. I think this means big donors will be supporting a Republican primary challenger. Trump will have trouble raising funds for 2020 now that he is being seen as bad for business. > > Fox is a different story. There are individual critical voices starting to appear. Most notably Brian Kilmeade on Trump’s favorite show Fox & Friends. But they are so embedded in his bullshit that it will be a slow process for them to change. If and when Fox flips on Trump, the MAGA hat wearing idiots will flip quickly. They believe whatever pablum they are fed. Interestingly, so does Trump hisself. I wonder what he would do if Fox & Friends told him to resign the presidency and go jump off a bridge. ---
**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:** [December 23, 2018, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/28453 "2018-12-23T16:12:22Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > Boo. Fucking. Hoo. > > [**Trump cancels Mar-a-Lago Christmas trip over shutdown**](https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/422617-trump-cancels-mar-a-lago-christmas-trip-over-shutdown) > My bold. > > Yeah, he’ll go down there after he whines and pouts a bit about the huge sacrifice he’s making. > > And P.S.: > What would he do if these agents that are supposed to accompany him to Florida refused to work without pay? Or for that matter, the ones who protect him every day? It seems as though, with the govt shut down, non-essential services should be cut. SS should continue to protect him in the White House, but running up a tab on travel should not be allowed. If a shut down actually affected the people who make the decision as to whether or not to have a shutdown, we’d have fewer shut downs. Tell him he can go play in his clubhouse after he finishes doing his work of actually running the government, he’ll sign. ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2018, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/28454 "2018-12-23T16:50:21Z")
> [@asahi](#): > > I’ll believe it when I see criticism coming from the Fox News channel, which is what really matters. > [@AnalogSignal](#): > > Fox is a different story. There are individual critical voices starting to appear. Most notably Brian Kilmeade on Trump’s favorite show Fox & Friends. But they are so embedded in his bullshit that it will be a slow process for them to change. If and when Fox flips on Trump, the MAGA hat wearing idiots will flip quickly. They believe whatever pablum they are fed. Whenever \*\*Hannity \*\*starts to seriously criticize Drumpf and call for his resignation, then we will know that the glorious end is near. ---
**Author:** ![Defensive\_Indifference](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/defensive_indifference/32/6502_2.png) [@Defensive\_Indifference](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Defensive_Indifference)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2018, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/28455 "2018-12-23T16:56:50Z")
Mattis will depart and be replaced by the deputy secretary of defense as an interim. Because why let the last remaining member of the administration who commands any respect hang on till you get a permanent replacement confirmed, as he had agreed to do. > Those Republicans. Always with the respect for our military. ---
**Author:** ![jasg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f0a364/32.png) [@jasg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasg)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2018, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/28456 "2018-12-23T17:10:02Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > Trump cancels Mar-a-Lago Christmas trip over shutdown > > Yeah, he’ll go down there after he whines and pouts a bit about the huge sacrifice he’s making. Perhaps not. Looks like a good chance of rain which would ruin his golf. Also, in the Whitehouse he doesn’t have to interact with members who just took a haircut on their portfolios… ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2018, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/28457 "2018-12-23T17:18:54Z")
> [@Defensive\_Indifference](#): > > Mattis will depart and be replaced by the deputy secretary of defense as an interim. Because why let the last remaining member of the administration who commands any respect hang on till you get a permanent replacement confirmed, as he had agreed to do. > > [https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1076881816462737408?s=19](https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1076881816462737408?s=19). And the [very next tweet](https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1076884984873607169) says he just had a long talk with Erdogan about Syria. Hmm… The tweets are 12 minutes apart so it seems probable the phone call was before he announced Mattis will leave Jan 1. ---
**Author:** ![Defensive\_Indifference](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/defensive_indifference/32/6502_2.png) [@Defensive\_Indifference](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Defensive_Indifference)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2018, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/28458 "2018-12-23T17:26:25Z")
The guy who will be the interim SecDef is a career engineer from Boeing. He was brought in to help with modernization of the military. He has 18 months of government experience. If Russia invades Ukraine, or Turkey starts attacking Kurds, or China starts flexing its muscles around Taiwan, things will go sideways in a hurry. ---
**Author:** ![jasg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f0a364/32.png) [@jasg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasg)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2018, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/28459 "2018-12-23T17:30:02Z")
> [@Defensive\_Indifference](#): > > Mattis will depart and be replaced by the deputy secretary of defense as an interim. Because why let the last remaining member of the administration who commands any respect hang on till you get a permanent replacement confirmed, as he had agreed to do. > > [https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1076881816462737408?s=19](https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1076881816462737408?s=19) > > Those Republicans. Always with the respect for our military. Trump probably saw the news yesterday saying that Mattis was staying until after the NATO Defense Ministerial meeting in February because he didn’t trust Trump with that meeting. In other, perhaps related news, the Army Times is [reporting](https://www.armytimes.com/news/your-military/2018/12/21/mattis-is-out-and-blackwater-is-back-we-are-coming/) that Blackwater is placing fullpage magazine ads saying “We are coming”. Earlier this year, Mattis pushed back on proposals to privatize forces in the Middle East… ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2018, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/28460 "2018-12-23T17:31:16Z")
> [@Defensive\_Indifference](#): > > The guy who will be the interim SecDef is a career engineer from Boeing. He was brought in to help with modernization of the military. He has 18 months of government experience. So? Things worked out OK when the President of Ford Motor Company was hired as Secretary of Defense, right? Right? :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2018, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/28461 "2018-12-23T17:53:05Z")
I don’t think the new Chief of Staff got the memo that you never, ever, say anything critical about what the President has said, particularly you don’t say something that actually has a basis in reality (as opposed to reality tv). [Trump’s incoming chief of staff says Mexico won’t ‘technically’ pay for a border wall: ‘You and I both know that it cannot work exactly like that’](https://www.businessinsider.com/mick-mulvaney-downplays-mexico-paying-border-wall-2018-12) And that’s on top of his previous comments about how stupid the idea of a wall was, back in 2015 when Trump was a media curiousity, rather than his boss: > [@](#): > > Mulvaney himself has been skeptical of building a wall in the first place. In a 2015 interview, he called Trump’s plan “absurd and almost childish.” > > “The bottom line is, the fence doesn’t stop anybody who really wants to get across,” he said. “You go under, you go around, you go through it.” ---
**Author:** ![jasg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f0a364/32.png) [@jasg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasg)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2018, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/28462 "2018-12-23T18:02:17Z")
This poll of [active duty military](https://www.militarytimes.com/news/pentagon-congress/2018/10/15/support-for-trump-is-fading-among-active-duty-troops-new-poll-shows/)is from October - Trumps highest approval came from Marines - 65% and Navy - 49%. 38% and 36% for - Army and Air Force. I wonder what the next poll will look like? > [@MilitaryTimes](#): > > Mattis- 84% approval and just 4% disapproval > Trump- 44% approval > Trump approval with military women- 26% > Trump approval with military minorities- 29% ---
**Author:** ![OttoDaFe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ottodafe/32/356_2.png) [@OttoDaFe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OttoDaFe)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2018, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/28463 "2018-12-23T18:47:40Z")
> [@dropzone](#): > > Who the fuck is MS-13 (yeah, I know who they are) and why didn’t I hear about them until Trump? Other than they aren’t in Chicago and I don’t give two shits about LA. Perhaps [this](https://www.dictionary.com/browse/boogeyman) will help: > [@](#): > > [A]n imaginary evil character of supernatural powers, especially a mythical hobgoblin supposed to carry off naughty children. Granted that MS-13 is not imaginary, the “supernatural powers” ascribed to them by CFSG are. And I must confess that the reptilian part of my brain which wishes the being were real so that he/she/it could carry off one naughty child in particular. ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2018, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/28464 "2018-12-23T19:44:23Z")
> [@Happy\_Lendervedder](#): > > Interestingly, so does Trump hisself. I wonder what he would do if Fox & Friends told him to resign the presidency and go jump off a bridge. Thanks for the chuckle. I wonder if some in президент Trump’s base might not be too impervious to such a directive, also. > [@Defensive\_Indifference](#): > > If Russia invades Ukraine, or Turkey starts attacking Kurds, or China starts flexing its muscles around Taiwan, things will go sideways in a hurry. This. I wouldn’t put it past any of these players to engage in this much sooner than any of us would like. Quite scary, actually. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070.md?page=1422) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070.md?page=1424)