# 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:** 1588
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2019, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/31745 "2019-04-08T15:05:46Z")
> [@Superdude](#): > > [The Hill](https://theweek.com/speedreads/833863/inside-trump-adviser-stephen-millers-grand-plan-clean-house-dhs) is citing a report in WaPo (I’m out of free articles for WaPo or I’d cite it directly) that Trump has apparently told his staff that Stephen Miller will be in charge of all immigration initiatives. Can’t wait to see what Stephen “Himmler” Miller comes up with. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Tooth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c67d28/32.png) [@The\_Tooth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tooth)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2019, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/31746 "2019-04-08T15:09:25Z")
“I call it…Zyklon T. I named it after you, sir.” ---
**Author:** ![dasmoocher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dbc845/32.png) [@dasmoocher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dasmoocher)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2019, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/31747 "2019-04-08T15:09:32Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > Hmmmmm. If Obergruppenführer Miller is involved in this… And Vitiello was not “tough enough” to head ICE; > > And now, according to sources, "Nielsen “believed the situation was becoming untenable with the President becoming increasingly unhinged about the border crisis and making unreasonable and even impossible requests,” > > I am seriously starting to think that the next step for Herr Miller is some sort of Kristallnacht, and or a wholesale stuffing of brown people into camps. > > No exaggeration - this shit is starting to get serious. > [@Superdude](#): > > [The Hill](https://theweek.com/speedreads/833863/inside-trump-adviser-stephen-millers-grand-plan-clean-house-dhs) is citing a report in WaPo (I’m out of free articles for WaPo or I’d cite it directly) that Trump has apparently told his staff that Stephen Miller will be in charge of all immigration initiatives. I was going to joke that Trump would make Miller the DHS Secretary, except he has no qualifications except dispising immigrants. This way, he can focus on his cruelty towards immigrants and not worry about things like cybersecurity (low on Trump’s priority list) and not actually do anything to secure the country. ---
**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:** [April 8, 2019, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/31748 "2019-04-08T15:18:01Z")
> [@dasmoocher](#): > > I was going to joke that Trump would make Miller the DHS Secretary, except he has no qualifications except dispising immigrants. … No qualifications? That’s the BESTEST qualification! ---
**Author:** ![MacCat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maccat/32/216_2.png) [@MacCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacCat)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2019, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/31749 "2019-04-08T15:27:57Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > No qualifications? That’s the BESTEST qualification! A _feature_, not a bug. ---
**Author:** ![dasmoocher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dbc845/32.png) [@dasmoocher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dasmoocher)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2019, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/31750 "2019-04-08T15:28:08Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > No qualifications? That’s the BESTEST qualification! For Trump and Bolton and other Trump lickspittles, but I doubt even the current Senate could actually confirm Miller. He’s that odious. This way Miller still can hide in the shadows. You know when Miller was a kid, he was the type who liked to pull off the legs and wings of insects. ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2019, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/31751 "2019-04-08T15:40:50Z")
Assuming that Trump ever nominates a permanent DHS Secretary, I hope that at the confirmation hearings a Senator has the balls to ask: who will set immigration policy—you, or Stephen Miller? ---
**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:** [April 8, 2019, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/31752 "2019-04-08T16:16:43Z")
> [@dasmoocher](#): > > … I doubt even the current Senate could actually confirm Miller. He’s that odious. … Ooooo… \*\<\*\*ThelmaLou \*_makes anti-hex hand gestures\>_ You’ve jinxed it now! Just when you think the Pubbies can’t go any lower… > [@](#): > > This way Miller still can hide in the shadows. > > You know when Miller was a kid, he was the type who liked to pull off the legs and wings of insects. Much more rewarding to be mean to humans, especially children. Taking them away from their mommies and making them cry and then LOSING them so maybe they never get back to their parents-- that’s what government service in the USA these days is all about. > [@jsc1953](#): > > Assuming that Trump ever nominates a permanent DHS Secretary, I hope that at the confirmation hearings a Senator has the balls to ask: who will set immigration policy—you, or Stephen Miller? Nothing in this administration is permanent. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2019, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/31753 "2019-04-08T16:37:15Z")
> [@dasmoocher](#): > > I was going to joke that Trump would make Miller the DHS Secretary, except he has no qualifications except dispising immigrants. This way, he can focus on his cruelty towards immigrants and not worry about things like cybersecurity (low on Trump’s priority list) and not actually do anything to secure the country. While Miller is certainly highly worthy of our disgust, make no mistake that the policy of deliberate cruelty to families seeking asylum comes straight from the top, and multiple sources indicate that Trump wants a DHS head who will implement that policy, legality be damned: > **[Trump Has Been Lobbying 'For Months' to Reinstate Migrant Family Separation...](https://www.mediaite.com/tv/report-trump-has-been-lobbying-for-months-to-reinstate-migrant-family-separation-policy/)** > > MSNBC reported on Monday President Donald Trump has been pushing "for months" for the government to reinstate the family separation policy for migrants caught crossing the border. ---
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2019, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/31754 "2019-04-08T17:11:04Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > [aside]If you have Amazon Prime, a digital WaPo subscription is really cheap. I know it’s free for 6 months, but I’ve had mine for several years. I get it on my kindle for $.99/month. 'Cause Bezos owns both. Anyhoo, look into it if you’re interested.[/aside] You may have gotten in on a limited-time deal. I have Amazon Prime and I just looked and it is showing as $11.99 per month for a digital subscription to the Washington Post. (after a 14-day free trial) ETA: Looks like since I’m a teacher I can get it for $5/month if I subscribe through the Washington Post website and not Amazon. ---
**Author:** ![dasmoocher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dbc845/32.png) [@dasmoocher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dasmoocher)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2019, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/31755 "2019-04-08T17:46:40Z")
> [@El\_Kabong](#): > > While Miller is certainly highly worthy of our disgust, make no mistake that the policy of deliberate cruelty to families seeking asylum comes straight from the top, and multiple sources indicate that Trump wants a DHS head who will implement that policy, legality be damned: > > [Trump Has Been Lobbying 'For Months' to Reinstate Migrant Family Separation Policy](https://www.mediaite.com/tv/report-trump-has-been-lobbying-for-months-to-reinstate-migrant-family-separation-policy/) I’d say Miller is Grima Wormtongue to Trump’s senile King Theoden, whispering in his ear about the hordes of rapist, crimminal brown people trying to invade our country. And coyotes. Don’t forget the coyotes. Which I sure Trump thought were the canine species when he first mentioned. Miller’s hate goes way back to high school. Trump must love him as Trump’s own father may have been a Klansman (Fred Trump reportedly was once arrested at a Klan rally), and the orange probably didn’t fall far from the apple tree. ---
**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:** [April 8, 2019, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/31756 "2019-04-08T18:02:32Z")
> [@Tangent](#): > > You may have gotten in on a limited-time deal. I have Amazon Prime and I just looked and it is showing as $11.99 per month for a digital subscription to the Washington Post. (after a 14-day free trial) > > ETA: Looks like since I’m a teacher I can get it for $5/month if I subscribe through the Washington Post website and not Amazon. Yeah, I did it so long ago, I’ve lost track. But it’s worth looking for deals. It’s a good paper. ---
**Author:** ![Toxgoddess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f08c70/32.png) [@Toxgoddess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Toxgoddess)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2019, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/31757 "2019-04-08T18:03:06Z")
Trump orders the firing (because he’s too cowardly to do it himself face to face) of the guy in charge of keeping him safe. No reason given. This is a great idea, right? Go over great with the troops. > **[Secret Service chief to leave in Trump security shake-up](https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-homeland-secretservice/trump-orders-firing-of-secret-service-chief-cnn-idUSKCN1RK22K?il=0)** > > President Donald Trump has ordered a shake-up of the leadership of the Department of Homeland Security, the head of the U.S. Secret Service said on Monday, after the White House said the official would be soon be leaving his post. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2019, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/31758 "2019-04-08T18:06:37Z")
Interestingly, Alles is also one of his own appointees. ---
**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:** [April 8, 2019, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/31759 "2019-04-08T18:13:12Z")
> [@Toxgoddess](#): > > Trump orders the firing (because he’s too cowardly to do it himself face to face) of the guy in charge of keeping him safe. No reason given. This is a great idea, right? Go over great with the troops. > > [https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-homeland-secretservice/trump-orders-firing-of-secret-service-chief-cnn-idUSKCN1RK22K?il=0](https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-homeland-secretservice/trump-orders-firing-of-secret-service-chief-cnn-idUSKCN1RK22K?il=0) I don’t know if it’s a great idea, but it’s an idea that one might get if they want to send the message that civil service is ancillary to fealty to the president. Look at what he’s doing – look very carefully. He’s replacing his AG with a loyalist. He’s replacing his IRS commissioners with loyalists. He’s trying to remake the executive civil service in his image, and it’s a very, very ominous sign. He’s preparing for war with the House of Representatives, more specifically the Democratic party. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2019, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/31760 "2019-04-08T19:06:50Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > Interestingly, Alles is also one of his own appointees. If Nielsen was his boss, would that have put her über Alles? ---
**Author:** ![dasmoocher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dbc845/32.png) [@dasmoocher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dasmoocher)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2019, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/31761 "2019-04-08T19:23:55Z")
> [@asahi](#): > > I don’t know if it’s a great idea, but it’s an idea that one might get if they want to send the message that civil service is ancillary to fealty to the president. > > Look at what he’s doing – look very carefully. He’s replacing his AG with a loyalist. He’s replacing his IRS commissioners with loyalists. He’s trying to remake the executive civil service in his image, and it’s a very, very ominous sign. He’s preparing for war with the House of Representatives, more specifically the Democratic party. There’s speculation in this article that Miller may be behind this, too: [Trump is removing US Secret Service director](https://www.cnn.com/2019/04/08/politics/randolph-tex-alles-secret-service-director/index.html) > [@](#): > > “There is a near-systematic purge happening at the nation’s second-largest national security agency,” one senior administration official says. > > United States Citizenship and Immigration Services director Francis Cissna and Office of the General Counsel’s John Mitnick are expected to be gone soon, and the White House is eyeing others to be removed. > > The President in recent weeks empowered Stephen Miller to lead the administration’s border policies “and he’s executing his plan” with what amounts to a wholesale decapitation or the Department of Homeland Security leadership, the official says. :eek: ---
**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:** [April 8, 2019, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/31762 "2019-04-08T20:00:28Z")
Individual 1 campaign spokeswoman Kayleigh McEnany wonders why it is that Congress hasn’t asked for the tax returns of any other President. Are they really this stupid? No, don’t bother answering that. > **[Trump spokeswoman doesn’t realize Trump is the only modern president to not...](https://thinkprogress.org/trump-campaign-spokesperson-tax-returns-congress-1e440d7fc69d/)** > > Every other modern president has voluntarily released tax returns. ---
**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:** [April 8, 2019, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/31763 "2019-04-08T20:01:59Z")
> [@asahi](#): > > …Look at what he’s doing – look very carefully. He’s replacing his AG with a loyalist. He’s replacing his IRS commissioners with loyalists. He’s trying to remake the executive civil service in his image, and it’s a very, very ominous sign. He’s preparing for war with the House of Representatives, more specifically the Democratic party. [Who Is Left to Say No to Trump?](https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/08/opinion/kirstjen-nielsen-trump-border.html?partner=rss&emc=rss) Short answer: no one. > [@](#): > > There’s no reason to mourn Kirstjen Nielsen’s departure from the Department of Homeland Security. She was an immigration hard-liner working aggressively to carry out President Trump’s restrictionist agenda. > … > > But there were limits to Nielsen’s embrace of Trump’s immigration policies. She pushed back on his demands to break the law to stop migrants from entering the country, according to The Times, and repeatedly reminded the president of “the limitations imposed on her department by federal laws, court settlements and international obligations.” > … > > But Trump is unusual among modern presidents for his routine elevation of people who lack that basic sense of public ethics. > … > > Trump says that Kevin McAleenan, until now the commissioner of Customs and Border Protection, will take over for Nielsen as acting secretary of Homeland Security. Like Nielsen, McAleenan backs the president’s harsh border policies. > … > > For a more permanent replacement, Trump is reportedly considering Ken Cuccinelli, the former Virginia attorney general turned conservative television personality, and Kris Kobach, the former Kansas secretary of state notorious for his aggressively anti-immigrant policies. > > With either choice, Trump would affirm the pattern of his administration so far, jettisoning people who act as if they were accountable to the public and replacing them with people who above all are loyal to Trump, willing to go in the “tougher” — and possibly illegal — direction he demands. ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2019, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/31764 "2019-04-08T20:47:38Z")
> [@NY Times](#): > > For a more permanent replacement, Trump is reportedly considering Ken Cuccinelli, the former Virginia attorney general turned conservative television personality, and Kris Kobach, the former Kansas secretary of state notorious for his aggressively anti-immigrant policies. Kris Kobach? Seriously?? Trump is _still_ trying to find a way to put that clown on the payroll? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070.md?page=1587) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070.md?page=1589)