# 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:** 161
**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:** [April 10, 2017, 11:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/3201 "2017-04-10T11:01:34Z")
> [@Mijin](#): > > Ok, so what _should_ we do? > Apart from hitting the actual runway (How the hell did we manage not to? Did stormtroopers aim the missiles?) I would have done the same. Cruise missiles are not built to penetrate runways. Just exploding on the surface won’t do much. [Anti-runway penetration bomb](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-runway_penetration_bomb) > [@](#): > > One system available from 1977 diverging from the French/Israeli runway piercing bomb development used in 1967 was the Matra Durandal, a single 450 lb bomb with parachute braking, rocket booster, and two warheads. The device worked after being dropped by an aircraft flying at low level braking by parachute, then when at the correct angle firing a rocket to impact the runway, first igniting a large warhead to create a crater and then subsequently using a smaller charge that had penetrated the crater to displace adjacent concrete slabs. The slabs, once displaced, are far harder to deal with than a simple hole that could be patched with asphalt. The Durandal has been widely exported. The Durandal was used by the USAF in the initial stages of the 1991 operation Desert Storm against Iraqi airfields, delivered by F-111s ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2017, 12:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/3202 "2017-04-10T12:05:27Z")
> [@saturncomet](#): > > It feels good to start winning again. MAGA !!! What did we win? “Blowing shit up” does not in itself constitute “winning”. And “firing a lot of missiles while accomplishing nothing” is an awful lot like “not winning”. ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2017, 12:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/3203 "2017-04-10T12:18:17Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > Oh, and just to clarify, because someone may remark on it, yes, I would much rather the mainland be nuked than Hawaii. I don’t see this as a “take one for the team” situation. If anyone’s going to get nuked, I’d much rather it be you than me. 😉 To be fair, there’s a fair bit of the west coast that could be hit with whatever size nuke they have (is there really any intelligence to think it’s bigger than US capability in 1946 or so?) without too much damage to people. It’s unlikely that they’d miss so badly that they’d kindly hit the Nevada Test Site and the fallout effects are still going to suck, and obviously no one wants to see it, but still. ---
**Author:** ![Try2B\_Comprehensive](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/try2b_comprehensive/32/65_2.png) [@Try2B\_Comprehensive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Try2B_Comprehensive)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2017, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/3204 "2017-04-10T14:14:22Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > What did we win? “Blowing shit up” does not in itself constitute “winning”. And “firing a lot of missiles while accomplishing nothing” is an awful lot like “not winning”. It is GOP war, don’t lose sight of their agenda. Another inconclusive, multi-trillion $ war brings us that closer to being _forced_ to eliminate Social Security and Medicare. Think of it as a victory of Capitalism over Socialism. ---
**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:** [April 10, 2017, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/3205 "2017-04-10T14:24:20Z")
> [@saturncomet](#): > > It feels good to start winning again. MAGA !!! What did we win, exactly? I mean, Raytheon is going to certainly be getting more orders for Tomahawk missiles, and Trump has achieved a brief respite in the inquiry into his campaign’s many ties to Russian intelligence, but neither of those are wins for poor coal mining communities in Pennsylvania, decaying Rust Belt towns in Michigan, or the millions of people facing a loss of health care coverage if and when the GOP can formulate an actual agenda to repeal and “replace” the Affordable Care Act. FAHA. 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:** [April 10, 2017, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/3206 "2017-04-10T19:12:03Z")
Three organizations are filing suit against the Trump administration for not making public the logs that show who is visiting the White House. > **[Trump sued for not releasing White House visitor logs](https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/328058-dhs-sued-for-not-releasing-white-house-visitor-logs/)** > > Three organizations are suing the Department of Homeland Security for not disclosing the White House visitor logs. ---
**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 10, 2017, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/3207 "2017-04-10T20:02:30Z")
> [@saturncomet](#): > > It feels good to start winning again. MAGA !!! I’m \*\*TIRED \*\*of [del]whining[/del] winning just like Trump predicted. Can we stop now? ---
**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:** [April 10, 2017, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/3208 "2017-04-10T20:11:43Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > I’m \*\*TIRED \*\*of [del]whining[/del] winning just like Trump predicted. Can we stop now? [Stop winning!](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EL8e2ujXe8g) 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:** [April 10, 2017, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/3209 "2017-04-10T20:21:48Z")
Will Trump be in Washington to host the annual Easter Egg Roll? Will Melania? ---
**Author:** ![Punoqllads](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/d2c977/32.png) [@Punoqllads](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Punoqllads)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2017, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/3210 "2017-04-10T22:20:24Z")
Due to a hilarious misunderstanding the children will be rolling dyed golf balls and the Mar-a-Lago golf outing will have unintended eggsplosions. ---
**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:** [April 11, 2017, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/3211 "2017-04-11T00:38:03Z")
> [@Rick\_Kitchen](#): > > Will Trump be in Washington to host the annual Easter Egg Roll? Will Melania? If he gets to charge admission. Rental baskets. Finder fees. The finder of the blond egg gets to sit on Bannon’s lap. ---
**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:** [April 11, 2017, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/3212 "2017-04-11T00:55:23Z")
Jeff “This…asbestos, thing…you speak of” Sessions is poo-pooing [forensics](https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/public-safety/sessions-orders-justice-dept-to-end-forensic-science-commission-suspend-review-policy/2017/04/10/2dada0ca-1c96-11e7-9887-1a5314b56a08_story.html) now. > [@](#): > > Attorney General Jeff Sessions will end a Justice Department partnership with independent scientists to raise forensic science standards and has suspended an expanded review of FBI testimony across several techniques that have come under question, **saying a new strategy will be set by an in-house team of law enforcement advisers** bolding c’est moi. Oh good - let’s hope they’re all over this new strategy thing like they’ve been all over their other strategy things. ---
**Author:** ![D\_Odds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/d_odds/32/2882_2.png) [@D\_Odds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Odds)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2017, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/3213 "2017-04-11T01:48:08Z")
> [@Eddie The Horrible](#): > > Jeff “This…asbestos, thing…you speak of” Sessions is poo-pooing [forensics](https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/public-safety/sessions-orders-justice-dept-to-end-forensic-science-commission-suspend-review-policy/2017/04/10/2dada0ca-1c96-11e7-9887-1a5314b56a08_story.html) now. > … > Oh good - let’s hope they’re all over this new strategy thing like they’ve been all over their other strategy things. [Jeff Sessions new forensics strategy](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zrzMhU_4m-g). ---
**Author:** ![mistymage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mistymage/32/459_2.png) [@mistymage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mistymage)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2017, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/3214 "2017-04-11T03:11:59Z")
Can someone explain this to me? Our allies now include Russia? Or are they our enemy? "Secondly, creating areas in which we can work with allies, including Russia, in committing to ensuring that there are places that are free from violence and are places free for people to gather safely is another. Because I think everyone would agree that the last thing people want to do there is leave. They want to stay there. They want to be in Syria. They want to have a safe place to remain with their families and not be separated. So our number-one priority is to defeat ISIS, but we’re also, I think from a humanitarian standpoint and a refugee standpoint, ensuring that we create an environment that provides a safe place for them to ultimately remain. And then on Russia, in particular, look, I think that if you look at the countries that are with us, it speaks pretty loudly the number of countries that have stood shoulder-to-shoulder with this President. Russia, on the other hand, stands with Syria, North Korea and Iran. I think when you contrast the two groups of country sets, it’s pretty clear that we’re on the right side of this issue." [https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2017/04/10/daily-press-briefing-press-secretary-sean-spicer-35](https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2017/04/10/daily-press-briefing-press-secretary-sean-spicer-35) ---
**Author:** ![Punoqllads](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/d2c977/32.png) [@Punoqllads](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Punoqllads)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2017, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/3215 "2017-04-11T03:22:53Z")
I think he’s saying they’re our frenemies working to create peace in Syria via supporting a murderous regime. And that our clique is totes cooler than theirs. ---
**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:** [April 11, 2017, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/3216 "2017-04-11T03:33:32Z")
> [@Eddie The Horrible](#): > > Oh good - let’s hope they’re all over this new **strategy** thing like they’ve been all over their other **strategy** things. **Bolding** mine. I’m starting to believe Trump and his [del]minions[/del] [del]flacks[/del] [del]sycophants[/del] administration believe the word in bold is more of an adjective than an actual noun. They see “strateg-y” as “having some of the qualities they perceive to be like something”. It’s almost as though they’ve created a new part of speech, the Trumpyette". Examples below: Strateg-y -\> Looks like planning Legal-y -\> Looks legal President-y -\> Looks like an actual competent president Heaven help us all. ---
**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:** [April 11, 2017, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/3217 "2017-04-11T04:52:50Z")
Russia has not been an ally to the United States since WWII (and then only as an matter of convenience). With the exception of the International Space Station and related space efforts, at no time post-Soviet Union has the United States and the Russian Federation held any long term cooperateive fiscal arrangements or significant strategic alliances. In the early 'Nineties the United States and Canada provided economic and humanitarian aid to the the newly democratic Russia and the fledgling Commonwealth of Independent States, and the two nations have had various summits and treaty agreements such as arms limitations and anti-proliferation efforts, but more often the US and Russia have been at odds in the imposition of sanctions, conduct of military action, and economic policy. The entire notion of referring to the Russian Federation with its current oligarchical leadership which has quite evidently conducted a campaign of defaming, arresting, and assassinating political opposition, as well as quite evidently interfering with the US presidential election process, as an “ally” should give pause to anyone placing trust in the Trump administration. Our actual allies are nations that have supported us in conflict (when we could justify action; in the case of the invasion of Iraq the fact that most of our staunch allies refused to support or participate should have been a indicator that we were not acting in good judgment) and in which we have a strategic investment, such as South Korea, Taiwan, or Japan. Stranger ---
**Author:** ![TonySinclair](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/49beb7/32.png) [@TonySinclair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TonySinclair)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2017, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/3218 "2017-04-11T05:07:51Z")
> [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](#): > > Russia has not been an ally to the United States since WWII (and then only as an matter of convenience). We got them on the rebound after Hitler broke up with Stalin. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2017, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/3219 "2017-04-11T05:12:44Z")
> [@OttoDaFe](#): > > Honolulu may be safe, but Ann Coulter [has a suggestion](http://www.seattlepi.com/local/politics/article/Ann-Coulter-green-lights-North-Korea-to-hit-11056201.php) for lil’ Kim. I doubt that the Republicans in general care if the West Coast gets hit by a nuke or by a hundred of them. It’s the “Left Coast”, full of evil Demoncrats after all; we’re all monsters who deserve to be exterminated. I’ve certainly heard various right wingers over the years muse about how nice it would be if terrorists nuked a “liberal” coastal city like San Fransisco or New York. ---
**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:** [April 11, 2017, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/3220 "2017-04-11T05:33:19Z")
> [@TonySinclair](#): > > We got them on the rebound after Hitler broke up with Stalin. And how well did that work out for us? They snuck into our house, stole our valuables, kicked us in the nuts, and then applied a restraining order around Berlin, not to mention all of the bickering and fighting over Southeast and Latin American nations neither country really cared about. Plus, fuck, Afghanistan. I mean, Afghanistan is like the poor dog that gets abused by both sides just so each can make the point that they can, and then when they’re done they just kick it out in the back yard and ignore the barking until it chews through the sewage line. Stranger [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070.md?page=160) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070.md?page=162)