# 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:** 1616
**Author:** ![Slash1972](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slash1972/32/6461_2.png) [@Slash1972](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slash1972)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2019, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/32305 "2019-05-08T02:34:29Z")
> [@dasmoocher](#): > > How about: Those dots at the end of your sentences are the dribble cumming out of a defective Trump brand condom. Pretty weak, man. ---
**Author:** ![dasmoocher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dbc845/32.png) [@dasmoocher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dasmoocher)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2019, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/32306 "2019-05-08T02:36:37Z")
> [@Slash1972](#): > > Pretty weak, man. So’s Trump’s ejaculation, according to Stormy. ---
**Author:** ![Slash1972](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slash1972/32/6461_2.png) [@Slash1972](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slash1972)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2019, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/32307 "2019-05-08T02:42:00Z")
> [@dasmoocher](#): > > So’s Trump’s ejaculation, according to Stormy. Better 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2019, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/32308 "2019-05-08T03:18:53Z")
> [@Happy\_Lendervedder](#): > > > [@jsc1953](#): > > > > Remember back in normal presidential administrations – around this time of year we’d be hearing about the president, VP, other high cabinet officials delivering college commencement addresses. > > > > Has Trump ever given one? Rhetorical question…I can’t conceive of him reading off a teleprompter in front of a not-necessarily-friendly audience. > > Is there any way to research how many commencement addresses Obama gave? Or Bush (either one)? > > [Here’s some info.](https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/sitting-presidents-give-way-more-commencement-speeches-than-they-used-to/) Following a link there to The American Presidency Project, I found that Trump delivered commencement addresses in 2017 at the US Coast Guard Academy and Liberty University. Neither is likely to be an unfriendly audience. ---
**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:** [May 8, 2019, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/32309 "2019-05-08T03:24:42Z")
CFSG Administration is looking at [changing the poverty line](https://www.bloomberg.com/amp/news/articles/2019-05-06/trump-poverty-line-inflation) algorithm to a method more friendly to not helping people. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2019, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/32310 "2019-05-08T03:26:02Z")
> [@dasmoocher](#): > > So’s Trump’s ejaculation, according to Stormy. Comparisons to Clark Kent are unavailable, as there are no survivors. ---
**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:** [May 8, 2019, 5:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/32311 "2019-05-08T05:53:41Z")
It seems that [Secretary of Fucking-Things-Up Pompeo stood Germany up](https://news.yahoo.com/pompeo-baghdad-unannounced-visit-iraq-govt-source-202710434.html) in order to hie off to Baghdad, because, reasons. In the words of the Catepillar-Mustache guy, _The United States is not seeking war with the Iranian regime, but we are fully prepared to respond to any attack, whether by proxy, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, or regular Iranian forces._ “Not seeking war” with Iran. Yeah, I am believing that. Meanwhile, [DailyBeast is of the opinion that](https://www.thedailybeast.com/trump-administration-inflated-iran-intelligence-us-officials-say) the administration may be exaggerating the threat. _“It’s not that the administration is mischaracterizing the intelligence, so much as overreacting to it,” said one U.S. government official briefed on it._ Hmm. Nothing at all sounds familiar about that. Certainly not with an election on the horizon. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2019, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/32312 "2019-05-08T05:57:34Z")
Well, the Iranians _do_ have torpedo boats. ---
**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:** [May 8, 2019, 10:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/32313 "2019-05-08T10:19:09Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > It seems that [Secretary of Fucking-Things-Up Pompeo stood Germany up](https://news.yahoo.com/pompeo-baghdad-unannounced-visit-iraq-govt-source-202710434.html) in order to hie off to Baghdad, because, reasons. In the words of the Catepillar-Mustache guy, > _The United States is not seeking war with the Iranian regime, but we are fully prepared to respond to any attack, whether by proxy, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, or regular Iranian forces._ > “Not seeking war” with Iran. Yeah, I am believing that. > > Meanwhile, [DailyBeast is of the opinion that](https://www.thedailybeast.com/trump-administration-inflated-iran-intelligence-us-officials-say) the administration may be exaggerating the threat. > _“It’s not that the administration is mischaracterizing the intelligence, so much as overreacting to it,” said one U.S. government official briefed on it._ > Hmm. Nothing at all sounds familiar about that. Certainly not with an election on the horizon. If this administration didn’t want war with Iran it wouldn’t have withdrawn from the agreement that placed inspectors at Iran’s nuclear facilities, and it wouldn’t be imposing the kinds of crippling sanctions that are squeezing the economy and thus posing an existential threat to Iran’s regime. The Trump administration is already essentially in a state of war with Iran; it’s just a matter of how long this continues before Iran becomes so angry and desperate that they try to lash out in retaliation. They can’t respond in kind economically, unless you call blocking the Strait of Hormuz a purely economic and not a military decision (it’s both, actually). Any measure of retaliation by Iran is going to be met with a military response. That’s why we have John Bolton and Mike Pompeo in the first place: to cook and exaggerate the intelligence. ---
**Author:** ![Mollie\_Magill](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mollie_magill/32/20882_2.png) [@Mollie\_Magill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mollie_Magill)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2019, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/32314 "2019-05-08T14:01:40Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > It seems that [Secretary of Fucking-Things-Up Pompeo stood Germany up](https://news.yahoo.com/pompeo-baghdad-unannounced-visit-iraq-govt-source-202710434.html) in order to hie off to Baghdad, because, reasons. In the words of the Catepillar-Mustache guy, > _The United States is not seeking war with the Iranian regime, but we are fully prepared to respond to any attack, whether by proxy, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, or regular Iranian forces._ > “Not seeking war” with Iran. Yeah, I am believing that. > > Meanwhile, [DailyBeast is of the opinion that](https://www.thedailybeast.com/trump-administration-inflated-iran-intelligence-us-officials-say) the administration may be exaggerating the threat. > _“It’s not that the administration is mischaracterizing the intelligence, so much as overreacting to it,” said one U.S. government official briefed on it._ > Hmm. Nothing at all sounds familiar about that. Certainly not with an election on the horizon. John Bolton is wanking to his copy of Jane’s Defence Weekly. ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2019, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/32315 "2019-05-08T15:41:11Z")
If, hypothetically, you were a completely unscrupulous President involved in trade negotiations with the world’s 2nd-largest economy, and you knew a deal was imminent: you could make a lot of money for yourself and your friends, by tweeting inflammatory negative statements about the state of the negotiations. Then, when the market tanks, you buy low knowing that stocks are about to soar. Just sayin’. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2019, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/32316 "2019-05-08T16:18:25Z")
If someone had an hour’s foreknowledge, a killing could be made in, say, soybean futures. 'Course, that gives the nation’s soybean farmers a jolly good rogering! ---
**Author:** ![racepug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f1d935/32.png) [@racepug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racepug)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2019, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/32317 "2019-05-09T12:50:32Z")
More on the “brilliant businessman” that Deplorables have delivered to us as our “president”: [Exclusive: Trump, the billion-dollar loser — I was his ghostwriter and saw it happen](https://www.yahoo.com/news/trump-the-billiondollar-loser-his-ghostwriter-recalls-the-king-midas-years-090000640.html) ---
**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:** [May 9, 2019, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/32318 "2019-05-09T13:07:41Z")
It’s possible Mitch [“Cocaine”](https://www.esquire.com/style/mens-fashion/a27409372/mitch-mcconnell-cocaine-mitch-t-shirts/) McConnell could be the worst of the whole bunch. Mr. It’s All Over has broken yet again from precedent by appointing another far-right judge [over objections of both of a nominee’s home-state senators.](https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/entry/mitch-mcconnell-trump-judges-senate-precedent_n_5cd30f57e4b07ce6ef798268) ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2019, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/32319 "2019-05-09T13:36:33Z")
> [@racepug](#): > > More on the “brilliant businessman” that Deplorables have delivered to us as our “president”: [Exclusive: Trump, the billion-dollar loser — I was his ghostwriter and saw it happen](https://www.yahoo.com/news/trump-the-billiondollar-loser-his-ghostwriter-recalls-the-king-midas-years-090000640.html) My favorite observation from that article: > [@](#): > > I tend to see my time with him — the first part of it, anyway, before things started going bad in a hurry — as his “King Midas” period. I never said this to him; if I had, he probably would have thought I was suggesting he enter the muffler business. ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2019, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/32320 "2019-05-09T13:39:21Z")
> [@Steve\_MB](#): > > My favorite observation from that article: I like the image of him spending the whole day examining fabric swatches and wood chips. Great article. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2019, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/32321 "2019-05-09T14:02:50Z")
> [@Ukulele\_Ike](#): > > I like the image of him spending the whole day examining fabric swatches and wood chips. > > Great article. Pretty funny when you understand that he thinks class is a gold plated toilet. ---
**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:** [May 9, 2019, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/32322 "2019-05-09T14:03:16Z")
Trump has effectively restricted media access by revoking White House credentials en masse: > **[Opinion | The White House revoked my press pass. It’s not just me — it’s...](https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/the-white-house-has-revoked-my-press-pass-its-not-just-me--its-curtailing-access-for-all-journalists/2019/05/08/bb9794b4-71c0-11e9-8be0-ca575670e91c_story.html?utm_term=.519beaea32b4)** > > I’ll keep covering the White House and wait for things to return to normal — if they ever do. Their access is granted on a case-by-case basis as “exceptions”. ---
**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:** [May 9, 2019, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/32323 "2019-05-09T14:08:06Z")
> [@Guest-starring\_Id](#): > > It’s possible Mitch [“Cocaine”](https://www.esquire.com/style/mens-fashion/a27409372/mitch-mcconnell-cocaine-mitch-t-shirts/) McConnell could be the worst of the whole bunch. Mr. It’s All Over has broken yet again from precedent by appointing another far-right judge [over objections of both of a nominee’s home-state senators.](https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/entry/mitch-mcconnell-trump-judges-senate-precedent_n_5cd30f57e4b07ce6ef798268) Like their objections mean shit. Cocaine Mitch is all about creating a brutally partisan White Christian Nationalist senate machine. Did anyone not expect him to do this? ---
**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:** [May 9, 2019, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/32324 "2019-05-09T14:49:03Z")
> [@asahi](#): > > Like their objections mean shit. Cocaine Mitch is all about creating a brutally partisan White Christian Nationalist senate machine. Did anyone not expect him to do this? “Mitch McConnell wants to raise money off the nickname ‘Cocaine Mitch’” > **[Mitch McConnell wants to raise money off the nickname ‘Cocaine Mitch.’ Yes,...](https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/mitch-mcconnell-wants-to-raise-money-off-the-nickname-cocaine-mitch-yes-really/2019/05/08/2ae6b6d4-71ca-11e9-9eb4-0828f5389013_story.html)** > > Shirts sporting the moniker are selling fast, but some drug policy experts have said the apparel is in bad taste. What a classy guy. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070.md?page=1615) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070.md?page=1617)