# 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:** 1651
**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:** [May 29, 2019, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/33005 "2019-05-29T01:10:17Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > Sorry. Should’ve remembered. After all, he likes his tarts. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![dasmoocher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dbc845/32.png) [@dasmoocher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dasmoocher)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2019, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/33006 "2019-05-29T01:28:28Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > [Trump knows best how to build aircraft carriers–but not what “digital” means](https://thehill.com/policy/defense/445713-trump-criticizes-aircraft-carrier-design-as-wrong?amp). Great. Trump wants to fuck up our military preparedness because he knows better. I’m sure a smile crossed Putin’s face–best investment he ever made. I don’t know much about the [Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electromagnetic_Aircraft_Launch_System), but I don’t doubt Trump doesn’t know shit either. Probably resents the fact that whoever gives him a briefing on it is taking away from his “I get to talk about how I’m an expert on everything” time. Trump: “Why is this guy talking?” Next thing you know, Trump will want the Navy to convert back to coal-fired boilers so he can get some votes in WV and KY. And, the only thing Trump knows about “digital” is that his are shorter than average. ---
**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:** [May 29, 2019, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/33007 "2019-05-29T01:37:05Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > [Trump knows best how to build aircraft carriers–but not what “digital” means](https://thehill.com/policy/defense/445713-trump-criticizes-aircraft-carrier-design-as-wrong?amp). Overlooked by the Fake News media, but the Navy also is going back to propeller planes. Those worked perfectly fine for decades past as well. ---
**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:** [May 29, 2019, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/33008 "2019-05-29T02:31:55Z")
I don’t know the first thing about aircraft carriers. I haven’t the foggiest idea if electromagnetic or steam catapults are better. That said, what the fuck is Trump’s deal with the steam catapults?? I mean, is there some school of thought among military analysts that the electromagnetic catapults are unreliable, or too expensive, or not cost effective, or something? I know looking for sense in Trump’s positions is a fool’s errand. But, the idea came from somewhere, I presume. If not from some military analyst, is there some nincompoop on Fox who opposes electromagnetic catapults? Some 4chan board? Do Russian carriers all use steam catapults? Was there a movie where steam catapults saved the day? I mean, what the actual fuck? ---
**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:** [May 29, 2019, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/33009 "2019-05-29T02:39:10Z")
> [@Defensive\_Indifference](#): > > I don’t know the first thing about aircraft carriers. I haven’t the foggiest idea if electromagnetic or steam catapults are better. From **dasmoocher** ’s link: > [@](#): > > Its main advantage is that it accelerates aircraft more smoothly, putting less stress on their airframes. Compared to steam catapults, the EMALS also weighs less, is expected to cost less and require less maintenance, and can launch both heavier and lighter aircraft than a steam piston-driven system. It also reduces the carrier’s requirement of fresh water, thus reducing the demand for energy-intensive desalination. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2019, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/33010 "2019-05-29T02:57:31Z")
But the downside is that it has the Digital. Who even knows what Digital is? If even an extremely stable genius with one of the highest IQs and the Best Words can’t understand how much Digital there is today, what chance do the common folk have? ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2019, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/33011 "2019-05-29T03:01:51Z")
> [@Defensive\_Indifference](#): > > I don’t know the first thing about aircraft carriers. I haven’t the foggiest idea if electromagnetic or steam catapults are better. That said, what the fuck is Trump’s deal with the steam catapults?? I mean, is there some school of thought among military analysts that the electromagnetic catapults are unreliable, or too expensive, or not cost effective, or something? I know looking for sense in Trump’s positions is a fool’s errand. But, the idea came from somewhere, I presume. If not from some military analyst, is there some nincompoop on Fox who opposes electromagnetic catapults? Some 4chan board? Do Russian carriers all use steam catapults? Was there a movie where steam catapults saved the day? I mean, what the actual fuck? It’s all part of the pattern. Trump prefers analog to digital, steam and coal over electric, phone calls over email, simple over complex. His only concession to the 21st-century is Twitter. ---
**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:** [May 29, 2019, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/33012 "2019-05-29T03:14:50Z")
> [@Defensive\_Indifference](#): > > I don’t know the first thing about aircraft carriers. I haven’t the foggiest idea if electromagnetic or steam catapults are better. That said, what the fuck is Trump’s deal with the steam catapults?? I mean, is there some school of thought among military analysts that the electromagnetic catapults are unreliable, or too expensive, or not cost effective, or something? I know looking for sense in Trump’s positions is a fool’s errand. But, the idea came from somewhere, I presume. If not from some military analyst, is there some nincompoop on Fox who opposes electromagnetic catapults? Some 4chan board? Do Russian carriers all use steam catapults? Was there a movie where steam catapults saved the day? I mean, what the actual fuck? I strongly suspect that at some time in the past, Obama came out in favour of Electromagnetic catapults. That is all. ---
**Author:** ![Walken\_After\_Midnight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b487fb/32.png) [@Walken\_After\_Midnight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walken_After_Midnight)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2019, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/33013 "2019-05-29T03:30:44Z")
I can’t help thinking that Trump’s seemingly deep and new-found knowledge of catapults may somehow be related to his plans following the conclusion of the Barr treason investigation. My mind goes back to the reports of him obsessing over the minutiae of fabric swatches and border wall designs, as well as stories of his beloved, Kim Jong-un, executing North Korean officials using anti-aircraft guns. ---
**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 29, 2019, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/33014 "2019-05-29T03:42:05Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > I strongly suspect that at some time in the past, Obama came out in favour of Electromagnetic catapults. > > That is all. No, no, he saw the acronym and thought, “_but her EMALS!_" ---
**Author:** ![yendis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/ed8c4c/32.png) [@yendis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yendis)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2019, 10:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/33015 "2019-05-29T10:08:49Z")
> [@Defensive\_Indifference](#): > > I don’t know the first thing about aircraft carriers. I haven’t the foggiest idea if electromagnetic or steam catapults are better. That said, what the fuck is Trump’s deal with the steam catapults?? I mean, is there some school of thought among military analysts that the electromagnetic catapults are unreliable, or too expensive, or not cost effective, or something? I know looking for sense in Trump’s positions is a fool’s errand. But, the idea came from somewhere, I presume. If not from some military analyst, is there some nincompoop on Fox who opposes electromagnetic catapults? Some 4chan board? Do Russian carriers all use steam catapults? Was there a movie where steam catapults saved the day? I mean, what the actual fuck? Glorious Russian carriers use superior ski-jump technology comrade. ---
**Author:** ![Zakalwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zakalwe/32/270_2.png) [@Zakalwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zakalwe)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2019, 10:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/33016 "2019-05-29T10:23:50Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > No, no, he saw the acronym and thought, “_but her EMALS!_" I want you to go to your room and think about what you’ve done. You can come out when you’re ready to apologize! ---
**Author:** ![dasmoocher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dbc845/32.png) [@dasmoocher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dasmoocher)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2019, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/33017 "2019-05-29T13:02:15Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > From **dasmoocher** ’s link: Here’s an article from the Naval Institute with more background: [Experts: Navy Would Spend Billions to Answer Trump’s Call to Return Carriers to Steam Catapults](https://news.usni.org/2019/05/28/experts-navy-would-spend-billions-to-answer-trumps-call-to-return-carriers-to-steam-catapults) > [@](#): > > However, installing steam catapults on a Ford-class hull is not so simple. Ford-class hulls were designed to accommodate an entire power system that doesn’t rely on steam pipped throughout the ship. Instead, the power generated from the nuclear reactors drive turbines that power a shipwide electrical grid. Space on the ships is allocated differently because there’s no need for all the steam piping found on Nimitz-class ships. > > “The Navy would have to spend several billion dollars to redesign the ship,” Bryan Clark, a senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments, told USNI News on Tuesday. > > … > > The Ford class incorporates new technologies designed for ships that are not configured to accommodate steam. An example, Clark said, is directed energy. If laser weapons, which require a significant amount of power to operate, are put on a ship with steam catapults, operating both becomes a problem, he said. But a ship that is optimized to produce electrical power could operate the flight deck and a laser weapon. > > … > “The Ford-class design uses the basic Nimitz-class hull form but incorporates several improvements, including features permitting the ship to generate more aircraft sorties per day, more electrical power for supporting ship systems, and features permitting the ship to be operated by several hundred fewer sailors than a Nimitz-class ship, reducing 50-year life-cycle operating and support (O&S) costs for each ship by about $4 billion compared to the Nimitz-class design, the Navy estimates,” the CRS report states. > > EMALS is easier than steam catapults to calibrate for different types of aircraft, which becomes essential as the Navy moves toward incorporating lighter unmanned aircraft into the air wing, Manvel said. TL;DR Going back to steam isn’t feasible due to the cost of redesign and loss of the added benefits of EMALS. The laser weapon thing caught my eye. Has no one told Trump about this? Somebody in the Navy should show Trump clips of the Rebel X-wings attacking the Death Star or some similar scene and pretend it’s what the new carriers can do. I bet Trump would be onboard [heh] with that. ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2019, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/33018 "2019-05-29T14:08:05Z")
> [@Zakalwe](#): > > I want you to go to your room and think about what you’ve done. You can come out when you’re ready to apologize! I liked it. ---
**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:** [May 29, 2019, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/33019 "2019-05-29T14:37:47Z")
> [@jsc1953](#): > > It’s all part of the pattern. Trump prefers analog to digital, steam and coal over electric, phone calls over email, simple over complex. His only concession to the 21st-century is Twitter. And even there, he’d rather be yelling at strangers on the street. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2019, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/33020 "2019-05-29T15:19:10Z")
Trebuchets are the superior aircraft launching technology. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2019, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/33021 "2019-05-29T15:21:25Z")
Pfft. I call that “new-fangled junk”; all the best people tell me atlatls are where it’s at. ---
**Author:** ![Folacin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folacin/32/3195_2.png) [@Folacin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folacin)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2019, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/33022 "2019-05-29T15:40:52Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > Pfft. I call that “new-fangled junk”; all the best people tell me atlatls are where it’s at. Well, they call it a catapult, but since it really is a pushing tech as opposed to flinging, it probably is closer to an atlatl in any case. ---
**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:** [May 29, 2019, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/33023 "2019-05-29T15:56:33Z")
> China, in using a phrase uttered only prior to major foreign policy excursions, claims they will start limiting the export of rare earths (such as lithium) to the United States. Currently, the DJIA is down almost 400 points. ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2019, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/33024 "2019-05-29T16:22:56Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > Trebuchets are the superior aircraft launching technology. You shouldn’t call it a trebuchet unless it is from the Trebuch region of France. Otherwise it is simply a sparkling catapult. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070.md?page=1650) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070.md?page=1652)