# 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:** 1677
**Author:** ![74westy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/74westy/32/3950_2.png) [@74westy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/74westy)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2019, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/33525 "2019-06-13T14:02:33Z")
Is there a war in Poland that I didn’t hear about? The last one was in all the papers. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Stainless\_Steel\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_stainless_steel_rat/32/5727_2.png) [@The\_Stainless\_Steel\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Stainless_Steel_Rat)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2019, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/33526 "2019-06-13T14:14:38Z")
And now this is breaking: [Gulf of Oman tankers attacked: Live updates](https://www.cnn.com/middleeast/live-news/gulf-of-oman-incident-latest-intl/index.html) The missiles were fired from Yemen, but odds are fair to good they were built in Iran. Will Trump, under increasing pressure at home, look for a foreign adventure? We shall see. ---
**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:** [June 13, 2019, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/33527 "2019-06-13T15:27:46Z")
> [@The\_Stainless\_Steel\_Rat](#): > > And now this is breaking: [Gulf of Oman tankers attacked: Live updates](https://www.cnn.com/middleeast/live-news/gulf-of-oman-incident-latest-intl/index.html) > > The missiles were fired from Yemen, but odds are fair to good they were built in Iran. Will Trump, under increasing pressure at home, look for a foreign adventure? We shall see. 1. Several sources are now using the term “torpedoes” for at least one of the tanker attacks, but there is still no general agreement on the type of weapon used. 2. I couldn’t find anything in your link that claimed missiles were fired from Yemen at the tankers, although there was mention of a Yemeni missile attack on a Saudi airport. The former seems unlikely anyway, as the nearest land point within Yemen is several hundred miles (and on the other side of Oman) from the tanker attack site. Do Yemeni rebels even have the capability of over-the-horizon targeting of shipping traffic? 3. With so little in the way of hard fact, it seems a bit premature to assign blame to Iran, but I don’t suppose that will deter the current administration and its (not specifically the quoted poster) more zealous supporters. ---
**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:** [June 13, 2019, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/33528 "2019-06-13T15:33:35Z")
> [@The\_Stainless\_Steel\_Rat](#): > > And now this is breaking: [Gulf of Oman tankers attacked: Live updates](https://www.cnn.com/middleeast/live-news/gulf-of-oman-incident-latest-intl/index.html) > > The missiles were fired from Yemen, but odds are fair to good they were built in Iran. Will Trump, under increasing pressure at home, look for a foreign adventure? We shall see. Assuming it was Houthis, I just wonder if that was really at Iran’s request. ---
**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:** [June 13, 2019, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/33529 "2019-06-13T15:38:16Z")
> [@Guest-starring\_Id](#): > > I’ve mentioned before that I always kill the volume (or fast forward) if Trump’s on TV… [Get that moron off of there!](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bu5H0YpAn_E) ---
**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:** [June 13, 2019, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/33530 "2019-06-13T16:07:01Z")
> [@QuickSilver](#): > > I’m sorry but we’re completely out of hope. The demand has overwhelmed all supply and production has slowed to a crawl. May we interest you in despondency, rage and vitriol? We’re currently offering all three at buy 1 get 2 free. [Times are tough.](https://www.gocomics.com/pearlsbeforeswine/2016/11/01) ---
**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:** [June 13, 2019, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/33531 "2019-06-13T16:14:42Z")
> [@The\_Stainless\_Steel\_Rat](#): > > And now this is breaking: [Gulf of Oman tankers attacked: Live updates](https://www.cnn.com/middleeast/live-news/gulf-of-oman-incident-latest-intl/index.html) > > The missiles were fired from Yemen, but odds are fair to good they were built in Iran. Will Trump, under increasing pressure at home, look for a foreign adventure? We shall see. I just read the linked article and saw no mention of “missiles from Yemen”; could you quote the part you read? ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2019, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/33532 "2019-06-13T16:25:35Z")
Falling under the [“better late than never” category](https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-conway/trump-aide-conway-repeatedly-violated-u-s-law-u-s-investigators-find-idUSKCN1TE2FI?il=0)… (Reuters) > [@](#): > > Kellyanne Conway, a senior adviser to President Donald Trump, repeatedly violated U.S. law by making political comments while serving in the White House and should be removed from the federal workforce, the U.S. Office of Special Counsel (OSC) said on Thursday. ---
**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:** [June 13, 2019, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/33533 "2019-06-13T16:52:16Z")
The AP recently posted a story too: [Federal agency recommends White House aide Conway be fired | AP News](https://apnews.com/b2f61bdd9831460b98cba45fefc9b293) Anyone wanna bet that Trump will not ignore this? Because I just don’t see him doing anything other than keeping her on and writing her a pardon later. They’re already trying to work the “partisan attack” excuse. > [@](#): > > White House spokesman Steven Groves called the watchdog agency’s decision “unprecedented” and “deeply flawed” and said it violated Conway’s constitutional rights to free speech and due process. > > “Its decisions seem to be influenced by media pressure and liberal organizations — and perhaps OSC should be mindful of its own mandate to act in a fair, impartial, non-political manner, and not misinterpret or weaponize the Hatch Act,” Groves said in a statement. > > The Office of Special Counsel noted that, during a May 29 media interview, Conway minimized the significance of the law as applied to her. > > When asked about the Hatch Act, the office stated that she replied: “If you’re trying to silence me through the Hatch Act, it’s not going to work,” and “Let me know when the jail sentence starts.” ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2019, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/33534 "2019-06-13T16:52:31Z")
Ha ha! I just saw the NBC version: “A government watchdog agency recommended Thursday that Kellyanne Conway, a top aide to President Donald Trump, be removed from federal office for repeated violations of the Hatch Act, which prohibits government employees from engaging in certain political activity. The U.S. Office of Special Counsel, an independent government agency that enforces the act, said it sent a [report](https://osc.gov/Resources/Report%20to%20the%20President%20re%20Kellyanne%20Conway%20Hatch%20Act.pdf) to Trump detailing “numerous occasions” in which Conway violated the law by saying disparaging things about Democratic presidential candidates in television interviews and on social media while acting in her official capacity as counselor to the president.” > **[Government watchdog calls for Kellyanne Conway to be removed from office for...](https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/white-house/government-watchdog-calls-kellyanne-conway-be-removed-office-violating-hatch-n1017241)** > > The top aide to President Donald Trump has previously said the law prohibiting White House employees from engaging in certain political activities would not "silence" her. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2019, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/33535 "2019-06-13T16:53:01Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > I posted this in the Mueller thread too: > > [Hope Hicks has agreed to a closed-door interview with the House Judiciary Committee](https://apnews.com/53d9cead092b40dfbe3c22a32f10565f) June 19th! One week from today! I long assumed that Donnie Pfucker-Pfaster’s repeated requests for closed-door “interviews” with Ms Hicks were why she left the WH. ---
**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:** [June 13, 2019, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/33536 "2019-06-13T16:59:53Z")
Don Jr tries to troll Justin Amash, but Justin Amash [trolls him back](https://twitter.com/justinamash/status/1139158567553044480). ---
**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:** [June 13, 2019, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/33537 "2019-06-13T17:09:04Z")
> [@Walken\_After\_Midnight](#): > > Don Jr tries to troll Justin Amash, but Justin Amash [trolls him back](https://twitter.com/justinamash/status/1139158567553044480). I don’t get it. ---
**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:** [June 13, 2019, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/33538 "2019-06-13T17:13:23Z")
He quoted Don Jr’s acceptance of the June 2016 Trump Tower collusion and data exchange meeting. > **[Read the Emails on Donald Trump Jr.’s Russia Meeting (Published 2017)](https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/07/11/us/politics/donald-trump-jr-email-text.html)** > > The text of email correspondence setting up a meeting between Donald Trump Jr. and a Kremlin-connected lawyer in chronological order. ---
**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:** [June 13, 2019, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/33539 "2019-06-13T17:16:08Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > I don’t get it. Amash repeats [the line](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/jul/11/donald-trump-jr-email-chain-russia-hillary-clinton) Don Jr wrote in an email when informed that the Russians were offering dirt on Hillary Clinton. > [@](#): > > The emails show music promoter Rob Goldstone telling the future US president’s son that “the crown prosecutor of Russia” had offered “to provide the Trump campaign with some official documents and information that would incriminate Hillary and her dealings with Russia and would be very useful to your father”. > > British-born Goldstone adds in the exchange of 3 June 2016: “This is obviously very high level and sensitive information but is part of Russia and its government’s support for Mr Trump.” > > Seventeen minutes later, Trump Jr welcomes this with the reply: “If it’s what you say, I love it, especially later in the summer.” ---
**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:** [June 13, 2019, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/33540 "2019-06-13T17:19:07Z")
Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2019, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/33541 "2019-06-13T17:39:26Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > I don’t get it. > [@Walken\_After\_Midnight](#): > > Amash repeats [the line](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/jul/11/donald-trump-jr-email-chain-russia-hillary-clinton) Don Jr wrote in an email when informed that the Russians were offering dirt on Hillary Clinton. I got Justin Amash’s _coup-fourré_. I didn’t understand what DJTJ’s initial attempt was trying to get at, though. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2019, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/33542 "2019-06-13T18:00:33Z")
It looks like DoJu was citing a poll showing Amash well behind his opponent. ---
**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:** [June 13, 2019, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/33543 "2019-06-13T18:09:15Z")
Fellow Republican Jim Lower is challenging Justin Amash for his Michigan’s 3rd congressional district seat. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2019, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/33544 "2019-06-13T18:12:07Z")
Ah. Well, I wish Mr. Amash well, but I still want the Democratic candidate to win the district next year. Complete obliteration of the Republican Party IS the goal, after all. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070.md?page=1676) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070.md?page=1678)