# 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:** 1686
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2019, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/33705 "2019-06-19T16:40:28Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > That’s been true since January 20, 2017. When Mattis and …bald guy were in charge, I think it was reasonable to think that we were alright. It sounds like Shanahan is probably not the issue, but his wife and son are psychos (though, since the wife is just physically smaller, she takes the brunt of the damage for that). So, bad choice in spouses, which isn’t encouraging, but potentially a reasonable person outside of that. (Granted, he was a Trump pick so that’s admittedly doubtful.) But I’d say that we were probably in the clear while Mattis was still there, at least. ---
**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 19, 2019, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/33706 "2019-06-19T16:43:05Z")
Richard Blumenthal on Patrick Shanahan’s [failure to disclose](https://ctmirror.org/2019/06/18/blumenthal-blast-shanahan-for-failing-to-disclose-family-violence/) incidences of domestic violence: “The nominee was under an obligation to reveal himself and this is potentially a violation of criminal law.” ---
**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:** [June 19, 2019, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/33707 "2019-06-19T18:21:21Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > [Trump stands by comments about wrongly convicted ‘Central Park Five’](https://www.reuters.com/article/us-television-central-park-five-trump/trump-stands-by-comments-about-wrongly-convicted-central-park-five-idUSKCN1TJ2Y9) > > Not only did someone else confess to the crime, but there is incontrovertible DNA evidence that _proves_ the Central Park Five did not commit a crime. But Little Donnie Fail-Fail not only won’t apologise, he won’t even admit he was mistaken; and he still seems to think,\*\* in spite of scientific proof,\*\* hat the Five are guilty. [Adam Savage] “Well, there’s your problem.”[/AS] ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2019, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/33708 "2019-06-19T18:59:11Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > [Adam Savage] “Well, there’s your problem.”[/AS] [Adam Savage]“I reject your reality and substitute my own.”[/AS] ---
**Author:** ![TonySinclair](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/49beb7/32.png) [@TonySinclair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TonySinclair)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2019, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/33709 "2019-06-19T19:49:18Z")
> [@Sage\_Rat](#): > > It sounds like Shanahan is probably not the issue, but his wife and son are psychos (though, since the wife is just physically smaller, she takes the brunt of the damage for that). So, bad choice in spouses, which isn’t encouraging, but potentially a reasonable person outside of that. No, he is a shit. A reasonable person would either have fully disclosed his family’s problems from the first, or refused any appointment to a sensitive position. By attempting to conceal it while contending for SecDef, he was a textbook example of blackmail material. And of course, it goes without saying that a competent administration would have never let it go this far. ---
**Author:** ![BigAppleBucky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigapplebucky/32/178_2.png) [@BigAppleBucky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigAppleBucky)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2019, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/33710 "2019-06-19T20:10:32Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > I can hardly believe I’m saying this, but it could be worse. He could be ordering Barr to round them up and have them executed _now_. Hopefully no one will say that on Fox while he’s watching. ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2019, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/33711 "2019-06-19T20:32:57Z")
You guys think Mitch McConnell has to get blackmailed into being a giant cunt? What planet do you live on? He’d be stabbing his mother in the back before the blackmailer finished a sentence, he lives for this shit. ---
**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:** [June 19, 2019, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/33712 "2019-06-19T20:35:06Z")
Well, I’m changing my vote: [Trump vows to cure cancer and eradicate AIDS as he kicks off reelection campaign](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-cure-cancer-aids-joe-biden-orlando-campaign-rally/) He’s gonna cure cancer! and AIDS! ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2019, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/33713 "2019-06-19T20:35:51Z")
[And the rollback of Obama Administration plans continues.](https://www.cnn.com/2019/06/19/politics/epa-rolls-back-obama-coal-emissions/index.html) > [@](#): > > The Environmental Protection Agency on Wednesday said states can set their own carbon emissions standards for coal-fired power plants – a rule that the agency itself says could result in 1,400 more premature deaths by 2030 than the Obama-era plan it will replace. ---
**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:** [June 19, 2019, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/33714 "2019-06-19T20:39:26Z")
> [@Slash1972](#): > > Well, I’m changing my vote: > > [Trump vows to cure cancer and eradicate AIDS as he kicks off reelection campaign](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-cure-cancer-aids-joe-biden-orlando-campaign-rally/) > > He’s gonna cure cancer! and AIDS! He has a secret plan to cure cancer \ But if you idiots don’t elect him then he’s not gonna tell anyone the secret! So there! You people are being ruled by a four year old. ---
**Author:** ![naita](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naita/32/5862_2.png) [@naita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/naita)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2019, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/33715 "2019-06-19T20:42:20Z")
> [@Slash1972](#): > > Well, I’m changing my vote: > > [Trump vows to cure cancer and eradicate AIDS as he kicks off reelection campaign](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-cure-cancer-aids-joe-biden-orlando-campaign-rally/) > > He’s gonna cure cancer! and AIDS! Well Biden promised to cure cancer, so he had to do something. For a brief moment I thought it would be interesting to see how many Trumpists made fun of him for that, but then I realized that they’ll all ignore that neither promise is worth the air it was spoken with and create their own personalized justification for why it was fine for Trump to say it. ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Wiggler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/red_wiggler/32/13190_2.png) [@Red\_Wiggler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Wiggler)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2019, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/33716 "2019-06-19T20:50:28Z")
> [@naita](#): > > Well Biden promised to cure cancer, so he had to do something. > > For a brief moment I thought it would be interesting to see how many Trumpists made fun of him for that, but then I realized that they’ll all ignore that neither promise is worth the air it was spoken with and create their own personalized justification for why it was fine for Trump to say it. I believe that during the warmups last night Don Jr. was ridiculing Biden’s hope to “cure cancer.” And then pop came along a while later and promised to do exactly that. The crowd cheered with no apparent recognition of the hypocrisy. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2019, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/33717 "2019-06-19T21:15:30Z")
> [@TonySinclair](#): > > No, he is a shit. > > A reasonable person would either have fully disclosed his family’s problems from the first, or refused any appointment to a sensitive position. By attempting to conceal it while contending for SecDef, he was a textbook example of blackmail material. > > And of course, it goes without saying that a competent administration would have never let it go this far. Fair point. I concede the argument. ---
**Author:** ![Dag\_Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@Dag\_Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dag_Otto)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2019, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/33718 "2019-06-19T21:42:54Z")
If he cures disease like he fixes infrastructure, we’re gonna need more caskets. ---
**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:** [June 19, 2019, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/33719 "2019-06-19T21:59:29Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > I can hardly believe I’m saying this, but it could be worse. He could be ordering Barr to round them up and have them executed _now_. Doesn’t have to order executions. He’s already created situations in which he just lets them die. ---
**Author:** ![Locrian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/locrian/32/14146_2.png) [@Locrian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Locrian)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2019, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/33720 "2019-06-19T22:39:32Z")
[Suddenly Hope Hicks is back to testifying behind closed doors.](https://www.cnn.com/2019/06/19/politics/trump-hope-hicks-relationship/index.html) She stopped returning Trump’s calls. Hmm… ---
**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 19, 2019, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/33721 "2019-06-19T22:45:56Z")
“And when she gets behind closed doors And she lets her hair hang down And she makes me glad, a Congressman! I know Hope knows what goes on behind closed doors!” ---
**Author:** ![Locrian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/locrian/32/14146_2.png) [@Locrian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Locrian)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2019, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/33722 "2019-06-19T23:29:53Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > “And when she gets behind closed doors > And she lets her hair hang down > And she makes me glad, a Congressman! > I know Hope knows what goes on behind closed doors!” I’m sure the former model does know! 😃 ---
**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 20, 2019, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/33723 "2019-06-20T00:18:46Z")
> [@Walken\_After\_Midnight](#): > > Hope Hick’s testimonial hearing [doesn’t appear to have gone well](https://www.politico.com/story/2019/06/19/hope-hicks-testimony-trump-oversight-1368164). > > Rep. Pramila Jayapal: “It’s a farce.” > > Rep. Ted Lieu: “We’re watching obstruction of justice in action.” > [@Locrian](#): > > [Suddenly Hope Hicks is back to testifying behind closed doors.](https://www.cnn.com/2019/06/19/politics/trump-hope-hicks-relationship/index.html) She stopped returning Trump’s calls. Hmm… Did she change her mind after refusing to answer questions? Or is the link in the second quote an older story? ---
**Author:** ![Locrian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/locrian/32/14146_2.png) [@Locrian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Locrian)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2019, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/33724 "2019-06-20T01:18:01Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > Did she change her mind after refusing to answer questions? Or is the link in the second quote an older story? Story is from today, June 19, 2019. 2:48 pm. Not sure what got her to give answers (if any) this time. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070.md?page=1685) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070.md?page=1687)