# 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:** 1956
**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:** [November 28, 2019, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/39105 "2019-11-28T14:04:01Z")
> [@Rick\_Kitchen](#): > > Individual 1 vows to fight the War on Thanksgiving. > So, apparently, HuffPo ran an article about how to lower your carbon footprint during the Thanksgiving travel time, and Fox & Friends naturally claimed that that meant that people want to do away with Thanksgiving. And now Individual 1 claims that he will keep people celebrating Thanksgiving, just like he has bravely fought the War on Christmas. > [Fowl Play: Trump Bravely Vows To Fight Utterly Fabricated War On Thanksgiving - TPM – Talking Points Memo](https://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/fowl-play-trump-bravely-vows-to-fight-utterly-fabricated-war-on-thanksgiving)? [Allahpundit](https://twitter.com/allahpundit/status/1199704038524301314), blogger: > [@](#): > > My theory is that a couple of Fox execs have a $1 bet among themselves like the Dukes in “Trading Places” that they can make the “War on Thanksgiving” a thing among older Republicans just by repeating it on air enough ---
**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:** [November 28, 2019, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/39106 "2019-11-28T15:36:04Z")
Martin O’Malley lit into Ken Cuccinelli at a DC area pub last night, calling Cuccinelli “the son of immigrant parents who cages children for a fascist president.” Others in the bar also joined in the shaming, and Cuccinelli slunk away. > **[Ken Cuccinelli Forced To Leave Thanksgiving Eve Bash After Public Shaming](https://www.newsweek.com/ken-cuccinelli-forced-leave-dubliner-pub-after-martin-omalley-shames-him-immigration-policies-1474592)** > > Former Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley launched into a "shame-invoking tirade on behalf of immigrant refugee children," according to witness Siobhan Houton Arnold. Everyone in this cruel, corrupt administration should be hounded out of every public place for the rest of their days. If they aren’t going to wind up in prison, they should at least be ostracized by all good people. I hope they can’t even go to the fucking gas station without being shouted down. I want them to be reduced to de facto house arrest, relying on delivery services for their miserable sustenance. I’m not in a magnanimous mood this Thanksgiving. Fuck all of them. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2019, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/39107 "2019-11-28T15:38:28Z")
“Thanksgiving Day, a function which originated in New England two or three centuries ago when those people recognized that they really had something to be thankful for – annually, not oftener – if they had succeeded in exterminating their neighbors, the Indians, during the previous twelve months instead of getting exterminated by their neighbors, the Indians. Thanksgiving Day became a habit, for the reason that in the course of time, as the years drifted on, it was perceived that the exterminating had ceased to be mutual and was all on the white man’s side, consequently on the Lord’s side; hence it was proper to thank the Lord for it and extend the usual annual compliments.” - Mark Twain, _The Autobiography_, 1906 ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2019, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/39108 "2019-11-28T15:48:22Z")
> **[Here's Your Highlight Reel Of Fox News: War On Thanksgiving](https://crooksandliars.com/2019/11/heres-your-highlight-reel-fox-newss-war)** > > Fox News: making sure Crazy Uncle Liberty is STUFFED with propaganda for the holiday! A brief video compilation of _Fox Gnaws_ reporting the latest dispatches from the War on Thanksgiving. Starts with Laura Ingroan, includes the Five, several Bambi eyed bimbos, and Tucker Tucker Bumfucker… ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2019, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/39109 "2019-11-28T15:55:36Z")
> [@Defensive\_Indifference](#): > > Martin O’Malley lit into Ken Cuccinelli at a DC area pub last night, calling Cuccinelli “the son of immigrant parents who cages children for a fascist president.” Others in the bar also joined in the shaming, and Cuccinelli slunk away. > > [Ken Cuccinelli Forced To Leave Thanksgiving Eve Bash After Martin O'Malley Publicly Shames Him For Putting 'Immigrant Kids In Cages'](https://www.newsweek.com/ken-cuccinelli-forced-leave-dubliner-pub-after-martin-omalley-shames-him-immigration-policies-1474592) > > Everyone in this cruel, corrupt administration should be hounded out of every public place for the rest of their days. **If they aren’t going to wind up in prison, they should at least be ostracized by all good people**. I hope they can’t even go to the fucking gas station without being shouted down. I want them to be reduced to de facto house arrest, relying on delivery services for their miserable sustenance. > > I’m not in a magnanimous mood this Thanksgiving. Fuck all of them. Fuck them. I’d be talking shit at them too. ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2019, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/39110 "2019-11-28T15:56:54Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > [ **The War-Crimes President** > _When violence is directed at those Trump’s supporters hate and fear, they see such excesses not as crimes but as virtues._](https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2019/11/trump-war-crimes/602731/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+TheAtlantic+%28The+Atlantic+-+Master+Feed%29) > I’m guessing if he brought back public lynchings and heads on pikes, his supporters would love it. As long as it was HIS head, I’m on board. ---
**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:** [November 28, 2019, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/39111 "2019-11-28T19:25:17Z")
> [@Defensive\_Indifference](#): > > Martin O’Malley lit into Ken Cuccinelli at a DC area pub last night, calling Cuccinelli “the son of immigrant parents who cages children for a fascist president.” Others in the bar also joined in the shaming, and Cuccinelli slunk away. > > [Ken Cuccinelli Forced To Leave Thanksgiving Eve Bash After Martin O'Malley Publicly Shames Him For Putting 'Immigrant Kids In Cages'](https://www.newsweek.com/ken-cuccinelli-forced-leave-dubliner-pub-after-martin-omalley-shames-him-immigration-policies-1474592) > > Everyone in this cruel, corrupt administration should be hounded out of every public place for the rest of their days. If they aren’t going to wind up in prison, they should at least be ostracized by all good people. I hope they can’t even go to the fucking gas station without being shouted down. I want them to be reduced to de facto house arrest, relying on delivery services for their miserable sustenance. > > I’m not in a magnanimous mood this Thanksgiving. Fuck all of them. It was in a bar across the street from Gonzaga Prep High School in DC, which both attended. * * * Individual 1, saying that when he went to see the doctor, the doctor said, “show us that gorgeous chest”. > **[Trump calls impeachment hearings 'bull\*\*\*\*' and claims doctor told him to...](https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-florida-rally-speech-homecoming-impeachment-war-criminals-doctors-visit-a9219481.html)** > > US president also uses Florida rally to describe convicted or accused war criminals as ‘great warriors’ ---
**Author:** ![Chisquirrel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6bbea6/32.png) [@Chisquirrel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chisquirrel)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2019, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/39112 "2019-11-29T18:40:49Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > [ **The War-Crimes President** > _When violence is directed at those Trump’s supporters hate and fear, they see such excesses not as crimes but as virtues._](https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2019/11/trump-war-crimes/602731/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+TheAtlantic+%28The+Atlantic+-+Master+Feed%29) > I’m guessing if he brought back public lynchings and heads on pikes, his supporters would love it. That’s blatantly obvious to see if one just heads over to [this thread.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=885858) ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2019, 6:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/39113 "2019-11-30T06:28:10Z")
This is from a few days ago, so not sure if it’s already been discussed here: Trump pardoned the convicted war criminal Gallagher, then forced out Navy Secretary Richard V. Spencer. That’s the old news. Now this: Alexei Bayer, writing in _The Globalist_ on Nov. 27, suggests more and worse could be coming. [After Gallagher: The Pentagon Faces a Big Purge](https://www.theglobalist.com/us-military-pentagon-eddie-gallagher-alexander-vindman-donald-trump/) > [@](#): > > Trump clearly wants to set enlisted men against their commanders. He wants them loyal not to the Constitution, but to himself personally. Bayer reviews Trump’s words and actions, going a far back as his 2015/2016 campaign, to demoralize and create discord in the military, even while claiming what a supporter he is of the military. Dissing McCain, dissing the Blue Star family, betraying the Kurds, pardoning the war criminals, sacking Spencer. He predicts that more is coming. Perhaps Spencer was just the beginning. Is Trump preparing to do a wholesale purge of the Joint Chiefs and other top brass at the Pentagon? Who might he install in their places? Just speculative so far, it seems. But if we really start to see this happening, then I will be worried indeed. It may become time to bump that nearby IMHO thread [Will there even be a 2020 election?](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=885961) ---
**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:** [November 30, 2019, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/39114 "2019-11-30T16:43:20Z")
This isn’t really news considering that there has been a slow purge across multiple departments for some time. Trump has been building a cult of personality government, and this will continue as long as he is in power. It will accelerate the longer he is in power. To date, most of those who’ve been purged have been at the highest rungs of the ladder, but that will change. The cult of personality administration will break decades, even centuries, of civil service tradition. It will replace agency values of competence and public service with loyalty. Whistle blowers already face great risks in challenging their superiors, but in another few years, it will be understood that there is simply no place for whistle blowers: they will keep their mouths shut or be terminated – not only fired, but jailed. I’d say we’re anywhere from 1-4 years away from that reality. ---
**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:** [November 30, 2019, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/39115 "2019-11-30T19:46:22Z")
> [@Rick\_Kitchen](#): > > Individual 1, saying that when he went to see the doctor, the doctor said, “show us that gorgeous chest”. > [Trump calls impeachment hearings ‘bull\*\*\*\*’ and claims doctor told him to ‘show us that gorgeous chest’ in wild rally speech | The Independent | The Independent](https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-florida-rally-speech-homecoming-impeachment-war-criminals-doctors-visit-a9219481.html) Gorgeous chest? Don has implants? What I hear is that he only needs a penile implant. ---
**Author:** ![simster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/simster/32/1047_2.png) [@simster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/simster)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2019, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/39116 "2019-11-30T21:46:58Z")
> [@dropzone](#): > > Gorgeous chest? Don has implants? What I hear is that he only needs a penile implant. He got one of those from Putin - ---
**Author:** ![margin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/65b543/32.png) [@margin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/margin)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2019, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/39117 "2019-11-30T22:32:18Z")
> [@simster](#): > > He got one of those from Putin - That’s why they call him Vlad the Impaler. ---
**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:** [December 1, 2019, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/39118 "2019-12-01T01:30:48Z")
> [@simster](#): > > He got one of those from Putin - More like a short term loan. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2019, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/39119 "2019-12-01T05:15:34Z")
> [@Senegoid](#): > > Is Trump preparing to do a wholesale purge of the Joint Chiefs and other top brass at the Pentagon? Who might he install in their places? Why not Gallegher and the rest of his pardon ilk? Nothing says they have to be generals, or even officers. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2019, 8:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/39120 "2019-12-01T08:47:26Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > Why not Gallegher and the rest of his pardon ilk? Nothing says they have to be generals, or even officers. As **asahi** noted several posts above, Trump has been gradually installing his toadies in many government departments. He hasn’t significantly started doing that with the military, that I know of – yet. Installing his toadies in the top echelons of the military command is different. When he does start in on the military, he will be removing all remaining obstacles between himself and the Imperial Throne. I will be really really scared when he starts doing that. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2019, 8:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/39121 "2019-12-01T08:52:29Z")
Yeah, if that happens I’ll probably stop posting on the internet and thoroughly scrub my computers. Among other things. Well, maybe I’ll post innocuous things on the internet, like food recipes and bird pictures. But nothing meaningful anymore. ---
**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:** [December 1, 2019, 8:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/39122 "2019-12-01T08:55:03Z")
Maybe on the Lupercal we’ll see somebody thrice offer him a kingly crown. And if things run true to form, nature will take a cue from Shakespeare. ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2019, 10:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/39123 "2019-12-01T10:42:28Z")
> [@Senegoid](#): > > Installing his toadies in the top echelons of the military command is different. When he does start in on the military, he will be removing all remaining obstacles between himself and the Imperial Throne. Nonsense. Norton I didn’t even have an army. Or a throne, for that matter. ---
**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:** [December 1, 2019, 11:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/39124 "2019-12-01T11:01:30Z")
> [@Senegoid](#): > > As **asahi** noted several posts above, Trump has been gradually installing his toadies in many government departments. He hasn’t significantly started doing that with the military, that I know of – yet. > > Installing his toadies in the top echelons of the military command is different. When he does start in on the military, he will be removing all remaining obstacles between himself and the Imperial Throne. I will be really really scared when he starts doing that. He’s already done this to some degree, though. He pushed out Mattis and McMaster. He’s probably encouraged many others to leave quietly and without controversy. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070.md?page=1955) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070.md?page=1957)