# 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:** 2134
**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:** [April 21, 2020, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/42667 "2020-04-21T14:49:32Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > Pursuant to Governor Hogan’s gambit, and my question above, had the America-hating fuckstick’s cronies gotten wind of the shipment from Korea, how likely is it that they would have boarded the flight when it touched down, and seized the kits? > > And how likely is it that similar gambits by state officials in the future will be vulnerable to such seizures as described? Well consider the rhetoric that’s coming out of the White House now: “_We need to start making PPE and other equipment here!_” I mean, Peter Navarro’s refrain makes that clear, as does Trump in his meandering pressers. Now he could be talking about the distant future, I suppose, but I don’t think that’s the case. Trump and the administration want power, and they have repeatedly made it clear that they want to have power that they can decide for themselves to abuse. Look at how he treats Amazon. Look at the extremes to which he’s willing to spite and punish someone he perceives an enemy. He’s willing to shut down the entire fucking post office. If that doesn’t tell you his state of mind, I don’t know what other evidence I can offer. These men live not in a world governed by democracy or the rule of law, but one where the rule of men prevails. This ought to be scaring the living shit out of you because it’s about to become your world, too. ---
**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:** [April 21, 2020, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/42668 "2020-04-21T14:53:06Z")
> [@jsc1953](#): > > Trump or Pence try to gloss over some important aspect of the crisis (or, flat-out lie). Reporters attempt to pin them down. Trump gets pissed off. Repeat. > > I heard yet another conversation on NPR this morning, as to whether or not hospitals have enough testing equipment. Trump says yes; hospital says no. This would be easily settled if Trump would use his daily dog&pony show to present some actual numbers - an inventory of all equipment and where it is. But he can’t do that, so instead it’s “everybody has everything they need, now go away or I shall taunt you a second time.” The press conferences are for one purpose: he wants to take up all the oxygen in the room. He will continue this as long as Governors like Andrew Cuomo continue doing theirs, and I suspect that Cuomo knows this and will continue doing press conferences as long as he thinks he can get under the president’s skin. ---
**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:** [April 21, 2020, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/42669 "2020-04-21T14:54:59Z")
> [@jsc1953](#): > > [Paula Reid of CBS asked Trump what he did in February](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SHF_7Idvkyc). He went ballistic. Of course he called her “disgraceful” and a “fake”. Any time a woman reporter challenges him or asks him something, he calls her that, or nasty or some such thing. ---
**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:** [April 21, 2020, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/42670 "2020-04-21T15:06:19Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > Pursuant to Governor Hogan’s gambit, and my question above, had the America-hating fuckstick’s cronies gotten wind of the shipment from Korea, how likely is it that they would have boarded the flight when it touched down, and seized the kits? > > And how likely is it that similar gambits by state officials in the future will be vulnerable to such seizures as described? If they’re smart, they’d have a decoy shipment for Agent Orange to seize. Diapers would be good. ---
**Author:** ![dasmoocher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dbc845/32.png) [@dasmoocher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dasmoocher)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2020, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/42671 "2020-04-21T15:16:17Z")
Another thing to consider with this clusterfuck admin is that we’re getting closer to the Atlantic hurricane season, which is considered to start on June 1st. What’s going to happen if a major storm hits the US during the pandemic? This would be an unprecedented challenge for a competent admin. Is Trump going to toss out rolls of paper towels to soak up the flooding? ---
**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:** [April 21, 2020, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/42672 "2020-04-21T15:19:17Z")
Seized diapers. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![dasmoocher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dbc845/32.png) [@dasmoocher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dasmoocher)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2020, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/42673 "2020-04-21T15:25:28Z")
> [@Skywatcher](#): > > If they’re smart, they’d have a decoy shipment for Agent Orange to seize. Diapers would be good. They probably labeled the tests on the freight manifest as kimchi, which I’m sure Trump has not and has no interest in ever eating. ---
**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:** [April 21, 2020, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/42674 "2020-04-21T15:31:01Z")
> [@jsc1953](#): > > …I heard yet another conversation on NPR this morning, as to whether or not hospitals have enough testing equipment. Trump says yes; hospital says no. This would be easily settled if Trump would use his daily dog&pony show to **present some actual numbers** … My bold. BWA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA!! 😃 \*\ \* On a serious note: this worldwide, life-threatening pandemic would be **hard enough** if the president were ON OUR SIDE! But he is against us. He is actively working against us. Who do I mean by “us”? Anyone not in his family or on his immediate staff as of _\_ 10:25 am CDT (the day is young and heads may still roll by EOB). High level Republicans (meaning donors and sycophants) are temporarily under his protective wing, too, unless one of them turns on him and then under the bus they go. ---
**Author:** ![Great\_Antibob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Great\_Antibob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Great_Antibob)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2020, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/42675 "2020-04-21T16:12:05Z")
> [@dasmoocher](#): > > What’s going to happen if a major storm hits the US during the pandemic? This would be an unprecedented challenge for a competent admin. Is Trump going to toss out rolls of paper towels to soak up the flooding? Actually, as a resident of Texas, I’m less worried about this than usual. The best thing for most people is to stay home during the event and prepare emergency hurricane supplies ahead of time to last several days up to a couple weeks. The panic shopping around COVID-19, at least in the Houston area, was identical to hurricane shopping. We have our one mode of emergency prep. There’s some concern if people need to evacuate, but we’re better prepared for that than usual. It would necessitate relaxing social distancing measures, but a life threatening storm is good reason to do that, and people can still practice some measures in any event. I’m still worried about the federal response - for Harvey, it was mostly local and state officials who did the heavy lifting and FEMA was … poorly prepared. And the response to Maria should be considered a crime against humanity. We still have those local and state resources in place, but having a coordinated, competent federal response helps immensely, and that has not be in evidence these last 3+ years in any natural disaster. ---
**Author:** ![Try2B\_Comprehensive](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/try2b_comprehensive/32/65_2.png) [@Try2B\_Comprehensive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Try2B_Comprehensive)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2020, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/42676 "2020-04-21T17:50:40Z")
> [@El\_Kabong](#): > > And [this just in](https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/trump-says-he-suspending-immigration-over-coronavirus-need-protect-jobs-n1188416): Trump announces (via Tweet, of course) that he intends to sign an executive order “temporarily” banning all immigration to the US. 'Cause, you know, we need to protect ourselves from all those countries who have fewer infected than we do. This latest policy move has inspired [another satirical GOP campaign poster](https://i.imgur.com/VK1i7HH.jpg). I do worry that the irony might be lost on many in the Trump base, and that in their minds this represents an actual good reason to vote GOP. We are in a sad state IMHO. ---
**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:** [April 21, 2020, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/42677 "2020-04-21T19:57:00Z")
> **[White House, GOP face heat after hotel and restaurant chains helped run small...](https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2020/04/20/white-house-gop-face-heat-after-hotel-restaurant-chains-helped-run-small-business-program-dry/?utm_campaign=wp_main&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter)** > > With program out of money, backlash prompts executives at Shake Shack to return $10 million loan. The Great American Fraud part II: The “Small Business” loan program > [@](#): > > The federal government gave national hotel and restaurant chains millions of dollars in grants before the $349 billion program ran out of money Thursday, leading to a backlash that prompted one company to give the money back and a Republican senator to say that “millions of dollars are being wasted.” > > **Thousands of traditional small businesses were unable to get funding from the program before it ran dry.** As Congress and the White House near a deal to add an additional $310 billion to the program, some are calling for additional oversight and rule changes to prevent bigger chains from accepting any more money. > > **Ruth’s Chris Steak House, a chain that has 150 locations and is valued at $250 million, reported receiving $20 million in funding from the small business portion of the economic stimulus legislation called the Paycheck Protection Program. The Potbelly chain of sandwich shops, which has more than 400 locations and a value of $89 million, reported receiving $10 million last week**. Yes, I understand that these companies employ real people with real needs – fair enough to point that out. But FFS, don’t call it a “small business” loan program and then give it to big businesses at the expense of small ones. This is an example of how corruption - or just plain shitty oversight - is actually being used by big businesses to choke small businesses out of existence, which was probably something small businesses were worried about all along. As bad as not having enough money to go around would be, it’s actually worse that big businesses benefit from the infusion because they are using their power to consume scarce resources: it’s actually anti-competitive. I look forward to seeing who Trump’s donors will be this campaign cycle. ---
**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:** [April 21, 2020, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/42678 "2020-04-21T20:17:38Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > High level Republicans (meaning donors and sycophants) are temporarily under his protective wing, too, unless one of them turns on him and then under the bus they go. Trump spend today denouncing Larry Hogan, who is a Republican. Which is a foolish thing for Trump to do. A lot of his remaining support is based on party loyalty. He needs the Republican party more than the party needs him. ---
**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:** [April 21, 2020, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/42679 "2020-04-21T20:43:26Z")
Thing is, Trump thinks it’s the other way around. ---
**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:** [April 21, 2020, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/42680 "2020-04-21T21:01:37Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > Thing is, Trump thinks it’s the other way around. So far, he’s been right. And when your majority depends on whipping up a gerrymandered minority, you do need to pander to them (and hence Trump). ---
**Author:** ![SuntanLotion](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suntanlotion/32/16165_2.png) [@SuntanLotion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuntanLotion)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2020, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/42681 "2020-04-21T21:21:04Z")
> [@jsc1953](#): > > [Paula Reid of CBS asked Trump what he did in February](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SHF_7Idvkyc). He went ballistic. See, that’s why I didn’t vote for him before. He had never been a politician. That teaches you how to do this, how to work with others. It looks like he thinks it’s his show, and the contestants are off script. ---
**Author:** ![Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kolak_of_twilo/32/73_2.png) [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolak_of_Twilo)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2020, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/42682 "2020-04-21T22:18:17Z")
> [@asahi](#): > > [https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2020/04/20/white-house-gop-face-heat-after-hotel-restaurant-chains-helped-run-small-business-program-dry/?utm\_campaign=wp\_main&utm\_medium=social&utm\_source=twitter](https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2020/04/20/white-house-gop-face-heat-after-hotel-restaurant-chains-helped-run-small-business-program-dry/?utm_campaign=wp_main&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter) > > The Great American Fraud part II: The “Small Business” loan program > > Yes, I understand that these companies employ real people with real needs – fair enough to point that out. But FFS, don’t call it a “small business” loan program and then give it to big businesses at the expense of small ones. This is an example of how corruption - or just plain shitty oversight - is actually being used by big businesses to choke small businesses out of existence, which was probably something small businesses were worried about all along. As bad as not having enough money to go around would be, it’s actually worse that big businesses benefit from the infusion because they are using their power to consume scarce resources: it’s actually anti-competitive. > > I look forward to seeing who Trump’s donors will be this campaign cycle. I turned on today’s briefing just as Mnuchin was answering a reporter’s question, apparently about this issue. I swear he said the publicly traded companies like Ruth’s Chris that got these loans will have to return the money so it can go to true small businesses. Is that what he actually said or did I misunderstand? I can’t find any sources to back this up and since I caught the end of his answer maybe I misunderstood. I’m having a hard time believing that could be correct. A Republican Administration, particularly this one, saying big corporations did something wrong and won’t get favorable treatment? Is that even possible? ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2020, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/42683 "2020-04-21T22:59:58Z")
Given what has taken place so far during Trump’s commanding what is now a floundering plague ship, which Book of Revelations boxes remain to be checked off prior to the next rapturous presidential election? ---
**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:** [April 21, 2020, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/42684 "2020-04-21T23:29:28Z")
> [@SuntanLotion](#): > > See, that’s why I didn’t vote for him before. He had never been a politician. That teaches you how to do this, how to work with others. It looks like he thinks it’s his show, and the contestants are off script. Interesting. I myself didn’t vote for him before because he’s a _fucking psychopath._ ---
**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:** [April 21, 2020, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/42685 "2020-04-21T23:51:11Z")
> [@Folacin](#): > > So far, he’s been right. And when your majority depends on whipping up a gerrymandered minority, you do need to pander to them (and hence Trump). I stand by what I wrote. Trump needs to realize the Republican Party made him - and they can break him if they choose. ---
**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:** [April 21, 2020, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/42686 "2020-04-21T23:58:28Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > Trump spend today denouncing Larry Hogan, who is a Republican. > > Which is a foolish thing for Trump to do. A lot of his remaining support is based on party loyalty. He needs the Republican party more than the party needs him. Where have you been for the last few decades? How many times has the jackass _not_ dones something foolish? > [@Ukulele\_Ike](#): > > Interesting. I myself didn’t vote for him before because he’s a _fucking psychopath._ I also didn’t vote for him because he’s a fucking psychopath, a racist, a bigot, a misogynist, a pathological liar, and an incompetent. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070.md?page=2133) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070.md?page=2135)