# 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:** 232
**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 16, 2017, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/4621 "2017-05-16T04:16:50Z")
> [@jasg](#): > > The noted “leftist” site, LawFareBlog has a [piece](https://www.lawfareblog.com/bombshell-initial-thoughts-washington-posts-game-changing-story) worth reading - it points out important points about the denials. That’s a very good article. Thanks for posting it. It does a good job of explaining up front that Trump probably didn’t break any laws (assuming the Post story is accurate) but still did something so colossally awful that he may well have violated the oath of office. I like the bit in the article about how the President could legally write the nuclear codes on a sticky note and tweet a picture of them. But doing so _probably_ rises to the level of impeachable offense. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2017, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/4622 "2017-05-16T04:22:20Z")
> [@amarinth](#): > > Well - yes. To the best of our knowledge, he did not email classified information to another person so that a foreign government could hack into it. He skipped the middleman and just told the foreign government… > That’s totally different. And way more efficient! Could this be something like what drug dealers do; Trump gives the Russian government the first piece of top secret info for free, and once they’re hooked he jacks up the price? ---
**Author:** ![Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/budget_player_cadet/32/205_2.png) [@Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Budget_Player_Cadet)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2017, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/4623 "2017-05-16T04:23:12Z")
> [@Okrahoma](#): > > If, as McMaster, Tillerson and others present at the meeting are saying, the story is fake, that’s outrageous. > > \*“At no time were any intelligence sources or methods discussed and no military operations were disclosed that were not already known publicly,” said Army Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster. > > McMaster later told reporters at the White House, “Other senior officials who were present, including the secretary of state, remember the meeting the same way and have said so. Their on-the-record accounts should outweigh those of anonymous sources. I was in the room, it didn’t happen.” > > “This story is false. The president only discussed the common threats that both countries faced,” added Dina Powell, Deputy National Security Advisor for Strategy, who also attended the meeting. > … > “During President Trump’s meeting with Foreign Minister Lavrov a broad range of subjects were discussed among which were common efforts and threats regarding counter-terrorism. During that exchange the nature of specific threats were discussed, but they did not discuss sources, methods or military operations,” [Tillerson] said.\* > [@Okrahoma](#): > > McMaster: **“The story that came out tonight as reported is false.”** (Bolding mine) > > That’s a direct quote. How much clearer can he get? If you’re the kind of dumb fuck who trusts the lackeys of the administration over the Washington Post and the New York Times, then you are everything wrong with American democracy, and I sincerely hope you don’t breed. ---
**Author:** ![coremelt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4491bb/32.png) [@coremelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/coremelt)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2017, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/4624 "2017-05-16T04:29:28Z")
> [@Okrahoma](#): > > I am not sure why I should believe the story coming from the Trump Derangement Syndrome anonymous sources when the National Security Advisor, the Deputy National Security Advisor and the Secretary of State, who were eyewitnesses to the event, say unequivocally, in those words, that “the story is false”. > > See my leftist conspiracy theory thread. The left has jumped the shark. Lets wait a few days. If Trump really did reveal SCI given to the US by an ally there will be consequences internationally, The international Intelligence community certainly will be in a position to confirm if this happened or not and they’re likely to want to since every single intelligence agency of the five eyes group has agreed that Russia has been meddling in elections. ---
**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:** [May 16, 2017, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/4625 "2017-05-16T04:35:12Z")
> [@Bayard](#): > > That’s a very good article. Thanks for posting it. It does a good job of explaining up front that Trump probably didn’t break any laws (assuming the Post story is accurate) but still did something so colossally awful that he may well have violated the oath of office. I like the bit in the article about how the President could legally write the nuclear codes on a sticky note and tweet a picture of them. But doing so _probably_ rises to the level of impeachable offense. Definitely a good article. It addresses the point raised here about “carefully worded statements.” ---
**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 16, 2017, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/4626 "2017-05-16T04:43:41Z")
> [@El\_Kabong](#): > > 1. Read the article referenced in Post #4615. Either you don’t really know what you are talking about, or you are simply propagandizing for Trump, for whatever reason you feel the need to do so. His posts are indistinguishable from those of a paid Russian social media manipulator. ---
**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 16, 2017, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/4627 "2017-05-16T04:57:47Z")
> [@Budget\_Player\_Cadet](#): > > If you’re the kind of dumb fuck who trusts the lackeys of the administration over the Washington Post and the New York Times, then you are everything wrong with American democracy, and I sincerely hope you don’t breed. Well, you know, NYT, WaPo, Reuters, and the like are the traitorous, far-left LSM[sup]\*[/sup]. I mean, what kind of commie sounding name is “Reuters”, anyway. Probably run by East Germans. \*that is _not_ “Lunar Service Module” ---
**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:** [May 16, 2017, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/4628 "2017-05-16T05:04:07Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > His posts are indistinguishable from those of a paid Russian social media manipulator. RT is backing the WaPo article. Maybe Putin has decided that he can’t risk having the world’s most powerful nation in the hands of a moron, even if it’s to Russia’s advantage in most respects. ---
**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:** [May 16, 2017, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/4629 "2017-05-16T05:10:58Z")
> [@Sage\_Rat](#): > > RT is backing the WaPo article… Are they? I just went to RT’s website and all that I could find was them reporting the WaPo’s claims and the White House’s denials. ---
**Author:** ![marshmallow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@marshmallow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/marshmallow)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2017, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/4630 "2017-05-16T05:12:06Z")
[A fun tweet](https://twitter.com/AGSchneiderman/status/864139812760035329) by NY AG Eric Schneiderman. > [@](#): > > If Congress can’t keep @realDonaldTrump in check, state AGs will. People have been having fever dreams this guy will bring RICO charges against Trump’s companies (he brought down Trump U and locked down the Trump Foundation, supposedly been running other investigations for months). Wouldn’t that be amazing? How would that even work, if the GOP refuses to impeach? Trump would just never visit New York again? Flee overseas when his term is over? ---
**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 16, 2017, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/4631 "2017-05-16T05:22:33Z")
> [@Sage\_Rat](#): > > RT is backing the WaPo article. > > Maybe Putin has decided that he can’t risk having the world’s most powerful nation in the hands of a moron, even if it’s to Russia’s advantage in most respects. I was referring to **Okrahoma** If this dude is not being paid by the Russians, he’s working for them for free. ---
**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 16, 2017, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/4632 "2017-05-16T05:26:11Z")
Okяhoma? ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c57346/32.png) [@Little\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Pig)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2017, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/4633 "2017-05-16T06:08:50Z")
We haven’t had [a gift like this](https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/trump-revealed-highly-classified-information-to-russian-foreign-minister-and-ambassador/2017/05/15/530c172a-3960-11e7-9e48-c4f199710b69_story.html?hpid=hp_hp-banner-main_trumpintel-0504pm%3Ahomepage%2Fstory&utm_term=.125f6f3a252c) in a long … long … time… ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2017, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/4634 "2017-05-16T06:18:18Z")
We have a president who is only _technically_ not guilty of treason, by dint of the fact he is the _only_ American who cannot be charged with treason for pulling that shit stunt of passing classified information to a US enemy. Every single one of the other 299,999,999 or so Americans would be thrown into Leavenworth faster than you could say boo. And to think there are Bozos who take offense at my labeling as traitors their friends and family who are Trump supporters and/or voters as traitors. ---
**Author:** ![steatopygia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steatopygia/32/3132_2.png) [@steatopygia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steatopygia)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2017, 6:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/4635 "2017-05-16T06:32:55Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > Okяhoma? You outed him. His handlers are right now placing him in his even deeper covert position. Trump’s nominee for the FBI. ---
**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:** [May 16, 2017, 6:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/4636 "2017-05-16T06:33:32Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > We have a president who is only _technically_ not guilty of treason, by dint of the fact he is the _only_ American who cannot be charged with treason for pulling that shit stunt of passing classified information to a US enemy. Every single one of the other 299,999,999 or so Americans would be thrown into Leavenworth faster than you could say boo. This is what kills me. Of all the blowhards to have this loophole, it’s still not illegal. It’s still the infant attitude. “Guess what I got! Intel! And you don’t! Let me tell you all about it!” ---
**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 16, 2017, 6:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/4637 "2017-05-16T06:39:21Z")
> [@Locrian](#): > > This is what kills me. Of all the blowhards to have this loophole, it’s still not illegal. It’s still the infant attitude. “Guess what I got! Intel! And you don’t! Let me tell you all about it!” “When you’re president, they let you get away with it.” ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2017, 6:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/4638 "2017-05-16T06:42:06Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > “When you’re president, they let you get away with it.” Until they don’t. Surely this time he has finally gone too far. (Sure hope I’m not upsetting someone’s Nazi mommy by saying that.) ---
**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:** [May 16, 2017, 6:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/4639 "2017-05-16T06:50:42Z")
I dunno. I think this whole thing will magically wash away with conflicting bullshit until everyone gets tired of the story. I hope he does do an interview, one that ends with a temper tantrum of him throwing shit around the room. Otherwise, we’ll have plenty of white GOP men standing up for him. We’ll even hear how this will ultimately lead to the defeat of all terrorism, or something as stupid. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2017, 6:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/4640 "2017-05-16T06:55:12Z")
All those old, white [Del]Nazis[/del] Republicans remember the Evil Empire. They only welcomed President Chump because they thought they could benefit from him. Fondling Putin’s balls may finally be the straw that broke the camel’s back. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070.md?page=231) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070.md?page=233)