# 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:** 696
**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, 2017, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/13905 "2017-11-30T16:03:42Z")
> [@QuickSilver](#): > > [Tillerson’s days are numbered as SoS.](https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/30/us/politics/state-department-tillerson-pompeo-trump.html) Perhaps the first major Trump appointee or hire to be fired for a straightforward reason - in this case poor performance - rather than for personal reasons or turning out to be a complete quack. I think Tillerson for all of his faults at least wanted to be a good Secretary of State; he just had no effing clue how to be. A terrible hire, and the fact that Bush holdovers like Condy Rice gave him a ringing endorsement ought to remind us of how utterly incompetent the Bush team was. ---
**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:** [November 30, 2017, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/13906 "2017-11-30T16:07:34Z")
> [@QuickSilver](#): > > [Tillerson’s days are numbered as SoS.](https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/30/us/politics/state-department-tillerson-pompeo-trump.html) On one hand Pompeo is a hardcore ideologue, and on the other Tillerson is destroying the State department. Hmm. If Pompeo replaces him and Cotton is appointed to the CIA, that would be awful. Massive Iran hawk feeding Trump information to justify war. Pompeo was already political, Cotton would subordinate intelligence to the goals of the GOP. ---
**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, 2017, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/13907 "2017-11-30T16:07:46Z")
> [@asahi](#): > > Perhaps the first major Trump appointee or hire to be fired for a straightforward reason - in this case poor performance - rather than for personal reasons or turning out to be a complete quack. > > I think Tillerson for all of his faults at least wanted to be a good Secretary of State; he just had no effing clue how to be. A terrible hire, and the fact that Bush holdovers like Condy Rice gave him a ringing endorsement ought to remind us of how utterly incompetent the Bush team was. It can’t be an easy job when you have no idea what your boss will tweet next. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2017, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/13908 "2017-11-30T16:08:51Z")
“I only hire the best people.” He said it, so it must be true, right? ---
**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, 2017, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/13909 "2017-11-30T16:16:07Z")
> [@Snarky\_Kong](#): > > On one hand Pompeo is a hardcore ideologue, and on the other Tillerson is destroying the State department. Hmm. > > If Pompeo replaces him and Cotton is appointed to the CIA, that would be awful. Massive Iran hawk feeding Trump information to justify war. Pompeo was already political, Cotton would subordinate intelligence to the goals of the GOP. Yeah, even more intriguing than who heads the Dept of State is who heads the CIA - probably someone who has a little more open hostility to the intelligence community’s assessment of last year’s election. Maybe a Darrel Issa? David Nunes? I mean it could / would cause an open revolt and walk-out by a majority of all but the most ruthlesssly right-wing fanatically partisan career officers, but isn’t that the point of this administration? To just destroy the government as we know it? Imagine a CIA full of John Boltons but who believe in conspiracy theories. It occurred to me: CIA vs FBI vs NSA. Have them all fight with each other. Maybe that’s another way out for Trump. ---
**Author:** ![Merneith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/57b2e6/32.png) [@Merneith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merneith)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2017, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/13910 "2017-11-30T16:17:46Z")
Hunh. According to that, they want to replace Tillerson with Tom Cotton. > [@NYT article](#): > > Under Arkansas state law, Gov. Asa Hutchinson, a Republican, would appoint a replacement who could serve until the 2018 election. That could put another seat in play during a midterm election when Republicans, with 52 of 100 seats in the Senate, cannot afford to take too many chances. If Mr. Cotton stayed in the Senate, his seat would not be up for election again until 2020. Putting another seat in play for 2018 … seems like poor planning, even if Cotton is a solid Trumpster. I’m sure Donald is counting on Cotton to discredit the Russian investigation, but I’m also sure that they could find someone who wouldn’t further destabilize the already wobbly Republican hold on the Senate. Jared should have the opium problem wrapped up by then, right? ---
**Author:** ![Fiveyearlurker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@Fiveyearlurker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiveyearlurker)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2017, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/13911 "2017-11-30T16:21:14Z")
If this tax bill passes, am I allowed to throw my hands up and just say, “Thanks for the tax cut that I didn’t need, idiot Trump voters”? ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2017, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/13912 "2017-11-30T16:21:45Z")
> [@asahi](#): > > Perhaps the first major Trump appointee or hire to be fired for a straightforward reason - in this case poor performance - rather than for personal reasons or turning out to be a complete quack… Tillerson called Trump a moron. It’s always personal with the orange-faced shit gibbon. I don’t think Trump has any grasp of job performance as he doesn’t even recognize his own abject failure as president. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2017, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/13913 "2017-11-30T16:31:27Z")
> [@BlankSlate](#): > > Tillerson called Trump a moron. It’s always personal with the orange-faced shit gibbon. I don’t think Trump has any grasp of job performance as he doesn’t even recognize his own abject failure as president. I suppose [McMaster](https://www.metro.us/news/the-big-stories/mcmaster-called-trump-idiot-intelligence-kindergartner-report) has updated and floated his resume as well. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2017, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/13914 "2017-11-30T16:37:06Z")
> [@Fiveyearlurker](#): > > If this tax bill passes, am I allowed to throw my hands up and just say, “Thanks for the tax cut that I didn’t need, idiot Trump voters”? I may buy a big boat with next year’s tax savings. I’ll have to think of a good name to honor Trump. SS Deplorable? ---
**Author:** ![Fiveyearlurker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@Fiveyearlurker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiveyearlurker)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2017, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/13915 "2017-11-30T16:37:25Z")
> [@QuickSilver](#): > > [Tillerson’s days are numbered as SoS.](https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/30/us/politics/state-department-tillerson-pompeo-trump.html) What happened to the Tillerson, Mnuchin, Mattis [suicide pact](http://theweek.com/speedreads/728978/report-tillerson-mnuchin-mattis-have-suicide-pact-where-resigns-all)? ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2017, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/13916 "2017-11-30T16:43:16Z")
> [@Fiveyearlurker](#): > > What happened to the Tillerson, Mnuchin, Mattis [suicide pact](http://theweek.com/speedreads/728978/report-tillerson-mnuchin-mattis-have-suicide-pact-where-resigns-all)? That’s so 2 months ago! ---
**Author:** ![wguy123](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wguy123/32/3161_2.png) [@wguy123](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wguy123)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2017, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/13917 "2017-11-30T16:54:20Z")
> [@BlankSlate](#): > > Tillerson called Trump a moron. It’s always personal with the orange-faced shit gibbon. I don’t think Trump has any grasp of job performance as he doesn’t even recognize his own abject failure as president. Exactly. This had nothing to do with his performance. This had everything to do with Tillerson calling the Dipshit in Chief a “fucking moron.” How long till McMaster is gone for calling the Fucking Moron an “idiot,” a “dope,” and a man with the intelligence of a “kindergartener?” ---
**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, 2017, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/13918 "2017-11-30T17:00:23Z")
> [@Merneith](#): > > Hunh. According to that, they want to replace Tillerson with Tom Cotton. > > Putting another seat in play for 2018 … seems like poor planning, even if Cotton is a solid Trumpster. I’m sure Donald is counting on Cotton to discredit the Russian investigation, but I’m also sure that they could find someone who wouldn’t further destabilize the already wobbly Republican hold on the Senate. > > Jared should have the opium problem wrapped up by then, right? I may be wrong here, but I don’t think Cotton’s seat is up until 2020; if that’s true that I’m assuming that someone would be appointed to serve now and then elected to finish out the term in a special election. Asa Hutchinson would hire a Republican and then the question becomes if that Republican is Bannon-ish enough to get support. The move makes sense but only if it makes sense to Tom Cotton, who might not want to give up a Senate seat to work in the CIA. Seems like a demotion. ---
**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:** [November 30, 2017, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/13919 "2017-11-30T17:45:19Z")
[Kellyanne Conway Has Zero Experience In Drug Policy But Is Running the White House Opioid Response](http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2017/11/kellyanne-conway-has-zero-experience-in-drug-policy-but-is-running-the-white-house-opioid-response/) > [@](#): > > Kellyanne Conway is spearheading the Trump Administration’s efforts to combat the opioid epidemic, Attorney General Jeff Sessions said at a press conference Wednesday. > > Conway will “coordinate and lead the effort from the White House,” according to Sessions. “I think her appointment represents a very significant commitment from the president and his White House team.” > > Conway has “zero background” on drug policy, says Keith Humphreys, a Stanford psychiatry professor and former Obama drug policy advisor, adding that it’s unclear what this position entails. The White House has reportedly clarified that Sessions was simply acknowledging a role Conway was already playing in the administration’s response to the epidemic, according to Politico reporters. If she has zero experience, why does she look like a junkie? ---
**Author:** ![wguy123](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wguy123/32/3161_2.png) [@wguy123](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wguy123)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2017, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/13920 "2017-11-30T17:52:13Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > [Kellyanne Conway Has Zero Experience In Drug Policy But Is Running the White House Opioid Response](http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2017/11/kellyanne-conway-has-zero-experience-in-drug-policy-but-is-running-the-white-house-opioid-response/) > > If she has zero experience, why does she look like a junkie? I thought Kushy was in charge of solving the opioid crisis? I guess bringing peace to the Middle East is taking up more of his time than expected. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2017, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/13921 "2017-11-30T17:54:08Z")
Sometimes I just want to dig a deep hole in the ground and live there. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2017, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/13922 "2017-11-30T17:59:14Z")
[I hope Tillerson walks into the Oval Office and says, “With all due respect, Mr. President: Fuck you in your fat orange fundament.”](https://www.politico.com/story/2017/11/30/rex-tillerson-reports-forced-out-270637?lo=ap_a1) ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2017, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/13923 "2017-11-30T17:59:22Z")
To be fair, Kellyanne Conway is a good choice if they’re planning to go with the [“Jacob Marley Warning”](http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/JacobMarleyWarning) approach. ---
**Author:** ![Merneith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/57b2e6/32.png) [@Merneith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merneith)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2017, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/13924 "2017-11-30T18:11:28Z")
> [@asahi](#): > > I may be wrong here, but I don’t think Cotton’s seat is up until 2020; if that’s true that I’m assuming that someone would be appointed to serve now and then elected to finish out the term in a special election. Asa Hutchinson would hire a Republican and then the question becomes if that Republican is Bannon-ish enough to get support. The move makes sense but only if it makes sense to Tom Cotton, who might not want to give up a Senate seat to work in the CIA. Seems like a demotion. The NYT article from [post #13900](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=20634005#post20634005) that I quoted specifically said that Asa Hutchinson’s replacement pick would only be allowed to serve until the next election, ie - 2018. Otherwise, Cotton’s seat is safe until 2020. If the NYT is wrong about this, ok. Do you have a cite that contradicts them? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070.md?page=695) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070.md?page=697)