# 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:** 875
**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:** [March 5, 2018, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/17485 "2018-03-05T20:15:01Z")
A lot of things on Amazon for sale with the Presidential Seal. ---
**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:** [March 5, 2018, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/17486 "2018-03-05T20:17:09Z")
> [@Slash1972](#): > > A lot of things on Amazon for sale with the Presidential Seal. Thanks Trump. ---
**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:** [March 5, 2018, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/17487 "2018-03-05T20:53:59Z")
Trump claims the cost of a new US embassy in Jeruslalem is going to be $250,000. How is anybody supposed to believe that? Unless he really is going to get his good friend Sheldon Adelson to pay for it. > **[Trump claims he reduced cost of Jerusalem embassy from $1 billion to $250,000](https://www.rawstory.com/2018/03/trump-claims-reduced-cost-jerusalem-embassy-1-billion-250000/#.Wp2HRG92lP0.twitter)** > > President Donald Trump on Monday claimed that he had reduced the cost of the American embassy in Jerusalem from $1 billion to a mere $250,000.During an Oval Office meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday, Trump revealed that... ---
**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:** [March 5, 2018, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/17488 "2018-03-05T20:54:43Z")
> [@Typo\_Negative](#): > > Cannot sell anything with the Presidential Seal: IANAL, but apparently this law includes a provision allowing such use if it is “authorized under regulations promulgated by the President and published in the Federal Register.” I don’t know what the mechanism for that would be, since none of the 44 people who’ve occupied the Oval Office so far have wanted to test it. > **[18 U.S. Code § 713 - Use of likenesses of the great seal of the United...](https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/713?qt-us_code_temp_noupdates=0#qt-us_code_temp_noupdates)** ---
**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:** [March 5, 2018, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/17489 "2018-03-05T20:59:37Z")
> [@Slash1972](#): > > A lot of things on Amazon for sale with the Presidential Seal. I took a quick look, and it seems like most of the things for sale are coffee mugs and such. My guess is that the feds just don’t really care about people selling little crap like that when it’s fairly obvious that the POTUS isn’t really endorsing the product. (Although the Bush Administration did issue a cease and desist to the Onion in 2005 for using the seal in its articles). I think having the Presidential seal on a golf course owned by the President is more significant than the person selling Presidential seal bath mats on CafePress. ---
**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:** [March 5, 2018, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/17490 "2018-03-05T21:05:22Z")
> [@Rick\_Kitchen](#): > > Trump claims the cost of a new US embassy in Jeruslalem is going to be $250,000. > How is anybody supposed to believe that? > Unless he really is going to get his good friend Sheldon Adelson to pay for it. > [Trump claims he reduced cost of Jerusalem embassy from $1 billion to $250,000 - Raw Story](https://www.rawstory.com/2018/03/trump-claims-reduced-cost-jerusalem-embassy-1-billion-250000/#.Wp2HRG92lP0.twitter) An embassy is just like a big house, right? Your real estate dollar goes a lot farther in Jerusalem. My wife and I paid over $300K for our house, but it’s in a nice neighborhood with terrific schools. It’s also over 3000 square feet. The ambassador won’t need so much space as long as they’re not bringing their whole family. We just passed a tax cut. The State Department will just have to tighten its belt a little like everyone else. ---
**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:** [March 5, 2018, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/17491 "2018-03-05T21:09:40Z")
> [@Bayard](#): > > An embassy is just like a big house, right? I’d like to see Loser Donnie in the Big House. ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2018, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/17492 "2018-03-05T21:11:54Z")
Trump’s “president for life” remarks have been well-reported, but there was an additional line that I hadn’t heard until today. Like the best Trump comments, it combines the utterly horrifying with the hilariously stupid. > [@Donny](#): > > “He’s the most powerful (Chinese) president in a hundred years.” Sure…if you just skip over Generalissimo Chiang Kai-Shek, and Chairman Mao… ---
**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:** [March 5, 2018, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/17493 "2018-03-05T21:20:42Z")
He means the next 100 years… ---
**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:** [March 5, 2018, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/17494 "2018-03-05T21:22:15Z")
> [@jsc1953](#): > > Trump’s “president for life” remarks have been well-reported, but there was an additional line that I hadn’t heard until today. > > Like the best Trump comments, it combines the utterly horrifying with the hilariously stupid. > > Sure…if you just skip over Generalissimo Chiang Kai-Shek, and Chairman Mao… In all fairness, it’s best to have the utterly horrifying punctuated by the hilariously stupid. Otherwise, none of this would be in any way distinguishable from hell. ---
**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:** [March 5, 2018, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/17495 "2018-03-05T21:53:08Z")
> [@Bayard](#): > > An embassy is just like a big house, right? Your real estate dollar goes a lot farther in Jerusalem. My wife and I paid over $300K for our house, but it’s in a nice neighborhood with terrific schools. It’s also over 3000 square feet. The ambassador won’t need so much space as long as they’re not bringing their whole family. We just passed a tax cut. The State Department will just have to tighten its belt a little like everyone else. Like the Republicans did when they cut the security at Benghazi, right? ---
**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:** [March 5, 2018, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/17496 "2018-03-05T22:29:16Z")
> [@Rick\_Kitchen](#): > > Trump claims the cost of a new US embassy in Jeruslalem is going to be $250,000. > How is anybody supposed to believe that? > Unless he really is going to get his good friend Sheldon Adelson to pay for it. > [Trump claims he reduced cost of Jerusalem embassy from $1 billion to $250,000 - Raw Story](https://www.rawstory.com/2018/03/trump-claims-reduced-cost-jerusalem-embassy-1-billion-250000/#.Wp2HRG92lP0.twitter) It will be just a big tent ([The Tabernacle of Moses](http://www.israel-a-history-of.com/tabernacle-of-moses.html#%3Cb%3ETabernacle%3C/b%3E)) like the Israelites hung around in before Solomon built the first Temple. Real cheap. All the specs are in Exodus 25:1-40:38. The Evangelicals will love it. Very authentic. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2018, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/17497 "2018-03-05T23:07:33Z")
The current embassy in Tel Aviv is a six story building about a block square. There are a lot of employees - USAID, the FBI, U.S. customs, the military, and other federal agencies have offices there. And as you can imagine, a significant security detail is required. That said, Trump isn’t planning to build a new embassy. The plan is to take over the U.S. consulate building in Jerusalem. Whether it’s big enough or has the right infrastructure, I don’t know. But if Trump says the move will cost $250,000, that would just mean the cost to move everything between two existing facilities. My guess is that it will ultimately cost quite a bit more, but even if it costs $5 million that’s pretty much a rounding error when it comes to U.S spending in the middle east. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2018, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/17498 "2018-03-06T00:46:01Z")
[EPA appointee gets approval to consult for outside clients](https://apnews.com/22981b7ed6104cb0a1b55e043f4a9724/EPA-appointee-gets-approval-to-consult-for-outside-clients) > [@](#): > > A key aide to Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt has been granted permission to make extra money moonlighting for private clients whose identities are being kept secret. > > A letter approving outside employment contracts for John Konkus — signed by an EPA ethics lawyer in August — was released Monday by Democrats on the House Energy and Commerce Committee. > > The ethics official noted that Konkus’ outside contracts presented a “financial conflict of interest” and barred him from participating in matters at EPA that would have a “direct and predictable” financial benefit for his clients. > > Pruitt named Konkus, a Republican political consultant, to serve as the EPA’s deputy associate administrator for public affairs. His duties have included signing off on hundreds of millions in federal grants. > > The letter gave Konkus approval to work for at least two clients. Those names were blacked out by the agency before a copy was provided to Congress, citing a privacy exemption more typically used to protect personnel records and medical files. The letter said Konkus was also expected to take on additional private clients, advising them about “strategy, mail and media production.” > > Konkus didn’t respond to requests for comment Monday. His boss said he followed proper procedure. :eek:😕:mad: What the fucking fuck? How is this allowed? WHY is this allowed? ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2018, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/17499 "2018-03-06T00:53:12Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > [EPA appointee gets approval to consult for outside clients](https://apnews.com/22981b7ed6104cb0a1b55e043f4a9724/EPA-appointee-gets-approval-to-consult-for-outside-clients):eek:😕:mad: > > What the fucking fuck? How is this allowed? WHY is this allowed? Because Republicans believe the business of government is business, and the closer they can get to this ideal, the better. ---
**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:** [March 6, 2018, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/17500 "2018-03-06T00:57:55Z")
Sheldon Adelson is most likely willing to spend his personal tax cut not only building the Jerusalem embassy, but also funding the nuclear annihilation of Iran. ---
**Author:** ![AI\_Proofreader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8dc957/32.png) [@AI\_Proofreader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AI_Proofreader)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2018, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/17501 "2018-03-06T04:08:37Z")
> [@Bayard](#): > > An embassy is just like a big house, right? Your real estate dollar goes a lot farther in Jerusalem. My wife and I paid over $300K for our house, but it’s in a nice neighborhood with terrific schools. It’s also over 3000 square feet. The ambassador won’t need so much space as long as they’re not bringing their whole family. We just passed a tax cut. The State Department will just have to tighten its belt a little like everyone else. And I’m sure the land will be dirt cheap too… “free,” in fact, if they build on one of the “settlements” that’ll be springing up in East Jerusalem now that the White House has given the green light to the Israeli government to take the whole city. ---
**Author:** ![TonySinclair](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/49beb7/32.png) [@TonySinclair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TonySinclair)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2018, 8:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/17502 "2018-03-06T08:08:28Z")
> [@amarinth](#): > > > [@](#): > > > > Imagine, for just one moment, the apoplexy if Obama had said this: > > > > “He’s now president for life. President for life. And he’s great. And look, he was able to do that. I think it’s great. Maybe we’ll give that a shot some day.” > > The problem is not that he said it. Of course, he said it. The problem is that the GOP is cheering for it. > > For a bunch of people who claim to be all over original intent - that’s… telling. And it’s not just applause to make noise. A poll last summer showed that over half of Republicans would be fine with postponing the 2020 elections if Trump and his pals wanted to: > **[Analysis | In a new poll, half of Republicans say they would support...](https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/monkey-cage/wp/2017/08/10/in-a-new-poll-half-of-republicans-say-they-would-support-postponing-the-2020-election-if-trump-proposed-it/?utm_term=.9529d49a84ca)** > > A significant number of Republicans would support flagrant violations of democratic norms. To be fair, they would only postpone them until the millions of illegals who voted in 2016 were rounded up and dealt with. ---
**Author:** ![TonySinclair](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/49beb7/32.png) [@TonySinclair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TonySinclair)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2018, 8:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/17503 "2018-03-06T08:10:18Z")
nm ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2018, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/17504 "2018-03-06T13:39:41Z")
Has it been posited yet that he was “just joking”? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070.md?page=874) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070.md?page=876)