# 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:** 930
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2018, 6:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/18585 "2018-03-29T06:48:47Z")
> [@Rick\_Kitchen](#): > > Tell that to Puerto Rico. šŸ˜• Since when is somebody at fault for not being allowed to do their jobs? ---
**Author:** ![Aspidistra](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspidistra/32/3894_2.png) [@Aspidistra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspidistra)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2018, 10:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/18586 "2018-03-29T10:22:58Z")
> [@penultima\_thule](#): > > [Trump ousts Veterans Affairs chief Shulkin](https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/trump-ousts-veterans-affairs-chief-david-shulkin-in-administrations-latest-shake-up/2018/03/28/3c1da57e-2794-11e8-b79d-f3d931db7f68_story.html?utm_term=.f1376b346fbd), nominates personal physician to replace him. > > Does Trump own any racehorses? Expect Trump to be the first ever leader to appoint his golf club as a Senator. Alsoā€¦ > [@jasg](#): > > He failed to weigh properly and started the Girther controversyā€¦ but then, a waist is a terrible thing to mind. You are a bad, bad person. Allow me to shake your hand. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2018, 11:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/18587 "2018-03-29T11:15:46Z")
> [@jasg](#): > > He failed to weigh properly and started the Girther controversyā€¦ but then, a waist is a terrible thing to mind. Only **elucidator** is permitted to post such things! šŸ˜‰ ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2018, 12:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/18588 "2018-03-29T12:24:26Z")
> [@Rick\_Kitchen](#): > > Tell that to Puerto Rico. Dude, there are so many factors impacting that situation that helped it to spiral put of control, like rampant corruption in Puerto Rican government WRT itā€™s state run sole electric company that allowed decades of decay, an environment of infrastructure neglect that goes back 120 years on the part of Washington and PR, the Puerto Rican government hiring a little known and small utility company to restore power that had no large scale experience in such a huge disaster, Washington not acting quickly to swoop in and save the day despite plenty of advance warning (and remember, Army COE, branch of Army, subject to directive from their commander in chief, the grand Cheeto). That and the COE cannot work miracles. The guys on the ground were and still are doing what they can. Itā€™s not their fault the relief efforts were so severely delayed. > **[Puerto Rico relief has been an utter failure](https://thinkprogress.org/puerto-rico-relief-failure-7b79030d2ab9/)** > > Government officials keep awarding Hurricane Maria recovery contracts to companies with little experience. > [@Nava](#): > > šŸ˜• > > Since when is somebody at fault for not being allowed to do their jobs? Exactly. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2018, 12:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/18589 "2018-03-29T12:27:24Z")
> [@Dag\_Otto](#): > > Because the COE is not the only method of procuring military construction, and when a project goes to them you can usually count on the costs going up. They are good at building large projects, but not cheaply. This isnā€™t necessarily true. The COE is a government entity, whereā€™s the profit motive to do that? Perhaps the Corps is just more realistic in evaluating actual costs than a civilian contractor that may try to bilk taxpayers out of money by trying to do the bare minimum of work promised versus maximizing cash with exorbitant material costs, labor and cost overruns. ---
**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:** [March 29, 2018, 12:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/18590 "2018-03-29T12:48:16Z")
> [@penultima\_thule](#): > > [Trump ousts Veterans Affairs chief Shulkin](https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/trump-ousts-veterans-affairs-chief-david-shulkin-in-administrations-latest-shake-up/2018/03/28/3c1da57e-2794-11e8-b79d-f3d931db7f68_story.html?utm_term=.f1376b346fbd), nominates personal physician to replace him. That is an unfair characterization, and there is plenty of clusterfuck floating around that one neednā€™t stoop to that level. > [@](#): > > Trump said he would nominate Ronny L. Jackson, 50, an active-duty rear admiral in the Navy **who has served for the past three administrations** as a White House physician. Not that he is a good choice (how does one get to the rank of admiral without any management experience?), and his ā€˜yep, has a pulseā€™ physical of Trump is worthy of scorn, but he isnā€™t Trumpā€™s personal physician. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2018, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/18591 "2018-03-29T13:10:35Z")
> [@Folacin](#): > > That is an unfair characterization, and there is plenty of clusterfuck floating around that one neednā€™t stoop to that level. > > Not that he is a good choice (how does one get to the rank of admiral without any management experience?), and his ā€˜yep, has a pulseā€™ physical of Trump is worthy of scorn, but he isnā€™t Trumpā€™s personal physician. True enough, one doesnā€™t get to be an admiral without some leadership skills. But, this still sounds like ā€œTake fifty pounds off my weight and gush about me like a schoolgirl and good things will happen to you, buh-lieve me!ā€ ---
**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:** [March 29, 2018, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/18592 "2018-03-29T13:18:14Z")
> [@Folacin](#): > > Not that he is a good choice (how does one get to the rank of admiral without any management experience?), and his ā€˜yep, has a pulseā€™ physical of Trump is worthy of scorn, but he isnā€™t Trumpā€™s personal physician. I guess weā€™re just lucky he didnā€™t choose that previous personal physician who looks like the mad-scientist guy from _Independence Day_. ---
**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:** [March 29, 2018, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/18593 "2018-03-29T13:58:30Z")
> [@FoieGrasIsEvil](#): > > This isnā€™t necessarily true. The COE is a government entity, whereā€™s the profit motive to do that? Perhaps the Corps is just more realistic in evaluating actual costs than a civilian contractor that may try to bilk taxpayers out of money by trying to do the bare minimum of work promised versus maximizing cash with exorbitant material costs, labor and cost overruns. Just coming in to note that in a thread about the Trump Administration, please make sure you spell ā€œCoreā€ correctly. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Stainless\_Steel\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_stainless_steel_rat/32/5727_2.png) [@The\_Stainless\_Steel\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Stainless_Steel_Rat)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2018, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/18594 "2018-03-29T15:19:49Z")
> [@FoieGrasIsEvil](#): > > This isnā€™t necessarily true. The COE is a government entity, whereā€™s the profit motive to do that? Perhaps the Corps is just more realistic in evaluating actual costs than a civilian contractor that may try to bilk taxpayers out of money by trying to do the bare minimum of work promised versus maximizing cash with exorbitant material costs, labor and cost overruns. > [@wguy123](#): > > Just coming in to note that in a thread about the Trump Administration, please make sure you spell ā€œCoreā€ correctly. Not so wise guy: COE is a perfectly common term (at least in Government) for the Corps of Engineers (albeit I usually saw it as CoE) and they are called the Corps (see: [United States Army Corps of Engineers - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Army_Corps_of_Engineers)). So to nitpick, I donā€™t see the need to note anything. We now return you to your original programmingā€¦ ---
**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:** [March 29, 2018, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/18595 "2018-03-29T15:33:56Z")
> [@The\_Stainless\_Steel\_Rat](#): > > Not so wise guy: COE is a perfectly common term (at least in Government) for the Corps of Engineers (albeit I usually saw it as CoE) and they are called the Corps (see: [United States Army Corps of Engineers - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Army_Corps_of_Engineers)). So to nitpick, I donā€™t see the need to note anything. > > We now return you to your original programmingā€¦ Woosh. Cheeto in Chief very recently tweeted about the Marine Core. So, in a thread about that dipshit, spell it the way he likes it: Core of Engineers. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2018, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/18596 "2018-03-29T16:11:04Z")
ā€œCorpseā€ leaps to mind. ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2018, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/18597 "2018-03-29T16:11:28Z")
> [@Nava](#): > > šŸ˜• > > Since when is somebody at fault for not being allowed to do their jobs? Exactly. ---
**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 29, 2018, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/18598 "2018-03-29T16:15:52Z")
Trump finally stands up to the oil industry! The Federal government will no longer pay for OIL paintings! > **[Trump Signs Bill That Bars Federal Govā€™t From Paying For Oil Paintings](https://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/bill-cassidy-law-against-oil-painting)** > > Thanks to the passion of Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA), President Donald Trump has signed a bill to nip wanton government spending in the budā€”by eliminating oil paintings. Trump signed the Eliminatingā€¦ Actually I donā€™t have any real issue with this one way or the other. Apparently it will save $500,000 a year. OK, whatever. I suspect most Presidential portraits will just be paid for with private donations now, as was the case with the Obamasā€™ portraits. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Stainless\_Steel\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_stainless_steel_rat/32/5727_2.png) [@The\_Stainless\_Steel\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Stainless_Steel_Rat)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2018, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/18599 "2018-03-29T16:26:56Z")
> [@wguy123](#): > > Woosh. > > Cheeto in Chief very recently tweeted about the Marine Core. > > So, in a thread about that dipshit, spell it the way he likes it: Core of Engineers. I sit whoosed. ---
**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:** [March 29, 2018, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/18600 "2018-03-29T16:29:15Z")
> [@The\_Stainless\_Steel\_Rat](#): > > I sit whoosed. Wait - is it woosh or whoose? On this particular question I am definitely the not so wise guy. šŸ˜ƒ ---
**Author:** ![eulalia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eulalia/32/457_2.png) [@eulalia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eulalia)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2018, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/18601 "2018-03-29T16:42:25Z")
> [@Bayard](#): > > Trump finally stands up to the oil industry! The Federal government will no longer pay for OIL paintings! > > [Trump Signs Bill That Bars Federal Govā€™t From Paying For Oil Paintings - TPM ā€“ Talking Points Memo](https://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/bill-cassidy-law-against-oil-painting) > > Actually I donā€™t have any real issue with this one way or the other. Apparently it will save $500,000 a year. OK, whatever. I suspect most Presidential portraits will just be paid for with private donations now, as was the case with the Obamasā€™ portraits. Trump can just have his foundation pay for his again. ---
**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:** [March 29, 2018, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/18602 "2018-03-29T16:45:11Z")
> [@wguy123](#): > > Wait - is it woosh or whoose? On this particular question I am definitely the not so wise guy. šŸ˜ƒ _Whoosh that girl Runninā€™ around with you_ ---
**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 29, 2018, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/18603 "2018-03-29T17:45:42Z")
> [@Nava](#): > > šŸ˜• > > Since when is somebody at fault for not being allowed to do their jobs? Who didnā€™t allow them to do their jobs? 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 29, 2018, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/18604 "2018-03-29T17:59:35Z")
Michael Cohen has hired a lawyer of his own, David Schwartz, who is on the talk show circuit and doing a really bad job, from Cohenā€™s point of view. 1-On Wednesday night, Schwartz argued on CNN that Trump was not even aware of the NDA with Stormy Daniels. Doesnā€™t that make the lawsuit moot, then? 2-This morning, on Megyn Kelly, he admitted that the NDA just before the election was an attempt to help Trumpā€™s election, and therefore could be seen as an illegal campaign contribution. 3-Kelly also discussed Stormy Danielsā€™s claim that somebody (not naming Cohen by name) had threatened her, and Kelly brought up images of several other cases of Cohen making threats against people right out in the open. She then talked about death threats she had gotten after the debate when Cohen had told people that somebody should gut her. Schwartz tried several arguments as to why that was a good thing: a-everyone should want an employee like this; b-Kelly and Cohen had since reconciled, which Kelly said was not true; c-Cohen was somehow trying to ā€œhelpā€ Kelly. Kellyā€™s live audience laughed at him. > **[Michael Cohenā€™s lawyer gets laughed at by studio audience during disastrous...](https://thinkprogress.org/studio-audience-erupts-in-laughter-at-michael-cohens-lawyer-during-disastrous-nbc-interview-0c785aabdc17/)** > > "They are laughing at you openly, David." [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070.md?page=929) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070.md?page=931)