# 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:** 938
**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 4, 2018, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/18745 "2018-04-04T05:03:56Z")
> [@Rick\_Kitchen](#): > > On February 28 Trump tweeted, “45 year low on illegal border crossings this year. Ice and Border Patrol Agents are doing a great job for our Country. MS-13 thugs being hit hard.” > [x.com](https://twitter.com/realdonaldtrump/status/968850364383596545?lang=en) > > Today, he announced that he’s sending the military to the border to fight illegal immigration. > [https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/03/us/politics/trump-border-immigration-caravan.html](https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/03/us/politics/trump-border-immigration-caravan.html) > > What happened in just six weeks? I’ve long known that Trump hasn’t a clue about federal (or any, for that matter) law, but surely some general or admiral must have at least a passing acquaintance with the Posse Comitatus Act. Oh, I also like how he calls ICE “Ice”. Good Lord. When will this embarrassment of a presidency end? ---
**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 4, 2018, 12:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/18746 "2018-04-04T12:08:58Z")
Dow futures may open 500 points down. #MAGA!:mad: > **[Stocks make a monster comeback, Dow rallies more than 700 points from lows of...](https://www.cnbc.com/2018/04/04/us-stock-futures-dow-data-trade-tech-and-politics-in-focus.html)** > > After a wild session on Wednesday, stocks closed sharply higher as Wall Street erased massive losses stemming from China's announcement of new tariffs on U.S. goods. I suspect today’s the day when some angry members of the GOP pick up the phone and drop some choice language on the other end of the phone line. Trump will then probably pick up the phone and ask his henchmen to call China and work out a deal. In reality, Trump will capitulate, but China, not wanting to go to the mat either, will allow Trump to save some face and let him call a minor breakthrough a “victory” for the Trump administration. But the real damage is being done every day, as more countries and investors realize that this is not the same old “safe haven” for global investment it has always been. Even if Trump backs out now he’s already done damage to our economy. ---
**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:** [April 4, 2018, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/18747 "2018-04-04T13:43:06Z")
> [@Monty](#): > > I’ve long known that Trump hasn’t a clue about federal (or any, for that matter) law, but surely some general or admiral must have at least a passing acquaintance with the Posse Comitatus Act. > > Oh, I also like how he calls ICE “Ice”. > > Good Lord. When will this embarrassment of a presidency end? I’m fairly certain even Obama sent National Guard troops to help with border patrol ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2018, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/18748 "2018-04-04T14:27:35Z")
So have most Presidents. It’s always been posturing, though. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2018, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/18749 "2018-04-04T15:44:43Z")
> [@jasg](#): > > I stayed in. S&P up 22% - Nasdaq up 33% since Nov 8, 2016. Same here. That said, about two months ago I rebalanced my portfolio so instead of being 80:20 stocks:bonds, I’m now 60:40. I’m 42, so I was a little more in stocks than I perhaps should have been given my age, but I hit a hot streak, so time to pull back a little, anyway, just in case, but still stay in the game. Timing the market goes against every instinct in me, but this is one time that I just want to cash in at least some of my chips. Anybody who got out of the market right when he was elected missed out on a lot of gains. It wasn’t year 1 I was worried about, anyway. I figured Trump’s economy wouldn’t really be felt until at least year 2 of his administration. ---
**Author:** ![jasg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f0a364/32.png) [@jasg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasg)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2018, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/18750 "2018-04-04T16:22:54Z")
It is very, very wise to avoid ‘Timing the Market’. In 2008-2009 when a bunch of us lost our jobs, a couple of friends went all cash - at the bottom - mistake #1. Then they waited too long to get back in and missed the uptick - mistake #2. I stayed in at 90:10 for five years then at 65 went 70:30. I doubled my retirement savings - while being retired. At 60:40 now and holding firm again. As Douglas Adams said “Don’t Panic”. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2018, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/18751 "2018-04-04T16:34:54Z")
> [@Monty](#): > > Oh, I also like how he calls ICE “Ice”. So do I. Should I order my MAGA hat now, or will it be provided? I also call the space agency “nassa”, not En A Ess A. I also call the FBI “fibbie”. ---
**Author:** ![Fiveyearlurker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@Fiveyearlurker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiveyearlurker)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2018, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/18752 "2018-04-04T16:45:36Z")
> [@jasg](#): > > It is very, very wise to avoid ‘Timing the Market’. In 2008-2009 when a bunch of us lost our jobs, a couple of friends went all cash - at the bottom - mistake #1. Then they waited too long to get back in and missed the uptick - mistake #2. > > I stayed in at 90:10 for five years then at 65 went 70:30. I doubled my retirement savings - while being retired. At 60:40 now and holding firm again. > > As Douglas Adams said “Don’t Panic”. Not disagreeing, but one has to consider that the president is a black swan generating machine. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2018, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/18753 "2018-04-04T16:51:17Z")
> [@jasg](#): > > I stayed in at 90:10 for five years then at 65 went 70:30. I doubled my retirement savings - while being retired. At 60:40 now and holding firm again. That’s a pretty ballsy allocation at that age. I did the same thing, with the same allocations, but I had plenty of time to make it up (i was 33 in 2018) in case shit continued to hit the fan. I’m positively conservative at 60:40 now compared to you! 🙂 Of course, my parents panicked and sold at lows. I tried to warn them, or at least tried to tell them not to dump everything into bonds, but they didn’t listen. They could have caught up and then some if they stayed put (retirement is this year.) That’s part of my reason for allocating to something much more conservative now. It’s a high market, there’s no panic yet that I see, but I’m comfortable cashing in some of my chips now. Of course, I wanted to reallocate about 3 or 4 years ago, thinking the market was overvalued then, and I’m glad I didn’t. I just feel I’ve been pushing my luck too far. Anyhow, sorry for the sidetrack. This isn’t an investment thread. Back to Trump bashing. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2018, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/18754 "2018-04-04T17:03:58Z")
> [@SteveG1](#): > > I’m glad I got out of the market, when this asshole got elected. I had “a feeling”. I invested heavily in stock photos of traders holding their heads in their hands. Already started picking out a Gulfstream. ---
**Author:** ![Anny\_Middon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bc79bd/32.png) [@Anny\_Middon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anny_Middon)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2018, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/18755 "2018-04-04T17:22:19Z")
> [@smithsb](#): > > He blows off the intelligence report (go figure) but get a daily brief/binder with all the “good news” and tweets (atta boy Trumpie). Faux News certainly isn’t highlighting the drops. > > He recently crowed about a major gain a couple of Mondays ago; totally disregarding the drop the previous Friday that dwarfed the gain (somewhere up thread). He simply isn’t given bad news. > > Our “stable genius” blithely sails into the future oblivious of the past. [A nicely apropos comic.](http://www.gocomics.com/nonsequitur/2018/04/01) ---
**Author:** ![Anny\_Middon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bc79bd/32.png) [@Anny\_Middon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anny_Middon)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2018, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/18756 "2018-04-04T17:27:09Z")
> [@bobot](#): > > Here’s why. > [https://www.bloomberg.com/view/articles/2017-08-18/the-real-reason-jeff-bezos-grinds-trump-s-gears](https://www.bloomberg.com/view/articles/2017-08-18/the-real-reason-jeff-bezos-grinds-trump-s-gears) Good article. I knew nothing about Bezos’ wife, so I googled her. I found it interesting that MacKenzie Bezos formed an anti-bullying organization back in 2014, and Bystander Revolution seems to be actually doing shit to help with the issue. But maybe I’m just not aware – what exactly has Melania done in her “official First Lady quest” to stop cyberbullying? ---
**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:** [April 4, 2018, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/18757 "2018-04-04T17:32:46Z")
Trump’s new pick for wildlife policy is opposed to endangered species protections and sides with business over environmental concerns. > **[Trump’s pick to oversee wildlife policy has history of opposing Endangered...](https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/381618-trump-appointee-to-oversee-wildlife-policy-has-history-of/)** > > A new political appointee picked by President Trump to oversee wildlife and parks at the Interior Department has a history of opposing endangered species protections.Susan Combs, who was recently a… ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2018, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/18758 "2018-04-04T17:37:18Z")
> [@Anny\_Middon](#): > > But maybe I’m just not aware – what exactly has Melania done in her “official First Lady quest” to stop cyberbullying? She certainly hasn’t talked with her husband about it. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2018, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/18759 "2018-04-04T17:59:56Z")
> [@Anny\_Middon](#): > > But maybe I’m just not aware – what exactly has Melania done in her “official First Lady quest” to stop cyberbullying? Hiding her husband’s phone, but he keeps finding it. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2018, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/18760 "2018-04-04T18:25:01Z")
> [@VinylTurnip](#): > > Hiding her husband’s phone, but he keeps finding it. Wouldn’t she have to be in the same house to do that? Sorry. Well, not really. ---
**Author:** ![Fiveyearlurker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@Fiveyearlurker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiveyearlurker)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2018, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/18761 "2018-04-04T20:59:07Z")
Don’t know if anyone posted this, but it’s pretty funny that [Kelly Anne Conway’s husband](https://www.cnn.com/2018/03/28/politics/kellyanne-conway-husband-trolling-white-house/index.html) has been an outspoken Twitter critic of Trump’s. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2018, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/18762 "2018-04-04T21:34:49Z")
The story your link goes to suggests that “outspoken” may be a bit of an overstatement. He’s not exactly going out of his way to signal that he’s a critic of the America-hating fuckstick. ---
**Author:** ![AnalogSignal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/analogsignal/32/1085_2.png) [@AnalogSignal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AnalogSignal)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2018, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/18763 "2018-04-05T00:47:54Z")
Trump to send National Guard to U.S.-Mexico border; troops could arrive as soon as **tonight**. If they lock arms, they could be a “human border wall” although standing there 24/7 could get uncomfortable. ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2018, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/18764 "2018-04-05T00:53:11Z")
> [@Sherrerd](#): > > … The weird thing is how hard Shulkin is working to keep from saying any words that resemble “I was fired.” I’ve seen three news anchors try to get him to say it so far, and all he’ll say is “I would never have resigned”. > > Was a threat made that if he said the words ‘I was fired,’ a family member would be killed? Or what? It’s bizarre. > [@Nava](#): > > All he needs is some knowledge of how easily things can be taken out of context. Say “if I said I was fired, which I wasn’t, the legal consequences would be very different”, and five minutes later your video chopped down to “I was fired” is being sent to every whatsapp account in the world, with or without copypasted pictures of pink bunnies and black men. You’re absolutely right about the likelihood of clips being used out of context. However, in this case it’s Shulkin who IS claiming he was fired (so he wouldn’t object if someone excerpted a bit from his remarks that said ‘I was fired.’) > [@](#): > > Former Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin is pushing back on White House claims that he resigned his position when he was dismissed last week, claiming in multiple interviews over the weekend that he was fired: > > Former Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin pushed back on a White House statement saying he resigned from his post, telling CNN on Monday he was fired via a tweet from President Trump. > > “General Kelly gave me a heads up that the President would most likely be tweeting out a message in the very near future, and I appreciated having that heads-up from General Kelly,” Shulkin told CNN’s Alisyn Camerota on “New Day.” > > “So the tweet fired you?” Camerota asked Shulkin, to which he replied “Yes.” Shulkin made the rounds on Washington’s Sunday talk show circuit last weekend, maintaining that he did not tender his own resignation. … > **[David Shulkin Insists He Was Fired, That Could Be Legally Significant](https://www.outsidethebeltway.com/david-shulkin-insists-he-was-fired-that-could-be-legally-significant/)** > > The Trump Administration says David Shulkin resigned as Veterans Affairs Secretary. Shulkin says he was fired. Which one of them is right could be legally significant, but probably won't ever be heard in Court. BUT, as I mentioned, he carefully avoided saying “I was fired” during all those talk show appearances. And why would he do that? It’s not to prevent people from making clips showing him saying ‘I was fired,’ since that is actually his position! Note, from the same source: > [@](#): > > The White House could clear all this up by making Shulkin’s resignation letter public, which it has not done. This suggests that there is no such resignation letter and that, like Rex Tillerson, Shulkin was fired via Tweet. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070.md?page=937) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070.md?page=939)