# 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:** 943
**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 6, 2018, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/18845 "2018-04-06T18:22:31Z")
John Kelly is being slowly pushed to the side. Trump is tired of having Kelly tell him “no”. > **[Inside a White House in tumult, John Kelly's clout dwindles](https://apnews.com/5471523603c24b278a0b71fd0196de5d)** > > WASHINGTON (AP) — When President Donald Trump made a congratulatory phone call to Russian leader Vladimir Putin, White House chief of staff John Kelly wasn't on the line... ---
**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:** [April 6, 2018, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/18846 "2018-04-06T18:25:15Z")
> [@Crotalus](#): > > I will try to solicit some responses to your question. Thank you. As someone who likes factual data (no matter which ‘side’ it supports), I cannot understand the disconnection when someone is told the facts and given explanations for them, and then they are surprised when things unfold as they were told. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2018, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/18847 "2018-04-06T18:33:20Z")
> [@Crotalus](#): > > My general sense is that they vaguely approved of his “tough on trade” talk as somehow beneficial to them. The coming reality is somehow a surprise to them. I will try to solicit some responses to your question. > > The farmers I know love to talk about how they have never worked for anyone, and how independent they are. Yet they are more dependent on the reviled “government tit” than any people I have ever met. Cognitive dissonance is strong in these folks. [Here’s an interesting data point](https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2018/04/05/they-voted-for-president-trump-now-soybean-farmers-could-get-slammed-by-the-trade-war-he-started/): > [@](#): > > Polling commissioned by the trade site Agri-Pulse suggests that most farmers [voted for Trump]: In a March survey of 750 farmers, largely concentrated in the Plain states and the Midwest, 67 percent said they voted for Trump and 45 percent said they would do so again. So they still support him, though it is slipping. ---
**Author:** ![Randolph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Randolph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Randolph)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2018, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/18848 "2018-04-06T18:33:24Z")
_“I never thought leopards would eat MY face,” sobs woman who voted for the Leopards Eating People’s Faces Party._ ---
**Author:** ![jasg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f0a364/32.png) [@jasg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasg)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2018, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/18849 "2018-04-06T18:38:32Z")
> [@jasg](#): > > I wonder if he thinks he can add the $50B and $100B together? The US only [exported](https://ustr.gov/countries-regions/china-mongolia-taiwan/peoples-republic-china) $116B to China in 2016, so he would have to charge tariffs on imaginary exports. > > When the Chinese match or top his $100B number, Trump has nothing left to counter with… Well, I got that backwards :smack:. Reminder - never post while fuzzy headed from digesting a large breakfast… ---
**Author:** ![k9bfriender](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k9bfriender/32/3283_2.png) [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2018, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/18850 "2018-04-06T18:45:15Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > [Here’s an interesting data point](https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2018/04/05/they-voted-for-president-trump-now-soybean-farmers-could-get-slammed-by-the-trade-war-he-started/):So they still support him, though it is slipping. That’s a pretty big slip. Losing 20 points of support in a bit over a year. I am encouraged by the self awareness that some ex-trump supporters seem to be displaying. Just hope it keeps up. ---
**Author:** ![GreysonCarlisle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a87d85/32.png) [@GreysonCarlisle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreysonCarlisle)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2018, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/18851 "2018-04-06T18:54:41Z")
Not counting kids aging into the voting system, is Trump gaining any new voters? ---
**Author:** ![River\_Hippie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/river_hippie/32/26_2.png) [@River\_Hippie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/River_Hippie)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2018, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/18852 "2018-04-06T20:11:32Z")
> [@Max\_Torque](#): > > On the contrary, there was a report that [Cohen had been grumbling about how he’d never been paid back](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-lawyer-complained-he-wasnt-reimbursed-for-130k-payment-to-porn-star-report/). Trump most likely promised to pay him back and never did, which is his usual pattern. Google says his (Cohen’s) net worth is about 10 million. I don’t know if a ten-millionaire would care much about 130K. Maybe so. ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2018, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/18853 "2018-04-06T20:20:42Z")
> [@Voyager](#): > > Notice how the Chinese tariffs are directed to red states, such as farm states. Trump voters are going to take a lot of the heat, as well they should. Good. ---
**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:** [April 6, 2018, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/18854 "2018-04-06T20:22:06Z")
> [@River\_Hippie](#): > > Google says his (Cohen’s) net worth is about 10 million. I don’t know if a ten-millionaire would care much about 130K. Maybe so. He took out a mortgage for the money (IIRC) - its clearly not ‘pocket change’. ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2018, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/18855 "2018-04-06T20:22:39Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > Loser Donnie called China’s retaliation ‘unfair’. > > This is the way Loser Donnie and The Deplorables think. They can do anything they want to others, but they whine like precious little snowflakes when others reply in kind. Like the whiney spoiled prissy little bitches they are. ---
**Author:** ![Paranoid\_Randroid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/paranoid_randroid/32/18_2.png) [@Paranoid\_Randroid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paranoid_Randroid)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2018, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/18856 "2018-04-06T20:25:17Z")
The median net worth for a man Cohen’s age is about $150000 in the US. In relative terms, the Stormy Daniels payout would be about 2000 bucks. I can see somebody grumbling about that. ---
**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 6, 2018, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/18857 "2018-04-06T20:37:19Z")
> [@River\_Hippie](#): > > Google says his (Cohen’s) net worth is about 10 million. I don’t know if a ten-millionaire would care much about 130K. Maybe so. How do you think he got his millions? ---
**Author:** ![voltaire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voltaire/32/313_2.png) [@voltaire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voltaire)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2018, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/18858 "2018-04-06T20:41:30Z")
> [@simster](#): > > He took out a mortgage for the money (IIRC) - its clearly not ‘pocket change’. Close to true, but it was a home equity line of credit. (HELOC) ---
**Author:** ![computergeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e56c9b/32.png) [@computergeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/computergeek)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2018, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/18859 "2018-04-06T20:49:40Z")
Regarding the stories of Trump wanting to hit back at Bezos and Amazon for the Washington Post’s critical writing, not only is it Stupid Watergate with the Russia investigation, but with this kind of story getting out, it’s starting to look like Trump and his administration are Stupid Nixon ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Wiggler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/red_wiggler/32/13190_2.png) [@Red\_Wiggler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Wiggler)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2018, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/18860 "2018-04-06T20:50:05Z")
> [@GreysonCarlisle](#): > > Not counting kids aging into the voting system, is Trump gaining any new voters? About 35% of people turning 21 in recent – and upcoming – years profess to support Donnie. That group of voters has a less than stellar record of turnout, however, on both sides of the ballot. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2018, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/18861 "2018-04-06T21:02:12Z")
> [@GreysonCarlisle](#): > > Not counting kids aging into the voting system, is Trump gaining any new voters? If he’s on the ballot in 2020, some of the “never Trumpers” will vote for him. They’ll argue that he obviously isn’t that bad since not everyone is dead yet. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2018, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/18862 "2018-04-06T21:37:46Z")
> [@Rick\_Kitchen](#): > > How do you think he got his millions? Working from home for Google, like my uncle’s brother’s aunt’s niece’s Chihuahua? ---
**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 6, 2018, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/18863 "2018-04-06T22:21:59Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > Loser Donnie called China’s retaliation ‘unfair’. > > This is the way Loser Donnie and The Deplorables think. They can do anything they want to others, but they whine like precious little snowflakes when others reply in kind. Just like any other schoolyard bullies. ---
**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:** [April 7, 2018, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/18864 "2018-04-07T01:28:30Z")
[Forbes](https://www.forbes.com/sites/michellefabio/2018/04/06/department-of-homeland-security-compiling-database-of-journalists-and-media-influencers/): _In today’s installment of “I’m Not Terrified, You Are,” Bloomberg Law reports on a posting by DHS with the relatively benign-sounding subject, “Media Monitoring Services.” … the United States government … is about to compile a list of professional journalists and “top media influencers,” which would seem to include bloggers and podcasters, and monitor what they’re putting out to the public. … The database will be browseable by “location, beat and type of influencer,” and for each influencer, the chosen contractor should “present contact details and any other information that could be relevant … One aspect of the media coverage to be gathered is its “sentiment.” … DHS says the “…National Protection and Programs Directorate… has a critical need to incorporate these functions into their programs in order to better reach Federal, state, local, tribal and private partners.” … the document also states the NPPD’s mission is “to protect and enhance the resilience of the nation’s physical and cyberinfrastructure.”_ sleep well tonight [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070.md?page=942) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070.md?page=944)