# The Trump Administration: The Clusterfuck Continues (Part 1) **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Tags:** trump\ **Created:** [November 11, 2024, 6:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-1/1010068 "2024-11-11T06:19:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 120
**Author:** ![Coriolanus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/coriolanus/32/18769_2.png) [@Coriolanus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coriolanus)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2025, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-1/1010068/2381 "2025-02-26T00:37:27Z")
> [@Monty](#): > > Hey! What about the Canadians when they become the 51st sate by presidential fiat? Will they be considered natural born citizens or will they have to pay for that status? I reckon it’s been determined that Trump doesn’t know “state” means representation and if America’s Hat becomes one state 40 million votes are equal to California and province-\>state is far worse, thus they’d be occupied colonists whatever he promises. Tomorrow he’ll announce how much of Ukraine will be ravaged for rare earth minerals to pay the USA back. I know Russian (so perhaps neither does Ukrainian) doesn’t really have quite the same phrase for “Fuck you” as we understand it, yet why not say it in English (from Zelenskiy / Ukraine POV if not clear) ---
**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:** [February 26, 2025, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-1/1010068/2382 "2025-02-26T00:44:21Z")
> [@dougrb](#): > > Now we’re getting a game show. Citizens voluntarily put up their citizenship to the oligarchs money and they fight to the death. You should be more clear with your no doubt online social media based video reality game show proposal. Let me help you out. _Citizens voluntarily offer their citizenship to oligarchs who sponsor the citizens. The citizens then fight each other to the death in a series of contests. After each round, the sponsor fee for those citizens who died is put into the pot for the final winner. The surviving citizen then transfers citizenship to the sponsor._ After each round, the pool of money for the surviving citizens is increased. Keep doing this until there is only one survivor left. The survivor gets to keep their citizenship and the sponsor gains citizenship. Remember: those who gained citizeship solely by birthright when neither parent was a US citizen or resident alien are not eligibile to compete. _ **Tagline: “We who are about to die or become stateless adore thee!”** _ It has vibes of the blood sports of imperial Rome and _Squid Game_. Hey! Here’s an improvement on the concept. Instead of making it voluntary, take those who receive citizenship solely by birthright (when niether parent was a citizen or resident alien) and have them fight to the death. The surviving contestant keeps citizenship and the sponsor gains citizenship. I’m willing to be real money if someone were to whisper this into Felon47’s ear, he’d blabber how great an idea it is and how well it’s worked in other countries before. ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2025, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-1/1010068/2383 "2025-02-26T00:47:34Z")
> [@](#): > > **Section 2: Natural-Born Status Program** > > 1. Any individual may obtain **full natural-born citizenship status** —including presidential eligibility—upon the payment of **$30,000,000** to the U.S. Treasury. > 2. Individuals granted this status shall be recognized as natural-born citizens retroactively from birth for all legal purposes. Don’t worry JD, this has no implications for your future. ---
**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:** [February 26, 2025, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-1/1010068/2384 "2025-02-26T00:48:45Z")
> [@crowmanyclouds](#): > > > [@](#): > > > > **Section 2: Natural-Born Status Program** > > > > 1. Any individual may obtain **full natural-born citizenship status** —including presidential eligibility—upon the payment of **$30,000,000** to the U.S. Treasury. > > 2. Individuals granted this status shall be recognized as natural-born citizens retroactively from birth for all legal purposes. > > Don’t worry JD, this has no implications for your future. Right. It couldn’t possibly have anything to do with benefitting Musk. ---
**Author:** ![aurora\_maire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aurora_maire/32/328_2.png) [@aurora\_maire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aurora_maire)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2025, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-1/1010068/2385 "2025-02-26T01:03:31Z")
> [@from Monty's link](#): > > “Today, I’m announcing that YOU can become an OFFICIAL TRUMP DOGE MEMBER!” Will Trump be the first dictator to profit from his “brand”? I see that there is a lot of Kim Jung Un merchandise for sale online but I imagine that in North Korea, Dear Leader gives away all the swag to keep the populace happy. There appears to be a lot of Putin merch in Russia but it doesn’t seem to be officially from the Kremlin itself. Is Trump the only one taking advantage of this opportunity by personally hawking and profiting from his image instead of just being satisfied with robbing a country? ---
**Author:** ![Coriolanus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/coriolanus/32/18769_2.png) [@Coriolanus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coriolanus)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2025, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-1/1010068/2386 "2025-02-26T01:14:20Z")
Just to be clear, that’s chatGPT which has a uncannily feel for what this president writes - to the point that I reckon much of his many EO’s at least start off from AI more sophisticated than free chatGPT. The only person I’ve thought - only after seeing some of his latter day youtube videos - could be an exception is Arnold Schwarzenegger. Of course he never petitioned for any changes - which would absolutely need an amendment. Barry Goldwater was born in the not-yet-state of Arizona, John McCain was the son of an Admiral and both parents were citizens yet SCOTUS had nothing to say about him being born in the Panama controlled zone. Indeed, it took (then) Senator Obama and (then) Senator Hillary Clinton to sponsor a bill that passed in the Senate when laws used to be made: > John Sidney McCain III is a natural-born citizen under Article II, Section 1 of the Constitution of the United States. Then it was Trump who challenged Obama’'s birthright till Obama shut him up (for a while at least) when Obama released his “long form birth certificate” though clearly it was a forgery. Myself, I am an oddity: I can be President of the USA, Taoiseach (Prime Minister) of Ireland or the PM of the UK. I’d have to swear fealty to the King and give up my American Citizenship for the latter - as Boris did, yet nobody’s getting my fealty (for less than $5million) ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2025, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-1/1010068/2387 "2025-02-26T01:22:34Z")
> [@Monty](#): > > It seems to me any link to news posted here in reference to this cluster of an administration should be preceded by: > > > _ **THIS IS NOT AN ONION STORY!** _ Once upon a time, it was. > **[U.S. Offers PlatinumPlus Preferred Citizenship](https://theonion.com/u-s-offers-platinumplus-preferred-citizenship-1819564488/)** > > WASHINGTON, DC—In an 86-14 vote, the Senate approved legislation Monday establishing PlatinumPlus Preferred citizenship, an exciting new program offering special benefits and discounts to select members of the U.S. ---
**Author:** ![penultima\_thule](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penultima_thule/32/3833_2.png) [@penultima\_thule](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/penultima_thule)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2025, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-1/1010068/2388 "2025-02-26T01:30:50Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > Wanna be a US citizen? That’ll be $5 million. Russian oligarchs welcome. Won’t those oligarchs who have already paid 45/47 buckets of dosh for access, indemnity and exemption from sanctions be ticked off about this? 45/47 won’t give them their cash back and they now need to fork over another instalment? ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2025, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-1/1010068/2389 "2025-02-26T01:35:38Z")
Purely for information, “citizenship by investment” is a real thing, albeit generally as a buy-in to a tax haven. [Saint Kitts & Nevis](https://imin-caribbean.com/blog/get-st-kitts-and-nevis-citizenship/#:~:text=Foreigners%20obtain%20St%20Kitts%20and,of%20residence%20in%20the%20country.) in the Caribbean offer this option for the low, low price of $250,000. This remains a horrible idea for the US, of course. ---
**Author:** ![Buck\_Godot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buck_godot/32/6573_2.png) [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2025, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-1/1010068/2390 "2025-02-26T01:51:58Z")
> [@Dinsdale](#): > > Sure, there is a lot going on, that it is hard to keep up with all of it. But I’d think that by now there would at least be an estimate of how many folk were going to be going on admin leave in the near future. I saw on Reddit that some folk have been told their admin leave would begin this Friday… The estimate I’ve been seeing is around [75,000](https://finance.yahoo.com/news/fork-road-75-000-federal-000020408.html) which is about on par with what one would expect in terms of regular quitting or retirement over the six months. So basically its probably almost all people who were going to leave anyway but saw a chance to take a 6 month vacation on the Fed’s dime beforehand. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2025, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-1/1010068/2391 "2025-02-26T02:11:05Z")
The French, who it turns out know a thing or two about resisting fascists, secreted an AP reporter into the Trump-Macron presser in defiance of his ban and deferred their first alloted question to her. > **[French Resistance Steps in After AP Banned From Trump-Macron Presser](https://www.thedailybeast.com/paris-press-corps-intervene-when-reporter-is-barred-from-trump-macron-press-conference/)** > > The Paris Press Corps today ensured that an AP reporter could enter and ask a question. ---
**Author:** ![Coriolanus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/coriolanus/32/18769_2.png) [@Coriolanus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coriolanus)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2025, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-1/1010068/2392 "2025-02-26T02:14:14Z")
Sacre bleu! Now they are on tripler secret probation. ---
**Author:** ![dougrb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/76d3ee/32.png) [@dougrb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougrb)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2025, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-1/1010068/2393 "2025-02-26T02:36:54Z")
Is it “Freedom Fries” again? ---
**Author:** ![Mundane\_Super\_Hero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mundane_super_hero/32/6304_2.png) [@Mundane\_Super\_Hero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mundane_Super_Hero)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2025, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-1/1010068/2394 "2025-02-26T02:39:35Z")
Such a terrible technical problem. I hope they fix it soon… /s > **[iPhone’s Dictation Feature Momentarily Transcribes Word “Racist” As “Trump”;...](https://deadline.com/2025/02/iphone-dictation-feature-transcribes-word-racist-trump-apple-1236301861/)** > > Apple is working on a fix for its text-to-speech feature, which momentarily transcribes the word "racist" as "Trump." ---
**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:** [February 26, 2025, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-1/1010068/2395 "2025-02-26T02:40:28Z")
> [@penultima\_thule](#): > > Won’t those oligarchs who have already paid 45/47 buckets of dosh for access, indemnity and exemption from sanctions be ticked off about this? 45/47 won’t give them their cash back and they now need to fork over another instalment? Not to mention the US taxes citizens on their worldwide income. ---
**Author:** ![Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kolak_of_twilo/32/73_2.png) [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolak_of_Twilo)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2025, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-1/1010068/2396 "2025-02-26T02:41:41Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > > [@Smapti](#): > > > > This is going to be one of the most open-and-shut First Amendment cases in American legal history. > > Chief Justice Roberts and His Merry Band Of Traitors beg to differ. Cite? ---
**Author:** ![Coriolanus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/coriolanus/32/18769_2.png) [@Coriolanus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coriolanus)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2025, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-1/1010068/2397 "2025-02-26T03:10:03Z")
Indeed. All I can say is it would be nice if SCOTUS did some supreme courting. Is it too cold in DC to get anything done? I asked chatGPT to act as john roberts and it surprised me that a number of first amendment violations were in AI John Roberts legal mind. Then I switched the Chief Justice to Darth Vader, and while he wasn’t all about the first amendment, he considered it unwise: > The decision to ban the Associated Press from the White House… is disturbing. A reckless display of power, yet ultimately insignificant in the face of true control. The press, like the Rebellion, thrives in secrecy and resistance. Silencing them may only make them stronger. Yeah, the secret press. Ahh well, I’d find that decision acceptable if incredibly odd. ---
**Author:** ![Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kolak_of_twilo/32/73_2.png) [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolak_of_Twilo)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2025, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-1/1010068/2398 "2025-02-26T04:48:51Z")
> [@Great\_Antibob](#): > > Democrats not showing up robs them of their chance to call him out vocally and to avoid the farce of the country watching every attendee, tears in their eyes, rapturously applauding that orange buffoon. Even if only symbolically, it is important to make it clear his support is not nearly unanimous, which would be what the American public would see if they did not show up. I would gladly endorse the idea of the Democrats calling him out and shouting at him with each lie that comes out of his mouth. The GOP goons pretty much tossed any rules of decorum out the window during the Obama and Biden years. But I doubt they would have the spine to do something like this. **IF** they did, it would likely send him over the edge and reduce him to even more nonsensical gibbering than normal. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2025, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-1/1010068/2399 "2025-02-26T05:13:08Z")
> [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](#): > > But I doubt they would have the spine to do something like this. The way things are going, if the Democrats don’t step up their game in time for 2026, the epitath on the party’s tombstone is going to be “We adhered to all the norms”. Which is why I’m rooting for JB Pritzker and AOC to force the leadership out on its ass. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2025, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-1/1010068/2400 "2025-02-26T05:16:31Z")
How much for citizens to not be deported? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-1/1010068.md?page=119) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-1/1010068.md?page=121)