# 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:** 265
**Author:** ![Ann\_Hedonia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ann_hedonia/32/319_2.png) [@Ann\_Hedonia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ann_Hedonia)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2025, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-1/1010068/5342 "2025-05-31T19:40:30Z")
> [@Pardel-Lux](#): > > Considering that the European Union has the exclusive negotiating power in trade matters for its 27 member states, 200 trade agreements are more agreements than countries are left in the world. Either he has several agreements with individual countries, which is a mess therefore fully on caracter, or he has agreements with several planets, moons and asteroids. > Or he is simply lying. Again. > Do not worry: he will have forgotten what he said by yesterday. He’s said at least a couple of times that he’s negotiating these deals with himself and his advisors, and that after these “negotiations” are complete he will tell the other parties what their “deal” is. ---
**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:** [May 31, 2025, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-1/1010068/5343 "2025-05-31T23:46:59Z")
> You say you want a revolution? Yes, John, I do. ---
**Author:** ![dasmoocher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dbc845/32.png) [@dasmoocher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dasmoocher)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2025, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-1/1010068/5344 "2025-05-31T23:50:37Z")
Now it’s being reported that the intel people want to give Trump his presidential “daily” briefings in the format of a Fox News broadcast, complete with cartoons animations: [Gabbard considering ways to revamp Trump’s intelligence briefing](https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/national-security/gabbard-considering-ways-revamp-trumps-intelligence-briefing-rcna209805) _One idea is to make the briefing, which according to his schedule Trump has been taking less often than his predecessors, a video that looks like Fox News._ > One idea that’s been discussed is possibly creating a video version of the PDB that’s made to look and feel like a Fox News broadcast, four of the people with direct knowledge of the discussions said. > > … > One idea that has been discussed is to transform the PDB so it mirrors a Fox News broadcast, according to four of the people with direct knowledge of the discussions. Under that concept as it has been discussed, the national intelligence director’s office could hire a Fox News producer to produce it and one of the network’s personalities to present it; Trump, an avid Fox News viewer, could then watch the broadcast PDB whenever he wanted. > > A new PDB could include not only graphics and pictures but also maps with animated representations of exploding bombs, similar to a video game, another one of the people with knowledge of the discussions said. > > “The problem with Trump is that he doesn’t read,” said another person with direct knowledge of the PDB discussions. “He’s on broadcast all the time.” I guess paring the daily intelligence briefings down to a single page of bullet points was still too challenging for Trump to absorb. ---
**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:** [May 31, 2025, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-1/1010068/5345 "2025-05-31T23:53:26Z")
> [@dasmoocher](#): > > complete with cartoons: If only Chuck Jones was still around the “daily briefings” were broadcast “live” ---
**Author:** ![dasmoocher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dbc845/32.png) [@dasmoocher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dasmoocher)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2025, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-1/1010068/5346 "2025-05-31T23:57:27Z")
> [@Coriolanus](#): > > If only Chuck Jones was still around the “daily briefings” were broadcast “live” With Elon gone, who has the technology to stop [Marvin the Martian](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marvin_the_Martian)? ---
**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:** [June 1, 2025, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-1/1010068/5347 "2025-06-01T00:00:52Z")
> [@dasmoocher](#): > > > … Trump’s intelligence briefing… This does not compute. * * * > [@dasmoocher](#): > > I guess paring the daily intelligence briefings down to a single page of bullet points was still too challenging for Trump to absorb. Even in his first so-called administration it was known that this was too much for him. ---
**Author:** ![dasmoocher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dbc845/32.png) [@dasmoocher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dasmoocher)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2025, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-1/1010068/5348 "2025-06-01T00:15:14Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > Even in his first so-called administration it was known that this was too much for him. IIRC, in Trump’s first term they started him out with the usual few pages of text which were similar in scope and complexity to what previous Presidents received. It was whittled down to a single page of bullet points before the end. And now that’s not even simple enough. ---
**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:** [June 1, 2025, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-1/1010068/5349 "2025-06-01T00:17:51Z")
> [@](#): > > A new PDB could include not only graphics and pictures but also maps with animated representations of exploding bombs, similar to a video game, another one of the people with knowledge of the discussions said. “Similar to a video game” . . . there just are no words… ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2025, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-1/1010068/5350 "2025-06-01T00:26:59Z")
Sock puppets? ---
**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:** [June 1, 2025, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-1/1010068/5351 "2025-06-01T00:27:40Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > > [@dasmoocher](#): > > > > > … Trump’s intelligence briefing… > > This does not compute. Given the nether location of his intelligence and its, uh, _fluidity_, it may not be that far off the mark. ---
**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:** [June 1, 2025, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-1/1010068/5352 "2025-06-01T00:48:45Z")
> [@Dung\_Beetle](#): > > Sock puppets? Maybe Punch and Judy? ---
**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:** [June 1, 2025, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-1/1010068/5353 "2025-06-01T00:49:22Z")
> When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation. I don’t recall the document filed that started the “USA Civil War” in 1861, and though this is likely mostly Thomas Jefferson’s authorship and not the Constitution (which I believe somewhere says no civil wars), I reckon this line of argument/thinking allows for any number of “Blue states” to leave. At least on the left and right of the USA the proposed (by Trump) 51st state might be able to assist. Or all of this is crazy-seditious thinking so come and get me somewhere in Europe or save time by sending me a plane ticket to San Salvador. ---
**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:** [June 1, 2025, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-1/1010068/5354 "2025-06-01T01:03:15Z")
> [@dasmoocher](#): > > Now it’s being reported that the intel people want to give Trump his presidential “daily” briefings in the format of a Fox News broadcast Why not? Fox’s personalities have already migrated to Grift Central. > [@ThelmaLou](#): > > > [@dasmoocher](#): > > > > > Trump’s intelligence briefing… > > This does not compute Sure it does. (Pretend I’m saying this with tears in my eyes, sir.) Nobody’s intelligence is briefer than his. > [@dasmoocher](#): > > IIRC, in Trump’s first term they started him out with the usual few pages of text which were similar in scope and complexity to what previous Presidents received. It was whittled down to a single page of bullet points before the end. And now that’s not even simple enough. One could even say that he’s a ton of simple. > [@crowmanyclouds](#): > > “Similar to a video game” . . . there just are no words… What are you doing now, working for the White House? Don’t give them any ideas! Let’s get serious for a moment. [Here’s an update on the Trump puppet senator who, while justifying the felon’s big bullshit bill, said that we’re all going to die in resonse to an audience member’s comment that people are going to die. No surprise here: fake apology.](https://www.aol.com/news/ernst-doubles-down-medicaid-sarcastic-191634800.html) > [@](#): > > Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) doubled down on a recent quip about Medicaid in a Saturday post on her [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/joniernst/) story. > > “Hello, everyone. I would like to take this opportunity to sincerely apologize for a statement that I made yesterday at my town hall,” Ernst said in the clip, with a sarcastic tone. > > On Friday, the Iowa Republican was[jeered](https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/5325678-joni-ernst-responds-medicaid-cuts-well-were-all-going-to-die/) after brushing aside life or death concerns about cuts to Medicaid, a public health insurance program for low income families and individuals with disabilities. > > “See I was in the process of answering a question that had been asked by an audience member, when a woman who was extremely distraught, screamed out from the back corner of the auditorium, people are going to die,” Ernst said Saturday. > > “And I made an incorrect assumption that everyone in the auditorium understood that, yes, we are all going to perish from this earth. So I apologize, and I’m really, really glad that I did not have to bring up the subject of the tooth fairy as well,” she continued. > > The Iowa lawmaker then encouraged viewers who want to see “eternal and everlasting life” to “embrace” Jesus Christ. So, basically, her advice for us is to pray and die. I’m wondering if she has any idea in which order that should be done. [Did I call this administration Grift Central? I meant Conspiracy Loony Bin.](https://www.yahoo.com/news/trump-picks-far-conspiracist-government-183053373.html) > [@](#): > > Trump Picks Far-Right Conspiracist as Government Watchdog > > President Donald Trump’s new pick to lead the U.S. Office of Special Counsel is a far-right commentator who’s a little green behind the ears. > > Paul Ingrassia, currently the White House liaison for the Department of Homeland Security, will be tasked with leading the Office of Special Counsel (OSC), the independent agency that investigates and prosecutes wrongdoing within the executive branch, _USA Today_ [reported](https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2025/05/29/trump-paul-ingrassia-head-office-special-counsel/83931251007/). & > [@](#): > > Ingrassia is a far-right political commentator who has written for _The Daily Caller_ and _The Gateway Pundit_. Following the 2020 election, Ingrassia called for Trump to declare martial law to stay in office and even called for secession if efforts to overturn the election failed, CNN [reported](https://www.cnn.com/2025/02/26/politics/paul-ingrassia-trump-administration-liaison-dhs-kfile/index.html). He also denounced several conservatives who opposed violent measures to keep Trump in power. > > Ingrassia has [falsely claimed](https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/111721484609384209) that former Ambassador to the United Nations and presidential candidate Nikki Haley was not eligible to serve as president, which Trump subsequently reposted on Truth Social. Ingrassia also posted on X that Haley was an “insufferable b—h,” CNN [reported](https://www.cnn.com/2025/02/26/politics/paul-ingrassia-trump-administration-liaison-dhs-kfile/index.html). [The Secretary of Health and Human Services leads by example.](https://www.yahoo.com/news/rfk-jr-slammed-raw-milk-123811894.html) > [@](#): > > It’s no secret that U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has some … [eccentric](https://www.brookings.edu/articles/rfk-jr-s-history-of-medical-misinformation-raises-concerns-over-hhs-nomination/) … views about public health issues. > > But he might have reached a personal best this week when he did raw milk shooters in the White House with a podcast host who goes by Carnivore MD, [according to NYMag’s The Cut](https://www.thecut.com/article/rfk-jr-celebrated-his-maha-report-with-raw-milk-shooters.html). > > Kennedy recorded the interview with the host, the wellness influencer born Paul Saladino, who posted a teaser for the episode. > > In it, a cameraman presents Kennedy with shots of raw milk mixed with glyphosate-free honey, according to The Cut. And what kind of loon is this podcaster? (Same link) > [@](#): > > Saladino, an influencer with more than 2 million followers, “primarily advocates for an animal product-based diet, though occasionally he will use his platform to champion other pet causes, such as [why shampoo and soap are overrated](https://www.facebook.com/reel/371038882447520) and why [wiping yourself is bad](https://www.instagram.com/reel/CsrZCFEAMjH/?hl=en)for your hormonal health," according to The Cut. Well, I guess if you don’t wipe, you don’t need to wash your hands. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2025, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-1/1010068/5355 "2025-06-01T01:04:24Z")
> [@dasmoocher](#): > > Now it’s being reported that the intel people want to give Trump his presidential “daily” briefings in the format of a Fox News broadcast, complete with cartoons animations: > > [Gabbard considering ways to revamp Trump’s intelligence briefing](https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/national-security/gabbard-considering-ways-revamp-trumps-intelligence-briefing-rcna209805) > > _One idea is to make the briefing, which according to his schedule Trump has been taking less often than his predecessors, a video that looks like Fox News._ That reminds me of a similar problem his handlers had with Bush II, except he also refused to watch the news. Apparently he ignored the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina for some time because he refused to look at either the news or standard intelligence reports, until they finally came up with a short video digest version he’d sit down for. An interesting comparison with the last record holder for stupidest US President, I think. (Recall when Bush II came across as implausibly stupid for a US President? Yeah, I miss those days.) ---
**Author:** ![ekedolphin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ekedolphin/32/10003_2.png) [@ekedolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ekedolphin)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2025, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-1/1010068/5356 "2025-06-01T01:18:56Z")
Dubya was wrong about absolutely everything, but compared to Trump, he was wrong within normal parameters. ---
**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:** [June 1, 2025, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-1/1010068/5357 "2025-06-01T02:00:33Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > (Recall when Bush II came across as implausibly stupid for a US President? Yeah, I miss those days.) W was affably stupid. He was not in this _Og Smash!_ mode all the fucking time. He was not this infantile narcissist who cannot handle any dissent. And, in its way, that was worse, because he was able to carry out significant damage without looking like a total baffoon. Reasonable, decorous assholes can be as much of a problem as screaming, diapered infants, sometimes moreso. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2025, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-1/1010068/5358 "2025-06-01T05:03:07Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > > [@Dung\_Beetle](#): > > > > Sock puppets? > > Maybe Punch and Judy? Hmm. A PDB interpretive dance could work, but only if they have big boobs. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2025, 8:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-1/1010068/5359 "2025-06-01T08:36:22Z")
> [@DWMarch](#): > > Also, he has dementia but it’s the very slow kind and it is taking its time with him. Sure seems he is more nuts than usual. While Trump did not personally say this he uncritically shared it. > **[Trump Shares Unhinged Conspiracy Theory That Biden’s a Clone](https://www.thedailybeast.com/donald-trump-shares-bonkers-conspiracy-theory-about-joe-biden-being-replaced-by-clones/)** > > “There is no Joe Biden,” the post reads, claiming that the former president was actually murdered in 2020. > Not content with spreading conspiracy theories on [Friday night](https://www.thedailybeast.com/trump-spends-the-wee-hours-reviving-a-2019-conspiracy-theory/), late on Saturday night, Trump shared a [post](https://truthsocial.com/@llijh/posts/114604139396491788) by a supporter to his Truth Social page that claimed Biden was killed in 2020. The post reads, “There is no #JoeBiden - executed in 2020. #Biden clones doubles & robotic engineered soulless mindless entities are what you see. Democrats dont know the difference.” ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2025, 8:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-1/1010068/5360 "2025-06-01T08:39:29Z")
So, now we know why he’s called Joe _Bi_den. Presumably Joe Triden is in storage for use when Biden expires. ---
**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:** [June 1, 2025, 8:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-1/1010068/5361 "2025-06-01T08:51:47Z")
[Evidently he’s not getting his ego stoked enough during the mandatory praise sessions at his so-called cabinet meetings.](https://www.yahoo.com/news/trump-administration-prioritize-patriotic-americans-212058818.html) (The _bolding_ is mine.) > [@](#): > > As President Donald Trump moves to slash the size of the federal workforce, his administration unveiled a plan to ensure that any new hires are “patriotic Americans” who vow to advance the president’s policy priorities. > > The White House and the agency that serves as the government’s human resources arm Thursday [released directives for departments](https://subscriber.politicopro.com/eenews/f/eenews/?id=00000197-2234-dc25-a9df-f23e4d650000) to use when recruiting employees in a memo that represents a dramatic shift in federal hiring procedures. > > The administration’s “merit hiring plan” comes after Trump ordered a revamp to the federal hiring process on his first day in office. The resulting plan issued this week says it aims to ensure that “only the most talented, capable and patriotic Americans” are hired by the government. > > The “overly complex Federal hiring system overemphasized discriminatory ‘equity’ quotas and too often resulted in the hiring of unfit, unskilled bureaucrats,” says the memo authored by Vince Haley, assistant to the president for domestic policy, and Charles Ezell, the acting director of the Office of Personnel Management. > > 8\*Trump and his allies have railed against civil servants, accusing them of working to undermine the president’s policy priorities. **The new hiring plan will require job applicants to write short essays describing how they plan to advance Trump’s priorities.** > > **Under the plan, all federal job vacancy announcements starting at the GS-5 pay grade or above will require short essay responses to questions about their commitment to the Constitution, how they plan to improve government efficiency, how they plan to advance Trump’s executive orders and policy priorities, and about their work ethic.** The instructions for that application should be a fun read. “I vow to uphold the constitution the way Trump says it reads and will do my utmost to implement the excutive orders Trump, my favorite president, has issued in the past or will issue in the future, including thoe which have been declared or shall be declared uncostitutional.” And, by the way, are there “DEI hiring quotas”? Oh, let’s get back to the article for a moment. > [@](#): > > The Trump plan also says it aims to limit the government’s focus on recruiting from “elite universities.” > > The memo says hiring has focused too much on “elite universities and credentials” and says it will target new recruits from “state and land-grant universities, religious colleges and universities, community colleges, high schools, trade and technical schools, homeschooling groups, faith-based groups, American Legion, 4-H youth programs, and the military, veterans, and law enforcement communities.” Harvard really ticked him off, didn’t they? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-1/1010068.md?page=264) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-1/1010068.md?page=266)