# 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:** 444
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2025, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-1/1010068/8922 "2025-10-21T03:24:54Z")
What makes me think there’s going to be some sort of typical Trump fuck up and we’re going to be looking at scaffolding on the White House and a big dirt pit right next to it for the next decade? ---
**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:** [October 21, 2025, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-1/1010068/8923 "2025-10-21T03:30:36Z")
Surrounded by a chain link fence. ---
**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:** [October 21, 2025, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-1/1010068/8924 "2025-10-21T03:31:26Z")
Isn’t it “When it’s POTUS who stiffs the contractors, that means the contractors are not stiffed.”? ---
**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:** [October 21, 2025, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-1/1010068/8925 "2025-10-21T03:45:48Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > As parts of the East Wing are demolished, although Trump promised it wouldn’t be touched, the message couldn’t be more obvious if he whipped out his trumplet and pissed on the rubble. [Demolition of the White House’s East Wing facade starts for Trump’s ballroom project](https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/white-house/demolition-white-house-east-wing-starts-trumps-ballroom-project-rcna238754) Whoa! Turns out the diahrreic orang stool can surprise me. And how is it he gets to do all of this demolition and so-called construction to (yes, to; he’s inflicting it) the White House? That particular edifice should be on some kind register of historic buildings. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2025, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-1/1010068/8926 "2025-10-21T05:03:49Z")
> [@Monty](#): > > And how is it he gets to do all of this demolition and so-called construction to (yes, to; he’s inflicting it) the White House? That particular edifice should be on some kind register of historic buildings. It is apparently a National Historic Landmark, a program which is administered by the National Park Service. All National Historic Landmarks are _also_ on the National Register of Historic Places, with three exceptions: the White House, the U.S. Capitol, and the U.S. Supreme Court Building. It also appears that the lack of changes to the White House’s exterior over the last decades is more out of respect for tradition and the building’s history, rather than due to any specific rules prohibiting it. But even if there were such rules, as always with Trump, he’s getting away with doing stuff which he likely shouldn’t be able to do, because the regulations and rules which govern such stuff aren’t self-executing, and his administration won’t enforce them. ---
**Author:** ![duality72](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duality72/32/3910_2.png) [@duality72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/duality72)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2025, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-1/1010068/8927 "2025-10-21T05:54:42Z")
I’m guessing that his education on the layers of hell extends only to a certain South Park episode. > Mr. Garrison: Now, some of you know what it’s like to be the new kid in town, so I want you all to take special care to make him feel welcome. I want you all to meet our new classmate… [leans down to the new kid] uh-uh, what’s your name again? > New kid: Damien! [dark music plays: Rectus…dominus… His eyes show flaming, crackling pupils] > Mr. Garrison: Say ‘hi’ to Damien! [silence] And where are you from, Damien? > Damien: The seventh layer of hell! > Mr. Garrison: Ooooh, that’s exciting, my mother was from Alabama. ---
**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:** [October 21, 2025, 6:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-1/1010068/8928 "2025-10-21T06:28:39Z")
[I don’t know about you, but I feel safer already.](https://gulfnews.com/world/americas/us-begins-sending-nuke-workers-home-as-shutdown-drags-1.500314698) > [@](#): > > With the standoff about to enter its fourth week, some 1,400 workers at the National Nuclear Security Administration were due to receive notices telling them they had been placed on unpaid furlough. > > “Due to the Democrat shutdown, approximately 1,400 NNSA federal employees will be furloughed as of today, October 20th and nearly 400 NNSA federal employees will continue to work to support the protection of property and the safety of human life,” a Department of Energy spokesperson said in a statement. First off, what’s with the political comment from the government agency? Next, of course I fee safe. I’m not living in the United States at the moment. Finally, let’s not forget exactly why it is the Republicans, not the Democrats, are keeping this shutdown going. And that’s specifically _two_ Republicans. > [@](#): > > Democrats’ key condition for backing a House-passed funding resolution that would reopen the government through late November is the renewal of expiring health care subsidies for 24 million Americans. > > Senate Republicans have offered a vote on renewing the subsidies, but many Democrats insist that any deal in the upper chamber will be meaningless without the sign-off of Trump and House Speaker Mike Johnson. [The New New New math, felon’s edition is here.](https://gulfnews.com/world/americas/trump-repeats-claims-of-settling-eight-wars-says-five-of-them-by-power-of-trade-tariff-1.500314970) > [@](#): > > Washington DC: US President Donald Trump on Monday reiterated his claim of having settled eight wars in the last eight months, adding that five of those were resolved through “the power of tariffs and the power of trade”. > > Speaking during his meeting with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese at the Oval Office, where both leaders signed a [multi-billion-dollar agreement on critical minerals and defence cooperation](https://gulfnews.com/world/americas/us-australia-sign-rare-earths-deal-as-trump-promises-nuclear-powered-attack-submarines-1.500313846), Trump made the claims of settling those “wars”, noting that he has “one more to go”, referring to the conflict between Ukraine and Russia. > > “I have settled eight wars in eight months. Not bad. I have one more to go. It’s Russia-Ukraine and I think we’ll get there. But it’s turned out to be nasty because you have two leaders that truly hate each other,” the US President said. And what a roller coaster he’s riding! (The **bolding** is mine.) > [@](#): > > “We have become a nation that used the power of tariffs and the power of trade to settle five of the eight wars that I settled. I settled eight. I’m very proud of that… **I don’t think there’s been an American President that settled one** ,” he added. Let’s roll the tape! Yep. I see Harry S. Truman settled World War II. [Oh, he’s such an eager beaver, too.](https://gulfnews.com/business/markets/trump-predicts-fantastic-trade-deal-with-china-1.500315044) > [@](#): > > President Donald Trump expressed confidence on October 20, 2025, that he would soon secure a “fantastic” trade deal with China despite ongoing tensions over tariffs and [rare-earth minerals](https://gulfnews.com/business/energy/why-rare-earth-elements-are-a-flashpoint-in-us-china-tensions-1.500303028). > > Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump said: “I think we’re going to end up having a fantastic trade deal with China,” signaling optimism amid a protracted trade war marked by successive tariff hikes and Chinese restrictions on critical mineral exports. > > The backdrop to this announcement includes Trump’s imposition of tariffs reaching 57% on Chinese imports, escalating tensions that prompted China to restrict exports of rare-earth minerals vital to electronics and military equipment. That’s enough for now. ---
**Author:** ![Pardel-Lux](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pardel-lux/32/20182_2.png) [@Pardel-Lux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pardel-Lux)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2025, 8:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-1/1010068/8929 "2025-10-21T08:07:17Z")
> [@Monty](#): > > There’s a line in the New Testament about being caught up to the seventh heaven Ooooh, that is why the “being on cloud nine” the English speak about is translated into German as “auf Wolke _sieben_ schweben”! That had intrigued me for a long time. Do you happen to know where on the New Testament this seventh heaven is mentioned? PS: Of course I meant _piqued_, my dyslexia is becoming more selectively anti-English, particularly with words that look a bit French. > [@Czarcasm](#): > > As parts of the East Wing are demolished, although Trump promised it wouldn’t be touched The German [Handelsblatt](https://www.handelsblatt.com/politik/international/usa-abrissarbeiten-am-weissen-haus-fuer-trumps-ballsaal/100166121.html) quotes the WSJ claiming: > However, the Trump administration apparently does not like the fact that photos of the demolition work are circulating. As reported by the Wall Street Journal, the US Treasury Department has banned its officials from taking pictures of the construction work. The department is located directly next to the White House grounds, and the offices offer a direct view of the demolition work. So they took their pictures from street level. Looks awful, like construction sites mostly do. The deluded dopey dotard Don does not know how to prevent or forbid that, so that is how it looks: [![](https://images.handelsblatt.com/H5rtTspaX4XI/cover/2400/1600/0/0/0/0/0.5/0.5/heavy-machinery-tears-down-a-section-of-the-east-wing-of-the-white-house-as-construction-begins-on-p.avif) ](https://images.handelsblatt.com/H5rtTspaX4XI/cover/2400/1600/0/0/0/0/0.5/0.5/heavy-machinery-tears-down-a-section-of-the-east-wing-of-the-white-house-as-construction-begins-on-p.avif) ---
**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:** [October 21, 2025, 8:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-1/1010068/8930 "2025-10-21T08:52:13Z")
> [@Pardel-Lux](#): > > > [@Monty](#): > > > > There’s a line in the New Testament about being caught up to the seventh heaven > > Ooooh, that is why the “being on cloud nine” the English speak about is translated into German as “auf Wolke _sieben_ schweben”! That had intrigued me for a long time. Do you happen to know where on the New Testament this seventh heaven is mentioned? I was mistaken with the number. It’s actually the _third heaven_ and is mentioned in [2 Corinthian 2:12 (KJV)](https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/nt/2-cor/12?lang=eng) > [@](#): > > 2 I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven. Which is [2 Korinther 12:2 (Luther Bibel)](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Corinthians%2012%3A2&version=LUTH1545) > [@](#): > > Ich kenne einen Menschen in Christo; vor vierzehn Jahren (ist er in dem Leibe gewesen, so weiß ich’s nicht; oder ist er außer dem Leibe gewesen, so weiß ich’s nicht; Gott weiß es) ward derselbe entzückt bis in den dritten Himmel. Evidently “Seventh Heaven” orginally comes from [Mesopotamia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_heavens), according to Wikipedia. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2025, 9:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-1/1010068/8931 "2025-10-21T09:14:34Z")
@Monty, could you translate that? From 2 Corinthians (that much, I got). Thanks in advance. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2025, 9:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-1/1010068/8932 "2025-10-21T09:34:54Z")
The German is the same as the English text immediately preceding. (Dritten Himmel = third Heaven, etc.) ---
**Author:** ![Pardel-Lux](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pardel-lux/32/20182_2.png) [@Pardel-Lux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pardel-Lux)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2025, 10:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-1/1010068/8933 "2025-10-21T10:13:49Z")
> [@Monty](#): > > I was mistaken with the number. Darn! So it may just as well be a simple translation mistake, like the nine lifes of a cat turn into the seven lifes of a cat in Germany and Spain and nobody seems to know why. Ach! But thanks for the effort! ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2025, 10:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-1/1010068/8934 "2025-10-21T10:49:01Z")
Thank you, @Cervaise . ---
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2025, 10:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-1/1010068/8935 "2025-10-21T10:58:00Z")
I see there’s a fake social media post circulating that has Trump ranting about the “UN-AMERICAN” Toronto Blue Jays advancing to the World Series. Problem is, it’s way too believable to make for good parody. I wonder what he really thinks of this. Imagine if they actually beat the Dodgers; his head will probably explode. So… GO JAYS!!! ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2025, 12:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-1/1010068/8936 "2025-10-21T12:02:32Z")
That’s not just the “facade” being demolished, Whether intentional or accidental they’re doing real structural damage to the East Wing. ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2025, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-1/1010068/8937 "2025-10-21T13:26:53Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > intentional or accidental Intaccidental? We need a new word for these people. They don’t know what they’re doing, so the damage isn’t exactly “intentional”, but they do know that they don’t care about any damage they do, so it’s not really “accidental” either. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2025, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-1/1010068/8938 "2025-10-21T13:39:49Z")
Maliciously negligent? “Who gives a shit. Fuck you for caring.” ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2025, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-1/1010068/8939 "2025-10-21T14:10:20Z")
Do people still say “accidentally on purpose”? ---
**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:** [October 21, 2025, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-1/1010068/8940 "2025-10-21T14:11:45Z")
I’m no type of expert, but I don’t see any way to add a large, ugly, completely unnecessary addition to a building without tearing out the outside wall of the existing structure where the large, ugly, completely unnecessary addition will be attached. ---
**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:** [October 21, 2025, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-1/1010068/8941 "2025-10-21T14:49:04Z")
I wonder what Donnie has planned for the Truman balcony to turn it into the Trump Balcony? 🤔 One truly shudders to imagine… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-1/1010068.md?page=443) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-1/1010068.md?page=445)