# The Trump Administration: The Clusterfuck Continues (Part 2) **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Tags:** trump\ **Created:** [December 1, 2025, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298 "2025-12-01T20:32:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 111
**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 4, 2026, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298/2201 "2026-02-04T06:00:25Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > Either way, it’ll make him look like either guilty AF, or insane. Not mutually exclusive, of course. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Dr.Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Drake)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2026, 6:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298/2202 "2026-02-04T06:51:03Z")
Yes, but how is that different from / better than where we are right now? Do we think that perjuring himself will suddenly wake the Trumpistas? Or that he will ever be convicted of anything to the point of serving time? ---
**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:** [February 4, 2026, 6:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298/2203 "2026-02-04T06:56:56Z")
> [@Dr.Drake](#): > > Yes, but how is that different from / better than where we are right now? Not any better. Purely a tit-for-tat, as the Republicans opened the door for bringing former presidents in to testify. ---
**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 4, 2026, 9:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298/2204 "2026-02-04T09:39:10Z")
> [@needscoffee](#): > > She actually sounds like someone on the verge of opening her eyes to the cruelty. Plus, now that she’s publicly dissed how the program is being run, she’ll probably get canned. She sounds like someone having a nervous breakdown. Which is probably the case. ---
**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:** [February 4, 2026, 10:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298/2205 "2026-02-04T10:01:03Z")
Trump, like Colonel Jessup in _A Few Good Men_, is so convinced that what he is doing is the correct and only way to do things, that a skilled questioner, with carefully prepared questions, might prompt a “You can’t handle the truth!” moment. But Colonel Jessup—er, Jack Nicholson—is following a script. Trump doesn’t. So there are no guarantees on that. ---
**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 4, 2026, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298/2206 "2026-02-04T12:51:10Z")
Trump isn’t going to testify under oath anywhere, including Congress and especially if it’s a “democrat” Congress. Not because he knows the dangers. He doesn’t know anything about Law. It’s all baby gets to whine and get his rattle. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2026, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298/2207 "2026-02-04T14:47:42Z")
> [@Coriolanus](#): > > Trump isn’t going to testify under oath anywhere, including Congress and especially if it’s a “democrat” Congress. But ‘under oath’ means nothing to this man, and he surely doesn’t understand it. This is a person that has lied every day of his life, cheated everyone including his wives, and relatives. Telling the truth and paying taxes is for those other people. ---
**Author:** ![Great\_Antibob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Great\_Antibob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Great_Antibob)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2026, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298/2208 "2026-02-04T14:52:50Z")
> [@enipla](#): > > But ‘under oath’ means nothing to this man, and he surely doesn’t understand it. It means nothing to him but it does mean something to his lawyers. And he’s always been advised to avoid testifying under oath - because they all know he’s fundamentally incapable of telling the truth. He’ll avoid testifying under oath to Congress for the same reason. Not because he understands it but because his legal advisors will tell him there’s no benefit and only risk to it ---
**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:** [February 4, 2026, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298/2209 "2026-02-04T15:03:24Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > “Neville Again!” Now I want a bad sit-com where this is the catch phrase. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2026, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298/2210 "2026-02-04T19:31:52Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > DOJ lawyer asks judge to find her in contempt because she’s sick of what the admin is making her do and she’d like to get some sleep. > > [Jaws drop at Trump DOJ prosecutor's 'unbelievable' courtroom admission: 'This job sucks'](https://www.rawstory.com/doj-prosecutors/) > [@needscoffee](#): > > Plus, now that she’s publicly dissed how the program is being run, she’ll probably get canned. And she’s been canned. Gift link: [https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/04/us/politics/prosecutor-immigration-outburst.html?unlocked\_article\_code=1.JlA.S5Wm.Oup-EpK\_tujX&smid=url-share](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/04/us/politics/prosecutor-immigration-outburst.html?unlocked_article_code=1.JlA.S5Wm.Oup-EpK_tujX&smid=url-share) ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2026, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298/2211 "2026-02-04T20:31:01Z")
> [@Great\_Antibob](#): > > And he’s always been advised to avoid testifying under oath Avoid it and has too are different things. Can he avoid it if he is ordered to testify under oath? ---
**Author:** ![psychobunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/54ee81/32.png) [@psychobunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychobunny)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2026, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298/2212 "2026-02-04T20:57:43Z")
Good for her. Now she can collect unemployment while she tries to heal her soul. ---
**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:** [February 4, 2026, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298/2213 "2026-02-04T21:05:55Z")
You can’t collect unemployment if you’ve been _fired_ ---
**Author:** ![Great\_Antibob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Great\_Antibob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Great_Antibob)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2026, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298/2214 "2026-02-04T21:06:01Z")
> [@enipla](#): > > Can he avoid it if he is ordered to testify under oath? “Ordered” is kind of a nebulous thing when it comes to Congressional summons. Jim Jordan still hasn’t appeared for the Jan-6 commission despite the subpoena. But suppose he shows up anyway. In those situations, he’s also generally been advised to plead the 5th. One’s appearance can be compelled (for a given value of ‘compelled’) but not self-incriminating testimony. The main issue ultimately boils down to one of the known potential failure points for a democracy - people can knowingly still vote for a corrupt, incompetent boob despite (or because) the knowledge he’s not worthy or capable of the job. ---
**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:** [February 4, 2026, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298/2215 "2026-02-04T21:25:42Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > You can’t collect unemployment if you’ve been _fired_ Yes you can. Not if you _quit_. ---
**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 4, 2026, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298/2216 "2026-02-04T21:27:57Z")
I hope she has a case for improper dismissal. ---
**Author:** ![DavidNRockies](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidnrockies/32/6279_2.png) [@DavidNRockies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidNRockies)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2026, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298/2217 "2026-02-04T21:34:24Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > > [@Broomstick](#): > > > > You can’t collect unemployment if you’ve been _fired_ > > Yes you can. Not if you _quit_. I suspect this one won’t be that black and white: > [@](#): > > WHAT IS UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION FOR FEDERAL EMPLOYEES (UCFE)? > > The UCFE program provides unemployment compensation for Federal employees who lost their employment through no fault of their own. [**SOURCE**](https://oui.doleta.gov/unemploy/docs/factsheet/UCFE_FactSheet.pdf) Three guesses what the government’s position will be in this case. ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2026, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298/2218 "2026-02-04T22:22:15Z")
Do we know how the Fifth Amendment works with congressional hearings? In nongovernmental criminal cases, you can’t take someone’s invocation in establishing a person’s guilt, but a civil case doesn’t have that same latitude. Which rules apply for congressional hearings? ---
**Author:** ![Great\_Antibob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Great\_Antibob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Great_Antibob)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2026, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298/2219 "2026-02-04T22:37:59Z")
> [@Superdude](#): > > Which rules apply for congressional hearings? They aren’t criminal proceedings but you can certainly invoke your 5th Amendment rights at a Congressional hearing, if you think your testimony will lead to criminal charges. Recent examples I can recall include Martin Shkreli (the Pharma Bro) invoking his 5th Amendment right several times in front of Congress. And in a more directly related example, Ghislaine Maxwell’s lawyers have indicated she intends to do so as well - the skeletons we know about are already bad and we can all but conclusively verify she was involved in worse. Hillary Clinton famously did not invoke the 5th in her several hours long grilling by Republicans over Benghazi. ---
**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:** [February 5, 2026, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298/2220 "2026-02-05T00:11:04Z")
> [@Great\_Antibob](#): > > They aren’t criminal proceedings but you can certainly invoke your 5th Amendment rights at a Congressional hearing, if you think your testimony will lead to criminal charges. I may be overthinking this, but if the president can do no wrong, as SCOTUS has explained, he has no criminal charges to face, ever, therefore he can’t plead the fifth. He has nothing to fear. Except for his reputation, whatever that means in his head. Which, in an ideal dreamworld, _could_ lead to criminal charges. Later. Much later. I doubt he has that much life left in him. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298.md?page=110) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298.md?page=112)