# 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:** 199
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2026, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298/3961 "2026-04-03T23:46:11Z")
I don’t know if it’s _illegal_ but it’s completely inappropriate and a clear violation of the separation of church and state. ---
**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:** [April 4, 2026, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298/3962 "2026-04-04T00:11:06Z")
Um, why is there a cross over Jesus’s private parts? ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2026, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298/3963 "2026-04-04T00:17:01Z")
Don’t look; don’t touch. ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2026, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298/3964 "2026-04-04T00:25:47Z")
> [@Monty quoting CNN via AOL](#): > > And at one point, he even set it up as a choice between funding war and funding day care — while apparently choosing the former. Time to reprint this old sticker. [![](https://peaceproject.com/wp-content/uploads/S116-prp-amazon-768x193.png) ](https://peaceproject.com/wp-content/uploads/S116-prp-amazon-768x193.png) > [@kenobi\_65](#): > > only his rubes fail to understand that it’s the royal “we.” Now, be fair. It’s not only his nibs but also those oligarchs who’ve given a ~~kickback~~ bribe who will get rich(er). ---
**Author:** ![Locrian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/locrian/32/14146_2.png) [@Locrian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Locrian)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2026, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298/3965 "2026-04-04T00:37:42Z")
To make it look longer. ---
**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:** [April 4, 2026, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298/3966 "2026-04-04T01:45:58Z")
> [@beowulff](#): > > Why hasn’t the destruction of the Forest Service gotten any notice? Because if there are no trees to fall… > [@Sherrerd](#): > > > [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > > > Trump budget requests $152 million to renovate Alcatraz Island as a federal prison. > > He’s all excited about the prospect of housing his Most Hated there: Hillary, Nancy Pelosi, Letitia James, Jack Smith, James Comey, etc. Wow. For just a moment now I found myself hoping he gets the money for this project and it’s finished just in time for him to be the very first inmate. As a linguist, I’m aware some languages have the _inclusive we_ and the _exclusive we_. [Evidently, Secretary of War Crimes Hegseth is only aware of the latter.](https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/pentagon-host-good-friday-just-170234609.html) > [@](#): > > The Pentagon has invited more than 3,500 employees to attend a Good Friday service at its in-house chapel. Except it’s only for Protestants, not Catholics. > > “Just a friendly reminder: There will be a Protestant Service (No Catholic Mass) for Good Friday today at the Pentagon Chapel,” reads a Friday email sent by Air Force leadership, a copy of which was shared by an employee. > > “I guess so the Catholics know their kind ain’t welcome,” said this employee, who requested anonymity to speak about internal communications. “It’s so ridiculous.” > > A Pentagon spokesperson confirmed it is not hosting another, separate religious service for Catholic employees. > > “The Protestant service is the only service scheduled in the Pentagon chapel today,” they said in a statement. [The felon’s trying to regulate a field in which he’s obviously never participated.](https://sports.yahoo.com/mens-college-basketball/article/president-trump-delivers-new-executive-order-attempting-to-regulate-college-sports-165338483.html) > [@](#): > > INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — On the eve of the tip-off to the [Final Four](https://sports.yahoo.com/college-basketball/topic/march-madness/), the president of the United States is making a splash. > > President [Donald Trump issued his latest executive order to regulate college sports](https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2026/04/urgent-national-action-to-save-college-sports/) on Friday. > > The 10-page order comes a day before the NCAA’s crown jewel — [the men’s basketball tournament](https://sports.yahoo.com/college-basketball/) — reaches its pinnacle event here in central Indiana. > > The order grants the NCAA the ability and suggests the organization limit athlete transfer movement, cap player eligibility, implement funding requirements for women and Olympic sports, and prohibit NIL collectives. As an enforcement lever, past iterations of the order relied on the reduction of a university’s federal funding — an incentive for schools and conferences to abide by the concepts. > > The order directs the NCAA to update its rules by Aug. 1 — to the maximum extent permitted by law — to “bring order and stability to the landscape in certain key areas,” a source who has reviewed the document told Yahoo Sports. Most notably, one of those areas is transferring. > > Compliance with these rules will be relevant in determining if schools will continue to receive federal funding. > > Many — including the president himself — expect the order to be challenged legally. [The cheapskate-in-chief isn’t going to pay interns.](https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/trump-white-house-no-longer-223441225.html) > [@](#): > > Applications to intern in President [Donald Trump](https://people.com/tag/donald-trump/)’s White House are currently open, but hopeful candidates may notice a major change from the previous administration. > > Trump’s predecessor, President [Joe Biden](https://people.com/tag/joe-biden/), launched a [paid internship program](https://people.com/politics/white-house-launches-paid-internship-program/) at the White House in 2022, offering stipends equivalent to $750 a week for a minimum of 35 hours of work per week. The position had traditionally been unpaid, offering students who were able to volunteer their time the ability to gain valuable experience and make important connections. > > The pay was intended to make it possible for low-income students to also take part in the program and “help to ensure that those who receive internships at the White House — and who will be a significant part of the leadership pipeline across the entire federal government — reflect the diversity of America,” the Biden administration said in a [press release](https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/white-house-press-release-biden-harris-administration-announces-the-first-session-the) before the start of the Fall 2022 session. > > “Too often, unpaid federal internships have been a barrier to hardworking and talented students and professionals, preventing them from contributing their talents and skills to the country and holding them back from federal career advancement opportunities,” the statement said, calling the paid internships a “significant milestone” in diversifying government work. ---
**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:** [April 4, 2026, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298/3967 "2026-04-04T02:06:42Z")
> [@Monty](#): > > > “Just a friendly reminder: There will be a Protestant Service (No Catholic Mass) for Good Friday today at the Pentagon Chapel,” reads a Friday email sent by Air Force leadership, a copy of which was shared by an employee. As I pointed out elsewhere, Good Friday is the one day of the year when no Catholic Mass is said. There is a service, the Liturgy of the Passion of the Lord, but it’s not a Mass. It includes the Liturgy of the Word, the Veneration of the Cross, and Holy Communion, using hosts consecrated the day before on Holy Thursday. So this announcement is not only insulting, it’s ignorant. ---
**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:** [April 4, 2026, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298/3968 "2026-04-04T02:37:40Z")
Jorkin’ Dapeanus Vance has written a book about how his conversion to Catholicism totally wasn’t a stunt to try to attain political power. The cover art is a photo of a Methodist church in Virginia that he has never been to. > **[Vance blindsides church he's never visited by plastering it on cover of his...](https://www.rawstory.com/jd-vance-religion-2676663459/)** > > Confusion is swirling at a small Virginia church after it appeared on the cover of Vice President JD Vance’s new memoir – despite members saying he’s never set foot inside. Members of Mt. Zion United Methodist Church say Vance has never visited, and... ---
**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:** [April 4, 2026, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298/3969 "2026-04-04T02:48:32Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > There is a service, the Liturgy of the Passion of the Lord, but it’s not a Mass I did not know that. Yet, God it is long with lots of kneeling and standing. The priest “acts” as Pontious Pilate and the attendees as the attendees, “Crucify him!”. At least Pope JII allowed the closing song to be “Always Look on the Bright Side of Life” > [@Smapti](#): > > The cover art is a photo of a Methodist church in Virginia that he has never been to. My brother once said of the various Protestants, the Methodists were the only ones still going to hell. Not sure why. Yet if just Vance goes, I’m okay with 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:** [April 4, 2026, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298/3970 "2026-04-04T03:05:59Z")
> [@Coriolanus](#): > > Pope JII - Pope John Paul 2nd And was kidding. And so was my brother, I guess. ---
**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:** [April 4, 2026, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298/3971 "2026-04-04T03:46:42Z")
There’s a new nickname going around the internets for what Trump and Hegseth have done to the DoD - the Department of War Crimes ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2026, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298/3972 "2026-04-04T04:16:38Z")
> [@Locrian](#): > > To make it look longer. Anything can be a toy if you’re brave enough. ---
**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:** [April 4, 2026, 6:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298/3973 "2026-04-04T06:35:01Z")
> [@Coriolanus](#): > > My brother once said of the various Protestants, the Methodists were the only ones still going to hell. Not sure why. I can’t find a clip of it right now, but there’s an episode of King of the Hill where a group of Tibetan monks visiting Arlen believe that Bobby is the reincarnation of their late lama. When Hank catches him trying to meditate, he tells him “Cut that out, we’re Methodists!”, to which Bobby responds “I’ve been meaning to ask you about that - what _is_ Methodism, anyway?” After a moment of awkward silence, it cuts to the two of them in the pastor’s office at church, where Hank asks her the same question. Her response, in its entirety, is “Methodism is a rejection of Calvinism”. That scene’s a pretty good encapsulation of how so many of the mainline Protestant churches have always seemed completely indistinguishable to me. ---
**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:** [April 4, 2026, 10:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298/3974 "2026-04-04T10:52:15Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > That…makes no sense whatsoever. Especially if you ever read Crockett’s autobiography available on Project Gutenberg. Crockett wasn’t stupid, but he was no genius either. Except perhaps for politicking in the early days of the US and having a deep understanding of how plentiful beer and whiskey at an event while he was running for office could incline the electorate towards him. The real man was not at all the person portrayed on TV in the mid-20th Century. Although Crockett’s approach to resource extraction, willingness to perform acts that would now be considered war crimes, and lack of formal education might appeal to Trump I’m pretty sure Trump has never read that biography. ---
**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:** [April 4, 2026, 10:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298/3975 "2026-04-04T10:58:01Z")
> [@Monty](#): > > Read the article for the full list. Then try to find [_The Day After_](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Day_After) for some real “feel good” viewing. Also _Threads_ for some additional “feel good” viewing. ---
**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:** [April 4, 2026, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298/3976 "2026-04-04T22:22:56Z")
Trump three days ago: We don’t need any oil from Iran Trump today: ALLAHU AKBAR [![](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:4llrhdclvdlmmynkwsmg5tdc/bafkreido6g2mkms76f4eg45pzdgbzvq2fa7yqhvpwskm4uxyydu7yqrff4) ](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:4llrhdclvdlmmynkwsmg5tdc/bafkreido6g2mkms76f4eg45pzdgbzvq2fa7yqhvpwskm4uxyydu7yqrff4) ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2026, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298/3977 "2026-04-04T22:37:15Z")
Does Trump have _any_ approach other than threats and saber-rattling? ---
**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:** [April 4, 2026, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298/3978 "2026-04-04T22:44:44Z")
Well, once you burn off soft diplomacy, what else do you have? And a nice, abrupt, unvarnished, in CAPS ultimatium “do … immediately or else face destruction” is fairly easily understood by his base. Then there is TACO, but we really want him to TACO. If you put together a list of all the things he didn’t do and spin them as positive, benevolence even, it would be an impressive list of (non) achievements ---
**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:** [April 4, 2026, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298/3979 "2026-04-04T22:49:35Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > Does Trump have _any_ approach other than threats and saber-rattling? Short of having someone else do violence for him, no. He’s a bully to the bone. On top of that, he notoriously believes that there are only “winners” and “losers”, and that only “losers” give _anything_ to the other party in a deal; that limits his “diplomatic” tactics to threats and extortion, since the only agreements he is willing to accept are completely one-sided in his favor. Not even bribes, but only tribute because a “bribe” implies he’ll do something _for_ the other party. Trump can’t offer the Iranians any incentives, because doing so would make Trump a “loser”. To Trump the _only_ acceptable outcome\* is capitulation to him, in return for _nothing._ He can’t even lie about it effectively between his known treacherousness and attacking during negotiations. That’s not an attitude that leaves room for any other tactic than threats and force. - **EDIT:** In his own head, at least. With luck he’ll do his thing of running away and telling himself he won. ---
**Author:** ![Frodo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frodo/32/302_2.png) [@Frodo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frodo)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2026, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298/3980 "2026-04-04T22:50:57Z")
i’m really worried about the consequences for the Iranian population (not to mention the rest of the world’s economy) of Trump not having an easy off-ramp in this war. He may realize that he can’t spin this as a victory in any way, and thus escalate things to horrid levels. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298.md?page=198) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298.md?page=200)