# 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:** 64
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2026, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298/1261 "2026-01-05T20:10:50Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > The ghost of James Monroe: “Stop putting my name on this bullshit!” I’m guessing that James Monroe did not foresee the development of nuclear weaponry, and the bullying that possession of such enables. (He was still thinking about colonial-oriented Europeans trying to stay colonial conquerors.) ---
**Author:** ![yendis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/ed8c4c/32.png) [@yendis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yendis)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2026, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298/1262 "2026-01-05T20:19:58Z")
Of course the US dominating the Western hemisphere is a reduction in US influence and power. From global hegemon to regional power. ---
**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:** [January 5, 2026, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298/1263 "2026-01-05T20:39:11Z")
I don’t think he means the Western hemisphere, I believe he thinks the Americas are a hemisphere. Geography and topology are not his forte. Not that anything else of relevance is. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2026, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298/1264 "2026-01-05T20:44:18Z")
Hmmm…in my experience, most people (English speakers? US residents?) consider “Western Hemisphere” and “The Americas” (or, more commonly, “North and South America”) to be synonymous. It’s different than “the Western World” or “the West,” which is a vague term that roughly includes the Americas plus Europe, Australia, and maybe Japan (or not). (It’s true that the Americas occupy rather less than 180 degrees of longitude, but they’re popularly known as a “Hemisphere” nonetheless.) ---
**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:** [January 5, 2026, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298/1265 "2026-01-05T20:54:38Z")
Here we have another difference between what I always understood the words to mean in Europe, which I believe considers itself part of the Western hemisphere, and the meaning in the US. Thanks for the enlightment! ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2026, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298/1266 "2026-01-05T20:55:06Z")
Interesting. I learned from you as well. ---
**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:** [January 6, 2026, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298/1267 "2026-01-06T00:47:53Z")
> [@Pardel-Lux](#): > > I don’t think he means the Western hemisphere, I believe he thinks the Americas are a hemisphere. Geography and topology are not his forte. > Not that anything else of relevance is. If memory serves, the Western Hemisphere includes parts of Africa and Europe. I wouldn’t bet that he cares all that much about those countries, especially the African ones. Oh, yes. Part of Asian Russia is in that hemisphere. ---
**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:** [January 6, 2026, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298/1268 "2026-01-06T01:00:35Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > I’m waiting for when ICE decides to deport Maduro. There’s a meme about that making the rounds. An endless circle. The military kidnaps Maduro in Venezuela and brings him to the US —\> ICE captures Maduro in the US and deports him to Venezuela —\> The military kidnaps Maduro in Venezuela and brings him to the US —\> ICE captures Maduro in the US and deports him to Venezuela… ---
**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:** [January 6, 2026, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298/1269 "2026-01-06T01:02:27Z")
🎶 Oh, it all makes work for the working man to do…🎶 ---
**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:** [January 6, 2026, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298/1270 "2026-01-06T01:03:32Z")
There is a non-zero chance that Trump will pardon Maduro. ---
**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:** [January 6, 2026, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298/1271 "2026-01-06T01:04:24Z")
Why? I find it more likely that he’ll have Maduro tortured into confessing something. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2026, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298/1272 "2026-01-06T01:11:58Z")
> [@Monty](#): > > If memory serves, the Western Hemisphere includes parts of Africa and Europe. A small part of them, but pretty much accidentally. It clearly is _meant_ to mean “North and South America”. [![](https://ian.macky.net/pat/map/whem/whemblu2.gif) ](https://ian.macky.net/pat/map/whem/whemblu2.gif) ---
**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:** [January 6, 2026, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298/1273 "2026-01-06T01:34:14Z")
Trump will pardon Maduro as soon as he admits that he helped rig the 2020 election. ---
**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:** [January 6, 2026, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298/1274 "2026-01-06T01:37:51Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > There’s a meme about that making the rounds. An endless circle. > > The military kidnaps Maduro in Venezuela and brings him to the US —\> ICE captures Maduro in the US and deports him to Venezuela —\> The military kidnaps Maduro in Venezuela and brings him to the US —\> ICE captures Maduro in the US and deports him to Venezuela… You left out where our felon-in-chief pardons Maduro like he did for another high value drug convict. [Warmonger censures hero warrior.](https://www.aol.com/articles/hegseth-censures-sen-kelly-warning-150257307.html) > [@](#): > > WASHINGTON (AP) — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced Monday that he censured Democratic [Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona](https://apnews.com/article/who-is-mark-kelly-military-d3f67f108de8de7569305fca5a913c27) over the former Navy pilot’s participation in [a video that called on troops](https://apnews.com/article/trump-military-traitors-sedition-illegal-orders-c5fc3c5bd2fbc6b1204550e4203c24b2) to resist unlawful orders. > > Hegseth said the censure — by itself simply a formal letter with little practical consequence — was “a necessary process step” to proceedings that could result in a demotion from Kelly’s retired rank of captain and subsequent reduction in retirement pay. > > Investigating and now punishing a sitting U.S. senator is an extraordinary move for the Pentagon, which until President Donald Trump’s second term had usually gone out of its way to act and appear apolitical. A legal expert says the choice to go after a lawmaker will [complicate an already unique case](https://apnews.com/article/kelly-video-pentagon-investigation-trump-sedition-military-4a5ed2d4674d7ed735aa9cb330e22099). > > In a lengthy post on social media, Kelly said he “never expected” what he called an “attack” from Trump and Hegseth, recounting his 25 years of Navy service as well as combat and space missions. > > Calling Hegseth’s move “outrageous” and “un-American,” Kelly said he would fight the censure “with everything I’ve got — not for myself, but to [send a message back](https://apnews.com/article/mark-kelly-pentagon-investigation-illegal-orders-8577539c6ae211ccf7f75fa0cfa0c9e2) that Pete Hegseth and Donald Trump don’t get to decide what Americans in this country get to say about their government.” This is completely outrageous. And worse, it’s a blatant attempt to force a sitting Senator to knuckle under and not criticize the executive branch and thus serve as a warning to any other member of the legislature who happens to be current (reserve component) or retired miitlary. Captain Kelly did not do anything illegal. To the contrary, what he did was quote the actual words of the Uniform Code of Military Justice. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2026, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298/1275 "2026-01-06T02:15:07Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > Why? Because Trump loves money, he sells pardons and Maduro has money. Not saying it will happen, but there’s definitely a non-zero chance he pardons him. There’s precedent. ---
**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:** [January 6, 2026, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298/1276 "2026-01-06T02:32:29Z")
> [@Monty](#): > > To the contrary, what he did was quote the actual words of the Uniform Code of Military Justice. Which were almost identical to . 🥁 . Pete Hegseth’s! ---
**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:** [January 6, 2026, 7:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298/1277 "2026-01-06T07:20:00Z")
> [@Happy\_Lendervedder](#): > > Because Trump loves money, he sells pardons and Maduro has money. “Gimmie the money and you’ll be pardoned in two weeks.” ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2026, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298/1278 "2026-01-06T12:54:53Z")
Since Trump loves money, he’ll definitely love being _on_ money! [https://www.npr.org/2026/01/05/nx-s1-5660747/new-redesigned-coins-250th-anniversary](https://www.npr.org/2026/01/05/nx-s1-5660747/new-redesigned-coins-250th-anniversary) ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2026, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298/1279 "2026-01-06T13:59:39Z")
Unbelievable. A verteran Congressmen is being censored for stating military LAW. And congress does nothing. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2026, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298/1280 "2026-01-06T18:26:19Z")
This is not AI, this is real: > **[Aaron Rupar (@aaron.rupar) on Threads](https://www.threads.com/@aaron.rupar/post/DTLLUyyCTRH?xmt=AQF0TtmXfk8yUnHGHRGeJkGi6NbinYDGIBlZ5Vew128VbsGd4utzKIO0yRJe4J9XrDTu1C8&slof=1)** > > checking in on the president: And for those wondering what Trump means when he says, “transgender for everyone,” here he “explains:” > **[Aaron Rupar (@aaron.rupar) on Threads](https://www.threads.com/@aaron.rupar/post/DTLV9fWib2M?xmt=AQF0HG2EEeJioOVJbVm-fBvcFH8KPxq7XxcEKcZxI9N7j9HlXNPTpHWQCT3_IIQUaahwZXv2&slof=1)** > > Trump: "Transgender for everyone! Bring your kids in, we're gonna change the sex of your child. Just send them our way. In some cases, like in Minnesota, they don't even tell the parents. Nobody believes it when I say it. They operate on the kid,... “I won’t say cancel the election (they should cancel the election!)…” > **[Aaron Rupar (@aaron.rupar) on Threads](https://www.threads.com/@aaron.rupar/post/DTLKnm3CbZr?xmt=AQF0wJhOq1346IYU4NPKfpzacPW3CbJWge5TRQK8yDv4ArUmtc2xUgP9r0Re73XKkAr_33Iz&slof=1)** > > Trump: "They have the worst policy. How we have to even run against these people -- I won't say cancel the election, they should cancel the election, because the fake news with say, 'He wants the elections canceled. He's a dictator.' They always call... God help us be rid of this idiot. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298.md?page=63) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298.md?page=65)