# 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:** 92
**Author:** ![Mollie\_Magill](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mollie_magill/32/20882_2.png) [@Mollie\_Magill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mollie_Magill)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2026, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298/1821 "2026-01-22T16:22:16Z")
Look, I’m tired. I’ve only had three cups of coffee. ---
**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:** [January 22, 2026, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298/1822 "2026-01-22T16:24:22Z")
> [@Maus\_Magill](#): > > I’ve only had three cups of coffee. Hey, that’s a cup for each spelling! I’ve only just started on the second pot. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2026, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298/1823 "2026-01-22T18:54:59Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > it’s time to start fighting like the third monkey on the ramp to the ark This made me piss myself laughing! 😆 ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2026, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298/1824 "2026-01-22T20:24:02Z")
What are they gonna say, they are 100% wrong. No way to defend their position. ---
**Author:** ![dougrb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/76d3ee/32.png) [@dougrb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougrb)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2026, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298/1825 "2026-01-22T22:44:02Z")
Tirelessly working for the american people. > **[Trump sues JPMorgan Chase and Jamie Dimon for at least $5bn](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jan/22/trump-sues-jpmorgan-jamie-dimon-debanking)** > > US president alleges JPMorgan stopped offering him banking services in wake of January 6 Capitol riot ---
**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:** [January 22, 2026, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298/1826 "2026-01-22T23:03:55Z")
The man needs somewhere to hold all that grift. The vault at Axos Financial is chockas. ---
**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:** [January 22, 2026, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298/1827 "2026-01-22T23:09:17Z")
Dementia Donny doesn’t remember how long he’s been president for. [![](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:4llrhdclvdlmmynkwsmg5tdc/bafkreihpdurjo26fhwg6fmikxiqjaolspeq5tf5eoukvtyhs2xnlea7b5a@jpeg) ](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:4llrhdclvdlmmynkwsmg5tdc/bafkreihpdurjo26fhwg6fmikxiqjaolspeq5tf5eoukvtyhs2xnlea7b5a@jpeg) ---
**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 22, 2026, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298/1828 "2026-01-22T23:10:29Z")
Doesn’t he think he was president from 2020-2024? Seriously. ---
**Author:** ![aurora\_maire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aurora_maire/32/328_2.png) [@aurora\_maire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aurora_maire)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2026, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298/1829 "2026-01-22T23:29:44Z")
> [@JKellyMap](#): > > Doesn’t he think he was president from 2020-2024? He wants that to be true more than anything else in the world and he is going to obsessively continue to push “the government” to “officially” declare that he technically was. ---
**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:** [January 23, 2026, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298/1830 "2026-01-23T01:12:39Z")
I think he’s egging on the MAGAts, as usual. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2026, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298/1831 "2026-01-23T01:23:08Z")
Great idea! That means that he would have to immediately leave the White House. ---
**Author:** ![wguy123](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wguy123/32/3161_2.png) [@wguy123](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wguy123)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2026, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298/1832 "2026-01-23T01:47:38Z")
[![](https://i.imgur.com/M2PW71n.png) ](https://i.imgur.com/M2PW71n.png) [![](https://media.tenor.com/OV63X9CSbykAAAAe/acting-up.png) ](https://media.tenor.com/OV63X9CSbykAAAAe/acting-up.png) ---
**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:** [January 23, 2026, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298/1833 "2026-01-23T01:50:45Z")
“Peace is so destructive for everyone” > ---
**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 23, 2026, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298/1834 "2026-01-23T02:27:08Z")
Oh yeah? Well I hereby take back the invitation you refused to accept. Double quitsies, no returns. [![](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/G_UAqPPXsAEAS5P.jpg) ](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/G_UAqPPXsAEAS5P.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2026, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298/1835 "2026-01-23T03:27:36Z")
> [@Moriarty](#): > > You all should know that she’d be right at home on these boards. So, would you invite her to drop in and see how she likes the place? ---
**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 23, 2026, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298/1836 "2026-01-23T04:53:38Z")
[Black people are scary, but she’s not Black enough. Let’s make her cry, too.](https://www.aol.com/news/white-house-posts-digitally-altered-205254296.html) > [@](#): > > The White House posted a digitally altered image of a woman who was arrested on Thursday in a case touted by the US attorney general, [Pam Bondi](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/pam-bondi), to make it seem as if she was dramatically crying, a Guardian analysis of the image has found. > > The woman, Nekima Levy Armstrong, also appears to have darker skin in the altered image. Armstrong was [one of three people arrested](https://www.aol.com/news/two-arrested-connection-anti-ice-152057210.html) on Thursday in connection to a demonstration that disrupted church services in St Paul, Minnesota, on Sunday. Demonstrators alleged that one of the pastors, David Easterwood, was the acting field director of the St Paul Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) office. Bondi announced the arrests on social media on Thursday morning. > > The homeland security secretary, [Kristi Noem](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/kristi-noem), posted an image of Armstrong’s arrest at 10.21am on Thursday, less than an hour after Bondi’s announcement. The image shows a law enforcement agent, face blurred out, escorting Armstrong, who appears to be handcuffed. Armstrong, dressed in all black, appears to be composed in the picture. > > A little more than 30 minutes later, the White House posted another image of Armstrong’s arrest in which she is crying. The White House press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, reposted the image. The image posted by the White House is altered, a Guardian analysis found. Yeah, Bondi. You’re going to be gone before you hit forty scaramuccies. Nice touch, on the White House’s part, though, equating dark complexion with criminality. [Evidently five-year olds are scary, too.](https://www.aol.com/news/ice-detains-5-old-jd-144804708.html) > [@](#): > > [Vice President JD Vance](https://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/jd-vance/) on Thursday defended the detainment of a 5-year-old boy by federal agents and said the Trump administration does not believe the [Insurrection Act](https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/vance-defends-ice-minneapolis-says-212618886.html) is needed amid unrest over immigration enforcement in Minnesota. > > Vance’s comments come as outrage swelled over Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents taking into custody four students under the age of 18 in the Minneapolis suburb of Columbia Heights. School officials said Liam Conejo Ramos, a preschooler, and his father were detained in their driveway after school on Tuesday. > > When an adult known to the family offered to take Liam, ICE agents refused and instead led the boy to his front door and ordered him to knock – “essentially using a 5-year-old as bait,” according to a [news release from Columbia Heights Public Schools](https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=d0a83db8-c331-42d5-a48f-07b70308642c&siteId=us-y4p&pageId=1p-autolink&contentUuid=ef9151d6-efa5-35cc-8d04-49f119ad95fc&featureId=text-link&merchantName=Adobe+Acrobat&linkText=news+release+from+Columbia+Heights+Public+Schools&custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL2Fjcm9iYXQuYWRvYmUuY29tL2lkL3VybjphYWlkOnNjOlZBNkMyOjhmY2QyZTY2LWUwYmQtNGE0MS1hMzNlLTAyNGQ2ZTQ0ZDY0Nz92aWV3ZXIlMjFtZWdhVmVyYj1ncm91cC1kaXNjb3ZlciIsImNvbnRlbnRVdWlkIjoiZWY5MTUxZDYtZWZhNS0zNWNjLThkMDQtNDlmMTE5YWQ5NWZjIiwib3JpZ2luYWxVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL2Fjcm9iYXQuYWRvYmUuY29tL2lkL3VybjphYWlkOnNjOlZBNkMyOjhmY2QyZTY2LWUwYmQtNGE0MS1hMzNlLTAyNGQ2ZTQ0ZDY0Nz92aWV3ZXIlMjFtZWdhVmVyYj1ncm91cC1kaXNjb3ZlciJ9&signature=AQAAAVN3GxwQDYUWdoHQkVwOFDsauYyqppj00f3aQgB_T-6Y&gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Facrobat.adobe.com%2Fid%2Furn%3Aaaid%3Asc%3AVA6C2%3A8fcd2e66-e0bd-4a41-a33e-024d6e44d647%3Fviewer%2521megaVerb%3Dgroup-discover&spaceId=1197803369&uuid=TOx7deuf07CaXY6L0005). Bait? Using a child as bait? And what evil did the person they’re fishing for do? > [@](#): > > Vance on Thursday said ICE was targeting the boy’s father, an undocumented immigrant from Ecuador, who federal officials accuse of trying to flee from immigration agents. The man’s attorney vehemently denied federal officials’ account of the arrest and said the man was in the country legally, awaiting asylum. Ah, he committed the crime of following the law by asking for asylum. [Jack Smith will likely need to hire private security now.](https://www.aol.com/articles/former-special-counsel-jack-smith-100501105.html) > [@](#): > > Former special counsel Jack Smith, testifying Thursday before the GOP-led House Judiciary Committee, was unequivocal about who caused the [Jan. 6, 2021, attack](https://abcnews.go.com/US/january6) on the U.S. Capitol. > > “Our investigation revealed that Donald Trump is the person who caused Jan. 6, that it was foreseeable to him and that he sought to exploit the violence,” Smith testified. “We followed the facts and we followed the law – where that led us was to an indictment of an unprecedented criminal scheme to block the peaceful transfer of power.” If you don’t think Rip van Simple’s supporters are violent, let me remind you of the incident Jack Smith was investigating. [Or you can read about the fireworks at the hearing.](https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/hero-cop-snaps-expletive-filled-210748336.html) (The **bolding** is mine.) > [@](#): > > Extremist Ivan Raiklin was in the hearing where Smith was testifying publicly for the first time on his investigations into Trump. > > During one of the recesses, Raiklin approached retired Metropolitan Police officer Michael Fanone, who has testified about being beaten and tasered while defending the U.S. Capitol on January 6. & > [@](#): > > It all began when Raikin walked up toward Fanone and could be heard saying, “Hey, Michael.” > > Fanone glanced over and responded, “Hey, what’s up, buddy?” before saying, “Go f— yourself” as Raiklin introduced himself by name. > > “Why do you have to swear at me?” Raiklin kept going as Fanone started to turn away. > > “Oh dude, don’t pretend like we’re not mortal enemies,” Fanone responded. “Go f— yourself.” > > Raiklin continued to taunt Fanone. He could be heard asking him why he was “so spasmodic.” > > At that point, former U.S. Capitol Police Officer Harry Dunn quickly stepped in and tried to pull Fanone away as Fanone accused Raiklin of being a traitor to the U.S. > > **“You’ve threatened my family and you’ve threatened my life. You’re a traitor to this f—ing country. Go f— yourself,” Fanone said in a low voice, pointing his finger at Raiklin.** & > [@](#): > > **“This guy’s threatened my family, threatened my children,” Fanone said. “Threatened to rape my children, rape my children, you sick b-----d.”** [Seems as though one judge believes the big beautiful ballroom is one big barrel of bull.](https://www.aol.com/news/federal-judge-appears-skeptical-dojs-000423985.html) > [@](#): > > A federal judge heard arguments Thursday in Washington over the legality of the White House ballroom’s construction. > > While U.S. District Judge Richard Leon did not rule from the bench, promising a decision next month, his comments during arguments left little doubt about what way he was leaning. > > Attorney Thad Heuer, representing the nonprofit National Trust for Historic Preservation, a group that works to protect U.S. historic sites, argued that the president does not have the constitutional authority to tear down the East Wing of the White House and construct a ballroom. > > “He’s not the owner” of the White House, Heuer said. > > Leon appeared to agree, saying, “He’s the steward.” > > There was a great deal of discussion about the funding mechanism for the project. Leon compared it several times to a “Rube Goldberg Contraption,” because of the novel way the Trump administration is avoiding direct congressional authorization for the project. My favorite part of the article is this comment from the judge. The **bolding** is mine. > [@](#): > > Roth also cited the White House pool President Gerald Ford built in 1975 and the White House Tennis Complex as two structures on the White House grounds that didn’t get direct congressional authorization. > > Leon appeared skeptical of that line of argument. **“The ’70s Ford pool? You compare that to ripping down the East Wing?” Leon asked. “C’mon, be serious.”** [The felon’s selling another country’s oil to, you guessed it, China.](https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/us-allows-china-purchase-venezuelan-192534279.html) > [@](#): > > WASHINGTON, Jan 22 (Reuters) - The Trump administration is allowing China to purchase Venezuelan oil but not at “unfair, undercut” prices at which ​Caracas sold the crude before the U.S. removed President Nicolas Maduro, a ‌U.S. official said on Thursday. > > While the oil will be sold in the global marketplace, the administration has required ‌that the majority be sold to the United States, the administration official said on condition of anonymity. The U.S. says it will control Venezuela’s oil sales indefinitely after seizing Maduro on January 3. [Rip puts the “Simple” in “van Simple”](https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/trump-sputters-confronted-caving-over-212311584.html) (The **bolding** is mine.) > [@](#): > > President Donald Trump was left sputtering for a moment on Wednesday after dramatically backtracking on threats to take over Greenland. > > The president was confronted about his announcement that a “framework” had been reached for a future deal regarding the Danish territory. > > “Does it still include the United States having ownership of Greenland, like you’ve said you wanted?” asked CNN’s Kaitlan Collins on the sidelines of Davos. > > The president paused, then sighed as he tried to figure out how to respond. > > **“Uhhh, it’s a long-term deal,” Trump said, drawing out the word long. “It’s the ultimate long-term deal** , and I think it puts everybody in a really good position, especially as it pertains to security.” I remind you he’s been convicted of thirty-four frauds. He’s a convicted conman. A conman’s view of the “ultimate deal” is not what one should want to hear from a sitting president. But, wait, he’s not done _wording_. > [@](#): > > Trump claimed the deal was being worked on, but he touted it as an “infinite deal.” ---
**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:** [January 23, 2026, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298/1837 "2026-01-23T05:28:58Z")
> [@dougrb](#): > > Tirelessly working for the american people. > > [Trump sues JPMorgan Chase and Jamie Dimon for at least $5bn | Donald Trump | The Guardian](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jan/22/trump-sues-jpmorgan-jamie-dimon-debanking) I wonder if Trump thinks JPMorgan Chase has anything on him from their relationship with Jeffrey Epstein. ---
**Author:** ![smithsb](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smithsb/32/12107_2.png) [@smithsb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smithsb)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2026, 6:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298/1838 "2026-01-23T06:36:19Z")
Posturing, bloating, extorting, and the usual self-victimizing. Weak numbers though. Gonna need to buck them up by 2000 or 3000%, rookie stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2026, 7:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298/1839 "2026-01-23T07:06:34Z")
I think it’s three things: - revenge on anyone who has ever checked him - a message to anyone who may consider checking him - grift Others have paid up under similar pressure and Trump figures the strategy works so he’s going to do it to everyone that gets in his way. ---
**Author:** ![aurora\_maire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aurora_maire/32/328_2.png) [@aurora\_maire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aurora_maire)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2026, 9:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298/1840 "2026-01-23T09:35:32Z")
The article “A Year Inside Kash Patel’s F.B.I.” was published by the NY Times yesterday and it’s a doozy. There’s nothing that will really surprise you except that there’s just _so much_ craziness. For instance, this about Charlie Kirk’s shooting. > [@](#): > > And then it turns surreal. He and Bongino start talking about their Twitter strategy. And Kash is like: I’m gonna tweet this. Salt Lake, you tweet that. Dan, you come in with this. Then I’ll come back with this. They’re literally scripting out their social media, not talking about how we’re going to respond or resources or the situation. He’s screaming that he wants to put stuff out, but it’s not even vetted yet. It’s not even accurate. > > When I was an agent, I did hundreds of these cases. The initial information that comes in is always wrong. There’s too much coming in, and it takes time to vet. And it was obvious that Kash can’t understand that and doesn’t want to understand that. > Everyone on the call is just like: This guy is completely out of control. Or this from when Patel went to the Five Eyes conference in the U.K. > [@](#): > > Before the conference, his staff says he’s unhappy because he doesn’t like meetings in office settings. What he wants is social events. He wants Premier soccer games. He wants to go jet skiing. He’d like a helicopter tour. Everyone who heard about this was like: Hold on. Is he really going to ask the MI5 director to go jet skiing instead of meeting? The schedule is set, and every Five Eyes partner is doing this. They can’t just say that he’s not participating and instead he wants to go to a Premier soccer game. This is a job, guys. > > His staff only cared about three things: what his meals were, when his workouts would be and what his entertainment would be. The biggest plan is how he’s going to get his girlfriend in there so she can go to Windsor Castle. He’s got Nicole Rucker as his assistant, like a true executive concierge. And when she’s not getting the food or the workout she wants, she’ll just start screaming at people, Make it happen! It’s a fairly long article but worth the effort. The link is archived so free to read. [Kash Patel’s FBI Is Making America Less Safe, Current and Former Employees Say - The New York Times](https://archive.ph/WSVGh) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298.md?page=91) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298.md?page=93)