# 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:** 96
**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 25, 2026, 6:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298/1901 "2026-01-25T06:39:15Z")
Graft, grift, and the beat goes on. Not just Mr. Potato Head’s family; let’s get the cabinet secretaries and sons in on the gravy train too. People who were mad about potential 6 figure grift by Hunter Biden seem to not care about 9-10 figure grifts for some reason. > The United States is planning to inject $1.6 billion into Oklahoma-based miner USA Rare Earth > > and will receive a 10% stake in the company, the Financial Times reported on Saturday, citing people familiar with the matter. > > The government investment and a separate $1 billion private financing deal are slated to be announced on Monday, the report said. > > **The company has also brought in Cantor Fitzgerald, an investment banking and brokerage firm chaired by Brandon Lutnick, the son of U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick, to lead efforts to raise more than $1 billion in fresh equity, the FT said.** > **[U.S. to inject $1.6 billion into rare earths miner for 10% stake, FT reports](https://www.cnbc.com/2026/01/24/us-rare-earths-miner.html)** > > The miner has brought in Cantor Fitzgerald, chaired by Brandon Lutnick, son of Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick, to lead efforts to raise over $1 billion. ---
**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 25, 2026, 7:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298/1902 "2026-01-25T07:03:01Z")
> [@Monty](#): > > He [told the New York Post](https://nypost.com/2026/01/24/us-news/trump-tells-the-post-hes-skipping-the-super-bowl-slams-halftime-performers-bad-bunny-and-green-day/) in a Jan. 23 interview that the blockbuster event is “just too far away.” He just flew to Switzerland and back, but California is “too far away”. Sure, dumbass. I guess the part of his brain that hasn’t turned to pudding yet knows the reception he’ll get in the Bay Area at a game that’s going to be at least one west coast team vs. a team from another blue state. ---
**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:** [January 25, 2026, 7:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298/1903 "2026-01-25T07:14:15Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > I guess the part of his brain that hasn’t turned to pudding yet knows the reception he’ll get in the Bay Area at a game that’s going to be at least one west coast team vs. a team from another blue state. Ehh, a small proportion of the attendees at the Super Bowl are fans of the teams playing, and few are local fans\*. It’s mostly high-rollers from around the country (and the world), and wealthy fans willing to spend a fortune to attend. But, even so, it’s still likely that he’d get booed. \*- Each of the two teams gets about 17% of the tickets, though a lot of those go to family members of players and coaches, and non-field team personnel (i.e., management); the remaining portion gets offered to the team’s fans. The host team (in this case, the 49ers) gets about 5% of the tickets. ---
**Author:** ![Buck\_Godot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buck_godot/32/6573_2.png) [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2026, 10:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298/1904 "2026-01-25T10:14:40Z")
It will be interesting to see how he navigates this at the world cup where the audience is likely to be even more anti-Trump than normal, but where he will feel obligated to make an appearance given how much he’s been growing about it. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2026, 10:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298/1905 "2026-01-25T10:44:06Z")
That’s nearly six months away. Kind of banking on him being gone by then. ---
**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 25, 2026, 10:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298/1906 "2026-01-25T10:46:38Z")
Growing? He hasn’t grown at all in decades. Growing, now, that’s a quite different story. ---
**Author:** ![Buck\_Godot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buck_godot/32/6573_2.png) [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2026, 10:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298/1907 "2026-01-25T10:52:45Z")
Typo. Should have been crowing. ---
**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 25, 2026, 10:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298/1908 "2026-01-25T10:58:19Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > Ehh, a small proportion of the attendees at the Super Bowl are fans of the teams playing, and few are local fans\*. It’s mostly high-rollers from around the country (and the world), and wealthy fans willing to spend a fortune to attend. If you had to explain that to me, then what are the odds that Donald Trump knows it? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2026, 11:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298/1909 "2026-01-25T11:40:02Z")
I think all of the World Cup teams should get together and say - Nah, were gonna play in Denmark. Or Canada. ---
**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 25, 2026, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298/1910 "2026-01-25T13:30:42Z")
I made the same typo. I meant crowing is a different story. ---
**Author:** ![scudsucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scudsucker/32/14101_2.png) [@scudsucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scudsucker)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2026, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298/1911 "2026-01-25T15:08:35Z")
> [@Monty](#): > > C’mon, those aren’t webbed feet footprints left by van Simple. As a resident of the Southern Hemisphere in the deep south of South Africa where penguins are nesting and often seen on the beach… I might prefer to spot Donald Trump himself in his long-tied penguin suit. They are evil avians. I think they are bitter that thay can’t fly, and take it out on all of nature. They are really horrible birds, as much as nature documentaries make them look like harmless graceful animals. I mean, not dissimilar to Donald, he is not someone I want to see on a beach, and neither would the penguins. ---
**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 25, 2026, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298/1912 "2026-01-25T15:23:40Z")
> [@Monty](#): > > There’s a trending new app in Denmark thanks to America’s toddler. A _successful_ businessman knows not to piss off his customers. > [@scudsucker](#): > > I might prefer to spot Donald Trump himself in his long-tied penguin suit. [Or his white-tie suit?](https://hips.hearstapps.com/hmg-prod/images/gettyimages-1147874097.jpg?resize=1800:*) ---
**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 25, 2026, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298/1913 "2026-01-25T18:43:59Z")
[![](https://images.spot.im/image/upload/v200/be0b5b0a-cdfd-4c01-9cd5-480713fde563) ](https://images.spot.im/image/upload/v200/be0b5b0a-cdfd-4c01-9cd5-480713fde563) ---
**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:** [January 25, 2026, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298/1914 "2026-01-25T18:46:11Z")
SNL’s knives were particularly sharp last night. I think this is worth sharing. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/2sVn0q_Yi9w/maxresdefault.jpg "Trump Awards Cold Open - SNL") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2sVn0q_Yi9w) ---
**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 25, 2026, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298/1915 "2026-01-25T19:22:16Z")
How do you manage to fuck up a Tux? ---
**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 25, 2026, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298/1916 "2026-01-25T21:04:21Z")
> > > Chris Murphy 🟧 @ChrisMurphyCT ---
**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 25, 2026, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298/1917 "2026-01-25T21:05:13Z")
[![](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/G_d-4vGXEAAXhLv.jpg) ](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/G_d-4vGXEAAXhLv.jpg) ---
**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 25, 2026, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298/1918 "2026-01-25T21:20:13Z")
For those of you that repeat again and again that trumpism is a cult _the Atlantic_ has a more nuanced analysis: > **[The Four Types of Trump Supporter](https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/2026/01/trump-roles-supporters-categories/685706/?gift=cU4WmXraWG3WoSDDx6g_kU1_Bfzc9jCKAd6ml3EpppM&utm_source=copy-link&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=share)** > > The president’s political power depends on his ability to play different roles for different parts of his coalition. Only about one quarteer are really cultists. The rest is just fed up with America and blame the others (the enemy). War against the others is legitimate, because they are evil. Which shows curious similarities to what I think about them. Only there seems to be no anti-trump in sight to beat _them_. So speaking of _the Atlantic_, I hope the Atlantic Ocean is wide and deep enough to keep them at bay. ---
**Author:** ![Stratocaster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stratocaster/32/16393_2.png) [@Stratocaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stratocaster)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2026, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298/1919 "2026-01-25T21:57:09Z")
Fascinating. Thanks for sharing. It explains a lot. “How can they vote for someone whose policies run counter to their own advantage?” Because that’s not what they want or need. ---
**Author:** ![dougrb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/76d3ee/32.png) [@dougrb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougrb)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2026, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298/1920 "2026-01-25T22:13:58Z")
This quote says a lot about our descent into Idiocracy. > Trump’s political skills were forged in WWE arenas, on reality-TV sets, and in the luxury real-estate business—industries that live and die by their ability to capture attention, simplify narratives, and deliver emotional impact. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298.md?page=95) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-the-clusterfuck-continues-part-2/1025298.md?page=97)