# Trump's first cabinet meeting? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [June 13, 2017, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-first-cabinet-meeting/788834 "2017-06-13T03:39:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2017, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-first-cabinet-meeting/788834/1 "2017-06-13T03:39:57Z")
I’m just reading news reports about Trump’s cabinet meeting which as held today (June 12). It’s being described as his first cabinet meeting. I’m not looking to bash him, but is that correct? Isn’t it unusual for a President to be holding his first cabinet meeting in the fourth month of his administration? They’ve all been confirmed since at least April so it’s not like there were vacant positions. In fact, with two exceptions, they were all confirmed back in February. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2017, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-first-cabinet-meeting/788834/2 "2017-06-13T03:46:21Z")
nm. off topic ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2017, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-first-cabinet-meeting/788834/3 "2017-06-13T04:34:44Z")
Perhaps a link to the stories you’ve been reading? ETA: A little googling shows it’s being called his first full Cabinet meeting. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2017, 5:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-first-cabinet-meeting/788834/4 "2017-06-13T05:27:28Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > I’m not looking to bash him, but is that correct? Isn’t it unusual for a President to be holding his first cabinet meeting in the fourth month of his administration? Ratings were slipping so they thought they’d bring in some guest stars for an episode. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Feldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lord_feldon/32/341_2.png) [@Lord\_Feldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Feldon)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2017, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-first-cabinet-meeting/788834/5 "2017-06-13T05:49:21Z")
Cabinet meetings aren’t normally very frequent. They’re mostly for show now. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Feldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lord_feldon/32/341_2.png) [@Lord\_Feldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Feldon)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2017, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-first-cabinet-meeting/788834/6 "2017-06-13T06:01:53Z")
An event he called his first cabinet meeting occurred [in March](https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/onpolitics/2017/03/13/president-trump-holds-first-cabinet-meeting/99136392/), but there were several vacancies. Obama’s first cabinet meeting was on [April 20th](http://www.cbsnews.com/news/obama-convenes-first-cabinet-meeting/). [This article](http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2013/11/locked-in-the-cabinet-99374_full.html#.WT9-tMaDqUk) describes his cabinet meetings as “not much more than ritualistic team-building exercises,” and I don’t think he was the first president to treat them that way. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Ace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/6bbea6/32.png) [@Johnny\_Ace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Ace)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2017, 8:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-first-cabinet-meeting/788834/7 "2017-06-13T08:11:59Z")
That was the most Twilight Zone Cabinet meeting I’ve ever had the ill luck to witness. (It literally reminded me of a Twilight Zone episode…the one with the boy who can remake the world in any way he wants, and he’s surrounded by a bunch of sycophantic relatives who are scared shitless for their lives. I seem to recall that Billy Mumy played the boy, but I could be wrong…) He’s not even the Adolescent-in-Chief. To use his own word, and completely meaningfully, Sad. ETA: My google-fu is strong. It was Billy Mumy, and the venerable Cloris Leachman was also in it. The episode was called “It’s a Good Life.” ---
**Author:** ![Channing\_Idaho\_Banks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/channing_idaho_banks/32/250_2.png) [@Channing\_Idaho\_Banks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Channing_Idaho_Banks)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2017, 8:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-first-cabinet-meeting/788834/8 "2017-06-13T08:29:56Z")
Loser Donald thought, “even though I didn’t ask Comey for his loyalty, I bet I could get everyone in my cabinet do do it, just to show how easy it is.” ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2017, 8:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-first-cabinet-meeting/788834/9 "2017-06-13T08:43:14Z")
Nothing but smiles, at every seat at the table. Granted they were frozen smiles but still, smiles. Things are alright in Trumporea. Happiness and ecstasy felt by all who surround The Dear Leader. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2017, 10:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-first-cabinet-meeting/788834/10 "2017-06-13T10:02:07Z")
Why are Cabinet meetings just for show? ---
**Author:** ![Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/budget_player_cadet/32/205_2.png) [@Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Budget_Player_Cadet)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2017, 10:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-first-cabinet-meeting/788834/11 "2017-06-13T10:20:15Z")
This is normal, right? _Right_? ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2017, 10:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-first-cabinet-meeting/788834/12 "2017-06-13T10:46:31Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > Why are Cabinet meetings just for show? Cabinets are so big now, and departmental functions so complex and specialized, the President doesn’t tend to rely on the cabinet, all sitting together, to help him make decisions anymore. [Here’s](https://books.google.com/books?id=7VMEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA6&lpg=PA6&dq=cabinet+meeting+ceremonial&source=bl&ots=Qw3Nw7H_31&sig=va9Xtg_sRYQm0mmhflf1aQ9rex4&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwim-My90LrUAhXF8j4KHUwnAU44ChDoAQgyMAM#v=onepage&q=cabinet%20meeting%20ceremonial&f=false) a Life article by Hugh Sidney from 1968 bemoaning that the cabinet is “a ceremonial relic from the founding of the republic”. ---
**Author:** ![galen\_ubal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/galen_ubal/32/4440_2.png) [@galen\_ubal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/galen_ubal)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2017, 11:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-first-cabinet-meeting/788834/13 "2017-06-13T11:20:24Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > Why are Cabinet meetings just for show? Full Cabinet meetings are kind of pointless - it’s hard to imagine a situation where all of the Cabinet heads could have meaningful input from their own departments, other than a _very_ general state of the nation sort of way. ---
**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:** [June 13, 2017, 11:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-first-cabinet-meeting/788834/14 "2017-06-13T11:26:53Z")
It was like an SNL skit where they try to make an official White House Cabinet greeting look like a scene from “The Godfather”. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2017, 11:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-first-cabinet-meeting/788834/15 "2017-06-13T11:27:35Z")
To paraphrase: “God damn I am the greatest president of all time! My first hundred days had more days than any other president! We passed lots of legislation, more than any other president and my executive orders- just awesome! Now let’s go around the table and each of you, in your own words, tell me how great I am.” ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2017, 12:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-first-cabinet-meeting/788834/16 "2017-06-13T12:07:15Z")
> [@Budget\_Player\_Cadet](#): > > This is normal, right? _Right_? It’s a _good_ cabinet. ---
**Author:** ![Morgenstern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2017, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-first-cabinet-meeting/788834/17 "2017-06-13T14:27:54Z")
It went something like a Thanksgiving dinner table “what are you thankful for” event. Yes Great Marshall, I love how you have made life so much better for Americans is just 5 short months. You’re [our great leader sir](http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2016/05/18/14/3455619D00000578-3596812-image-a-26_1463578794522.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![asahi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asahi/32/8693_2.png) [@asahi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asahi)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2017, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-first-cabinet-meeting/788834/18 "2017-06-13T15:23:30Z")
It honestly reminded me of those old video tapes produced by Ba’ath party-run state media of Saddam Hussein flanked with his subordinates. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2017, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-first-cabinet-meeting/788834/19 "2017-06-14T03:26:40Z")
[Splunge!](https://youtu.be/3v0I4OQi7CQ) ---
**Author:** ![UDS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecae2f/32.png) [@UDS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UDS)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2017, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-first-cabinet-meeting/788834/20 "2017-06-14T04:04:11Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > Why are Cabinet meetings just for show? Because SFAIK the Cabinet has no constitutional function in the US system. There is nothing which, either by law or by convention, has to be decided upon or agreed upon by the Cabinet, and while the heads of executive department have the constitutional function of advising the President “upon any Subject relating to the Duties of their respective Offices”, there’s no provision under which the Cabinet provides collective advice, or acts collectively in any way at all. Hence, not much call for Cabinet meetings, unless a particular president chooses to adopt a practice of seeking collective advice from the Cabinet. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-first-cabinet-meeting/788834.md?page=2)