# Who, if any, are the grown-ups still active in positions of power/responsibility in the federal government? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [March 19, 2026, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-if-any-are-the-grown-ups-still-active-in-positions-of-power-responsibility-in-the-federal-government/1028575 "2026-03-19T14:07:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2026, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-if-any-are-the-grown-ups-still-active-in-positions-of-power-responsibility-in-the-federal-government/1028575/41 "2026-03-19T21:58:56Z")
I’d be surprised/interested to see that ANYONE Trump appointed was competent and well-intentioned. Not saying none exists, but I’d imagine it would be some lower level appointee who slipped in somehow. And I’m not exaggerating. ---
**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:** [March 19, 2026, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-if-any-are-the-grown-ups-still-active-in-positions-of-power-responsibility-in-the-federal-government/1028575/42 "2026-03-19T22:01:02Z")
There are ZERO in the administration. Rubio? What a joke. He still has dreams of being president but I don’t see Americans voting for a pipsqueak. He will be forever tarnished by association with this band of dipsticks. Every single person in the administration got there either by having zero integrity or by exchanging what little integrity they had for power. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2026, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-if-any-are-the-grown-ups-still-active-in-positions-of-power-responsibility-in-the-federal-government/1028575/43 "2026-03-19T22:16:08Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > There are ZERO in the administration. Rubio? What a joke. He still has dreams of being president but I don’t see Americans voting for a pipsqueak Running against whom? ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2026, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-if-any-are-the-grown-ups-still-active-in-positions-of-power-responsibility-in-the-federal-government/1028575/44 "2026-03-19T23:03:50Z")
Trump learned in his first term that if you appoint competent people they will sometimes push back against his incompetence and so avoided doing that this time. I guess Rubio is the best you can come up with, but he knows not to irritate the boss with facts. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2026, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-if-any-are-the-grown-ups-still-active-in-positions-of-power-responsibility-in-the-federal-government/1028575/45 "2026-03-19T23:07:13Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > > [@wolfpup](#): > > > > Whatever positive attributes he may still have, Lutnick is a Trump toady with a mixed track record who’s been a real PITA for Canada on trade. > > And, he’s also been one of the primary people in the administration pushing for the tariff madness. Yes , this. He KNOWS that the tariffs are paid for by US importers who then pass the costs onto consumers. He’s not stupid. But he spouts the Trump lies anyway. I actually have more sympathy for the stupid people in the administration. Instead, Lutnick is being actively evil, to further his own ends. ---
**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:** [March 19, 2026, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-if-any-are-the-grown-ups-still-active-in-positions-of-power-responsibility-in-the-federal-government/1028575/46 "2026-03-19T23:10:54Z")
Unless Democrats nominate a jockey, it would be someone taller. Statistically, the shorter candidate very seldom wins the presidency. I see Rubio running but not getting the nomination. If the Iran war keeps going tits up, the next nominee will be someone with zero association with the current administration. ---
**Author:** ![Sylvanz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/fbc32d/32.png) [@Sylvanz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sylvanz)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2026, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-if-any-are-the-grown-ups-still-active-in-positions-of-power-responsibility-in-the-federal-government/1028575/47 "2026-03-19T23:52:15Z")
Not rubio. He has definitely gone to the darkside if he ever _was_ on the side of the ligjt. He is behind the drive to invade Cuba. What’s more is he _knows_ better, and chooses to promote trump’s garbage. ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2026, 12:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-if-any-are-the-grown-ups-still-active-in-positions-of-power-responsibility-in-the-federal-government/1028575/48 "2026-03-20T12:11:44Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > > [@solost](#): > > > > I tend to think that soulless self promotion _ **is** _ a form of cowardice. > > Like I said, the results are the same so it doesn’t matter much. I think he’s acting out of ambition. I don’t equate moral bankruptcy with cowardice. I agree with you about the results being the same. Is Rubio and those like him acting out of fear of endangering their political career over doing what’s right, or coldly calculating how they can advance their own ambitions despite the consequences to others? Whether the motivation is cowardice or evil, both are choosing self-interest to the detriment of others. ---
**Author:** ![PatrickLondon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/patricklondon/32/4422_2.png) [@PatrickLondon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatrickLondon)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2026, 6:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-if-any-are-the-grown-ups-still-active-in-positions-of-power-responsibility-in-the-federal-government/1028575/49 "2026-03-21T06:43:49Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > I see Rubio running In _those_ shoes? ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2026, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-if-any-are-the-grown-ups-still-active-in-positions-of-power-responsibility-in-the-federal-government/1028575/50 "2026-03-30T16:29:46Z")
Maybe he could do a [Big Shoe Dance](https://tenor.com/view/happy-dance-silly-gif-16955114) ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2026, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-if-any-are-the-grown-ups-still-active-in-positions-of-power-responsibility-in-the-federal-government/1028575/51 "2026-04-03T00:54:39Z")
Damn it, and they just forced General Randy George out. > **[Hegseth ousts Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George](https://www.cbsnews.com/amp/news/hegseth-ousts-army-chief-of-staff-gen-randy-george/)** > > One of the sources said Hegseth wants someone in the role who will implement President Trump and Hegseth's vision for the Army. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2026, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-if-any-are-the-grown-ups-still-active-in-positions-of-power-responsibility-in-the-federal-government/1028575/52 "2026-04-03T02:09:14Z")
I have heard (with no evidence or proof) that he was ousted because he refused to sign onto an insane plan to have troops fly 600 miles into Iranian territory via refueled helicopters, construct a runway, have planes land with heavy equipment that is shielded from radiation, and dig out nuclear material buried hundreds of meters underground and then fly it out like super action hero’s in a movie. So they’re going to find another general that will sign onto this plan with gusto. ---
**Author:** ![Al128](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/al128/32/16541_2.png) [@Al128](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Al128)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2026, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-if-any-are-the-grown-ups-still-active-in-positions-of-power-responsibility-in-the-federal-government/1028575/53 "2026-04-03T02:14:54Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > So they’re going to find another general that will sign onto this plan with gusto. Maybe General Electric… or General Motors? ---
**Author:** ![OttoDaFe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ottodafe/32/356_2.png) [@OttoDaFe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OttoDaFe)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2026, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-if-any-are-the-grown-ups-still-active-in-positions-of-power-responsibility-in-the-federal-government/1028575/54 "2026-04-03T19:47:58Z")
Or [General Bullmoose](https://comicstrips.fandom.com/wiki/General_Bullmoose). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-if-any-are-the-grown-ups-still-active-in-positions-of-power-responsibility-in-the-federal-government/1028575.md?page=2)