‘There Will Always Be Change,’ Trump Says
You better believe it, Trump. Your days are numbered.
7
Trump is busily scuttling the ship of state, and the Republican-controlled Congress doesn't seem to realize we're sinking.
10
The president says he's making changes because he wants to have people with different ideas. He also says he wants to rid himself of people who do not share his ideas. I'll buy the second part.
4
When a fish rots, it starts at the head!
3
White House employees have started betting pools, wagering on who's next to be fired.
Sarah Huckabee says there are "no pending personnel changes" -- which Trump employees all know means the grim reaper is at the door.
3
Change ,yes.
Not Trumps chaos and destruction.
3
Like ripping of a bandage in one swift motion, he should get rid of Kelly, McMaster, Sessions, and Carson in a single tweet.
2
It’s supposed to be about stability and continuity for OUR Country Trump, get a grip please ASAP!
2
Scandals, chaos and disruption ensures continuity because the political appointees at the top will be unable to effectively implement changes. Millions of permanent federal government employees will carry out their responsibilities as they always have regardless of changes in personnel in "leadership" positions.
1
No organization can withstand the constant churn of personnel without falling into chaos. When the personnel make such questionable decisions as a $31k dining set or a $122K trip with the wife on the public's dime, chaos is to be expected, whether those particular people leave or are pushed out.
Add to the mix Trump's wishy-washy lack of policy, to say nothing of integrity and we can only expect things to get worse before they get better.
2
This piece belongs in the clickbait section. Pure speculation.
3
And what prognostic certitudes are inherent in your daily coping, adapting and functioning that you can share with the rest of US during these difficult times?
1
MARCH 15, 2018: another bad day for the United States, another excellent day for Putin.
4
Drain the swamp. We were promised that, but now we see that the insiders in the current administration seek to enrich and pamper themselves, with such ridiculous things as $31,000 in taxpayer money spent on furniture. What we have with this administration is swamp like America has never seen. Swamp that threatens to take away clean air, clean water, health care, a livable climate, tips for restaurant employees stolen by corporate players. All this to enrich the already wealthy and turn America into a third world autocracy.
7
In nature, swamps actually protect nearby areas and provide fertile habitat for diverse species. Draining swamps is an anti-environmental activity that, often, results in catastrophe. It’s usually done by developers for profit—building residential or business zones that end up falling prey to natural disasters. Trump seems to be accomplishing his aim. Unfortunately, it’s the country put at risk by Trump’s fulfillment of a campaign promise or, as it turns out, threat.
Do you suppose he gets into intricate shouting matches with these-soon-to-be-axed staff or is just petulant, snappish or whiny? Like to be a fly on the wall. On second thought ... spare me.
2
"I also want to see different ideas."
No. You just want to surround people that agree with what you say, no matter how propostrous they are.
4
I think President Trump is like an explorer in the same mode of those who have gone into dark jungles, crossed vast oceans and scaled massive mountains. He has now successfully completed a journey into the unknown that was thought to be impossible in becoming the most powerful man in the world. He came from a business background and only entered politics as he felt he had no choice. Trump and many others saw America as being in a mess. He wasn't part of the entrenched political bureaucracy and had to find his own way to that summit. Now in government he is getting the best advisors he feels he can. He is using the same skill set in his presidency that served him in getting to this point. He has brought a new vitality to the office. He is shaking things up. The intense reaction to him and his approach is ultimately a very healthy thing. The President is about change for the better. Not for everyone on earth but for Americans. He is not a bureaucrat he will cycle through staff as he sees fit. He's a businessman who is trying to get the best deal for Americans. It feels like that hasn't happened in a long time.
1
Wow! That’s a ‘making a silk purse out of a sow’s ear’ take on the administration. I bet you see the glass as mostly full, huh?
3
Question: what are the financial costs of firing high-level White House/Cabinet staff? Do they get separation pay, or stay on the payroll for a time after their departure?
3
Yes, when his cronies get tired of constantly being shot down for gently attempting to provide him with sane advice, they become adversarial and he fires them. EVEN his closest pals, and family members, are not out of his "you're fired" cross-hairs. As "Clyde" (another commentator) states, Trump is only interested in "yes men/women," and anyone else is destined to end up in File 13.
2
Certainly some kind of intervention is needed for the utter dysfunction in the White House, but who can provide it?
3
Spineless Mitch McConnell and Paul Ryan are responsible
for allowing our President to run this country into the ground.
If they or some other GOP members of the Congress don't step
up soon, it will be too late to undo the damage done by our
pathetic president!
1
I wouldn’t give you a wood nickel
For leaders who start to get fickle.
The more staff thrown out,
The greater the doubt
That those left are not in a pickle.
3
Trump is an arsonist. He likes sprinkling gasoline around and then tossing a match. Destruction is his only setting. As a TV host and now as POTUS, he is the master of Lord of the Flies-like plots, where he sets everybody against everyone else and then watches the havoc unfold.
The people who join his administration are aware of this. They join because they are some combination of sycophant and power seeker. I have no sympathy for any of them.
It's not clear to me, however, that the country will survive the damage. The only hope we have right now is Mueller and those clear-eyed, brave children out marching.
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Are we really starting to use terminology like "purge"...the headlines are becoming more and more draconian. Just like this country.
3
Donald Trump is a Heracletian philosopher. Who would have thunk it?
2
The remarkable turnover in the Trump Administration will doubtless be perceived by Mr. Trump’s admirers as demonstrating a businessperson's decisiveness. However, while Mr. Mueller has not yet indicted Mr. Trump, given that Mr. Trump personally selected the personnel he has terminated, this level of turnover is a stunning indictment of Mr. Trump's poor judgment and management "expertise."
If there ever needed to be objective evidence that the businessperson without a great deal more is not suited to government service, the record of Mr. Trump and his personnel picks provide tragic proof. And if there ever needed proof that the fantasy protagonist created for reality television by the media is far from reality, again Mr. Trump is the poster child.
2
i once work for a management company - that left people up in the air as we evaluated which group would get pink slips - and most firms already knew who they wanted out - (before calling us) and who ? would get what outgoing benefits - ultimately we alway got a pink slip - but had a contract as a firm with a parachute - The Donald (Potus) has no contract and he too will be out the door - as millionaires become wealthier to billionaires, the listening skill disappears and they often surround themselves with more Yes people - BUT, when things don't happen - the Yes people are gone, and likewise No is not
the best answer if you want to stay on board.
2
The most unfit, corrupt, incompetent moron imaginable, protected by a Republican dominated congress whose Constitutional duty is to protect the country, but who instead see their role as protector of him! Contrary to some comments here, few Americans continue to view this disaster as a joke; most thinking Americans recognize the existential danger that this Russian puppet and his party are daily exercising.
And I'm finding the NYT coverage of this danger much too PC lately. Why are so few publications backing away from the mountains of evidence that are building about racketeering and money-laundering? The Panama and Baku hotels were being run by known gangsters! You don't hire gangsters to run hotels! I know it's cliche, but my God, what is it going to take to make Congress stop protecting him and start protecting our country?
14
What exactly has been done in the White House chaos since the inauguration of our great leader except constant reminders of the unpopular tax bill and the appointment of the ultra-conservative Supreme Court Justice?
Vladimir has succeeded in his destabilisation plan while we have failed to contain him under this dysfunctional administration. How long will it take Congress to recognize this and act to remove Trump? The whole cowardly lot of them should be fired well before November. Further irrevocable damage to our democracy is at stake.
5
This seems to be a new season of The Apprentice. In fact, that's how the president is running the government: like a TV show.
4
"Real change starts at the top."
You first, Donnie.
6
Every Friday, I have come to expect either a Trump firing or a Mueller indictment. Its still early here on the West Coast so we will see how the day progresses.
6
Unlike what Mr. Nasty Trump states, he has no tolerance for "different ideas" and his insecurity is abundantly clear in his obsession of surrounding himself with "loyal" puppets. His callousness is also evident by the ease in which he disposes of people, including wives and girlfriends.
8
Ben Carson done in by his wife, Decorator Candy.
5
If you think back to that original cabinet meeting, Trump proclaimed himself the greatest President since Lincoln, and not a single cabinet member jumped up and said "Oh no Mr. President, you are too modest, you are much greater than Lincoln!". That's what has really been festering all this time. You can expect to see all the original cabinet gone.
8
Could the NYT please report news, rather than speculations on what is going on inside Trump's head. There are plenty of things actually happening for us to be concerned about and focused on. This article should be several layers in, not the headline of a great newspaper dedicated to exposing the truth rather than producing click bait.
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Our country was attacked on December 7, 1941. It was also attacked on September 11, 2001.
Make no mistake, we were also attacked beginning on January 20, 2017.
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Well said! Thank you.
5
and Nov. 8, 2016.
3
What's the difference between a shakeup and a purge? Purge in computers is to wipe clean a file. Purge in history is to describe the blood thirsty insanely paranoid Stalin in the 1930s Soviet Union. Here the public is subjected to a parade of career destroying blaming character assassination spectacle sort of like the barbaric roman times. UGHH
4
Crazy getting crazier. Didn't he say drain the swamp?
Perhaps he should fire himself as we'd all sleep a little easier.
6
There is no one and nothing now standing in the way of Trump's consolidation of power. He will fire anyone in his Administration who dares utter a word against him. This will include Jeff Sessions.
As long as he has the solid support of forty percent of this country's voters (as polls seem to indicate), he may do literally anything he wants, up to and including suspending national elections. He may shut down the press -- at least all the press except for Fox News. He may impose martial law. He may order the round-up of dissidents, ethnic and religious minorities, and anyone else he considers his "enemies". He may do all these things with impunity, as long as he has the support of his rabid base. He literally wields the power to do all these things - now.
Congressional Republicans are still terrified of Trump's base. They will not cross him. And two-thirds of the states are controlled by Republicans, elected officials who would have no trouble with aiding the implementation of any fascist decree Trump issues. Again, with a solid forty percent of the citizenry behind them, Congressional and state Republicans will have no concerns about the dismantling of our constitutional rights and protections.
This is the America we live in now, not some fictitious dystopian future. Only the most foolish and naive among us still believe a fascist dictatorship could never happen here. Because it is happening. Right now.
35
It's not the 40%, it's Congress that will allow his consolidation of power. And they are not terrified of Trump's base, they are terrified of their wealthy donors.
7
Anyone taking a position in the Trump administration should consider it to be a temporary assignment and that they can be let go at anytime. President Trump was accustomed to doing this as a former businessman and this frequently occurs in the business world. People who know Mr. Trump are not at all surprised from this behavior. It is who he is and what happens on a regular basis in business. There is always someone ready to replace you. You just have to be prepared and not take it too personally.
2
Bolton? About as hawkish as they come. Meaning he's as anti-Russia as they come. How's he going to fit in with Russia-friendly Trump? Or maybe this signals a volte face (an abrupt 180) back to Cold War days. If so, with T's hands on our nukes and with Bolton at his ear, we could be in big rouble.
3
If I worked for Trump I would want to be paid daily in cash and I would live out of my car.
7
Colin Powell had a long and distinguished career but will be most remembered for the U.N. cartoon show. Kelly and McMasters are honorable men, but they will be remembered for Trump. Everybody this "President" touches turns to ...
4
Yes Mr. Trump "we do want to see change"....The change of you being led out of the White House in handcuffs by the FBI.....The real change is indicting you for your crimes against the American people and the office of the Presidency & the Constitution. We want the change of a stable government run by a reasonably intelligent person who understands the complexity of human response. In the words of Sam Cooke "A CHANGE IS GONNA COME" Change indeed, trump!
8
Where Is the story about Steve Mnuchin's million-dollar travel on private and military jets? Instead of giving so much prominence to a speculative story about who in the administration might be next to go, why is the Times not putting it's attention and resources on this unethical Treasury Secretary? First, this is a pattern among Trump secretaries, leading to the firing of the head of Health and Human services. Second, their shunning of perfectly adequate commercial flight exposes a sense of arrogance and entitlement within the government, and a total lack of concern for the expenditure of taxpayer money. Add to that the mention here of Carson's $31,000 taxpayer outlay for a few pieces of office furniture, and the picture is complete -- at least until the next abuse of public monies surfaces. And finally, it's the sum itself. The waste of almost MILLION dollars -- which included some of the flight for Mnuchin's luxury sightseeing European vacation with his wife -- must be widely and persistently reported, especially by the "newspaper of record." The Times decides everyday what most matters to its public by its reporting and placement of stories. Yet another piece, with top placement, at least online, about the possibility of yet more musical chairs in this government, is mostly for DC players and belongs inside. The Mnuchin scandal matters to all of us. Give it attention until he is gone. That worked in the case of the HHS secretary.
8
A daily tally of travel expenses could be eye-popping
What he needs surrounding him are the men in white jackets. And I don't mean formal wear.
8
When can our nation shut down this costly day care center within our WH? Ever since 'the day that will live on in infamy' or Trump's inauguration day back in January, 2017 I have been keeping running notes on Trump and his WH administration, and you can't make this stuff up!!
Everyone going into our WH slides down the proverbial 'rabbit hole' into a black hole. This has got to stop. We need adults in charge starting with the removal of a narcissistic, unhinged, unstable, unfit, unqualified man baby 'American' president who is subject to OOC temper tantrums, irrational moods, and total instability.
Trump celebrates ignorance and invites everyone around him to do the same. Kids in elementary schools across America know more about our American history and how our government works. Trump does not want to know how democracy works because he wants to become yet another dictator in this crazy world we live in. Trump wants his word on anything and everything to be absolute and the only law in America. This is how dictatorships are run, and this is why he loves them so much.
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Mr.Trump still sees himself as casting director for "The Apprentice".He searches for people who will make him look good.He wants a chorus who will broadcast his message.He has not grasped that the "Oval Office" is not a made for TV show with a plot of twists and turns.Someone needs to impress upon him that he needs to govern and look for the best and brightest to help him.The American people deserve a government they can be proud of-a government based on the constitution.
7
SIgh...there is no order in this chaos.
4
The reality TV presidency is entering its second season. Tune in tomorrow to see who will be voted out of the house next. Who will Donald stab in the back? When will Jared's sordid past be revealed and by whom? Watch Stormy enter the house with dark secrets that will throw everything into chaos. How much longer can Donald protect his patron Vladimir? Don't miss a single minute of this riveting drama, aired simultaneously on most network channels with editorial comment designed to suit you, the viewer. Love Donald? Watch Fox TV to see how unfairly he is being treated in the house. Believe Donald is a conman and fraud? Watch MSNBC to reinforce your beliefs. This drama is so compelling, it will tear friendships apart and threaten family stability.
This might be fun if the future of the USA and world peace were not at stake! In reality it is terrifying and adversely impacting the sleep, health and well-being of so many Americans, myself included.
Only congress has the ability to vote Donald out of the house. I implore Mitch and Paul to have mercy on us and end this drama soon.
7
Maybe Donald can clone himself and build a cabinet out of these creatures. No one seems to agree with his viewpoints. Maybe he could realize that there are reasons so many people disagree with him.
1
General Powell had a distinguished career. What will be be most remembered for? Lying the UN! McMasters and Jones are honorable men but, what will they be most remembered for? Everything he touches turns to ...
1
And we were once (seems like forever) shocked and incredulous when the Italians elected Silvio Berlusconi as Prime Minister...
2
Another part-time week making a new episode of the Apprentice is presumably going to be finished out as usual with a taxpayer all-expense-paid golfing weekend at Mara-a-Lago.
2
No wonder Trump loves Putin... the personnel firings remind me of an old Soviet-style purge.
1
"Purges, Purging" - The USSR reimagined. As a certain on-air personality with a comb-over used to say: "You're Fired!!!"
1
Why not nominate the Geico gecko to oversee the FDA? He’s on T.V. a lot, too. Whomever comes after Trump will be looking like Churchill / Gandhi / FDR by comparison. I think one thing that Trump supporters don’t understand as that to liberals like myself Donald Trump is literally the worst person to lead our country. Gary Busey, my 8th grade shop teacher, Carrot Top...any of these people would have more to offer our country than this dolt.
14
Yeah, why don't you fire the head of Homeland Security, General McMaster, just as Russia is cyber attacking our nuclear, plants. Without McMaster, you could be the dictator you've always dreamed of being: disregard U.S. laws, create all the havoc and chaos your want, and totally trash your oath to protect and defend the United States of America.
10
Please don't give him any ideas.
3
Re: "John R. Bolton, a hawkish former ambassador to the United Nations" was rejected by the Senate for this position as being unfit for the job. He only served under a temporary recess appointment until the Senate reconvened. When it did he was thrown out.
7
Next up John Bolton and the team from FOX and Friends or whatever I avoid FOX - Fair and Honest whatever what a load. Anyway Bolton who helped bring about the invasion of Iraq on board for a war with Iran and the entire Middle East. Others from the tv show after all the mentally unstable President lives in Never Never Land and so he wants to make his reality tv show complete. Just like on Big Brother. Waiting for the big peace plan on the Middle East, but then once he begins the war it won't be needed. It is amazing how one can see that this is a story that is going to end badly and yet the Republicans do nothing. Fine most will be out of a job come Nov. Loved to teach all those students a lesson those wonderful red states put notes in their files or suspended them for one to three days. The note will follow them forever of course this was the adults showing them who the boss was. What a joke of a nation and it now ranks 18th on the best country to live in scale. A President who laughs about lying, yes Justin is so stupid he did not know you made up the facts. Well, here in Canada we are laughing at the clown who sits in the White House watching FOX and eating cheeseburgers and demanding his second scoop of ice cream. A real adult. Jim Trautman
4
Setting things up for a power grab it seems...absolutely terrifying.
5
"In recent days, Mr. Kelly has sought to repair his standing with the president by moving more aggressively to address issues that have festered..."
Less than a year ago Kelly was viewed as one of the few adults in the room, now look at him. He's revealed himself to be a bigoted sycophant that will say and do anything to stay in Donald Trump’s orbit. He has gone from serving his country, to serving Trump’s ego without a stumble..shameful.
6
Four more years ?
I find the coyness about Trump's behavior tiresome. You're not reporting on a private citizen. Specifically, in describing his assault on John Kelly:
"Mr. Trump began working the phones to old friends, telling them that he needed his former advisers back and complaining that he was surrounded by people he did not know. He told them that Mr. Kelly had badly botched the Porter issue. (His language was saltier and unfit for publication, according to several people with knowledge of the calls.)
UNFIT FOR PUBLICATION? Are we in the Victorian era? Where we must be "protected" against the harsh reality that the man in the White House is a crude, foul-mouthed, unimaginative barroom brawler?
Every person reading this article has without doubt heard the language Trump used-- so let them meet the real reality of this "reality show" bully.
9
Chaos can have some short term benefits. It gives talk shows and the press something to discuss and write about. But those benefits don’t accrue to lasting policy in something as large as the federal bureaucracy. If it doesn’t think its political appointees will be around very long, it ignores or slow rolls attempts to change policy. The bureaucrats have seen it all before. To paraphrase Ecclesiastes1:9, when it comes to human behavior, there are no new ideas. I think that keeps us safe and stable.
This seems an amusing, if not horrific, spectator sport to political junkies, but it is actually quite dangerous. If Trump surrounds himself with hawkish sycophants, what would stop him from taking military action against N. Korea or Iran -- or both simultaneously? Or, if he finds himself boxed in by Mueller, who would stop him from attempting a military-backed coup where he gets to stop the investigation in its tracks and he's appointed President-for-Life? Most of the military people are right-of-center; that they would dismiss such an attempt out-of-hand may be a dangerous mis-estimation of reality.
2
Change is good. I like it.
1
He is changing out a bunch of people he put in place less than a year ago. Do you believe that is efficient and good for the country?
4
@jeffk,
I believe Trump must try a few people out until he gets the right mix. I see nothing wrong with that. It's the new way to govern. Thank you.
So it seems like speculation has replaced news on the front page.
4
Do you believe it is totally not accurate? Do you believe these people will not be changed out? These articles have sources/insiders who provide the underlying information. They are not fabrications. The uncertainty is in Trump's behavior - nobody can predict what he will do next, which is dangerous not only for his staff but also the USA.
1
Disgusting and discouraging. One of the marks of great presidents has been willingness to appoint the best, even when they were of another party or in disagreement with each other. If Mr Trump had truly hired the best - which it was his duty as president to do - there would be no need for all this. Once again, he reveals himself as profoundly inept and an utter failure as a leader.
6
So this is like an episode of The Bachelor with Donnie possibly not giving a rose to Rex or H.R. or John...
1
"Once Trump finished touting his administration's accomplishments, he turned to several of his newly-minted Cabinet secretaries like Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue. Each of those Cabinet secretaries lavished praise on Trump, which he accepted without comment but with a broad smile. At first, I thought Trump was just going to have the new members of the Cabinet spend a few minutes praising him. NOPE! It soon became clear that Trump planned to have every Cabinet member speak. And when I say 'speak' what I really mean is 'praise Trump for his accomplishments, his foresight, his just being awesome.' " (Chris Cillizza, CNN, 13June2017) I recall wondering how those Cabinet members could have any self-respect. Now, seeing how much good it did them, I'm wondering even more. Mr. Trump has an Emperor complex, e.g. Caligula, who considered himself a god.
7
“I want to also see different ideas.” How about start by reading your reports in the morning instead of relying on everyone to do your job. What a joke!
7
How long will the GOP stand for this CHAOS? How long will they stand for the destruction of our institutions at the hands of a pathological liar and a moron! A man that via bullying or buying has gotten what he wants with no consequence! How long?
7
I hope Scott Pruitt, with his $48,000 phone booth and hatred of nature, gets the ax. And I think we taxpayers ought to demand that these clowns pay us back for all the circus gear they've been buying with our money. They can certainly afford to.
10
The Huckster thinks by carefully crafting her words they're not officially lies. "WRONG"
3
IN a 40-year career running large organizations, I learned something I found surprising: Leaders who lean toward sycophants are not always total failures. Some even succeed for a time, depending on how success is defined in a given enterprise.
But they are rarely if ever distinguished, often loathed or purposefully undermined by their supposedly trusted confidants, and usually go down hard when all the "minor" problems they were never told about add up and turn out to be anything but minor.
My mentor's best advice ever: Never let your feelings about who brings you bad news, how they bring it, or what the news is lead you to dismiss the news out of hand.
Some of the things you most need to know will come from those you least want to hear.
6
The truth shall set you free. This guy is gonna be bound for the next millennia.
2
IF there is a clear lesson for all of us students of government, checks and balances, and evolution of power, it is that an UNBRIDLED, seemingly all-powerful Chief Executive upon whom there appears to be no check, is a very poor form of government. Being enamored with "a Strong Executive," and putting this Clown in that post, is what has gotten us into this.
We need to focus on the STRUCTURE that has allowed this disaster to fester and metastasize, rather than hoping that the next "Strong Unbridled Executive" will, somehow, be "better." We need FUNDAMENTAL change in the powers allowed to the Executive.
I somehow doubt that "Jesus' Mike" will be any better.
3
He is preparing for a war against Iran to save himself and his party!
3
Trump is the accidental president in the WH only because of an antiquated electoral system that has bestowed two disasterous presidencies on the American people (although in comparison, Bush the 2nd is looking pretty good right about now). While Trump tries to deflect attention from his dirty dealings by shaking up something on a weekly basis, Mueller won't be deterred. For the majority of Americans, Trump's behavior will never be normalized. Our chance to agree with his statement that "There will always be change," can't come soon enough.
11
Too bad for all of us that it's impossible to fire one's way out of a personality disorder.
11
From February's Folly to March's Madness and then on to April's Foolishness.
3
If only there was someone who could fire him. Oh wait, our Founders anticipated this when they wrote the Constitution. Congress! Wake up! You can fire people too!
5
The most dangerous job in the world to be surrounding oneself with yes-men: President of the United States of America.
1
Here's my hypothesis for all the chaos: It's the only way that a deeply stupid man can ever know more than anyone else. Surrounded by people who (at least sometimes) are smarter and more informed, nevertheless no one can know what will come out of his mouth -- or his Tweets -- next. It's like electroshock therapy for the whole rest of the world, all because he likes to see people jump. Lovely.
5
Musical chairs on the Good Ship Lollipop........oops, my bad. I meant the Titanic.
2
I read a version of this article in the WAPO before I went to bed last night. Just the thing to ensure a good night’s sleep.
So, some of the people he wants to get rid of, it’s because of their blunders which have caused “bad optics”—think Tom Price—Ben Carson, David Shulkin, Betsy DeVos—not because they aren’t doing their jobs. They’re just embarrassing. Apparently, WH lawyers are now having “team meetings” to coach staff that it’s not just not making mistakes in their jobs that counts, it’s “optics”.
Then, some of the people he wants to get rid of, it’s because of personal chemistry—they are not yes-men. He wants to be surrounded by people who will let him do what he wants to do.
Honestly, I don’t know which scenario scares me more—that he hired nincompoops like DeVos and Carson to start with, or that he won’t listen to people if they don’t praise and agree with him.
One thing I can say is, having worked in a couple very toxic corporate environments, the fish rots from the head. There is always some horrible sociopath at the top making everyone miserable. The only thing you can do is work very hard to get the person fired (done that) or quit (and done that). That is not a situation our country should be in, but here we are. Heaven help us.
Please go back to Trump Org, Donald, and sow your chaos where you can only hurt your own company, not the rest of the world.
9
Trump simply hates the job. That's all. But he doesn't have the brains and character to measure up to the position, or the brains and character to resign, so he will trash everyone (including We the People) and everything around him (the nation, the world...) as he works through his infantile rages.
7
"Just spoke to @POTUS and Gen. H.R. McMaster — contrary to reports they have a good working relationship and there are no changes at the NSC."
Why even report anything Sarah Huckabee Sanders says or tweets. Any relation to the truth is purely inadvertent.
8
Trump's continual need to bully, insult, and fire people is merely evidence of what has been obvious about him for years: Donald is incapable of working with other people. He is also incapable of treating others with respect. He is a very disturbed and impaired individual, cognitively, psychologically, ethically. Why is he still president? Ryand and McConnell, I am asking you.
9
He may finally get the reality TV show he always, and really ever wanted. Politics schmolitics. Who cares as long as he looks good. And we all know 'it is better to look good than feel good'
I guess I don't quite understand. How is that Mr. "I'm-a-very-smart-guy" so screw up his own cabinet? Maybe he's not very smart after all, more of a dolt in fact. Which means no one should expect him to improve his cabinet selections the second time around. Looking at the replacements so far the only thing that can be said with certainty is that they approach the President in their level of incompetence (Kudlow, anyone?) and general odiousness (Bolton).
I can't wait for the first round of memoirs to come out from the first round of "best-ever" cabinet officials (preferably before November). In the meantime let the countdown to November begin.
4
OMG. John Bolton.
Please, no.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_R._Bolton
8
Besides seeking yes-people, who out of a sense of duty, who crave power or who wish to please the boss, Trump is trying to polish his image as a tough guy. His supporters want circus with their bread and the staff churn allows him to appear to be doing something with a bonus of shifting blame to others. Trump understands what makes watchable drama and reality TV obsessed Americans love the swinging axe. In The Apprentice or the singing or dancing shows, the judges become the stars. People watch contestants like staring at an accident, wondering who will live or die. Trump is pacing his firings to increase coverage and excitement; quick action would only require the creation of more drama. For him, it has always been about the spectacle of what will Trump do next.
2
Sarah Huckabee Sanders reminds me of the Iraq Information Minister.
Remember him? He was a riot. He would say anything. Of course if he didn't, Saddam would cut his head off.
If things don't work out with Sanders, Trump should see if that guy is still around. He was priceless.
9
They have set up Sessions for his demise by forcing his hand one way or the other on the firing of McCabe just days before his official retirement benefits kick in.
6
Trump is managing his anxiety over the tightening noose of the Mueller investigation by dropping chaos bombs into his inner circle of advisors. He can't contain himself and must always act out to externalize it. That becomes problematic when his anxiety level becomes so high that he decides resort pushing his a big, beautiful, nuclear button.
3
I'd like to think that firing Carson would be infinitely more about his ineptitude than his expensive taste in furniture, but I gave up a long time ago on trying to divine this administration's sense of reason.
4
Pretty soon the entire country will have to sign a non-disclosure agreement with Trump. Just like his blackmailing buddy, Putin.
3
get rid of pruitt!! he has done more damage to us and the world than all of the other nonperformers combined!! he is awful!! sadly the word awful does not fit in trump's vocabulary.
7
Average people must not know how dangerous Pruitt is. He is destroying all the legal protections (regulations) on clean water, air, workers safety (OSHA), food, the environment. He is a sad, sorry little disturbed man does not believe in Science or any of the good the EPA does. He has driven long time scientists and Federal workers into early retirements or transferred them to new jobs that have nothing to do with their field and put them in unless positions. ....This should make all Americans terrified as it is a direct attack on health and safety. This is not joke or exaggeration.. Pruitt like trump need to be removed!
7
Change is likely the only constant in this White House.
Trump seems downright giddy with his new round of advisors and lieutenants and with the prospect--if he can figure out a way to do it--of ridding himself of McMaster and Sessions, the last two who seriously rein him in. But it's likely just a matter of months before those in this new cadre do something to defy, embarrass or otherwise displease him, and then the insults, humiliations and demeaning names will no doubt start filling the early morning ether again. And after that we'll get more replacements and more after that, each succeeding round even less qualified to walk the halls of the West Wing than their predecessors, although they might look better on TV.
I suppose the barrel of folks looking for their fifteen minutes of fame in this White House has no bottom to scrape, but one does wonder sometimes, given how he treats the help, whether sooner or later the Big Cheese won't stand alone.
23
And here we thought Donald Trump was just playing a role in The Apprentice. Little did we know he fires even the most upstanding and high-ranking administrators and aides for sport. It's just that, instead of using an accusatory index finger and a bark, he scribbles it on social media.
3
here's a different idea: stop with the pathological lying and the treason and orchestrating the collapse and degradation of the country and it's institutions. is that outside the box enough for you ?
5
Wherefore art thou Brutus, we the citizens are impatiently waiting for your tell all. It is March.....
5
When you have chaos and dysfunction in ANY workplace it is a "Management" problem. It comes down from the top!
8
So much for the (only partially reassuring) thought that the grownups will forestall a complete disaster. 45 appears to be assembling a team that will agree with him no matter how often he changes his mind. I wonder how well McConnell and Ryan are sleeping these days.
2
Seems to me that he can have both a TV personality and someone with a proven record of success. Olivia Benson would be a perfect choice.
1
Sure, it's scary but on the upside, it's difficult to get upset at the prospect of intellectual giants like Rick Perry or utterly bizarre individuals like Ben Carson receiving a nastygram from Trump.
Still smarting from the loss of level-headed, Michael "Lock Her Up!!!!" Flynn, perhaps it's time to give Oliver North a call. And for our new Ministry Of Informaton, let's tap Alex Jones. Or just call Rupert Mudoch and ask for his wish list.
8
Some thought it more than odd when Trump summarily and simultaneously fired all US Attorneys with very few replacements lined up. They were given mere hours to vacate their offices when customarily they are given weeks or months for an orderly transition. Preet Barara was among them and his jurisdiction of the Southern district of Manhattan had oversight of Trump's potentially criminal business dealings in New York. Preet was no Roy Cohn or Michael Cohen, whose first allegiances are to Trump.
Now we have loud musings about a staff shakeup just as the noose seems to tightening with the Mueller investigation. Trump's real target is probably Jeff Sessions. He needs a sufficiently 'loyal' replacement like maybe Scott Pruitt or, worse, Devin Nunes who could reign in or arbitrarily terminate the special investigation.
If Kelly and McGahn leave, there'd be virtually no one somewhat principled and sane to tell Trump no. And it's unlikely Republicans in Congress will hold him accountable, even if he's committed treason.
2
Trump's drug is power and Congress is his enabler. Get that man in a treatment center immediately.
4
Trump's stunning incompetence in choosing people or working with them matches his incompetence as a businessman and his terrible treatment of women. Those who say that he deliberately fosters division and chaos in pursuit of other ends are being charitable; they reflect his personal faults - selfishness, avarice, gluttony and misogyny - and are the flailing about of a many who can't do any better. Those who say that he drives out the good will soon be wrong; those who are good won't work for him, leaving only the dregs and syncophants of society to take those positions.
4
November cannot come soon enough.
12
All a prelude to authoritarianism. Trumps wants to be a dictator. He admires dictators and is working on surrounding himself with people who all adhere to his half-baked view of the world. WE must take back the House in mid-terms and the WH in 2020. VOTE! please VOTE!
8
I hope that General McMaster will write
"The Dereliction of Duty - part 2."
2
Easy............
Chancellor Dennison can replace McMaster with
Mick Mulvaney!!!
1
It can be hard to know if we're watching the news or a spin-off: The Apprentice DC.
6
Question: When is Don The Con going to be purged? Answer: Not soon enough!
3
And we all...the American people...get our say on Nov 6, 2018. Since we can't fire Mr T. until Nov 2019, we can build a fire-wall in congress to begin to minimize the damage.
5
Will Bolton have to shave his mustache?
https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2017/01/john-bolton-moustache-tr...
3
Any job of consequence requires 6 months of learning before you can start making a real contribution. These are very important positions and these people aren't even allowed to learn the job. Not only that, the next level of managements has been gutted. Trump is bringing down the US as promised.
2
I used to enjoy watching The Apprentice. Glad to see he hasn't lost his signature move.
if trump cans Carson it'll be the best move he's made since assuming office.
1
The second tier -- respected and experienced senior people like McMaster, Kelly, Tillerson, Mattis, Cohn and (yes) Sessions -- are a thin line that We the People are counting on to run the government and keep the country sane. When they are replaced by sycophantic television kooks such as the new economics advisor (a former cocaine addict) or an extremist like John Bolton, we've got trouble.
2
They say McMaster is prone to “lecturing people” & that’s one reason he’s on the hot seat. Yeah, idiots NEVER like being told they don’t know as much as they THINK they do.
4
This just in - White House to use televised live jousting contests to determine new cabinet members.
4
sorry - but anyone willing to work for this idiot - deserves what they get.
3
OK, but the country does not deserve the chaos and incompetence that results from Trump's deformed personality
3
He has zero idea how completely not normal his illegitimate chaos administration actually is because he has never read any history or political science.
It is more important now than ever for congress to take up the Democrats bill to bar him from using nuclear weapons without express authorization from congress first.
6
As an egregious alumni from The Wharton School of Business ( U. PENN), CEO Donald Trump should be deposed, defrocked, deprived of the master's degree he brags about, ASAP. He is a disgrace to this "Ivy League" educational institution and an insult to all those CEO's who manage in due fashion. It is well known that "The Trump Organization" and its subsidiaries are a mafia-like operation and/or money-laundering international fake net ...
As elected President of "The United States of America," the apprentice reality show "star" is a disgrace to this Democratic Nation and should be expelled. removed and ousted for life (with all his family members), from the their posts and from any other governmental position he/they might aspire in the future. Criminal charges should continue to its ultimate consequences, for their treasonous implications and mismanagements, as well as for the irremediable damages done to the honor and prestige of America.
4
So "Mr. Mattis appears to be safe, even when he ignores the president, in part because he is a general who in Mr. Trump’s mind 'looks the part' of a military leader."
There you go. DJT doesn't want people who are capable, he wants people who look capable on TV. He apparently thinks being president is just another reality TV show, and all it takes is good casting. Except that now he doesn't even have the guts to fire someone face-to-face, he does it on Twitter.
Unbelievable that this man is President. As Dave Barry says, "I swear I'm not making this up."
4
Oh, boy. Trump is a managerial genius? He’s more like a managerial joke.
That guy has absolutely no clue what he’s doing, and the fate of the American civilization is at stake. Congress, fire him, please, for the sake of the 330,000,000 Americans you represent. This guy is taking us all down a very dark and destructive path from which there is no return.
5
I know it’s our nation’s government and I should therefore care who’s staffing various departments, but it is now abundantly clear that this is a game and a joke for Trump and the GOP. The media is forced to report on all of this horror as if it’s just another presidency with a few quirks. So, carry on I suppose.
1
Let's see what this Tuesday's episode of the twatter tweet will be
1
And when will the corrupt Jared and Ivanka be shown the door? If they aren't then we will once again be confronted with the basic fact that #45 values lick spittle toadyism over competence and country.
3
I had a boss that suffered from the same narcissistic personality disorder. She would pit staff members against each other. No one could make a decision or get their work done for fear of retaliation from her. Late night or weekend emails with vague allegations of conduct were regular occurrences. She was eventually escorted out of the building. Never quite met someone with that capacity for cruelty.
6
Trump has probably already suggested Kelly resign and take his previous job with the Marine Core?!!
4
This insanity needs to stop! Trump seems to treat the POTUS job like he’s the big boss on Apprentice.
I don’t know what motivates Trump but our country is sinking like the Titantic and there are not enough lifeboats to go around.
3
Gee, it won't be long before Trump's entire Cabinet is totally military! That scares me a lot.
1
Time for Trump to sour on Steve Mnuchin who has racked up $1,000,000 by flying military jets -- still, after he was chastised for it several months ago. Here is a billionaire who probably has a plane of his own, refusing to fly on commercial aircraft -- like other of Trump's rich appointees. And Mnuchin isn't great as the Secretary of Treasury either.
4
The headline is more akin to something one would expect from a third world dictatorship then one about The United States of America.
1
From the one employee small business to the White House administration, can we all agree the firing of someone should never been done via Twitter?!
8
I am going wild card and calling Sarah Huckabee Sanders is next.
8
Move that State Department mouthpiece in, or is that sexist? She seems more capable of believing what she's lying about without shouting about it.
1
How can he complain so much about the people he supposedly selected in the first place?
Could it be that he really has no idea how to either find or hire "the best people"?
True to his form, he always will place the blame elsewhere.
10
The Donald.
The laughingstock of the world.
Everyone sees the Emperor is naked. Everyone.
The list of lies and incompetence is stunning.
He only wants bootlickers, lackeys, and a parade.
Robert Mueller? There is a man of character with standards of excellence.
He has my trust.
May he reveal the truth about what the Donald wants desperately to keep hidden.
15
Trump's limited intelligence and intellectual curiosity no doubt make him feel inferior to those around him in a job for which he is spectacularly unqualified. Firing people must give him an emotional high, but like a true sociopath, the high is short lived and he trolls around for his next target.
I can't imagine how this sort of turbulent management style works, not only in government, but in a successful business environment. Then again, Trump was not a hugely successful real estate developer--he just played one on tv. Sadly, this is something his base never seemed to understand.
10
I had read (probably from Maggie H) that he doesn’t really like firing people, avoids it and gets someone else to do it. But the attention he’s getting from the chaos he creates—that no doubt sends him on an emotional high. And let us not forget the diversionary value of all this.
1
Mr. Carson... if we could have diverted the funds used for that $31,000 dining set away from your mismanaged HUD and into school breakfast programs - where average price of a school breakfast is $1.46 (1) - we could feed more that 21,000 of the nation's hungry children breakfast tomorrow.
Shame on you! Your time is up.
(1) https://schoolnutrition.org/AboutSchoolMeals/SchoolMealTrendsStats/
10
When will the golf caddy Dan Scavino be fired? He gets paid with out tax dollars to write lies on social media.
6
The only people that Trump doesn't seem to want to fire are the least qualified people in his administration, Ivanka & Kushner.
7
The goal of this administration is to prevent the government from functioning effectively, which is the long-held dream of the richest individuals and largest corporations. Those constituencies want no interference with their activities and wealth-gathering.
Sadly, through a combination of malevolent design and just plain incompetence, Trump is brilliant at it.
If you elected a party and leader who don't believe in government, what you'll get is a really bad government. And that's what we now have.
4
Don't forget: that's what Putin wants, too.
That's right Mr. President more change is needed, at the top.
But, what a great idea to bring in people with absolutely no government experience, or no experience in say housing, and replace them with less experienced and knowledgeable sycophants. I just hope there is enough institutional and bureaucratic expertise to rebuild our government when you are gone.
2
Vulgarity, racism, xenophobia and crudeness on the part of Emperor Donald the Dumb are all disgusting.
But the American public should be far more concerned with Trump's raw incompetence as America's CEO. The President can't manage his own administration. This kind of terrible hiring coupled with an insane amount of turnover would be disqualifying for the leader of any organization. It would signal disastrous management skills at the top. Trump hides behind the claim that he is "unconventional." But he is not merely unconventional. He is an unmitigated disaster.
What seems to be shaping up is some kind of tweaking of his cabinet that now utterly eschews any experience, ability or appropriateness for leadership positions. What Trump wants is a medieval court where he issues decrees and his toady sycophants click their heels and scurry to obey. It is sickening, and utterly un-American. We rejected kings and royalty at our founding. Trump clearly envies the dictators-for-life in the world. Putin or Xi or Kim wave their hands and the minions obey. That is what Trump fervently desires.
This does not bode well for the future. Americans must resist and reject this--no matter what political party they belong to. It is frightening for our future and the future of our children.
7
DJT's impression of himself is that no one in the room is nearly as smart or competent as he is. Suggestion DJT: fire all your staffers and cabinet members and just run the national government according to your whim. You don't need anyone else. You're going to be impeached anyhow ... give Congress something strong to work with. Go out in a blaze of glory, such as that would be.
4
One has to wonder how much of the annual budget is being set aside for severance payments owed to the fallen clowns in Trump's circus, and for a reserve termination fund covering whomever he hires next. Everyone, except Trump himself, are standing in a circle firing back at everyone else for the slights and humiliations Trump likes to stir up. Who in their right minds would want to work for this toxic megalomaniac. Hurry up, Mr. Mueller, the nation desperately needs you.
1
I want to see change too. At the tippy-tippy top of the White House pyramid that is our very own House of Cards.
3
i would like to see a backet pulled together similar to March Madness and we can all fill on who we think will make it the full four years
1
I did see a cartoon like this already.
I'm surprised Betsy Devos is not on this list.
2
The NYT shouldn't buy into Trump's melodrama.
Meaning what? Not report it? You prefer news geared toward ostriches?
3
Is that what this is? Because all I see is a man without capacity coming to his predictable emptying. It's more the end of Skakespeare's plays when he understood this is just a long game played well or short changed. Trump plays the mad king of a forsaken island.
1
Meaning don’t report it like it is an episode of Survivor. There’s a wide range between breathlessly following every twist and turn of this sorry spectacle and being an ostrich (as you would have it).
Mr. Trump lives within his own reality bubble. He feels that just because he thinks something may be true or he agrees with some opinion on Fox News then it is undeniably true. All you need to do is examine his past statements on just about anything to see his warped worldview. Anyone who pushes Trump outside of his bubble or conflicts with his sense of reality has to go. It seems like a self-protection mechanism for a very ill mind. What is frightening is that there will be no one to counter Trump's worse instincts or to talk him down off the nuclear ledge. God help us all.
3
It's Game of Thrones, live! Can't wait for the next episode.
4
The change we are hoping for, where this man leaves government and goes back to his sleazy world of strippers and unbridled greed, is the stuff of our fondest dreams. Make them come true, Mr. Trump.
7
Like him or not( I don’t) I am convinced that John Kelly remains on the job out of a sense of duty to his country.
He sees all the going’s on and knows that if not for him and a few other key staffers there would no adults (none, zero, zilch) to watch over DJT.
As Mueller gets closer to the truth DJT will become more erratic.
I fully expect DJT will escalate into a complete meltdown in the coming weeks/months. Kelly may be one of the few that can maintain some control over this imploding administration.
1
" “I’ve gotten to know a lot of people over the last year,” Mr. Trump said."
>> Wasn't the idea to know these people BEFORE they got the job?
"Mr. Carson and David J. Shulkin, the secretary of veterans affairs, have both embarrassed the president by generating scandalous headlines. "
>> How is that even possible with THIS president?
Sessions has the appearance of a "Stockholm Syndrome" casualty.
Mattis is paying a high price for not doing due-diligence on the Company he's gone to work for, and coming to the conclusion it was safer and saner in Iraq '92. Hell, they only shot at you there!
Rex is finally buttoned up his emotions and is looking forward to reclaiming his desk at Exxon, now that he's plowed the field for his stockholders.
Kelly is praying for his Angel of Deliverance to finally arrive and end his time in Hell.
Jared is still brooding about his inability to read "Pop-Pop's" mail to him
And over two thirds of the American Public desperately waits for the Governor to call to stay this sentence of inhumane cruelty inflicted on us, but the phone just won't ring....
We're NOT winning, Biggly or otherwise!
Sad!
3
Rex cannot go back to Exxon; the mandatory retirement age at Exxon is 65, which is Tillerson's age.
I believe he was planning his retirement. Didn’t his wife convince him to take this job, for the good of the country? Thanks a LOT, dear.
Nothing will change for the better till the President fires himself.
3
Oh, for good's sake, a deaf, dumb and blind boy could play better pinball. This game is tilted! All balls return to stations!
No, he can't hear you.
4
If you're on TV and shout a lot then Trump will give you a job which you are about as qualified for as I am to be a brain surgeon.
8
He is building a wall. This is not a wall of concrete and high voltage wires to keep immigrants out, this is a wall of people to keep him safe in his fantasy. This is a defensive wall like Mitchell, Hunt, Colson, Ehrlichman, Liddy, Haldeman, McCord....the question is, which of them has the moral fortitude to act as Dean? The problem is that Pence is no Gerry Ford. He is not a genuinely moral man, any more than Ryan and possibly even less than McConnell. Apres trump les Deluge, but not for the reasons trump thinks. ("trump thinks" - an oxymoron almost as great as "A trump voter understands.")
6
As the Trump administration continues to implode, the only ray of hope are the recent victories by Democrats in very red states. A blue wave in Nov. giving Democrats majority in the House will go a long way towards righting our sinking ship.
6
On MY "Trump Fires" bingo card, I am looking at Sarah Huckabee Sanders: she's utterly devoted, and says everything she is told to with a straight face, but as a world-class blamer, the Prez will soon decide that she's the one responsible for people writing bad things about him.
Also: I have had Ryan Zinke i my "Trump Pool" for some time. Apparently he's still flying under the radar, and can keep sending an employee upstairs to fly his Secretary of the Interior flag when he's in town.
1
John Bolton? Because Trump likes him on TV!
This sums up the presidency in a nutshell, pun intended.
Mr. Cookie Duster is not qualified to be the frontman for a muffler shop.
Any rating above cartoon character is way to high for Captain Crunch who is too coo-coo for co-co puffs.
Only someone deficient in every measurement of humanity could envision Mr. Cookie Duster running anything.
4
And the WAPO article said he likes the other candidate, Keith Kellogg, because he’s a fun guy to be around. Nuff said?
Loyalty equals never questioning what screwy ideas the big boss man might dream up next?
1
Trump attended Wharton. Top business school?
His management style is re-arranging chairs on deck of the Titanic,
2
I am eternally grateful that I never had Ben Carson do any brain surgery on me. If he thinks running HHS is harder than brain surgery then that's scary. It's probably only harder because the staff keeps rejecting his whacko proposals.
2
There will always be change, eh Mr. Trump? How about this: if you stop being stupid, we will start being nicer!
2
Trump’s main problem is his cruelty, although stupidity is a close second.
All the rumored replacements are white men. Surprising? No. Annoying? Yes.
1
Any idiot can fire people, though idiots usually do it sloppily, rudely, and with no plan--Trump at least has something of a plan, not a well thought out one, but at least he's NOW with this big positions starting to think about the replacement.
Hiring good people is hard, requires hard work and due diligence, skill, and talent.
Since the perfect candidate almost never exists, thus, the other ability is the ability to work with those who aren't perfect fits and who have some differing opinions, philosophies, positions, etc., this is a capacity Trump does not seem to posses.
2
Everyone who has ever hired, or unfortunately, fired, knows that you win some and you lose some, usually more in the win column. It is isn’t THAT hard. You can just start by only looking at people who are qualified. But that would be a lot to expect from someone who isn’t qualified in the first place.
Plenty of Trump sycophants & fanboys working at Fox available for hire. Trump goes for the best you know. It's what their best at that should scare us. Putin must be proud.
2
It's clear in hindsight that many if not most of Trump's first round of Cabinet picks were more along the line of placeholders than they were a reflection of a coherent new Administration policy plan.
Saying that confirms something most of us already realized: Trump was without a doubt the most unprepared man for the Presidency than Harry Truman. But even Truman had a solid Congressional career and was known as an honest, straightforward and common sense individual. He also benefitted from the presence of an extraordinary Cabinet that FDR had put in place; the individuals who stayed on to help Truman were dedicated patriots who put country over loyalty at a time of extreme global risk as World War II ended. Among the best of the best who served Truman and helped him adjust to his suddenly overwhelming responsibilities were George C. Marshall, Ike, Dean Acheson, George Kennan and a many, many others holding sensitive, critical posts in government and in our embassies overseas.
If you care to use Truman as your benchmark, Trump's first year was perhaps the worst in our history with the sole exception of Andrew Johnson. That would be damning with faint praise, wouldn't it!
2
Distraction alert. That’s all there is.
But it is not working. Mueller just trudges on.
DJT will wake one day (very soon) when he will no longer be able to hide and there will be no one left to fire that will allow him to escape scrutiny.
Do not underestimate the significance of the recent special election losses by the GOP. GOP leadership will begin to isolate a DJT when there is no doubt that they will surrender the House in November and the presidency in 2020.
That day is also coming very soon- weeks maybe!
3
This chaos is unsustainable. A government can not run with so much in-fighting and lack of harmony. There are millions of Americans who are threatened daily by such dangerous disorder. It is not these fired folks, for good reasons or not, who are the losers. It is we.
We blame, rightfully so, an unstable and seriously unbalanced "president" for this present political paradigm. But time and time again I find myself going back to Congress, those abetters elected by you and me. Right now they are the only ones who can plug the holes in our sinking ship of a nation. But these cowards are so lost in the back pockets of big money that they can not see beyond the green-back dollar. Corruption at its height, and Putin is having the time of his life.
2
The WH is obviously in "Whiplash Mode" today.
Mc Master is out! No he's not! Well he may be! But later!
So when someone actually determines whether McMaster is really fired or not, please let the american people know.
Afterall, McMaster is our National Security Adviser and we Americans are not feeling very secure these days.
2
Mercurial - a person subject to sudden or unpredictable changes of mood or mind describes Trump. Scary
1
When Carson, Pruitt, and Shulkin waste taxpayers money, it’s bad optics and they are yelled at by Kelly, and maybe they’ll be fired by the greater chooser in chief. Yet Trump can shuttle back and forth between Washington and his various golf clubs at heavy cost to the tax payers, but I guess bad optics is in the eye of the club owner. Even better, waste more money with a military parade for Dear Leader which the Joint Chiefs opposed. On the other hand, it may be beneficial to the country as he watches the parade which keeps him off Twitter. Trumps does not need advisors. He needs sycophantic toadies who will tell him that he is brilliant, and his gut is always correct and never protruding. His lies are legendary and unmatched in the political history of the USA. Recently after lying about a non-existent US-Canada trade deficit, he bragged to supporters in a closed session how be bullshitted Prime Minister Trudeau with made up facts. I have a prediction. If he fires Sessions, the senate will not confirm a new Attorney General, and he’ll be stuck with Rosentstein. He’ll try to fire him, and the cascade of firings will occur until some paralegal in the Justice Dept. becomes our new AG. Maybe then Paul Ryan will finally do the right thing for his country and start impeachment proceedings.
3
“I want to also see different ideas.”
Which is shorthand for "I want people who won't laugh when I talk about a Space Force."
I hope the republic can survive until next November.
2
He needs to fire himself if Congress won't impeach him.
1
What this president needs more than anything is a big playpen where he can be placed out of reach of the levers of power. But then the babysitters have the levers, and now what? This is our founding fathers' worst nightmare; an out of control chief executive. But they did forsee that eventuality, give them credit for that. What they did not foresee was a Congress of compliant money-grubbers, ne'er-do-wells, and enemies of the state. The Republican Party has descended into the abyss of venality and treason: This party must be destroyed.
2
Any CEO of any publicly traded company that did a fraction of what DT has done would been ousted by the board for grievous mismanagement. I thought this was supposed to be a business savvy president.
3
If a CEO in public education aka a School Superintendent acted in this way they too would be fired with cause. Incredible how POTUS et al are not accountable to the regulations and laws the rest of us follow.
When the heat is no good, the whole body suffers.
I feel really scared now when I go to bed at night or wake up in the middle of the night. I am in my 4th decade of life and feeling like a little kid. This administration is out of control. The lack of qualified personnel at the head of our country is making us vulnerable. I am terrified.
2
"Mr. Kelly himself is also on thin ice, according to officials in the White House. He is said to have angered the president by privately saying “no” to the boss too often." Those last two sentences say it all. The president is a child.
1
Getting rid of Carson and Shulkin would be no great loss. Could Trump actually find people who are worse than these creeps who seem intent on spending taxpayer money for their own benefit and not for those they are hired to serve? I say good riddance and let's keep Trump busy filling positions in his cabinet with more brown-nosers while we hope Mueller is getting closer to actions that will help us see the back of this orange menace.
3
Get rid of Mr. Million $ Mnuchin. That's how much he has spent of private planes.
Cannot for the life of me find it on my TV...anyone know when the season finale airs??
2
It's like that old Twilight Zone episode where a small town lived and cowered at the whims of an unstable 8-year-old with strange powers.
3
The voters who did this to us deserve scorn, contempt and loathing. THEY are the real problem, not him. They should have to wear scarlet Ts for the rest of their lives so we the civilized can avoid them.
4
Carson leaving means little. He's not doing his job anyway, although that's what Trump wants. Just don't be a embarrassment. McMaster is another matter. His firing would be a frightening blow to any modicum of rationality that still exists at the WH. Trump is a threat to national security himself. The NSA director must speak truth to power. Removing McMaster's voice, together with the ascension of Pompeo to SoS, leaves the administration with nothing but Trump sycophants as advisors. Mattis, who is little heard from, is the lone hope. This is very scary.
3
25+ White House staffers and cabinet secretaries have been fired, resigned or quit. 6 members of Trumps inner circle are under federal criminal investigation, 4 guilty pleas and 2 indictments.
...Remind me, when does the winning start?
2
"There will always be change" as long as this agent is being ( as they say in the tradecraft) controlled to DIVIDE and CONQUER the U.S. domestically by the highest political office ( in the country) from abroad. I am confident that anyone who isn't living the moon can identify who the controller is !
Frank Zappa famously named an album "We are all Bozos on this bus." Can anyone deny the relationship between the sycophantic, resume' stacking, "B" movie extras who are so dazzled by their own egos as to accept a position in chaos led by a pretender. Trump is the bus driver and the bozos are giddy with their sense of stature until Trump hiccups to another lane and faces head-on traffic. The incomprehensible facts are that the bozos knew they were boarding a doomed bus trip from day one; that the driver and bozos alike will crash and burn will clearly be the outcome. To my mind they all deserve to go to the murky depths with the Ship of State
"Recently, people close to Mr. Trump say that he has begun to feel more confident that he understands the job of president...."
He's beginning to understand the job? After 14 months?
Oh, um.....good..... I guess...
2
"Mr. Carson and David J. Shulkin, the secretary of veterans affairs, have both embarrassed the president by generating scandalous headlines."
Really? The greatest embarrassment to DJT should be his own long and multisided history of scandalous behavior . Who can ever top it?
1
Since Trump is a former reality TV star, and seems to be impressed by TV celebrities, and lacking objective selection criteria, perhaps he can assemble more relevant cabinet replacements from reality TV, such as top survivor stars, who may be better equipped to not only run government agencies, (at least better than Ben Carson), but are more likely to survive Trump's fickle purges.
Next The Con Don will select Sean Hannity to be his chief of staff because "he gets along with him and he's a fun guy".
What a fool. What an unbelievably socially unconscious, greedy, ridiculous human being. Both of them. All of them.
4
Trump's neediness knows no bounds. He has no shame, no empathy, no social skills, and no knowledge about much of anything except TV trivia.
He has nothing but a bottomless need and he has a choke hold on the American people and an ever aghast world as he constantly acts out.
What a waste of time. What a waste of everything.
15
Discord among the Cabal of the hubris-ridden.
Good. Looking forward to a Shakespearean third act.
3
Oh come on Donald, fire EVERYBODY! You know it's the only thing The Base will stand for, man. Otherwise, they get bored, and you do NOT want that, do you.
6
Obligatory, "I have the best people" comment.
3
Donald Trump should stop blaming others and quit...just walk away from a job for which he is totally unsuited.
8
Why isn't Scott Pruitt on the list to be replaced? He spends recklessly and enjoys impunity. Like Tom Price, I want my taxpayer's money back and he needs to resign.
6
Manufactured "evidence" that Trump did not fire Comey because of the Russian investigation ... just plain old firing because he disagreed with the boss on something.
Trump is feeling the heat from Mueller, and Teresa May ratcheted it up a lot. Soon, he will be unable to do or say anything that isn't calculated in response to Mueller.
2
Guess which Queen hit song plays on a constant loop over the West Wing sound system?
2
And another one gone.....
Perhaps he's getting rid of the semi-sane in his cabinet who might consider the option of declaring him unfit to serve?
2
Finally, someone has figured out how to purge FOX news of all those so-called fair and balanced reporters. Go Trump!
You mean hire them to the Administration ?
Irrespective of his reputation as a brain surgeon, it is unsettling to me to think about Ben Carson returning to the OR. Will he be taking the $31,000 dining room table his wife liked so much?
All of Trump's "best" administration officials are so naïve and/or incompetent (oops) that all I can say is good riddance, except for whose next.
4
@J.Colby- Carson retired from brain surgery before he started running for office. He was fairly young for an "accomplished" surgeon, which leads me to believe he was having other problems. BTW-The separation of conjoined twins, which he touts as a great accomplishment lead to one death and the remaining twin in a nursing home. That outcome was no better than those of the early 1900s. I think his good reputation was fake news.
3
These points are a better fit with the Ben Carson we have seen in the political arena: confused, slow, and often (seemingly) indifferent.
2
What's the old adage about dogs and fleas ... Oh, yeah: Lay down with dogs, get-up with fleas ...
Every time I think it can't get any worse, it does ...
Also, being a dog-owner, my apologies for the comparison of this prez to our K-9 friends ... And, in fairness: the fleas ...
1
Looks like they took a ticket and have to wait for their number to be called.
trump is systematically excoriating our Intelligence Community, our Military Leadership, and our Justice departments right before our eyes.
As he hires, checks for loyalty, and then fires those who 'fail the test' he is quickly gutting the career leadership across our government and replacing those roles with sycophants.
trump is a narcissistic tyrant and he loves it. His base is too blinded by hatred to recognize the danger he poses to them and by the time they see the light, it'll be too late.
The November election isn't about which party wins or who controls the House and Senate. It's much more important: it's a referendum on the very principles of democracy.
6
Trump's crew makes Nixon's crew look like Nobel winners!
8
Haldeman and Ehlichmann are belly laughing in hell...of course Nixon is still in denial but...
1
while reading the article i was just riding the tube in Paris, and stopped at Franklin Roosevelt metro station. Great president to who, and many others young american boys, we owe our freedom and prosperity. Great pity to see the US lead by such a clown, How can we help?
16
Thanks for asking this! It’s extremely important to a majority of us here in the U.S. for the rest of the world to know that we are as disgusted by our so-called president as the rest of the world. He doesn’t represent us.
5
As to what you can do.....stop importing anything from the US. Do not sell to the US. Mute his twitter account. Don’t broadcast any or even part of any of his speeches & mumblings. Just pretend the US isn’t here right now, as we aren’t. Do anything that will make the filthy rich over here uncomfortable. Make them pay, in cash, up front for any trips to any countries they wish to go to, with an extra fee for being American. Say a million dollars a week? Make regular citizens pay up front & pay an extra fee for being American also. Say $1,000 a week? Don’t import US newspapers, news reports. They should be available only to your security personel. Those places known for being off shore havens for the filthy rich should freeze all Americans’ accounts.
Trump doesn't distinguish between the famous and the infamous. His M.O. is to defame. His goal is to leave as wide a trail as possible through the history book of modern media. His sound and fury will reverberate around the globe for generations. He likes being called an "idiot," because the joke is on all of us.
He invites insult, and then takes revenge. He expresses admiration for despots who have their own people assassinated cruelly and unusually. So it is no wonder that he handles his own staff, shall we say, unconventionally. It's his style. He speaks loudly, and carries a concealed hammer.
2
It would save all concerned time, trouble and money by moving the entire FOX News pundits clan to the White House so Trump can get his briefings and advice in person along with facilitating placing them in prominent positions in his cabinet.
4
Hannity and Carlson as SOS and SOD. No one would ever attack us again...out of pity!
1
In all fairness, there's a big difference between "change" and what's happening here.
And no matter what Donald Trump says, this is chaos.
Moreover, this is no way to run a country. This is how you run a country into the ground.
10
When will Mr. Trump be on that purge list?
7
Trump's final criteria will finally be who he is taller than or larger around than.
Once Kelly is gone (St Pat's Day??) for being too tall, then McMaster will bite the dust. Half the country will have served in the first Trump year, and had access to our classified materials for their tell-alls.
3
Is Pruitt on the chopping board? I will fire Pruitt first if I were Trump, and then DeVos, Sessons...
5
and please get rid of Zinke!
2
Dear Press: Keep on embarrassing him.
Sounds like the secret to keeping this administration from doing real harm is to keep uncovering all their unethical behavior, from the $31,000 dining room set (for an office!) to the $139,000 doors (for an office!) for that other conman, Ryan Zinke. Oh, yeah, and he claims it was a bargain.
If the President is forced to continually turn over his staff and face continual confirmation hearings, the country might actually survive until November.
7
Harvard Business Review:
A Culture of Candor
James O’TooleWarren Bennis
JUNE 2009
"A culture of candor doesn’t just develop on its own—the hoarding of information is far too persistent in organizations of all kinds. That said, leaders can take steps to create and nurture transparency. The bottom line with each of these recommendations is that leaders need to be role models: They must share more information, look for counterarguments, admit their own errors, and behave as they want others to behave.
When followers are asked to rank what they need from their leaders, trustworthiness almost always tops the list. Leaders who are candid and predictable—they tell everyone the same thing and don’t continually revise their stories—signal to followers that the rules of the game aren’t changing and that decisions won’t be made arbitrarily. Given that assurance, followers become more willing to stick their necks out, make an extra effort, and put themselves on the line to help their leaders achieve goals."
1
A fellow Volunteer who gets it!
Never really thought of an Attorney General or a national security advisor as 'aides' to the President. These are very high level positions in the U.S. gov't.
The attorney general prosecutes all suits in the Supreme Court in which the United States is a party, assists all other Cabinet departments in legal and judicial matters involving those departments, oversees the FBI, and conducts various other highly important duties. Hardly an 'aide' position....
5
My guess is that the die is already cast for Kelly, Shulkin, McMaster, and Carson. It should be for DeVos but her rich family ties likely protect her and, after all, Education is just not that important. As Trump did with Tillerson, he will wait for a moment when he needs a diversion to act. This week issues tied into Stormy Daniels and Connor Lamb's win caused Trump to use up a chit and fire Tillerson. Next time there's another big story watch for another Cabinet or staff discharge. None of his actions are really for the good of the Nation but rather are directed at how he can divert news to a " shinier", for the moment story.
1
To write that Secretaries Carson and Shulkin "have both embarrassed the president by generating scandalous headlines" deflects attention from the root cancer: it is the president himself who is the shameless embarrassment.
3
It’s Hard to believe that competent people reading articles like this would be interested in working for this wh. THat trump seems to enjoy having aides at each other’s throat is somewhat diabolical for a guy who is POTUS. That this admin still has three years to infect the country with this kind of madness is sad. That trump still has admirers cheering him on his every move is just downright depressing.
2
Maybe he will nominate Hillary Clinton, I mean Richard Bolton, as National Security advisor. The war mongering Times and cheerleading commenters should be pleased.
Putin wants the Iran deal to be over. Everybody who opposes that including Tillerson and McMaster have to go. The adults in the room are leaving folks and it's not going to be a pretty sight. Just Don and Sarah lying, lying, lying. Two peas in a pod.
1
Some might view Trump's keeping employees "off-kilter" about their continued employment prospects as cruel psychological torture. Now that we've come to know Trump's personality and predictable behavior better than most of us wanted, it's definitely petty viciousness on his part.
2
Trump is like a 10 year old having a temper tantrum. He will be asking the new hires to sign a loyalty oath. He must be getting coached by Putin. When will the Republicans wake up?
1
If this is what Trump calls winning then, yes, I am SO tired of winning.
4
I often wonder whether Ryan and McConnell read the comment section of this prestigious paper. I do not recall many, if any, positive comments since Trump took office. You would think, with the assumption they have human feelings and emotions, that the reflection in their mirrors would cause them to act differently.
Let's face it, there is no Trump but for the GOP. As long as the GOP follows meekly behind Trump, his base will continue to widen. Are there not any in the GOP who see this a spiraling into the abyss? Are they all content to be forever known as the enablers of someone who set off to destroy democracy and America's place in the world? Are they all content to support someone who clearly conspired with Russia, who patently lies every day, who makes things up as he goes, who pays people off to keep quiet, who uses women as mere playthings, and who is the most racist president of all time, just to mention the tip of the iceberg? It is amazing that they can sleep at night.
3
Our White House has been turned into a zoo by the so-called president. It's stocked with a GIANT BOOR and all the other animals are scapegoats.
1
Too bad purges like this didn't occur in prior regimes. How much better might things have turned out had President Truman grown tired of the cold war instigations of Dean Acheson. What disasters might have been avoided if Kennedy purged McNamara, or had Johnson rooted out McGeorge Bundy. If only Nixon's Saturday Night Massacre included Kissinger. Or if George W. Bush...never mind.
"Purge" certainly is the correct word in the headline. Trump takin' right after his heroes Putin and Stalin.
Next step? Setting up gulags for all those lazy Medicaid recipients.
3
Exactly the type of boss no one wants to work for. Does not lead by example, does not read reports everyone has slaved over to keep him informed, does not prepare for meetings, wastes everyones time by changing his mind on a whim, refuses to take responsibility when something goes awry, doesnt bread loyalty because he doesnt give it, has everyone walking on eggshells all the time, would rather drive the ship straight into the iceberg than admit hes wrong.
8
Well said.
Schadenfreude doesn't feel so nice when our country is the collateral damage.
4
You can't call it a "Purge" in your headline.
A purge implies a type of cleansing and this is the opposite since he's swapping bad for worse.
Besides, this is his show and he hired all these people in the first place.
I suggest you refer to the White House transition as just further Degredation or Swampification.
6
"I think you want to see change" Trump says. Oh, we sure DO, Trumpty Dumpty. Guess who we want changed the most?
5
It has become seen as an honor to be fired by Trump. It would be even more honorable to quit back when it became obvious how His Baby Tantrumship was going to treat staff. But better late than never. With McMaster biding his time until the hammer comes down, others will be lining up for the privilege of being excused. I wish them all well, even those who naively thought they would withstand the pogrom. No one deserves the disdain they are subject to.
1
Pendulums swing.
Truth is gravity. tic, tic, tic.
This inundation of what are essentially daily permutations of the Trump monarchical management twitches covers over underlying matters of much greater importance. A little balance and some deeper investigation and broader vision would help.
1
What will it take for Congress to purge him? Amazing how Bill Clinton was impeached for lying about a consensual sex act, but this guy can get away with paying off his flings, and the GOP just yawns.
That doesn’t even factor in Russia. It doesn’t factor in his constant lying. It doesn’t factor in his disregard for political norms.
He needs to go - now.
2
I bet a job at one of those Chinese iPhone factories (where workers throw themselves off the roof in despair) is looking pretty good to a lot of White House employees right about now.
For Trump this may be another episode of "The Apprentice." For America its another episode of a mad man who has no clue on how to govern in a disciplined manner. After a while even the yes men will look to leave this carnival funhouse.
2
Sessions is the most important ouster obviously.
Generally, if we had a serious country, Mr. Carson and David J. Shulkin wouldn't be just fired. They would be jailed for theft.
2
Troubled people live in chaos and they love it.
It brings them the attention they crave.
It keeps them from being bored.
It works their manic emotions and thoughts.
It exhausts everyone else.
5
"...contrary to reports they have a good working relationship and there are no changes...''
Ms. Huckster-Sanders, respectfully, how many times have we heard you and the president vomit that line?
3
Don Jr, and Eric are waiting in the wings! Too bad about Jaren thought. If this was mid evil times in Japan, owing over $8 billion for 666 Park Ave South would require one appropriate action!
1
Ever heard of Stalin? He liked to do this kind of thing.
Frankly, I think it's just more distraction to avoid responsibility for crimes and to avoid having to punish his pal, Putin (who has really painted him into a corner).
This also seems to be about eliminating any person who makes him uncomfortable. Other Presidents certainly chose people who they are compatible with -- but his extreme discomfort with listening to anything he doesn't want to HEAR or doesn't understand is leading to an ever smaller circle of one dimensional advisors, assuming the role of his Apprentice staff ( George Ross, Carolyn Kepcher) in keeping track of what it is he's supposed to be doing, and giving him the answers he wants.
His world is provincial - not at all what you think of as the realm of a cosmopolitan New Yorker - and he is making it ever smaller.
3
"Famously fickle"? That's about the weakest description of the traitor in the WH so far today (still morning on this coast). How about "notoriously disloyal"? If he were competent (I know), he'd boot Zinke, DeVos, Pruitt, Carson, Mnuchkin, Chang (Mrs McConnell) and Perry (in no particular order) before the end of the day (or, as is his "style", have an underling deliver the news, then have them fired, as well). Time for him to go cheating around one of his golf courses.
Our country is being driven into the ground by a weak, narcissistic, traitorous crook. He must be removed from office.
5
Apologies to McConnell's wife, Elaine Chao. My error!
1
The gang which couldn't shoot straight is running the White House! How embarrassing for this country to have such an incompetent leader.
2
Trump is just rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic as his ship goes down...
Thanks to Mueller the iceberg...
7
Drain the swamp? You got more swamp than Shrek, DT.
9
The Man Who Would be Dictator is at it again. If there isn't enough bowing and scraping before His Tyrannical Majesty, he's going to continue to fire people -- until he looks under enough rocks and finds those with the necessary skills in sychophancy to keep his enormously aggrieved ego soothed.
His boots need licking 24/7, and he's got to find the right tongues for the job!
9
The Trump White House is a hot mess, and that's because the president is not qualified for his job. He is a terrible leader and, frankly, a flawed and unimpressive person. It is beyond me why anyone qualified would want to work for this man. The ones who do choose to work for him may do so out of patriotism, but many of them likely do it because they are ambitious. It will taint them forever.
19
Trump remains to be pathetic. Trying to look decisive while being chaotic and without a clue about what to do. I expect to see the following postings soon:
new Chief of Staff : Sean Hannity.
new director of communication: Tucker Carlson.
new national security adviser: Alex Jones.
That is what I would call "streamlining the cabinet" with the Porn-President´s competence, wisdom and intellect.
7
Trump and his revolving doors are a threat to national security. Clearly his mind is sick and enjoys humiliating people. The way he fired Rex Tillerson was SAD.
10
Why don't White House chief of staff, John Kelly, National security adviser, Gen. McMaster and Attorney General, Jeff Sessions just quit before the consternation of getting fired in a tweet? These seem to be the only three good men left in this President's men. Maybe, they still have hopes that this President will see the folly of his ways and the danger he has put his country into. But that is their folly. He will fire them and have Kudlows and Omarosas hanging around him. Meanwhile Putin's oligarch goons and brainy hackers will take over the reins and let these clowns implode themselves. As for Americans? We will have to learn to salute and say,
" Heil to the Chief "!
3
I think Bannon is running the country via the phone.
5
Trump's latest performances at his rallies should leave no doubt as to what this empty suit has in mind for the country. A nation ruled by performance; a show put on an incompetent, uninformed, disinterested, lazy liar. If this were ancient Rome the Praetorian Guard would have despatched him long ago.
15
Mattis is a true national treasure. We are incredibly fortunate that he is willing to serve this mercurial and sometimes off-the-rails POTUS.
Someday, we'll look back on this farce and laugh.
Man, I really hope we make it to that 'someday.'
8
Someone has been watching reruns of "The Apprentice". Lord, he misses those halcyon days!
3
He will have "all the best people". lol. What is amazing is that the truly incompetent (e.g. de Vos, Carson...) are apparently NOT on the chopping block!
5
This is NOT leadership.
5
I have long believed that Trump's administration was like an Agatha Christie novel where the denouement is when Poirot (Mueller?) convenes the suspects (Trump's advisors?) in the mansion living room (oval office?) and points the finger to the least likely suspect (Ivanka?). But the events are clearly not playing out that way. There is no suspense. A lengthy Christie novel has been spoiled by too many suspects reveled too soon, and may turn into a Miss Marples short story. With many advisors gone and many likely to be on the way, do we have another telling of "And Then There Were None"? Or maybe it is a sequel to "Murder on the Orient Express" where all the parties share the guilt.
3
It is said that Athens had the first democracy during the Age of Pericles.
Why didn't it last? Why did Plato, who lived in the following century, rank forms of government in this order?
1. Aristocracy
2. Timocracy
3. Oligarchy
4. Democracy
5. Tyranny
Perhaps we are witnessing the reason with the rise of Trump, which signals the decay of our own democracy.
The majority is often wrong.
The majority tends to be wrong when government becomes too complicated for the average voter to understand.
China by contrast is an autocracy, ruled for several decades by reasonably competent philosopher-kings.
It was Deng Xiaoping who introduced Chinas one-child policy in 1979.
A democracy would never vote for a one-child policy. But the one-child policy allowed China to improve living standards for a more slowly growing population. And that is why China is now fighting us for economic supremacy.
Meanwhile, Trump is proceeding along the path from democracy to tyranny. He is surrounding himself with sycophants who will agree with his every word. Where does he get his inspiration? Putin?
Trump had one correct idea: Illegal immigration does in fact undercut the US economy, overwhelming the safety net, making universal health care unaffordable in the US.
But even on this issue he has bungled. There is no reason to demonize Mexicans. Better to get Mexicans to help in controlling their own population growth.
And liberals have paved the way for Trumps rise by ignoring the poor.
The purge most of us are looking forward to will come in November when the Democrats retake the House and Senate and Trump is impeached and convicted. Regardless, who would want to work for this administration, knowing your opinions will not be taken seriously as our President is most influenced by what he hears on Fox News.
5
Donald J. Trump, the king of scandalous headlines, might fire a cabinet secretary because they embarrassed him with scandalous headlines? The irony is simply too rich.
7
The real drama will come when Mueller finds evidence that post-election Donald and Jared were negotiating for loans with Russian billionaires whose assets were frozen by Obama administration sanctions. Donald, already unhinged, will go berserk, will try to fire Mueller and consolidate power ala Putin. The test will then be the willingness of Congress to get rid of this smudge on American history. Donald will act before November, knowing that a House of Representatives dominated by Democrats will impeach and convict, and will have to test the support of the current GOP majority. If those lily-livered sycophants fail to act before the election, November elections will be even more than a bloodbath for the GOP and Donald will be impeached next February. Sic semper tyrannis. Jared continues to promote prison reform for good reason. Prison awaits them.
1
And indeed, the Prez is both realistic and so "Right" (winged?). Change just IS! Change is reality. SO, when is our twittering tweeter going to change? His harmful, destructive words into "balmful" ones? His destructive deeds and barriers to mutual respect, trust, caringness and mutual help into bridges enabling equitable, experienced, well being for all of US in safe homes. Schools. Neighborhoods.Places of work. Leisure. Prayer. Safe streets, which are not just for walking. And what are OUR options, as individuals, and working together- kin, friends and strangers- to continue to create needed changes? At all levels. All over. Now! To meet the daily challenges of a socio-eco-political, toxic, created, and maintained WE-THEY culture. Which violates a dehumanized "the other!" All over! The unaccountable Trump, as person and President, for whom words and deeds have personal consequences and implications, measured change for equitable living for, and by, ALL of US is but a non-understood- oxymoron, And as, and if, we wait for him to change, for the better, we deserve what we are experiencing.
Exactly what is it the President doesn't want us to be paying attention to right now?
7
McMaster has to go because he will not go along with Trump's plan for a takeover of the country. He refuses to command the military to enforce, with force if necessary, this takeover. Trump will find someone to support his ambitions like he found John Kelly and Mike Pompeo, who are behind him 100%.
It's a shame that Paul Ryan is too cowardly to oppose Trump, and the media is in their bubble and can't see what's right in front of their faces, and has been for some time.
1
As the revolving door swings wildly in Trump world and internal and external focus centers nearly exclusively on palace intrigue and petty feuds, who's actually governing? Is anyone really minding the shop?
1
Somehow Trump seems to believe that "new" people will make him look more "Presidential" and smarter...
It is not the job of anyone to make Trump look smart....That is his job and so far he has been a truly dismal failure at convincing many of us that he can tie his shoes without help.
The way he treats people does not inspire either respect or loyalty. He refuses to sit down and like a grown-up, terminate people. That speaks volumes about his lack of real courage and his utter lack of respect for those who serve him. Service to any President is a two way street. Your expertise and opinions must matter. Trump wants a fan club-not a cabinet.
Not only is he not very smart, he is also not brave and quite mean spirited.
5
How quickly we've come to accept Trump's chaotic reign as normal.
1
Let’s try this scenario: Trump is up to his ample armpits in debt to Russia; Putin owns the debt and, therefore, Trump. We have recently seen, allegedly, how “Putin” deals with traitors. No wonder Trump eats only burgers from random McDonalds. Melanie is a plant, and she is growing tired of Trump and his oligarchical ways, which goes against her political core (snort!) a guy in that position needs to keep his companions moving, because you can’t really trust anyone; an untrustworthy person absolutely knows that. So, nobody gets to stay around long; no one gets to accumulate any power; family is, perhaps, the only exception, but one needs to keep an eye even on them.
Let’s see how fast this makes the rounds on social media—a test of its accuracy
However they have fallen short, General McMasters and former General Kelly have been critical in preventing Trump from making some horrendous mistakes during the past year. They at least stood up to him and brought some order to the White House staff in Kelly's case, and national security (in McMaster's case). The persons Donald Trump wants to replace them with will likely be incompetent horrors. No competent, ethical people want to be sacrificed on the altar of Trump's ego and cruelty. Even if the United States manages to survive the Trump Presidency (and that is not a foregone conclusion at this point) any one associated with his administration will be forever tarred with Trump's crimes, lies, arrogance, and insistence that all his staff back up his lies and cover his mistakes. This is a no-win situation for staff which is why they are leaving as fast as they can exit graciously. It took Hope Hicks less than 24 hours after being interviewed by Robert Mueller to see the handwriting on the wall. I the close and closeted world of former US Generals don't you think that these two guys have spread warnings? Paul Ryan needs to wake up and realize that his time to act is running out. The longer he waits to go after Trump and Pence, the more likely Ryan is to be replaced before he - Ryan - can become President. Paul - are you out there? We are late in the fourth quarter and it's time for a handsome quarterback to throw a Hail Mary on the field!
59
Can someone please, for the love of God and Country get this old man a young intern with a blue dress so the GOP will finally realize the sky IS falling, spring into Christian and Patriotic duty?
We will even let them take a bow for acting like it was all their idea to save the republic, hide our eye roll and move on with a collective sigh.
We will build a monument to the poor girl for her sacrifice! No pros though cause apparently the evangelicals will allow that!
No Thanks. An Ayn Rand acolyte that brags about his frat house dreams to abolish social security including Medicare would not be an improvement. He is complicit in allowing Trump to create a toxic government of chaotic idiots that genuflect to Koch, Mercer, Adelson, Putin and the NRA. The Chinese will plow the states of Arkansas, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota and Iowa into bankruptcy we will have a cabinet of acting cabinet secretaries. The fact that you used the word handsome is insulting to all the men and women that do outstanding public service irregardless of their looks.
It's disappointing that the president of the United States feels an unending need to express power and control by chreating chaos in the personnel structure of the executive Branch. The pickings for replacements is becoming slim. One of these days the music is going to stop and it will Donald Trump himself who is without a chair when the music stops.
87
Not soon enough
One hopes.
Not only are the replacement personnel pickings becoming slim, they're also growing more and more scary. The good people who believe wholly in public service have to realize that serving the president would have only to do with placating him. Concern for the public is non-existent. The remaining candidates are necessarily the toadies, the extreme-right ideologues and the arrogant, those who believe they have a rightful place in helping lead US government. Our only hope is that the GOP Congress will carry out its duty in refusing Trump his undisciplined desires.
One of the consistently used techniques by Trump as well as his supporters is the false equivalence. Whenever he is rightfully criticized for his colossal failures, blunders, or any of the absurd and dangerous goings on with his White House we get the a phony comparison. "Politicians never told a lie?" "Turnover has never happened in the Whitehouse?"
As a result, we have a White House on fire with the question being posed, "nobody ever lit a candle in here before?" The entire cast of unqualified and incompetent actors were all hired to lay waste to what they were appointed to protect: Devos, Price, Carson, Tillerson, Flynn, Pudzer, Mnuchin, Pruitt... There is an ongoing investigation about whether our commander in chief is a traitor. Then there are the multiple criminal indictments. We have a revolving door of trusted close advisors: Bannon, Kelly, the son in-law... At one point is there an admission by Trump and his supporters that this is not just politics or fake news? This is not normal?
13
Is it clear. In this administration, protecting the boss is your first priority, and don't do anything to embarrass him. It doesn't hurt to address him as big and intelligent.
5
The reason Trump is "cleaning house" in cabinet (besides the fact he has filled it with corrupt, destructive incompetents) is to clear way to remove Attorney General Jeff Sessions as pretext to end Mueller Investigation without adding to the obstruction of justice and abuse of power charges. It's all about stopping Trump-Russia Collusion investigation before the midterms because Trump fears Democrats will take over and when they receive Mueller’s report, will move forward with impeachment.
11
I'm sure someone else used this quote from Dante, "Abandon all hope, ye who enter here..."
8
It is Friday after all. The man can't do anything without the cover of either Twitter, someone else doing his dirty work for him, or a weekend coming up.
At least the Sunday shows will have something to talk about.
5
And getting more air time on the Sunday shows is His Royal Drumpf-ness' top priority. Forget infrastructure. Forget jobs. Forget economic inequality. Forget protecting the air we breathe. And please, Forget the Russia investigation. It was nothing. Really. Just forget it. Trust me.
Who could vote for a presidential candidate, illegally given the reins of the DNC before the primary election -- a candidate, who offered her support and funding for "superdelegate" state candidates in exchange for announced "pledges" of their votes in the upcoming primary elections? A candidate, who then smugly announced early on in the primary campaigning that she already had the election in the bag -- who gave almost ZERO press conferences, and flew from coast-to-coast collecting multi-million dollar donations that were funneled back to her via the DNC because they exceeded the personal limits set for presidential campaigns. The state party candidates struggeled for funding, while six "annalists" received close to $100 million. So many voters were unable to vote in the closed primary in Florida, in NY etc. The bad taste lingers and is why many people I know either voted for Trump or a Green Party but refused to vote for Hillary Clinton, and still refuse to fund the Democratic Party -- Focusing on issues like #AssaultWeaponsBan - #FightFor15 and #MedicareForAll -- and giving directly and only to individual candidates. If the Democrats don't get rid of the "superdelegates" who have 712 votes equal to congressional district votes... then Trump has a good shot at a second term because if nothing changes, nothing will change.
4
Please, please, please, give this a rest. Can you not see that those issues are small potatoes compared to what we are facing now? Do you want to see Social Security evaporate? The environment poisoned beyond healing? Poor people without medical care, without food or shelter? War with Iran or North Korea? And please read some history on WHY the Democratic party is set up with Superdelegates - rules established 40 some odd years ago. There was no secret here. Bernie Sanders and the Green Party knew the rules - they didn't have to play if they did not want to. And Bernie became a Democrat just to benefit from Democratic structures - as soon as the election was over, he became an Independent. Talk about about a fair weather friend! Finally, there is enough pain all around about the loss in 2016 - can we stop with the endless blame and recriminations and move forward into solutions that benefit all of the American people and the rest of the planet?
4
Yeah, we need a change at the top. Right now. Please. Mr. Stupid has shown his true nature and the change many hoped for has turned out to be more cronyism. One day he decries the shooting at Parkland and the next he knuckles under to the power of the NRA. His crew of "incredibly talented top administrators" is now in the dumpster. He is searching for the remaining few who will kiss the ring and the candidates are few, most running for the door.
1
We could reform the Electoral College, abolishing the 'winner-take-all' adaptations so many (most?) states have embraced. If they were distributed proportionally to the popular votes we'd have candidates who actually tried to appeal to most Americans instead of flying from coast-to-coast merely to see who can rack-up the most contributions.
2
Word is that John Kelly will resign soon- that would signal Trump's final days.
5
"I have ALL the BEST PEOPLE!" Really!
I cannot understand for the life of me how American citizens with any brains in their head think this guy is good for American. He has made you the laughing stock on a global scale. The dearly departed Dr. Stephen Hawking said it so succinctly.
"The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance, it is the illusion of knowledge."
This couldn't be more appropriate when referencing "Comrade Trump".
The clown car has left the building!
20
amend Presidential Succession act to transfer power to runner-up in cases of gross incompetence, treason, and/or inability to serve
5
After the destruction of our democracy by Trump with actions too numerous to list but all nevertheless designed to create a dictatorship it will be sad that the person most responsible for this destruction will not be listed in the history books because those books will be written by the people who don't want future generations to know. Paul Ryan. That's right, Paul Ryan, who is sitting by just watching as Trump day by day brings our country to an end. Paul Ryan who is the only one who can stop Trump in his tracks. Paul Ryan, one of history's most cowardly humans.
9
I wouldn't give Ryan that much credit, except for the "most cowardly." He certainly is that.
Kind of like the priests he so admires--as they turned the other cheek…er…averted their eyes--to their friends and colleagues sexually abusing young parishioners.
I can't help but wonder if all this melodrama over who's next to get the chop isn't meant to distract from the Mueller investigation and revelations from the gutsy porn star.
8
There was a leader of a great nation, not so far in the past, who absolutely believed in his intuition, and surrounded himself with leaders who did not cross him, and fired the rest. His (mis)management style was to create rival power centers, and then to cut the legs out from under people he had appointed. He always trusted his unerring instincts, against the world. Not too far into his term of office, he simply abolished the legislative body and ruled by decree, citing an emergency. His style led to a disaster of historic proportions.
Can anyone guess the name of this historical figure? Hint: should Trump's nicknames for his staff be Keitel, Jodl and Martin?
4
is what happens, when you sell your soul.......
2
We will soon have a Fox News cabinet who will do his bidding. It is worrisome to think about.
And John Bolton! An angry hawk from the Bush years. Scary for any peace efforts.
November can't come soon enough.
13
There is change and there is instability and rats leaving a sinking ship.
When will Trump leave, resign? Haven't the GOP gotten the message, they are supporting a loser?
8
John Bolton to become National Insecurity Advisor - sounds like a great idea and fills a real need. Oh. Security Advisor. No, that can’t be true, that would be as crazy as....never mind.
9
If only ‘we’ could fire trump
19
We will. We'll knock him behind the knees in 2018 and then we'll take him out in 2020. Those kids out marching? A majority will be voting in 2020.
13
Who will be next to go?
How about every member of the Cabinet except Secretary of Defense James Mattis as a good start. Mattis is a man who is thoughtful, who as a former four start Marine general well informed about the military and who recognizes that we should employ diplomacy to the ends of its ability before we turn to military action.
How about we dump all of those people as soon as possible.
Fire the following:
DeVos
Zinke
Pruitt
Carson
Perry
Pompeo (even before he gets to be Secretary of State)
Mnuchin
Ross
Chao
Perdue
Neilsen
Azar
It might make sense to hold on to Sessions, if only because he is recused with regard to the Russia investigation and cannot act to fire Special Prosecutor Mueller. But, in the mind of Trump, that might put the biggest of the bullseyes on his back, rather than any other member of the Cabinet.
Or maybe Dopey Donald will post their pictures on a wall, and throw darts at them to pick who goes. That would make as much sense as his usual thought process. And it is quick and easy.
11
With Trump and his cabinet we are going back to the mid-forties with Hitler in his Bunker. Trump like Hitler knows best how to run this country, he needs no help.
And I suggest if he could jail the members of the Free Press he would just like Hitler did in the past.
Why can't we see he wants to be a dictator replete with a uniform deck out with unearned medals and a big parade marching past his deranged mind.
He should be brought up on TREASON to the constitution he vowed to uphold
10
Trump is a sadist and likes to abuse and humiliate people. But his former and future victims at the top of government are big boys and girls. Most of them have contacts and a few bucks in the bank. They'll land on their feet.
The real victims here are the American people. What makes it worse is that it's our own damn fault for electing this monster.
17
I wonder if DJT can imagine the likely result of his cabinet turnover and shoddy treatment of his 1st, and already 2nd, generation cabinet and senoir staff members. Sooner not later at least one of the discarded, senior members of DJT cabinet will write their own story. Their description of the DJT WH who, what, when, where and why will be in the 1st person. Written by serious people, such memiors affords DJT little opportunity to dismiss their words as minor people reciting "fake news" with "as told" or "I heard" stories.
5
A lesson for the incoming staff. Trump will make you praise him in public and just like those who praise Kim Jong-Un it better be profusely enough. Then, 2 months later he'll kick you to the curb. But at least you'll have more integrity left than Sarah.
5
Vladimir Putin purges with a smiling smirk twinkle vision of victory in his eye.
Donald Trump purges with his twitter finger and tongue with a sneaky snarl fear of defeat twisting his mind.
Putin is a gangster. Trump is a Chihuahua.
4
Is this what he meant by draining the swamp??
1
Preppers are looking more rational each passing day.
5
Oh yes, Dear Leader:
We do want to see change...
"Toodles" Trump is at the most a large empty suit.
His need to humiliate his staff is just weird.
People are getting fed up with his incompetence. Reminds me when people were so put out with Bush and small pictures of his head appeared on toothpicks atop dog "leavings".
3
Senators, don't confirm these extremists. Are you guys (sic) crazy, or what? Let the prez flail. It won't be pretty but it might hasten his implosion and the country's chance to rebuild.
6
These firings and hirings are a deliberate part of the sideshow. Little attention should be paid to them. In a way, it's heartening that Trump learned something from his time as TV huckster -- us idiots eat this stuff up, whether it's the petty battles of the Housewives of Wherever, the exits from the Real World house, or the firings from the White House. It's as sad that people are willing to submit themselves to this kind of humiliation for a chance at power as it is to see the reality show contestants lunging at fame.
1
Reminder to those accepting any position in a White House under the influence of a lunatic.
You could always say "No, thank you".
5
What a collection of misfits. They are either incompetent, dishonest, or spineless.
They are all a reflection of our leadership.
6
And Betsy DeVos is not on the list? That figures!
8
Nothing worse than a pathetic and incompetent circus headed by a psychotic ringmaster. The fact is that nobody with brains, knowledge, and sense of decency wants to fork for this mentally unstable character. So he has to recruit from FOCK News, the right-wing propaganda tv station. John Bolton, the failed ambassador to the UN, is the right choice for a ridiculous administration.
1
The George Steinbrenner Presidency.
3
Mr Trump needs a shrink as Chief of Staff. Not a honest, accomplished General.
Sarah is the right Press Secretary though; willing to lie as often as needed and ready with the next attack line against the Opposition even within the party. Except no bad word against Master Putin who has a special place in Comrade Trump's evil heart.
Maybe that's why Haspel is next CIA chief - the opponents of Comrade better beware. They could be waterboarded by the expert and experienced lady.
1
It is quite in character for Trump to put 'TV style' at the top of the list of attributes for his appointees.
He has proved himself over and over to be all about 'presentation' (in his case lies) with no interest in, or ability to comprehend, substance.
2
It's an excellent idea for President Trump to keep members of his cabinet on their toes; this will keep everyone focused and sharp for the job of making America great again! These are excellent national level staff leadership moves and I think he's doing a great job! Some people may hear "Your fired!" very soon.
So Trump is ready to take the training wheels off of his presidential bicycle. He no longer needs anyone to hold on to the back of the seat as he pedals aimlessly in zig zag motions. Since he knows everything, we Americans should not be alarmed, right? OMG!
1
Woodrow Wilson had strokes in 1919 that incapacitated him. Why can't that happend again? Or has it already?
3
I despise our so-called president as much as most Americans, but wishing a stroke on him is sinking to his level.
Just to be clear, none of these people are “good guys”or “the adults in the room”. This is more like the infighting of various mob groups in The Godfather.
4
“I want to also see different ideas.”
....so long as they don't challenge or contradict any of my ideas, in which case "YOU'RE FIRED!"
1
Trump oversells everything and this is one result of that. In the business world, of which he is not a businessperson, you under-promise and over-deliver.
Note to Trump: Stop overselling, that's a big part of your credibility problem and the resulting buffoonery.
Uh, no, Trump’s credibility problem is that he’s a ruthless liar. Also, he had nothing to sell.
At this juncture, simply the rate of bleed MUST begin to trouble us enough to pressure congress to act. The sycophantic Cabinet never will. If they do not act, they go.
Democrats, here's the irony: we are now the party of national defense!! We are now the party of order and tradition and the rule of law!! Who'd'a thunk it?
A platform to run on: order, stability, transparency, ethics, & we mean what we say. By fall, this message will resonate with everyone who is remotely persuadeable.
Hillary, sadly, has zero "transparency." But Conor Lamb scores high in this. Indeed departing from the party line on one or two issues makes him seem more authentic.
Run candidates who people can TRUST and who work for the whole and for the good of *future* americans. We need a future orientation. Kids and infrastructure are both "future". Preventing addiction, preventing worst of climate change, creating jobs in so doing, and sharing the rising tide.
The long term health of the planet and people is also being clean, honorable, and safeguarding the whole, and looking toward the future.
Every ad shows Trump flipping and flopping, impossible to decipher even by his own aides, grasping at straws, and reverse Robin Hooding with his richest-ever-cabinet, and lying, and all this peopleeither being indicted or leaving in droves.
Make Tump Inc = Enron.
Trump's never ending search for the perfect "yes man" is quite literally an effort in rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic. Will any of that make any difference? Will he ever listen to any of his hand picked crew of "experts"? Or will he continue to rely on the many voices in his head occasionally augmented by the obsequious affirmations of Fox and Friends?
4
What a total mess.
November is critical if we are to save the Union.
6
"Some White House officials believe that Scott Pruitt, an ambitious lawyer who is the head of the Environmental Protection Agency, is behind rumors that he is in line to replace Mr. Sessions."
So THAT is what he needed the soundproof telephone booth for: LEAKING.
3
The most impactful change will come when the control of Congress - House and Senate - are yanked from Republican control by millions of voters this Fall who overwhelm our system with a mass demand for change.
And soon after that, the Goon in Chief himself will be dealt with.
All very soon.
Register. Hang in. Vote.
6
The rest of the world shakes its head in disbelief.
6
"If General McMaster does depart the White House, the name most often mentioned as a replacement has been John R. Bolton, a hawkish former ambassador to the United Nations whom Mr. Trump likes seeing on television."
Even by the incredibly low standards of this joke of an administration, this is a particularly pathetic reason to appoint someone to cabinet. "Hey, John, I don't have the attention span to listen to what you believe or think about how that might impact the world, but I sure do like your moustache."
What a fool. November cannot come soon enough.
56
Are we watching the prologue to the next "Saturday Night Massacre"?
Trump will use the mass turnover of his top aides as an excuse to replace Sessions as AG as well. That will fire off the chain down through the FBI until Mueller is dismissed. Then a second battle will be fought over the remains of Mueller's investigation. Trump will want it swept away with backing from GOP Congress, but will the Democrats be strong enough by then to block their tactics? It's like the windup story arc for the finale to season two of "The Apprentice: White House".
16
DC will become a tent city if Mueller is fired. I will pitch my tent under the cherry tree.
3
Regarding Ben Carson, the token Black (who should be ashamed of himself being associated with Trump and who was absolutely unqualified for the job)—
Yes, the $31,000 dining set, which Trump will pound his fists about in an orange rage, but how much does it cost to haul Trump to play golf or go rabble-rousing?
Still, Carson should go, because of the first two lines above.
28
Many presidents were fond of golf, including Obama. Remember? I don't care for 45, either, but it would be helpful to be on point.
Ocean liner. Iceberg. Deckchairs. Few lifeboats.
All that's missing is the band and "Nearer My God to Thee."
14
Why should anyone be surprised by the musical chairs charade that exists, and will continue to exist as long as this clown holds office. He has never held a position where he has to work with people - his idea of leadership is top down directives, demands, threats, humiliation, all fueled by his arrogance, stupidity and pervasive character flaws. Yes, expect to see more of the same from the POTUS who couldn't manage a pay toilet. Why in their right mind would anyone wish to work for such a moron - a move that will only damn one's career and reputation.
28
With all these resignations and firings,with only bottom feeders to fill them anew,I feel as if we are watching the demise of our democracy and the emergence of a dictatorship.Is this what trump voters wanted when trump promised to drain the swamp and upend washington???trump's only requisite for employment is loyalty…not smarts,not talent,not experience just undying
obeisance to trump.I will never forget the cabinet meeting where everyone was ordered to state their loyalty to trump almighty.Priebus referring to his fealty as a "blessing".What a chilling scene THAT was.
36
And to think that he was elected by just 22% of Eligible Voters --
because 50% of Elibigle Voters could not bother to vote.
1
What about Betsy DeVos? Is being totally clueless about her job a plus in the Trump Column?
34
Apparently she hasn’t said, “no,” yet
Or perhaps she is the only one who makes him look intelligent
1
Nobody makes Trump look intelligent.
Bolton is a true war-monger and part-time nut case. If it is Bolton, stock your fallout shelter today.
15
Trump is hiring these guys just long enough for them to get government money/feather their nests however/qualify for bennies. It’s one giant right-wing welfare program for his pals/the rich.
11
The latest "purge"?
Sounds like something out of the reign of Caligula, Nero, or the Bolsheviks!
Some "models" to emulate?
12
"Purge" evokes Stalin's purges of his political rivals. It won't be long before Trump, who aspires to be a strongman like his idols Putin and Stalin, has his enemies rounded up in the dead of night in Black Marias, shot in the head in some small, discreet lockup, and dumped in the Potomac.
6
Time to rewrite the rules of Presidential Succession… Americans now have to face at least the possibility that the election itself was subverted by a hostile foreign power in league with the winning presidential campaign, with implications all the way down the ballot. What to do if that proves to be the case? Problem! The Constitution does not have a do-over clause.” But maybe it should. And it does not have to require a constitutional amendment…It was clear that there are real problems in the Presidential Succession Act of 1947… starting with the dubious constitutionality of having congressional leaders in the line of succession (they are not “Officers” of the United States, as the Constitution requires) not to mention their inherent conflicts, including their role in impeachment of the president.
Here is the big problem. What if the election was effectively stolen? Under the current presidential succession structure, if Donald Trump were impeached and removed from office, Mike Pence would replace him. But if the election had been stolen, Pence’s place as president would be no more legitimate than that of Trump. After Pence—Paul Ryan, the speaker, followed by Orrin Hatch, the president pro tem, followed by Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. If voters’ collective desires were subverted by foreign interference and a party’s collusion, none would have a legitimate claim—especially since the control of the Senate, at least, would have been affected by the Russian role.
11
Wait until Trump decrees that the November elections were hacked by Russia.
He will announce that the results are not legitimate and no changes to the make-up of Congress will take place until he says so.
This is the only way he avoids impeachment next year.
Let's do something Trump strenuously avoids, a mental exercise.
Had Trump and not Washington been the first president, we would not have had a Civil War since there likely would have been no union to uphold by 1861.
And without a United States, Hitler would likely have crushed England in 1940 and the Third Reich would now rule North America.
So what catastrophes will mankind actually experience now that Trump is president? At the rate he's going we may not have to wait centuries or even decades to find out.
1
Bottom line, no matter which way you look at it, Donald Trump is a jerk who inherited an economy that Obama had already made better by being a decent human being.
20
Being a decent human being doesn’t make a great economy...
Check out John Bolton's mustache and you know we'll be at war.
5
WH Want Ad:
"Looking For Yes-Men"
"Without Spine A Must"
13
Reminds me Sam Goldwyn's expression: "I don't want yes-men in this organization. I want people to speak their minds, even if it does cost them their job".
1
Chaos and fear are not effective management tools.
13
Surely KAOS is behind all this.
4
“Mr Trump, who is famously fickle....”. Why is the NYT trying constantly trying to sugarcoat Trump? Trump is not fickle; he’s unstable. A spade is a spade.
18
This is raw turmoil, not designed diversity of opinion.
Abraham Lincoln brought three of his most bitter political rivals -- people against whom he campaigned -- into the top positions of his cabinet in order to see different ideas from the varying perspectives around the country and, ultimately, to make the best decisions possible.
Through skill and tact, he held this cabinet together for years while the tough personalities constantly fought and pulled in divergent directions. The longer he held the cabinet together, the better Lincoln was able to lead, for there is value in the understanding of people that is gained by knowing people over longer periods of time.
That's designed diversity of opinion done properly.
Donald Trump saying "You want to see change" and "I want to also see different ideas" is spin on turmoil. What else would he do but try and make his leadership failures sound good?
In reality, he is a vampire, continually sucking the life out of those around him until there is none left then tossing the corpse by the wayside only to feed on whatever fresh body is willing to succumb next.
6
Kudlow is another stunning trump choice. Kudlow has been wrong on every major prediction and initiative. Best and the brightest indeed...dumb and dumber is more like it...
23
Trump said it himself. He is the “only one who matters”. I have no doubt that Mr Mueller sees it that way. Mueller just has to clear a path through all the other garbage to get to him.
13
adding that Mr. Kelly appeared more eager to act swiftly than the president
The man who really, really wants to be President, Mr. Kelly.
2
Install mirrors in the Oval Office. Then, when Trump sees his reflection, he could shout, "You're fired!" That would solve 50% of our problems. The other 50% are sitting in Congress.
2
If McMasters had any self-respect he'd have resigned before this. Surely a retired general can find a job in the public sector, if not in the Pentagon. He's letting himself become a laughingstock.
1
And so we in the U.S. finally grasp the meaning of the expression, "While Rome burned, Nero fiddled." While Russia attacks our infrastructure, Trump watches TV and tries to produce a reality TV show version of government.
4
Great -- massive turnover, with likely new people who are unqualified, at a time when the US is under attack on multiple fronts from Russia. At least the generals were trained and know about military responses, as well as the cost of war.
GOP, I guess you're going to sit on your hands until there's a massive event. Then what -- blame Obama? The GOP id the party of capitulation.
3
Thanks to NYT for the link to the actual CERT doc. It might be a good idea to find an independent security analyst to look it over and offer a short synopsis and assessment of credibility. This is the first time I have actually seen something that offers me a byte I might sink my IT teeth into.
We are entering the manic phase of a malignant presidency. Grandiosity and paranoia will soar. Anyone who does not praise Trolling Trump and his favorite delusions will be purged and/or punished. Any restraint or caution that is urged will be interpreted as a sign of disloyalty and, thus, a crime against the Supreme Leader.
The Constitution provides a couple of ways to end this mounting reign of madness. Unfortunately, the Republicans who have been rubberstamping every misgiven impulse of the wannabe dictator in the White House have also engaged in a cover up of the unconstitutional operations of the Trump family. Therefore, taking down Trump risks taking the Republican legislators and cabinet members, too.
This will not end well. The best we can hope is that it ends relatively soon, so that the destruction has less time to progress and the rebuilding and, hopefully, administration of justice, can begin as soon as possible.
7
"Call 911 Honey, there's a 71 year old lunatic at loose in the (White) House!"
5
The White House is playing a fantasy government game, drafting and dropping players in the expectation that a dream team will result. The rookie manager of this team doesn't really understand the game well enough to know the outcome. The unfortunate victim of this foolish charade is the United States of America
4
And so the trump chaos continues.
1
And let's not forget the gambler personal assistant/bodyguard who was just fired for his gambling habit...another person who failed to get clearance...what a bimbo operation the President has wrought.
5
This is not your tee vee show!
3
"Mr. Trump lamented that Mr. Sessions had failed to investigate the Obama administration’s handling of Russian election meddling,"
As my dear mother would say, the "gall" of Trump to say that when he has refused to even admit to Russian meddling.
4
The Dunce-in-Chief obfuscates yet again--yawn.
4
Reminds me of Hitler in the end when he was firing generals/staff left and right from his bunker and putting new ones in charge of imaginary armies.
13
Yes, and it was the Russians closing in on him in the bowels of the Berlin bunker.
1
True, but many other armies were also closing in on Hitler.
Ironically, one of the few friends Trump has is the Russians.
1
Once you reach the conclusion that your boss is in fact a moron its hard to hide your feelings. Once he realizes you know he's a moron your days are numbered.
20
I ran across an absolutely sickening article written by Larry Kudlow, Trumps new economic advisor. It was written during the run up to the Iraq war. A must-read for anyone who still thinks Trump has a shred of intelligence:
https://www.nationalreview.com/2003/02/fog-war-larry-kudlow/
19
What you ran across is the cover letter that Kudlow used to send his resume to Trump. All he needs to do now is cut and paste North Korea over Iraq and Trump will have the cheerleader he craves.
1
What kind of fool would accept a job with this guy as their boss? A big one that's who.
13
I need my wife-beater and serial abuser of women back! I can't believe my chief of staff made him go away. - Donald J. Trump
3
Midterms in November America....
23
So what is Trumpy going to do when he runs out of "qualified people" ? Canvas the local zoo for recruits ? The local sparrows probably have more common sense ... and the monkey pen is full of sheer genius... at least they both know enough to come in out of the rain...
Obviously there are only a limited number of qualified and experienced people that can deal with government matters ....
Hope hicks left after admitting she tells lies for him....she was the smart one - get out while the getting is good, move on.
We all know that anything Sarah Huckabee Sanders says is probably not true at all .... just listen to her try make excuses and cover up ... it's pretty obvious...
Anyone else that tried to have common sense was told to leave ....
That fool he got for communications the "mooch" was just an idiot...
Bannon was just nutty from day one... and Trump thought he was wonderful... says a lot for Trump....
His son in law is apparently just a clever crook, good at hiding stuff .... look at his father... don't say much for the daughter either... her eyes are full of power and dollar signs...
And Trump... he's PT Barnum the second ... running a wonderful circus with the American government and fooling the people to put on a show ... the biggest and best show you ever saw.... til he too stands in awe looking at the magnificent fireworks he had no idea he could make... kind of letting the kid play with matches near dynamite... everyone is surprised when it goes bang so big...
12
This is not keeping people guessing.
This is just being an unreliable, self absorbed maniac who needs a way to make it look like others are to blame for everything.
25
This swamp ebbs and flows, its drainage that of incompetent with only the names changing. The true swamp is in place and heading for a dictatorship of sycophants and incompetence.
6
Hmmm? So McMaster is on the way out? Not according to the Whitehouse? What are we to believe? By the way, yesterday congressman Nunes was interviewed and mentioned that NY Times reporters are being paid by Democrat Superpac. Care to comment?
3
And did he hear this in the shrubs around the White House at midnight? It’s all shocking because I’ve never heard of conservative reporters being paid by right wing think tanks. Oh, but didn’t Federal disclosure forms show that Mark Serrano was taking payments from the Trump campaign?
5
Okay, sure. I take it you think ol' Devin is polishing his resume for that job as national security advisor.
1
@G. Alistar:
I'd believe anyone but the White House. Remember Trump's tweet from Dec 1, 2017? I'll copy it here for you. "The media has been speculating that I fired Rex Tillerson or that he would be leaving soon - FAKE NEWS! He’s not leaving and while we disagree on certain subjects, (I call the final shots) we work well together and America is highly respected again."
https://instagram.com/p/BcLCXDYgQed/
1
Will the last person to leave the West Wing please turn off the lights.
13
Careful. It was announced this week that the Russians have hacked into our power grid systemsn and that they could theoretically turn our lights out, including those in the White House, at any time.
1
If they know how.
Kelly out. Jared in as chief of staff with instant security clearance gratification. Sessions out, Pruitt to Justice, and Nunes to EPA. Fill out your brackets now!
8
Geez, it won't be long before he's down to a few teddy bears and his blankie.
13
The merry-go-round of staff people in the first few months of the presidency did indeed seem like Trump doing all he know -- putting on an Apprentice show.
The latest seem more motivated self-preservation and authoritarian self-assertion and, thus, surrounding himself with as many sycophants as possible.
Trump discovers that military people don't just follow orders and he may believe that a Session firing can be "hidden" in a general staff upheaval.
3
Can Cheney be far behind?
7
Who would want to work for such a low class, unstable bully, and a crook and sexual assaulter?
13
Trump can have his pick of anyone. They're lining up for White House jobs. He has the very best vying for his selection. Etc.
I don’t know a single person who would work for him for any amount of money.
All these people Faking how great they are, ya think maybe Trump needs to try a different um self?
Trump. The government of The United States of America is not a reality TV show. It is as real as anything can get. So please fire yourself and let people who know the business of government govern.
19
Everything Trump does or dosen't do is just a distraction from the reality that he is totally incompetent for the job Putin has elected him for, not to mention his total incompetence as a human, all as the GOP gets it's head deeper into the sand.
7
Laugh of the day.
The woman who has forgotten how to tell the truth, Kellyanne Conway, says the White House is not in turmoil, the changes are nothing more than `streamlining'.
12
"a hawkish former ambassador to the United Nations whom Mr. Trump likes seeing on television."
He hires the people he likes that he sees on the TV. Too bad he doesn't like John Oliver and Jimmy Kimmel. They have a greater sense of country, and think more rationally, than Bolton and Kudlow.
12
The "stable genius" just canned another of the "best people" per other news sources.
6
Curious about why Pruitt needed a secure sound-proof communications booth and biometric locks on his office doors as an EPA secretary? Well, Pruitt was trying to engineer a kind of coup in the White House and did not want anybody to know what he was planning. I wonder who knows his plans.
“Some White House officials believe that Scott Pruitt, an ambitious lawyer who is the head of the Environmental Protection Agency, is behind rumors that he is in line to replace Mr. Sessions.
If Pruitt becomes Attorney General, then he moves onto the list of presidential succession becoming 6th in line (Mattis is ineligible). Interesting. Look for him to try to move up the list even more.
4
Barron Trump will be named a senior advisor
6
Nah. He's far too much of a grown-up.
2
Trump is running America in the same way he runs the Trump organization.By instinct.By feel.By the seat of his pants.Atlantic City was a disaster under Trump.Hard to imagine but his casinos went bankrupt.He brags about his management skills.In truth he has mismanaged his family business.He lacks the intellect and the business skills to make America great again. As a Canadian I feel your pain and embarrassment caused by the Donald.
9
Will you marry me so i can get Canadian residence?
2
Sorry. I will have to check with my wife.
1
NYT’s writing about expected moves is probably what delays the expected moves. Trump, transparently, does not want to be transparent. But he is. Amazing how T words fit him: tantrums, transparent, total tool...
4
Whatever trumpo decides re:firings, remember, today's the Ides of March...beware Caesar.
5
I heard possibly John Bolton for the national security job. What a scary hot mess that would be.
1
Just needs to be one change, obviously -- THE MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE.
1
McMaster sealed his fate at Munich at the security council meeting. As the highest ranking speaker for this "administration" he "forgot" :
"....to say that the results of the 2016 election were not impacted or changed by the Russians and that the only Collusion was between Russia and Crooked H, the DNC and the Dems.„ according to the tweet by the grand wizard of Cofefe.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5406465/Trump-criticizes-McMaste...
Everybody knows he lets not the slightest thing go, especially when it involves him and Russia, with which he „had absolutly nothing to do.“ Well, we know you lie when you mouth is open...if you lie blatantly in the face of Trudeau, our closest ally and neighbor, it does not bode well for an eventual meeting with Kim....
Now, Mueller, please close in fast, if Bolton is the replacement, combined with Pompeo, it equals = immediate war with Iran. If this fool starts a war to stave off his impeachment proceedings for treason, he should be tried for mass murder as well, along with every republican who still keeps silent on this issue. McMaster said in Munich the evidence of Russia's meddling was 'incontrovertible.' Only the Russian, pardon, the republican, commitee found it necessary to state the opposite. Traitors, rest assure, you will find your destiny.
The rats are leaving the ship, even on the private side. Now Jr.'s wife wants a divorce: she probably figured prison for treason is too much a price to pay...
Revolutions devour their own children.
1
How about Sean Hannity for NSA? These firings remind me that Trump’s reality show was about firing people, not about building a sustainable business. Every episode I’ve made myself watch since 2016 was a long crescendo to a scene of massive ego display and humiliation: you’re fired! Now this Sopranos business model (“who will get whacked next?”), endangers Americans with chaos and discontinuity in the command chain in the face of threats from malevolent actors, Russia chief among them. I’m sure Putin is loving it, but I’m straight up terrified.
Call it what it is:
Incompetence from Trump.
Trump spins his inability to assemble a team as some earnest quest for freshness and ideas but it is much more like an alcoholic’s comfort with chaos and manipulation as a power play.
It is a rank admission of his incompetence masked as some sort of brittle tv-styled decisiveness.
3
"There will always be change. I think you want to see change" Mr. Trump said. For the first time, I agree with him but the change I want starts with him.
Trump is “famously fickle“, like a cute school girl? How about “a notoriously insecure and incompetent manager who has put America’s government into a tailspin of confusion and paralysis”? Much better description.
4
The best change will be when trump leaves office
3
How about somebody firing the man himself? Maybe Trump can fire Trump! I vote for that. He only knows how to shoot from the hip, no thinking required.
1
Trump is overwhelmed and is blaming everyone except himself.
So who, precisely, does he think he's going to get to replace these people? Is there anyone with more than a room-temperature IQ willing to jump into an all but certain humiliating and impossible position? The Trump Administration is shopping for people willing to commit political and perhaps financial suicide all for the honor alone of serving Trump.
"...Trump keeps his team guessing..." Trump does not have a team. He has players but they most certainly do not resemble a team. His administration more closely resembles a Demolition Derby at best.
1
When Sarah Sanders says you aren't going anywhere you should start packing a box because you're going to be fired by lunch.
Poor Gen. McMaster. The White House is denying that he will be fired.
He's as gone as gone can be.
As an Army officer, McMaster's books were staple reading since he was at least a Colonel. I heard him speak once, and found him thoughtful, introspective, incredibly intelligent, and very much a free thinker when it came to geopolitics. (Same for Petraeus, whom McMaster served with/under, but that's all another story). My friends who served in units on or staff with him said the same.
I don't know much about Kelly, but I can imagine one does not rise to his level, with his history of commands, and be an idiot.
I feel that the reason these two put up with the unprofessional and incompetent circus around them in the White House is because they truly serve the people and the Constitution. I think they're probably the only sane voices when it comes to US foreign policy and application of military force in the Administration.
Good on them for privately saying no. The fact that Trump wants to fire them for advising no so often tells me that they're probably the last bastions of sanity between Trump's impulsive infatuation a 'for funsies'/base red meat endless war in Korea, or the South China Sea, or some other Middle Eastern deathtrap in the middle of sectarian war. Never mind this measuring contest with Russia (who, yes, is a very real threat and doesn't need a shooting war to prove it).
“A nation that makes a great distinction between its scholars and its warriors will have its laws made by cowards and its wars fought by fools.” - Thucydides
4
How can anybody effectively run anything, be it a business, a household, or the office of the United States Presidency, when individuals continuously resign or are fired via Twitter for not surrendering their souls to Trump, or pledging their undying loyalty and support of any crazy thing he does? And his supporters continue to defend everything he does, no matter how stupid the decisions he makes are. I have never in my entire life witnessed such brainwashing of a people. This man has single handily made a mockery of the office. It does not seem to matter to Trump if the person who fills any position within the White House, or any cabinet position has any experience whatsoever to faithfully do the job. Just look at his replacement of National Economic Advisor...a commentator who was fired from his job and given the job of Economic Advisor when he has no clue or any training in economics, especially the economy of a country. The lunacy of this president and his administration is never ending.
1
Firing the Secretary of State by Tweet? Could there ever have been a better reason to deactivate his Twitter account? Let's have a day or two of news walkout on Trump; NO news about Trump for a bit. Oooooh, I foresee tears on the face of POTUS.
1
I am (patiently) waiting for these words to be uttered once again . . .
“My fellow Americans, our long national nightmare is over.”
2
Is Trump trying to replace his entire cabinet with "Trump Loyalists" who care more about protecting Trump than about doing what is best for America??? If the cabinet is filled with Trump Toadies then there will be no one to invoke the 25th Amendment. We will have to rely on the impeachment process to keep this president from doing any more damage... which means that we will need a Democratic majority in both the House and Senate in 2019.
Chaos! Trump needs to be put in a straight jacket. There is no continuity, no consistency, no discernable strategy, no stability, and no seamless narrative.
I could be wrong but Trump delight in keeping the White House, the government, America, and the rest of the World in a perpetual state of unbalance seems truly psychotic.
Carson, Shulkin, McMaster, Kelly and Mattis should all resign. I cannot believe I am writing this, but Sessions should stay. We need Mueller and Sessions is needed to keep Mueller at the moment.
The rest of them should resign all at the same time. This will make Donny John go over the cliff.
When DJ blows up, then the voters will truly see what a complete nut-job he is, if they haven't already.
The R's in Congress will have no choice but to impeach His Nuttiness unless they want in November a Senate with 60 Dems and the house overtaken by Dems as well.
Very, very dangerous times.
As make-believe king, he loves throwing his tantrums.
But what he craves most is attention, and that should be denied him. Are you listening, media?
1
A Godfather movie is being played.
The only change that will really count is when Don The Con is shown the door.
4
"appears to have soured on additional members of his senior leadership team"
Great way to frame the story. When does his senior leadership sour on Trump. This is not about Trump the perfectionist, this is about a crazy man running around the White House with a guillotine. Nightmarre on Pennsylvania Avenue.
4
Are any or all of these people being jettisoned from the White House going to be able to receive federal pensions for the rest of their natural lives? I know a government pension isn’t usually a “bigly” windfall, but seriously, do we have to mail Omarosa et al a monthly check hence forward for their “distinguished service”? We’re up to about 35 of them, aren’t we?
2
Yup.....Donald will keep us guessing. Keep us on the edge of our seats. Distracted from the fact that the feds are on the heels of he and his family.
Good heavens! There will be dozens & dozens of memoirs from all those fired political appointees from the White House, Cabinet, Military, executive departments & other staff. Not to mention the many Civil Service employees who resigned after bumping heads with the politicals. How in the name of personal economy will the public be able to afford all those hardcover & e-books? How many publishers will be able to contract with all those in the author pool? Will there be a vetting process created by the national association of book publishers? Will the potential memoirists have to take exams & be investigated by private security agencies retained by publishers to prove their ability to write clear & concise English? What about memoirists' diaries & office calendars? Will they contain juicy enough information for a prestigious publisher to chance taking the author on? Will the Attorney General of the moment subpoena those personal notes & jottings for the memoirs as critical to national security?
I see disaster ahead for American publishers. They won't be able to make the advance payments to that vast army of former employees of the Trump presidency. There goes the book world, drowned under the weight of chatty exes just wanting to let us all know the horror & disappointment of working for 45. The public will wallow in ignorance with too few, if any, tell-all stories of the life and times of a Washingtonian slogging away to protect our national branded Trump golf courses. Sad!
Trump may continue willfully to push his White House advisors through a revolving door, making the decision "all by himself."
Cabinet members are a different matter. Sessions, Carson, and the rest of the cutthroat gang are there because Congress confirmed their appointments.
And Congress will undoubtedly approve Pompeo, Haspel, and likely any replacement Trump nominates for just about any Cabinet position. Of course, even some Republicans will act tough and challenge the new nominees, but odds are great that party loyalty will prevail.
Same thing with firing Sessions. There would be loud protestations from former colleagues, but in the end...
Trump and his cohorts are horrible people.
3
Trump says he likes people on his staff fighting with each other. He simply does not understand that people can disagree without fighting. Everything for him is personal. The idea that reasonable minds may differ is foreign to him. And he does not understand that disagreement with him is not criticism nor does he understand that criticism is not a personal attack. And concurrently, he demands loyalty; but to him, loyalty includes 100% agreement and support. The idea of working in such an environment is unimaginable to me. I would quit after my first day. Only a self-abasing fool would work there.
McMasters would be no great loss as National Security Adviser. What 'advice' has he given that has been worth anything? We learn the Russians have the capacity to hack & shut off our power grid, and that no one has been ordered to take any steps to protect our election system from further meddling. What does he do beside attend photo ops and look "military?"
1
It’s all a distraction. The more the chaos, the less attention paid to what is really going on. Trump is a horrible business man, leader, and President. He is all motion and little action.
I’m surprised he hasn’t tried to hire the Theranos founder, Elizabeth Holmes.
What really qualified, secure person would want to work for someone like Trump? These people walk on pins and needles. What a miserable job to go to every morning.
1
Ah, but will Jared and Ivanka will stay to the bitter end?
Trump is on a restless hunt to root out whatever remnant of good sense remains in his administration. Once he has turned it all over to Trump loyalists, and you'd have to be an immoral shallow sycophant to be that, the United States will be in Trump's crosshairs, as he fights to keep the US under Putin's thumb.
1
At least Trump only fires people who dare to contradict him. Stalin had them killed.
So, Republican Congressional "leaders," I ask you: is the bar low enough yet?
If not, start digging.
1
How many more days of this administration remain?
3
Can we call this what it is? This is a man who cruelly enjoys dangling people at the end of a string. This is nothing more than Trump playing with people to keep them worrying if they have a job, if he "likes" them. This is not some clever management tool. This is nothing more than a psychopath reveling in the power that he has.
1
OK, so now we're getting to the part where the administration is going to be staffed by real bonafide crazies, cranks and warmongers.
Buckle your seatbelts.
Such gross mismanagement of the presidency approaches treason. With Trump's election, Putin successfully sabotaged the entire executive branch, unleashing a virus on the White House. The public doesn't trust the president; the president doesn't trust his staff; his staff don't trust each other. Our federal government is falling off a cliff while congress dithers. People, it's him or us. Lock him up before he does any more damage.
3
Continuous destabilization is Russia's strategy for America. Trump is fulfilling Putin's wildest dreams.
1
I actually couldn't sleep last night thinking about the people he's likely to add to his administration. The first bunch at least had a little bit of restraint, intelligence. A cokehead for economic advisor and then Bolton; he's turning the government into Fox news. What's next Janine Piro for AG? But the thing that strikes me is he couldn't be doing more to destroy the functioning and the integrity of the US govt then if Putin had ordered him to do so. And I wonder if this is what this is really all about. Come a nice juicy crisis how impulsively will they act. How will they further compromise our safety and our standing in the world. Vladimir really is laughing over his oatmeal thinking he really is the genius people have whispered he is for setting this up.
1
Trump did say he was hiring the best and the brightest, but so far it seems they are the richest and smarmiest, the list grows long and thedirty laundry doesn't seem to end
TRUMP TAPS DENNIS RODMAN FOR KIM SUMMIT TEAM
Washington (TP) President Trump has named former NBA star Dennis Rodman to his negotiating team at the upcoming summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. Confirming rumors of Rodman’s appointment at a Press Briefing today, White House Spokesperson Sarah Huckabee-Sanders told reporters, “The President is confident Rodman will be a valued member of the team. If negotiations get tense, Rodman can call time out to shoot the breeze and a few relaxing hoops with Kim. Call it ‘basketball diplomacy,’” Sanders said. “In the end Rodman may be all that stands between us and nuclear Armageddon.”
Behind Sanders through an open door a blinged and body-pierced Rodman could be seen practicing his moves with a puffing President Trump.
1
Mr Putin got it right. Get Trump elected and there will be so much chaos and dysfunction that America will be too busy dealing with Trump-made disasters to be bothered about Russian made disasters.
1
This is the first administration where getting fired will actually enhance your resume!
1
This is clearly a way to eventually remove Sessions.
First get rid of a few other Sect.'s and then him. That way it looks like he was just one of a number of other removals.
McMasters, Mnuchin, Carson, Shulken, then Sessions.
Whether Trump is more sociopathic or malignant narcissistic is difficult to say without clinical screening. But, he is a dangerous, wildly dysfunctional human being. In the meantime, we have the best example of "The Emperor's Clothes" in congress one can possibly imagine. It is mind boggling. Trump's behavior is classic, much like a crime boss; sensing threat from all sides. Hence the firings, continual upheaval. Total lack of trust. Would have been machine gun war back in the days of prohibition.
1
One can only use superlatives to describe the crew at the top of the federal government. Words such as the MOST unqualified, the WORST choices, etc have to be resound. By accident, there may be some exceptions but then whether good at the job or not, the reality show president shows his true colors and shows them the door. This is all just a show, complete with cliffhangers.
If I were a Republican member of Congress, I'd be perfectly satisfied with the Trump administration. Lots of circuses to keep the public distracted, while my billionaire donors get their tax cuts and their businesses deregulated so they can squeeze every penny out of the workforce and rape the environment to their hearts'--I mean pocketbooks'--content.
1
...lotta action down there at the bottom of the barrel...everybody wriggling around in the slime and muck...yuck! And this is the government of the United States of America, the greatest and most admired and powerful country the world has ever known. Well, you can strike "greatest" and "most admired" - as for powerful, well, the mighty will fall, and now we see how, as we witness the decline and fall of a once-great nation. Our nation. Our very own nation.
To the voters who put this lizard in office: are you happy now? You have the enduring resentment of the rest of the electorate.
2
To those who could not bother to vote, this is on you.
I would be glad to see the worm Sessions removed. If Trump nominates Bolton, well, then the hawks have won and Russia gate can move on to darker themes. Watch for crocodile tears from the Times editorial board. In reality there is little daylight between Bolton and ex Secretary Clinton.
It's the White House version of The Apprentice. Trump is running the presidency like a reality show because all he cares about is the ratings. When will his GOP enablers wake up and realize that this erratic dotard is destroying our country and our international reputation simply to massage his ego?
3
He'll get the greatest ratings ever on March 25 when the lady with the large implants is on TV.
1
This article refers to members of the administration who may be terminated as "at risk". What is the risk, that they will be terminated, or they will not be terminated?
1
Why will some of these public servants like H.R. McMasters and Sessions hang around to be humiliated?
Maybe if America, the world and the planet Earth are lucky the next announcement from the White House will be that Trump is firing himself.
Best thing that could happen. Trump is a disaster and a disgrace.
The arrogant, narcissistic bully spoiled brat in the White House
needs a big time timeout or America and the world are in grave danger.
If McMasters actually leaves that's one less adult in the room and one
step closer to authoritarian rule and Trump declaring himself dictator.
Very ominous that Trump admires Putin and Xi. Very ominous that Trump
wants a big military parade like in Russia or China or NK. Very ominous
that Trump "jokes" about becoming President for Life.
My God will that "joke" become a reality?
The final episode of "The Apprentice"?
1
Trump is going to replace McMaster with John Bolton?
The Alpha-NeoCon, almost as obnoxious as Trump!
Click here:
https://www.mediamatters.org/research/2018/03/15/john-bolton-trump-s-rum...
In addition to stocking his Cabinet with radical ideologues,
Trump is surrounding himself with sycophants who would not invoke the 25th Amendment to remove him from the Presidency.
1
When I look on, aghast, at the ineptness of this president and his cohort of mealy-mouthed apologists, I feel nothing but contempt for those who have hastened to push through tax cuts, gut healthcare, cut taxes, chip away at the social safety net, cut taxes, inflate the military, cut taxes, restrict abortion, cut taxes, elevate religion and finally, cut taxes. We have totally lost the plot and now with the appointment of Larry Kudlow as White House adviser on economics, we see how this dumpster fire of a government is truly shaping up. Kudlow has no PhD in economics and his sole claim to fame is his messianic belief that all that matters is to always be cutting taxes and everything else follows from there. He is a one-trick pony and has been wrong so many times it's embarrassing. His pony really belongs in the knacker's yard, along with the rest of this farrago of an administration.
I double checked Jared Kushner is not mentioned anywhere in the article. Staffs will do well to respect the President's son-in-law, and apologize for demoting his security clearance! After all, loyalty to Trump comes before their responsibility as public servants. Trump likes his subjects loyal, but never returns the loyalty back, that explains why he does not like dogs.
1
Please add the song, “Man in the Mirror” to the president’s play list. It may help.
You know what else "shakes things up"? An earthquake. Yet, no one would say the catastrophe of an earthquake is any improvement.
Stability is crucial in high levels of our government. Instead, our nation and the world is being endlessly jerked around by this sadistic narcissistic sociopath. I am sick to death of it. I want Trump out. I want the Republican party out of power for a generation- at least- just to fix this mess. I want my country back.
I had read that Trump didn't want John Bolton on his team early on, because his incongruously snow white mustache creeped him out. This is one time Trump's instincts actually served him right.
He needs to maintain a cabinet of sycophants to avoid being removed from office by the Twenty Fifth Amendment.
An unhinged madman tossing the generals and intelligence experts and replacing them with a motley crew of fringe believers and wannabe journalists from an entertainment network that tries to pass itself off as a news organization. What could possibly go wrong?
C'mon guys, stop quoting Trump's utterance and interpret them as staffing strategies or policy options. Stop explaining him. He has been off his rocker from Day minus 1. All things considered and balanced out, it is misogyny that put this madman into office.
Let's see him fire McMaster with a tweet...
Republican President Donald Trump confuses abuse with leadership.
Looks like Faux Noise needs to start a hiring spree so the Prez has lots of TeeVee stars from which to staff his cabinet. The "stable genius" strikes again. Who could have seen this coming? At this point anyone above age four.
Thank you for your great service and your wonderful job and your hard work for your country... But you should know by now that when they stop talking to you you're out of the loop. My best wishes to you in retirement or at Toys R US
(all caps)
Trump must be held accountable for all the rotten staffing choices he made, declaring them ‘fantastic’ then acting as though he made no choice.
Why would Bolton be any less horrible than Flynn?
Trump’s refusal to acknowledge error or learn from experience means he keeps repeating faulty decisions. Since his only priority is to protect his personal image, slippery is his modus operandi.
Yes - hiring sycophants & bottom feeders, past losers & outcasts- this does not serve the national interest.
1
Stay focused on November 6, everyone, and tossing out the Republicans in Congress who are Trump's soulless enablers.
7
In college day I was told that A class executives hire A class people and B and C class executives hire C class people.Since all Trump has done is to run a third rate organization, hiring any one really bright would make him feel, you know, SMALL. He will ultimately assemble the Gang That Can’t Shoot Straight. And he has been shooting himself and the country in the foot.
11
You don't get to choose your family, but your president is a whole different story. And America, despite her manifest greatness, stubbornly retains adolescent tendencies that repeatedly have her following supposed shortcuts to a fast buck, the inside track, the main chance; whatever will transform the routine of daily life into a triumphant tale of unstoppable power. It's beyond indecent that so many among the world's very luckiest remain so deeply unsatisfied; that their terrible wanting for more and more and more has them elevating to highest office such a cartoonishly odious character as Donald J Trump to win it for them.
8
Any manager in my organization who proved to be as incompetent at hiring as Trump has shown himself to be would have been fired before ending his 3-month probation. “Chaos” isn’t a philosophy for getting the best out of your staff. It’s just chaos.
7
Since big brave Donald is clearly foaming at the mouth to fire that prejudiced pixie Sessions but has held back, one has to wonder what secrets Jeff knows. That’s the only explanation I can give for Donald’s uncharacteristic self restraint.
3
Echos of the Apprentice reverberating ever more raucously within the Trump team.
Actually, “team” is a ludicrous stretch — as though there were such a thing in the Trump orbit.
More chaos to come.
4
The day that McMaster said that evidence of Russian interference was'Incontrovertible' he was doomed.. Trump immediately tweeted "General McMaster forgot to say that the results of the 2016 election were not impacted or changed by the Russians. Bye Bye General.
The sorry orange excuse for a man is doing the General a favor. He certainly won't be doing our country a favor if he replaces McMaster with the war monger John Bolton.
6
I think and I can be wrong but I think trump is the president of the United States not trump INC. There is the piece of paper that seems to be overlooked by trump and most of the people in the white house. It is called the Untied States Constitution. How do you fire a cabinet level person by tweet and still remain in office? This is not television this is real life and it is time for the entire administration to go!
4
I’ll venture most of America found comfort in General McMaster in the White House as a stabilizing force to an impulsive and incompetent President.
McMaster is stand-up guy who certainly served in this White House out of duty to America, it couldn’t have been easy.
I liked the days when we elected stable men to the Presidency.
4
One would believe that stability in the organization’s personnel would lead to a highly productive organization. However, that premise is based on the individual employee’s empowerment and having defined position descriptions.
What this “president”, grifter and not the quite successful businessman has given us is constant comedy, never ending chaos and turmoil and little of any actions of confidence.
With Trump’s apparent lack of leadership skills, aside from outright lies and falsehoods, the need for high praise from his courtiers, and the constant turmoil in the White House, we may possibly see little actions of substance from this sad administration, and, the tax coh does not count.
Perhaps a new moniker for the “president” is due-tweetle-dumber.
3
With apologies to Carole King, here’s what Donald must be thinking after those Mueller subpoenas to the Trump Organization and the likely explanation for all of the shake ups, actual and threatened.
I feel the earth move under my feet
I feel the sky come tumbling down, a tumbling down
I feel Trump Tower move under my feet
I feel the sky come tumbling down, a tumbling down
I just lose control
Down to my very absent soul
1
Well, it’s a new year, so I guess it’s a new season of the DJT realty show which means some get bumped off and new cast members are needed.
Please VOTE in November
3
Behind the scenes, Vladimir Putin knows he can bring down the Trump administration any time he wants to. Putin can say that he colluded with Trump and whether that is true or not, that would blow up the US government big time.
1
"...the name most often mentioned as a replacement has been John R. Bolton, a hawkish former ambassador to the United Nations whom Mr. Trump likes seeing on television."
Oh good. Maybe he'll hire the cast of Law & Order next. They're always on television.
1
The Paranoid One with the seriously damaged psyche is far more concerned with loyalty (to him) than he is with the ethical conduct, expertise, or competence of people he appoints or endorses.
According to Trump and his sycophants, anyone who does not pledge absolute loyalty to Donald is "biased" against him and should be purged from the federal government.
This revolving door of ineptitude has been in place even before Donnie took the oath of office, and we can expect it to continue so long as we have a megalomaniac sitting behind the desk in the Oval Office.
1
Knowing little, Trump apparently chose staff by advice from KellyAnne, Jared and Bannon. He also insisted he liked generals.
Now he shuffles with choices from Fox commentators. He likes show biz figures.
This process is appallingly free of wisdom, sound judgment or substantive notions of expertise.
Bolton could be joined by Oliver Nirth, Elliot Abrams, spire Agnew, Ed Meese, the CEO of Enron...la gallery of discredited fringe figures.
Now Trump will declare shrill hucksters as ‘ great & talented?’
3
President Trump does NOT understand the job of being POTUS. All he is doing is surrounding himself with people who "acknowledge his positions" and don't bring "negative headlines" upon him.
In other words, Trump has decided that 'I ALONE CAN FIX IT' is going to be the way forward. All the personal and staff will be there to stand before Him with glowing praise and then fan out to the media to sing that praise to the public.
Yes he is surrounded by sycophants. There is no other there there.
Who would want to work for such a boss where your advice and knowledge are not valued, listened to or used?
Trump's malignant narcissistic personality disorder is taking him to act as if he is a Dictator. That that is how he sees the role of being POTUS can not be pinned any other way.
3
The Apprentice Goes To Washington.
1
As Team Trump gears up for it's umpteenth "re-conceptualizing" of the inner circle with the soon demise of it's chief of staff and national security adviser, I can't help but wonder why Trump didn't simply tap candidates from Manpower, Account Temps or Zip Recruiter since he only keeps staff members on a temporary basis anyway.
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This is all a prelude to getting rid of Mueller and shutting down the special counsel's investigation. Trump will fire Sessions, and install a lackey -- if not Pruitt, someone equally odious -- who will fire Mueller . Then that lackey will transmit to Trump everything that Mueller had on him or was looking into. Trump will claim that firing Sessions is just part of his broader Cabinet purge, but this is the real move to watch for.
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As Mr. Trump madly unravels--endangering the Republic--it is possible that someone with access in the White House may harm him. I bet some of Trump's military guys there would consider it to save US.
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And, in the end, there will be no staff. Just the emperor on his sad throne.
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Trump has an unstable mind therefore he has an unstable administration. He is not a leader he is a bully so he will continue his erratic behavior and there will always be turmoil in the White House.
In addition, the closer the Mueller investigation gets to him the more volatile he becomes. This is fertile ground for Putin and Kim Jong-un to manipulate him and play him.
We need to brace ourselves for disaster as his anger continues to rise.
We can only hope that Mueller will find criminal behavior and the Republican Congress will be forced to act.
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If this were a publicly traded business it would have turned into a penny stock some time last year.
Just like the so-called president, it is worthless on paper.
The Republican Congress, as the absent Board of Directors, needs to be replaced along with the management they have failed to control.
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When changing speed we just switch gear. Trump just changes cars.
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BTW, McMaster won't leave until his departure is needed as yet another distraction from some newly awful Trump event.
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It's clear people, especially government bureaucrats, have trouble functioning in a Trump organization. It's his White House. Obama was ruthless in targeting leaks even going after journalists. Trump's ruthless in demanding loyalty. One is just more obvious about it.
I'm not a fan of grownups typing "LOL", but LOL:
https://www.inc.com/andrew-thomas/15-traits-of-the-worst-leaders-avoid-a...
Great - the more people who think like Trump, the more madness from the White House, the more separation from the Republican Party line, the more average Republicans will be disheartened and ashamed, and the more likelihood of Democrats winning.
So Don Trump wants "new ideas and change" in his White House.
The most effective idea that that Don Trump needs to immediately act on is to leave the White House, now!
This sort of article may seem like responsible journalism: we have inside information, we report it. But nothing has actually happened. Trump is throwing out teasers for the next "episode." His greatest goal is for people always to be thinking about him and wondering what he will do next. Other politicians have done this, but he is the master of this technique. Report the events when they happen, and forget about the buzz and water cooler gossip. Just the facts, ma'am.
The BIG change I'm looking for is a change of president! Not in all of my 71 years have I ever seen such flagrant disregard for the law as Trump. Threatening to fire Mueller is akin to Al Capone firing Elliott Ness! But even worse than Trump (if that's possible) is the complicit congress that has the tools to remove Trump but flagrantly disregards its duty to impeach.
Once the Democrats retake the House in 2018, this madness is going to stop, because House Democrats will initiate real investigations of Trump and his cronies (as opposed to Devin Nunes charades). And all that dirty laundry will be aired on national television. The voters who don't read the NYT or the Washington Post will finally get a look at what's really going on in the WH.
The Reich cabinet of national salvation is being intimidated into dissolving. The methodical way in which Trump is consolidating power and access to state secretes is concerning. It really looks like like someone else is pulling the strings, since Trump doesn't seem to have the historical perspective and discipline to do this without guidance.
Isn’t all of this a bit reminiscent of the Kremlinology practiced during the Cold War? Didn’t experts spend a lot of time watching the dais at May Day parades trying to figure out which of Stalin or Khrushchev’s men were in or out? Who would have thought we’d be doing the same one day in America.
Trump will replace Sessions soon. Now Mueller has subpoenaed Trump businesses, the can of worms is opening. The AG needs to fire for Trump and Sessions won’t do this. For Trump it’s the choice between this, or seeing his sons and associates indicted.
Let's take a view from 10,000 feet.
The Accidental President is displacing dissident voices to form a War Cabinet.
If it weren't enough to acknowledge that he goes totally unprepared with facts into a meeting with another head of state (Canada), treats our international obligations from the Paris Accords to NAFTA and NATO itself as incidentals...he is goading Iran and North Korea with a total absence of seasoned diplomatic gravitas.
Dumbo Donaldo is setting us up for one or more wars which his captive national security apparatus is going to assure us are necessary to "protect the homeland." Because he thinks it will make him more important and gain him attention.
We're down to serious business people.
If you don't want to be cannon fodder you better figure out what to do now...not later.
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Trump knows what is up ahead as the Mueller investigation gets closer to him. He knows the money trail is going to look bad and there will a time when the only important quality of his advisors and staff will be blind, unquestioning loyalty. We might consider them syncophants. He considers them loyal...not to the United States or the Constitution, but to him alone. Not good...