Most dysfunctional White House ever?
There is a strong argument to be made for the assertion that Trump has assembled the most incompetent, dysfunctional team of dilettantes in White House history.
Trump and his aides are frustrated by everything from figuring out how to use the cabinet room’s light switches to not letting the constant anti-Trump protests bother them, according to a report by The New York Times on Sunday. The article, which interviewed “dozens of government officials, congressional aides, former staff members and other observers of the new administration,” also described how Chief of Staff Reince Priebus is concerned by the growing influence of Chief Strategist Steve Bannon, although that may be somewhat offset by Trump’s reported frustration at feeling like he hadn’t been fully apprised of what his executive order allowing Bannon to sit on the National Security Council would entail — indicating that he had not read the executive order before signing it.
As other reports have also indicated, Trump spends a great deal of time watching television, even installing an updated TV in one of the White House rooms so he can follow the news broadcasts while eating his lunch. At the end of the day, when he isn’t exploring the White House, he watches TV in his bathrobe, which combined with his regular TV-watching throughout the day has caused some aides to feel his TV-watching is excessive. Trump also seems to be as concerned with the look of his new White House as its actual policymaking, reportedly poring through a list of 17 window covering options for the Oval Office and ordering his staff to arrange as many televised events in that room as possible.
One friend of Trump, Newsmax Media CEO Chris Ruddy, criticized the president’s staff, telling The Times, “I personally think that they’re missing the big picture here. Now he’s so caught up, the administration is so caught up in turmoil, perceived chaos, that the Democrats smell blood, the protesters, the media smell blood.”
With friends like these… well, you know the rest. It’s well worth pointing out that Ruddy, whose Newsmax has been one of the most successful conservative-leaning media operations of the last decade and who maintains friendly relations with big players on both sides of the political divide, has proven to be one of the smartest observers of “Red America” inside baseball.
But the ineptitude starts at the top, and is amplified by stupid decisions driven by a fetish for loyalty over ability:
Click here for reuse options!Last week it was revealed that senior advisor to Donald Trump, Steve Bannon, was being elevated to “principal” on the National Security Council while others were being “downgraded.”
While Bannon was stealing the spotlight, it turns out that Trump didn’t know the action was being taken. A report from the New York Times revealed that Trump complained that no one told him what his executive order entailed and had no idea it would grant such significant power to Bannon. Only later did Trump learn about the significance. The order was unprecedented to add a non-military, political advisor to a board of military experts that advise the president on the nation’s security.
White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus expressed concern about the lack of checks on both Bannon and senior advisor Stephen Miller. He even drafted a 10-part checklist of steps and approvals for executive orders to be reviewed before they’re signed. This order didn’t go through that list.
Bannon’s profile has exploded over the past few months as the internet began calling him President Bannon and TIME magazine revealed his apocalyptic views about the future.
Copyright 2017 Liberaland
By: dave-dr-gonzo
David Hirsch, a.k.a. Dave "Doctor" Gonzo*, is a renegade record producer, video producer, writer, reformed corporate shill, and still-registered lobbyist for non-one-percenter performing artists and musicians. He lives in a heavily fortified compound in one of Manhattan's less trendy neighborhoods.
* Hirsch is the third person to use the pseudonym, a not-so-veiled tribute to journalist and author Hunter S. Thompson, with the permission of his predecessors Gene Gaudette of American Politics Journal (currently webmaster and chief bottlewasher at Liberaland) and Stephen Meese at Smashmouth Politics.
31 responses to Most dysfunctional White House ever?
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Guy Lauten February 7th, 2017 at 09:22
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/3f1da7083c703239221a81780afaccb303f9d1491c8437b6ebf299810bcaea17.png
Mensa Member February 7th, 2017 at 10:08
Instead of taxes, maybe the voters should have demanded to see Trump to read something out loud.
fredoandme February 7th, 2017 at 11:26
the brothers karamazov. les miserables. hell. even everything i need to know i learned in kindergarten. a bus schedule.
The Original Just Me February 7th, 2017 at 12:51
That is why He doesn’t use teleprompters.
Gina Bousquet February 8th, 2017 at 11:29
There’s this leak: he ordered memos not to have more than one page, and nine items per page. lol
Angelo_Frank February 7th, 2017 at 11:02
Trump is a functional illiterate. He has no idea what the executive orders he signs even say. Bannon writes them and Trump just signs them at photo ops.
Snick1946 February 7th, 2017 at 11:47
He probably cannot even read what he signs. My theory for some time has been that he is functionally impaired. This is the guy voters handed the nuclear codes to. He does not read briefing papers or even the orders he signs because he probably cannot make sense of them.
William February 7th, 2017 at 12:52
I’m pretty sure Bannon can read.
mea_mark February 7th, 2017 at 09:33
It’s #DERP45 … no questions about it.
I say we move on to the next disaster #altPious46.
Buford2k11 February 7th, 2017 at 10:44
If this is intentional, well, there is not much to say…Chaos…is hiding a lot…Chaos, was a bannon goal…this seems to be a hideous strategy that bannon is pursuing…this may be the Putin/bannon idea of how to weaken us to the point of total incapacity to respond to an emergency on foreign soil…Ukraine? Syria? Iraq? all the while fomenting domestic instability to try to consolidate their positions of power…there is no longer any doubt that there was a russian coup d’etat of the U.S. and the republican party is going along with it..I believe that we do have russian sympathizers in our congress…
Foundryman February 7th, 2017 at 10:56
What better way to show everyone how much a of failure ‘big’ government is than to deliberately sabotage it with incompetent lackeys? We already know he’s going to blame everyone but himself when the country falls into an abyss.
halfwayin February 7th, 2017 at 11:32
The question should be, How long will it take the United States to put the crazy stupid back in it’s cage?
The Original Just Me February 7th, 2017 at 12:48
Don’t count on the Cocktail Party Democratic Leadership to do it. They have another High Class Fund Raiser to attend.
Duke Woolworth February 7th, 2017 at 12:36
This is just plain laziness. Some bidnessman.
The Original Just Me February 7th, 2017 at 12:46
But the Coal Miners Voted for Prickident Trump and they are Smurt.
William February 7th, 2017 at 12:54
Cuz’ govermenting is hard. https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/be1f37d614e29841c2b1e7e651dd6fd0b9177c4aec4de53713f98fbff2331628.jpg
The Original Just Me February 8th, 2017 at 11:40
The Prickident needs time off so He can go to His Secret Hair Dresser and get a Replaster job done on His Rat’s Nest.
amersham1046 February 7th, 2017 at 13:56
Don’t get ahead of yourself, there is still room to degrade it
arc99 February 7th, 2017 at 15:30
most-dysfunctional-white-house-ever?
I heard there were some issues back when indoor plumbing was first installed in the 1850’s
Otherwise, I would say yes…
bpollen February 7th, 2017 at 15:41
I personally think the advent of civilization was when we got indoor plumbing.
The Original Just Me February 8th, 2017 at 11:34
Back in the day, when you got angry, you could go out to the Outhouse to cool off. LOL :+)
bpollen February 7th, 2017 at 15:40
These fokkers take the “fun” out of dysfunctional.
The Original Just Me February 8th, 2017 at 11:32
It is required that you have to be Functional before you can be Dysfunctional. :+)
StoneyCurtisll February 7th, 2017 at 17:24
This is good~!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1cE-rz6R8lA
Suzanne McFly February 7th, 2017 at 20:08
Ha!!! Steve might get a little “visit” after that lol.
Gina Bousquet February 8th, 2017 at 09:28
Most dysfunctional WH ever? Better saying most dysfunctional first world administration ever!
The Original Just Me February 8th, 2017 at 11:23
Yup !
Gina Bousquet February 8th, 2017 at 11:26
Hi O. You’re missed here! :)
The Original Just Me February 8th, 2017 at 11:30
I am usually missed like a case of Hemorrhoids. LOL Hi, I’m Glad winter is finally getting over a little bit here.
Gina Bousquet February 8th, 2017 at 11:32
Good! Soon you’ll feel Spring around the corner, while we get ready for the cold. But not yet. :)
The Original Just Me February 8th, 2017 at 11:26
The Defense Department is going to pay lease payments to Trump Tower for office space to protect the First Trollop who kicked the Prickident OUT. How BAD Can it GET ??????