Or make him a better person.
The man’s an absolute piece of shit.
Maybe next time lead with that, his behaviour as a civilian is of far more relevance to suitability.
It’s the fetism of the armed forces.
This your first time discovering the USA?
Anyhoo, not unsurprising he's Trump's pick, he'll want a suitable scapegoat when the time comes and someone respectable won't be so easy to burn. He learned that lesson with Mattis.
Isn’t that because in the UK Defence Secretaries have to be members of parliament which restricts the choice?
It used to be similar in the USA, there was a rule that meant senior military leaders couldn't be elected to congress within 7 years of leaving their service. Trump changed this to get Mattis in the door.
Trump’s choice suggests nepotism more than a carefully thought appointment.
I think both could be true in this case.
Putin must be dancing a little jig around the Kremlin right now.
I read something yesterday that Trump is looking to make a lot of the senior positions in his government "Acting Secretary..." because it means that he does not have to have the holder of the position confirmed by Congress. That essentially opens up the roles to people like Space Karen and the former talking head from Fox & Friends.
Also, a little link about the new SecDef:
https://www.politico.com/news/2024/11/12/defense-world-reacts-to-trump-pick-pete-hegseth-00189221
I'm not denigrating his service record (I recognise his achievements), but a junior officer (which he was) may not make the best person to hold the position of head of five branches of the military with a strategic oversight it demands.
As for Mattis, he was a professional soldier with a lifetime of experience and someone that apparently had little tolerance for incompetence. I'm not surprised that Trump hired him (Mattis was an excellent choice) but I am honestly not surprised that he and Trump fell out given Trumps, errrrr, unique, errrrrr, yeah, you know.
Trump’s choice suggests nepotism more than a carefully thought appointment
So, nothing new there, then
I see that Trump has appointment Elon Musk as the head of a newly created “Department of Government Efficiency”
Which spells DOGE. They're just ****ing around for the LOLs.
Basically, promising to slim down the bureaucracy and eliminate waste is standard political talk, it impresses a lot of voters. The reason the bureaucracy keeps growing is because a lot of people like the services it provides. It's not like a profit making business where you can just eliminate unprofitable products, the point of government services is that they are supposed to be unprofitable, they are services that the private sector can't provide at a profit.
The biggest components in the federal budget are, I believe, Social Security, MedicAid/Medicare, and defense. The first two are entitlement programs, Congress has required the bureaucracy to provide the services so they can't be cut without congressional approval. Tens of millions of Trump voters in red states rely on those services so it's very difficult to cut them much. Trying to save money by firing bureaucrats will result in angry military veterans appearing on tv news shows complaining that it takes them weeks to get any reply assistance when they need help. That's the kind of news story that no politician wants to be held responsible for.
The military budget is discretionary, but it's also very difficult to cut much out of that, especially if you like posing as a tough guy the way Trump does. Every military program has a constituency, the voters in the states that build the hardware or host the military bases won't want their part of the budget cut. Suppliers are smart enough to make sure that their factories are spread around both red and blue states so that there will be politicians on both sides fighting for every program.
I have no idea what Elon will try to do but I think he's going to find trimming the bureaucracy much harder than trimming the Twitter workforce.
I’m not denigrating his service record (I recognise his achievements), but a junior officer (which he was) may not make the best person to hold the position of head of five branches of the military with a strategic oversight it demands.
Which is a fair and open challenge @Willard, and I agree, but the counter is what qualified the civilian incumbents through the years?
Prior military service can be argued either way as a pro or a con in my view, the detail is what your heads of services bring. Competence at working at that strategic level is what is key and Hesgeth doesn't seem to have any experience of that on his CV.
As an FYI, Chuck Hagel was and still is the only enlisted person to have held the position.
Maybe next time lead with that, his behaviour as a civilian is of far more relevance to suitability.
It was a response to Trump leading with "a Warrior for the Troops".
This your first time discovering the USA?
Not at all.
I spent time with the US Military, who run the equivalent Department, of the civilian ran department, who I worked for in the Uk MoD. Although the difference in scale of resource did feel a bit embarrassing at times.
Even the godlike Mattis didn’t last long under Trump,
Main problem with Mattis is Trump seems to have only read the headlines on "mad dogs" attitude to actual combat.
He missed all the stuff about how Mattis was also a firm believer in trying to avoid reaching that stage and so was a fan of cultural sensitivity training etc.
Incase anyone's in any doubt which direction Trump is going to head in regard to Israel and Gaza:
As we've been reporting, Mike Huckabee is Donald Trump's pick to be the next US ambassador to Israel
The former Arkansas governor and Baptist minister made his first trip to Israel in 1973 and has since led dozens of Christian missions to the country, with whom he he has declared a "visceral, personal" connection. During a 2018 visit, he donned a hard hat and laid bricks for a new housing complex in the West Bank settlement of Efrat, saying he "might one like to purchase a holiday home" there.
In his first run for president in 2008, Huckabee said: "There's really no such thing as a Palestinian." When he ran again in 2016, before dropping out and endorsing Trump, he vowed to back the expansion of settlements in the West Bank, which he called "an integral part" of Israel
So, yeah...
Main problem with Mattis is Trump seems to have only read the headlines on “mad dogs” attitude to actual combat.
He missed all the stuff about how Mattis was also a firm believer in trying to avoid reaching that stage and so was a fan of cultural sensitivity training etc.
Aye, he was wholly unprepared for having a professional in the White House, one who actually stood by his values and principles. He was championed by the USMC, but those on the inside questioned it and said he wouldn't last in politics because of those principles. Which was the reality, and mad respect to him for standing tall. His resignation letter was classy too.
So that said, in a lot of ways Hesgeth is uniquely qualified to serve under Trump.
So, yeah…
Oh, ****...
I'm starting to think that the US's next 4 years it's going to be the equivalent of our last 8 or so Tory years. As it's America though, it'll be on steroids.
The hubris, massive overestimates of talent and huge personal and policy failures could be incredible and terrifying to witness in equal measure.
In a rather tragic way, we might get to see, on a huge scale, what a Faragesque, far right government wrecking ball can do to the worlds largest economy. We withdrew from Europe, they are about to withdraw from the world.
I think it might finally out the neoliberal agenda for what it really is. I can see a lot of American voters getting punched straight in the face by the results of applying simple solutions, enacted by arrogant narcissists to complex problems.
It'll be entertaining I suppose.
@relapsed_mandalorian Accepted. There are some cases where I can see a civilian having, or providing, a unique and relevant view to such a large, diverse and specific organisation, experience of foreign relations/diplomacy or maybe a large and diverse multinational might be considered relevant.
I really do not want to denigrate the Guard (or reserves in general), but they are not full-time military and it is painfully obvious to see that sometimes (unless they have prior full-time service).
I'm hoping @Poopscoop 's view up there is not going to come to fruition, but I suspect we will see something very close.
I think it might finally out the neoliberal agenda for what it really is. I can see a lot of American voters getting punched straight in the face by the results of applying simple solutions, enacted by arrogant narcissists to complex problems.
The worry is, like over here, they will lash out/punch down rather than have any introspective Damascene revelations.
I’m hoping @Poopscoop ‘s view up there is not going to come to fruition, but I suspect we will see something very close.
I'm hoping for what a lot of us over here ended up hoping for with the Tories as they imploded. That Trump's administration proves so dysfunctional that half of what they want to do simply doesn't happen.
I mean, for these huge changes to happen over there, you'll need a large, functional federal government, right?
But... But...! Musk is about to take a wrecking ball to it all, the very machine they need to enact all their batshit stuff! 😀
I have no idea what Elon will try to do but I think he’s going to find trimming the bureaucracy much harder than trimming the Twitter workforce.
It will be very interesting to see what happens to the SLS program. It's a massive waste of $billions for something that can be supplied by private companies for a mere fraction of what Boeing et al want.
Musk would [rightly] love to to bin it off BUT SpaceX would pick up the work so a huge conflict of interests and a number of interested parties [senators] would be very pissed off.
I think sunshine mending the likelihood of trump falling out with Musk?
Let's face it, it's likely. This is the Beebs quick take on it.
Keep an eye on how these two men get on: they’re both volatile, argumentative and controversial. And both like to be number one – so if this new arrangement leaves one of them feeling they are not, Elon Musk’s new path could soon turn into a going of separate ways.
Id actually put a bet on the fact they do fall out and it will be a HUGE public spat that will rumble in for years.
Safe bet I reckon.
To tear ourselves away from all this and focus on something more positive. The social event of the century is approaching - Trumps second Inauguration Ball.
Grab your tuxedo- Imagine how many invited performers have already turned it down even at this early stage and Trumps aids desperately burn through their address books
Theres a few dead certs I guess - Kid Rock and Hulk Hogan in kids sunglasses clawing at his shirt like it's covered in imaginary spiders. But who else?
As an aid memoir heres the running order from last time round
Incase anyone’s in any doubt which direction Trump is going to head in regard to Israel and Gaza
An alternative point of view:
I suspect that the only significant difference between Biden and Trump is that Biden projects the image that he cares about the Palestinians (whilst supplying Israel with the weapons and hardware to slaughter them) whilst Trump frankly couldn't give a shit about such pretences.
I love how the first move to trim government is to with zero irony set up another government department, then say that it isn't a government department. How long for the Department of Propaganda and Doublespeak? Although I guess that would require an element of literacy. I was quite depressed last week but I now have a feeling we might get a fair load of unintentional humor among the daily WTF, WTAF, SWTAF?
I am hoping someone is selling Trump is a Cword t-shirts as a mark of respect to Janey Godley.
I love how the first move to trim government is to with zero irony set up another government department
One with two leaders.
then say that it isn’t a government department.
Technically, it isn't. A department can only be established by an act of congress, the President can't just create them as he sees fit. The word "department" doesn't really describe its status.
It is a government entity, it's purpose is to do the work of government. It will need a budget, or will Musk just walk about firing people at random. Actually I shouldn't joke that is probably exactly the plan. Until they get the work camps set up of course.
It will need a budget
Which has to be approved by congress if it's a department. If it's just a few people working out of the Whitehouse as advisors to the President, it's not a department.
Musk, Trump, and many of their advisors are used to operating in the private sector where bosses have a lot of freedom to run things as they want. Working in government is a different game and I don't think Musk will have the temperament to stick at it.
Trump and Musk don't want to "work in" government as it is generally understood.
It's all written down in Project 2025 what they want to achieve. They want teardown current structures and norms, then re-build in their vision, to ensure the Democrats will be basically unelectable. Sounds a bit fascisty to me.
All these people who were saying Trump v2.0 isn't going to be that bad, just look at the team he is assembling.
All these people who were saying Trump v2.0 isn’t going to be that bad, just look at the team he is assembling.
I have no doubt it's going to be bad, but we really don't know what he will manage to do. Trump doesn't really have policies, he has whims, which often contradict each other. For example, he's pretty serious about not liking immigrants and wanting to deport them, but deporting 10 million workers would leave many industries desperately short of workers so that would cause inflation. The lobbyists for those industries would lobby the White House for relief so it's possible it would end up as a proposal for a guest worker visa program, which is exactly what the MAGA crew do not want so you'd end up with a battle within the administration between the business lobby and the MAGA hardliners. Same with tariffs. Trump doesn't seem to understand how they really work and campaigned strongly on them, saying they could replace income tax. Problem is, if he imposed the sanctions that he promised, they would cause massive inflation and business leaders would lobby for relief from them. So he's going to end up with his advisors all fighting about what to do and having to choose between economic chaos or backing down on his campaign promises. Nobody knows what he will end up doing, just that it's unlikely that he will find things as easy as he imagined and that it will probably get very messy very fast.
I honestly think Trump will just talk nonsense, soil himself and play golf.
However, the people around him are truly dangerous.
He will allow them to run rampage.
Expect to see Vance as POTUS within 3 years.
Trump and Musk don’t want to “work in” government as it is generally understood.
It’s all written down in Project 2025 what they want to achieve. They want teardown current structures and norms, then re-build in their vision, to ensure the Democrats will be basically unelectable. Sounds a bit fascisty to me.
All these people who were saying Trump v2.0 isn’t going to be that bad, just look at the team he is assembling.
Absolutely this.
I am hopeful that some of the structure will be too strong for them to disassemble. Hopeful that some voices of measure and balance prevail, that they can make good enough arguments as to why things should be done a particular way. I hope that there will be an international effort, that business* and economics* make a case for caution and balance. But maybe not.
.
*I see from some pension funds that the US funds have rocketed since the election....
will Musk just walk about firing people at random. Actually I shouldn’t joke that is probably exactly the plan.
I've recommended this book before, but it's essential reading.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Fifth_Risk
Basically "firing people at random" is exactly what happened last time round. Some of it wasn't entirely random.
Anyone who was an Obama hire, or vocal Obama supporter: FIRED
Anyone who believed in climate change: FIRED
Then there were lots of others just randomly fired despite being SMEs or having decades of vital experience
It will be even worse this time round
Has anyone got a link to Project 2025? I can't find one, but from what I remember reading it some month ago, is it's somewhere between every conspiracy theory and Mein Kampf, and the general destruction of the American state structure. I'm surprised how few people seem aware of this and its contents.
Nobody knows what he will end up doing, just that it’s unlikely that he will find things as easy as he imagined and that it will probably get very messy very fast.
I think within months things might start going dramatically wrong. Deporting millions of immigrants is going to be a logistical nightmare and ruinously expensive. Aside from all the legal battles that will ensue I can see large scale civil unrest over it. Millions of people ripped out of their homes, away from their families and work places... It sounds and will look absolutely dystopian.
If his other actions also drive inflation up, after it being such a huge factor in his campaign, it could become an absolute Gordian knot of unintended consequences and very public arguments.
This is the Project 2025 website. Trump tried to distance himself from them during the campaign because many of their ideas are extremely unpopular. How much they will succeed in getting done is anyone's guess, Trump will throw them under the bus if he thinks they are a liability to him.
I’m surprised how few people seem aware of this and its contents.
The Dems heavily focused on it but as it turns out, cost of living overruled that with voters. With a heavy dose of immigration rhetoric thrown in of course.
I have to say, I get it, lofty ideals don't put food on the table, I'm not trying to dismiss that reality but thinking Trump will solve the problem... I do have issues with that. Lol
I think Project 2025 should be chilling to any American but evidently it isn't. It's like their 'roided up Britannia Unchained basically.
This is the Project 2025 website. Trump tried to distance himself from them during the campaign because many of their ideas are extremely unpopular. How much they will succeed in getting done is anyone’s guess, Trump will throw them under the bus if he thinks they are a liability to him.]
He's done more than distance himself - he was actively encouraging his rallies to boo them (whatever the **** he thought that is supposed to achieve)
The thing Musk and Project 2025 have in common is they have ideas of their own they want to achieve and see Trump as a vehicle to achieving that because Trump has no ideas of his own. He has nothing he wants to do as President. He just wants to be President - he's an empty vessel and they both think they can use him to their own ends.
They join a very long line of people had the same idea last time round. Each one in turn thinking that it would all be different when they try to work with Trump because they are smart in ways that the last guy wasn't. However everything Trump touches dies.
I reckon Elon will be lining himself up to run for president…..
Article 2 Section 1 Clause 5
A little sad to watch Biden and Trump in the oval office as part of the handover process. A tradition, of course, that Trump didn't carry out when Biden won, as Trump, unlike Biden, doesn't actually give a shit about his country.
How you can look at Harris, conceding defeat, calling trump to congratulate him etc... then look back to Trump's attempts to defy the very democracy that he says he loves and think, "yeah, the Dems are DEFINITELY the bad guys here" if beyond me. Utter madness.
The cult of Brexit, not needing facts or credibility, Judy belief and simply personified in orange painted flesh this time and in another country.
If his other actions also drive inflation up, after it being such a huge factor in his campaign, it could become an absolute Gordian knot of unintended consequences and very public arguments.
He will blame someone else for everything that goes badly and a large percentage of his supporters will believe every word
He will blame someone else for everything that goes badly and a large percentage of his supporters will believe every word
Yep, cult leader in chief, even so, the electorate won't treat him (or whoever replaces him in the next 4 years?) kindly at the ballot box in '28.
He's made some absolutely huge promises that even a government based upon meritocracy would find hard to achieve. Fair to say his government is based upon unquestioning loyalty, well, until he fires them and they go public with their grievances. Musk, im looking at you. 🙂
A little sad to watch Biden and Trump in the oval office as part of the handover process.
Biden should’ve hoofed him in the nuts, then pardoned himself
Biden should’ve hoofed him in the nuts, then pardoned himself
Lol, that mate me laugh. As long as he hoofed him in the nuts, officially, he'd have been fine as you say.
I bet it took ages. Old people do everything at half speed.
As did that. 🙂
Trump's (and Musks...) first set back. I wonder if it's a sign of things to come?
Having hundreds of billions of dollars may be enough to purchase a social media company and land an all-access pass to the president-elect’s inner circle, but the US Senate still does what the Senate wants.
Florida Senator Rick Scott was Elon Musk’s endorsed candidate for Republican Senate majority leader – and, by implication, Donald Trump’s preference. But in secret ballot voting, the Republicans in the chamber quickly opted for a more traditional pick, South Dakota Senator John Thune.
Thune had served as the second-ranking Senate Republican for four years – plenty of time to win over his conservative colleagues in what is, essentially, a popularity contest. Scott, on the other hand, was more of a firebrand – who promised the kind of confrontational conservativism that is more typical in the House of Representatives.
In the end, the Senate – typically regarded as the more genteel congressional body – opted for the smooth-talking South Dakotan.
It represents a bit of a setback for Trump and his team, who likely would have preferred a more aggressive partisan in the top spot, ready to discard Senate traditions and procedures to advance his agenda. The more vocal of Trump’s Maga faithful are sure to complain.
Thune, however, is an talented legislative operator. Like his predecessor, Mitch McConnell, he may move slowly but he knows the levers to pull in the Senate to get results.
had to google that very helpful response.
are you saying he isnt elgible? i read it as if he needed to be a resident for 14 years, which i presume he is?
anyway i reckon thats his game plan
i read it as if he needed to be a resident for 14 years, which i presume he is?
No. Someone need to be US born, and also at least 14 years resident. It's not either, it's both.
