Trump just declared victory while promising to keep fighting, compared Iran to Venezuela “formula that’s working,” walked back unconditional surrender, claimed mission complete but “we can go further,” and suggested Iran might have stolen a Tomahawk to bomb their own school.
So, which narrative sticks? Declare victory for base, threaten escalation to justify continuation, float Venezuela puppet-state model, deflect war crimes. When you have no actual endgame, you try every story simultaneously and see which polls best.
The tell: Trump surprised Iran hasn’t capitulated, admitted Vance “philosophically different” and “maybe less enthusiastic about going” . That’s the model:regime change theater, oligarchical control maintained.
War entering second week, 1,230+ dead in Iran, oil prices spiking, mission objectives changing daily… but Trump speaking in past tense like it’s already over while simultaneously threatening harder strikes. Performing multiple endings at once. This imbecilic machine/brain is broken—circuits clearly fried.
The complexity cascade in action: Each incoherent message creates new crisis requiring new contradictory message. Launch war without plan → generate cascading failures → throw narratives until something sticks → repeat. Classic authoritarian move: declare victory regardless of facts, maintain flexibility based on political needs, never commit to verifiable outcome.
I read one clever tweet that said -without much exaggeration- that we had a cabinet of WOATS: The Worst Of All Time.
To be fair Pam Bondi's destructive leadership of the Department of Justice is doing exactly what Trump wanted. But you forgot to mention how she made a laughing stock of herself by declaring at one of those embarrasing "Channeling of Pyongyang" cabinet meetings that Trump had saved 119 million American lives though drug seizures. And she then corrected it by saying it was 258 million. I'll be charitable and say she's just a supreme groveller with no shame at all.
Now that Trump has decided the Iran invasion was an "excursion," not a war, it looks like Markwayne Mullin, far from being ignorant, has the power of clairvoyance....
Agree 💯- we all knew, while the Senate was confirming these amoral half-wits, that disaster was the only logical outcome from this bunch. What I underestimated was the sheer evil and inhumanity each has inflicted upon this great country.
Finally, I also thought Rubio was the one adult in the room and he has fallen so low and so quickly by selling his soul. While the other’s probably sleep fine at night, apart of me thought Rubio struggled at bit - but no more. It’s just acting. He is as horrible of a human as the rest of this deadly keystone cop Administration.
When I heard Mullins speak it was quite obvious within minutes he's a dim bulb.. Who votes for someone like this? What's Oklahoma's education system like? Maybe he ran unopposed.
Waldman left out JD Vance, but otherwise this is as fitting a summary of the malevolent incompetence, moral vacuity, and corruption of Trump's inner circle as I've seen.
Hegseth has also systematically fired or removed any military leaders with ethics. One of his first actions was to fire the JAGs (the heads who keep the JAG corps on track). These days, he is deploying the JAG corps to work immigration cases, since so many lawyers have left a corrupted Department of Justice.
If the Hague wants to try Hegseth for war crimes, the U.S. should hand him over.
Yep, this gave me sinister pleasure to read but no comfort. The list is so aggravatingly long that one loser was perhaps ‘inadvertently’ left off for his ongoing economic malfeasance - Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. He proudly joins this group of awful chucklefucks, spouting Orwellian economic lies on a regular basis.
An excellent piece, Paul. Having the devastating effect of Trump’s cabinet members brought to light in this way is overwhelmingly depressing….as it should be, I guess 😔
Although not done intentionally, I happened to listen to the audio version of this piece as well today. For some (very odd) reason I felt less depressed. Thinking that your ability to characterize these numbskulls is an art, Paul🙏🙏
I imagine a metaphor for Trump's cabinet as a high-school basketball team made up not of athletes but a random selection of students who are to face an NBA team in a game of basketball. The results are what you would expect.
I was hoping for just a little optimism. Maybe tomorrow. Thanks, Paul. You nailed it.😞
Optimism? T**** has surrounded himself with abject sociopaths and the occasional psychopath.
I know… I know..😞
Trump just declared victory while promising to keep fighting, compared Iran to Venezuela “formula that’s working,” walked back unconditional surrender, claimed mission complete but “we can go further,” and suggested Iran might have stolen a Tomahawk to bomb their own school.
So, which narrative sticks? Declare victory for base, threaten escalation to justify continuation, float Venezuela puppet-state model, deflect war crimes. When you have no actual endgame, you try every story simultaneously and see which polls best.
The tell: Trump surprised Iran hasn’t capitulated, admitted Vance “philosophically different” and “maybe less enthusiastic about going” . That’s the model:regime change theater, oligarchical control maintained.
War entering second week, 1,230+ dead in Iran, oil prices spiking, mission objectives changing daily… but Trump speaking in past tense like it’s already over while simultaneously threatening harder strikes. Performing multiple endings at once. This imbecilic machine/brain is broken—circuits clearly fried.
The complexity cascade in action: Each incoherent message creates new crisis requiring new contradictory message. Launch war without plan → generate cascading failures → throw narratives until something sticks → repeat. Classic authoritarian move: declare victory regardless of facts, maintain flexibility based on political needs, never commit to verifiable outcome.
I read one clever tweet that said -without much exaggeration- that we had a cabinet of WOATS: The Worst Of All Time.
To be fair Pam Bondi's destructive leadership of the Department of Justice is doing exactly what Trump wanted. But you forgot to mention how she made a laughing stock of herself by declaring at one of those embarrasing "Channeling of Pyongyang" cabinet meetings that Trump had saved 119 million American lives though drug seizures. And she then corrected it by saying it was 258 million. I'll be charitable and say she's just a supreme groveller with no shame at all.
Bondi needs to be the next one on the chopping block. She's as despised as Noem.
Now that Trump has decided the Iran invasion was an "excursion," not a war, it looks like Markwayne Mullin, far from being ignorant, has the power of clairvoyance....
What about the bobble head weasel, Scott Bessent. - ugh!
Smug personified, I cringe every time I hear him speak.
You know Susan it might have saved space to list the names of Cabinet members who aren't an embarrassment....I suppose there must be one or two.
Agree 💯- we all knew, while the Senate was confirming these amoral half-wits, that disaster was the only logical outcome from this bunch. What I underestimated was the sheer evil and inhumanity each has inflicted upon this great country.
Finally, I also thought Rubio was the one adult in the room and he has fallen so low and so quickly by selling his soul. While the other’s probably sleep fine at night, apart of me thought Rubio struggled at bit - but no more. It’s just acting. He is as horrible of a human as the rest of this deadly keystone cop Administration.
When I heard Mullins speak it was quite obvious within minutes he's a dim bulb.. Who votes for someone like this? What's Oklahoma's education system like? Maybe he ran unopposed.
Waldman left out JD Vance, but otherwise this is as fitting a summary of the malevolent incompetence, moral vacuity, and corruption of Trump's inner circle as I've seen.
How anyone can take Hegseth's macho, preening performances seriously is beyond me. I swear to god if I hear the term "lethality" one more time...
Hegseth has also systematically fired or removed any military leaders with ethics. One of his first actions was to fire the JAGs (the heads who keep the JAG corps on track). These days, he is deploying the JAG corps to work immigration cases, since so many lawyers have left a corrupted Department of Justice.
If the Hague wants to try Hegseth for war crimes, the U.S. should hand him over.
This is a cabinet that yearns for spiffy uniforms and polished jackboots.
Yep, this gave me sinister pleasure to read but no comfort. The list is so aggravatingly long that one loser was perhaps ‘inadvertently’ left off for his ongoing economic malfeasance - Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. He proudly joins this group of awful chucklefucks, spouting Orwellian economic lies on a regular basis.
An excellent piece, Paul. Having the devastating effect of Trump’s cabinet members brought to light in this way is overwhelmingly depressing….as it should be, I guess 😔
Although not done intentionally, I happened to listen to the audio version of this piece as well today. For some (very odd) reason I felt less depressed. Thinking that your ability to characterize these numbskulls is an art, Paul🙏🙏
Yes, it's djt who's responsible for this atrocity...yet, it would not have been possible without the eagerness of the former gop.
...and the lame resistance of the dems.
I imagine a metaphor for Trump's cabinet as a high-school basketball team made up not of athletes but a random selection of students who are to face an NBA team in a game of basketball. The results are what you would expect.
Well said. What a terrible assignment Paul gave himself: to contemplate and enumerate the collection of fools, clowns, and grifters who serve Donald.