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The Trump Presidency Timeline

Documenting the chaos since day one. 28 entries and counting.

Category: national security
national security

microsoft gives china a backstage pass to the pentagon, trump pretends to fix it

Stock photo of a Pentagon server rack, presumably labeled: "Totally Secure, Except For The Part Where Microsoft Outsourced It To China."

Stock photo of a Pentagon server rack, presumably labeled: "Totally Secure, Except For The Part Where Microsoft Outsourced It To China."

For nearly a decade, Microsoft apparently decided that the best way to secure the Pentagon’s most sensitive cloud systems was to let China-based engineers work on them, then slap a few underqualified U.S. "digital escorts" on top as a fig leaf. Because nothing says "national security" like a corporate workaround to avoid the pesky requirement that people handling defense data be U.S. citizens or permanent residents. After ProPublica did the job the Pentagon allegedly didn’t know it needed to do, the Defense Department suddenly discovered this might be bad, updated its cybersecurity rules, and now Trump has signed a law to ban anyone in China, Russia, Iran, or North Korea from direct or indirect access to DoD cloud systems. In other words, they’ve finally decided that the world’s leading cyber adversaries probably shouldn’t be backstage at the Pentagon’s IT show. Microsoft, which conveniently "left out" its China-based operations and foreign engineers from a 2025 security plan submitted to DoD, is now declining comment while promising to "work with our national security partners"—a phrase that here means "please don’t cancel the contracts." Meanwhile, Pete Hegseth is thundering on X about how foreign engineers should never touch DoD systems, and Elise Stefanik and Tom Cotton are declaring this a huge "win" for security, as if Congress didn’t just discover that Big Tech had been speedrunning a "national betrayal" for years under their noses. The new law also forces the Pentagon to brief Congress on cybersecurity controls and incidents, which is adorable coming from the same institution that only learned about Microsoft’s little escort program because ProPublica told them. But sure, now that the barn’s empty and the horses are in Shanghai, we’re installing a really excellent lock.

Source: propublica.org

#national-security#corruption
national security

foreign policy live from the mar-a-lago buffet line

Trump, live from the world’s tackiest command center, explains that Iran ‘may be behaving badly’—unlike the U.S., which only tears up treaties and threatens wars for sport.

Trump, live from the world’s tackiest command center, explains that Iran ‘may be behaving badly’—unlike the U.S., which only tears up treaties and threatens wars for sport.

Trump popped up on NBC to announce that "Iran may be behaving badly," which is a bold statement from a guy whose own foreign policy record is a highlight reel of shredded treaties and impulsive drone strikes. From the comfort of Mar-a-Lago — America’s least secure Situation Room and most expensive members-only food court — he warned Iran against building up weapons, as if the entire world hasn’t watched him spend years nuking U.S. credibility on arms control and diplomacy.

In other words, the man who unilaterally torched the Iran nuclear deal is now back on TV warning that Iran might be doing exactly what experts said they’d do after he torched the Iran nuclear deal. Because nothing says ‘serious statesman’ like blowing up the one agreement actually constraining a nuclear program and then acting shocked that the guardrails are gone. But sure, let’s all pretend this is a coherent strategy and not just another episode of ‘Grievance Theater’ filmed live at his golf resort.

Meanwhile, the whole performance fits neatly into the ongoing project of running U.S. foreign policy as a personal branding exercise: tough talk for the cameras, zero consistency, and maximum chaos for everyone who has to clean up after him. America’s institutions burned their credibility to enable this once, and here we are again, watching him freelance nuclear-adjacent threats between meetings with Netanyahu at the cabana bar.
#national-security#killing-democracy#full-stupid
national security

lindsey graham discovers gravity, warns trump football is still in putin’s hands

Lindsey Graham explaining to America that the ex-KGB dictator might not be honest, as if he’s just cracked the Da Vinci Code.

Lindsey Graham explaining to America that the ex-KGB dictator might not be honest, as if he’s just cracked the Da Vinci Code.

Lindsey Graham went on TV to warn Donald Trump that Vladimir Putin is basically Lucy with the football – which is rich, coming from the guy who has spent the last decade as Trump’s emotional support senator every time he faceplants on foreign policy. Apparently, after years of Trump publicly swooning over Putin, undermining NATO, and treating Ukraine like a reality-show prop, Graham has noticed that the ex-KGB dictator might not be negotiating in good faith. Truly, a breakthrough in Republican science. Graham’s message boils down to: Putin keeps dangling "peace" while refusing to budge on anything, and Trump keeps sprinting at the ball like it’s a golden opportunity for a campaign photo-op. Then Putin yanks it away and uses the chaos to strengthen his position. In other words, U.S. foreign policy is now a Peanuts rerun where the nuclear codes are offscreen. The Trump camp, of course, is still selling this as brilliant statesmanship: the great dealmaker bringing peace to the world by believing whatever Putin says this week. Meanwhile, career diplomats and actual security experts get sidelined so Trump can chase another made-for-TV "peace" moment that exists mostly in his own press releases. Because nothing says serious global leadership like getting repeatedly conned by the same autocrat while your own party has to go on cable news and beg you not to fall for it again.

Source: nbcnews.com

#national-security#killing-democracy#full-stupid
national security

hegseth's turtle war: franklin goes full rambo

Hegseth: because nothing says 'defense strategy' like a turtle with an RPG.

Hegseth: because nothing says 'defense strategy' like a turtle with an RPG.

In the latest episode of 'Why on Earth is This Happening?' Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has managed to enrage both book publishers and people with functioning morals by sharing a meme of Franklin the Turtle waging war on drug boats. Because nothing says serious military strategy like turning a children's book character into a drug war hero. In the spirit of the holidays, Hegseth accompanied the post with a festive suggestion for your Christmas wish list. Nothing screams peace on earth quite like Franklin wielding a rocket-propelled grenade. Kids Can Press strongly condemned this 'sick parody', defending Franklin as a beacon of 'kindness, empathy, and inclusivity'—qualities not exactly synonymous with blowing up boats. Senator Mark Kelly and Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer joined the chorus of voices labeling Hegseth a 'national embarrassment', questioning the sanity of a defense secretary who tweets about turtles with RPGs while overseeing nuclear weapons. But sure, let's keep pretending tweets like this are normal.

Source: npr.org

#national-security#full-stupid#killing-democracy
national security

bolton's classified oopsie-daisy

Look at Bolton here, probably contemplating the best emoji to use when leaking classified info.

Look at Bolton here, probably contemplating the best emoji to use when leaking classified info.

John Bolton, the mustachioed hawk who once cozied up to the Trump White House, has been hit with 18 charges for mishandling classified documents. Because nothing screams national security like firing off sensitive information via your personal email and messaging apps. Not to worry, though—Bolton is quoted on record as saying he feared a "retribution presidency," as if that's ever stopped anyone with a grudge and a Twitter account.

Enter Attorney General Pamela Bondi, the knight in shining armor who assures us there's "one tier of justice for all Americans." In other words, if you're embroiled in a scandal, make sure it's a really big one, so it takes a couple of years to catch up with you. Meanwhile, Bolton's lawyer insists these charges were "resolved years ago." In Trump's America, nothing quite screams 'justice' like a case of selective memory.

Source: npr.org

#national-security#forever-grifting
national security

Trump's Diplomatic Shenanigans: Helping Putin One Aid Pause at a Time

president clown make up and fat piece of shit welcomes ukrainian hero to the white house

president clown make up and fat piece of shit welcomes ukrainian hero to the white house

In a breathtaking display of incompetence, Trump pauses military aid to Ukraine—because who needs allies fighting for their survival when you can throw a tantrum and play negotiator with a dictator? This brilliant strategy, championed by the likes of JD Vance and Marco Rubio, is nothing but an absurd attempt to massage Trump’s inflated ego while throwing a crucial ally under the bus. Meanwhile, Putin must be cracking open the vodka, toasting to our 'diplomatic pressure' on a nation bleeding and begging for help. Bravo, America, for electing a leader whose idea of international relations resembles a kindergarten squabble!

#national-security#imperialism
national security

Trump's Cybersecurity Strategy: Pretending Russia Doesn't Exist

The Trump Administration Is Deprioritizing Russia as a Cyber Threat

The Trump Administration Is Deprioritizing Russia as a Cyber Threat

Apparently, the Trump administration has decided that Russia is no longer a cyber problem—because nothing says 'I'm safeguarding national security' like ignoring the cyber criminal masterminds actively undermining democracy while cozying up to Putin. With cyber threats taking a backseat to Twitter drama, the U.S. is effectively giving Russia a VIP pass to wreak havoc, all while claiming that China and Iran are the real bad guys. It's a bold strategy to downplay the most pressing cybersecurity threats—no doubt everyone in Moscow is popping champagne over this ridiculous incompetence!

#national-security
national security

Hegseth's Cyber Stand-Down: A Gift-Wrapped Invitation for Russian Hackers

the most unqualified dumbass piece of shit to ever have this office

the most unqualified dumbass piece of shit to ever have this office

In a stunning display of incompetence, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has ordered U.S. Cyber Command to just fold its arms and watch as Russia continues its digital war on the West, proving once again that the only thing more dangerous than a Kremlin hacker is a clueless American bureaucrat. Meanwhile, the White House is busy bending over backwards to cozy up to a regime that invades other countries and undermines democracy, while millions of Americans are left wondering why their cyber security strategy feels like a bad sitcom. Bravo, Hegseth – you’ve successfully turned National Defense into a punchline!

#national-security
national security

USA: The Global Police Force for Corruption and Incompetence

a flock of invertebrate bitches

a flock of invertebrate bitches

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's latest episode of ‘Let’s invade Mexico’ is a glorious reminder that our leaders are more interested in flexing military might than tackling the real issues of insider corruption and incompetence that plague our border crisis. While he struts around issuing threats like a schoolyard bully, Mexican officials must be laughing behind their hands. Sure, let’s blame the cartels for the flood of fentanyl, but let’s also ignore the glaring fact that the real drug lord here wears a suit and has a corner office! If Hegseth’s grand strategy involves strutting around like an overlord while the actual problems linger, we might as well hand the cartels a medal for bottling our ineptitude. Terrific job, Pete!

#national-security#anti-immigration
national security

federal workers with technical expertise resign en masse rather than tear down critical public infrastructure

thanks, patriots

thanks, patriots

More than **20 government tech experts just quit en masse**, refusing to help Musk’s **Department of Government Efficiency** dismantle **critical public services.** Meanwhile, Musk—who once hyped DOGE as a **bureaucracy-busting revolution**—was last seen at CPAC **waving a Chinese-made chainsaw.** Because nothing says “American efficiency” like **gutting Social Security and veterans’ services while roleplaying as a dictator.**

#national-security
national security

trump hasn't upended the world order, just rearranged the deck chairs

Trump and Macron, the duo redefining 'awkward diplomatic handshakes'

Trump and Macron, the duo redefining 'awkward diplomatic handshakes'

In a delightful twist of logic, former Deputy National Security Adviser Victoria Coates assures us that Trump hasn't upended the world order, he’s merely edited it for length and clarity. Because when you've alienated your allies and given a free pass to Russia, it's not a new order—it's just Tuesday. Coates claims that outdated post-WWII alliances are the real problem, not the fact that the U.S. is playing footsie with Putin while scolding Zelenskyy. But sure, let's pretend it's NATO's fault for not keeping up with Trump’s brilliant strategic vision of doing absolutely nothing about the ongoing Ukraine-Russia war. In other words, it's not about switching sides—it's about calling our allies needy and outdated, because nothing says 'peace' like dismissing allies and cozying up to adversaries.

Source: npr.org

#national-security#imperialism
national security

morons at the top move to fire tons of cia workers, the people that keep us safe

the cia logo

the cia logo

The administration’s purge of the ‘deep state’ has reached the CIA. A wave of firings and resignations is rocking the intelligence agency, with senior officials being ousted in what looks like a political loyalty test. This follows the broader shake-up across national security agencies, as Trump’s inner circle tightens its grip on intelligence operations. Critics warn that gutting experienced leadership could cripple the agency’s ability to respond to threats, but hey, who needs spies when you have sycophants? It’s not about national security—it’s about control.

#national-security
national security

trump kills database of dirty and bad cops

Protesters march away from the State Capitol in St. Paul, Minnesota, days after the police killing of George Floyd. The killing launched a move toward police accountability by both presidents Trump and Biden, but now Trump has killed an accountability database. (John Minchillo/AP)

Protesters march away from the State Capitol in St. Paul, Minnesota, days after the police killing of George Floyd. The killing launched a move toward police accountability by both presidents Trump and Biden, but now Trump has killed an accountability database. (John Minchillo/AP)

Trump kills federal police misconduct database, because why track bad cops? In a move that will surely make accountability optional, the Trump administration has shut down the National Law Enforcement Accountability Database, which tracked misconduct records for federal officers. The database was created under Biden and covered 150,000 officers across 90 agencies, helping prevent problem cops from agency-hopping. But apparently, tracking who’s been fired for misconduct is just too much government oversight. No explanation was given for the shutdown, but Trump’s executive order scrapping it claimed Biden’s policies were “radical” and “illegal.” Because nothing says law and order like letting bad cops wipe the slate clean.

#national-security#lawlessness
national security

judge clears the way for mass firings

protestors standing up for the civil service

protestors standing up for the civil service

I guess “draining the swamp” just means gutting the government and hoping nobody notices. A federal judge just cleared the way for Trump’s mass firings of federal workers, rejecting a union lawsuit that tried to block the move. More than half a million jobs are on the chopping block, and the IRS is already laying off 6,000 employees—because nothing says efficiency like gutting the tax agency in the middle of filing season. The unions argue this is an unconstitutional power grab, but the judge shrugged and kicked the case to a labor board stacked with Trump appointees. Meanwhile, Trump’s administration insists this is just about “streamlining and modernizing” the government—because nothing says modern like firing everyone and letting chaos sort it out.

#national-security
national security

drunk moron orders spending cuts at the pentagon

admiral alcoholic idiot

admiral alcoholic idiot

Trump’s Pentagon purge is gutting U.S. defense spending by 8% per year while funneling billions into his pet projects, including border militarization and his “Iron Dome for America” missile defense scheme. The cuts—totaling $50 billionslash military presence in Europe and the Middle East, deprioritize key nuclear weapons programs, and defund Pentagon climate initiatives (because who needs shipyards or bases that can withstand hurricanes?). Meanwhile, private-sector medical care is spared, meaning military hospitals and veteran care will take the hit. Democrats call it "reckless," but Trump’s team insists it’s all about "ending radical woke programs"—because nothing says national security like defunding submarines while splurging on anti-woke rhetoric and border fences.
#national-security#money
national security

now theyre coming after defense spending even though I'm kind of ok with that, but theyre notoriously incompetent and not detail oriented so theyre probably going to fuck it up

drunk alcoholic dei hire with no fucking experience or qualifications

drunk alcoholic dei hire with no fucking experience or qualifications

Trump’s Pentagon purge continues—this time with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordering an 8% budget cut every year for the next five years, slashing hundreds of billions in defense spending while exempting Trump’s pet projects, like the border operations, nuclear weapons, and his "Iron Dome for America." The NSA has already handed over a list of thousands of Defense Department employees set to be fired, part of Elon Musk’s ongoing bureaucratic bloodbath at the DOGE Service. Meanwhile, Trump’s budget priorities snub U.S. European Command, signaling less support for Ukraine and more NATO tantrums, while Wall Street defense stocks are already tanking. But sure, let’s believe this is about "strengthening the military"—right after Trump blows up Pentagon funding like it’s a casino bankruptcy.
#national-security
national security

now theyre coming for the military - dod is on the chopping block

the pentagon

the pentagon

The Trump administration, with Elon Musk’s DOGE team in tow, is purging probationary employees at the Pentagon, with mass firings expected this week. The Defense Department, which oversees national security, is now at the mercy of Musk’s cost-cutting brigade, which has already axed thousands across other federal agencies. The best part? Nobody actually knows who’s safe. Even nuclear defense programs briefly got caught in the crossfire before someone realized maybe cutting those roles was a bad idea. The chaos is so bad that U.S. Cyber Command staffers say it feels intentional—but don’t worry, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth assures us Musk is just a "great patriot" helping push the "America First" agenda… while also raking in billions in defense contracts. What could go wrong?
#national-security
national security

dickhead continues his firing spree, faa edition

air traffic control tower

air traffic control tower

Imagine thinking you're stopping a terrorist attack but actually just attempting to murder two Jewish tourists instead. That's exactly what happened in Miami Beach, where Mordechai Brafman decided to fire 17 rounds into a car because he thought the passengers were Palestinian. Turns out, they were Israeli Jews, and they initially assumed they were being targeted in an antisemitic attack. One victim was shot in the shoulder, the other was grazed—but neither was killed, despite Brafman’s Rambo audition. Now he's facing attempted murder charges, and Muslim advocacy groups are pushing for hate crime enhancements. Wild twist: a year ago, this guy was calling for "more unity and less conflict." Guess he meant after he got done emptying a clip into innocent people.
#national-security#trumps-america#lawlessness
national security

musks tweenage minions seek to get access to your taxpayer data

the irs

the irs

Elon Musk’s DOGE wants access to the IRS’s most sensitive database, which contains detailed financial records of every taxpayer, business, and nonprofit in the country—because clearly, nothing says “government efficiency” like unchecked access to your tax returns. Under pressure from the White House, the IRS is considering a deal to grant DOGE officials access to the Integrated Data Retrieval System (IDRS), which lets IRS employees view personal identification numbers, banking details, and even edit taxpayer records. IRS officials are deeply alarmed, as even commissioners don’t get this level of access—but a DOGE software engineer with no tax experience apparently should. The White House insists this is just about “eliminating waste, fraud, and abuse”, while experts warn it could let political appointees weaponize tax data—but don’t worry, they pinky-promise to delete it when they’re done.

#national-security#lawlessness
national security

f*ck the us credit standing I guess

the first lady looking like hes having a stroke

the first lady looking like hes having a stroke

Trump is now floating the idea of defaulting on U.S. payments after Musk’s so-called “government efficiency” team allegedly found “irregularities” in Treasury data. No details, no evidence—just a vague suggestion that the U.S. might decide not to pay its bills based on whatever Musk and his hand-picked tech bros think they’ve uncovered. Because why not turn the entire global financial system into a meme stock? Given that DOGE operatives were just given access to Treasury payment systems, this raises some very uncomfortable questions. But hey, what’s the worst that could happen? It’s only the foundation of the world economy.

#national-security#money