Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News Editorials & Other Articles General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

jmbar2

(8,232 posts)
Sat Jun 6, 2026, 09:21 AM Yesterday

Who is actually running the government?

Trump increasingly looks like "Weekend at Bernies". Others are running the show.

I can see glimpses of Herr Stephen Miller in some of the ideas being floated, like confiscating immigrant funds and assets. Kegsbreath entertains himself bombing fishermen and girls' schools. Brainworm is dismantling guardrails that monitor, report, and prevent diseases. And Muskrats continue to suck up data and revise every information system.

What keeps them all from running amok as he weakens? Susie Wiles? Certainly not Republican Congress members. Even though he's barely functioning, he still instills enough fear that no one is overtly stepping up to take over.

What happens when his ability to scare is gone? Who will win the power struggles?

Curious what folks here think...

19 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Who is actually running the government? (Original Post) jmbar2 Yesterday OP
I wonder the same. bamagal62 Yesterday #1
Grifters and Idiots. MineralMan Yesterday #2
Russell Vought. enough 23 hrs ago #3
That's frigging terrifying, but makes sense jmbar2 23 hrs ago #7
Even in his obvious deteriorating state, he's still in charge underpants 23 hrs ago #4
Screwworms? struggle4progress 23 hrs ago #5
Spirochetes? displacedvermoter 23 hrs ago #8
Although diminished, his brain is still functioning dalton99a 23 hrs ago #6
Great question! malaise 23 hrs ago #9
My mental picture AnnaLee 23 hrs ago #10
If the curtain is pulled back, it's being run by a bunch of fundie Judeo-Christians (Frickism and Frackianity). RedWhiteBlueIsRacist 22 hrs ago #11
No one. Thats why we're in the shape we're in. Luz 22 hrs ago #12
It always amazed me PATRICK 22 hrs ago #14
Actually, no one person that I can see. haele 22 hrs ago #13
The oligarchs are presently running the world. kentuck 22 hrs ago #15
A good question. republianmushroom 21 hrs ago #16
Herr Miller? WarGamer 21 hrs ago #17
I believe it's the Niagara 19 hrs ago #18
Miller and the others surrounding him for sure themaguffin 18 hrs ago #19

bamagal62

(4,582 posts)
1. I wonder the same.
Sat Jun 6, 2026, 09:33 AM
Yesterday

But you can bet your bottom dollar that they have a plan. Especially, if there’s anything left to steal.

jmbar2

(8,232 posts)
7. That's frigging terrifying, but makes sense
Sat Jun 6, 2026, 09:55 AM
23 hrs ago

Perhaps he's the "ideas guy", but prefers to operate from a secret lair. Just plant the ideas, and tell the sycophants how to implement them. Still leaves the question: How well can he manage the successor wannabees.

From an organizational perspective, I'm sort of morbidly fascinated by what might be going on in the background.

underpants

(197,470 posts)
4. Even in his obvious deteriorating state, he's still in charge
Sat Jun 6, 2026, 09:42 AM
23 hrs ago

and that’s the problem.

The sycophants and parasites around him bend to every whim and will that pops in his head.

AnnaLee

(1,411 posts)
10. My mental picture
Sat Jun 6, 2026, 10:18 AM
23 hrs ago

Did you ever see one of those TV shows where the briefcase accidentally gets opened and money starts blowing in the wind everywhere. It always shows desperate looking people rushing around, pushing each other and dollar diving everywhere. Wealth chasing madness by me,me,me individuals.

As Steven Miller grabs control of those things he wants control of, everything else blows in the wind and otherwise incompetent political employees scrape the wealth off the top of the government where ever the wind blows it. What, me spend on what it was allocated for? Not when I can put it to my own advantage or idealogies.

RedWhiteBlueIsRacist

(2,346 posts)
11. If the curtain is pulled back, it's being run by a bunch of fundie Judeo-Christians (Frickism and Frackianity).
Sat Jun 6, 2026, 10:43 AM
22 hrs ago

Islam is their Bogeyman.

Luz

(941 posts)
12. No one. Thats why we're in the shape we're in.
Sat Jun 6, 2026, 11:06 AM
22 hrs ago

Like a rutterless ship. We still float, and still move around, but have no direction (president).

Just waiting for us to hit the rocks.

PATRICK

(12,436 posts)
14. It always amazed me
Sat Jun 6, 2026, 11:29 AM
22 hrs ago

why WE have to speculate in this vacuum. The entire DC establishment, foreign nations, Wall Street, some newshound somewhere in our pathetic media all must want to know, need to know and have the capabilities to get the info on this sloppiest most incompetent of all administrations. Instead we barely get ironic snipes by cartoonists or clever posters too distant to do more than guess, although the guesses are so close and so worthy of investigation that we all find ourselves behind that wall of silence. During Vietnam and I guess most other administrations the PTB got at least puff pieces and bios about their roles and activities. Is it because the current gang are so unphotogenic(I guess that is what some of the female choices were supposed to be for until they were dumped)?

The real story is even the lack of a story, of curiosity, of any reaction or concern about the obvious until Trump provides his next goofy outrage or lie. I have seen profiles of some of the inner circle here, but now when the mad king is still being wound up and put on stage, what is going on in the actual running of government is critical- and not just to internet discussion groups! But from required or voluntary buffoonery when sycophants fill in the stage to the extremely embarrassing deference of the Opposition(?) and especially the media, it seems everyone above is pretty fine with skimming the surface and keeping their own counsel away from the People. A fake, disabled, president is allowed to carry on this circus(for the good of Wealth for some) more than any legitimate or well serving President.

It is impossible, impossible to believe that our social posting, end-of-his-strength guy is actually doing the job with many crises, self-created, spinning the globe, which- one would think- might inspire some kind of effective reaction other than bits and pieces reactions after the fact and sad, lengthy gaming of what remains of the justice system. The general impotence and cowardice of our times.

haele

(15,658 posts)
13. Actually, no one person that I can see.
Sat Jun 6, 2026, 11:11 AM
22 hrs ago

You have a bunch of figureheads strutting around, going to conferences and hearings, and opining their asses off to the press and Social Media, while any actual work is being done by transitory appointees and senior bureaucrats in their departments who have been given free range to experiment with their varied political "rice bowl" ideologies and personal levels of lazy comfort - so long as those ideologies and actions are somewhat aligned with the general "vibe" of this administration.
People who become senior beurocrats in Institutional, Government and Public/Private sectors generally do not do so through talent or any drive to improve the system.
They do so because they are politically aligned with those in power or ownership who are looking for senior managers they can "work with" and direct the group focus and actions.
I've been to this Rodeo before. From childhood - when Reagan started dismantling the California Education sector, state oversight of financial regulatory systems, and links between Labor and Business that had been built up to protect and help average Californians since the Great Depression.
What we have are bubbles.
Lucky or Privileged grown assed mental children comfortably enthroned in the bubble their wealth or position gave them with automatic grievances against anyone who doesn't just accept and allow them to exist only in their worldview instead of being part of the greater real world.

Niagara

(12,306 posts)
18. I believe it's the
Sat Jun 6, 2026, 02:20 PM
19 hrs ago

current key White House officials that are running the government



It's certainly not Dozing Donnie!

Latest Discussions»General Discussion»Who is actually running t...