Probe President Trump and his crappy Samsung Twitter-o-phone, demand angry congressfolk

Fifteen members of US Congress have asked the House Oversight Committee to investigate whether President Trump is putting national security at risk by using an insecure phone and holding sensitive meetings in public. In a letter to the committee, the congressfolk say [PDF] they were inspired by reports that the Commander in …

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: flame on

This idiot cares more about that ridiculous hairpiece clinging to his empty head than he does national security. I'm sure the GOP is just biding their time until they can "take out the orange trash" come next big election season. Either that, or continue to support a delusional land developer as a "leader of a nation." This just gets funnier each day! Wandering the White House halls in your bathrobe and claiming on Twitter that each setback is a victory is the new orange. :P

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: flame on

>take out the orange trash

Darth Cheeto will not be denied.

[MrDamage]

Re: flame on

Darth Cheeto, love it.

Consider it yoinked.

[lorisarvendu]

Re: flame on

"Wandering the White House halls in your bathrobe and claiming on Twitter that each setback is a victory is the new orange."

Haven't you heard? Trump doesn't own a bathrobe.

[Roger B]

"...borderline incoherent Twitter spouting" Ohh El reg, you are too kind, whilst the thin skinned buffoon and his daily tweets are a great source of entertainment to all, his Twitter feed could really only be described as some kind of self masturbatory fantasy where his crowds are the biggest, his winning votes the largest and his daughters clothing line the best that China has ever produced.

The photos from his club with the Japanese PM and his aides all crowded round the documents taking photos of confidential papers, the green carded wait staff listening in on the confidential phone calls and the full details of the "football"carrier published on Facebook, (all of which you to can enjoy for the low low price of $200K per annum club membership) only add to the joke that this "so called" president is.

Having not actually divested himself from his business interests only increases the likely hood that an attack on one of his many failing overseas businesses will be construed as an act of war against the USA and put more servicemen and women at risk.

[Dr Scrum Master]

Seeing the "football" carrier is nothing new.

I'm sick and tired.... err, I mean I'm sick and tired of everything associated with Trump being labelled as something new and nasty. Much of what he's done or has been done around him has been done by his predecessors.

Complaining about such precedents devalues people's arguments against him. If people are going to criticise him for something then criticise him properly.

[Stumpy]

Seeing the "football" carrier is nothing new.

I'm sick and tired.... err, I mean I'm sick and tired of everything associated with Trump being labelled as something new and nasty. Much of what he's done or has been done around him has been done by his predecessors.

Complaining about such precedents devalues people's arguments against him. If people are going to criticise him for something then criticise him properly.

That may be true, but previous incumbents usually manage to spread their indiscretions out over the course of one or two terms in office. The piss-eyed tango-skinned buffoon seems to want to get it all out of the way early.

[John Smith 19]

"The piss-eyed tango-skinned buffoon seems to want to get it all out of the way early."

Which implies after the first few weeks months he and and his team will get over their high jinks settle down to run the country in a business like and efficient manner.

It's a nice idea to hope for.

Call me a tad skeptical it's going to happen.

[Anonymous Coward]

I'm sick and tired of everything associated with Trump being labelled as something new and nasty. Much of what he's done or has been done around him has been done by his predecessors.

OK, but he has managed to take it to new depths that were not deemed possible. I mean, he makes George W Bush look good and that takes some doing. The worst part is that the judicial system barely has a grip on this man and his cronies, they can pretty much do as they please. Sometimes it takes a bit longer, but as long as Republicans suppress their conscience they will eventually do things that risk damaging the US beyond repair.

[Roo]

"I'm sick and tired.... err, I mean I'm sick and tired of everything associated with Trump being labelled as something new and nasty. "

Fair point it's not new, as we all know after hearing Trump bleating about Hillary running official emails through unofficial systems, but doing the exact same thing after winning an election on the point is nasty.

[Anonymous Coward]

Wow I really hope the GOP puts on their big boy pants

Errr, you what?

The farcical anti-democratic comedy show of elephants versus donkeys is precisely WHY you've got Trump. Rather than hoping that the establishment can crush him and return to BAU, you really ought to be looking a whole lot deeper at the core issue of how Capitol Hill can actually serve Main Street rather than Wall Street.

I can see this from four thousand miles away, why can't the people who actually live there?

[Anonymous Coward]

>how Capitol Hill can actually serve Main Street rather than Wall Street.

Yeah because with all the starvation and child soldier armies Capitol Hill has caused in the US they really have let us down. People are about to learn how bad things can get. Shitty education and mercantilism is a loser regardless of the scenario. Midwest farmers already are pissing themselves.

[Martin Gregorie]

I can see this from four thousand miles away, why can't the people who actually live there?

Because they're too close to the problem to see its full humungousness.

[Stumpy]

Because they're too close to the problem to see its full humungousness.

The correct term to use in this post-truth, alternate-fact cheeto-led universe is biggliness.

[John Brown (no body)]

"biggliness."

Embiggness, Shirley?

[Kiwi]

"biggliness."

Embiggness, Shirley?

Embigglinessen?

[Roj Blake]

Seems cromulent to me.

[Anonymous Coward]

The Deep State Strikes Back

Pathetic. Is this as good as it gets for the Loser Party?

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: The Deep State Strikes Back

Depends on how much influence the Clinton surrogates have going forward. The Dems are currently the Cleveland Browns of political parties with Jimmy Haslam like prowess drafting candidates as of late.

[Adrian 4]

Re: The Deep State Strikes Back

Could you decode that please, for we right-pondians ?

What is a Cleveland Brown ? A variety of chicken like a Rhode Island Red ?

Who is Jimmy Haslan ? Something to do with Hasbro, or Haribo ?

Perhaps the http://www.theregister.co.uk/Design/page/reg-standards-converter.html could be enhanced with a political equivalence chart. So Lincoln = Churchil, Nixon = Blair, etc.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: The Deep State Strikes Back

>Could you decode that please, for we right-pondians ?

>What is a Cleveland Brown

Brown is as it sounds. Don't know soccer or cricket so say in rugby union if the NE Patriots are the All Blacks, the Browns are a Japanese girls middle school rugby team (its a good thing for the Browns the NFL doesn't have relegation as it would probably get its ass handed to it even in the SEC (college)).

>Who is Jimmy Haslan ?

Basically a step below the Glazer family.

[Apprentice of Tokenism]

Re: The Deep State Strikes Back

If you do not have anything to contribute, please refrain from polluting this forum with your vomit.

Thank you

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: The Deep State Strikes Back

Oh yeah back on topic Darth Cheeto and posse might not want to use insecure comm equipment or his tax returns and tax haven records might actually get released. Probably more scared of that than the Russian dossier.

[Geoffrey W]

Re: The Deep State Strikes Back

@ AC "Oh yeah back on topic Darth Cheeto and posse might not want to use insecure comm equipment or his tax returns and tax haven records might actually get released. Probably more scared of that than the Russian dossier."

You're not paying attention. The issue is that they ARE using insecure equipment, and private email servers which were supposed to be a heinous sin, rather than the state issued phones which are likely to have some semblance of security installed, even if their contents are more readily available to the agencies.

[bombastic bob]

Re: The Deep State Strikes Back

"If you do not have anything to contribute, please refrain from polluting this forum with your vomit."

heh - yeah, howler monkeys again. It seems that they downvote ME simply because I'm ME (they probably make abuse complaints as well, to get me moderated). And they shout and sling poo at anyone who even SLIGHTLY defends Trump.

Well, _I_ voted for the guy, I'm happy he's there, and it's fun to watch the media+Demo-Rat MELTDOWN in progress.

Popcorn, git yer popcorn!

As for Trump's phone, I think the NSA needs to do a regular checkup on it. And no carrying it into meetings. Other than that, why not let him have it?

[Stoneshop]

Re: The Deep State Strikes Back

Well, _I_ voted for the guy, I'm happy he's there, and it's fun to watch the media+Demo-Rat MELTDOWN in progress.

Your near-namesake, Baghdad Bob, was funnier

[Francis Boyle]

"The Deep State"

So that's what they're calling the US constitution now. Of course any American who didn't spend their civics class drawing dicks on their desk would know about constitutional checks and balances.

Memo to all the I am furious orange people out there: Constitutional limits on government power apply even when your guy is the government.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: "The Deep State"

It would help if the politicians in the US actually applied what the constitution said rather than following what they want it to say.

If they did that there wouldn't be the problems that have been left to this president to fix.

[Geoffrey W]

Re: "The Deep State"

RE: "Memo to all the I am furious orange people out there"

Is that a "The (Mighty) Fall" reference I see? "I Am Kurious Oranj"? Fabulous! Even if just coincidence.

[Steve Davies 3]

Re: The Deep State Strikes Back

Quote

As for Trump's phone, I think the NSA needs to do a regular checkup on it. And no carrying it into meetings. Other than that, why not let him have it?

Great idea. Then the NSA can load their own spyware on it that gives all the evidence that the SCOTUS and Contress needs to get the Great Orange Dictator thrown in jail for the rest of his natural on a charge of treason.

Sadly it won't happen mores the pity.

Off into the garden to carry on digging out my fall-out shelter. I have a feeling that it might be needed before 2024.

Yes, POTUS has started his re-election campaign already.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: The Deep State Strikes Back

Great idea. Then the NSA can load their own spyware on it that gives all the evidence ....

Were Harold Wilson British PM today, that is precisely what MI5 would do, since we know they were spying on him and his Cabinet.

This is actually exactly the problem with "secure" government communications, unless you are the puppet of the TLAs rather than their elected supervisor. How can you genuinely reform the swamp when they know everything you say or write the moment you do it?

[Geoffrey W]

Re: The Deep State Strikes Back

@bombastic bob

>"Well, _I_ voted for the guy, I'm happy he's there, and it's fun to watch the media+Demo-Rat MELTDOWN in progress"

Ah, Bombastic Bob and Big John, the Abbot and Costello of the far right. It looks more like its the current administration that's in melt down, rather than the left. Trump would be in better shape if he didn't keep giving his opponents so much ammunition to use against him. Cant wait to see him in jail alongside Hilary because of their use of private email servers and other equipment.

[CrazyOldCatMan]

Re: The Deep State Strikes Back

Ah, Bombastic Bob and Big John, the Abbot and Costello of the far right

Abbot and Costello were at least vaguely funny. In a derivative, yes-we-know-it's-been-done-before sort of a way.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: The Deep State Strikes Back

Quote

"Well, _I_ voted for the guy, I'm happy he's there, and it's fun to watch the media+Demo-Rat MELTDOWN in progress.

Popcorn, git yer popcorn!

As for Trump's phone, I think the NSA needs to do a regular checkup on it. And no carrying it into meetings. Other than that, why not let him have it?"

Ahhh I think I'm begining to understand...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cutting_off_the_nose_to_spite_the_face

I'm still a little confused about why its good idea say its ok to use an insecure device as the leader of a country on a security related forum. You're either asking for trouble or just trying to 'stir the pot'?

[Geoffrey W]

Re: The Deep State Strikes Back

Ah, the deep state conspiracy rises again. Either Big John is a long term conspiracy theorist or he is a frequenter of various extreme right wing outlets where the phrase has had some resurgence over the past couple of weeks. Or both. Perhaps its the Illuminati, those Lords of the deep state active since the time of George Washington whose picture does not, in fact, adorn the dollar bill but Adam Weishaupt's who, as all silver headed folk know is one of the founding fathers of the bavarian illuminati. Or perhaps its the lost empire of Atlantis surging from the depths to swamp the would be president with fake news and innuendo. Whoever the deep state is, its being said, people are saying, I don't know, the secret services are claiming that Trump will die in prison. I don't entirely discount the idea of the deep state but I do doubt the organised nature of such a creation. If there is a deep state then it is the underlying meta mind, the zeitgeist, the unconscious id, of the power structures that underpin the country and as such is a force to be reckoned with even if it doesn't really know what its doing in an overall sense. Bits of it here and there are sparking with malice and intent but it isn't really aimed to any particular goal other than the maintenance of its own animus.

My own bit of the countries meta mind is sparking with fascination at all this theatre of the absurd which I cannot but think will end in grand guignol; a theatre of an entirely different kind. Amazing to think I am present at such a wonderful moment in history.

Just remember the eye in the pyramid is watching you and desist from naughtiness.

[nematoad]

Re: The Deep State Strikes Back

"Pathetic. Is this as good as it gets for the Loser Party?"

Oh, you mean like the rest of the world?

Unfortunately when the US sneezes the rest of the world catches a cold.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: The Deep State Strikes Back

Ah yes, the conceit that the US Democrat Party and the entire rest of the world is on one side and the Republicans are on the other. Funny about that, a lot of countries are swinging more to the right these days, after decades of leftist driven damage. So it's not just in the US that the 'progressive' cause is tanking, it's everywhere.

Enjoy your cold.

[Rattus Rattus]

@Big John

Decades of damage, yes. Though I wasn't aware neoliberalism was a "left" phenomenon. I am amazed to hear that Ronald Reagan was a "leftie", just like those other well known neoliberal "lefties" - Margaret Thatcher, George Bush, and John Howard.

Incidentally, the Democrats are nearly as out of touch with the world outside your borders as the Republicans are. It's more like the entire US political establishment on one side, and the entire rest of the world on the other.

[Anonymous Coward]

Can't ditch that Samsung S3!

It was a gift from Vladimir Putin, and the sentimental value alone is through the roof!

"testing, testing, 1, 2, 3, can you hear me in the Kremlin? This is YUGE!"

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Can't ditch that Samsung S3!

I don't understand this - how is this true American billionaire patriot using a 4 year old Korean phone anyway? Shouldn't he be using the iPhone with Swarovski crystals all over the back, at the very least?

[Dr_N]

Samsung Twat-o-phone, shirley?

[404]

Since Trump banned me...

... I don't even get to see what people are bitching about...

It's kinda nice.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Since Trump banned me...

>... I don't even get to see what people are bitching about...

May I recommend you steer clear of the movie On The Beach and then it is much easier to enjoy the ignorance is bliss angle.

[Captain Badmouth]

Re: Since Trump banned me...

I think there are 2 movies called "On the Beach", but I've only seen the 1959 one.

[Steve Davies 3]

Re: Since Trump banned me...

That's the one to watch where it ends off the coast of Australia.

No spoiler alert needed.

But that situation got a whole lot closer since 20th Jan.

[Anonymous Coward]

Pleas hack his "smart" phone, install keyloggers and crack his twitter account. And then send some nice postings like "I am so soryy, Hillary" or better "Hi Mexicans, I luv u all!" or so. To get things really worse install some voice capturing software that is permanently on and then send all the taped recordings into the electronic wilderniss

[Doctor Syntax]

Pleas hack his "smart" phone, install keyloggers and crack his twitter account... install some voice capturing software that is permanently on

What makes you think that hasn't already happened?

send some nice postings like "I am so soryy, Hillary" or better "Hi Mexicans, I luv u all!"

That's just skiddie stuff.

[RonWheeler]

They don't like it

not because of security, but because he uses it effectively..

[Steve Davies 3]

Re: They don't like it

Fake News!

No one can use Twitter effectively.

[RonWheeler]

Re: They don't like it

Really?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-38245530

[John Smith 19]

But people you're forgetting the "Shaggy Defense"

A press conference in a White House far far away....

"Mr President could you explain what you meat when you tweeted "I wouldn't pay Hilary $5 to suck my inordinately large d**k" ?

The D."What are you talking about. That wasn't me. I've never tweeted anything about sex with Hilary. This is fake news"

"It was received by all your Twitter followers at 1158 last night"

The D "Then it was by my bed while I was asleep. It sounds like I may have been hacked. My people will be looking into this. Next question."

[Destroy All Monsters]

I laugh!

Best commentary by olde Patrick Cockburn:

Donald Trump and the US media are in a fight to the finish – and they're both guilty of peddling alternative facts

I will probably be accused of being a Wehrkraftzersetzer again because liberal demonization by loud bullshitting is the thing to do nowadays.

[Alt C]

Op Sec

So they say no confidential docs were on the table when doing their social media thing - but isn't part of Op Sec all about not getting into bad habits in the first place - so you know you don't accidentally take a picture of a secret document on an unsecured phone?

[Danny Boyd]

Question nobody seems to ask

Security... for tweeting? Seriously?

[STZ]

Why the POTUS uses an old Samsung S3 ...

... is quite easy to understand. He can operate it. Learning how to operate a new smartphone would probably take him weeks or months, during which time the world would experience a serious lack of leadership ...

[Swarthy]

Re: Why the POTUS uses an old Samsung S3 ...

and a larger phone would make his hands look _tiny

[Erroneous Howard]

Just, for all of our sakes.....

....Don't leak his naked selfies

[Pontius]

Trump, Spicer et al. Comedy Gold. But just not funny anymore...