Bulwark Takes We Sat Through a Painful Trump Cabinet Meeting So You Don’t Have To
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Mar 26, 2026 They recap a chaotic Trump cabinet meeting filled with long, free‑wheeling rants about $1,000 pens and gold columns. They spotlight public humiliations of aides, attacks on Gavin Newsom, and bizarre claims about cognitive tests. They unpack alarming talk about NATO, Iran, and implausible nuclear timelines. They note fixation on decor amid global crises.
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Sharpie Rant During Cabinet Meeting
- Donald Trump launched into a 15-minute free-associative rant about $1,000 ceremonial pens and Sharpies during the cabinet meeting.
- He described rejecting expensive pens that had no ink and insisting on a Sharpie, claiming it saved government money and dignity.
Cognitive Test as Political Proof
- Trump repeatedly attacked Gavin Newsom's cognitive abilities and boasted about taking a cognitive test three times and acing it.
- He framed cognitive testing as a unique credential he alone possesses and used it to disqualify opponents with learning disabilities.
Public Humiliation Of Defense Secretary
- Trump publicly embarrassed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth by recounting unnamed criticisms of his appointment during the meeting.
- Hegseth sat silently while Trump teased him to respond, highlighting humiliating cabinet dynamics.