That’s right folks. The person now running the department within DHS that deals with terrorism and extremism here in the U.S. was a ‘gardener’ five years ago. While in college he worked as a clerk in a grocery store. Well, at least he went to college and graduated. Oh, and he spent a year doing advance work for the Trump campaign. With experience and credentials this guy has, it was a no-brainer to appoint him to such a high and important position!
Twelve months ago Thomas Fugate graduated from the University of Texas, San Antonio with a politics and law course of study. I’m not making up the rest of his credentials. At least not according to this article from The Daily Beast. His ‘credentials’ (or rather lack thereof) notwithstanding he’s now someone running an awfully important department within DHS:
Thomas Fugate, who graduated from the University of Texas at San Antonio just 12 months ago, is currently heading up the Center for Prevention Programs and Partnerships at the DHS, as first reported by ProPublica Tuesday.
The center, also known as CP3, plays a vital role supporting nationwide efforts to combat terrorism and hate-fueled violence. In other words this part of DHS deals with terror prevention in this country. You might wonder what qualifications a 22 year old might have for such an important job. I know I do. So did The Daily Beast and since DHS isn’t all that forthcoming (I’m shocked! SHOCKED I say!) they checked out Fugate’s LinkedIn page.
From it we learn, in his own words he was a “Landscape Business Owner” (self employed – part time it also says) and he describes what he did: Mowing lawns in his neighborhood, charging a price based on the size of the lawn. He also used a weed eater to ‘edge’ and cleaned up debris. Oh, in bold he makes another point: “Skills: Business Operations – Networking.” This was in May and June of 2020. Two whole months!
Dude, like me and countless other kids while you were growing up you went around to neighbors looking for old folks or young busy/lazy ones and offered to cut their grass. If someone was interested you haggled a mutually acceptable price depending on the amount of time it would take. That’s it. Probably a million kids do the same thing every year. No worries though. Fugate did other stuff according to his LinkedIn profile.
While in college he also worked as a “Cross Functional Team Member” at an H-E-B Supermarket in Austin. (I guess during summers since he went to Texas San Antonio rather than the main UT in Austin. The latter is the state’s flagship school. Was he unable to get in?) He describes his duties thusly: “perform various activities around every department of the store, fulfilling key duties contributing to store operations.” And again I go with ‘Dude – you stacked boxes in the back room and re-stocked shelves out in the store. I know what I’m talking about. As with earning some coin mowing lawns growing up, one part-time job I did while in college was working in the local IGA grocery store.
This was fifty years ago. There were no bar codes and scanners. So in addition to helping unload trucks and stacking stuff in storage in the back, we’d restock shelves after marking the prices on them using a couple of tools. One for boxed stuff and one for canned goods. Cashiers would look at the prices on items and punch the amount into a cash register and we’d bag it all up and carry it out to people’s cars. (No tips btw) Nowdays all someone like Fugate has to do is help keep the stockroom in order and replace items on shelves! It’s not exactly what one would call a mentally taxing job. Nor is it a job that bears any relation to national security.
What ‘qualifies” Fugate is his having gotten a gig at ultra conservative Heritage Foundation. You know, the folks who gave us Project 2025. From there it was to the Trump campaign. THAT friends is why he’s now in a crucial job. Gold-plated conservative bona fides, service on the Trump campaign and being some minion who parlayed that into a job with the second Trump administration. Relevant education? Training? Experience? No problem in Trumpty 2.0. Hell, in this new Trump administration actual qualifications are themselves DIS-Qualifying!
So we now have a guy running the part of DHS that oversees working with agencies (both federal and state/local) to address possible terrorist activity on U.S. soil who is 22 years old and has no relevant experience. Or even training. Wow. I feel so much safer now! Yes, that last bit is SNARK and Shakespeare himself couldn’t put into words how strong my snarky feelings are. Well, I’m sorry to ruin your day with such disturbing news but it’s yet another reason to contact your elected representatives and ask “What the HELL?” Just to make sure they know there are those of us paying attention. And that it will be one more thing on our list of things to consider when it comes time to vote in the 2026 midterms.
***From Ursula*** Zoomers, if you’re able to contribute in any way, we could use help. I’ve been ill and recuperating from a brief hospitalization. Times are tough for political commentary to begin with, and that’s been the case since November 5. Half the country is in a major depression. But we need to keep on keeping on. This too shall pass and there will be a brighter, post-Trump day if we work for it. Please join us and help if you can. Thank you. Ursula
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Oh my dear sweet lawd I can’t even!!!!!! Also, snark is good and in this case, well deserved. I’m sitting here having a fit over something I can’t change. The man WHO PAINTS HIS FACE ORANGE has really done it this time. What’s next, someone in high school? Grade school? Gahhhhhhhhhhh.