KAKISTOCRACY (noun) — Government by the worst, least qualified, or most unscrupulous people.
In Their Own Words

Quotes

A searchable collection of documented public statements from people covered by the Kakistocracy Files.

5,728Total Quotes in the Archive
AllAlex JonesAlina HabbaAndrew ClydeAnn CoulterAnthony ScaramucciBill BarrBrendan CarrByron DonaldsCharlie KirkChristine O’DonnellChuck GrassleyCorey LewandowskiDan BonginoDonald TrumpDonald Trump Jr.Doug BurgumElise StefanikElon MuskEnrique TarrioEric TrumpGeorge SantosGreg GutfeldHerschel WalkerHillary ClintonHope HicksHoward LutnickIvanka TrumpJack PosobiecJacob ChansleyJames ComerJames ComeyJD VanceJeanine PirroJenna EllisJesse WattersJim JordanJohn EastmanJosh HawleyKari LakeKaroline LeavittKash PatelKayleigh McEnanyKellyanne ConwayKimberly GuilfoyleKristi NoemLaura LoomerLauren BoebertLindsey GrahamLouie GohmertMadison CawthornMarco RubioMarjorie Taylor GreeneMark RobinsonMatt GaetzMehmet OzMichael CohenMichael FlynnMike JohnsonMike LindellMike PenceMo BrooksNancy MaceNewt GingrichPam BondiPaul GosarPete HegsethPeter NavarroRick ScottRobert F. Kennedy Jr.Roger StoneRon DeSantisRon JohnsonRonna McDanielRoy MooreRudy GiulianiRussell VoughtSarah Huckabee SandersSean HannitySean SpicerSebastian GorkaSharron AngleSidney PowellStephanie GrishamStephen MillerSteve BannonSteve KingSteve ScaliseTed NugentTim ScottTom HomanTommy TubervilleTucker CarlsonTulsi GabbardVivek Ramaswamy
942 quotes from Donald Trump
“We're freeing up Cuba.”
— Donald Trump
May 20, 2026   •   Trump discussing U.S. policy toward Cuba following major political and economic instability there.
Press Gaggle After Air Force One Arrival
“They're going to take out clean coal.”
— Donald Trump
August 22, 2017   •   Trump discussing a new Pennsylvania coal mine. "Clean coal" ordinarily refers to technologies intended to reduce pollutants or carbon emissions associated with coal use, not coal that has literally been cleaned after mining.
Trump Rally — Phoenix, Arizona
“Why can’t we use nuclear weapons?”
— Donald Trump
August 3, 2016   •   Reported question during a foreign-policy briefing, as recounted by Joe Scarborough.
Source →
“You know, it's stealth.”
— Donald Trump
February 28, 2019   •   Trump recounting an explanation of the F-35's stealth capability.
Presidential Remarks — Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson
“One little glass of water, boom, those magnets are gone.”
— Donald Trump
September 19, 2020   •   Trump criticizing electromagnetic aircraft-carrier elevator technology and claiming a glass of water could disable the magnets. Electromagnetic systems are engineered for maritime conditions.
Trump Campaign Rally — Fayetteville, North Carolina
“You gotta take care of the floors.”
— Donald Trump
November 17, 2018   •   Trump discussing forest management while touring wildfire devastation in Paradise, California.
Presidential Remarks — Paradise, California
“It looks like our Social Security could be really solid.”
— Donald Trump
February 20, 2025   •   Trump suggesting removing anomalous records could significantly improve Social Security finances. Database cleanup would not itself resolve the program's long-term financing shortfall.
Republican Governors Association Dinner
“Puerto Rico is an island.”
— Donald Trump
September 29, 2017   •   Trump discussing logistical challenges following Hurricane Maria.
Presidential Remarks — Hurricane Maria
“A year that will go down as the most consequential and successful first year of any administration.”
— Donald Trump
December 2, 2025   •   Trump making a sweeping historical assessment of the first year of his second administration.
White House Cabinet Meeting
“And a very stable genius at that!”
— Donald Trump
January 6, 2018   •   Trump's phrase "very stable genius" became one of his most widely quoted self-descriptions.
Donald Trump Twitter Account
“They’re bringing drugs. They’re bringing crime. They’re rapists.”
— Donald Trump
June 16, 2015   •   Presidential campaign announcement at Trump Tower.
Source →
“This is perhaps the largest — one of the largest certainly, but perhaps the largest private donations of all time.”
— Donald Trump
January 28, 2026   •   Trump describing the Dell contribution. The claim depends on how private charitable gifts and commitments are categorized; larger philanthropic commitments have been announced historically.
Trump Accounts Event — Washington, D.C.
“And even far beyond.”
— Donald Trump
March 4, 2025   •   Trump describing long-term U.S. space exploration ambitions.
Address to Joint Session of Congress
“I know more about steelworkers than anybody that's ever run for office.”
— Donald Trump
October 3, 2026   •   Trump making a sweeping claim about his familiarity with steelworkers.
Trump Campaign Remarks
“I don't know if it's gonna be today.”
— Donald Trump
August 15, 2025   •   Trump acknowledging uncertainty about whether a ceasefire could be reached during his meeting with Putin.
Air Force One Press Gaggle
“They have no food.”
— Donald Trump
May 20, 2026   •   Trump describing severe shortages and economic conditions in Cuba.
Press Gaggle After Air Force One Arrival
“How did we deal with this country that I never heard of.”
— Donald Trump
July 23, 2025   •   Trump joking about the large number of countries involved in trade negotiations during his AI policy speech.
Artificial Intelligence Policy Speech — Washington, D.C.
“You look at both sides.”
— Donald Trump
August 15, 2017   •   Trump arguing that multiple groups bore responsibility for violence in Charlottesville.
Trump Tower Press Conference — Charlottesville Remarks
“But there's no better word than stupid.”
— Donald Trump
December 30, 2015   •   Trump discussing his use of the word "stupid" to characterize government leaders and decisions.
Trump Campaign Rally — Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
“Where is he? He's right here, the handsome guy behind me.”
— Donald Trump
October 27, 2025   •   Trump identifying Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to reporters aboard Air Force One.
Air Force One Press Gaggle