“No, of course not.” — Howard Lutnick, then-co-chairman of Trump’s transition team, October 30, 2024, on whether Robert F. Kennedy Jr. would be secretary of health and human services.

“If you committed violence on that day, obviously you shouldn’t be pardoned.” — JD Vance, January 12, 2025.

A useful reminder for people who work for Trump: What’s obvious to them isn’t always obvious to the boss.