Curtis Ellis was special advisor to Secretary of Labor Acosta in the Trump administration. He is now an outside government advisor to America-First Policies, an unaffiliated economic advisory board and advocacy group. In this video Ellis walks through the big picture behind the U.S. -vs- China Trade confrontation.
Chopper pressers are the best pressers. President Trump delivers remarks to the press as he departs the White House for an energy policy speech in Louisiana. The president answered multiple questions about current events including China, Bill Barr, John Durham, Iran, Don Jr., and immigration. [Video and transcript below]
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[Transcript] 11:21 A.M. EDT – THE PRESIDENT: So, the economy is doing very well by every measure. We’re having probably the greatest economy that we’ve had anywhere, anytime, in the history of our country.
We’re having a little squabble with China because we’ve been treated very unfairly for many, many decades — for, actually, a long time. And it should have been handled a long time ago, and it wasn’t. And we’ll handle it now.
I think it’s going to be — I think it’s going to turn out extremely well. We’re at a very strong position. We are the piggy bank that everybody likes to take advantage of, or take from. And we can’t let that happen anymore.
We’ve been losing, for many years, anywhere from $300 billion to $500 billion a year with China and trade with China. We can’t let that happen.
The relationship I have with President Xi is extraordinary. It’s, really, very good. But he’s for China and I’m for the USA, and it’s very simple.
We are, again, in a very, very strong position. They want to make a deal. It could absolutely happen. But, in the meantime, a lot of money is being made by the United States, and a lot of strength is being shown. This has never happened to China before.
Our economy is fantastic; theirs is not so good. We’ve gone up trillions and trillions of dollars since the election; they’ve gone way down since my election.
So, that’s the way it is. That’s the way it stands. We’re going to do very well.
Yeah.
Q Mr. President, are you confident that there will be no recession while you’re in office?
THE PRESIDENT: Well, you never can say that, but we’re doing very well. We’re doing — I think we probably have the greatest economy that we’ve ever had.
The employment numbers came out. As you know, they’re record levels in almost every category: African American — the best in history, if you take a look; Hispanic American, the best in history. Yesterday, Asian American numbers came in; they are the lowest in history — the history of our country. Women — I think in 61 years, and soon that will be historic, too.
So that we are doing — and as far as employment numbers, we have the most people working today in the United States than we’ve ever had before. Almost 160 million people. So it’s really good.
Q Mr. President, trade talks collapsed with China. Would you describe it —
THE PRESIDENT: You got a machine over there.
Q Have trade talks collapsed with China? Would you describe it like that?
THE PRESIDENT: No, I wouldn’t. We have a very good dialogue. We have a dialogue going. It’ll always continue. But we made a deal with China. It was a deal that was a very good deal. It had to be a good deal; otherwise, we’re not making it. Because we’ve been down so low in trade — and other Presidents should’ve done this a long time ago — we can’t just make a new deal. And I told that to President Xi.
But we had a deal that was very close, and then they broke it. They really did. I mean, more than just — more than renegotiate, they really broke it. So we can’t have that happen.
Q Mr. President, did you ask the Attorney General to launch a probe into the Russia investigation?
THE PRESIDENT: No, I didn’t ask him to do that.
Q Did you know he was going to do it?
THE PRESIDENT: I didn’t know it. I didn’t know it. But I think it’s a great thing that he did it. I saw it last night. And they want to look at how that whole hoax got started. It was a hoax. And even Mueller — not a friend of mine — even Bob Mueller came out: “No collusion.” And he had 18 people that didn’t like Donald Trump. They were Hillary Clinton fans. They contributed, many of them, to Hillary Clinton. They came out. It was the greatest hoax ever perpetrated on the people of this country.
And you know what? I am so proud of our Attorney General, that he is looking into it. I think it’s great. I did not know about it. No.
Q Mr. President, were you surprised by the Chinese retaliation, sir? You tweeted they “should not retaliate,” and then they did.
THE PRESIDENT: No, no, no. I wasn’t surprised. But you have to understand they do $600 billion, meaning we buy $600 billion and they buy $100 billion. We have all the advantage. It’s a very small factor for us. And we have a much bigger economy now. You know, since my election, we’ve gone up so much. We have a much bigger economy than China. But if you take a look, $600 [DEL: million :DEL] [billion] versus $100 [DEL: million :DEL] [billion]. It’s a different world.
Q Mr. President, (inaudible) $100 billion in additional tariffs, then?
THE PRESIDENT: We’re looking at that very strongly. About the $325 billion — we’re looking at it very strongly.
David.
Q Mr. President, did you tell DHS to round up immigrant families?
THE PRESIDENT: I don’t know anything about that. I read that. It’s probably fake news. But I read that this morning. I don’t know anything about it.
Q Mr. President, why is it unfair? Why is it unfair, sir, for Don Jr. to be subpoenaed if he’s pulled out of testifying twice?
THE PRESIDENT: Well, you know, it’s really a tough situation because my son spent, I guess, over 20 hours testifying about something that Mueller said was 100 percent okay. And now they want him to testify again. I don’t know why. I have no idea why, but it seems very unfair to me.
Q Mr. President, are you planning to send 120,000 troops to the Middle East in response to Iran?
THE PRESIDENT: I think it’s fake news, okay? Now, would I do that? Absolutely. But we have not planned for that. Hopefully we’re not going to have to plan for that. And if we did that, we’d send a hell of a lot more troops than that.
But I think it’s just — where was that story? In the New York Times? Well, the New York Times is fake news.
Go ahead.
Q You say this is a small squabble, but don’t you understand that American consumers may very well suffer because of this?
THE PRESIDENT: Yeah. So you have no tariff to pay whatsoever if you’re a business. All you have to do is build or make your product in the United States. There’s no tariff whatsoever. So that really works out very well.
Q Do you think you’re winning the trade war, Mr. President?
THE PRESIDENT: I think we’re winning it. We’re going to be collecting over $100 billion in tariffs. Our people, if they want, they can buy from someplace else, other than China. Or they can — really, the ideal is make their product in the USA. That’s what I really want. Yeah, we’re winning it.
You know what? You want to know something? You want to know something? We always win. We always win.
How are you, Emerald?
Q I’m good. How are you?
THE PRESIDENT: Good. What’s up?
Q Do you have confidence in Christopher Wray after he said he wouldn’t exactly call it “spying”?
THE PRESIDENT: Well, I didn’t understand his answer because I thought the Attorney General answered it perfectly. So I certainly didn’t understand that answer. I thought it was a ridiculous answer.
Thank you.
Premiered May 8, 2019
Once again the New York Times is getting out ahead of the story to reveal Attorney General Bill Barr has instructed U.S. Attorney John Durham to review the origins of the 2016 DOJ and FBI surveillance of the Trump campaign. [Durham Background Here]
The appointment looks like a way to keep the sensitive inquiry within Barr’s control as opposed to appointing a special counsel. John H Durham, the U.S. attorney from Connecticut, has handled previous investigations into the intelligence community.
WASHINGTON — Attorney General William P. Barr has assigned the top federal prosecutor in Connecticut to examine the origins of the Russia investigation, according to two people familiar with the matter, a move that President Trump has long called for but that could anger law enforcement officials who insist that scrutiny of the Trump campaign was lawful.
John H. Durham, the United States attorney in Connecticut, has a history of serving as a special prosecutor investigating potential wrongdoing among national security officials, including the F.B.I.’s ties to a crime boss in Boston and accusations of C.I.A. abuses of detainees.
His inquiry is the third known investigation focused on the opening of an F.B.I. counterintelligence investigation during the 2016 presidential campaign into possible ties between Russia’s election interference and Trump associates.
The department’s inspector general, Michael E. Horowitz, is separately examining investigators’ use of wiretap applications and informants and whether any political bias against Mr. Trump influenced investigative decisions. And John W. Huber, the United States attorney in Utah, has been reviewing aspects of the Russia investigation. His findings have not been announced.
[…] Mr. Durham, who was nominated by Mr. Trumpin 2017 and has been a Justice Department lawyer since 1982, has conducted special investigations under administrations of both parties. Attorney General Janet Reno asked Mr. Durham in 1999 to investigate the F.B.I.’s handling of a notorious informant: the organized crime leader James (Whitey) Bulger.
In 2008, Attorney General Michael B. Mukasey assigned Mr. Durham to investigate the C.I.A.’s destruction of videotapes in 2005 showing the torture of terrorism suspects. A year later, Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. expanded Mr. Durham’s mandate to also examine whether the agency broke any laws in its abuses of detainees in its custody. (read more)
Again, cautious optimism this appointment is a step in the right direction.
We would be remiss if we didn’t note the prior DOJ head-fake when U.S. Attorney John Laush was assigned to review and deliver documents to congress. That effort resulted in absolutely nothing; the documents were never produced; the redactions were never removed; and the corrupt institutional schemes were unfazed by Laush’s assignment.
It would seem like most of the investigative material Mr. Durham might need is already present in the accumulated files from DOJ Inspector General Michael Horowitz. Keep an eye open to see if John H Durham is given a staff, investigative resources and/or a budget therein. If this is a genuinely motivated effort there should be visible activity.
This better-damn-well-not be another years-long investigation, specifically structured and coordinated to extend the tick-tock timeline of investigative inquiry into another 2020 election year, while the deep state institutional protectors say: “Trust Durham“.
Watching…
UPDATE: Prior letter from Jim Jordan and Mark Meadows to U.S. Attorney John H Durham in January of 2019, about the October 18, 2018, testimony from former FBI legal counsel James Baker where Baker’s lawyers identified Durham as a prosecutor investigating the claims of Baker leaking to media.
Michael Pillsbury discusses the ongoing U.S-China trade negotiation and notes the internal dynamic within China as their primary negotiator Vice-Premier Liu He was stripped of his title: “Special Envoy of Chairman Xi Jinping”.
Vice-Premier Liu He, no longer “special envoy”
Earlier this afternoon President Trump welcomes Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán to the White House for bilateral discussions. During an oval office press availability both leaders answered questions from the media. [Video and Transcript]
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[Transcript] Oval Office – 2:14pm EDT – PRESIDENT TRUMP: Thank you very much. It’s a great honor to have with us the Prime Minister of Hungary. And Viktor Orbán has done a tremendous job in so many different ways. Highly respected. Respected all over Europe. Probably, like me, a little bit controversial, but that’s okay. That’s okay. You’ve done a good job and you’ve kept your country safe.
We’ll be discussing NATO. As you know, Hungary is a proud member of NATO, and we are — we’ve really gotten to know each other a little bit. We’ll be discussing trade, very much so, and lots of other subjects. We’ll be meeting with representatives of Hungary later on, and with the Prime Minister. And we’ll spend some very good time together.
So, Mr. Prime Minister, thank you very much for being at the White House. Thank you very much. It’s a great honor. Thanks.
PRIME MINISTER ORBÁN: May I have a word?
PRESIDENT TRUMP: Yes, please.
PRIME MINISTER ORBÁN: So, President, thank you very much for the invitation.
PRESIDENT TRUMP: Thank you.
PRIME MINISTER ORBÁN: May I just say here that we are proud that so many Hungarians contributed to the tremendous progress of United States. I’m very happy to be here again, and, may I say, to be young again. It was 20 years ago, first time here.
I have some expectations for this meeting this afternoon. First of all, to strengthen our strategic alliance. Then, to discuss global political issues because so many changes are going on, and we have some similar approaches. And I would like to express that we are proud to stand together with the United States on fighting against illegal migration, on terrorism, and to protect and help the Christian communities all around the world.
So, President, thank you very much for the invitation.
PRESIDENT TRUMP: And you have been great with respect to Christian communities. You have really put a block up, and we appreciate that very much.
So we’re going to have some meetings now. A lot of subjects under discussion. And the relationship is very good with Hungary. Thank you all very much.
Q Mr. President, what’s your reaction to China’s decision today to retaliate on tariffs, and the market reaction to that?
PRESIDENT TRUMP: Well, the reaction is very simple. China has been taking advantage of the United States for many, many years. I’m not just talking about during the Obama administration. You can go back long before that. And it’s been taking out four hundred, five hundred, six hundred billion dollars a year out of the United States. And we can’t let that happen.
We’re in a very strong position. Our economy has been very powerful; theirs has not been. We’ve gone up a lot since our great election in 2016. And if you look at the numbers, they’ve gone down quite a bit.
We’re dealing with them. We have a very good relationship. Maybe something will happen. But we’re going to be meeting, as you know, at the G20 in Japan. And that will be, I think, probably, a very fruitful meeting.
But we’re taking in, right now, hundreds of billions of dollars. We’re taking in billions of dollars of tariffs. And those tariffs are going to be tremendously — if you look at what we’ve done thus far with China, we’ve never taken in 10 cents until I got elected. Now we’re taking in billions and billions.
Now, it went up, as of Friday, very substantially. It’s 25 percent on $200 billion. So now the total is 25 percent on $250 billion. In addition to that, we have another $325 billion that we can do if we decide to do it.
So we are taking in tens of billions of dollars. We’ve never done that before with — with China. We’ve never done that before with anybody, frankly, because we’ve been taken advantage of on all of our trade deals, practically.
This is a — a very positive step. I love the position we’re in. There can be some retaliation, but it can’t be very, very substantial, by comparison. And out of the billions of dollars that we’re taking in, a small portion of that will be going to our farmers because China will be retaliating, probably, to a certain extent, against our farmers.
We’re going to take the highest year, the biggest purchase that China has ever made with our farmers, which is about $15 billion, and do something reciprocal to our farmers so our farmers can do well. They’ll be planting. They’ll be able to sell for less, and they’ll make the same kind of money until such time as it’s all straightened out.
So our farmers will be very happy. Our manufacturers will be very happy. And our government is very happy because we’re taking in tens of billions of dollars. I think it’s working out very well.
Again, we do much less business with China than they do with us. If you take a look at $100 billion versus $600 billion — and just so you understand, we don’t have to pay any tariffs if you’re a manufacturer in this country. You pay nothing. Open your division or open up your product. Have it made in this country as opposed to made in China. Or, if you don’t want to do that — and that would be the ideal; that’s what it used to be a long time ago when we were smart, when we had an economy that was really something very special. Now we’re having a period of tremendous growth and tremendous success like we haven’t seen for a long time.
But in the old days, we made our product and we took our product, and that’s what it was. Now we go to China, and we buy it — not anymore.
And if they don’t want to pay tariffs, make it here or buy it from another country that’s a non-tariffed country. So whether you go to Vietnam or so many others, you can do that.
So, the bottom line is we are taking in a tremendous amounts of money. It already started as of last Friday, but it really started seven months before that. It’s in the form of tariffs or taxes, and it had a tremendous impact.
If you looked at the first quarter — which is always, historically, the worst quarter — we were at 3.2 percent. People were very surprised. Well, a lot of that was the tariffs that we were taking in from China. So we’re in a very good positon and I think it’s only going to get better.
Q Can you guarantee a trade deal with China by June 1st?
PRESIDENT TRUMP: We’re in a great positon right now, no matter what we do. Yeah, I think China wants to have it because companies are already announcing that they’re leaving China because they can’t do that. They can’t compete if they’re in China, with the tax.
So what a lot of companies are going to be doing, quite naturally, is leaving China and going to other countries so they don’t have to pay the tariff. That’s something that’s a problem for China. They don’t want to have that. And we don’t want to have that necessarily happen to China.
But we had a deal with China; it was 95 percent there. And then, my representatives — as you know, Secretary Mnuchin and Bob Lighthizer — Ambassador Lighthizer — they went to China and they were told the things that were fully agreed to we’re not going to get anymore; they’re going to un-agree to them. That’s not acceptable.
I said, “Good. That’s fine. Put on the tariffs.” And again, so we have tens of millions of dollars pouring into our coffers — the coffers of the U.S. Treasury.
Q Are you at war with Iran? Are you seeking regime change there?
PRESIDENT TRUMP: We’ll see what happens with Iran. If they do anything, it would be a very bad mistake. If they do anything. I’m hearing little stories about Iran. If they do anything, they will suffer greatly. We’ll see what happens with Iran.
Q Mr. President, will you meet with President Xi directly at G20?
PRESIDENT TRUMP: I’ll meet with him directly, yes. I’ll be meeting with President Xi of China. Yes.
Q What about President Putin? Will you also meet with him at G20?
PRESIDENT TRUMP: Yes, I’ll be meeting with President Putin also.
Q On Russia: Secretary Pompeo is there — or is heading there. What message do you have for him to send to Putin?
PRESIDENT TRUMP: I think the message is that there has never been anybody that’s been so tough on Russia but, at the same time, we’re going to end up getting along with Russia. It makes sense to get along with Russia.
Nobody has sanctioned Russia like I have. Nobody has talked about the pipeline going to Germany and various other places like I have. I said it’s very unfair — having to do with the United States and NATO. There has been nobody that’s ever done — and if you really look at something big, our energy business — we’re now the biggest in the world. We’re bigger than Russia. We’re bigger than Saudi Arabia. We’re bigger than anybody. That it all happened since I’ve become President because I’ve made it so that you can do that. And we’re taking in a lot of money.
Look, our country is doing really well. We’ve probably never done this well before, and it’s going to continue. We have tremendous signs. As far as the deal with China is concerned, believe it or not, it’s very important, but it’s a very, very small part of the kind of numbers that we’re doing right now, since my election.
Q Will you pursue the $325 billion in tariffs? The additional tariffs — are you going to pursue that?
PRESIDENT TRUMP: I haven’t made that decision yet. We have the right to do another $325 billion at 25 percent in additional tariffs. That is a tremendous amount of money that would come into our country. I have not made that decision yet.
Q Should Don McGahn be held in contempt of Congress?
PRESIDENT TRUMP: I don’t know anything about what’s going on. I can tell you that there has never been anybody so transparent as the Trump administration. And it was no collusion and no obstruction. And we’re wasting a lot of time with that stuff. But the Mueller report came out; it was a very good report for us.
Q Mr. President, are you concerned about democratic backsliding in Hungary under this Prime Minister?
PRESIDENT TRUMP: Well, people have a lot of respect for this Prime Minister. He’s a respected man. And I know he’s a tough man, but he’s a respected man. And he’s done the right thing, according to many people, on immigration. And you look at some of the problems that they have in Europe that are tremendous because they’ve done it a different way than the Prime Minister. But I’ll let him speak to that question.
Mr. Prime Minister, please.
PRIME MINISTER ORBÁN: “From the people, by the people, for the people.” This is the basis for the Hungarian government. So, it’s a government which is elected by the Hungarian people several times, so we are happy to serve our nation.
Q What about democratic reforms, sir?
PRIME MINISTER ORBÁN: We have a new constitution accepted in 2011, and it’s functioning well.
Q Mr. President, you talked about —
PRESIDENT TRUMP: Don’t forget they’re a member of NATO, and a very good member of NATO. And I don’t think we can really go into too much of a discussion unless that’s mentioned.
Yeah.
Q You talked about transparency, sir. If you’re so transparent, why continue to block these House Democrats who are looking for information from Secretary Mnuchin and others?
PRESIDENT TRUMP: Because they’re asking for things that they’re not entitled to. I could ask them. I assume, if they ask me, I could ask them for the same kind of thing. They wouldn’t want to do it. All they’re doing is trying to win an election in 2020.
And I think we’re in very good shape. We’re have the strongest economy we’ve ever had. We have the single best employment numbers we’ve ever had — and unemployment numbers.
You know, it’s very interesting, but, Mr. Prime Minister, as of today, we have the most number of people working in the United States than we have ever had at any time in the history of our country. Almost 160 million people —
PRIME MINISTER ORBÁN: Congratulations.
PRESIDENT TRUMP: — are working. So, that’s a big — that’s a big number.
PRIME MINISTER ORBÁN: Congratulations.
PRESIDENT TRUMP: I just saw the final number. We’re close to 160 million people. If you look at African American, Asian, Hispanic unemployment, it’s the lowest number it’s ever been.
So we’re doing really well. And all the Democrats want to do is find any way they can to stop it. They’re putting their own personal goals ahead of the country, and you can’t do that. You just can’t do that.
And we have a wonderful Attorney General. He’s done a very, very good job. And I’m sure it’ll all work out.
Q On your campaign, sir: Will you commit to not using any information stolen from a foreign adversary? Will you make that commitment?
PRESIDENT TRUMP: Well, I never did use, as you probably know. That’s what the Mueller report was all about. They said, “No collusion.” And I would certainly agree to that; I don’t need it. All I need is the opponents that I’m looking at. I’m liking what I see.
Q Mr. President, are you concerned about the attacks on oil tankers in the Middle East?
PRESIDENT TRUMP: We’ll see what happens. It’s going to be a bad problem for Iran if something happens, I can tell you that. They’re not going to be happy. They are not going to be happy people. Okay?
Q What do you mean by that?
PRESIDENT TRUMP: You can figure it out yourself. They know what I mean by it.
Okay, does anybody else have a question other than these two? Any questions for the Prime — are there any questions for the Prime Minister, please?
Q Mr. President, what can you tell us about this American citizen that was rescued by the French in Africa?
PRESIDENT TRUMP: Yes, the French did a great job.
Q Who is she? Was it coordinated with your administration?
PRESIDENT TRUMP: The French did a great job and we appreciate it very much. And I’ve already communicated that feeling. We worked with them on intelligence, and we were able to get that person back. And we thank the French very much. Great job.
Q Who is she? Who is she? What work was she doing there?
PRESIDENT TRUMP: I don’t want to — I don’t want to tell you that now. I’ll tell you at some later date, I’m sure.
Okay?
Q The farmer aid package, sir — the $15 billion — can you elaborate on what that looks like or where that’s coming from?
PRESIDENT TRUMP: Well, it’s being devised right now. It’s something that has taken place over the years. And if you would like, speak to Sonny Perdue, Department of Agriculture.
We love our farmers. We take care of our farmers. Our farmers have been incredible. No country can get in the way of our farmers. Our farmers are great patriots and they’ve done a fantastic job. So our farmers are going to be very well taken care of.
Thank you all very much. Thank you.
President Trump is executing one of the most brilliant geopolitical economic resets in the history of global trade. It really is stunningly remarkable how President Trump has controlled the entire landscape. The consequential phase now begins.
It is fascinating how the financial pundits didn’t see this coming. Perhaps one of the best indicators of where things are today comes from this quote within the South China Post:
“The Administration’s Section 301 tariffs and China’s retaliatory tariffs will now further disrupt – or even break – many thousands of supply chains in both countries.”
The quote by Nelson Dong is stated *as if* shifting/breaking supply chains is a flaw in the approach. It’s not. Exactly the opposite is true; this is a feature of the strategic reset. A specific and purposeful feature designed by President Trump.
What Dong is predicting is the deconstruction of “one-belt, one-road”.
As President Trump highlighted today, over time (and it won’t take long) there will be an exodus of multinational manufacturing away from China. Corporations will shift their purchase agreements, manufacturing and assembly plans to ASEAN countries outside the investment ‘risk zone’ that is now China.
Notice some of the nuance (specific references) within President Trump’s tweets. Japan, Vietnam (President Trang Dai Quang), South Korea (KORUS), Philippines and India are positioned to pick-up business.
To counteract the predictable exodus the Chinese state-run enterprises (and banks) will offer incentives to retain the corporate manufacturing business. This process means China, in essence, subsidizes the tariffs:
China has no choice if they want to retain their economic model. Remember, China’s economy is deep (manufacturing) but also narrow. They are dependent on raw materials, customers and market access. {Go Deep}
Additionally, President Trump announces today he has not made any decision on the next phase of 25% tariffs on the remaining $350 billion in Chinese products. He doesn’t need to. Merely the possibility of additional tariffs will pause any further investment; and some companies not currently impacted will make decisions to avoid the possibility of impact.
President Trump has walked Chairman Xi into a trap. There is only downside for China in the current dynamic. In an effort to avoid the downside, China will bleed cash to retain their economic position…. However, this can only last so long.
President Trump knows the strength of our U.S. position is that our economy is deep and wide. The U.S. is a self-sustaining economy. Almost 80% of our internal production and manufacturing is purchased within our own market.
In the big picture – economic strength is an outcome of the ability of a nation, any nation, to support itself first and foremost. If a nations’ economy is dependent on other nations to survive it is less strong than a nation whose economy is more independent.
The reality of China as a dependent economic model; heck, they cannot even feed themselves; puts them at greater risk from the effects of global economic contraction. However, more importantly it puts China at risk from President Trump’s strategic use of geopolitical economic leverage to weaken their economy. Trump is exploiting that risk.
As things go forward, China cannot sustain a long-term economic conflict with the U.S. As each day passes the ASEAN alliance will see their investment grow as companies pull-out of China and invest in S-Korea, Vietnam, Philippines, India etc. The GDP of our allies (including Mexico) grows, and the controlled GDP of China, as an adversary, shrinks.
(LA Times) GoPro Inc. will move most of its U.S.-bound camera production out of China by summer, becoming one of the first brand-name electronics makers to take such action to minimize the impact of the U.S.-China trade war.
“Today’s geopolitical business environment requires agility,” GoPro Chief Financial Officer Brian McGee said in a statement Monday. “We’re proactively addressing tariff concerns.” The company is still deciding where to put the manufacturing operation. (more)
All of this was entirely predictable. President Trump and Ambassador Lighthizer told the world what to expect in 2017:
Da Nang, Vietnam – United States Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer today released the following statement in response to President Trump’s speech on trade between the United States and the Indo-Pacific region, at the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) CEO Summit (emphasis mine):
“The President spoke loud and clear: the era of trade compromised by massive state intervention, subsidies, closed markets and mercantilism is ending. Free, fair and reciprocal trade that leads to market outcomes and greater prosperity is on the horizon.
“President Trump understands that too many nations talk about free trade abroad, only to shield their economies behind tariff and non-tariff barriers at home. The United States will no longer allow these actions to continue, and we are willing to use our economic leverage to pursue truly fair and balanced trade.
“I look forward to doing as the President instructed me and to pursue policies that will improve the lives of our workers, farmers and ranchers.” (link)
Looking at the retaliatory response from China today; there’s lots of great news. China is doing exactly what President Trump quietly predicted. They are walking directly into his trap. Trump is a friggin’ genius…. more on that coming.
This video from Steve Hilton last night was very well presented.
This is good to see. Finally President Trump indicates he is well aware of the intents and motives of FBI Director Christopher Wray covering for the illegal coup effort:
President Trump may have been aware of Chris Wray’s corrupt disposition prior to today; however, this is the first visible indication he understands the internecine organization of it. Hopefully we can start the countdown clock to Wray’s exit.
Next up, Chris Wray’s #1 strategic hire, current FBI Legal Counsel Dana Boente.
In 2015 the DOJ-OIG (office of inspector general) requested oversight of the DOJ National Security Division. It was Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates who responded with a lengthy 58 page legal explanation saying, essentially, ‘nope – not allowed.’ (PDF HERE) All of the DOJ is subject to oversight, except the DOJ-NSD.
When John Carlin resigned as Asst. Attorney General in charge of the DOJ National Security Division in October 2016 he was replaced by Principal Deputy Asst. Attorney General and Chief of Staff, Mary McCord. After President Trump took office on January 20th, 2017, Sally Yates was Acting AG and Mary McCord was in charge of the DOJ-NSD.
Yates and McCord were the two Main Justice officials who then engaged with White House Counsel Don McGahn on January 26th, 2017, regarding the General Flynn FBI interview conducted on January 24th. The Trump-Russia Collusion Conspiracy was the headline.
On January 30th, 2017, Sally Yates was fired for refusing to defend the Trump travel ban from extremist countries. Yates was replaced on January 31st by the U.S. Attorney from the Eastern District of Virginia (EDVA), Dana Boente.
With his shift to Main Justice Dana Boente was Acting Attorney General, and Mary McCord was Asst. AG in charge of the DOJ-NSD. Boente was in the Acting AG position from Jan 31st, 2017, until Jeff Sessions was confirmed on February 8th, 2017.
When Jeff Sessions became AG, Dana Boente became Acting Deputy AG, a role he would retain until Rod Rosenstein was confirmed on April 25th, 2017. [Mary McCord remained head of the DOJ-National Security Division]
On March 2nd, 2017, Dana Boente was one of the small group who participated in a conversation that led to the recusal of Jeff Sessions from anything related to the 2016 election. This recusal included the ongoing FBI counterintelligence investigation known as Crossfire Hurricane, which was later picked up by Robert Mueller.
The other attendees for the recusal decision-making meeting (see above schedule) included Sessions’ chief of staff Jody Hunt; Criminal Chief in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland, Jim Crowell; Deputy Assistant Attorney General (DAAG) in the Department of Justice National Security Division Tash Gauhar (FISA lawyer); and Associate Deputy Attorney General Scott Schools. [Note: Tash Gauhar was lawyer for FBI Clinton case; and Scott Schools was part of drafting Clinton exoneration letter.]
The Main Justice group influenced Jeff Sessions to recuse.
With AG Jeff Sessions recused on March 2, 2017, FBI Director James Comey now reported to Acting Deputy AG Dana Boente. [Technically, Boente is still EDVA U.S. Attorney and is only ‘acting’ as Deputy AG] Additionally, on March 31st, 2017, President Trump signs executive order 13787 making the U.S. EDVA Attorney the 3rd in line for DOJ succession.
Question: If Dana Boente was appointed “Acting Attorney General” on January 31st, 2017 (he was), then why did Don McGahn need to draw up XO 13787 on March 31st, 2017… especially after confirmed AG Jeff Sessions was already in place Feb 9th?
The answer likely has to do with a sign-off needed for FISA.
See the issue?
How does somebody (unknown) advise White House Counsel Don McGahn to draw up an executive order so that Boente can sign a FISA…. without telling Don McGahn the reason why AG Sessions can’t sign off on the FISA? See the issue now?
In the period between March 2nd and April 25th – With AG Sessions recused, and without a Deputy AG confirmed, Dana Boente is simultaneously:
It is James Comey and Dana Boente who sign the April 2017 FISA renewal for Carter Page.
(Page #271 – Carter Page FISA Application)
This dynamic would later become important as notes Boente took from conversations with James Comey became evidence for Mueller’s expanded obstruction investigation. [3/2/17 Mary McCord is still head of DOJ-NSD]
Somehow Acting Deputy AG Dana Boente’s personal and handwritten notes were mysteriously leaked to MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow.
On April 20th, 2017, Mary McCord announces her intent to resign from the DOJ National Security Division effective with the confirmation of Deputy AG nominee Rod Rosenstein.
On April 25th, 2017, Deputy AG Rod Rosenstein is confirmed. Rosenstein now takes over the responsibilities held by Acting DAG Dana Boente; this includes the FBI counterintelligence probe.
On May 9th, 2017, FBI Director James Comey is fired.
On May 10th, 2017, FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe opens a criminal ‘obstruction of justice investigation’ of President Trump to parallel/compliment the ongoing counterintelligence investigation into the Trump campaign and administration.
On/Around May 11th, 2017, Mary McCord departs. Dana Boente now becomes the Asst. Attorney General and head of the DOJ National Security Divison. Simultaneously retaining role as U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of VA.
On May 16th, 2017, Rosenstein takes Robert Mueller to the White House to meet President Trump. On May 17th, Rosenstein appoints the Robert Mueller special counsel probe. On May 18th, 2017, Scott Schools authorizes Robert Mueller:
And we’re off to the Trump-Russia-Collusion-Obstruction races…
With hindsight it is now clear the various players inside Main Justice and the FBI had a vested interest in maintaining the assault against Trump. By now everyone can see the bigger goal was against the office of POTUS. [“obstruction” etc.] All of the personnel moves should be reviewed with hindsight of the larger anti-Trump objective in mind.
Against the known fraud that was the Trump-Russia Collusion-Conspiracy narrative, there are no visible people who didn’t participate in one form or another.
Dana Boente was head of DOJ-NSD from May 11th, 2017 through end of October 2017 when he officially announced his intent to retire. However, the timeline gets cloudy here because Boente said he was staying on until an official replacement was announced. There’s no indication of when he actually left the DOJ-NSD or the EDVA role.
On January 23rd, 2018, FBI Director Christopher Wray announces Boente has shifted over to the FBI to be Chief Legal Counsel (replacing James Baker). As Mueller is using 19 lawyers, and 40 FBI investigators, Boente now becomes a legal adviser to Christopher Wray while the Mueller probe is ongoing.
As we recently discovered, Mueller’s lead FBI agent for the corrupt Russia collusion-conspiracy investigation, was David W. Archey. Archey was selected by Robert Mueller when FBI Agent Peter Strzok was removed. The Mueller probe took over the counterintelligence investigation in May 2017, a few months later Special Agent Peter Strzok was removed (July) and David W. Archey was brought in:
As David Archey arrives in August 2017, Mueller is getting the new scope memo from Rod Rosenstein. There’s little doubt the entire FBI group would have known the Trump-Russia collusion-conspiracy narrative was false. So Archey status as lead agent has to be considered *corrupt/sketchy*; FBI activity was likely focused on the obstruction angle.
Interestingly at the conclusion of the Mueller investigation Archey was promoted by Christopher Wray to head of the Richmond, Virginia FBI field office (March 4, 2019). This field office overlaps with another FBI/DOJ filing from the EDVA.
The April 11th, 2019, recently released Julian Assange indictment stems from the EDVA. From the indictment we discover it was under seal since March 6th, 2018:
However, on Tuesday April 15th more investigative material was released. Again, note the dates: Grand Jury, *December of 2017* This means FBI investigation prior to….
The investigation took place prior to December 2017, it is coming from the EDVA where Dana Boente was still, presumably, U.S. Attorney. The grand jury indictment was sealed from March of 2018 until April of 2019.
Why the delay? Here’s where it gets interesting….
This FBI submission to the Grand Jury in December of 2017 was four months after congressman Dana Rohrabacher talked to Assange in August of 2017: “Assange told a U.S. congressman … he can prove the leaked Democratic Party documents … did not come from Russia.”
(August 2017, The Hill Via John Solomon) Julian Assange told a U.S. congressman on Tuesday he can prove the leaked Democratic Party documents he published during last year’s election did not come from Russia and promised additional helpful information about the leaks in the near future.
Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, a California Republican who is friendly to Russia and chairs an important House subcommittee on Eurasia policy, became the first American congressman to meet with Assange during a three-hour private gathering at the Ecuadorian Embassy in London, where the WikiLeaks founder has been holed up for years.
Rohrabacher recounted his conversation with Assange to The Hill.
“Our three-hour meeting covered a wide array of issues, including the WikiLeaks exposure of the DNC [Democratic National Committee] emails during last year’s presidential election,” Rohrabacher said, “Julian emphatically stated that the Russians were not involved in the hacking or disclosure of those emails.”
Pressed for more detail on the source of the documents, Rohrabacher said he had information to share privately with President Trump. (read more)
It would appear the FBI took keen interest after this August 2017 meeting and gathered specific evidence for a grand jury by December 2017. Then the DOJ sat on the indictment (sealed in March 2018) while the Mueller probe was ongoing; until April 11th, 2019, when a coordinated effort between the U.K. and U.S. was launched. Assange was arrested, and the indictment was unsealed (link).
To me, as a person who has researched this three year fiasco; including the ridiculously false 2016 Russian hacking/interference narrative: “17 intelligence agencies”, JAR report(needed for Obama in December ’16), and political ICA (January ’17); this looks like a Deep State move to control Julian Assange because the Mueller report is dependent on Russia cybercrimes…. AND that narrative is contingent on the Russia DNC hack story.
The Mueller/Rosenstein report contains claims that Russia hacked the DNC servers as the central element to the Russia interference narrative in the U.S. election. This claim is directly disputed by WikiLeaks and Assange, as outlined during the Dana Rohrabacher interview. There’s the motive to shut Assange down.
The DNC hack claim is contingent upon analysis by Crowdstrike computer forensics who were paid by the DNC to look into the issue. The FBI was never allowed to review the servers independently. Almost all independent research into this DNC hack claim also challenges the claims of a Russia hack of the DNC servers.
Dana Boente was part of the group who advised Sessions to recuse. Boente later authorized the second renewal of the Title-one surveillance warrant and worked with James Comey. Boente then leaked his Comey notes to the media, essentially to support Comey’s narrative about Trump; and participated from within the FBI as legal counsel to Chris Wray who told everyone in July 2018 there was no political bias in the FBI… but hey, everyone is going to bias training….. and pay no attention to the 40 “rank and file” FBI agents who were investigating an invisible Trump Russia-Collusion-Conspiracy for two years.
Seriously?
There are no “good guys” in this. There are no “white hats” here. Certainly not Mueller, Rosenstein, Wray, Bowditch or Boente. Instead, this is a matrix of broad interests positioned only to benefit and sustain the status quo of the administrative state; and protect the larger community from the Trump disruption.
In the end it all comes back to the same series of questions. Who was recommending to President Trump that he retain and promote DOJ and FBI officials who were part of the anti-Trump Russia collusion-conspiracy program?
Someone who knew the system but would still be vulnerable to peer influence. Someone who would take counsel and advice on who was needed and where. Someone in a position of influence with President Trump. Someone who could steer these placements from a position of advisement close to the President. [It sounds like Don McGahn]
Appointing Rod Rosenstein as DAG was one of those key placements.
Appointing DC U.S. Attorney Jessie Liu was another.
♦From Rosenstein we get: Mueller, Chris Wray, David Bowditch and Dana Boente.
♦Meanwhile Jessie Liu quashed cases against: Awan bros, James Wolfe, Greg Craig and quite possibly Andrew McCabe.
Chris Wray and Dana Boente then began providing cover…
FUBAR
CTH was wondering how long it would take for President Trump to point out the brutally obvious…. Thanks to some advanced planning that everyone ignored, there are multiple trade alternatives to China:
Perhaps now people will reference President Trump’s long-game strategy which has been evident since his marathon Asia trip in November 2017.
Long before media pundits starting noticing/considering how serious President Trump was about structurally resetting the entire landscape of a U.S-China trade relationship, President Trump quietly and methodically laid the groundwork with personal visits to: Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (Japan); President Moon Jae-in (S-Korea); President Tran Dai Quang (Vietnam); and President Rodrigo Duerte (Philippines).
Oh, how quickly the media forgot.
These were not visits as part of multi-national/multilateral G20 or G7 discussions. The November 2017 tour of Asia was President Trump traveling to meet directly, face-to-face, one-on-one with the manufacturing heavyweights of Southeast Asia.
At every single stop he broadcast the intent of the visit: “We’re talking TRADE”!
These were unilateral meetings; and, in hindsight, clearly designed to structure the foundation of the current U.S-China trade conflict. You might remember CTH calling this the “golden ticket tour“. The tour culminated in the November 12-13, 2017, ASEAN summit; but the 10-day tour of Asia was entirely separate from the summit.
After the collapse of the U.S-China negotiations, there’s a reason why President Trump says: “we’re in no rush” to make a deal.
The reality is, though President Trump will continue to provide enticements for U.S. product manufacturing to return, there is an abundant ASEAN base to replace China.
This Art-of-The-Deal strategy is an aspect that almost no-one is paying attention to.
Of course, to consider this strategy the media would have to admit that President Trump has just executed one of the biggest global and geopolitical trade strategies of all time….
Nah, can’t be. Wait, wha?
It’s clear from the responses of nations who were visited in November 2017 and 2018, that some anticipation toward this trade outcome was likely.
Now ask yourself, how much did those golden tickets just appreciate in value?
Additionally, remember that innocuous Ivanka Trump visit to India. Again, November 2017:
Strategery.….. And the important new Trump terminology: “Indo-pacific”?
Da Nang, Vietnam – United States Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer today released the following statement in response to President Trump’s speech on trade between the United States and the Indo-Pacific region, at the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) CEO Summit (emphasis mine):
“The President spoke loud and clear: the era of trade compromised by massive state intervention, subsidies, closed markets and mercantilism is ending. Free, fair and reciprocal trade that leads to market outcomes and greater prosperity is on the horizon.
“President Trump understands that too many nations talk about free trade abroad, only to shield their economies behind tariff and non-tariff barriers at home. The United States will no longer allow these actions to continue, and we are willing to use our economic leverage to pursue truly fair and balanced trade.
“I look forward to doing as the President instructed me and to pursue policies that will improve the lives of our workers, farmers and ranchers.” (link)
…. Which led to a very unusual November 2018 “Trilateral” meeting….
An important trilateral meeting between President Trump, Prime Minister Abe and Prime Minister Modi which forms an important economic alliance for President Trump’s Indo-Pacific economic strategy. As we noted when it happened: “this larger geopolitical strategy is the counterweight to China’s One-Belt/One-Road (red dragon) maneuver.”
[Transcript] Buenos Aires – PRESIDENT TRUMP: Thank you very much. It’s a great honor to be with Prime Minister Modi of India, and, as you know, Prime Minister Abe of Japan. And we just had a great meeting, and we’re having now what we call a “trilat.”
The relationships between our three countries is extremely — extremely good, extremely strong. I think, with India, maybe stronger than ever. And with Japan, I think, stronger than ever. We’re doing very well together. We’re doing a lot of trade together. We’re doing a lot of defense together, a lot of military purchases.
And we’re going to now have a little discussion between the three of us. So thank you very much.
Mr. Prime Minister.
PRIME MINISTER MODI: (As interpreted.) I feel this is a very good occasion for our three countries — countries which have shared values, democratic values — Japan, America, and India together. We will be playing a big role together for world peace, prosperity, and stability.
I’m also happy that both the countries are our strategic partners. Both of them are very good friends. And the three countries together — it is a matter of good fortune that we will work together.
When you look at the acronym of our three countries — Japan, America, and India — it is “JAI,” which, in Hindi or in India, in general, is for “success.” In a way, this “JAI” — “success,” this message — is a good message that goes out. It’s a good beginning.
And together, as I said earlier, we’ll be playing a very big role to work together for world peace, prosperity, and stability.
PRIME MINISTER ABE: (As interpreted.) I am very delighted to hold the first-ever Japan-U.S.-India trilateral summit meeting today. Japan, the U.S., and India share fundamental values and strategic interests. And I certainly hope to further reinforce our trilateral partnership and to continuing our close cooperation toward realizing a free and open Indo-Pacific.
By having three of us working together, we’ll bring more prosperity and more stability in the region, as well as globally.
PRESIDENT TRUMP: Thank you very much.
Thank you very much everybody. END – 2:43 P.M. AST
Wait…. so you’re saying this was the plan all along?
The talks with China began with Trump anticipating a pre-determined outcome?
You mean… for almost two years, this was the design… and, like, everything was going in a totally different direction than was visible on the surface?
He…
The whole time?..
And….
No-one could see it?
Seriously?
…”Complicated business folks,… Complicated business.”…
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