Morning Reads – Wednesday, August 28, 2019

It’s one embarrassment after another. It’s not consoling that Trump’s new embarrassments of the country eclipse the old before they’ve hardly circulated. At least we at home we know it’s a Republican thing. Much of the world, and some American media, associate Trump’s ignorance and lying with America. MAGA.

Trump boarded a plane to the G7 shortly after stating “I hereby order” American companies to get out of China, where he stated American companies should “stay there and do a great job.” A great job for President Xi, who is “a great man” and also “the enemy.”

Then Trump said the Chinese had called to discuss trade: https://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2019/08/26/Trump-China-asked-for-trade-talks-to-resume/9331566810434/c

Except the Chinese Foreign Ministry said the Chinese government had not called US negotiators: https://www.newsweek.com/china-says-it-didnt-call-us-trade-negotiators-despite-donald-trumps-claim-1456354

I’m inclined, like the rest of the world, to go with the statement that wasn’t made by a pathological liar.

Trump said there was a trade deal “in principle” with Japan. Japanese PM Abe said “We still have some remaining work that has to be done at the working level,” which is diplomatic-speak for “We’d like to close a deal, but Trump doesn’t know what he’s talking about.” Too bad there’s no one left at the State Department to translate.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/trump-says-japan-trade-deal-reached-but-abe-warns-more-work-remains/ar-AAGjcNo

It’s not like there was administration babble about a US-Japan deal ready to close three months ago or anything. https://www.cnbc.com/2019/05/03/reuters-america-update-1-u-s-japan-trade-deal-seen-by-late-may-white-house-adviser-says.html

Meanwhile the EU and Japan concluded a deal over a month ago: https://money.cnn.com/2018/07/17/news/economy/eu-japan-trade-deal/index.html

MAGA.