Earlier today President Trump welcomed Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan to the White House.  Prior to a bilateral meeting, the two leaders held a press availability in the Oval Office [Video and Transcript Below].
[Worth noting President Trump withdrew aid to Pakistan until they start helping bring the Taliban to the negotiating table in Afghanistan. Also, China is the #1 investor in Pakistan.]

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[Transcript] – PRESIDENT TRUMP: Well, thank you very much. It’s my great honor to have the very popular and, by the way, great athlete — one of the greatest — but very popular Prime Minister of Pakistan.
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As the week begins, it’s worthwhile reemphasizing the value of President Trump, and how the focused, albeit at times pragmatic, policy is received by the larger U.S. electorate.   This interview is representative of the silent majority voice; some silent no more:

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The underlying reality behind these words from a Michigan voter is exactly why the media need to have redoubled their efforts of opposition. President Trump is simply succeeding, despite the enormous scale of manufactured political opposition.
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HUD Secretary Dr. Ben Carson appears on Sunday Morning Futures with Maria Bartiromo to discuss the ridiculous accusations of racism against President Trump.
In one of the reference points, Dr Carson reminds everyone about the February 2016 ABC debate when all the other candidates left him hanging, but not Donald Trump.  Funnily enough CTH wrote about that specific moment at the time; and it’s interesting how that moment stayed with Dr. Carson and he references it well over three years later.

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FLASHBACK February 6th, 2016 – Few people will talk about this, and fewer will even want to acknowledge it, but what Donald Trump did before the ABC debate began shows the measure of a real man’s worth.
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At first blush this story is just odd.  A U.S. rap star has been held in prison for two weeks following a fight in Stockholm, Sweden.  Various people, including celebrities, have reached out to the White House and President Trump for help.  According to one report the administration was able to gain better holding conditions, but the entire story is weird.

Apparently the young American musician was stalked by a group prior to a concert, and a physical confrontation started.  Mr. Rocky’s (aka Rakim May) lawyers say the artist acted in self defense, apparently Swedish authorities consider the event very serious.
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Chopper Pressers are the best pressers.  Departing the White House for Bedminster New Jersey, President Trump delivers remarks to the press pool and answers questions from the South Lawn.  [Video and Transcript below]

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[Transcript] – THE PRESIDENT: Hello, everybody. How are you? Very good numbers, economically. The country is doing really well. We expect great things, and we have a lot of potential. A lot of way to go. We’re the hottest economy now — definitely, actually, for the last quite a bit, period of time. And I think we have tremendous potential for a lot of growth.
Europe is not doing well. A lot of places are not doing very well; we’re doing very well. So, I just want to let you know.
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Iran reports they have seized another oil tanker in the Strait of Hormuz, in an apparent effort to increase hostilities in the region and make a larger conflict with the U.S. and western allies.  All of this activity has a ring of familiarity to it from the late 1980’s.
In ’87 and ’88 the U.S. took over patrolling the strait to afford safe passage for Kuwait tankers and western-flagged ships. Eventually, following the Iranian attack on a U.S. frigate (USS Samuel B Roberts), there were several U.S-Iran military fights.
It looks like Iran is attempting to provoke a similar scenario today.  Only this time former President Obama and former U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry appear to be assisting the Iranian government in their political efforts.  As incredible as it might sound at first blush, if Iran kills or captures any American military members in the modern version of the conflict – Obama and Kerry will be working directly for the enemy.  FUBAR:

WASHINGTON – Tehran, Iran — Iran’s Revolutionary Guard says it has seized British oil tanker, the Stena Impero, in the Strait of Hormuz. The announcement comes one day after the U.S. said it destroyed an Iranian drone.
The military branch said the tanker over “non-compliance with international maritime laws and regulations” and has transferred the vessel to an Iranian port.

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Earlier today President Trump and Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte held a press availability prior to bilateral discussions.  [Video and Transcript]

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[Transcript] – PRESIDENT TRUMP: Thank you very much, everybody. It’s a great honor to be with the Prime Minister of the Netherlands. We’ve become friends over the last couple of years.
PRIME MINISTER RUTTE: Absolutely. Yeah.
PRESIDENT TRUMP: We’ve had a lot of good conversations. We’re dealing on trade, we’re dealing on military, we’re dealing on intelligence. And the relationship has never been better.
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Excellent interview by Charles Payne as White House Manufacturing Policy Advisor Peter Navarro outlines how the strategic road map of MAGAnomics is converging.  If you want to see the future, listen to how Navarro outlines what’s coming.
The six MAGAnomic components to pay attention to include: ♦changes to the Universal Postal Union (UPU); ♦HUD Opportunity Zones; ♦America First raw material policy for infrastructure; ♦retail sales strength; ♦the current status of the U.S-China negotiations; and ♦the USMCA ratification.

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♦The UPU was one of those archaic policy issues set-up with good intentions, and then maintained by ‘stupid’ politicians well after it should have been renegotiated.  It’s good to hear that mess is coming to an end in October.
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An article from Reuters discussing the position of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) is interesting.   Essentially the IMF is warning that “global economies” will contract by $455 billion next year due to the ongoing trade conflict between the U.S., China, the EU and to a lesser extent, Japan.  Yes Alice, there are hundreds of billions at stake.
There’s really no reason to doubt the amount estimated, though I think it’s on the short side, but the yearly value seems in line.  I have no doubt President Trump will cost the “Global Economy” $455 billion…. because that money will be transferring back to the America First economy. That’s what happens as MAGAnomics reverses the IMF trade (wealth distribution) model.

The IMF is correct in part (the effect), incorrect in part (the cause), and mostly hypocritical.  The Euro-minded IMF rails against the high value of the U.S. dollar, but simultaneously ignores the motives behind the intentional devaluation of currencies that are pegged against the dollar.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The International Monetary Fund said on Wednesday the U.S. dollar was overvalued by 6% to 12%, based on near-term economic fundamentals, while the euro, the Japanese yen and China’s yuan were seen as broadly in line with fundamentals.

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This is one of my favorite changes in executive governance since a ‘People’s President’ won the 2016 election.  President Trump is the FIRST U.S. President to allow the American people to see the workings of an administrative cabinet.  President Trump has done this so frequently people have stopped recognizing the incredible level of transparency.
President Trump uses these cabinet meetings to inform the electorate what is happening and also work around the manipulative presentations by DC media:

…”And if the press wants to stay, you can. If you’d like to leave — it’s like I said the other day: I don’t mind. If you want to leave, that’s your option. You can leave anytime you want, okay?”…

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[Transcript]  THE PRESIDENT: Thank you very much. Our Cabinet meeting. And we’ll start with a prayer, please. Rick Perry.
SECRETARY PERRY: Yes, sir. Mr. President, thank you. Just as a — to put this all in perspective: On the 4th of July, I had a prayer that came true, which is a good thing — to pray and for the good Lord to agree that your prayer is a good one.
So Griffin James Perry came into the world on the 4th of July, at about 8:10 in the morning. So I have a grandson.
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