National Economic Council Chairman Larry “Kuddles” Kudlow is back after suffering a mild heart attack. [Yikes, “mild“, is there such a thing?]
Appearing on TV with Stuart Varney Chairman Kudlow explains how the administration hopes to use the Foreign Investment Risk Review Modernization Act (FIRRMA) to enhance U.S. trade policy.  Mr. Varney cannot comprehend Trump-speed in achieving a global trade reset:

.
While media wasn’t paying attention, President Trump brilliantly played congress to gain strategic trade leverage.  Knowing political opposition would unite, POTUS Trump took a forgiving position toward Chinese company ZTE; Trump-haters and NeverTrumpers quickly aligned to push through hammer legislation designed to hurt China and by extension Trump’s position.  However, Trump actually wanted the tool.  POTUS now weaponizes FIRRMA as trade leverage against all 301 targets.   Brilliant.
USTR Robert Lighthizer Final 301 Report on China Trade Infractions HERE
Part 2 of Kudlow interview below:
(more…)

In an effort to keep the Daily Open Thread a little more open topic we are going to start a new daily thread for “Presidential Politics”. Please use this thread to post anything relating to the Donald Trump Administration and Presidency.

This thread will refresh daily and appear above the Open Discussion Thread.

President Trump Twitter @POTUS / Vice President Pence Twitter @VP

Sarah H Sanders Twitter @SHSanders45

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name. Thy kingdom come. THY WILL BE DONE, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but DELIVER US FROM EVIL.
For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever and ever. Amen †

Good news within a strenuously spun Reuters article. Don’t get lost looking at the granules; apparently all of the prior Canadian strategy against President Trump has failed.
For well over a year Justin from Canada and Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland were confident they could leverage the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, purchased DC politicians and ideological allies against President Trump in NAFTA negotiations. The result? Fail, fail and more fail.

Running out of options, Canada now attempts to save their NAFTA construct by turning to the executives within the auto industry:

OTTAWA (Reuters) – Canada’s trade minister last week met senior officials from General Motors Co and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV in Detroit, as Ottawa takes its lobbying effort directly to the Big Three carmakers to avert potential U.S. auto tariffs.
The Liberal government is relying on industry partners to press Canada’s cause in the White House and elsewhere, using their influence to protect Canadian interests, sources with direct knowledge of the discussions told Reuters.

(more…)

Suffice to say it’s not a good look when lawyers representing the FBI are telling the central witness within a political conspiracy involving the FBI not to answer questions from congressional oversight.
House Judiciary Chairman Bob Goodlatte tells Martha MacCallum that FBI lawyers are instructing FBI Agent Peter Strzok not to answer questions from congress about the nature of his involvement within a DOJ/FBI conspiracy to stop a political candidate; and later to overthrow a presidency.
Additionally Chairman Goodlatte states the answers agent Strzok did give about his text messages was “not believable”.

.
*Note* at 9:00pm EDT the deposition is ongoing.  They shifted into a classified setting at approximately 7:00pm.  The non-classified deposition transcript is something I am very much looking forward to reading.  Hopefully it will be released soon.
(more…)

Tonight President Trump attends a ‘Make America Great Again’ rally in Fargo, North Dakota.  Co-hosting the rally is Congressman Kevin Cramer, hoping to unseat ND Senator Heidi Heitkamp in the 2018 midterms. Anticipated start time 7:00pm CDT / 8:00pm EDT With pre-rally speakers and events starting earlier
UPDATE: Video Added

(more…)

Earlier today President Trump’s National Security Advisor John Bolton met with Russian officials including President Vladimir Putin. At the conclusion of their discussions Mr. Bolton held a brief press conference to answer questions.
We anticipate that tomorrow a joint U.S-Russia announcement for a summit to be held later this year.

(more…)

FBI Agent Peter Strzok appears before a joint house committee today for a closed hearing deposition.  Mr. Strzok will appear before an open congressional hearing to be scheduled later.  Today’s deposition is an opportunity to ask questions and get an “official record” of specific answers to multiple lines of inquiry.
Peter Strzok is at the center of four specifically known corrupt DOJ and FBI operations. 1) The Clinton exoneration operation. 2) The Trump investigation “Crossfire Hurricane”. 3) “Spygate”, and the abuse of the FISA court; and 4) The origin of the Mueller probe.

The deposition questioning is being directed from a hand-picked group of lawmakers.  Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte determined who will ask the questions.  One of the lawmakers selected was Jim Jordan.

Heading to the Peter Strzok deposition. We have lots of questions that need answers.

— Rep. Jim Jordan (@Jim_Jordan) June 27, 2018

(more…)

Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office where he was joined by President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa of Portugal, President Trump delivered remarks on the announcement of Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy’s retirement.
New Video Added:

(more…)

Earlier today Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy had a meeting with President Donald Trump to notify the president of his intended retirement announcement.   A few hours later Justice Kennedy made the announcement public.
In a letter to President Trump, Kennedy wrote “it is the highest of honors to serve on this Court,” and he expressed his “profound gratitude for having had the privilege to seek in each case how best to know, interpret, and defend the Constitution and the laws that must always conform to its mandates and promises.”
The decision by the 81-year-old justice is all but certain to kick off a pitched confirmation battle because of the likelihood for his successor to move the court’s future decisions on a number of significant issues.
(more…)