This column provides a daily update on key presidential actions as well as comments, whether spoken aloud or on Twitter, by President Trump. Like the stock market, the deadline for Trump Today action is 4 p.m. Eastern time, even as we acknowledge that substantive news can and does occur after hours.
President Donald Trump attacked the Washington Post on Thursday over what he said was a “phony” trade headline, as he praised Mexico for keeping a caravan of migrants from moving toward the U.S. and prepared to participate in a tax-reform talk.
‘TYPICALLY BAD REPORTING!’
Trump took issue with the Post, which is owned by Amazon AMZN, +2.87% CEO Jeff Bezos, over its coverage of the ongoing U.S.-China trade confrontation. He said a headline that reads “Trump defiant as China adds trade penalties” should instead read “Trump Defiant as U.S. Adds Trade Penalties, Will End Barriers And Massive I.P. Theft.” He again called the Post a lobbyist for Amazon. The newspaper’s editor has called Trump’s charges “completely made up.”
Over the past few days Trump has ripped Amazon’s deal with the U.S. Postal Service, in an unusual singling out of a specific company.
The Fake News Washington Post, Amazon’s “chief lobbyist,” has another (of many) phony headlines, “Trump Defiant As China Adds Trade Penalties.” WRONG! Should read, “Trump Defiant as U.S. Adds Trade Penalties, Will End Barriers And Massive I.P. Theft.” Typically bad reporting!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 5, 2018
Read: Trump’s attack on Amazon resembles another president’s salvos.
Opinion: Trump is right: Jeff Bezos is a genius at not paying taxes.
THANKING MEXICO OVER ‘CARAVAN’
Trump praised Mexico after reports that a caravan of Central American migrants was expected to end its journey in Mexico City rather than push north to the U.S. border. “The Caravan is largely broken up thanks to the strong immigration laws of Mexico and their willingness to use them so as not to cause a giant scene at our Border,” Trump tweeted.
The warm words for Mexico came just two days after Trump threatened in another tweet to punish the country by pulling out of the North American Free Trade Agreement over the “caravan” issue.
The Caravan is largely broken up thanks to the strong immigration laws of Mexico and their willingness to use them so as not to cause a giant scene at our Border. Because of the Trump Administrations actions, Border crossings are at a still UNACCEPTABLE 46 year low. Stop drugs!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 5, 2018
Also see: Trudeau says Nafta talks are moving ahead in significant way.
And: When Trump mentions migrant ‘caravan,’ this is what he’s talking about.
TAX ROUNDTABLE AHEAD
Trump is scheduled to head to White Sulphur Springs, W.Va., for what the White House is calling a round-table discussion on tax reform. Participants will include West Virginia-based companies who benefited from the tax law Trump signed last year, the White House says. Among them are community bank Citizens Bank of West Virginia, which gave its 66 employees bonuses of $1,000, according to a White House release.