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 accused China and Russia on Monday of playing a currency-devaluation “game,” as he ramped up his attack on James Comey over the former Federal Bureau of Investigation chief’s scathing criticisms of him.
‘NOT ACCEPTABLE!’
Just days after the Treasury Department declined to label China or Russia a currency manipulator, Trump hit out at both Beijing and Moscow over what he said was a “Currency Devaluation game as the U.S. keeps raising interest rates. Not acceptable!”
Trump said repeatedly during his campaign that he would label China a currency manipulator on Day One of his presidency. Friday’s report said that over 2017 the Chinese yuan “generally moved against the dollar in a direction that should, all else equal, help reduce China’s trade surplus with the U.S.” The ruble , meanwhile, has dropped in value against the U.S. dollar in the wake of sanctions on Russian entities and individuals including President Vladimir Putin’s son-in-law.
Russia and China are playing the Currency Devaluation game as the U.S. keeps raising interest rates. Not acceptable!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 16, 2018
TRUMP SLAMS COMEY AFTER INTERVIEW
Trump ripped Comey and former Deputy FBI Director Andrew McCabe in a Twitter post, a day after Comey said in a televised interview that Trump was “morally unfit to be president.” Trump said the pair “committed many crimes!” but did not expand on that charge. Trump also said Comey drafted his exoneration of Hillary Clinton based on her poll numbers.
It was the latest instance of Trump attacking the former FBI chief, whom he called an “untruthful slime ball” after excerpts of Comey’s forthcoming memoir were released. The book blasts Trump as an “unethical” liar.
Comey drafted the Crooked Hillary exoneration long before he talked to her (lied in Congress to Senator G), then based his decisions on her poll numbers. Disgruntled, he, McCabe, and the others, committed many crimes!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 16, 2018