RNC Spokesperson: President Trump's Tariffs Should Come As No Surprise
President Trump is proposing a 25% tax on steel brought to the U.S., and a 10% tax on aluminum. The announcement sent the stock market into a tailspin. RNC Spokeswoman Kayleigh McEnany says Americans should not be surprised by the move.
From the time he was a businessman, Donald Trump has criticized America's trade imbalance and pushed for reform. "What President Trump has done is not different then what many Republican president's have done," McEnany said.
President Trump's unpredictability has lead to GOP infighting. McEnany says the RNC appreciates robust debate on all issues, but also encourages Republicans to get behind the President because he is fulfilling campaign promises. She added that the Democratic party is actually the one falling apart ever since it failed to put forward viable presidential candidates back in 2016.
The president, in an interview with CNBC this week, said he's looking to tax every single Chinese good that enters the U.S., which amounts to $505 billion. The tariffs would come at a time when prices for common consumer products, including the Apple Watch, FitBit, and smart speakers, could rise. Cheddar's Tim Stenovec and Kristen Scholer break down the news.
The actor, comedian, and activist created an augmented reality app called "House of Cats," which features an animated, satirical version of the president called "Trump-y Cat." A portion of the proceeds will go to support refugees. "We are going to counter his hostility with support," Takei tells Cheddar.
Economic growth at 4 percent is unsustainable and could pull back, warns Samantha Azzarello, Global Market Strategist at JPMorgan ETFs. GDP has been energized by tax cuts, increased spending, and consumption, and Azzarello predicts the high won't last.
Christopher Wray, who became director of the FBI last August, said in a statement that his assessment of Russia and the 2016 election has not changed, despite what Trump may say. "The President clearly has personal interests, or some sort of interests, that are separate from what the U.S. intelligence community has when it comes to Russia," says Eric Boehm, reporter for Reason.com.
These are the headlines you Need2Know.
* **Damage Control at the White House:** President Trump will meet with his cabinet today after widespread criticism of his comments spread following Monday's joint meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. To appease his base,Trump declared yesterday that he simply misspoke during the presser--but some critics find that hard to believe.
* **Manafort Goes to Court:** The case against former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort is moving forward--despite a denial of his team's request for a change of location. Manafort's team asked for the trial to be moved from Alexandria to Roanoke, believing that Alexandria's more liberal base would be less forgiving and attract more press.
* **University Doctor Under Fire:** A former Ohio State University doctor is accused of molesting student athletes after complaints surfaced from several ex-wrestlers--one of whom condemned is Congressman Jim Jordan for ignoring the allegations.
* **Vacancies at Comic-Con:** The 2018 Comic-Con kicks of in San Diego tonight. But some of the usual attendees will be missing: network HBO, the Avengers, X-Men and Deadpool will be among the absent guests.
* **American League Still Number One:** The American league clung to its title as reigning champ after it defeated the National League for the sixth straight year during last night's MLB All-Star game.
Cheddar Big News' Hena Doba gives us the details.
Cheddar's J.D. Durkin recounts the tense moment during the Trump-Putin press conference in Helsinki when the Russian president was asked if he had any compromising material on President Trump.
The president said on Tuesday that he has "full faith and support" in U.S. intelligence agencies, walking back comments he made a day prior during a joint press conference with Russian President Vladimir Putin. During Monday's conference, Trump seemed to challenge the findings of American agencies that Russia interfered with the 2016 elections, sparking widespread criticism at home -- even from his most loyal backers.
