In a freewheeling press conference at his Mar-a-Lago club, President-elect Donald Trump said Monday he would consider pardoning embattled New York Mayor Eric Adams, declared the country was “not going to lose" the polio vaccine and weighed in on the flurry of drone sightings over New Jersey.
Holding court with reporters for the first time since he won the election and secured a second term, Trump also called on the Biden administration to stop selling off unused portions of southern border wall, threatening legal action.
“We’re going to spend hundreds of millions of dollars more on building the same wall we already have,” he railed. “It’s almost a criminal act.”
Trump's performance Monday underscored how he has already forced his return to the center of the national political conversation, weeks before he is set to return to the Oval Office. The session was notably less combative than some of the more heated exchanges he held with reporters during the campaign. Trump, looking relaxed at the lectern, joked with those he recognized and talked about how much easier the transition has been than after his first election.
“The first time everybody was fighting me,” he said. “This time everyone wants to be my friend.”
After spending most of the last few weeks mostly behind closed doors at Mar-a-Lago, Trump used the session to test-drive policy ideas, attack his enemies and issue warnings of what is to come.
That included the threat of a lawsuit against famed Iowa pollster Ann Selzer, whose final survey before the election badly underestimated Trump's support in the state, which he won.
“In my opinion it was fraud and election interference," Trump claimed of the survey. Selzer, who declined to comment, announced that she would retire her polling operation last month but said she had decided to before the election.
ABC News announced over the weekend that had it agreed to pay $15 million toward Trump's presidential library to settle a defamation lawsuit he had filed over anchor George Stephanopoulos’ inaccurate on-air assertion that the president-elect had been found civilly liable for raping a writer.
Continuing his threats of legal action, Trump railed Monday against the Biden administration over the border wall material sales, saying he has spoken to Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and other Texas officials about a potential restraining order.
Congress last year required the Biden administration to dispose of the unused border wall pieces. The measure, included in the massive National Defense Authorization Act, allows for the sale or donation of the items to states on the southern border, providing they are used to refurbish existing barriers, not install new ones. Congress also directed the Pentagon to account for storage costs for the border wall material while it has gone unused.
“I’m asking today, Joe Biden, to please stop selling the wall,” Trump said.
The Department of Defense, however, said that further sales can't be blocked because all the excess border wall material has already been distributed. Most was provided to other federal agencies and state governments, as required by defense legislation signed on Dec. 22, 2023. The rest was sold to GovPlanet, which buys and auctions off government surplus.
While Trump described the handover between Biden and his incoming team as “a friendly transition,” he also took issue with efforts to allow some members of the federal workforce to continue working from home. Trump said that if government workers don’t come back into the office under him, they will be dismissed.
Trump also weighed in on Adams, who is facing federal fraud and corruption charges. Asked whether he would consider pardoning Adams, Trump said, “Yeah I would."
“I think that he was treated pretty unfairly,” Trump said, while at the same time acknowledging he doesn't "know the facts.”
Adams has been accused of accepting flight upgrades and other luxury travel perks valued at $100,000 along with illegal campaign contributions from a Turkish official and other foreign nationals looking to buy his influence. He has pleaded not guilty. Multiple members of his administration have also come under investigation.
Adams, who insists he did nothing wrong, told reporters Monday that his attorney was “going to look at every avenue to ensure I get justice."
Trump was pressed repeatedly on the future of vaccines, amid concerns over his decision to choose the anti-vaccine advocate, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, which regulates the shots.
Trump again declined to dismiss the long-debunked theory that vaccines cause autism and said Kennedy would be examining that already well-studied question.
But he also assured the public that one of the most successful vaccines would not be barred by his administration.
“You’re not going to lose the polio vaccine,” he said, calling himself “a big believer in it.”
“That’s not going to happen," he said.
Outgoing Republican leader Mitch McConnell, who had polio as a child, had said Friday that Trump’s nominees seeking Senate confirmation should “steer clear” of efforts to discredit the polio vaccine, calling them not just uninformed, but “dangerous.”
Trump also weighed in on the mysterious drone sightings over parts of New Jersey and the eastern U.S. that have sparked speculation and concern over where they are coming from.
Taking a conspiratorial tone, Trump insisted, without offering evidence, that, “the government knows what is happening."
“Our military knows and our president knows and for some reason they want to keep people in suspense,” he said, refusing to say whether he had been briefed on the sightings.
White House spokesperson John Kirby said later Monday that there is no indication that the drones pose a public safety or national security threat, and that he would say so if that weren't the case. While he acknowledged frustrations, he stressed that there are more 1 million legal drones in the country.
"Having closely examined the data," he said, “we assess that the sightings to date include a combination of lawful commercial drones, hobbyist drones and law enforcement drones, as well as manned fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and even stars that were mistakenly reported as drones.”
Trump has spent the weeks since his victory building out his incoming administration and speaking with what he said were well over 100 word leaders.
But he again played coy on whether that list included Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“I’m not going to comment on the Putin question," he said.
When it comes to escalating tensions in the Middle East, Trump said he would consider pulling U.S. troops out of Syria after the country's ousted leader, Bashar Assad, was overthrown by rebels.
“I don’t think that I want to have our soldiers killed,” Trump said of the 900 men and women who were placed there to prevent a resurgence of the Islamic State group.
In addition to meetings with foreign leaders, Trump also talked about a recent dinner with Apple CEO Tim Cook as well as the heads of major pharmaceutical companies, which Kennedy joined. The outreach, he said, made this transition feel markedly different from 2016, when his win shocked the Washington establishment.
Trump was joined at the appearance by SoftBank Group CEO Masayoshi Son, who announced that the Japanese company is planning to invest $100 billion in U.S. projects over the next four years.
It was a win for Trump, who has used the weeks since the election to promote his policies, negotiate with foreign leaders and try to strike deals.
In a post on his Truth Social site last week, Trump had said that anyone making a $1 billion investment in the United States “will receive fully expedited approvals and permits, including, but in no way limited to, all Environmental approvals.”
“GET READY TO ROCK!!!” he wrote.
Trump has repeatedly boasted that he has done more in his short transition period than his predecessor did in all four years.
“There’s a whole light over the entire world," he said Monday. “There’s a light shining over the world."
Associated Press writers Zeke Miller, Darlene Superville and Chris Megerian in Washington contributed to this report.
© Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
88 Comments
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TaiwanIsNotChina
Trump is unable to say it, but his principle worry is getting Putin to the negotiating table.
TaiwanIsNotChina
A legal technicality whereas a dozen other lawsuits by Mr. Trump against the media went down in flames.
TaiwanIsNotChina
The Biden accomplishments:
https://www.whitehouse.gov/therecord/
The Trump accomplishment:
https://fiscaldata.treasury.gov/americas-finance-guide/national-deficit/
Yeah and it is a red warning light.
Underworld
This is the biggest loser statement. They don't want to be your friend, Donald. They want your power.
Donald truly has no friends.
Wick's pencil
RFKjr is not anti-vaccine, he is pro safe and effective vaccine.
Blacklabel
Where are all the Iowa +3 posters now? Were soooooo insistent this was accurate and that it was proof of Kamala’s upcoming landslide win.
let me guess, now “no one ever said that……”
sure, she had decided to retire before this election interference but didn’t bother to mention it until after her failed interference.
bass4funk
No worries, he’s not going to get rid of the polio vaccine
Blacklabel
I’m not sure when being guilty of defamation became a “legal technicality”, but whatever makes you feel better about losing.
That settlement should also lead to many others. where other people falsely and stupidly claimed the same or similar falsehoods. Including previous posters here.
Norm
Whew — that’s a relief! I was sure Putin was going to get rid of the polio vaccine. Thanks for the info.
bass4funk
So you’re relying on this White House words defining themselves?? You kidding me?
Really? So where does the fiscal data comes from? Hmmm…The United States Treasury Department and who is if led by? Well, it is led by the Secretary of the Treasury, a member of the President’s Cabinet. This individual is responsible for overseeing the federal finances, managing public debt, enforcing tax laws, and producing currency, among other duties, and who is that person?
That would be Janet Yellen, who became the first woman to hold the position when she took office on January 26, 2021.
So how has she been doing since given the position?
https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/bonds/janet-yellen-stanley-druckenmiller-mistake-treasury-government-debt-interest-rates-2023-10
https://nypost.com/2024/11/23/business/janet-yellen-exiting-office-leaving-mess-behind-for-trump-team/
For the establishment, best warning they could get going into 2025!
Now for the truth…
https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2020/12/the-things-trump-got-right/617424/
The_Beagle
Look at this guy! Positive to da max!! All his predecessor promised was a dark winter of death and despair.
virusrex
He is very much anti-vaccine, he just like to pretend he is not until anyone ask him which vaccines he consider safe and effective, at that point he just runs away before someone puts again the video of him saying that no vaccine should be allowed.
bass4funk
Prove it
Underworld
Wick's pencil
Trump was pressed repeatedly on the future of vaccines, amid concerns over his decision to choose the anti-vaccine advocate, Robert F Kennedy Jr, to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, which regulates the shots.
Nah, he's anti-vax. His definition of safe and effective are unscientific.
Underworld
Blacklabel
Nobody was found guilty of defamation.
Blacklabel
totally unbiased news organizations lol
Underworld
Blacklabel
Trump again declined to dismiss the long-debunked theory that vaccines cause autism and said Kennedy would be examining that already well-studied question.
Correct. The notion that vaccines cause autism has been completely debunked by the scientific community.
virusrex
He did it himself, repeatedly
https://www.factcheck.org/2023/11/scicheck-rfk-jr-incorrectly-denies-past-remarks-on-vaccine-safety-and-effectiveness/
Yrral
Trump cannot get his felony removed,and his cabinet approved
bass4funk
That the media was dishonest when he clearly stated and numerous that he is not, he did thou say he is critical when it comes to certain vaccines, that is definitely true.
Wick's pencil
...without proper testing.
bass4funk
Of course he will get his cabinet in place.
nishikat
RFK Jr. will encourage Trump people not to get it (and many will not get it as a result from this brainwash) and this will result in different countries (like Japan...THANK GOD...I'm American but I'm glad I'm here and not back in the USA run by crazy people) to approve American visas based on their vax record. This is good in two ways. First all these tourists annoy everyone and Japan needs fewer of them. Also, it will keep the anti-vax Trump followers out and away from me in safe Japan with their diseases since they don't want to vax.
ok1517
This alone says it all:
"Trump Holding court!"
His highness, the dictator in waiting position has spoken.
“This time everyone wants to be my friend.”
Yup, people like Kim, Putain, Orban and alike. In addition MAGA freaks and others like them.
Concerning JFK jr:
"Kennedy will tell journalists he is not anti-vaccine. This is not accurate. He has been an anti-vaccine activist for two decades, has directly contributed to vaccine hesitancy before and during a deadly measles outbreak that he subsequently downplayed."
And this here:
"During the pandemic, Kennedy’s anti-vaccine organization Children’s Health Defense — which doubled his weekly salary in 2023 — exploited people’s uncertainties about vaccines to bring in more than $23.5 million in donations, which it has used to continue promoting disinformation about vaccines."
But okay, have to agree, Trump and his cabinet picks fit together like pot and kettle!
Ah_so
Yes he is.
We all are. RFK jr has just convinced himself that most of them aren't safe, despite being unqualified to do make this judgement.
Yrral
His brain got ate by a worm
HopeSpringsEternal
Nice, POTUS who can think, actual executive vs. a puppet of unelected insiders Globalists & NEOCONS.
Trump will rebuild trust in global economy, first by winding down insane effort to expand NATO Eastward into Ukraine = destroyed TRUST in ALL Currencies.
Global inflation due to currency destruction, ability to buy real assets (energy, food, metals, etc.). Why political re-alignment happening globally, including Japan.
bass4funk
Yes
“This time everyone wants to be my friend.”
Yes, so what’s wrong with that? He should be friends with Zelenskyy? Why?
Concerning JFK jr:
He’s been on record saying he is not anti-vax
Your point?
I think so.
Ricky Kaminski13
Have been waiting when this would appear. Like lights in the sky. Can’t believe the drone story has been slipped in with the vax and mayor issue. It’s actually quite a compelling mystery that has many high ranking scientists, researchers and officials scratching their heads and wanting answers. This could be a massive story, why the sneaky journalism.
Are you going to play to our conditioned response to these sort of mysteries, connect it with the T man’s for further ridicule points and then just move on? You have to forgive me for wondering why that maybe. It’s it just some sort of hyper cynicism or something else. Actually been locked to this mystery since these anomalies appeared. Surely it’ll make a good discussion JT, that’s what we are here for right?
virusrex
There is nothing dishonest about confronting him with what he has said repeatedly, the one that is dishonest is him when claiming he is not antivaccine when he has been repeatedly on record saying that for him there is no vaccine that is safe and effective.
You know how it is easy to know it is not definitely true that media is dishonest? that you could not refute any of the claims that RFKjr was confronted with.
All vaccines are tested properly according to the people that do that professionally for a living, saying that he need hundreds of children to die before he can accept this only makes him even worse. He has never been able to use any actually scientific argument against the testing of vaccines.
And once again, since he has been repeatedly quoted saying that he is against all and every vaccine (without any exception) then he is an antivaxxer, no matter how he tries to justify his position.
HopeSpringsEternal
Trump will Make World Economy Health Again, by Stabilizing, NOT De-stabilizing World Economy, means Ending Wars, working with China on big issues etc.
Above will rebuild Trust & Strength of all currencies real asset purchasing power = Reason Global Inflation remains elevated and VOTERS Very Unhappy.
Moderator
Please stop capitalizing so many letters.
wallace
Kennedy’s opposition to vaccines is not recent. He has been campaigning against them for over 20 years, dating back to concerns about thimerosal in vaccines.
Kennedy has directly contributed to vaccine hesitancy before and during a deadly measles outbreak that he subsequently downplayed.
Don’t be dazzled or caught off guard by Kennedy citing research to back up his claims; he regularly twists or cherry-picks it to misrepresent the evidence, and he’s adept at using the Gish gallop to overwhelm his audience with misinformation.
https://healthjournalism.org/blog/2024/12/what-to-know-about-robert-f-kennedy-jrs-anti-vaccine-advocacy/
TaiwanIsNotChina
I'm sorry, he is an adjudicated sex offender and not a rapist. All good?
TaiwanIsNotChina
You are saying the deficit numbers are partisan now? Maybe the treasury is cooking the books for Biden?
Ricky Kaminski13
Poorly written. Upgraded version. Sorry JT
Have been waiting for this story to appear. Like lights in the sky! Can’t believe, however, the drone story has been slipped in with the vax and mayor issue one. It’s actually quite a compelling mystery on its own, with many high ranking scientists, researchers and even government officials scratching their heads and wanting answers. There’s been congressional hearings the works. This could be a massive story, why the sneaky journalism. You read this story and it seems deliberately diminishing and dismissive,
Is this journalist attempting to play to our conditioned response on these sort of mysteries, which is to laugh it off as crazy tin foil hat stuff, connect it to the T man for further ridicule points, and then just move on? Nothing to see here?
You have to forgive me for wondering why that maybe, especially when our trust in the legacy media is diminished. It’s it just some sort of hyper cynicism that leads to this style of reporting or something else?
Actually been locked to this mystery since these anomalies appeared. Surely it’ll make a good discussion JT, that’s what we are here for right?
Moderator: Japan Today published a story on this two days ago.
TaiwanIsNotChina
Now the Democrats should get the hell out of the way, amirite?
HopeSpringsEternal
Biggest surprise of upcoming Trump Admin, efforts to work with Pres. Xi to stabilize global economy. Trump will encourage China to invest in the US outside of areas with national security implications
Above will increase demand for $ and all currencies, normalize economic trust, get off insane path to WIII etc. Hopefully soon, so Japan's Yen can actually buy things!
Besides Xi and China, Trump mentioned in this press conference was also his ongoing litigation against fake news media. ABC just settled and also Trump knows a corrupt media will destroy Democracy. Why digital media and podcasters are thriving = corrupt mainstream media
Blacklabel
yeah it’s irrelevant but if it makes you feel better about losing the election then you are less likely to get sued and lose millions by saying that.
Well until the case gets thrown out completely, at least.
TaiwanIsNotChina
Still Putin's War
Jimizo
Positivity is all well and good I suppose but it’s bit early for gush and hysterics.
Best to judge politicians on what they deliver rather than what they say they’ll do.
That goes double for Trump. He’s a salesman/con man at heart with a track record of not delivering on key promises.
nishikat
Japan will vax and this will give some hope, because this country is not run by crazy people whose brains were eaten by worms (RFK Jr. literally - has anyone heard this guy talk???). They will regulate everything regarding vaxxing and be square about it and people will be square about the rules and do it the way it should be done. If it gets that bad (and things can under Trump) they will ban flights from the USA. It will wreck the world economy because of Trump (and Putin wants this since Trump is Putin's poodle.)
Japan is also an island and I'm liking this geographic situation more and more especially with the Trump craziness spreading.
You are right about not being a guarantee about not spreading, but at least I feel I have a much better fighting chance of living in a non-Trump country that is physically separated by oceans and seas...as well as sane policies. Trump people in Japan have to follow the non-Trump rules and are fine with it.
HopeSpringsEternal
Nobody in DC wants to fight Trump this time, unlike first time elected, as he's consolidated power. He's re-aligned Republican Party, working & middle class focus to include people of all colors, creeds, and religions.
Everyone wants to kiss Trump's 'Ring' from Big Tech down the line. US voters don't like or trust Media, Govt. or Politicians, they Want RESULTS = Why Trump was Elected.
TaiwanIsNotChina
They don't want to, but they realize the Crazy Time Carnival is about to arrive. Trump's coalition consisted of people wanting items to be half price again.
HopeSpringsEternal
Trump sent a hard signal Trade Tariffs will be reciprocal, hard message to Japan and others to either lower Tariffs or expect US Tariffs to match the country in question.
Alternatively, countries can invest in the US to bypass Tariffs, benefiting from low corp. tax rates, reduced regulations, low energy costs etc.
deanzaZZR
It's going to be a wild ride.
“You know, because China and the United States can, together solve all of the problems of the world, if you think about it. So it’s very important. And you know, he was a friend of mine”, Trump added.
Reflecting on the meeting the two men had at Mar-a-Lago in 2017, Trump said: “He was here for a long time, right in that spot, except sitting in a very comfortable chair. He wasn’t standing like you are. But we spent hours and hours talking, and he’s an amazing guy”. - South China Morning Post
nishikat
Japan has no tariffs. Been to DAISO recently? Seen the prices of imported booze? Japan and China are fine with trade. Japan helps build China with Japan's heavy technology like high quality steel (they sell more to China than the USA does) and in turn Japan imports all the cheap and tariff free garbage that we find in DAISO. You can buy cheap China made solar panels and the J government does not care.
Harry_Gatto
Quite possibly, for example, make sense of this if you can:-
From Trump's interview with Time magazine:
Q: If the prices of groceries don't come down, will your presidency be a failure?
"I don't think so. Look, they got them up. I'd like to bring them down. It's hard to bring things down once they're up. You know, it's very hard. But I think that they will. I think that energy is going to bring them down. I think a better supply chain is going to bring them down. You know, the supply chain is still broken. It's broken. You see it. You go out to the docks and you see all these containers. And I own property in California, in Palos Verdes. They're very nice. And I passed the docks, and I've been doing it for 20 years. I've never seen anything like it. You know, for 17 years, I saw containers and, you know, they'd come off and they'd be taken away—big areas, you know, you know, in that area, you know, where they have the big, the big ships coming in—big, the port. And I'd see this for years as I was out there inspecting property and things, because they own a lot in California. And I look down and I see containers that are, that are 12, 13, 14 containers. You wouldn't believe they can hold each other. It's like crazy. No, the supply chain is is broken. I think a very bad thing is this, what they're doing with the cars. I think they lost also because of cars. You know, there are a lot of reasons, but the car mandate is a disaster. The electric, the EV mandate."
Underworld
bass4funk
Sure. And Trump's been on record saying that tariffs won't cause inflation.
Doesn't mean it's true.
nishikat
Japan has no tariffs and everything is cheap here. That is proof that Trump is 1000% WRONG
HopeSpringsEternal
Expect Elon Musk to be Trump's #1 'back-channel' to China/ Pres. Xi. Trump wants solutions to promote global economic growth and stability, NOT global chaos!
Musk = RATIONAL actor who understands China deeply
Musk = World's #1 winner American VOTERS TRUST
Page turning on global chaos, Trump stated explicitly he opposes long range weapons strikes from Ukraine into Russia.
Blacklabel
Meanwhile… French government fell apart, German government just fell apart, Canadian government falling apart, Trudeau looking shaky,
USA? Never looked better with a golden age of prosperity on the horizon.
Jimizo
That’s actually not bad by his recent standards.
His brain is mush.
4Tno
Under Trump's administration, approximately $260 million worth of border wall materials were left unused after construction halted following the Biden administration's decision to stop the project in 2021. Shortly after this, Biden's administration started auctioning off unused border wall materials through GovPlanet with bids as low as $5. Let me repeat that again, as low as 5 bucks! The corruption under Biden's administration will go down as one of the worst in US history.
u_s__reamer
“There’s a whole light over the entire world," he said Monday. “There’s a light shining over the world."
Yeah, it's a lurid orange, a warning to the world for what will follow after his wrecking crew get their venal mitts on the levers of power in January. Heck of a job, Merrick & Joe!
HopeSpringsEternal
It's a great point, currency destruction due to Biden Admin's global chaos policy is coming to roost Blacklabel. Govt. bond ratings being downgraded, voters dealing with loss of purchasing power/inflation.
Trump knows he must stabilize world to stabilize currencies, thus global economy = must work with Xi.
Countries like Japan, South Korea, Germany, France, all relatively resource poor, have HUGE exposure to currencies and financial assets, suffering the MOST.
US $ has lost approx. 3x it's purchasing power of real assets in less than 5 years, above countries far worse, Japan about 5x for point of reference. Why world politically re-aligning, Trump's solutions so needed etc.
nishikat
Japan? Pretty good country especially for Trump people. I'm staying in Japan 100%.
It is impossible to build a wall, they tried many times. Also, crossers will just use ladders and shovels. USD260M is not that much anyway.
HopeSpringsEternal
Trump made it clear in press conference, #1 objective is to stabilize global economy and that means rebuilding trust and confidence in currencies, reduce inflation etc.
Only way to do this, work with Pres. Xi to end wars, source of global destabilization destroying confidence in currencies that's so damaging to financial assets and consumer purchasing power = what voters want.
TaiwanIsNotChina
It's not the justice department's job to protect the voter from their idiocy.
HopeSpringsEternal
Most US voters also want:
1) Secure borders
2) Deportation of illegals, especially criminals
3) End of foreign wars driving global chaos
4) RFK to address sources of chronic disease
5) Lower inflation and interest rates
Trump addressed above at this conference, it's called Common Sense, the great Trump Republican Party Re-Alignment, making Govt. work for all people of every race, religion and creed, NOT just Special Interests.
Underworld
HopeSpringsEternal
Actually most voters wanted cheaper groceries.
HopeSpringsEternal
Right, #5, lower inflation includes groceries & everything else Underworld. Auto insurance now approx. 70% higher than 4 years ago due to so many unlicensed illegals, far over $100/month extra for average insured driver!
High interest rates far worse, take now crushing mortgage or car payments, all due to Biden Harris Inflation, global instability fueling currency destruction etc.
Trump knows above = reason he was elected, now he must fix this Global Economic Mess to do so = Stability
browny1
Harry Gatto - great post.
I read the full Times interview transcript. Another one of many word gargles.
Good answer - On the ball?
HopeSpringsEternal
Seems NYC Judge Merchan still wants a piece of Trump, so the Lawfare continues for a few more weeks.
Trump's lawyers and his newly reformed Justice Dept. will easily manage this dying lawfare nonsense, so he can focus on delivering important results for US and the World.
Burgerland
Japan has no tariffs and everything is cheap here.
Japan has no tarrifs and everything is cheap, really? Try buying some cheese for Christmas and then say it again.
Underworld
HopeSpringsEternal
Inflation is 2.7%, but will increase under Trump if he follows through with his tariffs and deportations.
And now Trump is saying that he can't bring down grocery prices.
Tokyo Guy
Japan has no tarrifs and everything is cheap, really? Try buying some cheese for Christmas and then say it again.
if you can't afford cheese, you might want to get a better job. Or you could invest in Trump bitcoin (if it doesn't exist yet, I'm sure it will sooner or later).
Blacklabel
hmmm I said that same thing. and was criticized and told Kamala would instead take government action on Day 1 against evil price gouging corporations instead. to make things affordable for people with bad jobs.
what happened to that?
HopeSpringsEternal
Let's see, dirty little secret causing inflation is currency destruction due to global chaos/wars. If currencies strengthen in their real purchasing power due to Trump's Planned Polices, especially due to China normalization, along with big increases in supply side production of energy and resources, inflation will remain in check.
Trump's planned deregulation and tech led (vs. Wall Street) economy also act to reduce inflation, = Opposite of Biden Harris and their expensive regulatory state.
HopeSpringsEternal
Remember, Trump wants China's EV makers to build their factories in the US, that's deflationary! Trump's going to massively increase economic supply side production, including resources to drive down prices.
Trump will get Softbank and others to invest due to lower corp. tax rates, regulations, energy costs AND to avoid Tariffs. More competition in all sectors = lower prices.
bass4funk
Go figure
No arguments here, none.
Tokyo Guy
BlacklabelToday 10:37 am JST
hmmm I said that same thing. and was criticized and told Kamala would instead take government action on Day 1 against evil price gouging corporations instead. to make things affordable for people with bad jobs.
what happened to that?
Well, what happened is that the US elected Trump, who has already admitted that he probably won't be able to fulfil one of the key promises he ran on, namely getting grocery prices down.
https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/trump-now-bringing-grocery-prices-promised-hard/story?id=116763207
Course, you don't care, as a) you don't live in the USA, and b) you probably think that this is some kind of 9-dimensional chess he's playing, but if grocery prices do in fact not go down after he takes office, the people who voted against him are going to be enjoying their schadenfreude extra hard.
bass4funk
He can whatever he wants.
Doesn't mean it won’t.
bass4funk
And rebuild what this administration screwed up. Yes, heck of a job, Joe, Merrick and Myorkas. I will actually throw a party on that day, drinks and free food
wallace
Tariffs = new tax = price increases = inflation.
Burgerland
"if you can't afford cheese, you might want to get a better job. Or you could invest in Trump bitcoin (if it doesn't exist yet, I'm sure it will sooner or later). ..."
Pretty sure you got the point I was making was about Japan indeed having fairly high tariffs on certain goods eg, cheese ( and myriad of other food stuff to point out the category most people are most familiar with ) so let's just file your comment in the trolling folder, shall we ? :)
Pieter Reyneke
Trump is unlikely to fulfill any of his election policies. Many of them are either unexecutable or will cause so much harm that he will have to cancel them. Even better, these failures will cost him his "popularity," expose his lies, and ultimately cost the GOP the midterms. His promises, such as mass deportations and extreme tariffs, face significant legal and logistical challenges. Additionally, his proposed policies could lead to economic instability and social unrest, further diminishing his support. The hope is that these shortcomings will make voters more critical and cautious in future elections.
Eat the left
The people here quoting Mr Trump's ramblings (aka unscripted responses), are you the same people that wanted Kamala for president...?
But I bet you can't articulate why. Orange-man-bad knee jerk reaction? Or something you know that the rest of us don't?
How long after the inauguration will the left wait this time before they try to impeach him?
And I'm still waiting for someone to show anything racist he's said.
Underworld
HopeSpringsEternal
Are you serious? Why would they do that? Chinese EV makers have the advantage of cheap workers.
How would he do that?
Tokyo Guy
Trump is unlikely to fulfill any of his election policies. Many of them are either unexecutable or will cause so much harm that he will have to cancel them. Even better, these failures will cost him his "popularity," expose his lies, and ultimately cost the GOP the midterms. His promises, such as mass deportations and extreme tariffs, face significant legal and logistical challenges. Additionally, his proposed policies could lead to economic instability and social unrest, further diminishing his support. The hope is that these shortcomings will make voters more critical and cautious in future elections.
This would make sense if the people who voted for Trump genuinely did so because they thought he would bring their grocery prices down. However, most of them voted for him on purely emotional grounds: because he hates and demonises the same people they do. They will overlook the grocery prices not going down, or they'll blame someone or something else. They probably won't read any media that reports on what's actually going on, so if the mass deportations end up not happening, they won't know about it - or the only media they consume will simply lie to them and say that the deportations have started, and they'll swallow it without question.
It will take something fairly cataclysmic to shake the blind faith of these people. Grocery prices aren't going to do it, and they will explain away anything as a conspiracy, foreign interference, democrats working to undermine them, the "deep state", you name it, they'll blame it.
HopeSpringsEternal
Remember, tariffs a negotiating tool, we had Trump tariffs before and his Admin had low inflation, avg. about 1.7%. Biden kept Trump's China tariffs but reduced or eliminated many others like Japan, SC, EU etc.
Unfortunately, Biden inflation avg. about 3x higher than Trumps - and this ignores far higher interest rates that have caused huge damage to consumers and business.
Voters trusted Trump NOT Biden/Harris on Economy/Inflation
HopeSpringsEternal
Again, Trump's big economic plan is first global stability to restore currency purchasing power and reduce inflation, then increasing US supply side production.
US Supply side production can be from anywhere, even Chinese EV makers, so long as they build in US, employ US workers and use US based suppliers (even Chinese!). Growing the US economic supply side = disinflationary.
Trump's a genius, plus he's got Elon Musk = voters like it!
falseflagsteve
Trump is a right card, don’t half make me giggle with his antics, lol
Peter Neil
actually, most voters want everyone to just shut up.
Norm
Wow. Who told you Harris would take action on evil price gouging on Day 1? Give us the names of the people you’ve been talking with.
Raw Beer
Ah yes, those who are paid to test the vaccines say they are tested properly. Sure...
wallace
In normal circumstances, a new vaccine will be tested for 5-10 years before a license for use is issued.
nishikat
Cheese Cheese (Chapter 4) 22.4--40%
(JP government site)
You got me there, but that's the only thing. Japanese don't eat like pigs like Americans (I don't eat like a pig BTW even though I'm American) and are not bothered (so much) and I'm fine. But Look at electric cars (BYD is in Japan and NOT in the USA), solar panels, cars car parts. Electronics. Stuff that really matters. ZERO tariffs on Japan. OK, and please take it easy on the cheese anyway. Too much of it is not good for your health.
Also....BUT BUT...
Regarding the EU-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement, tariffs currently applied to hard cheeses (up to 29.8%) will gradually be phased out to become zero for unlimited quantities as from 1 April 2033.
(source)
Japan is going in the right direction - taking a while, but still. Is Trump? no, he will make things expensive for Americans. Stay in Japan Trump people!! Enjoy the easier life here! No Trump tariffs in Japan
and then say it again
OK
virusrex
The simple fact that no actual problem have been identified prove they are actually doing a great job, vaccines lower the risk for everybody for whom they are indicated and represent one of the most successful medical interventions in the history of humanity, with literally millions of lives saved.
That someone that have no idea about safety, that has been repeatedly found lying, and that have already caused scores of deaths for profit says they are not tested "properly" has absolutely no importance, specially when he literally wants children to die to prove what everybody already knowns, vaccines are safe and effective.
wallace
Vaccines have saved millions from deadly diseases.
bass4funk
I disagree, in 2016 you would be right.
According to whom?
I disagree, in fact, now that Trump has Congress fully behind him and he has a mandate, I would say his vision on reshaping the nation will happen without a doubt and that’s a good thing.
They will get done, especially the mass deportations part of his plan. He has every known law-enforcement agency behind him, all of them, so that will happen, rest assured.
That won’t happen, I think the Dems hope that will happen, but so far he has the wind at his back.
They have been and that’s not a good sign for the Democrats, and the Socialist wing of their party and for the Republican old, now out of date establishment.
Raw Beer
Well, we'll certainly find out soon if that "simple fact" is truly the case.