The Note: When Trump’s words confound his own government
Trump is getting his way – if his goal is to be able to say what he wants.
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The TAKE with Rick Klein
“Nothing concrete has actually happened,” Larry Kudlow, President Donald Trump’s brand-new top economic adviser, said yesterday.
Kudlow was talking about action on tariffs, in what amounted to an effort to declare a truce in an emerging trade war – prompting expected market rebounds.
But it’s a sentence with broader relevance in recent days, in a stretch that’s seen the president not just state falsehoods but confound his own government and allies in the process of directing policy on the fly.
Beyond tariffs that won’t be what he said they would be, the president isn’t actually removing U.S. troops from Syria, and he won’t be deploying regular military troops to the U.S. border with Mexico, but instead working with governors to have the National Guard assist – as other presidents have. A president who thrives on words is signaling that his words don’t actually dictate policy.
Trump is getting his way – if his goal is to be able to say what he wants. But if his goal is do as he says he pleases, he’s running into barriers more formidable than his declarations.
The RUNDOWN with Emily Goodin
President Trump has given Republicans plenty of cause for worry throughout his administration but his tariff policies may have consequences for them at the ballot box.
China announced tariffs on 106 products Wednesday — including items in states that have competitive House and Senate races in November: soybeans (Iowa, Missouri, North Dakota, Ohio), orange juice (Florida and California), and vehicles (Michigan).
The White House downplayed fears of a trade war but Midwest Republicans blamed the president for China’s move.
And Democrats could turn this to their advantage, taking the opportunity to change the topic from the tax cut to the hit on home state industries. After all, all politics are local and, while China is far away, its decision will hit hard on the voting bloc that helped put Trump in the White House.
Republican Congressional leaders warned the president not to make such a move and now their fears may become reality in November.
The TIP with Esther Castillejo
California Republicans are seizing on President Trump’s latest anti-immigration push and betting that anger at the state’s “sanctuary state” laws will mobilize the party’s anemic base in November.
The newfound hope comes on the heels of the all-Republican Board of Supervisors in Orange County voting to join the Trump administration's lawsuit against California’s landmark "sanctuary state" law passed last fall. (Orange County is a historically Republican stronghold that turned blue for the first time since the Great Depression in 2016 when it voted for Hillary Clinton.)
The law prohibits local law enforcement from alerting immigration agents when detainees who may be subject to deportation are released from custody.
Republican candidates across the state are jumping in on the issue. In California’s 49th congressional district — an open seat after Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., announced he’s not seeking re-election — Republican candidate and San Diego Board of Supervisors member Kristin Gaspar is debating joining the administration’s lawsuit later this month.
In a symbolic move, The San Juan Capistrano City Council, where Republican candidate Brian Maryott is councilman, also condemned the law.
The district is in Southern California, where key congressional races will help determine who will get control of the House of Representatives.
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW TODAY
QUOTE OF THE DAY
"We didn’t take a broad enough view of what our responsibilities were. That was a huge mistake. It was my mistake." – Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, in a rare conference call Wednesday with reporters, on whether the social media giant did enough to prevent abuse before the 2016 election.
NEED TO READ
Trump signs proclamation authorizing National Guard to southern border. Speaking at the White House Wednesday to follow up on President Donald Trump's surprise announcement that he would order the military to help secure the southern border, Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen refused to detail the size, scope or cost of a planned deployment of National Guard troops, but said it was hoped they could be deployed "immediately" – as early as Wednesday night. (John Parkinson and Jordyn Phelps) https://abcn.ws/2Iw3Xat
As stocks slide, White House downplays 'trade war' fears. The White House on Wednesday looked to downplay renewed fears of a potential trade war with China after stocks were jolted by Beijing's announcement overnight of $50 billion in proposed retaliatory tariffs against the U.S. (Alexander Mallin) https://abcn.ws/2IuhfEq
White House walks back Trump's call for US to leave Syria 'very soon'. In a statement issued Wednesday meant to clarify the U.S. presence in Syria, the White House did not announce an immediate withdrawal of U.S. forces, despite President Donald Trump's repeated calls in the past week to leave the country "very soon." (Elizabeth McLaughlin) https://abcn.ws/2q4bma6
Trump's outgoing national security adviser : 'We have failed to impose sufficient costs' on Russia. President Donald Trump's outgoing National Security Adviser Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster blasted Russia and President Vladimir Putin's "growing" confidence and "aggression" in what he said were his last public remarks as he transitions out of his role and makes room for his replacement, John Bolton. (Conor Finnegan) https://abcn.ws/2q7smvc
Farm state lawmakers, including Republicans, blame Trump for new China tariffs. Senators from major soybean-producing states in the Midwest, including Republicans, are steaming over China’s threat to impose tariffs on U.S. soy exports, blaming President Donald Trump's aggressive actions against China for the trade retaliation that could hit farmers and ranchers particularly hard. (Ali Rogin) https://abcn.ws/2Hbl5Tw
Author says Trump lies all the time, but still a great president: 'Powerhouse Politics'. The author of a new book about the Trump White House believes President Donald Trump will go down in history as one of the nation’s greatest presidents – even though he says Trump lies regularly “as part of his shtick.” (Kandis Mascall) https://abcn.ws/2IuVfJg
Commerce lawyer, Census director will brief House members on citizenship question. The general counsel from the Department of Commerce and the acting director of the Census will brief members of House Oversight and Government Reform Committee on April 11 about the controversial inclusion of a citizenship question on the 2020 Census. (Emily Goodin) https://abcn.ws/2Ha0ajD
Facebook now says up to 87 million users' data improperly shared. Facebook has sharply increased the number of users whose data it says may have been improperly shared with the data analytics firm Cambridge Analytica – from up to 50 million to now up to 87 million people - most of them in the U.S. (Lucien Bruggeman and Trish Turner) https://abcn.ws/2H9uhHQ
More scrutiny for Pruitt's Morocco trip from Democrats, EPA inspector general. While traveling to Morocco last year, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt promoted an issue that could benefit his past energy industry donors -- and also clients of the lobbying firm tied to his controversial Capitol Hill condo deal, several Democratic lawmakers told ABC News. (Matthew Mosk, Stephanie Ebbs and Trish Turner) https://abcn.ws/2q9myBk
'Important stories will go uncovered': Newspaper exec says tariffs will hurt his industry. One Florida newspaper is using its pages to highlight the struggle it's facing in the wake of new tariffs the Trump administration put in place. For them, the product on the frontlines of the trade war is paper - the paper the publication needs to print newspapers. (Erica King) https://abcn.ws/2q60BDu
The New York Times reports on Gov. John Kasich’s trip to New Hampshire – the first-in-the-nation primary state – where the Times says it is both unclear and entirely clear what he is doing: “He is not not running for president.” https://nyti.ms/2H9xzLl
The Trump administration is expected to impose additional economic sanctions on Russia this week, aiming to target oligarchs with ties to President Vladimir Putin, according to the Washington Post. https://wapo.st/2Gxgb5W
The Note is a daily ABC News feature that highlights the key political moments of the day ahead. Please check back tomorrow for the latest.