Day 2: Another Display of Trump Disconnect
President Trump started Friday with a lengthy phone call with Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto regarding their very public disagreements over the proposed wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. According to Peña Nieto, the two leaders acknowledged their differences in opinion and agreed to stop discussing the matter publicly during negotiations.
Trump followed his phone call with a joint press conference with British Prime Minister Theresa May. The event was full of awkward interactions, hostility toward the media and open disagreement over policy on Russian sanctions.
On Holocaust Remembrance Day, Trump today issued a public statement to “remember and honor” the victims of Nazi terror, yet he somehow failed to specifically mention Jewish people or anti-Semitism (a clear and puzzling break from past Presidents’ precedent). This comes just days after Trump drafted an Executive Order to ban refugees from several Muslim-majority countries, including Syria and Yemen. Trump also said Friday that he will prioritize Christian refugees over people of other religions seeking safety from religious persecution.
Earlier in the day, the Washington Post published a report from a leaked secret recording from a meeting of Republican lawmakers who expressed concern over Trump’s call to rapidly repeal Obamacare. The various quotes offer insight into the President’s maligned agenda with those of his fellow Republicans in Congress.
Vice President Mike Pence spoke to a crowd at the March for Life in Washington, D.C. this morning, offering his “full support” for the pro-life movement. After Republicans won full control of the federal government in the recent election, Pence deemed this a new era in the debate over abortion laws, claiming “life is winning in America.”
On an incredibly busy news day from the White House, a quick reminder that this, and much more, all occurred before the end of the work day. Buckle up for a long weekend, and check back in on Monday.
