As with every week, this week Trump used Twitter to criticize his enemies. First, on Monday, November 26, he lashed out at General Motors
Then, on Thursday, November 29, after former Trump attorney Michael Cohen pleaded guilty and acknowledged that he lied to federal investigators about Trump's knowledge of a Russian construction development project during the 2016 presidential election, Trump attacked the Mueller investigation, even implicating his own Deputy Attorney General, Rod Rosenstein, by reposting a meme showing him behind bars.
Trump didn't limit himself to Twitter, however. In an interview with the Washington Post, Trump again had harsh words for Fed Chairman Jerome Powell, whom he blamed for the recent market turbulence: "So far, I'm not even a little bit happy with my selection of Jay. Not even a little bit," the president said. "And I'm not blaming anybody, but I'm just telling you I think that the Fed is way off-base with what they're doing."
Trump even seemed critical of his own administration this week, telling White House reporters that he doesn't believe a report issued by his own EPA detailing the costs of climate change. Trump reserved all his praise for his former campaign manager, Paul Manafort, who has pleaded guilty to conspiracy. Trump refused to eliminate the possibility of pardoning him.
Beyond this, the annual summit of 20 major industrialized nations began on Thursday, November 30, and ended Saturday, December 1. All eyes were on Trump as he met with Chinese President Xi for dinner in the evening after the close of the summit to discuss tariffs. The dinner was apparently amicable, as Xi and Trump mutually agreed to a 90-day truce. The truce means that current tariffs will remain in effect, but no new tariffs will be added on January 1. If no deal can be reached within 90 days, the US will hike tariffs by 25% as previously threatened.
Trump also used the G20 summit as an opportunity to formally sign the revised NAFTA agreement with Canada and Mexico, which was settled earlier this year. Trump has put pressure on Congress to accede to his agreement by saying that he'll withdraw from the current NAFTA treaty until his new deal is approved.
Trump also notably canceled a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the G20 summit. Via Twitter, Trump explained that he canceled because Russia has refused to release 24 Ukrainian sailors and naval ships it captured in disputed waters last week, escalating tensions in an already fraught region: "Based on the fact that the ships and sailors have not been returned to Ukraine from Russia, I have decided it would be best for all parties concerned to cancel my previously scheduled meeting." Some speculated, however, that Trump's true motivation for canceling was to avoid the appearance of impropriety after Cohen's revelations about Trump's ties to Russia.
For the week ahead, Trump said that out of respect to former president George H.W. Bush, who passed away on Friday, he may push back a Congressional fight over border wall spending that could cause government shutdown.
- https://twitter.com/realdonaldtrump/status/1067494680416407552
- https://twitter.com/realdonaldtrump/status/1067494680416407552
- https://www.politico.com/story/2018/11/28/trump-mueller-lies-russia-probe-1023363
- https://www.politico.com/story/2018/11/28/trump-rosenstein-treason-meme-1023315
- https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2018/11/27/president-trumps-full-washington-post-interview-transcript-annotated/?utm_term=.1f114750715f
- https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-46351940
- https://www.politico.com/story/2018/11/28/trump-pardon-manafort-1025795
- https://www.cnn.com/2018/12/01/politics/trump-china-tariffs/index.html
- https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/02/us/politics/trump-withdraw-nafta.html
- https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1068181367857397760
- https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/congress-considers-measure-to-postpone-shutdown-deadline-until-after-bush-memorial-services/2018/12/01/096af0dc-f5ca-11e8-bc79-68604ed88993_story.html?utm_term=.8972a6e58489