Trumps Achievements

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Economy
From sweeping tax reform to support for energy production, President Donald Trump’s pro-business policies have boosted the job market, set records in the stock market, and helped individuals and companies to thrive again. The economy hit the Trump administration’s 3 percent growth target in the second quarter of 2017 and in the second and the third quarters of 2018.

Tax Reform
Since the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act was signed into law in December 2017, the average American business has seen its tax burden drop by more than half.
The United States previously had the highest corporate income tax rate among the 35 industrialized nations. After the passage of the act, the U.S. corporate tax rate dropped from 35 percent to 21 percent.
This put the United States at a competitive advantage to many other nations. The bill also had a positive effect on business investments and hence economic growth. Companies have accelerated their capital spending in 2018 to take advantage of the tax cuts and the full expensing provision.
Last year, optimism within the small-business world soared to its highest levels in 45 years as a result of tax cuts and strong economic growth.

Stock Market

Stock markets have set record after record since President Donald Trump came into office and enacted tax cuts and pro-business policies. Even after the recent pullback on Wall Street, the Dow Jones Industrial Average through Jan. 8 was up by nearly 20 percent since Trump’s inauguration and 30 percent since Election Day 2016.

Markets tumbled in recent months due to worries about trade wars, the unwinding of the Federal Reserve’s balance sheet, and interest rate hikes. Nevertheless, Dow’s two-year gain since Trump’s election exceeded the gains recorded during the first two years following the elections of Presidents Barack Obama, George W. Bush, and Bill Clinton.

Record-High Oil Production

Under the Trump administration, the United States has become the world’s leading crude oil producer, surpassing Russia and Saudi Arabia. U.S. oil production broke a record set in 1970 for the first time in November 2017.

According to the latest official report, U.S. crude output hit an all-time high, exceeding 11.5 million barrels per day in October. The United States also became a net oil exporter for the first time in almost 75 years, a significant step toward achieving “energy independence and dominance,” goals set by Trump.


Robust Jobs Market

The tax cuts, as well as strong corporate earnings, helped drive U.S. job growth. Job openings surged to record-high levels last year, with vacancies increasingly exceeding the number of unemployed workers.

The unemployment rate fell to 3.7 percent for the first time in nearly 50 years. In December 2018, the unemployment rate inched up to 3.9 percent. The economy added more than 4.8 million jobs in the first two years of Trump’s term. Wage growth, which had been stagnant since the early 1970s, started to rise last year as well.

GDP Growth

The U.S. economy ramped up and hit the Trump administration’s 3 percent growth target in the second quarter of 2017 and in the second and the third quarters of 2018. Especially in 2018, the economy had blockbuster growth, with the gross domestic product (GDP) surging 4.2 percent in the second quarter—its fastest pace since 2014. Strong consumer and business spending buoyed economic growth in the same period.

The economy expanded at a 3.4 percent annual rate in the third quarter of 2018. While the reading came lower than the second quarter pace, it still marked the strongest back-to-back quarters of GDP growth since 2014.

Low Gas Prices

Oil prices took a nosedive since peaking in early October 2018. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures tumbled from a nearly four-year high of $76 on Oct. 3 to $50 on Jan. 8. From peak to trough, WTI benchmark lost a third of its value. In November, Trump reinstated economic sanctions on Tehran but granted waivers to eight countries for oil imports from Iran to prevent a spike in oil prices.


Surge in Manufacturing Activity

Manufacturers’ optimism in 2018 reached an all-time high, according to a survey conducted by the National Association of Manufacturers. The demand for manufacturers’ products has increased in a broad range of industries, and the closely watched Purchasing Managers’ Index has continued to expand, showing general optimism across U.S. manufacturers. In addition, the manufacturing industry posted net job gains of 284,000 in 2018, its best year since 1997.

Opportunity Zones

Created by Trump’s tax reform, the “opportunity zones” program incentivizes Americans and foreigners to invest in economically underserved communities throughout the United States. The program offers tax incentives to private investors who invest in these zones. Last year, the Treasury Department certified more than 8,700 distressed communities as qualified opportunity zones.

The government has projected that as much as $100 billion in private capital could be funneled into these distressed areas. Many funds have been set up and are raising money to target this new asset class. The opportunity zones program has the potential to become America’s largest economic development program. It may help revitalize areas that have been behind in growth compared to the national economy, by bringing businesses and jobs.

Rise in Middle-Class Income

The median household income of middle-class families reached a record high in 2017.

A Census Bureau survey showed the median income rose to $61,372, from $60,309 a year earlier, when adjusted for inflation.


Fixing Workplace Skills Gap

Closing the workplace skills gap has been one of Trump’s top priorities. The skills gap is a key problem for American companies as they struggle to find workers with the talents they need. Trump recently signed an executive order to create a task force that will develop a strategy to address the problem. He also has mobilized more than 100 U.S. companies and organizations to support his workforce initiative by pledging to train more than 6 million workers and students for new jobs and in new skills.

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Tax Reform Benefits

Last year, Americans started to feel the effects of the federal tax reform signed into law by Trump in December 2017. The sweeping tax overhaul prompted more than 700 companies to issue cash bonuses, pay-raises, and other benefits to their employees. Nearly 4 million Americans have benefited from higher take-home pay, according to Americans for Tax Reform, a nonprofit advocacy group.


2 Million Americans Off Food Stamps

The number of Americans receiving food-stamp benefits dropped to a six-year low during Trump’s first year in office, reflecting a healthy jobs market and an improving economy.

On average, 42.2 million Americans received food stamps in 2017, down 11 percent from 2013, when food-stamp usage reached record levels. From 2000 to 2013, food stamp participation grew every year except 2007.


Trade
Trump made waves when he overhauled the 24-year-old North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and replaced it with the U.S.–Mexico–Canada Agreement (USMCA), which promotes production and jobs in the United States. Tariffs on Chinese goods persuaded Chinese leader Xi Jinping to sit down with Trump to address Washington’s concerns.


NAFTA Replacement: USMCA

The Trump administration landed its biggest trade win last year by overhauling NAFTA, which Trump called “the worst trade deal in the history of the country.” The new USMCA pact ended the tensions with two of the United States’ biggest trading partners.

The three countries signed the agreement on Nov. 30 on the sidelines of the G-20 summit in Argentina. The pact still needs to be ratified by lawmakers in the three countries. The new deal is a substantial improvement to the old agreement, which promotes production and jobs in the United States. The new rules, for example, incentivize the use of high-wage manufacturing labor in the automotive sector.


Trade War With China

Trump sought to take a tougher stance on China’s decades-long protectionist and trade-distorting policies. He launched a tariff campaign early last year as part of a strategy to end China’s unfair trade practices. For years, Washington has accused China of stealing key technologies and intellectual property from foreign companies using various tactics that include physical and cyber theft and forced technology transfers.

The trade tension between the United States and China escalated when Trump imposed tariffs on nearly $250 billion worth of Chinese goods. Contrary to popular belief, Trump’s tariffs have worked and have convinced Chinese leader Xi Jinping to sit down with Trump to address Washington’s concerns. In early December, both sides declared a 90-day ceasefire on tariff increases. As part of the truce deal, China for the first time made a firm commitment to delivering structural changes with respect to forced technology transfer, intellectual property protection, cyber intrusions, and cyber theft of trade secrets.


Steel and Aluminum Tariffs

Since his election in 2016, Trump has made preserving national security one of his priorities. The Trump administration launched a Section 232 investigation in 2017 that concluded that dependence on imported steel and aluminum impaired national security. As a result, Trump signed orders imposing a 25 percent tariff on imported steel and a 10 percent tariff on imported aluminum in March 2018.

Excess steel and aluminum, which are heavily subsidized by foreign governments, have created a destructive ripple effect on American producers and workers. Tens of thousands of American workers have faced layoffs, and dozens of factories have been shut down since 2000. Following the announcement of tariffs, however, metal manufacturers have started to reinvest in domestic production, creating new jobs.


A New Phase With Europe

The Trump administration reached a new deal with the European Union in July 2018, declaring a “new phase” in relations. Trump and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker agreed in a joint statement to “work together towards zero tariffs, zero non-tariff barriers, and zero subsidies on non-auto industrial goods.”

For the first time, both sides reached an understanding to cooperate against unfair trade practices and reform the World Trade Organization (WTO). As part of the deal, the EU pledged to buy more soybeans and liquefied natural gas (LNG) from the United States.


Ending TPP

Seventy-two hours after taking office, Trump fulfilled one of his campaign promises by withdrawing the United States from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). The pact, negotiated under Obama, promised to boost trade and strengthen economic ties between the 12 countries involved. However, some experts claimed that it would have zero effect on the U.S. economy and hence was a useless deal for America.

Deregulation
One of Trump’s campaign promises was to reduce the over-regulation that hampers American competitiveness and productivity. Highlights include rolling back the 2010 Dodd-Frank Act, thus freeing smaller banks from the higher compliance costs the act imposed. The Trump administration also repealed the internet regulations known as “net neutrality.”

Net Neutrality Rejected

The U.S. Federal Communications Commission repealed internet regulations adopted in 2015 known as “net neutrality.”

Proponents of the Obama-era rules had argued that the increase in regulation was necessary to prevent internet service providers from charging more for access to websites that consume a lot of data, such as Netflix.

However, FCC Chairman Ajit Pai said the regulations, in effect, micromanaged the internet and stifled innovation.

White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said that President Donald Trump supports a free internet.


Rolling Back Dodd-Frank

Trump pledged to roll back the Dodd-Frank Act, a massive compilation of banking regulations signed into law in 2010 by Obama. The legislation, which aimed to end the “too big to fail” mentality, has instead hurt small banks and consumers.

In May 2018, Trump signed the biggest rollback of banking regulations since the legislation was enacted, relieving pressure on smaller banks that had struggled with the higher compliance costs. Small banks were also freed from the Volcker Rule, which bans firms from making risky bets with their own assets. Trump said the rollbacks would help community banks and credit unions that suffered from years of overregulation.


Cutting Red Tape for Infrastructure Projects

Trump signed an executive order in August 2017 to fix an inefficient and overregulated infrastructure approval process. The order aimed to speed up the environmental review and permitting process, which can take years, sometimes even more than a decade. Delays in major infrastructure projects can cost the economy trillions.

However, executive orders can’t solve the problem alone; Congress has to pass legislation to codify the changes into law and clarify lines of authority in the environmental review process.


2-for-1 Deregulation Plan

Within 10 days of taking office, Trump ordered his administration to slash regulatory hurdles. In January 2017, he signed an executive order that required two past rules to be removed for every new regulation proposed.
Instead of eliminating two old regulations, federal agencies eliminated 22 for every new regulation in 2017, according to the White House. The Trump administration achieved $23 billion in savings from 176 deregulatory actions in fiscal year 2018.

In addition, the administration issued 65 percent fewer “significant” rules than the Obama administration, after 22 months in office. Under the previous administration, the perpetual accumulation of regulations slowed annual economic growth by 0.8 percent on average, according to a 2016 paper by the Mercatus Center. The economy in 2012 would have been $4 trillion higher if regulation had remained at its 1980 level, stated the paper.


Veterans
Trump signed multiple bills into law overhauling the Veterans Affairs Department to increase benefits for veterans and service members. To increase accountability in the troubled agency, the Trump administration has demoted, fired, or suspended some 4,300 Veterans Affairs workers. One bill gives veterans the ability to see a private doctor if VA hospitals are unable to provide the care they need.


Expanded Private Care Options for Veterans

Trump on June 6 signed a bill into law that makes it possible for veterans to see a private doctor if Veterans Affairs (VA) hospitals are unable to provide the care or services a veteran requires.



4,300 VA Employees Punished

Some 4,300 Veterans Affairs workers have been demoted, fired, or suspended since Trump took office. The firings are part of the president’s efforts to hold employees accountable for their performance.


Veterans Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act

The act, signed in June 2017, created a permanent office within the Veterans Administration to change the culture of bureaucracy that spawned stories of veterans dying while waiting to get treatment at VA facilities.


Signing the Forever GI Bill

The Forever GI Bill signed by Trump in August 2017 significantly expanded education benefits to service members and veterans.

Among other things, the bill removed the expiration date for the program. The measure also increased benefits for Purple Heart recipients.

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America
At the center of Trump’s presidency has been his moral stance against communism and his efforts to promote and restore traditional American values. The Trump administration has also withdrawn the United States from multiple international organizations and pacts on the grounds that they infringed on U.S. sovereignty.


Taking a Moral Stance Against Communism, Socialism

During his first two years in office, Trump has taken a strong stance against the harmful ideologies of communism and socialism.

“From the Soviet Union to Cuba to Venezuela, wherever true socialism or communism has been adopted, it has delivered anguish and devastation and failure,” Trump said during his address at the United Nations on Sept. 19, 2017.

He also proclaimed Nov. 9, 2017, as “World Freedom Day” to celebrate the fall of the Berlin Wall and to denounce communism, as well as recognize those who have stood up against communism and other totalitarian systems.


Promoting Traditional American Values

A central part of Trump’s presidency so far has been his focus on promoting and restoring traditional values. Key to this has been a focus of patriotism as a key unifier for all Americans.

“This is now the challenge of our times. We must ask ourselves who we are, what we stand for, and what together we can achieve,” Trump said in a speech to the American Legion in Reno, Arizona, on Aug. 23.

Throughout his administration, there has been a focus on making people self-reliant through hard work rather than relying on government support.

“If American patriots could secure our independence, carve out a home in the wilderness, and free millions from tyranny and oppression around the world, then that same spirit of strength, courage, and resolve can help us create a better future for our people today,” Trump said.


Protecting America’s Sovereignty

The Trump administration has withdrawn the United States from multiple international organizations and pacts, which it said were infringing on U.S. sovereignty.

In June 2017, Trump announced the United States would leave the Paris climate accord, citing the disproportionate negative effects it would have on American businesses and workers. Under the accord, the United States would need to immediately abide by strict rules—suppressing jobs and GDP—while competing nations such as China would be allowed to increase emissions for at least 13 more years. At the same time, the United States would be subsidizing other nations with billions of dollars.

“This agreement is less about the climate and more about other countries gaining a financial advantage over the United States,” Trump said in a speech announcing his decision.
The Trump administration also withdrew from the U.N. Human Rights Council in June 2018, saying the organization wasn’t worthy of its name.

“The Human Rights Council has become an exercise in shameless hypocrisy, with many of the world’s worst human-rights abuses going ignored and some of the world’s most serious offenders sitting on the council itself,” Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in announcing the withdrawal.

He named China, Cuba, and Venezuela as some of the worst human-rights abusers who sit on the council.



Fighting the Deep State

Since before his election, Trump has been engaged in a battle with the so-called deep-state—unelected bureaucrats in the federal government who retain power, regardless of who’s in power.

Elements throughout the federal agencies conspired against then-candidate Trump by creating a so-called “insurance policy” to be employed in case he won the election. That policy referred to the creation of the Trump–Russia collusion narrative, which was intended to be used to force him out of office.



Fighting Corruption

The DOJ currently has a number of open investigations into potential corruption involving bureaucrats and politicians. One such investigation is that by DOJ Inspector General Michael Horowitz into potential FISA abuse under the Obama administration. Publicly available information shows officials within the DOJ and FBI obtained a FISA spy warrant on Trump campaign adviser Carter Page by using a dossier—the Steele dossier—which they knew was paid for by the Clinton campaign and the Democratic National Committee.

U.S. Attorney John Huber is currently investigating allegations of corruption at the Clinton Foundation, which brought in a total of over $2 billion since it was established.

The DOJ also is revisiting evidence obtained in an investigation of the Uranium One deal, which is connected to the Clinton Foundation.





Fighting the Leaking

A key priority of the Trump administration was to stop the pervasive leaking from within the government that threatened to undermine national security.

Among the most controversial leaks was the release by The Washington Post of transcripts of a conversation Trump had with the leaders of Mexico and Australia.

Former Attorney General Jeff Sessions set up a special task force, headed by Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, that since has investigated dozens of leaks involving classified information.

A senior adviser at the Treasury Department’s Financial Crimes Enforcement network, Natalie Edwards, was charged with leaking information to a BuzzFeed reporter.

James Wolfe, director of security for the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, was sentenced to two months in prison for lying to the FBI about his contact with reporters.




Defending Religious Freedom

Trump has made the defense of religious freedom a key focus of his administration. In an executive order signed May 3, 2018, Trump ordered the executive branch to “vigorously enforce Federal law’s robust protections for religious freedom.” The order expanded the voice that faith groups have in Washington, while protecting them from government overreach.

A year earlier, on May 4, 2017, Trump signed an order directing the IRS to relax its enforcement of the 1954 Johnson Amendment, which prohibited religious organizations from engaging in political speech and activities, with the threat of revoking their tax-exempt status.

“Our country was founded on prayer,” Trump said. “Our communities are sustained by prayer. And our nation will be renewed by hard work, a lot of intelligence, and prayer.”



National Security
One of the key victories under the Trump administration was destroying the ISIS terrorist group’s caliphate in October 2017. The president worked to improve national security by upgrading the U.S. nuclear arsenal and establishing a command for military operations in space. The administration has also helped the United States to be ready to defend itself and attack adversaries in cyberspace.


ISIS Caliphate Destroyed

In October 2017, Trump claimed victory against the ISIS terrorist group in Raqqa, which was secured by the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces. The downfall of Raqqa, the group’s last major stronghold, came just months after their earlier loss in July in Mosul, Iraq. ISIS described the two key cities as its “caliphate” stronghold.

“We have made, alongside our coalition partners, more progress against these evil terrorists in the past several months than in the past several years,” Trump said in a statement.

Defense Secretary Gen. Jim Mattis said in May 2018 that the United States had switched to “annihilation tactics” against ISIS. The next step in the battle will be to stabilize the region.


Improving Nuclear Arsenal

For years, the United States has lagged behind China and Russia when it comes to its nuclear arsenal. While China and Russia have developed miniaturized nuclear weapons, the United States is still depended on fixed location missile silos, which are a serious strategic disadvantage.

In his State of the Union address in January 2018, Trump announced that America’s nuclear arsenal would be rebuilt.

“As part of our defense, we must modernize and rebuild our nuclear arsenal, hopefully never having to use it, but making it so strong and so powerful that it will deter any acts of aggression by any other nation or anyone else,” Trump said.

In December 2018, the Trump administration announced it would pull out of the intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF) in 60 days, unless Russia takes steps to comply with the treaty.



Allowing Military to Fight Back in Cyberspace

The Trump administration made it easier for the U.S. military to launch cyberattacks and to fight back against adversaries in cyberspace. In August 2018, Trump removed an Obama-era policy, Presidential Policy Directive 20, which required high-level discussions across multiple agencies before the U.S. military could respond to threats in cyberspace. U.S. Cyber Command can now attack and defend in cyberspace without requiring the White House to approve each move.


Establishing Command for Military Operations in Space

Trump made headlines when he announced the launch of a military “Space Force” in October 2018. He stated, “Our destiny, beyond the Earth, is not only a matter of national identity, but a matter of national security.” The Space Force aims to “safeguard American dominance in space,” according to a White House statement, and was originally planned as a sixth branch of the U.S. Armed Forces.


Ending the Iran Nuclear Deal

President Donald Trump in May 2018 pulled the United States out of the nuclear deal with Iran. Under the agreement, officially called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), Iran temporarily stopped its nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief and the release of over $100 billion in assets, including billions in cash payments.


Foreign Policy
Negotiations with North Korea defused a tense situation that possibly could have led to war. The president made good on a decades-old U.S. policy by moving the U.S. Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem. The Trump administration also has transformed the U.S. relationship with Saudi Arabia. Pakistan saw hundreds of millions in U.S. aid get cut due to its failure to control terror groups.



Transformed Relations With Saudi Arabia

The first foreign nation that Trump visited following his inauguration was Saudi Arabia. During his first two years in office, Trump transformed relations with the Middle Eastern country.

During his visit, Trump announced two new institutions aimed at fighting terror, with one targeting the financing of terrorism and the other combating extremist ideology, to be opened in Saudi Arabia.


Preventing War With North Korea

Trump was able to avoid a war with North Korea and instead force the regime in Pyongyang to the negotiating table, using a mix of diplomatic and economic pressure, combined with a credible military threat.

“You’d be at a nice, big, fat war in Asia with North Korea if I wasn’t elected,” Trump told reporters during a Cabinet meeting on Jan. 6.


Suspension of Aid to Pakistan Over Aid to Terror Groups

The Trump administration has cut hundreds of millions of dollars in funding to Pakistan over the country’s failure to take decisive action against terrorist groups operating within its borders.

Pakistan has received more than $33 billion in U.S. assistance in the past 16 years.


Moved US Embassy to Jerusalem

Trump surprised the world in December 2017 when he announced his decision to move the U.S. Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem.

He described the decision as “long overdue” and one based on “a recognition of reality.”

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Securing Release of American Prisoners Overseas

Trump and his administration were able to secure the release of Americans held captive in different parts of the world.

In May 2018, the United States was able to secure the release of three Americans who had been held captive in North Korea. In June 2017, U.S. student Otto Warmbier was released by North Korea, and tragically died just days later as a result of injuries suffered while in North Korean custody.


Starting Withdrawal of Troops From Syria

On Dec. 19, Trump announced the withdrawal of 2,000 U.S. troops from Syria, as he declared victory against the ISIS terrorist group, which now controls only 1 percent of the territory it once held held during the Syrian civil war. The exact timeline of the withdrawal is still being negotiated, Trump said previously that it would be a slow exit.

The president has long campaigned for the removal of U.S. troops from the Middle East, arguing that there was no benefit for the Americans to be involved. In his first 2019 Cabinet meeting, he criticized his generals for their work in the Middle East.


Targeting Corruption in Venezuela

The Trump administration has taken a strong stance against the socialist regime in Venezuela, imposing sanctions on top officials responsible for people’s suffering.

Among those sanctioned in September 2018 was Cilia Adela Flores de Maduro, the wife of socialist dictator Nicolás Maduro. Six officials in Maduro’s “inner circle” were sanctioned as well.

“Currently, we are witnessing a human tragedy, as an example, in Venezuela. More than 2 million people have fled the anguish inflicted by the socialist Maduro regime and its Cuban sponsors,” Trump said.


China
The president has sought to change the relationship between the United States and China. The Trump administration is scrutinizing Chinese investments in the United States, fighting intellectual property theft, challenging unfair trade practices, and adopting a policy of strategic competition. In a recent sign of the new approach, the Trump administration banned American companies from selling to Chinese telecommunications equipment maker ZTE.


New National Security Strategy

In December 2017, the Trump administration unveiled a new national security strategy that named China and Russia as the United States’ main adversaries.

Referring to China and Russia as “revisionist powers” that are seeking to contest the United States’ “geopolitical advantages and trying to change the international order in their favor,” the strategy called for more cooperation with U.S. allies in the Indo-Pacific region to counter the two countries’ aggressive actions.




Scrutinizing Chinese Investments

As Trump blocked major Chinese deals to acquire U.S. tech firms one by one, the U.S. Congress raised the alarm on foreign investments that could lead to sensitive technology falling into the hands of the Chinese regime.

In August, Congress passed a bill that strengthened the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, an agency that reviews acquisitions, mergers, and other foreign investments in the United States for national security risks.


Rewriting the Relationship With China

In a definitive speech at the Hudson Institute in October, Vice President Mike Pence outlined how Beijing has deployed a “whole-of-government approach” to advance its interests in the United States and beyond.

Pence said the United States would no longer simply stand by. In the past, the United States engaged with China with the hope that exposing it to the principles of a free society and economy would help push forward other freedoms in the communist-ruled country.


Fighting Intellectual Property Theft

This year, the Trump administration made a commitment to begin a tactical offensive to counter China’s state-sponsored theft of intellectual property.

The Department of Justice has ensnared alleged wrongdoers in case after case of economic espionage—from Chinese spies to professors and engineers working in high-tech labs.

As outlined in the “Made in China 2025” plan, China is desperate to catch up in the production of critical technologies and end its reliance on imports.


Tariffs to Penalize China

Imposing trade tariffs was the chief tactic Trump used to punish China for its intellectual property theft and force the Chinese regime to play fair.

The “trade war” saga began in March, when Trump signed a memorandum to apply tariffs on $50 billion worth of Chinese imports. The United States has targeted electronic goods that benefited from the Chinese regime’s support. Meanwhile, the Chinese retaliated by imposing tariffs on U.S. agricultural goods—some of its largest categories of imports from the United States.


Pressure at the WTO

Similarly, the U.S. administration has formally lodged complaints with the WTO about China’s IP theft and other trade practices, partnering with the European Union and Japan to call out China’s behavior.

The WTO complaints target China’s heavy subsidizing of its state-owned firms and domestic sectors that the Chinese regime wishes to develop for national goals.





Sanctioning Li Shangfu, Arresting Xu Yanjun

On Sep. 20, 2018, the Trump administration imposed sanctions on China’s Equipment Development Department (EDD) and its director, Li Shangfu, for purchasing fighter jets and missiles from Russia.

Li Shangfu, along with the EDD, became the first to be sanctioned by the U.S. government under the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act.

Chinese Ministry of State Security operative Xu Yanjun was arrested in Belgium on April 1, 2018. On Oct. 10, 2018, after he was extradited to the United States, he was charged with conspiring and attempting to commit economic espionage and steal trade secrets from multiple U.S. aviation and aerospace




Actions Against ZTE and Huawei

On Apr. 16, 2018, the U.S. Department of Commerce banned American companies from selling components to Chinese telecom equipment maker ZTE.

In June, ZTE reached a settlement with the United States, agreeing to pay $1.4 billion in fines and to overhaul its board of directors and senior management.

On Dec. 1, as part of a U.S. probe, Canada arrested Meng Wanzhou, the chief financial officer of telecommunications giant Huawei, over allegations of financial fraud and of using a Huawei subsidiary to evade sanctions against Iran.

In May 2018, the Pentagon ordered U.S. military bases around the world to pull all smartphones made by ZTE and Huawei from all on-base stores.

[Black Orchid]

Another one bites the dust!

The White House said Thursday that the U.S. has killed Qassim al-Rimi, the leader of al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula.

A White House statement said al-Rimi was killed in Yemen but did not say when. The counterterrorism operation was conducted at the direction of President Donald Trump, it said.

Tribal leaders in Yemen said Saturday that a suspected U.S. drone strike destroyed a building housing al Qaeda militants the previous week, and Trump retweeted several tweets and media reports that seemed to offer confirmation that the Jan. 25 strike killed al-Rimi, The Associated Press reported at the time. The Arabian Peninsula branch is often referred to as AQAP.

"Under Rimi, AQAP committed unconscionable violence against civilians in Yemen and sought to conduct and inspire numerous attacks against the United States and our forces," the White House said.

Image: Qassem al-RimiQassim al-Rimi, suspected to be the military chief of al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, pictured on a Yemeni Interior Ministry document.Yemeni Interior Ministry / AFP - Getty Images
Al-Rimi was placed on the United States' most-wanted terrorist list after taking over al Qaeda's Yemen affiliate in 2015.

A 2017 Navy SEAL raid in Yemen also had a secret objective to capture or kill al-Rimi, but he survived, military and intelligence officials told NBC News at the time. Chief Petty Officer William "Ryan" Owens of SEAL Team 6, 14 al Qaeda fighters and some civilians were killed in a firefight, officials have said.

A Defense Department spokesman at the time denied that al-Rimi was a target and said the military "never had any hope, intention or plan" of killing or capturing him in the operation.

Al-Rimi was also the deputy to Ayman al-Zawahiri, who is said to have succeeded Osama bin Laden as the leader of al Qaeda, the White House statement said.

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Al-Zawahiri is on the U.S. most wanted terrorists list, and a reward of up to $25 million has been offered for information leading to his apprehension or conviction.

He has been indicted in the U.S. for his alleged role in the 1998 bombings of U.S. embassies in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, and Nairobi, Kenya. Those bombings killed 224 people, including 12 Americans, according to the FBI. Suicide bombers drove pickup trucks to the gates of the two embassies and detonated thousands of pounds of TNT.

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The White House statement said al-Rimi's death "further degrades" AQAP and al Qaeda, "and it brings us closer to eliminating the threats these groups pose to our national security."

"The United States, our interests, and our allies are safer as a result of his death. We will continue to protect the American people by tracking down and eliminating terrorists who seek to do us harm," the statement said.

Al-Rimi took over AQAP in 2015 after its former leader, Nasir al-Wuhayshi, was killed in a U.S. airstrike in 2015. Al Qaeda at that time named al-Rimi as his successor. Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula has been considered the most violent branch of al Qaeda, and al-Rimi had been said to be a key recruiter.

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/whit ... r-n1132076

[sprintcyclist]

Another one bites the dust!

The White House said Thursday that the U.S. has killed Qassim al-Rimi, the leader of al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula.

A White House statement said al-Rimi was killed in Yemen but did not say when. The counterterrorism operation was conducted at the direction of President Donald Trump, it said.

Tribal leaders in Yemen said Saturday that a suspected U.S. drone strike destroyed a building housing al Qaeda militants the previous week, and Trump retweeted several tweets and media reports that seemed to offer confirmation that the Jan. 25 strike killed al-Rimi, The Associated Press reported at the time. The Arabian Peninsula branch is often referred to as AQAP.

"Under Rimi, AQAP committed unconscionable violence against civilians in Yemen and sought to conduct and inspire numerous attacks against the United States and our forces," the White House said.

Image: Qassem al-RimiQassim al-Rimi, suspected to be the military chief of al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, pictured on a Yemeni Interior Ministry document.Yemeni Interior Ministry / AFP - Getty Images
Al-Rimi was placed on the United States' most-wanted terrorist list after taking over al Qaeda's Yemen affiliate in 2015.

A 2017 Navy SEAL raid in Yemen also had a secret objective to capture or kill al-Rimi, but he survived, military and intelligence officials told NBC News at the time. Chief Petty Officer William "Ryan" Owens of SEAL Team 6, 14 al Qaeda fighters and some civilians were killed in a firefight, officials have said.

A Defense Department spokesman at the time denied that al-Rimi was a target and said the military "never had any hope, intention or plan" of killing or capturing him in the operation.

Al-Rimi was also the deputy to Ayman al-Zawahiri, who is said to have succeeded Osama bin Laden as the leader of al Qaeda, the White House statement said.

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Al-Zawahiri is on the U.S. most wanted terrorists list, and a reward of up to $25 million has been offered for information leading to his apprehension or conviction.

He has been indicted in the U.S. for his alleged role in the 1998 bombings of U.S. embassies in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, and Nairobi, Kenya. Those bombings killed 224 people, including 12 Americans, according to the FBI. Suicide bombers drove pickup trucks to the gates of the two embassies and detonated thousands of pounds of TNT.

Related
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Two far-away bombings 20 years ago set off the modern era of terror
The White House statement said al-Rimi's death "further degrades" AQAP and al Qaeda, "and it brings us closer to eliminating the threats these groups pose to our national security."

"The United States, our interests, and our allies are safer as a result of his death. We will continue to protect the American people by tracking down and eliminating terrorists who seek to do us harm," the statement said.

Al-Rimi took over AQAP in 2015 after its former leader, Nasir al-Wuhayshi, was killed in a U.S. airstrike in 2015. Al Qaeda at that time named al-Rimi as his successor. Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula has been considered the most violent branch of al Qaeda, and al-Rimi had been said to be a key recruiter.

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/whit ... r-n1132076

[sprintcyclist]

[youtube]https://twitter.com/i/status/1226181379437797377[/youtube]

https://twitter.com/i/status/1226181379437797377

[sprintcyclist]

'Inclusive' Boom: It may be a surprise, but President Trump is nowhere near as unpopular among minority voters as the biased mainstream media suggest. Why is that? In a word, jobs.

Trump, it turns out, has been the most consequential president in history when it comes to minority employment. In June, for instance, the unemployment rate for Hispanics and Latinos 16 years and older fell to 4.6%, its lowest level ever, from 4.9% in May. The previous all-time low was 4.8%.

African-American unemployment bounced up from its all-time low of 5.9% in May to 6.5% in June. But that 6.5% still represents the second-lowest unemployment reading ever for Black Americans.

As for Asian-Americans, unemployment similarly bounced off its all-time low of 2.1% in May, rising to 3.2%. And that's still 0.6 percentage point lower than when Trump entered office.

Consider all the good news about minority employment when you hear reports of June's "disappointing" jobs data.

The truth is, the ripping jobs growth that began when Trump entered office and picked up steam after his tax cuts has been good for everyone in America — even liberal media pundits.

And it's also been good for Trump. Because quietly, he is winning over those who have benefited most from his policies: Minorities. On average, minority unemployment has dropped 18% since Trump entered office in January of 2017. More than 2 million people have dropped off food stamps and returned to work.

Despite a relentless media barrage aimed at Trump and his immigration policies, a new Harvard/Harris Poll found a 10% rise in approval for Trump among Hispanics.

Minority Confidence Grows
And our own IBD/TIPP Poll data show that, on average, minority Americans' confidence in their own finances has risen from 57.1 to 63.5 since Trump took office. That's important, since people's happiness with their own finances is a good indicator of future voting tendencies. As the Zogby Poll recently noted: "Even though President Trump receives little support from these (minority) groups, things might be going just good enough economically that ... Republicans can retain control of Congress and Trump gets re-elected in 2020."

By the way, we first discussed this phenomenon way back in December of 2017 and again in January of this year. At the time, we noted that a quick Google of the terms "trump racism" returned more than 25 million hits in under a second.

We wondered, if Trump were truly racist, "why would (he) put in place policies that, factually speaking, benefit minorities? It's funny, too, that those that sell this toxic brew of false racism don't mention the truth: That, like the rest of us, minorities thrive as the economy's growth picks up."

We have no reason to change our minds. When it comes to good news about minority employment, the Trump years are the best of times.

https://www.investors.com/politics/edit ... olorblind/

[Redneck]

Trumps Achievements ---FAKE TAN OF THE YEAR --- LOL

[The4thEstate]

You know that Trump is crushing it when tan jokes are the best counterargument the lefties can come up with.

As for the fate of the latest Islamic ex-terrorist leader, I can only defer to Bruce Willis:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YfpDSNNgYhI