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Trump’s roller coaster August: a timeline

by Tal Axelrod - 08/31/19 4:44 PM ET
by Tal Axelrod - 08/31/19 4:44 PM ET

Even by the standards of today’s breakneck political cycle, President Trump’s August was a roller coaster. 

The White House faced a dizzying number of controversies at home and abroad in a month punctuated by two mass shootings, recession fears, a burgeoning trade war, a looming hurricane and more. 

{mosads}The president has defended himself throughout, casting himself as the victim of undue criticism from Democrats or unfair media coverage. But in a month in which Congress was almost completely out of session, Trump was often the central and sole character in a litany of sagas. 

Here’s a timeline of some of the blows that struck the White House.

North Korea continues projectile launches – Aug. 1-23

North Korea continued a series of projectile launches in August, rattling international confidence that the hermit nation was open to negotiations on its nuclear and missile programs. 

North Korean strongman Kim Jong Un said the launches were warnings against joint military drills between the U.S. and South Korea, exercises the North sees as preparations for war.

Though many in Washington and around the world viewed the tests as breaches of UN resolutions against such launches, Trump appeared unbothered, called Kim a “friend” and added that his personal relationship with the North Korean leader could prevent further escalations.  

“Chariman [sic] Kim has a great and beautiful vision for his country, and only the United States, with me as President, can make that vision come true,” Trump tweeted. “He will do the right thing because he is far too smart not to, and he does not want to disappoint his friend, President Trump!”

Trump withdraws Ratcliffe as DNI nominee – Aug. 2

Trump announced on Aug. 2 that he was withdrawing Rep. John Ratcliffe (R-Texas) as his nominee to be director of national intelligence (DNI) days after he first tapped the Texas congressman for the job. 

Ratcliffe, who had served as a federal prosecutor before being elected to the House, had faced scrutiny about his qualifications and past statements critical of former special counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia investigation.

Trump blamed the “LameStream Media” for the scrutiny surrounding Ratcliffe, saying the lawmaker would be subjected to “months of slander and libel” if he moved forward with his nomination and that he would instead remain in Congress.

El Paso, Texas and Dayton, Ohio shootings – Aug. 3-4

The back-to-back shootings in El Paso and Dayton, which killed a combined 31 people, sparked a national conversation about the president’s rhetoric on immigration and led to speculation as to whether or not he would back stricter gun legislation. 

Democratic lawmakers pointed to the shooter in El Paso, who targeted Mexicans and is believed to have written a manifesto warning of a “Hispanic invasion,” as evidence that Trump’s often harsh talk and hardline policies on immigration help spark violence. 

“He’s been calling Mexican immigrants rapists and criminals,” former Rep. Beto O’Rourke, who represented El Paso in Congress before running for president, said in an exasperated rant to reporters. “I mean, connect the dots about what he’s been doing in this country. He’s not tolerating racism, he’s promoting racism. He’s not tolerating violence, he’s inciting racism and violence in this country.” 

Compiling on the brewing whirlwind, Trump spent the month giving mixed signals as to whether he would support congressional efforts to boost gun control measures. After reports surfaced that he would not support any calls for increased background checks following a call with National Rifle Association chief Wayne LaPierre, he later told reporters “I have an appetite for background checks. 

“We have background checks, but there are loopholes in the background checks, and that’s what I spoke to the NRA about yesterday,” Trump added. “They want to get rid of the loopholes as well as I do. At the same time, I don’t want to take away people’s Second Amendment rights.”

The aftermath of the shootings was also temporarily disrupted by a feud between the president and Dayton Mayor Nan Whaley (D), with the Ohio Democrat saying the Trump’s visit to Dayton after the shooting was “difficult on the community” in light of the strong divisions about his presidency.” 

Feud with the Fed – Aug. 3-30

Trump focused much of his ire in August on the Federal Reserve, tweeting 30 broadsides against the central bank this month alone.

Trump has repeatedly called on Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell to cut interest rates to support the U.S. economy and help level the playing field in a growing trade war with China. 

“Setting trade policy is the business of Congress and the administration, not that of the Fed,” Powell said at the Fed’s annual summit in Jackson Hole, Wyo. this month. “While monetary policy is a powerful tool that works to support consumer spending, business investment, and public confidence, it cannot provide a settled rulebook for international trade.” 

“As usual, the Fed did NOTHING! It is incredible that they can ‘speak’ without knowing or asking what I am doing, which will be announced shortly. We have a very strong dollar and a very weak Fed. I will work ‘brilliantly’ with both, and the U.S. will do great,” Trump tweeted in response.

“My only question is, who is our bigger enemy, Jay Powell or Chairman Xi?” he added, referring to Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Trump continued to hammer Powell throughout the month, later saying he would not discourage him if he decided to step down.

“Do I want him to resign? Let me put it this way: If he did, I wouldn’t stop him,” the president told reporters.

Recession fears sparked by inverted yield curve – Aug. 14

Fears of a recession were reignited on Aug. 14 when U.S stocks suffered their worst drops of the year, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average falling 800 points.

The stock market plunge was sparked in large part by an inverted bond yield curve, or when the yield for 10-year Treasury bonds falls below that for 2-year bonds. Yield curve inversions tend to precede recessions by 12 to 18 months. 

The market drops, in part fueled by economic uncertainty stemming from the trade war with China, also sparked fears among Republicans about Trump’s reelection prospects, as his campaign hinges largely on strong economic growth.

The president blamed the news on the Federal Reserve, saying Powell was to blame for the “CRAZY INVERTED YIELD CURVE.” 

Trump says Israel should not let Reps. Omar, Tlaib visit – Aug. 15

Trump sparked bipartisan criticism when he said Israel should not let Reps. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) and Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) in the country for a scheduled visit.

The president tweeted that Israel would be showing “great weakness” if it permitted entry for Omar and Tlaib, the first two female Muslim members of Congress and fierce critics of Israel.

Israel announced just hours after the tweet that they would bar Omar and Tlaib from entering, citing a new law that prohibits entry into the country for individuals who support a boycott of Israel. 

“The President’s statements about the Congresswomen are a sign of ignorance and disrespect, and beneath the dignity of the Office of the President,” Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said in a statement ripping Trump. 

Trump says Jewish Democrats show “disloyalty” to Israel – Aug. 20

The president poured extra fuel on the fire regarding Israel when he said on Aug. 20 that Jews who vote for Democrats show “either a total lack of knowledge or great disloyalty” to Israel. 

Critics seized on the remarks, saying they played on historical anti-Semitic tropes that Jews are not loyal to their home countries and instead answer to Israel.

“At best, President Trump is exposing his childish fantasy of America as a monarchy with himself as king. At worst, he’s knowingly trafficking in antisemitic tropes of dual loyalties, and feeding the hateful delusions of violent extremists. Apologize and end the dangerous rhetoric,” Rep. Brad Schneider (D-Ill.) tweeted.

Trump made the remark while he criticized Omar and Tlaib and their support for the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement against Israel, saying they “hate Israel and hate Jewish people.”

Trump postpones meeting with Denmark over Greenland – Aug. 20

Trump late on Aug. 20 announced he would postpone a meeting with the prime minister of Denmark after she shot down his talk of possibly purchasing Greenland, an autonomous Danish territory.

The postponement came after Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen panned the prospect of the U.S. purchasing Greenland as “absurd.”

“Greenland is not Danish. Greenland is Greenlandic. I persistently hope that this is not something that is seriously meant,” she told reporters.

Trump previously said that he’d be interested in the island for strategic purposes, but that the purchase was “not number one on the burner.” 

The U.S. Air Force has a base in Northern Greenland that is roughly 750 miles south of the North Pole.

Trade war escalates with new tariffs – Aug. 23

The trade war between Washington and Beijing escalated further on Aug. 23 when each side announced new rounds of tariffs. 

China declared early that day that it will impose tariffs on $75 billion worth of U.S. goods, saying the move was “In response to the measures by the US.” 

Trump fired back later in the day, announcing that a 10 percent tariff on $300 billion in Chinese goods set to go into effect on Sept. 1 would increase to 15 percent, and that an additional $250 billion being tariffed at 25 percent will be hit with a 30 percent tariff starting Oct. 1.

The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office this month estimated that trade wars are expected to reduce the average U.S. household’s income by $580 by 2020. 

Trump has maintained that the trade war would not harm consumers, though he appeared to admit this month that the tit-for-tat tariffs could cause some short-term pain. 

“Whether it’s good for our country or bad for our country, short term, it had to be done,” Trump said this month. “Someone had to take on what China was doing to the United States economically.” 

Global fissures emerge at G-7 – Aug. 24

Divisions between the U.S. and foreign allies were pushed to the fore last weekend as Trump arrived in France for the annual G-7 summit.

Several European leaders spoke before Trump’s arrival of their desire for Washington to take its foot off the gas in its trade war with Beijing and their push for a comprehensive plan to tackle climate change, an issue on which Trump has expressed skepticism in the past. 

Trump failed to appear for an event focused on climate change, saying he had prescheduled meetings with leaders who appeared at the panel. The summit was capped without attendees signing a joint communique.

Trump denies report he wanted to nuke hurricanes – Aug. 26

Trump panned as “ridiculous” an article from Axios saying he suggested dropping nuclear bombs into hurricanes to stop them from hitting the U.S.

“The story by Axios that President Trump wanted to blow up large hurricanes with nuclear weapons prior to reaching shore is ridiculous,” he tweeted. “I never said this. Just more FAKE NEWS!”

Axios reported that the idea was floated n meetings with Homeland Security and national security officials.

“They start forming off the coast of Africa, as they’re moving across the Atlantic, we drop a bomb inside the eye of the hurricane and it disrupts it. Why can’t we do that?” the source reportedly paraphrased Trump as asking.

Trump renews feud with Puerto Rico – Aug. 27-28

Trump renewed his quarrel with Puerto Rico as Hurricane Dorian descended on the territory late this month. 

The president had feuded with leaders in the past in the aftermath of Hurricanes Irma and Maria after officials blasted the federal relief effort as insufficient. 

“Puerto Rico is one of the most corrupt places on earth. Their political system is broken and their politicians are either Incompetent or Corrupt. Congress approved Billions of Dollars last time, more than anyplace else has ever gotten, and it is sent to Crooked Pols. No good!” Trump tweeted Friday.

Though Dorian has been upgraded to a Category 4 storm as it approahces Florida, Georgia and the Carolinas, it ultimately missed Puerto Rico.

Trump Thursday announced he would cancel a scheduled trip to Poland so he could remain in Washington ahead of the hurricane’s landfall.

Trump personal aide fired – Aug. 29

Trump’s wild month was capped with the firing of his personal aide, who he said was terminated after she made remarks about his children during an off the record dinner with reporters.

The president later told reporters that Madeleine Westerhout had called him and was “very upset.”

His comments came after Politico published a report saying Westerhout was let go because she told reporters during an off-the-record dinner with reporters that Trump did not like appearing in photos with his daughter Tiffany because he thought she was overweight. 

Trump denied making the remark, saying it was “absolutely false.”

Tags Brad Schneider Donald Trump Ilhan Omar John Ratcliffe Kim Jong Un Nancy Pelosi Rashida Tlaib Robert Mueller

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