Some commentators are surprised. The new President is doing exactly what he said he would do. The worldly wise well educated pontificators who confidently predicted Mr Trump would metamorphose in office to someone more like the various well honed expert politicians he defeated are having to change their minds.
Mr Trump told us he did not accept the idea that the US has to place climate change at the centre of its industrial and economic policies. References to that set of policies and beliefs have been taken down from the White House website. Instead Mr Trump has taken executive actions to make it easier to exploit US hydrocarbons and transport oil to market by pipeline. He understands cheap energy is an essential underpinning of an industrial strategy.
He told us he would get US corporations to invest much more in the USA. There has been a procession of business leaders in to see him to be asked to step up their domestic investment. Doubtless they have been told they will get tax cuts and regulatory changes to make the US more competitive. They will also have seen the reputational damage if they do not make suitable statements about their commitment to US manufacture. The car makers are now planning more capacity in the USA.
He has said he wishes to control inward migration, and to tackle the problem of foreign criminals operating in the USA. He has made some executive orders and is investigating his further options over the Mexican frontier.
He expressed hostility to multilateral trading agreements that he thought were not fair on the USA. He has pulled the USA out of the Trans Pacific Partnership, a complex large agreement which was not ratified by Mr Obama. He has begun the process of renegotiating NAFTA where he thinks Mexico has un unfair advantage. As this is ratified he will need to deal with the Congress on how to proceed.
The critical commentators will probably shift their ground from proposing he will change, to arguing the realities of government and the limits on Presidential power will now prevent him doing much of what he promised. It is true his tax cuts require action and goodwill by Republican Congressmen and women. Repeal of Obamacare and changes to existing trade treaties will need the approval of the legislature. Mr Trump is at his most powerful in his early days as President, and all the time there is a Republican majority in the Senate and Congress. He may again surprise his critics by being able to cut deals with the legislators to secure tax cuts, Obamacare change and other important items in his manifesto.
Mr Obama came to office promising to shut Guantanamo, pull out of Afghanistan and press for peace in the Middle East. He got wobbled off all of those and defined his Presidency by securing a deeply unpopular healthcare reform. Mr Trump needs to make sure when he spends his political capital with the legislators he buys something worth having which makes them and him more popular. Tax cuts might well do just that. The replacement for Obamacare may prove more divisive and difficult.
January 26, 2017
Like a lot of would be dictdators trump is only a loudmouth and a bully and we really won’t have very long to wait to see him perform. Countermanding some quite tame domestic issues is one thing but let’s wait to see how he’s going to mix it with the big boys on the world stage?- it’ll bge only a mattrt of time before he falls oiut with puutin..and what then?
January 26, 2017
You don’t approve of Donald then Jack? Well, I believe and hope you will be disappointed in your predictions.
January 26, 2017
Jack Snell
Just so we can track this, to see how accurate your predictions are… please identify who the “big boys” on the world stage are that will fall out with the President of the USA
January 27, 2017
Perhaps he is as you say a bit, but is the UK better of with a dithering, enforced workers on company boards & gender pay reporting, tax borrow and waste, interventionist, climate alarmist believing lefty?
One who want to keep all the barmy damaging employment laws of the EU and even to build on them. One who seems to think HS2, Hinkley C, greencrap energy grants and even Welsh lagoons are a sensible way to piss tax payers money down the drain.
Is this better? At least Trump understands the costs of red tape and of suffocating government. May seems to want ever more of it.
January 26, 2017
Tax cuts, cutting red tape, cutting government and cheap energy are the vital things he is doing.
Theresa May should do some rapid U turns and copy him on these. She & Hammond still want very expensive energy, to retain the absurd climate change act & the Paris climate change agreement, want even higher taxes, yet more red tape, even bigger government, silly white elephant, money down the drain vanity projects and yet more intervention everywhere. Wrong, wrong, wrong – get real Theresa. You agenda is destroying productivity and the UK’s ability to compete in the World the UK government is the problem so get out of the way.
His misguided protectionist agenda and his wall proposal will hopefully fade away, to become a few token gestures and a bit of a cheap fence and a few more patrols.
January 26, 2017
I seem to remember “British jobs for British workers” from our last but one PM.
That didn’t work too well did it?
I believe Donald will succeed in bringing home some of the work that has been exported. I see nothing wrong with that and dislike the overuse of the word “protectionist” when it really is just common sense.
January 26, 2017
Newsnight had various people offering advice to Theresa for her meeting, most were daft as one expects of the BBC.
All she needs to do is get a good trade deal moving and to copy him over cheaper energy, climate alarmism, lower taxes, far less red tape and government. Alas I think May is just another “BBC think” person.
January 26, 2017
Couple of telling points for me:
He had a meeting with a group of union leaders – long-time Democrat funders – and they came out saying what an excellent meeting it was and what great policies he has (repatriating USA blue-collar jobs) – if he delivers the Democrats will be in a bad position. A lesson for Mrs May there.
Obama and previous presidents treated the actual signing of executive orders as a ceremonial duty, the paper was put in front of them and they signed and the press took pictures. With Trump they put the paper in front of him and then he sits there reading it and then he signs. I guess if you’ve made your money New York real estate sector you have to be 100% sure of what you’re signing. A small point, but real world experience.
January 26, 2017
President Trump has got a difficult job to do, and has many enemies- who are willing him to fail. I have my reservations about him, but am prepared to wait and see how he performs. He should be given a chance. At the very least, he appears to be doing what he promised he would do, before he was elected. Thats a refreshing change in itself.
January 26, 2017
A real Conservative leader in other words. Something we haven’t seen here since ’92.
January 26, 2017
If my memory serves me correctly, the pro-EU wing of the Tory party stabbed the last true Tory leader in the back in 1990.
Tad
January 26, 2017
Mrs Thatcher left in 1990, and even Mrs Thatcher’s administration was rather wet, killed grammar schools, went more deeply in to the dire EU, joined the ERM, failed to reform welfare and the NHS, pushed climate alarmism and failed to cut the state, red tape and taxes down to size.
January 27, 2017
+1
January 26, 2017
I hope he can drain the stupid European effect out of the USA. Its certainly has been a country run by the weak and shows it in terms of business and infrastructure. Such a great country poured down the drain! What he achieves will be echoed around the world I expect.
I keep thinking of a new high Hadrians Wall…no idea why?
January 26, 2017
He is going to be protectionist. That much seems obvious.
Buy American and Hire American are his watchwords.
January 26, 2017
Good morning.
Great article.
Lower taxes in the USA could well spell doom for certain parts of the EU. Ireland and Luxembourg have long enjoyed USA investment due to there corporate tax advantages offered there. If most or all of this money cam back to the USA, and possibly the UK as well, then that is going to hit them hard especially as Germany still refuses to be the lender of last resort.
Germany does indeed use the Euro and the suffering imposed on other countries in the EU to keep its exports competitive. President Trump could well see this as an inhibitor to further USA growth and so might like to see the EU brought down.
President Trump is in office for 4 years. The Senators and Congressmen are up for re-election and would want to keep there jobs. So a successful and popular President is important. I am sure they will see good sense and will want to work with him.
January 26, 2017
Contrast this with our dithering implementing Article 50.
Now we have the spectre of a white paper being challenged in court.
No matter what concessions you make progress will be thwarted. Action this day as someone famous said.
January 26, 2017
John,
An excellent, balanced post as ever; a deep contrast to most commentators on Trump.
While not a huge supporter of the man, could I suggest to other readers of your blog a short book by the man himself published in the 80s? The Art of the Deal. A surprisingly excellent book, and with him now as President it’s a really useful tool which gives a glimpse into how he’s going to work (and appears to be working) and why he says some of the outlandish and abrasive things he does.
Let’s get on with a clean Brexit. Let’s get on with forming a new exciting partnership with the US, and a new exciting future.
January 26, 2017
I’m boycotting all celebrities involved in anti Trump/Brexit activities. For example: they can’t go lecturing the ‘rust belt’ poor about the environment while they jet-set it. Nor on EU people’s sharing their crowded streets while they buy up mansions and leave them empty.
January 26, 2017
A new broom sweeps clean, an old saying but true, but the broom does not work by itself, it needs someone to control it and move it in the right direction to sweep the rubbish up without bashing into, and thus damaging the other valuable elements in the room.
Clearly President Trump has a plan, he knows he only has 4 years, he knows time is of the essence, so he is pushing hard to implement as much as he can, as quickly as he can.
Others may try to frustrate him, but his commercial experience will then stand him in good stead, he will not suffer fools or slackers at all, so they will need together on with it, or get out.
Some people may not like what he stands for, but what a breath of fresh air to see action being taken and promises kept.
January 26, 2017
I believe Alan, he stands for the likes of you and I.
January 26, 2017
O/T BBC are still using ‘despite Brexit’ when talking about the City’s good health.
January 26, 2017
I know, and it’s wearing pretty thin these days, but did we really expect the pro-EU BBC to be anything other than sore losers who will stop at nothing to pour scorn on the democratic decision of the British people?
The BBC’s ‘look what you plebs did, we know best’ attitude reeks of neo-liberalism and the Notting Hill elite.
Tad
January 26, 2017
Thanks to Brexit and the intention to restore a real, UK based democracy…… would be a rather better approach.
January 26, 2017
The contrast between Obama and Trump is considerable and , in my opinion , now much more in the interests of the USA . Obama was a weakling in his ( or lack of ) foreign policy putting the USA on the back foot in World affairs . The establishment approach to problem solving has been rumbled ; diplomacy and tact goes hand in glove with bureaucracy . Positive and decisive action is the only way to clean things up ; it is not to everyone’s taste but it will get results . Judge Trump by results not sentiment .
January 26, 2017
Bureaucracy, the curse of progress.
January 26, 2017
It’s clear that political commentators are behind the curve when it comes to understanding the mood of the public. President Trump on the other hand has tapped into it and has been able to define, in layman’s language, concerns about Globalization, the outsourcing of jobs, Merkel-style state sponsored mass immigration and the role of government in using public money to promote agendas that are not popular with the public. In spite of all this, and the clear grassroots support for Trump, media remains hostile and condescending to the new President. From what I’ve seen of President Trump’s economy policy so far I predict that he will create a jobs and growth boom. When this happens I hope the media will show some humility and admit that they we wrong.
January 26, 2017
Anthony, the media, at least much of them, work for the enemy.
January 26, 2017
Well said John.
You have to give it to the President he has really stepped up to the mark. With politics and industry you get three types of people.
Those that make it happen.
Those who wish it could happen.
Those who wonder what the **** happened.
President Trump is making it happen. I wonder how many of the members of the house could be placed in that category?
January 26, 2017
I have been spectacularly unimpressed with the British establishment’s reaction to the Trump “protectionism”. Their high and superior attitudes forget that we already live in a world full of different kinds of protectionism. The professions dominated by the ruling class such as law, accountancy, journalism, and so on, already have high “barriers to entry” and there is demonstrably little inward migration to undercut locals in those jobs markets, aided by the immigration system, and they are all areas where little offshoring has taken place.
We have the finance industry which is subject to heavy state intervention in its favour, where for instance the government is happy to hand out work visas (in other parts of the workforce) to countries to allow their nationals to come here in exchange for those countries supposedly relaxing terms of entry for our financial businesses into their markets. In other words we sacrifice large parts of our workforce who we subject to imported and offshored workers undercutting and displacing their jobs in support of the finance industry.
The British and German car industries only exist because of real and threated trade barriers against Japan, a country which would have totally wiped out European and UK car production if they had not been forced to open plants here and in Europe, and restrict their imports from Japan.
We should stop pretending that we believe in “free trade” because that is a half-truth as these examples show. There is nothing wrong with being patriotic and fighting for your own workforce.
And it’s about time other parts of our workforce enjoyed equal protection as those dominated by the ruling classes.
I am impressed that Trump has been 1 tweeting directly to the world and 2 using information and ideas in the best replies from ordinary people to dynamically improve his policies in real time. Cutting out weeks and months of Chinese whispers from the press etc.
January 26, 2017
” ruling classes”. I think Iain, they have discovered they do not rule after all.
At least I hope so.
January 26, 2017
During the Presidential election our media commentators comforted themselves by saying the Trump electorate didn’t take Trump literally . With Trump starting to implement everything he said he would they are going to have to reassess their comfort, and no doubt be in a greater panic they already were as Trump rolls back all their PC ‘truths’.
January 26, 2017
A very balanced and able summary.
January 26, 2017
“Mr Trump needs to….”. He, thank goodness is perhaps the one person who doesn’t need you to tell him what to do. Look after yourself now. You’ve done more than almost anyone in the battle over the years.
January 26, 2017
‘Mr Trump told us he did not accept the idea that the US has to place climate change at the centre of its industrial and economic policies’
– Great, so Mr Trump’s grandchildren and future generations will be left glowing fluorescent green from increased air pollution just to cater to the financial needs of people would want to live a life of gold bling, including putting up gold curtains in the White House.
Yes, to increasing GDP. But not at any cost. Including ruining our beautiful countryside, making our world more hazardous to live in and making life a bit more rubbish to live in for our children and grandchildren, whilst being too impatient and lazy to wait for and work with science to come up with the solutions we need precisely to help us increase our GDP without destroying our planet!
(My criticism is of Mr Trump here not anyone else)
January 26, 2017
Ed Mahony
Air pollution has NOTHING what so ever to do with climate change. The climate change agenda is about global warming allegedly caused by increased levels of CO2.
Pollution is caused by particulates ( as in diesel fuel for example, a technology backed and promoted by the EU ) and chemicals in the atmosphere, but is also caused by rubbish, and waste products being dumped . Some of us are old enough to remember really pollution caused by smog in London for example.
If you really believe CO2 is harming the planet then you should kill all farm animals ( biggest producers by a country mile) then find a way to stop volcanoes and basalt traps and by huge investment in the cleanest most renewable fuel there is….nuclear power
January 27, 2017
I support nuclear power.
I was being lazy in my use of ‘pollution’
And i agree with your point about the EU.
We can debate ad fin about all this, all i’m saying is that we should explore more what science can do to improve things environmentally in general – and of course, that will require a certain amount of hard work.
Regards
January 26, 2017
Assuming Ed, that climate change is not bullshit.
January 27, 2017
@Getahead,
I think it isn’t bullshit. But what is bullshit is the view of some / many radical ‘environmentalists’ that business is basically evil (not just business belching pollution into the air).
We can increase our GDP and decrease pollution by using our 1. intelligence 2. patience 3. hard work 4. imagination + 5. SCIENCE (science is, or can be, brilliant – let’s have more faith in it …).
Regards
January 27, 2017
Interestingly Ed you could swap climate change for freedom of movement in your post and capture most of my fears about that phenomenon.
Freedom of movement is just a way of keeping GDP rising. The donor countries get inward flow of funds the recipient countries get cheap labour and more consumers. The little people pay the price now and down the line.
January 27, 2017
@Narrow
I’ve always argued that freedom of movement has to be restricted / controlled. I voted remain, but argued that restriction / control should be implemented throughout the EU through reform (for the benefit of the UK overall but for the rest of the EU as well).
Saying that, i fully respect the referendum result, and i have no time for those who want to stall our leaving of the EU (and even come around to us leaving the single market now that we voted to leave the EU – although ideally, i’d like us to remain within the single market but with the EU reformed in particular over freedom of movement).
And now the most important thing is for us all to unite under Theresa May as she takes us out of the EU.
Regards
January 26, 2017
Another pace-setting piece John.
Perhaps politicians on both sides of the Atlantic could take a leaf out of President Trump’s book – he is clearly another pace-setter.
It is truly remarkable, if not shameful, that a significant number of politicians need to be shown the way to go by someone who has no political experience. Watching and listening to the remainiacs for the past forty-odd years, particularly, but not exclusively on the Labour and Liberal Democrat benches, it is patently obvious they have a great deal to learn. Their arguments are incoherent, ill-founded, and often downright crass.
I wish President Trump well. He clearly means business, and maybe only a businessman can get the United States back on an even keel and reverse the decline. A lawyer didn’t seem to have much success last time, and the people of the United States deserve better for they have been badly-led, as indeed have the people of the United Kingdom and Europe whom, especially in the case of the latter, have witnessed social misery on a massive scale because of political ineptitude.
Tad Davison
Cambridge
January 26, 2017
Really a social worker last time, not a lawyer. It’s what you’d expect.
January 26, 2017
Lawyers do have a habit of thinking that passing laws (and more daft regulations) makes things fairer and better. It nearly always makes things worse (for all but the parasitic lawyers and bureaucrats).
January 27, 2017
No way was Obama a social worker. He was a “community activist”. Which means sinecured rabble rouser.
January 26, 2017
‘and maybe only a businessman can get the United States back on an even keel and reverse the decline’
– Donald Trump inheritted a fortune to play with from his Daddy. Lost a fortune. And is now back up – but as a property entrepreneur.
He’s an aggressive tactician. Not a big-thinking, corporate strategist such as Lou Gerstner (of IBM) or a businessman who is both an entrepreneur and a corporate strategist such as Bill Gates.
Bill Gates built up Microsoft slowly but surely by applying deep-thinking strategy (as well as tactics), including building up a company that people liked working in, working with and buying from.
So if you want a businessman, fine, go for a Bill Gates. And if you can’t get a Bill Gates, go for a Lou Gerstner. But please, not Donald Trump.
January 26, 2017
It is worth remarking on his decision to invite labour union leaders to meet him in the Oval Office. They represent an important constituency that helped get him elected. Many will have previously voted the Democratic ticket. I imagine it is part of his strategy to get such voters on his side for when he meets opposition in Congress. Congresssional members have to get elected too, some in two years time. His attack on the Beltway class, in his inaugural address, and his direct appeal to the people needs to be taken seriously by its members.
January 26, 2017
So with UKIP too. Osborne/Blackstone eat your heart out!
January 26, 2017
You say “Some commentators are surprised. The new President is doing exactly what he said he would do.”
Well not what happens in the UK very often or with politicians in general. They promise referendums, lower taxes, cutting of red tape and better public services and deliver the exact reverse almost every time.
We are still waiting for Osborne’s and the Tories £1M (each) inheritance thresholds as promised many years ago. Philip Hammond please take note.
If Trump expects a Maggie Thatcher II, he is likely to be very disappointed with the dithering Theresa Miliband. She needs to listen to him and get real especially on energy and the size of government.
January 26, 2017
OMG Lifelogic, I couldn’t agree more.
January 26, 2017
Anything that challenges the current progressive group think and conventional wisdom is to be applauded and Trump is certainly doing that (it’s a pit T May is moving in the opposite direction). We on the right have been bemoaning the dominance of progressive policies on immigration, climate change, trade and at last something is practical is being done to address our discontent. Displeasure with progressive dogma does not arise out of racism, lack of intellect and the many other derogatory names they call us but out of belief that they are being tackled incompetently and unfairly. We are not against their aims but the means they use to achieve them.
Unfortunately some of Trumps actions although contrary to progressive ones will not correct but worsen them. So any triumphs and there will be some based on the simple fact they are not progressive think inspired will be overshadowed by his failures. Trade if he follows his rhetoric will be sure to fail as he will not follow the path to free trade but to protectionism.
January 26, 2017
Economic Nationalism and bi-lateralism will fast become the new norm’. Trump represents this new breed of leader with applied intelligence, less about numbers on a chart, more about the faces behind those numbers.
He gets out of bed each day thinking of how many jobs he can create, and not liberal consensus grand-standing themes such as those prattled on about at the UN squabble club.
Very interesting to note the distinction between the left urging Mrs May to talk to Trump about torture, refugees and GW, and the right urging her to talk trade and enterprise, things that deliver untold benefits.
Lefties aren’t interested in enterprise and the bounty that flows from it, could this be why Labour run areas rotted instead of flowered?
January 26, 2017
Nice to know there is a country where things can be done quickly. Compare that to the farce that Brexit has turned into here. Looks as if we may not get out of the EU after all. Were we not told how simple it would be? Naïve politics with bells on. Weakness and complacency in underestimating opposition and of course concession at every turn.
And perhaps we could be reminded just how simple English Votes was going to be too. That turned into farce as well. Half-hearted, half baked and, as forecast, walked all over by its enemies.
For that we need someone who is prepared to say only a true English parliament will do, and to campaign for it, but we will never get that from a Unionist politician. No Unionist MP can ever speak truly and unambiguously for England, which by definition must always come second to the Union. Someone has to break away.
January 26, 2017
Trump is doing just what he said he would do – the reasons he was voted in was the people believe he would achieve his aims. The liberal media scoffed at every point, and as you say, John, predicted he would back off. I am delighted he is delivering on his promises, this is very good for Britain and good for the world.
Obamacare was a disaster, well covered up by the liberal media, most people’s healthcare plans doubled in cost, and not helping those in need. It was so bad that almost any alternative will be an improvement.
January 26, 2017
Americans call it, ‘Hitting the ground running’.
January 26, 2017
It will be interesting to see if a pragmatic business person does better than a career politician.
January 26, 2017
It has been spotted Trump is just one man. He has many enemies in his own party. Equally those enemies have had to water-down their own opinions and voting practice in the past so as not to appear extreme. They can now blame everything on “Trump the Extremist” and behave honestly in voting.
So we’ll see how the cake has turned out in a year or so.
January 26, 2017
As with Brexit it largely hinges on what the earth scorchers get up to – fronted by actors, actresses and musicians.
January 26, 2017
Off-topic, I suppose I should not be too disappointed with the government’s Bill to:
“Confer power on the Prime Minister to notify, under Article 50(2) of the Treaty on European Union, the United Kingdom’s intention to withdraw from the EU”
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/bills/cbill/2016-2017/0132/17132.pdf
Even though it incorporates only the first of the four precautionary provisions which I suggested a few days ago:
http://johnredwoodsdiary.com/2017/01/24/industrial-strategy/#comment-853425
That is, in Section 1: “(2) This section has effect despite any provision made by or under the European Communities Act 1972 or any other enactment.”
However I still wonder whether this will be enough to thwart all those Remoaners who wish to start another round of vexatious legal challenges, especially about whether this Act will also authorise the UK’s departure from the EEA.
The government seems to be assuming that if we leave the EU we automatically leave the EEA as well, that is unless the Agreement is suitably amended, but there has already been one legal case started up about precisely that:
http://www.cityam.com/257060/article-127-court-hearing-now-due-february-government
“Article 127 court hearing now due in February …”
January 26, 2017
Interesting oldish BBC you tube “The century of the self – Part 1 ”
re Bernays etc. New elite controlling the bewildered herd. Propaganda celebs/politicians, mass persuasion.
January 26, 2017
Trump at the Republican meeting in Pennsylvania has just said that his appointment of a Commerce Secretary is being delayed by the Democrats. “How can we negotiate a trade deal when the PM…of the UK …comes tomorrow? It looks like I’ll have to do it myself! 🙂
I like Donald.
January 26, 2017
Well I don’t know about everyone else I but am fed up with the slow progress our governments make when compared with Trump.
How many months do we have to wait for real change?? Climate change rubbish is rapidly destroying our industry but do we get any change????? NO. We are still being forced to paying subsidies for nothing. Yes, turning off power. You couldn’t make it up. Industry has to pay other ‘industries’ for switching off. Madness. At least Trump has his head screwed on. Why does it take so long for this country to do anything sensible? There are so many obstacles in the way of sensible ideas. I really hope Trump makes a success of the nonsense Obama and others have inflicted on the USA. It’s all similar to what is going on in the UK.
I, and I am sure others are sick to death of the same arguments going back and forward over Brexit and getting nowhere. Let’s to do something for God’s sake. We hear a lot of words but not much action. Action this day is something of the past when leaders really were leaders.
January 26, 2017
Your first two paragraphs John, are exactly what UKIP think about our energy policy. While I find your blog informative on many things I refer to Roger Helmer’s blog for information and accuracy about energy and our needs.
January 26, 2017
If Mrs May is smart, she will sub contract Mr Trump to negotiate Brexit for us. I think he would need only 10 seconds to sort out Juncker & Co!
January 26, 2017
Sacking have started and most international organization funded by usa will have funding taken away, will the liberal in parliament step in and fund them, most likely the reason for may visit.
January 26, 2017
Seems that Trump is also having a positive influence on Boris Johnson. First time I have heard BJ talking real sense for a while. One can only hope that Trump can deliver also change where Theresa May is concerned. I believe she has a lot to learn:
http://www.express.co.uk/news/politics/759383/Boris-Johnson-Britain-Syria-rethink-accept-Bashar-Assad-running-election
“Boris Johnson – Britain ‘needs Syria rethink’ and ‘ACCEPT’ Assad running for re-election.
BRITAIN might need to “think afresh” about Syria – and accept President Bashar Assad running for re-election, Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said today.
He also left the door open to a deal with Russia to wipe out so-called Islamic State in Syria, which has been riven by nearly six years of brutal civil war.
“I see downsides and I see risks in us going in, doing a complete flip flop, supporting the Russians, Assad,” Mr Johnson told the House of Lords’ International Relations Committee. “But I must also be realistic about the way the landscape has changed and it may be that we will have to think afresh about how to handle this.”
January 26, 2017
Trump trade will be informal, just give the trade office ring and they will tell you if there is any tariff on what you want to send, he more than likely already has a list, sign trade deals are for the birds with trump.
January 26, 2017
The Germans have spent 100 billion Euros on renewable energy, shutting down nuclear and replacing it with coal and gas which is supposed to prop up wind energy. It has not worked and CO2 emissions have risen. What a waste of money. At least Trump has the good sense to recognise this fact.
January 27, 2017
Seems that Trump is also having a positive influence on Boris Johnson. First time I have heard BJ talking real sense for a while. One can only hope that Trump can also deliver change where Theresa May is concerned. I believe she has a lot to learn:
http://www.express.co.uk/news/politics/759383/Boris-Johnson-Britain-Syria-rethink-accept-Bashar-Assad-running-election
“Boris Johnson – Britain ‘needs Syria rethink’ and ‘ACCEPT’ Assad running for re-election.