Tariffs Part 3: The Wrath of Donald
President Donald Trump has thrown down the tariff gauntlet again, this time threatening France and…New Mexico?
President Donald Trump has thrown down the tariff gauntlet again, this time threatening France and…New Mexico?
(Washington D.C.) — As the December 15 deadline approaches that will place more punitive tariffs on China, and his recent threat of placing 2.4 billion dollars of tariffs on France President Donald Trump has threatened New Mexico with 1.4 billion dollars on goods made and sold in the United States.
After this peculiar announcement was given in a spontaneous press conference on the tarmac as the president and Press Corps gathered to head back to America, President Trump defended himself by saying: “Look, they’ve had a free ride for too long now. I’m sick of them not paying their share.”
When my colleague from the New York Times reminded him that New Mexico was a state in the United States, he stared blankly and said: “Well isn’t that just like the failing New York Times. Fake News! We’ll see about that once the wall is built.”
At which point White House Spokesperson Stephanie Grisham announced that it was time to go and ushered the president away.
As Trump ascended the stairs to Air Force One the assembled group looked at one another, gobsmacked. We all seemed to ask the same thing, “What just happened?”
The news traveled fast and within minutes Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell threw his support behind the president tweeting: “Big Turquise and the child labor used in making Dream Catchers has had enough of a ride. It’s time.”
Time for what was the most common comment in the replies to this tweet because no one has any idea what he or Trump is talking about.
Searching for precedence where tariffs can actually be applied on a state level, all reporters rolled snake eyes…because tariffs between states is prohibited by the U.S. Constitution.
Reached via Face Time to comment, Lindsay Graham responded: “Of course there’s no precedent. No one has done it before. Why would there be? Come on.”
As he walked away, he was reminded that it was prohibited by the constitution Graham snarled: “We’ll see about that now won’t we?”
Reached for comment on this bizarre announcement, a confused New Mexico Democratic Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham asked: “Are you serious? You can’t be. He said what?! That’s impossible. He can’t be…” and then caught herself before hanging up.
Attorney General William Barr immediately released a statement that he would look into the legality of the situation. Meanwhile, President Trump advisor Rudy Guiliani appeared on FOX within an hour and held up a bunch of cat pictures he had printed saying: “This is all legal. I don’t know what this is all about.”
New Mexico is a traditionally blue state which may account for the President’s confusion. Either that or because it does border New Mexico. Or perhaps he just thinks it’s a “newer” Mexico.
President Trump has again left the press corps and most of America confused.
This is a developing story.
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