Fact-checking Trump on drug traffic from Mexico - CNN

"90% of the Drugs coming into the United States come through Mexico & our Southern Border," Trump tweeted. "This has gone on for many years & nothing has been done about it."

It's important to note upfront that Trump's claim is not about the origin of where these drugs are manufactured, but rather where they enter the US. Much of the data is derived from drug seizure statistics, which provide a less-complete picture of where these drugs are coming from.

Facts First: While a majority of illicit drugs enter the US through the southern border when considering measurements like the purity of certain drugs, it's unlikely that Trump's 90% figure is accurate.

Due to the difference in the purity of particular drugs, it's difficult to measure what percentage of total drugs are coming from which country since the primary measure (gross weight) provides an incomplete picture. For instance, in the US Department of Justice Drug Enforcement Administration's 2018 National Drug Threat Assessment the agency notes that it is impossible to determine what country supplies the most fentanyl.

The DEA says that due to rates of purity, "It is currently not possible to determine which source, Mexico or China, is the greater direct threat as a supplier of fentanyl to the United States." While Mexico imports a larger total weight of fentanyl than the US seizes at the border, the fentanyl coming directly into the US from China has an "exceptionally high purity," that can then be diluted to create more drugs.

The DEA also notes that Mexican traffickers get the majority of their supply for chemicals necessary to manufacture fentanyl from China.

In a statement to the Senate's caucus on international narcotics control in October 2018, the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement noted that "US law enforcement has identified China as the primary source of illicit fentanyl and fentanyl analogues entering our country."

When it comes to heroin, Trump's 90 percent figure is more accurate. In 2017, William Brownfield, the assistant secretary of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, told reporters that he estimated "between 90 and 94 percent of all heroin consumed in the United States comes from Mexico."

The DEA reported that "Heroin from Mexico accounted for 86 percent of the heroin by weight analyzed" in 2016 and that the southwest border "remains the primary entry point for heroin into the United States."

As for cocaine, the majority of the drug that winds up in the US comes from Colombia and enters through the southern border with Mexico. According to the DEA, 93 percent of cocaine samples tested were of Colombian origin. The Southwest border is the "principal entry point for the majority of the cocaine entering the United States," according to the DEA. The majority of seizures of cocaine coming into the US take place at ports of entry or Border Patrol checkpoints.

In its analysis of methamphetamine, the DEA also found that the southwest border "remains the main entry point for the majority of methamphetamine entering the United States" accounting for 97% of meth seizures by the Customs and Border Patrol.

Similarly, the report states that "Mexico remains the most significant foreign source for marijuana available in the United States," however the rate of foreign marijuana continues to decrease as domestic production continues to grow as more states legalize the drug.

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2019-06-01 14:30:07Z
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President Trump says he was shocked by Meghan Markle's 'nasty' comment about him - Fox News

President Donald Trump has revealed his shock at Meghan Markle’s “nasty” comments about him — but believes she will make a great American princess.

The US leader can expect a lavish welcome from the Queen, Charles and Harry at Buckingham Palace on Monday.

Speaking to The Sun in the Oval Office, Trump told of his great honor at meeting the 93-year-old monarch again, and how he’s ready to lock horns with the Prince of Wales on climate change.

Relations with Meghan are believed to be much frostier — yet Trump was generous in his praise for the new mom.

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Officially she will miss next week’s functions while on maternity with three-week-old son Archie. But it is thought she and Trump are being kept apart to avoid an embarrassing confrontation.

LA-born Meghan, 37, accused him of being “misogynistic” and “divisive” during his 2016 presidential campaign. The ex-"Suits" actress also pledged to vote for his rival Hillary Clinton.

Told of Meghan’s barbs by The Sun, Trump insisted it was the first time he’d heard them. He said: “I didn’t know that. What can I say? I didn’t know that she was nasty.”

When told Meghan had threatened to leave for Canada if he won in 2016, he countered: “A lot of people are moving here (to the US).”

SERENA WILLIAMS VISITS MEGHAN MARKLE, BABY ARCHIE: REPORT

He also revealed that he had no idea that he wouldn’t be meeting Meghan on his three-day state visit to the UK. He said: “I didn’t know that. I hope she is OK.”

Rather than hit back at Meghan in his customary fashion, the President seemed willing to mend fences — while saying she can flourish in her new role. He predicted she will make “a very good” American princess.

On her joining the Royal Family, he added: “It is nice, and I am sure she will do excellently. She will be very good. I hope she does (succeed).”

Meghan detailed why she didn’t like Trump in a 2016 interview on US talk show, "The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore." She said: “It’s really the moment I go. We film 'Suits' in Toronto and I might just stay in Canada.

“Yes, of course, Trump is divisive, think about female voters alone, right?" she said. “I think it was in 2012 the Republican Party lost the female vote by 12 points."

MEGHAN MARKLE'S FATHER SLAMS LIFETIME'S 'HARRY & MEGHAN: BECOMING ROYAL' AS 'DUMB FICTION'

“That is a huge number and with as misogynistic as Trump is, and so vocal about it, that is a huge chunk of it.”

She added: “You’re not just voting for a woman if it’s Hillary (Clinton). Yes, you’re voting because she’s a woman, but certainly, because Trump has made it easy to see that you don’t really want that kind of world that he’s painting.”

Trump, who will be joined on his trip by First Lady Melania, 49, is also ready to talk environmental issues with Charles over tea next week.

The Prince is expected to tackle the President on his controversial decision to pull America out of the Paris climate change agreement last year.

Trump told The Sun of the encounter: “I have met Charles before. I like Charles. I think that’s very good. We will be talking. I can say we have among the cleanest climate in the world right now."

“Our air and water are doing very well. We hope other countries can do so well. You know, it is a big atmosphere and frankly if one country is going to be bad and other countries going to be good, the country that is good gets penalized. Which is unfair.”

In a sign at how deeply Trump values the honor of his state visit and being hosted by the Queen, he is bringing all four of his grown-up children and their spouses to share the experience.

And he wants Ivanka, Tiffany, Eric, and Donald Jr to hold a “next generation” meeting with Princes William and Harry. The President said: “I think my children will be meeting them. It would be nice.”

He explained: “I am bringing some of the family. They are going to be there and we will be greatly honored by the trip. It will be great seeing the Queen for the second time."

“We had a very good talk the first one. We had a lot of interesting things to say. It really was a great visit. My mother also loved the Queen.”

This article originally appeared in The Sun. 

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2019-06-01 12:58:27Z
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2 maps show how every US state's economy could be affected by Trump's proposed Mexico tariffs - Business Insider

A long line of semi-trucks leave Mexico and enter the US, outside Laredo, Texas, July 23, 2015.REUTERS/Rick Wilking

• On Thursday, President Donald Trump announced plans to levy new tariffs on goods imported from Mexico.
• Those tariffs could hit states where trade with Mexico is a big part of the economy especially hard.
• States that border Mexico and big manufacturing states that rely on distributed, continent-wide supply chains could be affected.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

President Donald Trump has threatened a new round of tariffs on imported goods from Mexico, and it could hit certain states especially hard.

On Thursday, Trump announced plans to implement a 5% tariff on imported goods from Mexico in an effort to put pressure on the country to curb migrant flows into the United States.

The proposed tariffs would go into effect on June 10, and would increase by 5% every month until hitting a maximum of 25% in October — unless Mexico takes action to reduce border crossings.

Tariffs can have a negative economic impact on both countries involved in a trade dispute. Mexican firms exporting goods to the US could see a drop in sales, and American importers will likely see an increase in prices.

Friday morning, stocks were falling in industries like auto manufacturing, which has supply chains distributed across North America that could be seriously interrupted by increased trade barriers between the US and Mexico. Chipotle, which relies on imports of avocados and other produce from Mexico, also saw a drop in its stock price.

Several lawmakers and experts also warned that a new round of tariffs could threaten passage of the recently negotiated US-Mexico-Canada trade agreement updating NAFTA, which could cause further economic havoc.

Read more: From iPhones to fighter jets: Here's a list of American products that could be affected if China banned rare-earth metal exports to the US as a trade-war weapon

If the proposed tariffs come into effect, certain states where trade with Mexico makes up a big part of the economy could be hardest hit.

The US Census Bureau publishes annual figures for the total amount of goods imported and exported in each US state and DC. The Bureau breaks out import and export volumes for the 25 biggest trading partners for each state.

Big state economies that border Mexico exported a large volume of goods to that country in 2017. Texas had nearly $98 billion in exports, and California had nearly $27 billion. While it doesn't border Mexico, auto-industry supply chains contribute to Michigan's $12.5 billion in exports in that year.

Meanwhile, states with smaller economies and that are geographically further away from Mexico exported fewer goods. Hawaii's goods exports to Mexico in 2017 came to only about $1.4 million, and Alaska exported just $21 million in goods.

Here's each state's total 2017 export volume to Mexico, according to the Census Bureau:

Business Insider/Andy Kiersz, data from US Census Bureau

Imports show a similar picture. Texas imported nearly $90 billion in goods from Mexico in 2017, while Michigan imported about $53 billion and California about $46 billion. Meanwhile, smaller northern states like Montana, Vermont, and Maine imported much less from Mexico:

Business Insider/Andy Kiersz, data from US Census Bureau

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2019-06-01 12:00:00Z
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Trump defense chief says US won't 'tiptoe' around Chinese behavior in Asia | TheHill - The Hill

Acting Pentagon Secretary Patrick ShanahanPatrick Michael ShanahanOvernight Defense: Shanahan vows military won't be 'politicized' amid USS McCain controversy | House panel to start work on defense bill | Pentagon hits one year since last on-camera briefing Pentagon goes full year without on-camera briefing from top spokesperson Shanahan: China's militarization of South China Sea 'excessive' MORE on Saturday denounced China's moves in the South China Sea and efforts to steal technology from other countries, saying the U.S. will no longer "tiptoe" around Beijing on a host of issues.

Shanahan went after China while not mentioning the country by name during a speech at a major security summit in Singapore, blasting efforts to militarize man-made outposts in the region and accusing Beijing of destabilizing the area, The Associated Press reported.

"Perhaps the greatest long-term threat to the vital interests of states across this region comes from actors who seek to undermine, rather than uphold, the rules-based international order," the Defense chief said, according to Reuters.

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“If the trends in these behaviors continue, artificial features in the global commons could become tollbooths, sovereignty could become the purview of the powerful.”

Later, in response to a question, Shanahan stated, "We’re not going to ignore Chinese behavior and I think in the past people have kind of tiptoed around that."

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The acting Pentagon chief's remarks came as the Defense Department on Saturday released its first Indo-Pacific strategy report emphasizing "a free and open Indo-Pacific."

The report calls for a region where "all nations, large and small, are secure in their sovereignty and able to pursue economic growth consistent with accepted international rules, norms, and principles of fair competition."

"In particular, the People’s Republic of China, under the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party, seeks to reorder the region to its advantage by leveraging military modernization, influence operations, and predatory economics to coerce other nations," Shanahan stated in the report.

The document states that the U.S., meanwhile, "supports choices that promote long-term peace and prosperity for all in the Indo-Pacific."

"We will not accept policies or actions that threaten or undermine the rules-based international order – an order that benefits all nations. We are committed to defending and enhancing these shared values."

Shanahan's speech Saturday marked his first major international address since taking over as acting Pentagon chief in January and comes amid heightened tensions with China over a range of issues, including security and trade, with the Trump administration locked in a protracted trade battle with Beijing.

A senior Chinese military official responded to Shanahan's remarks on Saturday, saying U.S. actions on Taiwan and the disputed South China Sea were at odds with efforts to pursue regional peace and security.

“He (Shanahan) has been expressing inaccurate views and repeating old tunes about the issues of Taiwan and the South China Sea,” Shao Yuanming of the People’s Liberation Army told reporters after Shanahan’s speech, according to Reuters. “This is harming regional peace and stability.”

The senior official emphasized that that "China will have to be reunified," saying “If anybody wants to separate Taiwan from China, the Chinese military will protect the country’s sovereignty at all costs.”

President TrumpDonald John TrumpOcasio-Cortez returns to bartending in support of tipped workers: 'Still got it!' Trade wars have cost stock market trillion: Deutsche Bank analysis Dollar stores warn they will have to raise prices over tariffs MORE last month nominated Shanahan to be the permanent Defense secretary. His Senate confirmation hearings are expected in the coming weeks.

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2019-06-01 12:08:39Z
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Trump's Mexican tariffs expose administration rifts | TheHill - The Hill

President TrumpDonald John TrumpOcasio-Cortez returns to bartending in support of tipped workers: 'Still got it!' Trade wars have cost stock market trillion: Deutsche Bank analysis Dollar stores warn they will have to raise prices over tariffs MORE’s abrupt decision to impose sweeping tariffs on Mexico is exposing rifts within his administration on trade and immigration, two core issues he has repeatedly pledged to tackle but where he has struggled to gain ground.

The surprise Thursday night announcement marked a setback for U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Robert LighthizerRobert (Bob) Emmet LighthizerChinese, US negotiators fine-tuning details of trade agreement: report The Trump economy keeps roaring ahead Trump says no discussion of extending deadline in Chinese trade talks MORE, who argued the plan could threaten Trump’s North American trade agreement’s chances of congressional approval, according to three people familiar with the situation.

“Lighthizer tried to make his case once and failed,” said one industry source, who requested anonymity to describe discussions with the administration.

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A USTR spokesperson said in a statement that Lighthizer “supports the president and what the president is doing,” but did not specifically mention the new tariffs on Mexico.

Trump’s move was also a loss for business-friendly figures in the administration, such as Treasury Secretary Steven MnuchinSteven Terner MnuchinDemocratic senator threatens to block Treasury nominees over info on Trump's tax returns Consumer confidence rises in May despite new Trump tariffs To-do list piles up for Congress MORE and National Economic Council Director Larry KudlowLawrence (Larry) Alan KudlowMORE. Another industry source said Mnuchin, like Lighthizer, opposed the plan. Kudlow is reportedly away recovering from hip surgery.

A Treasury Department spokesperson said Mnuchin “supports the president’s position.”

Trump decided to threaten Mexico with tariffs on all of its imports as he grew increasingly frustrated with the number of migrants crossing the U.S. southern border, many of whom are seeking asylum, according to two people familiar with the situation.

“This is something the president has been bringing up for months and was kept at bay,” said the first industry source.

What, exactly, the breaking point was for Trump remained a subject of speculation in Washington, with some officials pointing to conservative media reports focused on major apprehensions of migrants at the U.S.-Mexico border. Others noted he teased the move during a diatribe against special counsel Robert MuellerRobert (Bob) Swan MuellerDemocratic lawmaker: 'The only thing I can get on TV to talk about' is impeachment Biden campaign: Impeachment 'may be unavoidable' now Chris Christie: Mueller 'contradicts' Barr's summary of his findings MORE and viewed it as an effort to change the subject.

Apprehensions at the southern border have risen exponentially since the early months of Trump’s presidency.

In April 2017, Trump’s third full month in office, the number of apprehensions at the southern border fell to its low point of 15,798, according to data from U.S. Customs and Border Protection. The figure has spiraled to over 100,000 in both March and April, the two most recent months for which data is available. The April total — 109,144 — was the highest of Trump’s presidency.

The president’s threat is seen as a boost for advisers such as Peter Navarro and Stephen MillerStephen MillerTrump Citizenship and Immigration Services head out at agency Trump expected to tap Cuccinelli for new immigration post Acting DHS secretary threatened to quit after clashing with Miller: report MORE, who have championed protectionist trade policies and a hard line on immigration, respectively.

Miller for months has urged the administration to adopt more aggressive measures to curb the number of migrants entering the U.S., in part by engineering a purge at the Department of Homeland Security, and he vocally pushed the Mexico tariffs, according to a person familiar with the situation.

The tariffs were discussed in a meeting on immigration this week at the White House that was attended by the president, Miller and White House counsel Pat Cipolline, among others, according to the person. Lighthizer was not present.

Navarro was one of a handful of White House officials who appeared Friday on cable television to defend the plan, saying it should have come as no surprise given Trump’s insistence that Mexico do more to stop illegal migration.

“If you look at it from an investor’s point of view and a corporate point of view, what we have in Mexico is the export, one of their high exports, of illegal aliens. And it’s a criminal enterprise,” the trade adviser said on CNBC.

Sources in Trump’s circle don’t dispute these divisions. But they also contend that the issue also has to be viewed through the lens of the 2020 election campaign, where a continued hard line on immigration will be a central part of the president’s appeal.

“This is definitely a victory for Navarro and Stephen Miller, but this is also a victory for the campaign team, which can use this as another base issue,” said one GOP strategist with ties to the White House who asked for anonymity to speak candidly.

It throws a wrench into the administration’s biggest legislative priority: passage of Trump’s revision of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), which has been spearheaded by Lighthizer.

The top trade official had formed a solid working relationship with Speaker Nancy PelosiNancy PelosiTrump antagonizes both parties on trade Trump's surprise trade strategy threatens new NAFTA 20 percent of Americans can't define 'socialism' even as it's become the focus of 2020 MORE (D-Calif.) that many in the administration and on K Street believed was yielding progress toward pushing the agreement through Congress.

They now fear that Trump’s new tariffs, combined with the White House’s decision to  formally start the clock on the legislative process over Pelosi’s objections, could stymie that progress, with one industry source calling the moves “a one-two gut punch.”

Lighthizer was reportedly unenthusiastic about the decision to pressure Democrats on NAFTA, a strategy that is said to be favored by Vice President Mike PenceMichael (Mike) Richard PenceTrump launching 2020 campaign on June 18 with Florida rally Trump announces tariffs on Mexico over immigration White House starts clock on approval for new NAFTA MORE’s team, according to The Wall Street Journal.

The Republican National Committee, which is closely allied with the White House, and the House GOP Conference both blasted out press releases this week accusing Pelosi of dragging her feet on approving the agreement.

White House counselor Kellyanne ConwayKellyanne Elizabeth ConwayTrump campaign manager calls Amash 'Phony,' 'Grandstanding Swamp Creature' Kellyanne Conway: 'Amash can do what he wants' Kellyanne Conway dismisses Hatch Act violation: 'Let me know when the jail sentence starts' MORE downplayed those fears, telling reporters “we are fully confident that [the trade deal] could pass the House.”

Although Trump has pushed for tariffs on Mexico for months, administration officials and industry groups described a slapdash rollout that some believe helped contribute to the widespread backlash against the plan.

The White House issued a presidential statement and held a conference call for reporters after Trump announced the tariffs by tweet. But behind the scenes, there was a scramble to pull together the plan. Some key lawmakers, including Senate Finance Committee Chairman Chuck GrassleyCharles (Chuck) Ernest GrassleyOvernight Energy: Trump allows use of ethanol gas in summer | Move to benefit farmers | Britain goes two weeks without using coal | EPA watchdog hands Pruitt probe findings to Congress Trump antagonizes both parties on trade Trump's surprise trade strategy threatens new NAFTA MORE (R-Iowa), were not briefed and major business associations were either not given a heads-up or told about it at the last minute.

Grassley, whose office said it found out about the tariffs on Twitter, called them “a misuse of presidential tariff authority” that could derail Trump’s NAFTA rewrite. That sentiment was echoed by business groups, with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce saying it might even sue to stop the tariffs.

The administration has sought to assuage fears that the skirmish over tariffs could spiral out of control, especially if there is little Mexico can do in concrete terms to meet the Trump administration’s demands.

Acting Homeland Security Secretary Kevin McAleenan has outlined three areas where progress could be made: tightening border security between Mexico and Guatemala; the Mexican government holding U.S. asylum-seekers on the southern side of the border while their claims are adjudicated; and tougher action against human traffickers and criminal gangs.

“Mexico should engage with us, and we wouldn’t have to take any additional steps,” White House press secretary Sarah HuckabeeSarah Elizabeth SandersLive coverage: House panel moves forward with Barr contempt vote Mueller's facts vs Trump's spin Trump says he was called 'the greatest hostage negotiator this country has ever had' MORE Sanders told reporters on Friday.

A person familiar with the process told The Hill that the new tariff move was “a graduated approach with an immediate exit-ramp if Mexico does the right thing.”

Trump has said that the tariffs would be introduced at a rate of 5 percent on June 10, and would then rise by 5 points at the beginning of each subsequent month, to a ceiling of 25 percent. The U.S. imported $346.5 billion in goods from Mexico in 2018, according to USTR, and the country recently became the U.S.’s largest trading partner. 

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2019-06-01 10:15:00Z
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Britain braces as Donald Trump marches into political mayhem - CNN

Theresa May last week became the second British prime minister to fall victim to Brexit. The governing Conservative party is engaged in a myopic fight over who will replace her. Voters are sick of the mess and are flocking to political movements on the extreme ends of the Brexit debate.

Ordinarily, a state visit from the sitting US President is a chance for the UK so show off to the world the "special relationship" it enjoys with America and Britain at its best. But the best outcome for the Trump state visit is that it passes with as little fuss as possible.

The chances of that seem slim. On Friday night, the Sun newspaper published an interview with the President in which he said that Boris Johnson, the current front-runner to replace May, would do a "very good job" as prime minister.

It was his second intervention in as many days. Earlier in the week, Trump said that Johnson was a "friend" for whom he had "a lot of respect." He said the same thing of the hard Brexiteer and Conservative Party nemesis, Nigel Farage. Trump even hinted that he might meet the pair while he's in London.

Officials would rather he didn't, and there's nothing on the official schedule so far. And while Farage would thrive from the attention, it's not at all clear that Johnson would benefit from a presidential one-on-one.

Under normal circumstances, someone hoping to be the next leader of a country would bite the hand off a US President offering an endorsement. But these are not normal circumstances and Donald Trump is not a normal President.

Johnson is often described as a British Trump. Both men have a history of saying controversial and sometimes offensive things in public (Johnson famously wrote a newspaper column last year saying that women wearing full Islamic face veils looked like letter boxes). Both have been accused of lying during political campaigns (something for which Johnson now faces a court hearing). And both have absolutely epic hairstyles.

However, the comparisons only work at this superficial level. Comparing Johnson's politics to Trump's populism is at best disingenuous and at worst a smear. The thing is, it's a smear that works.

Trump is not popular in the UK. Most Brits regard his style of politics as crass. His public comments about women and Muslims don't go down well. There is a sense of British fair play that tends to extend to the level of decency expected by those elected to power. This is especially true of Conservative party members. Think people drinking warm beer and watching cricket, not screaming "lock her up" at rallies.

Tim Bale, professor of politics at Queen Mary, University of London sums it up: "I think people in the US don't appreciate that Donald Trump is seen on all sides of British politics as a figure of fun and not someone to take too seriously. Any endorsement by him isn't likely to do a candidate any good -- and might do them some damage."

The problem for Johnson is that, in calling him a "friend", Trump has already given him something of an endorsement.

It's unlikely that Johnson feels the same. In 2015, when Johnson was mayor of London, Trump said that some areas of the British capital with large Muslim populations had become so radicalized "that police are afraid for their own lives." Johnson's riposte was that he wouldn't visit some parts of New York for the "real risk of meeting Donald Trump."

For Farage, the Trump connection plays differently.

His newly-formed Brexit Party finished in first place at last week's European elections. Broadly speaking, Farage's base is far more sympathetic to Trumpian politics than Johnson's. An endorsement from Trump could help Farage lock down that harder-line voter at a crucial moment in British politics. And Farage has the luxury of not needing to look outside of that pool of voters.

Unlike Farage, Johnson has to appeal to a far broader church if he is to succeed as leader. Many Conservatives voted to remain in the EU and remain ardently pro-European. As recently as October, liberal Conservatives grimaced at the idea of Johnson becoming prime minister. Today, many of them see him as their only option if they are to avoid electoral oblivion.

The success of the Brexit Party has spooked Conservatives. The longer Brexit remains unresolved, the more vulnerable they are. On Friday, the polling company YouGov published a survey of voters' general election intentions which placed both the governing Conservatives and opposition Labour behind the second-placed Brexit Party.

Brexit, as if anyone needed reminding, is the single most divisive issue in Britain today. Ahead of the Brexit Party in the YouGov survey were the Liberal Democrats, a party that campaigned in last week's European elections using the slogan "Bollocks to Brexit."

The UK's traditional two-party system has held for a long time, but it is creaking. Brexit has devastated the traditional dividing lines and rewritten the rules of politics. Neither of the main parties has even begun to work out how to address this new challenge.

And into this mayhem marches a US President with a proven track record of being wildly unhelpful to the British government. On his last visit, his opening gambit was to give an interview to the Sun newspaper in which he trashed Theresa May's handling of Brexit.

Last year, he publicly stated that the deal she had struck with the EU would prohibit the UK from being able to trade with the US.

Whether or not the President will meet with either Johnson or Farage is getting a lot of attention. As things stand, people working on the details of the trip do not officially expect either meeting to happen. But this is a president who marches to the beat of his own drum and loves attention -- good or bad.

It probably hasn't occurred to him that others would prefer that he kept his mouth shut.

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2019-06-01 09:54:46Z
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Trump creates diplomatic headache for U.K. even before state visit - NBC News

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June 1, 2019, 7:06 AM UTC / Updated June 1, 2019, 7:10 AM UTC

By Rachel Elbaum

LONDON — Britain and the U.S. may have a special relationship but President Donald Trump’s state visit will be a diplomatic balancing act for the U.K., where Trump is deeply unpopular.

Even before his arrival on British shores, the president caused a stir by wading into the contest to replace Theresa May as prime minister and criticising Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex.

Trump's trip comes as the U.K. is facing its most significant crisis since the Second World War.

It is currently in the midst of a long and messy divorce from the European Union, the economic and political bloc it has belonged to for more than 40 years.

That divorce has now brought down a second prime minister in less than three years.

May announced on May 24 that she will step down as prime minister and leader of her ruling Conservative party just days after the president's visit. Her party is now in the midst of a heated race to decide who will be its next leader — and the country's next prime minister.

In an interview Friday with the British tabloid The Sun, Trump said Boris Johnson — the divisive populist and ex-foreign secretary who is favorite to replace May — would make an "excellent" prime minister.

"I think Boris would do a very good job. I think he would be excellent," Trump said.

The president also referred to the American-born Duchess of Sussex as "nasty" over comments she made in 2016 threatening to move to Canada if Trump won the White House.

But he wished her well in her new life as a princess. "I am sure she will do excellently," he added.

The comments threatened to overshadow the build up to Trump's long-awaited state visit.

Trump is widely disliked in the U.K. He has a positive opinion rating of only 21 percent, according to YouGov, compared to 72 percent for former President Barack Obama.

But he told The Sun Friday that “I don’t imagine any U.S. president was ever closer to your great land.”

"Now I think I am really — I hope — I am really loved in the U.K.," he added. "I certainly love the U.K."

On Tuesday, the day after Trump’s arrival, thousands of people are expected to hit the streets of the capital to protest, like they did during his last visit in July.

It was a similar story for President George W. Bush, whose state visit came eight months after the invasion of Iraq.

Demonstrators protest against President Donald Trump's visit to the U.K. in July 2018.Yves Herman / Reuters file

Yet it’s precisely because of the U.K.'s Brexit mess that it needs this visit now more than ever.

With no Brexit deal in sight, and future trade ties with Europe now up in the air, a trade deal with the U.S. has become increasingly important.

“The cleaner the Brexit, the easier it is for the U.S. to strike a free trade deal with the U.K.,” said Leslie Vinjamuri, the head of the U.S. and Americas program at the Chatham House think tank.

“That plays into the hands of those who are pushing for a hard Brexit,” from the E.U. with no agreement setting out a framework for future relations.

On his last visit to the U.K., Trump didn’t hold back.

He blasted May over Brexit and warned that her plan could scuttle an American trade deal with the U.K. because Britain would remain too close with the E.U.

In his interview Friday Trump again criticized May's handling of Brexit, saying she "didn't give the European Union anything to lose" in negotiations.

“Any foreign intervention into something as sensitive as Brexit is tricky and likely to put people in a bad political position. People here will be very nervous on the extent to which they engage with it,” said Vinjamuri.

President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama met Britain's Prince William and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, at Buckingham Palace, in May 2011 during their state visit.Reuters file

There are few precedents when it comes to presidential state visits. This is only the third for a U.S. president since the queen assumed the throne in 1952, with Bush receiving the honor in 2003 and Obama in 2011. The queen only hosts one or two state visits a year.

This trip will stand in stark contrast to Obama’s visit in particular.

Obama and his wife Michelle were welcomed by the queen, as well as the glamour couple of the time, Prince William and Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge, who had married only a month earlier. Their Buckingham Palace banquet was filled with glitz and glamour and included former prime ministers as well as the mayor of London, and even actor Tom Hanks.

Ahead of Trump's arrival, however, some of the U.K.’s most senior politicians have said that the visit is a mistake and that they won’t attend the Queen’s uber-formal state dinner at Buckingham Palace.

Opposition Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn has refused to join the white tie event and said that May "should not be rolling out the red carpet for a state visit to honor a president who rips up vital international treaties, backs climate change denial and uses racist and misogynist rhetoric."

Corbyn, however, has been criticized for inviting members of Hamas and Hezbollah to an event in Parliament in 2009 and for calling the groups “friends.” Both groups are classified by the U.K. and U.S. as terrorist groups and have repeatedly called for the destruction of the State of Israel.

But he’s not the only political leader refusing to meet with the president.

Vince Cable, leader of the centrist Liberal Democrats, also turned down a seat at the dinner with Trump. And Mayor of London Sadiq Khan called May’s invitation “ill-judged” and called on her to revoke it in 2017 when it was first made.

Despite the objections to Trump's visit and the difficulty for U.K. politicians to head off any explosive comments the president may make, experts say that the close relationship between the two countries is bigger than their leaders.

“The government has made big attempt to say to people that however much you may find Trump objectionable you must distinguish the man from the office,” said the former Ambassador to the U.S. Christopher Meyer.

"This is a state visit, this is an honor for the whole of the U.S."

Rachel Elbaum

Rachel Elbaum is a London-based editor, producer and writer. 

Associated Press contributed.

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https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/brexit-referendum/trump-creates-diplomatic-headache-u-k-even-state-visit-n1008221

2019-06-01 07:10:00Z
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