Trump reassuring the world he's focusing on foreign policy

[webfact]

Trump reassuring the world he's focusing on foreign policy

By KEN THOMAS and CATHERINE LUCEY

 

NEW YORK (AP) — Donald Trump sought to reassure nervous leaders around the globe with his most public foray into foreign policy since the election, welcoming Japan's prime minister to Trump Tower on Thursday. On Capitol Hill, his incoming vice president aimed to project unity at home.

 

Trump planned a face-to-face meeting late Thursday with Shinzo Abe, his first with a world leader since last week's vote, after consulting with former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger and sitting down with South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, a potential contender to lead the State Department.

 

In Washington, Vice President-elect Mike Pence huddled with Republican leaders in Congress. He then met with House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and Sen. Chuck Schumer, the newly elected leader of the Senate Democrats, seeking to convey respect as Democrats prepare for Republican rule of both chambers and the White House for the first time in a decade.

 

"We look forward to finding ways that we can find common ground and move the country forward," Pence said outside Schumer's Senate office.

 

In a separate gesture of reconciliation with establishment Republicans, Trump planned to meet with 2012 Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney, who lambasted Trump as a "con man" and a "fraud" in a stinging speech last March. Trump responded by repeatedly referring to Romney as a "loser."

 

The two began mending fences after Trump's victory when Romney called with congratulations. They are to meet this weekend, a transition official said, speaking on condition of anonymity because he wasn't authorized to discuss Trump's schedule publicly. Campaign manager Kellyanne Conway said they were still "working on" the meeting.

 

Trump's actions Thursday aimed to show leaders both in the U.S. and overseas that he could soften his rhetoric, offer pragmatism in the White House and reaffirm longstanding American alliances. Since his stunning victory over Hillary Clinton last week, Trump has spoken with Russian President Vladimir Putin, British Prime Minister Theresa May and nearly three dozen other world leaders by telephone. But Abe's visit to Trump's midtown Manhattan high-rise was his first in-person meeting with a foreign leader since the end of the campaign.

 

Ron Dermer, Israel's ambassador to the United States, also visited the skyscraper and called Trump "a true friend of Israel." He specifically cited as another "friend" Trump campaign CEO Steve Bannon, whose selection as a top White House adviser has created a backlash among Democrats. Bannon's news website has peddled conspiracy theories, white nationalism and anti-Semitism.

 

"We look forward to working with the Trump administration, with all the members of the Trump administration, including Steve Bannon, in making the U.S.-Israel alliance stronger than ever," Dermer said.

 

Trump, a reality television star, business mogul and political newcomer, also rolled out new teams that will interact with the State Department, Pentagon, Justice Department and other national security agencies. The move is part of the government transition before Trump's Jan. 20 inauguration.

 

One potential Cabinet member, Eva Moskowitz, said had taken herself out of the running to become education secretary. Moskowitz, a Democrat and advocate for charter schools, met with Trump this week, stoking speculation that she might inject a bit of bipartisanship in the new administration.

 

Moskowitz, who voted for Clinton, suggested there were "positive signs" that Trump might govern differently than he campaigned, but she wrote in a letter to parents that many of her students, who are overwhelmingly black and Latino, would feel that "they are the target of the hatred that drove Trump's campaign."

 

Conway said she expected initial announcements of Cabinet choices to come "before or right after Thanksgiving," telling reporters Trump he was "loving" the transition. "He's a transactional guy. He's somebody who's used to delivering results and producing."

 

Trump's calendar has been packed with sit-downs.

 

During his meeting with Kissinger, who led the State Department under Presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford, the two discussed relations with China, Russia, Iran and the European Union. Other meetings have included Haley, the daughter of Indian-born parents, who would bring diversity to a Trump administration, Florida Gov. Rick Scott and Texas Rep. Jeb Hensarling.

 

As he left Trump Tower, Hensarling, who leads the House Financial Services Committee, said he and the president-elect had discussed tax and trade policies — and he left open the possibility of joining the administration.

 

"I stand ready to help the president in any capacity possible," he said. "I've got a great position in public policy today. If he wants to talk to me obviously about serving somewhere else, we'll look at serving somewhere else."

___

Thomas reported from Washington. Associated Press writers Julie Pace, Jill Colvin, Erica Werner, Jonathan Lemire and Matthew Pennington contributed to this report.

 

-- © Associated Press 2016-11-18

[humqdpf]

That Trump will focus on foreign policy is news that will bring relief to many Americans. Why? Because then he won't be able to focus on domestic affairs and mess them up!

[elgordo38]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

The two began mending fences after Trump's victory when Romney called with congratulations.

There you go folks politics A** kissing at its finest. 

[Jingthing]

What about the Baltic?

What about Crimea?

What about Ukraine?

Hmm? 

 

[kevkev1888]

34 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

What about the Baltic?

What about Crimea?

What about Ukraine?

Hmm? 

 

 

What about them? 

His meeting was with Japan's prime minister.

Edited November 18, 2016 by kevkev1888

[Jingthing]

34 minutes ago, kevkev1888 said:

 

What about them? 

His meeting was with Japan's prime minister.

You know perfectly well why I mentioned them.

Most of the world (and the MAJORITY of the AMERICAN people) are on edge and very concerned about what the wildly unpredictable authoritarian "populist" demagogue Mr. trump will bring.

 

Thus, it's quite interesting and darkly revealing the kind of world leaders that are HAPPY about the rise of trump:

 

Quote

 

What unifies Trump’s foreign admirers is the idea that the existing global order is rotten and should be torn down. Many of Trump’s domestic supporters would agree. All of the European parties cheering Trump’s victory seek the destruction of the European Union and, more generally, the tightly knit Western community centered upon shared values and interests. They are almost all strikingly pro-Russian because they see in Vladimir Putin’s Russia a country that actively seeks to undermine the current international system.

 

 

 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/these-foreign-admirers-are-cheering-trump-what-do-they-have-in-common/2016/11/17/bdd48978-ad0d-11e6-8b45-f8e493f06fcd_story.html?utm_term=.db29cd2bdeab

 

In other words, a vote for trump was a vote for PUTIN. I for one am horrified that PUTIN won the USA election and now it's verified that Russia was deeply involved in helping trump win. Rigged? That's the wrong word, but a hostile foreign power significantly impacting our USA elections should be of great concern and dismay to ALL patriotic Americans but somehow it's obvious the trumpists will never follow up on that.  

Edited November 18, 2016 by Jingthing

[Jingthing]

trump has shown signs, again and again and again, of mental instability and being a short fused vindictive HOTHEAD.

 

Now this character is president elect of the most powerful nation on the planet.

 

Many people very naively think there are checks and balances between this demonstrably mentally unstable man (don't believe it -- view his TWITTER history and campaign speeches) and the use of the nuclear codes.

 

Sadly, no.

 

The entire world should be very concerned that we make it as a planet through the horrible mistake that the American voters have made. I'm deeply embarrassed by what my fellow Americans have unleashed. All Americans share at least some guilt now in not doing enough to stop this from happening. The world was counting on us and we failed them. 

 

 But too late now.

 

See video about trump's access to the codes.

http://edition.cnn.com/2016/11/17/politics/trump-offers-flynn-job-of-national-security-adviser/index.html

 

 

 

Edited November 18, 2016 by Jingthing

[MisterTee]

5 hours ago, Jingthing said:

trump has shown signs, again and again and again, of mental instability and being a short fused vindictive HOTHEAD.

 

Now this character is president elect of the most powerful nation on the planet.

 

Many people very naively think there are checks and balances between this demonstrably mentally unstable man (don't believe it -- view his TWITTER history and campaign speeches) and the use of the nuclear codes.

 

Sadly, no.

 

The entire world should be very concerned that we make it as a planet through the horrible mistake that the American voters have made. I'm deeply embarrassed by what my fellow Americans have unleashed. All Americans share at least some guilt now in not doing enough to stop this from happening. The world was counting on us and we failed them. 

 

 But too late now.

 

See video about trump's access to the codes.

http://edition.cnn.com/2016/11/17/politics/trump-offers-flynn-job-of-national-security-adviser/index.html

 

 

 

Since his election victory Trump has shown signs of mental stability and of being anything BUT a short-fused vindictive HOTHEAD.

[lannarebirth]

7 hours ago, Jingthing said:

You know perfectly well why I mentioned them.

Most of the world (and the MAJORITY of the AMERICAN people) are on edge and very concerned about what the wildly unpredictable authoritarian "populist" demagogue Mr. trump will bring.

 

Thus, it's quite interesting and darkly revealing the kind of world leaders that are HAPPY about the rise of trump:

 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/these-foreign-admirers-are-cheering-trump-what-do-they-have-in-common/2016/11/17/bdd48978-ad0d-11e6-8b45-f8e493f06fcd_story.html?utm_term=.db29cd2bdeab

 

In other words, a vote for trump was a vote for PUTIN. I for one am horrified that PUTIN won the USA election and now it's verified that Russia was deeply involved in helping trump win. Rigged? That's the wrong word, but a hostile foreign power significantly impacting our USA elections should be of great concern and dismay to ALL patriotic Americans but somehow it's obvious the trumpists will never follow up on that.  

 

Well let's see what happens if he chooses Romney as Sec of State. 

 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/fact-checker/wp/2014/03/20/flashback-obamas-debate-zinger-on-romneys-1980s-foreign-policy/

[Jingthing]

51 minutes ago, MisterTee said:

Since his election victory Trump has shown signs of mental stability and of being anything BUT a short-fused vindictive HOTHEAD.

I can see that trumpist true believers would see it that way.

[elgordo38]

20 hours ago, kevkev1888 said:

 

What about them? 

His meeting was with Japan's prime minister.

Japan's PM Abe meets Trump, says confident can build trust Ha Ha Ha. 

[Briggsy]

I have written this in other threads and I will write it here.

 

Trump has no vision, no policies, no political convictions.

 

The statement, "Trump is focusing on foreign policy," is as meaningful as, "Trump is focusing on what to have for lunch."

 

Trump is all about being Emperor Trump. The policy details don't interest him one bit. He is interested in the adulation, the pure power, the money, the playing off of members of his cabinet against each other (The Apprentice revisited), toying with the media through his tweets, baiting to get a reaction, crushing those who oppose him but not the policies, ever.

 

If you want to know the policies of this administration, look at his appointees and what viewpoints they represent and their track records.

 

Unfortunately the 24-hour news cycle now means Trump is always able to shift the narrative before the conversation gets to any policy detail even an overview.

 

Frankly it would be better if the press ignored him and his inflammatory but ultimately vacuous statements. That is not likely to happen.

[geriatrickid]

If Trump wavers, and  does not show caution with the Russians aka  Retro style Soviets, he will be sending the wrong signals. Putin will smell weakness. take advantage and go for a hike in the Baltic states. The Chinese will  expand in SE Asia, choking US trade routes.  Every President knew this, no matter who, whether it was Kennedy or Nixon,  Reagan or Clinton. Even Obama knew that and it is why there are NATO troops deployed in the Baltic states now.

 

 

[Briggsy]

1 hour ago, geriatrickid said:

If Trump wavers, and  does not show caution with the Russians aka  Retro style Soviets, he will be sending the wrong signals. Putin will smell weakness. take advantage and go for a hike in the Baltic states. The Chinese will  expand in SE Asia, choking US trade routes.  Every President knew this, no matter who, whether it was Kennedy or Nixon,  Reagan or Clinton. Even Obama knew that and it is why there are NATO troops deployed in the Baltic states now.

 

 

Whilst I agree with everything you say, with reference to my post above, Trump neither cares nor understands. Latvia, Laos and Luxembourg mean nothing to him. They are all the same.

 

America has elected a clueless novice who is only there to inflate his own already huge ego. Therefore it is completely pointless discussing policy with respect to Trump. You might as well discuss quantum physics with a motorcycle taxi driver.

 

The best thing you can do is look to who he has delegated foreign policy/strategic policy to.

[Slickrick]

Trump will surround himself with real good people so whatever he does you'll complain. Think about it.