Last week, President-Elect Donald Trump took a break from his White House transition efforts to meet with three of his Indian business partners, raising yet more conflict-of-interest concerns regarding the relationship between the for-the-people Trump Administration and the for-profit Trump Organization. The Economic Times reports that Trump met Atul Chordia, Sagar Chordia, and Kalpesh Mehta at Trump Tower on Tuesday, after the trio flew to New York to congratulate Trump on his election victory. The three businessmen are building a Trump-branded apartment complex in western India, one of five luxury development projects underway in the country that have licensed the Trump name.
According to a report in the Argentine paper La Nacion, when President Mauricio Macri called Trump to congratulate him on winning the election, Trump used the opportunity to urge him to clear the way for a stalled office building development.
Talking Points Memo translated the story, which included comments from well-respected local journalist Jorge Lanata.
There are few foreign policy topics quite as complicated as the relationship between India and Pakistan, South Asia’s nuclear-armed nemeses. Any world leader approaching the issue even obliquely must surely see the “Handle With Care†label from miles away, given the possibility of nuclear conflict.
U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, however, doesn’t seem to have read the memo, injecting a pronounced element of uncertainty about the position of the world’s only remaining superpower on this most complex of subjects in a call with the Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.
According to a readout of the conversation from the Pakistani authorities, he apparently agreed to visit the country and said he was “ready and willing to play any role that you want me to play to address and find solutions to the outstanding problems.†He reportedly added: “You are a terrific guy. You are doing amazing work which is visible in every way.â€
The hilarity of his hyperbole aside, Trump’s intervention could have serious consequences for both regional and global stability.
The full readout of the call, according to the Pakistani government, is below. Trump’s transition team has not released a readout.
Trump not only refused to allow his traveling press corps to fly with him as Republican nominee, a break with tradition, but has ditched and mocked them for not keeping up. There is nothing here to give one confidence that he’d let reporters on Air Force One.
Journalists worry a lot about precedent because their access isn’t inscribed by law but hashed out through arrangements with the White House. Each presidential administration tangles with the White House press corps, but in the end, certain traditions are upheld. There’s nothing stopping Trump from deciding not to hold a daily press briefing or kicking media outlets off the White House grounds. His fans would likely love it.
(Snip)
Not only could Trump erode press freedom at home, but the Committee to Protect Journalists warned he was an unprecedented threat worldwide. “Any failure of the United States to uphold its own standards emboldens dictators and despots to restrict the media in their own countries,†the group said. “This appears to be of no concern to Trump, who indicated that he has no inclination to challenge governments on press freedom and the treatment of journalists.â€
Trump has drawn comparisons to autocrats like Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and has appeared unbothered by mentions of how they’ve cracked down on free expression.
Quote by Will in Chicago:
Good morning, bloggers!!!
Raine, can you combine the stub I wrote with this blog. Also, the link for the La Nacion article did not work.
From Talking Poinst Memo, Your Road Map to Paul Ryan's Plan to Privatize Medicare.
From Think Progress: Get to know the incoming Treasury Secretary's 'foreclosure mill' bank.
From Talking Points Memo: Sanders, Warren on Trump Treasury Secretary: 'Hypocrisy At Its Worst.'
From Think Progress: Black Lives Matter has a plan for the Age of Trump.
From Think Progress: Keith Ellison's Plan to Save the Democratic Party: 'Organize, organize, organize.'
Let us remember that despair is not an option. To quote Frank Herbert from Dune" "Fear is the mind killer."
Quote by wickedpam:
Did everyone get their Blogger Joe last night?
Quote by TriSec:
I now hope my mother does not live to see a Trump inauguration. Indications are growing that she may not.
Quote by TriSec:
I now hope my mother does not live to see a Trump inauguration. Indications are growing that she may not.
Quote by TriSec:
I now hope my mother does not live to see a Trump inauguration. Indications are growing that she may not.
Quote by Scoopster:
WHAT THE FUCKING FUCK TIM RYAN. ARE YOU REALLY THIS KIND OF SORE LOSER?!
Quote by Mondobubba:
Q: Can 2016 get any worse?
A: Yes.
Quote by Scoopster:
WHAT THE FUCKING FUCK TIM RYAN. ARE YOU REALLY THIS KIND OF SORE LOSER?!
Quote by Raine:
Hello?
Quote by wickedpam:Quote by Raine:
Hello?
Yes?
Quote by TriSec:Quote by Mondobubba:
Q: Can 2016 get any worse?
A: Yes.
Actually, since black humor is the only kind we have left, Mrs. TriSec and I have a side bet going on this. But we both picked Christmas Day, so it's unclear who is going to 'win'.
While it would suck, Christmas is such a big deal to us all, I'd be surprisingly OK if it happened that way. I can almost smile about it, as it seems altogether fitting for my mother.
Quote by Scoopster:
More dots are starting to connect between Russia and Trump.
Quote by Raine:Quote by Scoopster:
More dots are starting to connect between Russia and Trump.
The comment about her being the sister to Eric Prince?
The entire Diary is interesting, tbh.
In PA per 11/9 AM count, Trump 2,912,941, Clinton 2,844,705. After nearly every county has updated: Trump 2,961,875, Clinton 2,915,440.
— Decision Desk HQ (@DecisionDeskHQ) December 1, 2016
Quote by Raine:In PA per 11/9 AM count, Trump 2,912,941, Clinton 2,844,705. After nearly every county has updated: Trump 2,961,875, Clinton 2,915,440.
— Decision Desk HQ (@DecisionDeskHQ) December 1, 2016
The number didn't drop because of a recount, this was the official release from Philadelphia. They hadn't updated since 11/9
— Decision Desk HQ (@DecisionDeskHQ) December 1, 2016
Quote by Raine:In PA per 11/9 AM count, Trump 2,912,941, Clinton 2,844,705. After nearly every county has updated: Trump 2,961,875, Clinton 2,915,440.
— Decision Desk HQ (@DecisionDeskHQ) December 1, 2016