Trump backing down...on everything

[GMDino]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-backs-off-threat-to-close-southern-border-immediately-says-hell-give-mexico-one-year-warning-on-drugs-migrants/2019/04/04/5fd35dfa-56f6-11e9-814f-e2f46684196e_story.html?fbclid=IwAR3pY8NepgYGOqLmxNlH6-W6kIhQUSGxciPt9BR_pfynZuvzl4rO9wY_Tmg&utm_term=.336a61c3a126

Quote:Facing widespread opposition, President Trump backed down Thursday from his threat to close the southern border, instead giving Mexico a “one-year warning,” but also leaving his administration with no clear path to deal with a record surge of migrant families.


Trump had issued an ultimatum on Twitter late last week that he would move to seal the border to trade and travel if Mexican authorities did not halt illegal immigration.


The president’s pronouncement, coming amid reports that U.S. Border Patrol was at the “breaking point,” surprised White House aides and sparked fear among Republican allies and business leaders over the potentially devastating economic impact of closing the 2,000-mile border with the nation’s third-largest trading partner.


In the days after his tweet, Trump and his senior advisers issued conflicting signals about his intentions, with some aides privately expressing befuddlement over his strategy. The president offered no public details, and aides worked behind the scenes to craft a plan that would satisfy Trump but minimize the economic harm.

Those efforts were rendered moot Thursday when Trump, in an exchange with reporters at the White House, suddenly shifted gears, saying that if Mexico does not stem the flow of drugs and migrants into the United States within the next year, he will impose first tariffs on cars and then, possibly, close the border.


“We’re going to give them a one-year warning, and if the drugs don’t stop or largely stop, we’re going to put tariffs on Mexico and products, particularly cars,” Trump said. “And if that doesn’t stop the drugs, we close the border.”

Later in the afternoon, ahead of a trade meeting with Chinese officials, Trump praised Mexico for “doing a very good job in the last three or four days since we talked about closing the border,” even though Mexican authorities have said they have not altered their enforcement policies.

[Trump extends threat of border closure, shifting ultimatum to U.S. lawmakers]


The president’s decision offered relief to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, which along with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) had lobbied Trump not to act.



“We welcome the President’s decision not to close the Mexican border,” Neil Bradley, the Chamber’s executive vice president, said in a statement. He called on Congress and the White House to ensure that U.S. Customs and Border Protection, which has shifted personnel to help process the migrant families, has sufficient resources “to reduce the excessive wait times affecting legitimate trade and travel across the border.”

Now, before the usual defenders wander in...yes, it's a good thing that he isn't just closing the border willy nilly like an uneducated buffoon would normally do.  It's still funny that he blusters without any knowledge and then when he backs off because EVERYONE tells him it's an awful idea he still tries to act like he's a "tough guy" when in reality he has no idea what he is doing and just talking out his rear most of the time.