Aides admit Trump was faking those "phone calls" with China

[brooklynite]

Source: Vanity Fair

At last week’s G7 summit in Biarritz, Donald Trump gave an entire network of world leaders whiplash when he declared, contrary to weeks of threats, that not only did the Chinese seem amenable to a trade deal, but that he’d actually heard from Beijing’s top officials that very week. “China called last night our top trade people and said, ‘Let’s get back to the table.’ So we will be getting back to the table and I think they want to do something,” the president told reporters. “They have been hurt very badly but they understand this is the right thing to do and I have great respect for it. This is a very positive development for the world. I think we are going to have a deal.”

At the time, China’s Foreign Ministry claimed to have no idea what Trump was talking about—the implication being that he’d fabricated the call to calm a panicked market. And on Thursday, CNN reported that this was basically the case:

Though Trump and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin insisted there had been “communication,” aides privately conceded the phone calls Trump described didn’t happen they way he said they did.

Instead, two officials said Trump was eager to project optimism that might boost markets, and conflated comments from China’s vice premier with direct communication from the Chinese.

Read more: https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2019/08/donald-trump-china-call-fake

[Zambero]

1. "Our top trade people were called last night by China..."

Sort of reminds me of his crack birther fact-finding squad who were in on-site in Hawaii years back, digging up "unbelievable" dirt on Obama.

On a much larger scale, there's nothing like being caught lying to our allies and the rest of the world in order to "boost market confidence".

[calimary]

9. Let's not forget that: "they can't believe what they're finding!"

Yeah? Maybe because they never found ANYTHING that could prove what trump claimed was true.

Unbelievable? Yeah? YOU’RE the one who is “unbelievable” - as in NOT believable, donald. Because YOU LIE ALL THE TIME!!!!!”

[Blue Owl]

2. Phoney McPhonefuck

n/t

[calimary]

10. Hey, that's not bad!

[NJCher]

14. ++

[procon]

3. Isn't it illegal to manipulate the market?

And how would anyone know if Trump profited from his own insider trading scam?

[Grokenstein]

12. "Well when the president does it, that means that it is not illegal (faaaaart)"

Ah, remember the good old days when we could at least pretend our nation had some scruples?

[Journeyman]

5. There *will* come a day when the nation looks for a calming voice to ease its anguish . . .

and all we'll have is Donocchio and his myriad lies. And in the dark recesses of his stunted mind, even he will realize we're all fucked.

[cstanleytech]

6. "conflated" aka lied through his teeth.

[belpejic]

7. On top of all the unethical and criminal sh*t he's doing

He now openly manipulating global markets? WTF? Of course there will he no repercussions, what with the supine Senate...

[PatrickforO]

8. Sigh. Yet another crappy day watching Trump fuck up something else.

Again.

And again.

And again.

Ad nauseum.

[Doug.Goodall]

11. The aides are lying.

Trump did talk to China, but he used an unauthorized, un-secure cell phone. Nobody will be able to find transcripts because the Government was not aware of these communications. Trump will claim no Top Secret information was sent to China.

[FakeNoose]

13. That's Jared's job

He's the one who slinks around selling our top secrets to anybody who will pay. I'm sure Jared and Chump are splitting up the proceeds. They all belong in jail - the entire grifting family.

[riversedge]

16. Trump can manipulate the Market without fear of the law. Let that sink in.

[ck4829]

17. Kick