Every day “a long list of grievances”
The New York Times has some backstory behind the latest Trump rant against Canada. It involves Howard Lutnick who, after lying about it in public, confessed yesterday under oath that he visited Jeffrey Epstein’s island. This new bridgegate deserves a clickbait, “and you won’t believe what happened next” headline:
The billionaire owner of a bridge connecting Michigan with Canada met Howard Lutnick, the U.S. Secretary of Commerce, on Monday hours before President Trump lambasted a competing span, in the latest flashpoint in the deteriorating relationship between the United States and Canada.
Matthew Moroun is a Detroit-based trucking magnate whose family has operated the Ambassador Bridge between Detroit and Windsor, Ontario, for decades. He met on Monday with Mr. Lutnick in Washington, according to two officials briefed on the meeting who requested anonymity to discuss a private conversation.
After that meeting Mr. Lutnick spoke with Mr. Trump by phone about the matter, the officials said.
The rest writes itself. Trump puts on public display his failing memory and suggestibility by whomever last whispers in his ear. Every day is Festivus in the Trump White House. Every day “a long list of grievances.”
CNN fact-checker Daniel Dale (himself a Canadian) debunked Trump’s post phone call ranting about the new bridge between Ontario and Michigan:
President Trump’s post threatening to block the opening of a major new US-Canada bridge was filled with important omissions and misleading claims.
– Trump professed astonishment that the Canadian government would expect him to support the project. He didn’t mention that he explicitly endorsed the project in a 2017 joint statement with then-PM Trudeau, calling it a “vital economic link” and saying he looked forward to its quick completion.
– Trump, complaining about Canada, said “we should own, perhaps, at least one half of this asset.” But the state of Michigan already owns half of the bridge.
– Trump said, “I will not allow this bridge to open until the United States is fully compensated for everything we have given them.” But Canada paid for the entire bridge construction.
– Trump complained about a Buy American waiver Obama granted the project, then claimed the waiver let Canada “not use any American products, including our Steel.” But the waiver actually allowed Canadian and US steel to be treated equally in consideration for the project, and numerous Canadian officials and Republican former Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder say some American steel was indeed used. (Also worth noting the Obama administration said it was granting the waiver out of a “basic notion of fairness” because the project was a “unique circumstance…under which Canada is assuming all financial liability and risk for the construction.”)
Tokyo Rose Garden defended Trump’s sudden opposition and failing memory.
No wonder people pay so much money to get close enough to Trump to whisper.