Another stunning Trump performance

Thanks to Daniel Dale, I don't have to watch or listen.  (Although, when Dale quotes Trump, I can hear the asshat in my head saying the very words.) He's live-tweeting:



I presume there were no farmers present.

Trump praises local Republican members of Congress as great fighters for their constituencies. He says he sometimes ignores their calls because he doesn't want to deal with that.

Deal with what?

Trump promotes "buy American." Then adds: "Of course in terms of a slogan the greatest perhaps in the history of politics: Make America Great Again, that's the best." He says it'll be Keep America Great in 2020, though, so people's hats will become "a little bit obsolete."

And they'll get to buy new ones at the Trump campaign shit website.

Trump, complaining about the media, at a steel plant, brings up Russia unprompted: "'Did he say something positive about Russia? I think he loves Russia!' Be nice to get a long with Russia. But that's OK. But these people, they analyze every single word, and they follow us."

Trump to steelworkers: "I could be one of you. I could be one of you. I like you guys. I like you guys. But I could be one of you. It's true. Looking around, all these good-looking people. It could be me. And I'd be happy if I was."

Believe me, Dickface, the whole world would be happy if you were.

My gosh. Trump lies to U.S. Steel workers, at a U.S. Steel facility, that U.S. Steel is opening up seven plants. It isn't.

[...]

[T]his lie has always been "six plants" until today, when Trump added an extra imaginary U.S. Steel plant.

Trump, complaining about the trade deficit (which he exaggerates for the 23rd time), says, "In other words, if we didn't trade, we'd save a hell of a lot of money." (Cue economists' heads imploding.)

Trump says the steel industry is more special than other industries. "This isn't another - this is STEEL."

Trump notes that the crowd is still standing for him. He alleges that the media is going to claim that he didn't receive any standing ovations, even though, you see, everyone was already standing.

Trump falsely: "This is tough, but I did win that women's vote, didn't I...'Why would women vote for Trump?' I don't know, but I got more than she did."

Trump boasts of the 3.7 million jobs created since the election - "that beautiful, beautiful election."

Trump says the U.S. can't sell military equipment to everybody, but he's cool with it if they're "semi-friendly." He explains: "We do have a little standard, right. But if they're sorta friendly, we're selling them a hell of a lot of stuff."

Trump falsely: "We're rated number one in the world for growth and other elements." (I don't know what other elements are, no)

Trump falsely claims that China's growth was "flatlined" before it entered the WTO, then shot up. Its GDP growth rates for 1992, 1993 and 1994, for example, were all higher than its growth rates for 2002, 2003 and 2004, the years following its admittance to the WTO.

Trump on tariffs: "We are not starting a trade war: we've been in a trade war for many years and we've lost for many years. But over the last year and a half, we're winning. We're back, and we're winning, and we are winning bigger than anyone understands."

Trump falsely says the trade deficit with China is $375 billion, ignoring services trade, and then less than a minute later says it's $500 billion, which is just completely made up. It's $337 billion.

This must be his favorite - or at least most used - rally lie.

Trump says he made a breakthrough "with the European Union - commonly referred to as 'Europe.'"

Commonly by him, or in his head, maybe. I don't know of anyone referring to the EU as Europe.

Trump falsely says the U.S. has been prevented from selling cars into the EU. European Automobile Manufacturers Association: "The U.S. is the third biggest exporter of cars to the EU in terms of value, representing a 15.4% share of EU imports in 2017."

Three rapid-fire NATO false claims in a row from Trump:
- Falsely says NATO spending was "going down" before him. (It rose in 2015 and 2016)
- Falsely says the U.S. pays 4.3% of GDP (3.5%)
- Falsely says other countries were "delinquent" (not how it works)

Trump then adds two more false claims:
- NATO spending has been up $44 billion according to Stoltenberg ($41 billion)
- At the meeting they agreed to hundreds of billions more (no)

Trump adds a sixth false claim about NATO in this speech, saying U.S. military spending was "70 to 90%" of total NATO spending. It's been 72%.

To be fair -- that does fall between 70 and 90.

For the fourth time, Trump falsely says it's been nine months since any North Korean missile tests. It's been less than eight months.

So many of his lies are completely unnecessary.

Trump on the benefits to him of live speech coverage: "Look at all those cameras back there. It's like the Academy Awards, there's no difference...it's covered live, much of it. And when I say it, they can't do anything about it, 'cause I say it."

Trump: "A country, Czechoslovakia, long time ago, people used to take single dollar bills and they used to paint 'em and paste 'em onto the windshield of their car because it represented America. It's all coming back now. That's what's happening."

Trump is now ranting about MS-13 using knives to inflict pain, etc. This is supposed to be a speech about his tariffs and the supposed steel revival, but his brain is all over the place.

In tiny pieces. Most of it having been laundered off pillow cases, I'm guessing.

Trump: "Prestiiige. Remember that word, prestiiige? Our country is becoming prestigious again."

Isn't it about time for the minders to take him back to the plane?

Awesome. Can we quit now?

I think we can go.

...but hey, do what you want...you will anyway.