| | | | Donald Trump isn't really going to close the border. (Probably.) |  | | On Tuesday afternoon, President Donald Trump began laying the groundwork to back away from his much-publicized threat to close down the US southern border unless Mexico and other central American countries did more to limit the flow of migrants to our country.
Mexico has "started apprehending more people" said Trump, although he offered no specific data on that point. "The border's going to be closed 100%," Trump then said before immediately adding: "Or we're going to close large sections of the border. Maybe not all of it."
The seeming walk-back -- or at least the first step in a walk-back -- comes after Trump's initial pledge, made via Twitter, natch -- set off rank panic among his advisers, many of whom were caught off-guard by the President's tweet.
Wrote CNN White House reporter Kaitlan Collins:
"Trump is being privately advised by multiple people inside and outside the White House that closing the border is a bad idea. Advisers told him it's not a sustainable option, underscored how it would disrupt the economy and noted it would anger local border officials throughout the country. Trump sees it a different way -- and thinks the move could save the US money."
This all feels like a tried-and-true Trump bargaining strategy: Stake out a totally extreme position, argue that the opposing side is giving in (whether there are facts to back that up or not) and then settle somewhere closer to your side than theirs.
Given that, it's hard to see Trump making good on his border threats -- especially with many of his advisers and leaders in Congress expressing deep skepticism about the policy and political impacts of such a shutdown.
"I think it would have some adverse economic consequences, bilateral trade and that sort of thing," GOP South Dakota Sen. John Thune told CNN's Ted Barrett Monday. "I think there is probably a better solution out there." But Thune acknowledged of Trump: "He certainly seems serious about it."
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said he hopes Trump doesn't carry out his threat: "Closing down the border would have potentially catastrophic economic impact on our country, and I would hope we would not be doing that sort of thing."
And THAT, of course, is the thing with Trump. He's not only deeply unpredictable, but he revels in being so. Republican leaders warned him of the danger of shutting down the government in late 2018 -- Trump not only shut it down, but kept it shut down for a record number of days.
The Point: Anything and everything is possible with this President. But he seems to be building himself a graceful exit from a threat that might have repercussions that even Trump isn't ready or willing to deal with.
-- Chris | | "He cheats like a mafia accountant."
-- Longtime sportswriter Rick Reilly describing President Donald Trump's alleged proclivity for cheating at golf. He said Trump's habit is a way of "showing you that he's better than you." | | |  | Why Pete Buttigieg is having a 2020 moment | | Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg has raised $7 million in the first quarter for his 2020 run. The small-town South Bend mayor is making a big name for himself -- here's how.
Have you added your name to The Point's subscribers on YouTube? | | | Tomorrow, Josh Ritter will play a bunch of unreleased songs in a Facebook Live on "World Cafe." PSYCHED. | | Nancy Pelosi's rules for engagement: Personal space.
When asked about Joe Biden's affectionate greetings that have made some women uncomfortable, Pelosi described herself today as a "member of the straight-arm club. I'm a straight-armer. ... Just pretend you have a cold, and I have a cold."
Pelosi said Biden's actions are not "disqualifying," but added that "I think that it's important for the vice president and others to understand is it isn't what you intended, it's how it was received." | |
LAUREN'S CAMPAIGN TRAIL LATEST | | Mark your calendar! CNN's Democratic debate is now scheduled for July 30-31 in Detroit. The two-day debate will feature a randomized lineup of up to 20 candidates. It's one of 12 debates scheduled for the primary cycle.
Terry McAuliffe: Pledges to run "the funnest campaign. It will be a happy tour" ... if he decides to run for president. The former Virginia governor said he's "very close" to making that decision.
Bernie Sanders: Raised $18.2 million in the first 41 days of his 2020 campaign from 525,000 individual donors, with an average donation of around $20.
Kamala Harris: Raised $12 million in the first quarter of 2019, comprised of 218,000 individual contributions, 98% of which were in amounts smaller than $100.
Amy Klobuchar: Released 12 years of her tax returns -- covering the time she has served in federal office. | |
NOT GOOD IN NORTH CAROLINA | | There's another round of indictments being handed out to players in North Carolina politics -- and these have nothing to do with last year's botched House race.
North Carolina's largest political donor Greg Lindberg, chairman of the state Republican Party, and former Rep. Robin Hayes, and two other political and business figures -- John Gray and John Palermo -- were accused of trying to bribe the state's insurance commissioner.
All four made their first court appearances today. | | | | | | |
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