From the White House transcript of President Trump's gaggle with reporters earlier: pic.twitter.com/2N74vgeMqZ
— Kaitlan Collins (@kaitlancollins) August 19, 2019
President Donald Trump on Sunday slammed his preferred news network over recent unfavorable poll results, saying: “There’s something going on at Fox [News], I’ll tell you right now. And I'm not happy with it.”
Trump’s comments to reporters in New Jersey were in response to a question about the network’s recently released survey showing the president losing head-to-head match-ups against four of the top Democratic presidential primary candidates.
Trump said he didn’t “believe” the poll that was published, adding: “Fox has changed. My worst polls have always been from Fox.”
He also complained about how Democrats had barred the network from hosting or televising the party’s 2020 primary debates, and then signaled a warning about the the general-election cycle.
“And I think Fox is making a big mistake,” the president said when asked about the polling and the network’s leadership. “Because, you know, I'm the one that calls the shots on that — on the really big debates.”
The president’s criticisms are a continuation of a larger attack on one of his favorite targets, the news media. But Trump has increasingly lumped in Fox News, a network known for its conservative bent, in recent months for what he views as unfavorable coverage.
He has squared off with the network as it devoted time to forums with Democratic presidential candidates earlier in the year. Trump took jabs at Fox News in April over the network’s town hall with Bernie Sanders, and again in May, ahead of its town hall with Pete Buttigieg.
This time, Trump’s annoyance with an unfavorable poll led him to wrongly assert that he had control over the 2020 presidential debates.
The Commission on Presidential Debates, which is not controlled by any political party or outside organization and does not endorse, support or oppose political candidates for parties, has sponsored general-election presidential debates in every election since 1988.
President Trump told reporters on Sunday that Apple CEO Tim Cook privately made a "very compelling argument" that the administration's tariffs on Chinese-assembled goods have made an unfair impact on the California-based tech giant, because its chief rival, Samsung, has conducted most of its manufacturing in South Korea and did not have to pay the levy.
The president also issued a stern warning to China, saying there might not be an end to the trade war if the government resorts to "violence" to crush demonstrators in Hong Kong.
Trump announced last week he would delay major new tariffs on China for three months, and his latest comments hinted that more concessions may be forthcoming. The new ten-percent tariffs had been slated to go into effect Sept. 1, and would have affected Apple's signature iPhones and iPads.
In May, Trump increased tariffs on roughly $200 billion in Chinese goods from 10 percent to 25 percent, but later nixed steel and aluminum tariffs on Canada and Mexico. In June, China hiked its retaliatory tariffs against the U.S. by more than 15 percent.
"I had a very good meeting with Tim Cook," Trump said at an airport in New Jersey, on his way back to the White House. "I have a lot of respect for Tim Cook, and Tim was talking to me about tariffs. And, one of the things, and he made a good case, is that Samsung is their number-one competitor, and Samsung is not paying tariffs because they're based in South Korea."
Trump continued: "It's tough for Apple to pay tariffs if they're competing with a very good company that's not. I said, 'How good a competitor?' He said they're a very good competitor. ... I thought he made a very compelling argument, so I'm thinking about it."
Cook and Trump have met several times in the past year. Earlier in the day, Trump had sounded a note of optimism on China, tweeting, "We are doing very well with China, and talking!"
TRUMP: You have a lot of voter fraud. The way you stop it is voter ID.
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) August 19, 2019
REPORTER: But your commission on voter fraud didn't find any actual fraud.
TRUMP: Well, the commission was having a tremendous problem getting papers from California ... it was just a quick commission. pic.twitter.com/SaYgaCMhkH
Trump, seemingly making it up as he goes along, says he will "probably" wait until after the upcoming Israeli election to release his Middle East peace plan. #DontHoldYourBreath pic.twitter.com/3KICLMGlHd
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) August 19, 2019
TRUMP: You have a lot of voter fraud. The way you stop it is voter ID.
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) August 19, 2019
REPORTER: But your commission on voter fraud didn't find any actual fraud.
TRUMP: Well, the commission was having a tremendous problem getting papers from California ... it was just a quick commission. pic.twitter.com/SaYgaCMhkH
Trump concludes his vacation-ending media availability on a humble note pic.twitter.com/5tGHx6zoE9
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) August 19, 2019