Weekly Trump Report Card: ‘B’ for jobs, economy, Kim meeting

John Zogby

In many ways an incredible week — in every meaning of the word ‘incredible.’ President Trump has possibly pulled a ‘Nixon goes to China’ with the surprise announcement that he will travel to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

By anyone’s standards, that is a media coup. The story will develop but I don’t think anyone feels that this dealmaker will be fooled by Kim.

At the same time, the economy defied all expectations as the Labor Department reported the creation of 313,000 new jobs and a rise in wages by 2.8 percent. The president, fulfilling a campaign promise, has implemented 25 percent tariffs on steel and 10 percent on aluminum causing labor unions to cheer but creating real agita for the GOP in Congress. Free trade advocates preach gloom and doom and the potential for a trade war, but that is not for this week.

But then there is the theater of truly absurd with Trump — a former porn star who gets more headlines than the secretary of state and a former campaign aide who has a multimedia breakdown on almost every network. When the show is the story, it gets in the way of any possible agenda coming from the White House.

Meanwhile, the president’s approval numbers seem to be taking a small hit so far. But North Korean and the economy will probably give him a boost.

Grade B

Jed Babbin

Jed Babbin

President Trump hit big highs and an awful low this week with the announcement of talks with North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un, a better-than-expected job report and his imposition of steel and aluminum tariffs.

Thursday’s surprise announcement that the president will meet with Kim before May is the product of the president’s tough line on sanctions against Pyongyang and the North’s charm offensive that began with the South Korean Olympic Games. Announced by the South Korean national security advisor, the talks (from the U.S. standpoint only) aim at the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, which the North has often refused to even discuss. It’s a big gamble by both Trump and Kim, but could result in de-escalation of the world’s most prominent crisis.

The president did as promised last week, imposing a 25 percent tariff on steel and a 10 percent tariff on aluminum imports. They won’t do anything to help U.S. steel and aluminum producers (or their workers) but they will burden U.S. producers — and consumers — of everything from aircraft and cars to pots and pans. Mexico and Canada were given exemptions. The European Union is threatening to impose counter-tariffs on everything from fruit juices to motorcycles. U.S. protectionism has always hurt U.S. industries – and consumers – more than they have helped. This will be no exception.

About 313,000 jobs were created by the U.S. economy in February, about fifty percent more than economists expected. Economic strength is spreading, but could be substantially stifled by tariffs and counter-tariffs.

Grade B

John Zogby is the founder of the Zogby Poll and senior partner at John Zogby Strategies. His latest book is We are Many, We are One: Neo-Tribes and Tribal Analytics in 21st Century America. Follow him on Twitter @TheJohnZogby

Jed Babbin is an Examiner contributor and former deputy undersecretary of defense in administration of former President George H.W. Bush. Follow him on Twitter @jedbabbin

Paul Bedard, the Washington Examiner’s “Washington Secrets” columnist, can be contacted at [email protected]