White House Tries To Clean Up Trump’s ‘Second Thoughts’ Comment On Trade War

White House Chief Economic Adviser Larry Kudlow talks with the press corps outside the West Wing of the White House in Washington, DC, on May 3, 2019. (Photo by Jim WATSON / AFP) (Photo credit should read JIM ... White House Chief Economic Adviser Larry Kudlow talks with the press corps outside the West Wing of the White House in Washington, DC, on May 3, 2019. (Photo by Jim WATSON / AFP) (Photo credit should read JIM WATSON/AFP/Getty Images) MORE LESS
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White House economic advisor Larry Kudlow on Sunday scrambled “reinterpret” President Donald Trump’s comment about having second thoughts about his escalating trade war with China.

“So the President said that he’s having second thoughts about escalating the trade war,” CNN reporter said during Kudlow’s “State of the Union” interview. “Why?”

“Well, look, if I can reinterpret that–I mean, he spoke to us, he didn’t exactly hear the question,” Kudlow responded. “Actually what he was intending to say is, he always has second thoughts and he actually had second thoughts about possibly a higher tariff response to China.”

“So it was not to remove the tariff,” he added. “He was thinking about a higher tariff response.”

During the G7 meeting in France on Sunday morning, Trump said he “might as well” have “second thoughts” about getting more aggressive with his trade war, which has resulted in a plummeting stock market.

“I have second thoughts about everything,” he said.

Watch Kudlow below:

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Notable Replies

  1. I don’t buy it. To have a second thought, one must first have a first thought. Since Trump is unthinking, this is an impossibility.

  2. Avatar for jtx jtx says:

    Trump is manipulating the market.

  3. Well, I’m sure as hell having second thoughts about Donnie. And third, and fourth, and fifth…

    None good.

  4. Avatar for tpr tpr says:

    This is so stupid. This trade war is harmful, and – saints be praised! – that fact has somehow penetrated Trump’s thick skull, so his musing in public about second thoughts is Trump laying the groundwork to reverse course. (He has to build up to it, because his whole schtick is dominance and never apologizing or admitting defeat.)

    So here comes Larry fucking Kudlow, like a wrecking ball, because god forbid Trump finally reverse course on this colossally stupid policy.

    What do you get when you combine a suicide cult with a terrorist cell? The GOP.

  5. Trump is confusing “second thoughts” with “thought for a second” which is just beyond the maximum attention span and ability he posses.

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