1. ….Congress must be allowed to view the whistleblower report and assess the situation in totality, not in terms that Trump decides on—and which he obviously finds favorable. The political media in particular must not make the same mistakes that many made when Barr released his Letter, taking its claims at face value and producing headlines and news cycles that wrongly acceded to the Trumpian narrative that he was COMPLETELY EXONERATED! In fact, the report detailed numerous instances where the president obstructed justice. Not long after his Complete Exoneration, Trump was calling the report that completely exonerated him "total buxxxxit.".... 2. Following House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's announcement of a formal impeachment inquiry against him on Tuesday (24 September), Donald Trump delivered a stinging rebuke to China’s trade practices on the same day at the United Nations General Assembly, saying he would not accept a “bad deal” in US-China trade negotiations. “The rhetoric around China and President Trump’s speech was as harsh as we have heard,” said Art Hogan, chief market strategist at brokerage National Securities Corp in New York. 3. Had Nancy Pelosi's announcement come after Trump’s UN speech, the contents of his speech could be entirely different. He would be less harsh towards China, and struck a more conciliatory tone instead. Having gone through many legal battles and financial troubles including four bankruptcies in his life, the battle-hardened failed businessman-turned-political leader reacted swiftly on the same day to reverse direction in the face of political headwinds from the Democrats. To divert attention from the impeachment, he may take on a more hard-line policy toward the following countries: (a) Bash China harder with the following actions to make himself look like a patriot and hero under the slogan of "America First". (i) Demand a "full" deal from China with the so-called structural reforms in the trade talks. As he is fighting for his political survival, the interests of US farmers are no longer his top priority. He is not in urgent need for an interim measure or a truce from China to buy a lot of soybeans to please the farmers. (ii) Meddling more in China's domestic affairs in collaboration with separatists in Hong Kong, Taiwan and other Chinese provinces. (iii) Meddling more in China’s religious and ethnic affairs to bring about its disintegration. (iv) Try to seek more countries to gang up militarily and politically against China. (v) Increasing the frequency of sending warships through the Taiwan Strait and to the South China Sea. (vi) Taking more actions to cripple Huawei and other Chinese companies. (vii) More restrictions against Chinese investment, scholars and students in the US. (viii) More arrests of Chinese citizens in allied countries and the US, and sanctions of selected Chinese officials. (b) More sanctions against Iran and even attempts at military misadventure. (c) More sanctions and threats against Venezuela, Cuba, North Korea, Talibans, Russia, etc. (d) More hard-line trade policy against all countries including its allies.
