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Pence Says Flynn’s Son Not Involved in Transition, Despite Email. And Those Carrier Jobs Are Still Likely to Go Trump Plans Technology Conference With Silicon Valley Executives
(about 1 hour later)
■ Vice President-elect Mike Pence says the national security adviser-designate’s son has nothing to do with the transition, though evidence suggests otherwise. ■ President-elect Donald J. Trump plans a technology conference next week with high-profile business executives, many of whom opposed his campaign.
■ The chief executive of Carrier’s parent company says many of those jobs at that plant in Indiana will now be lost to automation.■ The chief executive of Carrier’s parent company says many of those jobs at that plant in Indiana will now be lost to automation.
■ President-elect Donald J. Trump, who flies in his own private jet, appears to have ordered the cancellation of the next generation of Air Force One — via Twitter. ■ Vice President-elect Mike Pence says the national security adviser-designate’s son has nothing to do with the transition, and it appears he no longer does.
■ And speaking of Twitter, most Americans want Mr. Trump to drop it. ■ Mr. Trump, who flies in his own private jet, appears to have ordered the cancellation of the next generation of Air Force One — via Twitter.
Vice President-elect Mike Pence, appearing on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” program, insisted on Tuesday that the son of retired Lt. Gen. Michael T. Flynn, who posted a baseless fake news story on Twitter on Sunday night, has “no involvement in the transition whatsoever.” President-elect Trump is planning to convene a technology conference next week, according to a transition official who has seen the invitations.
Yet the son, Mike Flynn Jr., has sat in on some transition meetings and lists it as part of his biography. He has a transition email and has served as General Flynn’s chief of staff. The tech industry was almost universally opposed to Mr. Trump, which might give the meeting a touch of combativeness. His transition team and cabinet posts draw much more heavily from Wall Street than Silicon Valley.
Amid the confusion, transition spokesman Jason Miller said on a morning conference call that the younger Mr. Flynn is no longer involved. There is one major exception: Peter Thiel, a vocal Trump backer who is now in New York helping with the transition. Late last week, David Sacks, the chief executive of Zenefits, said he was stepping down amid conflicting reports that he will be working on the transition as well. Mr. Sacks is a longtime associate of Mr. Thiel.
The discussion arose from the younger Flynn’s tweet supporting the hoax that somehow Hillary Clinton and her campaign chairman, John Podesta, ran a child sex-trafficking ring out of a Washington pizzeria, a conspiracy that prompted an armed attack on the restaurant on Sunday. The list of those being invited was not immediately clear, but among those expected are Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook, Tim Cook of Apple and Sundar Pichai of Google.
But the senior Flynn has put out conspiracy theories and fake news stories of his own on Twitter:
Mr. Pence will speak Tuesday night at a Heritage Foundation event at, where else, the Trump International Hotel in Washington. No word yet what Heritage is paying the Trump Organization for the space.
The president-elect’s move to save 1,100 jobs at a Carrier furnace plant in Indiana has been a political winner, even if it has raised concerns among economists on the left and the right.The president-elect’s move to save 1,100 jobs at a Carrier furnace plant in Indiana has been a political winner, even if it has raised concerns among economists on the left and the right.
Now the chief executive of United Technologies, Carrier’s parent company, says in the end, many of those jobs (he put the figure at 800) likely will fall to automation rather than Mexico.Now the chief executive of United Technologies, Carrier’s parent company, says in the end, many of those jobs (he put the figure at 800) likely will fall to automation rather than Mexico.
In an interview with CNBC’s Jim Kramer, the C.E.O., Greg Hayes was blunt.In an interview with CNBC’s Jim Kramer, the C.E.O., Greg Hayes was blunt.
He also confirmed that he feared standing up to the president-elect could be very costly to his conglomerate, which includes a lot of defense work.He also confirmed that he feared standing up to the president-elect could be very costly to his conglomerate, which includes a lot of defense work.
President-elect Trump, who has for years flown in a jet airplane bearing his name, appeared to cancel a pending order for a new Air Force One, posting on Twitter on Tuesday morning that the upgrade costs too much. The president-elect has now taken shots at two American companies by name, Carrier and Boeing, which he suggested on Tuesday “is doing a little bit of a number” with the cost of an Air Force One redesign.
Mr. Trump can zero out a financing request for the Air Force One upgrade in his budget for the fiscal year that begins next October, but Congress controls the federal purse. Once Boeing, the Secret Service and the military make their case on Capitol Hill, lawmakers could easily fund the airplanes. Then Mr. Trump would have to veto an entire spending bill to get to that one item — not likely. That latter hit came after Boeing’s chief executive told The Chicago Tribune he is leery of Mr. Trump’s trade policies.
The president-elect’s criticism of the contract to build a new plane based on the Boeing 747-8 — Mr. Trump said the costs have swelled to $4 billion — raised the possibility that Mr. Trump might rather keep flying his own, well-appointed 757. How is business responding? Very cautiously.
In a Business Roundtable conference call Tuesday to release its latest survey of how its members see the economy, Douglas R. Oberhelman, chairman of the business group and the chief executive of Caterpillar, did not criticize the president-elect’s threats to punish companies if they move production abroad.
“I think it’s a great dialogue,” he said.
Mr. Oberhelman did push back on Mr. Trump’s threat to impose tariffs on American manufacturers that export products made overseas back into the United States.
“If he thinks we can negotiate better, then we ought to,” he said. “I do worry about retaliation with a 35 percent tariff or a unilateral action against a trading partner, especially if it’s a big one like China.”
Vice President-elect Mike Pence, appearing on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” program, said on Tuesday that the son of retired Lt. Gen. Michael T. Flynn, who posted a baseless fake news story on Twitter on Sunday night, has “no involvement in the transition whatsoever.” And indeed, Mike Flynn Jr. may have been pushed out.
The younger Mr. Flynn has sat in on some transition meetings and lists it as part of his biography. Until Monday, he had a transition email and has served as General Flynn’s chief of staff.
But on Tuesday, emails to that transition address were bouncing back, and transition spokesman Jason Miller said on a morning conference call that the general’s son is no longer involved.
The discussion arose from the younger Flynn’s tweet supporting the hoax that somehow Hillary Clinton and her campaign chairman, John Podesta, ran a child sex-trafficking ring out of a Washington pizzeria, a conspiracy that prompted an armed attack on the restaurant on Sunday.
But the senior Flynn has put out conspiracy theories and fake news stories of his own on Twitter:
Mr. Pence will speak Tuesday night at a Heritage Foundation event at, where else, the Trump International Hotel in Washington. No word yet what Heritage is paying the Trump Organization for the space.
True, polls these days are a bit discredited, what with the election results and everything, but consider this: 56 percent of Americans think Mr. Trump uses Twitter too much. A strong plurality, 49 percent, said the president-elect’s use of Twitter is a bad thing.True, polls these days are a bit discredited, what with the election results and everything, but consider this: 56 percent of Americans think Mr. Trump uses Twitter too much. A strong plurality, 49 percent, said the president-elect’s use of Twitter is a bad thing.
The Morning Consult poll, of course, showed the usual partisan divide. Only 37 percent of Trump voters said the president-elect was going a little heavy on the tweets, while 79 percent of Hillary Clinton voters thought so.The Morning Consult poll, of course, showed the usual partisan divide. Only 37 percent of Trump voters said the president-elect was going a little heavy on the tweets, while 79 percent of Hillary Clinton voters thought so.
Then again, there were considerably more voters for Mrs. Clinton than Mr. Trump.Then again, there were considerably more voters for Mrs. Clinton than Mr. Trump.
Regardless, he’s tweeting anyway:Regardless, he’s tweeting anyway:
It’s war.It’s war.
On Tuesday morning, the liberal political action committee American Bridge rededicated itself to opposing the incoming Trump administration at every turn, pledging to use many of the same hard-line tactics it used during the presidential campaign.On Tuesday morning, the liberal political action committee American Bridge rededicated itself to opposing the incoming Trump administration at every turn, pledging to use many of the same hard-line tactics it used during the presidential campaign.
“Elected leaders, they have to be gracious to Trump. That’s not our role,” said David Brock, the driving force behind several pro-Hillary Clinton efforts during the presidential election and the founder of American Bridge.“Elected leaders, they have to be gracious to Trump. That’s not our role,” said David Brock, the driving force behind several pro-Hillary Clinton efforts during the presidential election and the founder of American Bridge.
Why American Bridge’s advisers believe that what did not work during the election will suddenly succeed once Mr. Trump becomes president is unclear. During a conference call announcing its plans, an adviser went through the considerable resources the group can bring to bear like tens of thousands of hours of footage of Mr. Trump, an army of researchers digging into his background, a powerful media megaphone.Why American Bridge’s advisers believe that what did not work during the election will suddenly succeed once Mr. Trump becomes president is unclear. During a conference call announcing its plans, an adviser went through the considerable resources the group can bring to bear like tens of thousands of hours of footage of Mr. Trump, an army of researchers digging into his background, a powerful media megaphone.
American Bridge and other like-minded groups had all that during the campaign, of course. Asked what difference it all made, Mr. Brock pointed to the small comforts he could take in what was a devastating and unexpected loss: Mr. Trump’s historically low approval ratings, the high share of voters who say a Trump presidency frightens them, and Mrs. Clinton’s success with low-income voters.American Bridge and other like-minded groups had all that during the campaign, of course. Asked what difference it all made, Mr. Brock pointed to the small comforts he could take in what was a devastating and unexpected loss: Mr. Trump’s historically low approval ratings, the high share of voters who say a Trump presidency frightens them, and Mrs. Clinton’s success with low-income voters.
And he added one more. “We did win the popular vote,” Mr. Brock noted.And he added one more. “We did win the popular vote,” Mr. Brock noted.
By a lot — 2,653,958 votes and still rising.By a lot — 2,653,958 votes and still rising.
Mr. Brock did not mention — nor was he asked — whether abolishing the Electoral College would be on American Bridge’s agenda.Mr. Brock did not mention — nor was he asked — whether abolishing the Electoral College would be on American Bridge’s agenda.
Speaker Paul D. Ryan of Wisconsin said Tuesday that it was “prudent” for President-elect Trump to accept a call from the leader of Taiwan, a move that has been sharply criticized as an affront to China.Speaker Paul D. Ryan of Wisconsin said Tuesday that it was “prudent” for President-elect Trump to accept a call from the leader of Taiwan, a move that has been sharply criticized as an affront to China.
“I think for him to not take a congratulatory call would in and of itself be considered a snub,” Mr. Ryan told reporters.“I think for him to not take a congratulatory call would in and of itself be considered a snub,” Mr. Ryan told reporters.
Mr. Ryan, who added that he had recently spoken to the Taiwanese president himself during a layover at a Miami airport, declined to comment on the appropriateness of Mr. Trump’s subsequent Twitter posts about the call.Mr. Ryan, who added that he had recently spoken to the Taiwanese president himself during a layover at a Miami airport, declined to comment on the appropriateness of Mr. Trump’s subsequent Twitter posts about the call.
“You think I’m going to sit here and comment on the daily tweets?” he said. “I’m just not going to do that.”“You think I’m going to sit here and comment on the daily tweets?” he said. “I’m just not going to do that.”
Mr. Ryan’s defense came as evidence piles up that the call from the Taiwanese president, Tsai Ing-wen, was not a simple congratulations but a thought-through effort to disrupt the foreign policy status quo. The Wall Street Journal reported that the call was facilitated by former Senator Bob Dole, who has a long history of lobbying for Taiwan.Mr. Ryan’s defense came as evidence piles up that the call from the Taiwanese president, Tsai Ing-wen, was not a simple congratulations but a thought-through effort to disrupt the foreign policy status quo. The Wall Street Journal reported that the call was facilitated by former Senator Bob Dole, who has a long history of lobbying for Taiwan.
“It’s fair to say that we may have had some influence,” Mr. Dole, the former Kansas senator and Republican presidential nominee, said.“It’s fair to say that we may have had some influence,” Mr. Dole, the former Kansas senator and Republican presidential nominee, said.
Christopher Suprun, a Republican elector from Texas, announced in The New York Times on Monday that he would not cast his vote for Mr. Trump when the Electoral College convenes — and a group of academics and lawyers are trying to coax more “faithless” electors to follow suit.Christopher Suprun, a Republican elector from Texas, announced in The New York Times on Monday that he would not cast his vote for Mr. Trump when the Electoral College convenes — and a group of academics and lawyers are trying to coax more “faithless” electors to follow suit.
As Mr. Suprun explained it:As Mr. Suprun explained it:
To give encouragement, and legal support, the Harvard Law School professor Lawrence Lessig and the law firm Durie Tangri have teamed up to start what they are calling the Electors Trust, offering free counsel to other electors pondering Mr. Suprun’s route.To give encouragement, and legal support, the Harvard Law School professor Lawrence Lessig and the law firm Durie Tangri have teamed up to start what they are calling the Electors Trust, offering free counsel to other electors pondering Mr. Suprun’s route.