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| Trump Says He May Cancel Meeting With Mexican President | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| ■ President Trump said he may want to cancel next week’s meeting with the president of Mexico after his Mexican counterpart again said he was not paying for any border wall. | |
| ■ Mr. Trump came to Barack Obama’s defense on Thursday, slamming Chelsea Manning for calling the former president weak — though he has often done the same. | |
| ■ In his first interview from the White House, Mr. Trump obsessed on his popularity and defended his speech at the C.I.A. — “a total home run.” | |
| In one of his more remarkable flights of fancy, President Trump declared on Wednesday that his border wall and crackdown on undocumented immigrants would actually improve relations with Mexico, to which Mexico’s president, Enrique Peña Nieto, declared, “No Mas.” | |
| Translation: “Mexico offers and demands respect, as the fully sovereign nation that we are.” Further translation, we aren’t paying for your wall. | |
| Now, Mr. Trump appears to have come back to earth. | |
| Translation: Maybe Mexico won’t pay for the wall after all, so I won’t meet with Mexico’s president. | |
| Mr. Trump has repeatedly claimed that Mexico would finance construction of the wall, even as Mr. Peña Nieto and other top Mexican officials have insisted they would do no such thing. | |
| The feud escalated on Wednesday, after Mr. Trump signed an executive order to begin immediate work on the barrier, on the same day that Luis Videgaray, Mexico’s foreign minister, was in Washington to begin talks to prepare for next week’s meeting between the two presidents at the White House. | |
| In a week in which President Trump is busy unraveling much of Barack Obama’s legacy, the former president was defended from an unusual quarter Thursday morning: Mr. Trump. | In a week in which President Trump is busy unraveling much of Barack Obama’s legacy, the former president was defended from an unusual quarter Thursday morning: Mr. Trump. |
| In an early-morning post on Twitter, Mr. Trump expressed outrage that Chelsea Manning, the former Army intelligence analyst whose sentence for leaking American secrets was commuted by Mr. Obama, had criticized the 44th president for not being strong enough. | In an early-morning post on Twitter, Mr. Trump expressed outrage that Chelsea Manning, the former Army intelligence analyst whose sentence for leaking American secrets was commuted by Mr. Obama, had criticized the 44th president for not being strong enough. |
| Even though Mr. Trump repeatedly characterized Mr. Obama the same way during last year’s campaign — “weak attitude and pathetic president,” “so weak and so bad,” “he’s been weak, he’s been ineffective” — he evidently thought Ms. Manning was ungracious to do so. | Even though Mr. Trump repeatedly characterized Mr. Obama the same way during last year’s campaign — “weak attitude and pathetic president,” “so weak and so bad,” “he’s been weak, he’s been ineffective” — he evidently thought Ms. Manning was ungracious to do so. |
| Mr. Trump seemed to be referring to a column that Ms. Manning wrote in The Guardian newspaper, in which she argued that Mr. Obama left “very few permanent accomplishments” because he was too willing to compromise. The column was largely a criticism of Republicans never giving Mr. Obama a chance, but it suggested that he had not been strong enough to resist them. | Mr. Trump seemed to be referring to a column that Ms. Manning wrote in The Guardian newspaper, in which she argued that Mr. Obama left “very few permanent accomplishments” because he was too willing to compromise. The column was largely a criticism of Republicans never giving Mr. Obama a chance, but it suggested that he had not been strong enough to resist them. |
| “The one simple lesson to draw from President Obama’s legacy: Do not start off with a compromise,” Ms. Manning wrote. “They won’t meet you in the middle. Instead, what we need is an unapologetic progressive leader.” | “The one simple lesson to draw from President Obama’s legacy: Do not start off with a compromise,” Ms. Manning wrote. “They won’t meet you in the middle. Instead, what we need is an unapologetic progressive leader.” |
| Wonder where Mr. Trump got his idea? | Wonder where Mr. Trump got his idea? |
| It was a simple question asked by ABC’s David Muir, in Mr. Trump’s first television interview from the White House, which aired Wednesday night: “When do you let it roll off your back now that you’re the president?” | It was a simple question asked by ABC’s David Muir, in Mr. Trump’s first television interview from the White House, which aired Wednesday night: “When do you let it roll off your back now that you’re the president?” |
| Mr. Muir was referring to the president’s unusual speech at the C.I.A. on Saturday, in which he lingered on his own crowd sizes and media coverage in front of a wall that commemorates each intelligence officer who has died in the line of duty. | Mr. Muir was referring to the president’s unusual speech at the C.I.A. on Saturday, in which he lingered on his own crowd sizes and media coverage in front of a wall that commemorates each intelligence officer who has died in the line of duty. |
| “So I’m glad you asked,” Mr. Trump said. “So, I went to the C.I.A., my first step.” | |
| But he declined to answer the question. The speech, he added, was “a home run.” | But he declined to answer the question. The speech, he added, was “a home run.” |
| “That location was given to me. Mike Pence went up before me, paid great homage to the wall,” Mr. Trump said, referring to the wall in front of which he gave what was essentially a campaign speech. | “That location was given to me. Mike Pence went up before me, paid great homage to the wall,” Mr. Trump said, referring to the wall in front of which he gave what was essentially a campaign speech. |
| “I then went up, paid great homage to the wall. I then spoke to the crowd. I got a standing ovation. In fact, they said it was the biggest standing ovation since Peyton Manning had won the Super Bowl and they said it was equal. I got a standing ovation. It lasted for a long period of time. What you do is take — take out your tape — you probably ran it live. I know when I do good speeches. I know when I do bad speeches. That speech was a total home run. They loved it.” | “I then went up, paid great homage to the wall. I then spoke to the crowd. I got a standing ovation. In fact, they said it was the biggest standing ovation since Peyton Manning had won the Super Bowl and they said it was equal. I got a standing ovation. It lasted for a long period of time. What you do is take — take out your tape — you probably ran it live. I know when I do good speeches. I know when I do bad speeches. That speech was a total home run. They loved it.” |
| He went on: “They loved it. They gave me a standing ovation for a long period of time. They never even sat down, most of them, during the speech. There was love in the room. You and other networks covered it very inaccurately. I hate to say this to you and you probably won’t put it on but turn on Fox and see how it was covered. And see how people respond to that speech.” | He went on: “They loved it. They gave me a standing ovation for a long period of time. They never even sat down, most of them, during the speech. There was love in the room. You and other networks covered it very inaccurately. I hate to say this to you and you probably won’t put it on but turn on Fox and see how it was covered. And see how people respond to that speech.” |
| In fact, most of the agency personnel sat throughout the speech. | In fact, most of the agency personnel sat throughout the speech. |
| They’re not exactly getting off on the right foot. | |
| It’s more chrome-plated than gold-plated, but it’s still a pretty nice ride. Mr. Trump will take his first official ride on Air Force One on Thursday, when he leaves Washington for an appearance at the Republican retreat in Philadelphia, where the party’s lawmakers are strategizing on how best to advance their agenda. | It’s more chrome-plated than gold-plated, but it’s still a pretty nice ride. Mr. Trump will take his first official ride on Air Force One on Thursday, when he leaves Washington for an appearance at the Republican retreat in Philadelphia, where the party’s lawmakers are strategizing on how best to advance their agenda. |
| The president has already given up his Boeing 757; when he flew to Washington from New York the day before his inauguration, he flew on a government plane — not yet called Air Force One because he was not yet president. | The president has already given up his Boeing 757; when he flew to Washington from New York the day before his inauguration, he flew on a government plane — not yet called Air Force One because he was not yet president. |
| But when the Boeing 747 leaves Joint Base Andrews outside Washington on Thursday morning, it will have the official moniker, and its most important occupant will be making the first of what will no doubt be hundreds of flights as president. | But when the Boeing 747 leaves Joint Base Andrews outside Washington on Thursday morning, it will have the official moniker, and its most important occupant will be making the first of what will no doubt be hundreds of flights as president. |
| While the plane may not have Mr. Trump’s name emblazoned on the outside, it does say “United States of America.” | While the plane may not have Mr. Trump’s name emblazoned on the outside, it does say “United States of America.” |
| Mr. Trump, the headliner at the Republican congressional retreat in Philadelphia, has more Twitter followers. Peyton Manning, another featured speaker, has more Super Bowl rings. | Mr. Trump, the headliner at the Republican congressional retreat in Philadelphia, has more Twitter followers. Peyton Manning, another featured speaker, has more Super Bowl rings. |
| But the most surprising guest for lawmakers on Thursday may be Prime Minister Theresa May of Britain, who is also set to become on Friday the first foreign leader to meet Mr. Trump at the White House. | But the most surprising guest for lawmakers on Thursday may be Prime Minister Theresa May of Britain, who is also set to become on Friday the first foreign leader to meet Mr. Trump at the White House. |
| “Our allies have been marginalized over the last eight years,” Senator John Thune, Republican of South Dakota, told reporters on Wednesday, kicking off the retreat. “And that’s going to change, and it starts with a visit from the leader of one of our closest and strongest allies.” | “Our allies have been marginalized over the last eight years,” Senator John Thune, Republican of South Dakota, told reporters on Wednesday, kicking off the retreat. “And that’s going to change, and it starts with a visit from the leader of one of our closest and strongest allies.” |
| That statement was oddly juxtaposed with Mr. Trump’s announcement of a grand border wall with Mexico, which prompted Mexico’s president, Enrique Peña Nieto, to consider canceling a trip to Washington next week, and left a former Mexican president, Vicente Fox, cursing on Twitter. | That statement was oddly juxtaposed with Mr. Trump’s announcement of a grand border wall with Mexico, which prompted Mexico’s president, Enrique Peña Nieto, to consider canceling a trip to Washington next week, and left a former Mexican president, Vicente Fox, cursing on Twitter. |
| Former President Barack Obama had pretty cordial relations with Britain’s prime ministers, but never mind. | Former President Barack Obama had pretty cordial relations with Britain’s prime ministers, but never mind. |
| Mr. Thune said Mrs. May was the first sitting head of government to attend one of the party’s retreats. She is in the throes of a busy week. In a recent television interview with the BBC, Mrs. May said she would be spending part of her visit emphasizing to Mr. Trump the importance of NATO, which the president has called obsolete. | Mr. Thune said Mrs. May was the first sitting head of government to attend one of the party’s retreats. She is in the throes of a busy week. In a recent television interview with the BBC, Mrs. May said she would be spending part of her visit emphasizing to Mr. Trump the importance of NATO, which the president has called obsolete. |
| Senator Jeff Sessions’s confirmation as attorney general already seems a sure thing, but a public boost from the gun lobby, one of the capital’s most powerful forces, won’t hurt with Republicans in control. | Senator Jeff Sessions’s confirmation as attorney general already seems a sure thing, but a public boost from the gun lobby, one of the capital’s most powerful forces, won’t hurt with Republicans in control. |
| The National Rifle Association is airing a political ad on cable stations and online beginning on Thursday to highlight Mr. Sessions’s law-and-order portfolio, his stance on gun rights and his support for the police “after eight years of political elites abandoning police,” the group said. | The National Rifle Association is airing a political ad on cable stations and online beginning on Thursday to highlight Mr. Sessions’s law-and-order portfolio, his stance on gun rights and his support for the police “after eight years of political elites abandoning police,” the group said. |
| “He will get criminals off our streets and protect the Second Amendment,” the ad promises. The N.R.A. said the campaign would have a six-figure budget — modest by the group’s standards — but would not disclose the exact cost. | “He will get criminals off our streets and protect the Second Amendment,” the ad promises. The N.R.A. said the campaign would have a six-figure budget — modest by the group’s standards — but would not disclose the exact cost. |
| First came the order to build the wall. Now comes the extraction of payment — from Mexico. | First came the order to build the wall. Now comes the extraction of payment — from Mexico. |
| “There will be a payment,” Mr. Trump told ABC News. “It will be in a form, perhaps a complicated form.” | “There will be a payment,” Mr. Trump told ABC News. “It will be in a form, perhaps a complicated form.” |
| Whatever that means, Mexico feels differently. | Whatever that means, Mexico feels differently. |