Trump: “The Level of Dishonesty is Out of Control”

“WE’RE NOT GOING TO LET IT HAPPEN”

by Sharon Rondeau

(Feb. 16, 2017) — At approximately 1:55 p.m. EST, President Trump began a solo news conference in which he announced his new choice to head the U.S. Department of Labor, Alexander Acosta.

Acosta has a law degree from Harvard Law and clerked for U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Samuel Alito. He previously served on the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB).

Trump then cited the accomplishments of his young administration over the last four weeks, including a record-high stock market, businesses returning jobs to the United States, and his pledge to lower taxes in concert with Congress.

Trump transitioned to stating that many in the media are “dishonest” and “do not tell the truth.”  “The level of dishonesty is out of control,” he said, after saying that it was an honor to have the media in attendance.

“We have to talk about it,” Trump said of the media’ conveying of false and misleading information.

Trump contradicted media claims that his administration is “in chaos.”  He also berated the Senate for failing to approve all of his cabinet nominees more rapidly, specifically calling out “the Democrats.”

He promised to revive the military and to make “one-on-one” trade deals to benefit the American worker.  “We don’t want the jobs going to other countries,” he said.

He said that he plans to strengthen U.S. infrastructure.

A second list of administrative actions include freezing federal employment and placing a hold on new federal regulations.

A violent crime task force has been established.

Trump said that DHS is working to fight drug importation and to protect America’s borders.  “We’ve ordered an end to the policy of catch-and-release on the border,” he said at 1:12 p.m.

“We are saving American lives every single day,” he said, and said that his administration is “working night and day” to keep terrorists out of the country.

He said that construction on the Dakota Access Pipeline and Keystone Pipeline are now scheduled to begin imminently.

“To drain the swamp of corruption in Washington, DC,,” Trump has imposed a “five-year” ban on politicians becoming lobbyists.

He said Obamacare will be repealed and that “tax reform” will be accomplished.

He believes his cabinet will be “one of the greatest” in U.S. history.

“We haven’t even started the big work yet,” Trump said at 1:19 p.m.  “That starts next week.”

In regard to allegations that Trump’s campaign staffers had contacts with “Russia” before the election, Trump said, “Russia is fake news.”  He said he himself has “no loans,” business interests or property in Russia.

He discredited respective articles published on Wednesday in The Wall Street Journal and New York Times which claimed that the intelligence community has withheld information from Trump and that his campaign staffers had contacts with Russian officials.

Trump said he would likely “not need” the services of an outside consultant to identify the intelligence leakers, contrary to that which was reported by the mainstream media earlier.

In response to questions from Fox News’s John Roberts, Trump said he now has his team in place consisting of Attorney General Jeff Sessions, FBI Director James Comey, and CIA Director Mike Pompeo.

Trump said “It’s very important” for reporters to write stories as long as they are accurate.  He cited CNN as having “so much anger” and “hatred,” at which time CNN’s Jim Acosta signaled that he wanted to ask a question.

In December, Acosta shouted at Trump demanding to be allowed to pose his question.