Relations – The Daily Nick

Cohen Pleads Guilty to Lying on Russia Probe

By Nick Baum

FRIDAY – 11/30/18

Former Trump Campaign Attorney Michael Cohen has pleaded guilty for lying under investigation for an alleged Trump Tower project in Moscow. Many prospects and journalists are calling this a major decision of Robert Mueller, head of the investigation into the Trump Campaign’s ties with Russia.

Months ago, Cohen had a testimony in front of Congress under oath for allegedly cooperating with the Russians in an effort to finalize a deal to build another Trump Tower in Moscow, and later admitted to Mueller that he had lied under oath about said deal.

As the Mueller investigation itself is drawing to a possible closure, there are still many questions that are still to be answered, including whether Trump himself or another closely related staffer or campaigner worked with Russia. President Trump tweeted, “This is an illegal Hoax that should be ended immediately,” late yesterday, as both sides of the aisle are voicing their opinions on the matter.

Sources and Pictures: CNN, Wikipedia, CNN Politics, Flickr

Trump and Kim Meet in Summit

By Nick Baum

TUESDAY – 6/12/18

Last night, US President Donald Trump and North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un met in Singapore for peace talks toward denuclearization and relations. The summit, which was held in the popular resort Capella Singapore, featured an extended handshake, signing a document in terms of denuclearization, and both leaders exchanging words for a better future.

The document that was signed by both leaders, held four main points, according to journalists, but the point of it was for the North Koreans to “work towards denuclearization”, and for the United States to halt all military exercises, according to the Wall Street Journal.

While some argued that the document itself proved to be thin and underwhelming, others argue that the document only establishes the countries’ intentions, and that lots of the summit was spent working between the two administrations at a working lunch. In the working lunch, featured a mix of western and asian foods, and for dessert was the top favorite Häagen-Dazs vanilla ice cream.

Sources: Time, Wall Street Journal, CNN, Fox News

Trump and Kim Jong Un Arrive in Singapore

By Nick Baum

MONDAY – 6/11/18

Both North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un and US President Donald Trump have now arrived in Singapore, for a summit that will be held on June 12th. Kim Jong Un arrived earlier, in the morning hours of yesterday, June 10th, while Trump arrived just hours later from the G7 Summit that he skipped part of.

Today, both leaders will also be completing activities. Trump has accepted an invitation for a state visit with the Singapore government, and reports suggest that Kim Jong Un brought his own toilet, as he is conscious about it. The meeting itself is going to be held at the luxury hotel Capella Singapore, a five star venue with many activities and space for the summit.

Security footage and photos have already been shown, showing the high stakes and preparations needed for the summit. Both leaders plan to have a private conversation, a public one, and a photo op together. This is also the farthest outside of North Korea, that Kim Jong Un has ever been, and the first meeting between a North Korean and American leader in years.

Sources: Wikipedia, CNN, Channel NewsAsia, TicToc by Bloomberg

OPINION: Tariffs Never Work

By Nick Baum

THURSDAY – 6/7/18

The news about tariffs in the most recent months is absolutely idiotic, but before I dive in let me explain exactly what a tariff is. A tariff is an added tax or price on a certain product that comes from another country. For example, President Trump had the US start its tariff program by adding tariffs on Chinese steel and aluminum, meaning steel and aluminum in the United States that came from China will be higher, which will force companies to buy from American workers.

So you can see why tariffs are used a lot, as it is seen as a way to protect American workers and sort of force companies to buy and hire American. Except, it doesn’t really work in real life. When tariffs are added in a certain category, it actually has a very low chance of actually helping the country’s workers, because usually, the companies who are most effected by the tariffs will either find a loophole, use a different material, or just take the same product from another country.

Not only that, but tariffs can easily backfire because it raises the price of products in America. If you’re shopping for clothes in America and you found something that recently had a tariff on, that price will rise, and in many circumstances, by a lot. Tariffs sometimes help American workers, but backfires when it makes it difficult for American consumers to get the certain product.

Donald Trump recently added tariffs in different categories on China, and the response is, well, you guessed it. Different prices are soaring, American workers are somewhat being helped, but now a trade war is occurring. A trade war is when different countries slap tariffs on certain products from the same country that slapped tariffs on them. Basically, it is an endless back and forth cycle of countries putting tariffs on different products.

Already, after the United States’s tariffs, Canada, Mexico, and the European Union decided to add their own tariffs, and that doesn’t even include China, which is most effected by this decision. Not only does this prompt poor relations, but it hurts the economy, because certain products have gotten more expensive. If it wasn’t for Trump’s tariffs, the stock market could’ve shot even further up. However, now it is rocky, not only the stock market, but trade relations with our closest allies.

Sources: CNN, Wall Street Journal, Wikimedia Commons, Fox News

Trump Cancels US – North Korea Summit

By Nick Baum

FRIDAY – 5/25/18

Just yesterday, US President Donald Trump announced that he will be cancelling the planned summit between the United States and North Korea on June 12 in Singapore due to current relations with North Korea and recent actions committed by the country, the White House announced. President Trump sent a letter to North Korea through the same channel where CIA Director Mike Pompeo communicated to North Korea with.

The decision by Trump was thought to be because of declining relations with North Korea, in which North Korea threatened the summit due to U.S. – South Korea military drills being taken place on the southern part of the peninsula. Just days after, a top North Korean official said that recent decisions by the US have threatened relations between the nations, and that North Korea could see the United States “on the brink of nuclear showdown”.

The decision by Trump has met both approval and criticism from both sides of the aisle. Democrats held a press release in which House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi panned the decision, saying “Kim Jong Un must be giggling”. However, North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un said that the summit can happen “Anytime, and anywhere”.

Sources: CNN, Wall Street Journal, Fox News