Trump's threats often fall short

WASHINGTON – For President Trump, a threat is often his first impulse.

He is powerful, declarative and speaks with unfailing conviction. He made the theme of the promises made, kept promises the anthem of his reelection effort.

But his threats often remain only that. The most recent example is when Mr. Trump gave up his wish to close the border with Mexico, saying he would give one year to one of the largest trading partners of the United States to face the migrant crisis. This comes just a day after he threatened to act if Congress did not bow to his will on the issue. Mexican avocado prices are on the rise, but the Mexican government seems unmoved.

(Trump warned Mexico of an imminent border closure at least three times before, October, November and December.)

On Friday, before leaving for a visit to the border town of Calexico, California, Trump hinted that his threat to Mexico was still in his holster. "I have never changed my mind at all. I may close it at some point, but I prefer to do the tariffs, "he said.

Here is an overview of some of Mr. Trump's most prominent threats.

Close the border with Mexico

In retreating from his threat to close the border, Mr. Trump was withdrawing the warning that he had launched forcefully last week. But on Friday, he offered another. He added that the trade agreement between the United States and Mexico and Canada, known as CAMA, would not apply if Mexico did not prevent migrants from entering Canada. 39, Central America of America to enter the United States illegally.

"If, for some reason, Mexico stops apprehending and bringing the illegals back to their place of origin, the United States will be forced to charge 25% of all cars manufactured in Mexico and shipped by the border. If that does not work, what will happen, I will close the border, "said Trump. wrote on Twitter.

"This will replace USMCA," Mr. Trump added. He also threatened an "economic sanction" against Mexico "for the $ 500 billion worth of illicit drugs that are smuggled and shipped across Mexico and our southern border."

Congress has not yet voted on the trade agreement. While he endorsed the pact – and the president was attempting to unilaterally repeal certain provisions of the agreement – many legal challenges would arise as well as an outcry from foreign leaders and members of Congress.

A mouthpiece to Russia

In March, the president warned Russia to "leave" Venezuela after Moscow sent military personnel to the country and offered to send President Nicolás Maduro's government a shipment of food and medicine. He always said that Mr. Maduro had to step down and strongly suggested that a US military intervention was on the table. He also urged the Venezuelan army to rebel. None of these threats has been effective. Trump accused the Russian government of backing Maduro, while the United States rallied support for Juan Guaidó, the leader of the opposition.

While the United States issued a new round of visa sanctions and restrictions last month, Russia showed no signs of retreating and Maduro refused Trump's resignation requests.

Tell General Motors to reopen a factory, otherwise (he would cut grants)

In October 2017, Mr. Trump suggested revoking NBC's broadcast license after the network published a report to which he objected – to be subsequently refuted indirectly a few days later by Ajit Pai, chairman of the board. Federal Communications Commission, which had stated that its agency "does not have the power to revoke the license of a broadcasting station based on the content." Nevertheless, Mr. Trump revived the threat in September 2018.

A particular network program has angered the president: "Saturday Night Live," what Mr. Trump said "should be tested in court, " investigation by the F.C.C. or – rather vaguely – "should be examined."

In the fall, following the suspension by the White House of the credentials of Jim Acosta, CNN's senior correspondent at the White House, Mr. Trump threatened retaliation against other journalists. they "did not treat the White House with respect."

Mr. Acosta's press badge has been reinstated and no other White House journalist has seen his powers suspended since.

Trying to overturn a constitutional right

Mr. Trump also threatened in 2018 terminate citizenship, a constitutional guarantee that can only be rescinded by amending the Constitution. In an interview with Axios at the time, the president called the concept "ridiculous" and said "it must end".

In November, Mr. Trump blame Fires ravaged California on what he termed "blatant mismanagement of forests," warning him to "fix now, or more Fed payments!" (Criticism was misleading, with most of California's forests managed by the government. Forest fires are complicated and include climate change.)

Two months later, in January, Mr Trump said that state officials had not yet taken the measures that imposed and reiterated his threat. "Unless they're getting ready, which is unlikely, I've ordered FEMA to stop sending money," referring to the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

The state tried to make sense of Mr. Trump's new threat, and lawmakers on both sides criticized the decision. A month later, a spokeswoman for FEMA told BuzzFeed that he had never received a directive.

The agency continued to provide assistance to residents affected by the fire. The same day Mr. Trump launched his second warning, FEMA extended the deadline for residents of California to apply for disaster assistance to February 15 (it was January 31). The cost sharing between the federal government and the removal of debris has increased from 75 to 90%. the agency has awarded more than $ 347 million in grants and loans to affected residents.

"James Comey would better hope that there are no" tapes "of our conversations before he starts filtering to the press!" Mr. Trump wrote on Twitter.

For weeks, Mr. Trump and his associates refused to confirm or deny the existence of such recordings or to clarify whether he simply rebutted Mr. Comey's claims that the president had asked him to take his loyalty.

Mr. Comey testified before Congress in June, telling lawmakers: "Lordy, I hope that there are tapes."

Mr. Trump then clarified himself on Twitterdenying having recorded Mr. Comey at the beginning: "I do not know if there are 'tapes' or recordings of my conversations with James Comey, but I have neither made nor recorded such recordings."