Trump Declares War On The Koch Brothers: They Are “A Total Joke”
by Tyler Durden
ZeroHedge.com
Tue, 07/31/2018
Two days after Charles Koch voiced his growing displeasure with Trump’s domestic, foreign and economic policy, warning that Trump tariffs could trigger a US recession, President Trump responded on Tuesday by slamming the powerful Koch-led donor network as “globalist” and “a total joke,” rejecting the conservative group amid reports that the network was shifting away from him over trade and immigration issues.
Trump alleged that his policies have “made them richer” and that they “want to protect their companies outside the U.S. from being taxed,” while he supports the American worker. In another tweet Trump called them: “Two nice guys with bad ideas.”
“The globalist Koch Brothers, who have become a total joke in real Republican circles, are against strong borders and powerful trade. I never sought their support because I don’t need their money or bad ideas,” Trump said in a post on Twitter.
“They love my Tax & Regulation Cuts, Judicial picks & more. I made them richer” Trump continued his angry tirade: “Their network is highly overrated, I have beaten them at every turn. They want to protect their companies outside the U.S. from being taxed, I’m for America First & the American Worker – a puppet for no one. Two nice guys with bad ideas. Make America Great Again!”
Trump’s angry tweets echoed comments that Steve Bannon made a day earlier. “We don’t have time to have some theoretical discussion and to have their spokesman come out and say the president is divisive,” he told Politico.
Trump’s comments followed a Bloomberg report that the Koch donor network sought to distance itself from Trump and the Republican Party at a weekend gathering in Colorado where, among other concerns were also raised that his trade policies could fuel a recession.
Charles and David Koch have been a force in American politics for decades, channeling billions of dollars into conservative causes. But the billionaire industrialist pair didn’t support Trump in the 2016 campaign, even though their network has since praised his administration’s efforts to cut taxes and regulations. More recently, it has criticized his actions on trade issues.
Trump’s latest outburst is especially troubling because keeping the Koch donor network happy is important to Republicans, especially in election years.
It plans to spend about $400 million on state and federal policy and politics during the two-year cycle that culminates with November’s balloting, a 60 percent increase over 2015-16. Besides trying to influence electoral politics, the organization also works on education, criminal justice, workforce and poverty issues.
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