Trump, Japan’s PM bond on golf course during state visit

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe seems to know how to appeal to President Trump as he tries to ease trade tensions between Japan and the U.S. – including a threat of auto tariffs -- and continue to receive U.S. support in dealing with North Korea.
On Sunday morning, Abe took Trump to a golf course, where the two leaders played 16 holes before heading to a lunch of cheeseburgers made with American beef.
On the links, Trump and Abe were joined by Japanese professional golfer Isao Aoki, known for his putting technique. Aoki was expected to present Trump with a putter he designed.

President Donald Trump walks with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe before playing a round of golf at Mobara Country Club, on Sunday, in Chiba, Japan. (Associated Press)

The outing seemed to go well, Abe told reporters.
"We were able to exchange our views frankly in a cozy atmosphere. It was wonderful," Abe said as he returned to his official residence.
Abe tweeted a photo of himself and Trump, taken on the greens.
Trump tweeted that he'd had "Great fun and meeting with Prime Minister @AbeShinzo," but also continued to stew about domestic politics, claiming that, "Numerous Japanese officials told me that the Democrats would rather see the United States fail than see me or the Republican Party succeed - Death Wish!"

U.S. President Donald Trump, right, plays golf with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, left, at Mobara Country Club in Mobara, south of Tokyo, on Sunday. (Associated Press)

The leaders then attended a sumo wrestling event in the evening, where Trump presented a large trophy to a tournament winner – in a first for a U.S. president.
On Monday, Trump will be the first foreign leader to meet with Japan's new emperor, Naruhito, since he took the throne May 1.
Then Trump and Abe are expected to get down to business regarding trade matters before ending the state visit with Trump the guest of honor at a banquet hosted by the emperor.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.

Hillary Clinton blasts Trump, says president is ‘running scared,’ claims Pelosi video is ‘sexist trash’

Do you think she'll ever go to jail ? She believes she can't be touched.

Hillary Clinton hasn’t announced a 2020 run for the White House but remarks she delivered in Houston may have sounded like a campaign speech to some listeners.
Clinton launched a fiery attack Friday against President Trump, claiming the president tweeted a disputed video of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi because he was “running scared.”
"Just look at what's happened in the last 24 hours," she said. "The president and his cronies have been running around spreading a doctored video of Nancy Pelosi. Now, it is sexist trash. But it is also a sign that Trump is running scared."
The former secretary of state, U.S. senator and 2016 Democratic presidential nominee made the remarks at a gathering of the Harris County Democratic Party.
Her speech seemed aimed at motivating Houston-area Democrats to get out the vote for the party’s candidates in 2020.

'Constitutional crisis'

“We have to remind Americans we are the party that can deliver for them,” Clinton said. “But we also are the party that will stand up and protect the Constitution and address what is a very real constitutional crisis that this president has put us in.”
Earlier this month, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., declared the U.S. was in a “constitutional crisis,” after Attorney General William Barr declined to testify before his panel after being subpoenaed.
Nadler claimed the Trump administration was “stonewalling” efforts by congressional Democrats to continue probes into possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia, even though Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s report on the investigation he led for two years claimed no evidence of collusion existed.
The next day after Nadler spoke, Pelosi said she agreed with him that the nation was in a constitutional crisis.
President Trump, meanwhile, has maintained that the Russia investigations still underway in Congress should end because of Mueller’s findings, and claimed that the Democrats’ continued focus on Russia was designed to motivate their voters in 2020 – and was perhaps proof that the party had not yet recovered from Trump’s defeat of Clinton in 2016.
Some political observers have suggested that Clinton could make a third bid for the presidency in 2020 if none of the more than 20 Democrats currently in the running emerges as a clear threat to deny Trump a second term.
A recent Fox News Poll shows former Vice President Joe Biden leading the Democratic field with support from 35 percent of respondents, followed by Sen. Bernie Sanders at 17 percent and the rest of the pack in single digits.

Biden baggage?

But a Biden nomination would carry some baggage heading into a general election: The former U.S. senator from Delaware is known for gaffes during public appearances and recently drew criticism for his history of placing his hands on women and girls. In addition, his son Hunter Biden has drawn scrutiny over business dealings in China, Ukraine and Romania.
A sudden loss of confidence in Biden among Democratic voters, coupled with the failure of any of the other Democrats to fill the void, could motivate Clinton – who attracted nearly 66 million votes in 2016 – to make another run at the White House, some argue.
Clinton made headlines in March when she told a New York-area news station that she would not seek the presidency in 2020.
"Aw-shucks," President Trump responded in a Twitter message, "does that mean I won’t get to run against her again? She will be sorely missed!"
But just a day later, “someone close to Clinton” told the New York Times that Clinton didn’t intend for her comments to “close the door on running.”
“She has told her team she is waiting at least to see the Mueller report,” the Times reported, citing the same source.
But has Clinton's chance to win the presidency come and gone? A joint speaking tour with her husband, former President Bill Clinton, resulted in plunging ticket prices in several cities. In December, deals on tickets were being offered on Groupon.
Last week, Newsweek magazine featured the Clintons on its cover with the headline, "Clintons in Exile: What's it like when you're no longer the world's most powerful couple?"

Trump awards ‘President’s Cup’ at sumo match in Japan

President Trump presents the "President's Cup" to the Tokyo Grand Sumo Tournament winner Asanoyama, at Ryogoku Kokugikan Stadium, on Sunday, in Tokyo. (Associated Press)

President Trump is accustomed to congratulating sports stars in the United States. But no president before him has ever presented a championship trophy to a sumo wrestler in Japan.
Trump on Sunday awarded a giant, eagle-topped “President's Cup” to wrestler Asanoyama, a 25-year-old athlete who clinched a tournament win a day earlier.
The president -- the first American to participate in the tournament -- then congratulated Asanoyama on his “outstanding achievement.”
President Trump presents the "President's Cup" to the Tokyo Grand Sumo Tournament winner Asanoyama, at Ryogoku Kokugikan Stadium, on Sunday, in Tokyo. (Associated Press)

Then, with a little help, Trump handed the heavy cup to the champ. The White House said the 54-inch-high trophy weighs 60 to 70 pounds.
Asanoyama, whose real name is Hiroki Ishibashi, weighs 390 pounds, according to the Associated Press.
Earlier, Trump sat ringside and watched some wrestling action, accompanied by first lady Melania Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his wife, Akie – along with a crowd of about 11,500 wrestling fans.

President Trump attends the Tokyo Grand Sumo Tournament with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at Ryogoku Kokugikan Stadium, on Sunday, in Tokyo. First lady Melania Trump is at top right. (Associated Press)

The size of the crowd was half the normal capacity, as part of security preparations for Trump’s visit, and spectators went through security checks, the Associated Press reported.
The president is in Japan on a four-day visit that will include meeting Japan’s new emperor and discussing trade issues with the Asian nation’s leaders.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.

ANTI-CNN CARTOONS

I wonder why??? :-)

Trump cheers US troops during stop in Alaska on way to meet Japan's new emperor

President Donald Trump greets troops after landing at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson for a refueling stop en route to Japan Friday, May 24, 2019, in Anchorage. (Associated Press)

President Trump greeted military personnel in Alaska during a refueling stop on Friday while on his way to Japan for a state visit.
Trump talked with American troops on the tarmac at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, posed for photos and signed caps.
“Nice stop,” he was heard saying while walking across the tarmac.
“We’re here in Alaska, we’re on our way to Japan, we’re with our great military. These are great, great future leaders, right?” Trump said in a video posted on Twitter.
“We just got off the plane, I wanted to say hello, and these are tremendous people,” he continued, pointing at the troops. “So thank you very much.”
Trump also met with Gov. Mike Dunleavy during the stop, discussing issues concerning Alaska such regulations affecting Alaska economy.
Trump was set to arrive in Japan on Saturday evening local time, with the president being the first foreign leader to meet Japan’s new emperor, Naruhito.
The latest charm offensive from Japan comes amid fears among Japanese leaders that the potential U.S. tariffs on cars could be devastating to the economy.
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe likely to use his close relationship with Trump to make sure his country is spared of the tariffs.
To make that happen, the organizers of the state visit will show Trump the country’s traditions, including meeting the emperor and attending sumo wrestling matches.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Jon Voight declares Trump 'greatest president since Abraham Lincoln' in late-night video

Actor Jon Voight expressed his support for President Trump, declaring him "the greatest president since Abraham Lincoln" in a two-part video message posted on Twitter on Friday night.
Voight, one of the very few outspoken conservative actors in Hollywood, spoke directly to the "people of the Republican Party."
"I know that you'll agree with me when I say that our president has our utmost respect and our love," Voight began. "This job is not easy for he's battling the left and their absurd words of destruction. ... Our nation has been built on the solid ground from our forefathers and there is a moral code of duty that has been passed on from President Lincoln."
The Academy Award-winning actor told his followers that he wanted to "acknowledge the truth" that "our country is stronger, safer, and with more jobs" because President Trump "has made every move correct."
"Don't be fooled by the political left because we are the people of this nation that is witnessing triumph," Voight continued. "So let us stand with our president, let us stand for this truth that President Trump is the greatest president since Abraham Lincoln. God bless America."
Voight is best known for his lead role as Joe Buck in the 1969 film "Midnight Cowboy." His decades-long career includes movie roles in "Deliverance," "Mission: Impossible," "Anaconda," "Zoolander," and "Transformers" as well as television roles in "24" and "Ray Donovan."

Trump arrives in Japan, kicking off 4-day state visit with trade talks at its center

President Trump and first lady Melania Trump landed in Japan on Saturday, kicking off a highly anticipated state visit -- with the president to become the first foreign leader to meet Japan’s new Emperor Naruhito.
The trip, which will last through Tuesday, comes amid fears among Japanese political and business leaders that U.S. tariffs on the auto industry will have a crippling effect on the Asian nation's economy.
The president’s first stop was a dinner with business leaders at the U.S. ambassador’s residence in Tokyo after a brief airport welcome.
Trump told reporters that he’s working to introduce “fairness and reciprocity” in the new American-Japanese trade agreement.
“Japan has had a substantial edge for many, many years but that’s OK," Trump said during remarks with the business leaders in Tokyo, noting that negotiators were “hard at work” on the trade talks. “We’ll get it a little bit more fair.”

“Japan has had a substantial edge for many, many years but that’s ok. We’ll get it a little bit more fair.”
— President Trump

He added that the new trade deal will “address the trade imbalance” and eliminate the existing “barriers to U.S. exports.”
Japan enjoys a $70 billion trade surplus with the U.S, while it imports just a fraction of U.S. goods and imposes protective measures against competition from other countries, a source of frustration for Trump, who sees tariffs as a corrective measure.

President Donald Trump speaks as he meets with Japanese business leaders, Saturday, in Tokyo. (Associated Press)

Japan is expected to use the state visit as a charm offensive to convince Trump to spare the country of the punitive tariffs.
To fulfill this task, Trump is officially the first foreign leader invited to meet with the country’s new Emperor Naruhito, who inherited the throne earlier this month, a fact Trump gleefully acknowledged earlier this week. The emperor will treat Trump to a meeting and host an imperial banquet in Trump's honor.
“Prime Minister [Shinzo] Abe said to me, very specifically, 'You are the guest of honor.' There's only one guest of honor ... I'm the guest of honor at the biggest event that they've had in over 200 years,” Trump said this week.
“So it's a great thing. And we get along very well with Japan. I get along very well with the prime minister.”

U.S. President Donald Trump, right, and first lady Melania Trump arrive at the Haneda International Airport Saturday, May 25, 2019, in Tokyo. (Associated Press)

During the first remarks in Japan, Trump also stressed that Japan is buying military equipment from the U.S., which he says was a sign of threats in the world.
“We make the best equipment in the world -- the best jets, missiles, the best rockets, the best everything,” he said. “So Japan is doing very large orders and we appreciate that.”
“It's probably appropriate for everything going on,” he added. “The world is changing.”

U.S. President Donald Trump, right, is greeted by Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono, left, on Trump's arrival at the Haneda International Airport Saturday, May 25, 2019, in Tokyo. (Associated Press)

On Sunday, Trump and Abe are expected to play golf and then watch a sumo wrestling tournament in front-row seats. Trump previously called the sport “fascinating.”
Only on Monday will the two leaders sit down to talk about trade. A possibility of a trade deal is reportedly on the table, but officials on neither side committed to such goal. (Because of the Japan trip, Trump paid a pre-Memorial Day visit to Arlington National Cemetery on Thursday, to honor America's war dead.)
The U.S. and Japanese leaders will also discuss the threat from North Korea, an issue that comes in the wake of U.S. national security adviser John Bolton’s comments on Friday that a series of short-range missile tests by North Korea last month was a violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions.

U.S. President Donald Trump, second from left, reviews an honor guard during a welcome ceremony, escorted by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at Akasaka Palace in Tokyo, Nov. 6, 2017. (Associated Press)

But it remains to be seen whether the celebrations and close relationship between Trump and Abe will be enough to force Washington to reconsider imposing tariffs on Japanese auto exports.
The Trump administration is currently embroiled in a trade war against China over the country’s treatment of American companies.
Yet the administration has been tough and criticized both Japan and the European Union for, in its view, unfair trade practices that exploit the U.S. economy.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.

CNN now the 'hate Trump' network, ex-contributors say: Network 'openly despises conservatives'

Several conservative commentators who were previously employed by CNN are now speaking out against the network, claiming its current identity is "anti-Trump" instead of neutral, as it claims to be. One claims the network "openly despises conservatives."
"Most of us got squeezed out involuntarily,” Jack Kingston, a former Georgia congressman who appeared on the network, told Mediaite. “I was there for two years and was certainly willing to continue. It was clear to me in the end that the Republicans they prefer are anti-Trump Republicans.”

"Most of us got squeezed out involuntarily. I was there for two years and was certainly willing to continue. It was clear to me in the end that the Republicans they prefer are anti-Trump Republicans.”
— Jack Kingston, former Georgia congressman

Former U.S. Rep. Jack Kingston and his wife Libby are seen in Atlanta, May 20, 2014. (Associated Press)

Conservatives come and go

Pro-Trump contributors at CNN seem to have come and gone in recent months. Last week, the network fired former Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli as reports indicated he was being considered for a high-ranking immigration post in the Department of Homeland Security.
Earlier this year, CNN fired economic analyst Stephen Moore after President Trump nominated him to serve on the Federal Reserve Board. But Moore withdrew from consideration after CNN and other outlets reported old derogatory remarks he made about women and the Obamas.
Previously, CNN let go other commentators who supported President Trump. Contributors Jeffrey Lord and Ed Martin were fired for remarks they made outside the network. Paris Denard was let go after he was accused of sexual misconduct from a previous job. The contracts of Kingston and former South Carolina Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer were not renewed. And former Trump campaign and administration officials Corey Lewandowski, Marc Short and Jason Miller all had short-lived paid contributorships.

Perceived animus

In addition to Kingston, other ex-CNN contributors weighed in on the perceived animus toward them at the so-called "neutral" cable news network in a report by Mediaite.
Moore has particularly been outspoken about his frustration with CNN.
“Who are the Republicans, John Kasich? He hates Trump!” Moore said, referring to the former Republican governor of Ohio, whom CNN recently hired. "CNN is the 'hate Trump' network. They just trash Trump every single hour of every single day. All they’ve talked about for two years is the Mueller report and how bad does it make them look now that it proved nothing."

"Who are the Republicans, John Kasich? He hates Trump! CNN is the 'hate Trump' network. They just trash Trump every single hour of every single day."
— Stephen Moore, writer and commentator

Stephen Moore left CNN after President Trump nominated him to serve on the Federal Reserve Board.

Former Trump campaign deputy communications director Bryan Lanza left the network, claiming CNN's only identity is "anti-Trump," not "conservative versus liberal.”

'Last-place performance'

“If you hate Trump, you tune to CNN to validate your hatred,” Lanza told Mediaite. “Not sure it’s a winning formula -- and I’m validated by their last-place performance against other outlets.”

“If you hate Trump, you tune to CNN to validate your hatred.”
— Bryan Lanza, former Trump campaign deputy communications director

“CNN used to pretend it accepted right-wing voices for balance, but now it openly despises conservatives who are pro-Trump,” former CNN contributor Buck Sexton, a former CIA intelligence officer, said. “Today the entire enterprise clings to a fundamental dishonesty: that it has no political agenda. Taking down Trump is obviously the agenda. And in this regard, some of CNN’s ‘hard news’ anchors are the biggest journalistic frauds of all.”

“CNN used to pretend it accepted right-wing voices for balance, but now it openly despises conservatives who are pro-Trump. ... Taking down Trump is obviously the agenda.”
— Buck Sexton, former CIA intelligence officer

Former CIA intelligence officer Buck Sexton says, "CNN’s ‘hard news’ anchors are the biggest journalistic frauds of all."

Sexton, however, did leave the door open to return to the network "if CNN stopped being crazy.”
A spokesperson for CNN told Mediaite that the network is "always looking to add new perspectives from across the political spectrum" and highlighted conservatives commentators Scott Jennings, David Urban, and Steve Cortes, as well as former Republican officeholders such as Kasich, former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania and former U.S. Rep. Mia Love of Utah.
CNN did not immediately respond to Fox News' request for comment.

Liberal Cartoons

Judge who upheld Trump subpoena donated to Dems on committee seeking the records

The New York federal judge who ruled on Wednesday that the Trump administration must comply with two subpoenas from the House Financial Services and Intelligence Committees has donated in the past to a slew of big-name Democrats -- including two who currently sit on those committees, according to federal election filings.
After an hour of oral arguments, Barack Obama-appointed U.S. District Judge Edgardo Ramos ruled the subpoenas to Deutsche Bank and Capital One have "a legitimate legislative purpose," and that Trump was unlikely to prevail in a lawsuit to quash the requests. Judges have the option to recuse themselves if there is an appearance of bias.
Federal election records show that, when he was a partner at the law firm Day Pitney LLP and before he was appointed to the bench in 2011, Ramos sent $350 to Connecticut Democrat Rep. Jim Himes from 2007 to 2008, as well as $500 to elect New York Rep. Nydia Velazquez in 2010.
Himes sits on both the Intelligence and Financial Services Committees, while Velazquez sits on Financial Services.

(U.S. District Judge Edgardo Ramos (Federal Bar Council))

Ramos also contributed $1,000 to Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand's Senate campaign in 2009, another $1,000 to the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, and several thousand dollars over several years to Obama for America. His political donations apparently stopped after his elevation to the judgeship, in line with ethical standards.
Trump’s lawyers had asked Ramos to temporarily block Congress from gaining access to the records. They said it was a "safe bet" they would appeal his decision.
Ramos' ruling came two days after another federal judge in Washington upheld a separate congressional subpoena seeking financial documents dating back to 2011 from Trump accounting firm Mazars USA.
That judge, Obama appointee Amit Mehta, donated to the Obama-Biden campaign in 2012.
The White House has aggressively pushed back against Democrat-led investigations in the wake of Special Counsel Robert Mueller's report, saying Democrats simply want a "do-over" of Mueller's lengthy investigation that ultimately found no evidence of any Trump-Russia collusion.
Trump this week blocked former White House lawyer Don McGhan, a central figure in Mueller's report, from appearing before the House Judiciary Committee.
Some congressional Republicans have also characterized the subpoenas as an abuse of authority and blasted the Trump-focused investigations.
Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, the ranking member of the House Oversight Committee, called the inquiry into Mazars USA "an unprecedented abuse of the Committee’s subpoena authority to target and expose the private financial information of the President of the United States.”
Fox News' Bill Mears contributed to this report.