When President Trump demanded that South Korea pay for the $1 billion THAAD missile defense system being installed in South Korea, South Korean officials made it clear pretty quickly that wasn’t going to happen. They had an agreement signed, after all, and payment wasn’t part of it.
National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster was quick to try to defuse the issue, insisting that the US would “adhere to our word” and pay for the THAAD, and that Trump’s talk of paying wasn’t official US policy. Apparently he didn’t talk to Trump about that before the call.
Several sources are now reporting that Trump was “furious” over McMaster’s comments to South Korea, got him on the phone and screamed at him, accusing him of “undermining him” on the plan to get South Korea to pay for THAAD.
This comes amid growing reports that McMaster has fallen out of favor within the administration, particularly with Trump, though the White House is insisting Trump still has every confidence in him. That’s not what insiders say, however, with many reporting Trump “regrets” McMaster as a replacement for the sacked Gen. Flynn as National Security Adviser.
Flynn lasted only a few weeks, and while McMaster has lasted a little over two months now, replacing him would likely be a struggle for the administration, he could still find himself the second-shortest serving National Security Adviser in US history.
Better this than nothing, but poor penance for his bate an skitz…
Trump likes firing people. It’s kind of what he did best before running for office. I see a trend starting.
So Trump, the businessman, thinks he can change the terms of the deal after the contract has been signed? Who is going to do business with a man like that?
Happens all the time in business. The negotiations don’t stop until the final payment is made. Yeah, it’s unethical, but if you want to do business with some people you have to expect some sharp dealings. Why would anyone do business with such people? Because they have lots of money.
The irony is that sharp dealers like Trump only get away with it once, and the next time he tries to do a deal with the same company, he gets overcharged, which necessitates further sharp deals on Trump’s part.
On the other hand, a person with a good reputation as an honest dealer allows his counterpart to factor-in the fact that there are no hidden surprises and will be offered a more competitive price up front.
On the third hand, negotiating is a bare knuckle sport, especially in politics. By establishing an extreme negotiating position, you change the expectations of your counterpart and can move the deal significantly in your direction, even though you had no intention of really getting what you originally demanded. You can always change your demands downward, but it is very hard to change them upward without killing the deal entirely.
Of course, it’s their security, he should be able to beat some funds out of RICH South Korea. Why does American taxpayers have to keep subsidizing well off countries like Europe, Japan, Israel and South Korea?
And trust me, they would have paid for defence against North Korea’s nukes. No choice there really.
The problem is that missile system isn’t really there for South Korea and they know it, they’d have no problem with the US taking it home. The real purpose of THAAD is US power projection and that’s why the US (that is, US TAXPAYERS) will end up covering it as long as the “axis of adults” is around to maintain foreign policy continuity.
South Korea is a good customer for the US defense sector so there is no cut them off and no need to back out of the agreement to defend them from a North Korean INVASION which everyone knows will never happen as long the North is left alone to stew in it’s misery.
Who is going to do business with a man like that?
Not people seeking a free lunch, that’s for sure.
South Korea doesn’t want the damned thing anyway.
Breaking a deal can be better than making a deal.
Trump has a history of reneging on signed contracts. Prior to his election he was under suit by no less than 1200 contract companies…
The US also has a long history of doing the same thing so they’re a good match.
This is national security business not some commercial contract. The President can do damn near whatever he pleases. Your “objection” is clueless, and I suspect borne of your anti-Trump partisanship. Bottom line: your opinion is the worthless spouting of a powerless nobody whose candidate lost and who chooses not to get over it.
McMaster is no doubt a man of substantial self-importance — ie ego, but Trump is the big dog, the world leader in self-importance, the President of the United States, and ***McMaster’s boss***. So McMaster had better learn to do as he’s told,…. or resign,… or be fired. Trump just fired Comey — fantastic! — and personally, I think he should instantly fire McMaster as well, and should keep firing people right and left until he gets people who are smart enough to know who’s the boss.
It goes without saying that the media will spin each and every firing as some sort of Trump “defeat”, in the continuing effort to weaken and discredit him. Fair enough, politics is a blood sport after all. But Trump is a fighter who doesn’t quit, and he is either going to win the fight or be subdued. It’s going to be a long fight, with many a twist and turn. Call me a Trump bot, or whatever name makes you feel good, but my money is on Trump. His penchant for firing is part of his “nimbleness” — his ability to rapidly adjust — to bob and weave — “to dance like a butterfly and sting like a bee”. Anti-Trump spin notwithstanding, it’s a feature not a bug.
Battle is joined, the spectacle dazzles, the crowd roars. Three years eight months to go. Win or lose, I’m lovin’ it! MAGA.
“But Trump is a fighter who doesn’t quit”
When did that become the case? In the business world, he was renowned for running as far away, as fast as he could, from his screwups, leaving others holding the bag. And as far as politics is concerned, he ran for president once before and dropped out. Fighting and not quitting would seem to be the exception rather than the rule with him.
“In the business world, he was renowned for running as far away, as fast as he could, from his screwups, leaving others holding the bag.”
Well, that’s an anti-Trump exaggeration from the fake-fact anti-Trump echo chamber. Nevertheless, two points: 1) When a battle or business venture goes bad the smart general or the smart businessman executes a strategic retreat. Minimize your losses, “live to fight another day”. “Beating it outta there is ***SMART*** (Oh my!) Stubbornly waiting around to get your clock cleaned is stupid.
Did he leave others “holding the bag” as you say? Perhaps, but the implied indictment of his character flies in the face of what is perhaps ***the single most fundamental*** of business principles: in the no-quarter-given, rough and tumble of seriously big business, ruthless self protection is an essential skill. If you can’t handle the heat/the risk, stay out. The unwise and unprotected get eaten,… and they don’t get to complain. If others lost and Trump won, then, bottom line: Trump won,… and that’s the name of the game.
Trump’s genius is his presentation and salesmanship. He’s a standard-issue entitled rich northeastern establishment progressive welfare queen masquerading as something else. And for a certain part of the population, it works. Instead of noticing that he acts like what he is, they convince themselves that Jared Kushner is pulling his strings or whatever. His supporters will decry his actions but never, ever, ever hold him responsible for them. He’s a strong leader! (Except that everyone else in the world keeps duping him)
Get McMaster out of there. He is a clear & present danger to U.S. national security.
IMO, its the top two chairs in the Executive Office who are the true “clear & present danger to U.S. national security.”
I agree with you 100% .. McMaster’s more of a threat to US national security than Flynn ever was. Donald Trump made a HUGE mistake appointing McMaster to replace Flynn anyway, and look what that lunatic’s done since. Trump must fire him immediately (he already fired James Comey .. Finally). What he must do now is fire McMaster and replace him with an experienced individual who’ll put US national security ahead of his/her own.
McMaster had NO right whatsoever to give South Korea any assurances without consulting Trump, who happens to be his boss. I don’t blame Trump for chewing him out, but he has to fire this guy .. He’s a clear and present danger to US national security. Period.
McMaster was far and away the most qualified military man available for the job. The problem is putting a military man in the job in the first place. The problem with military men is that they have one thing in common- Eisenhower notwithstanding. They like war. They are inclined to recommend it.
But this whole thing is just a Game of Thrones play by Littlefinger (AKA Steve Bannon) to take back control. Who’s putting out stories about McMaster’s troubles? Brietbart. Bannon’s not gone yet. He’s working on his comeback.
We will see whether McMaster can figure out the game before he is stabbed- again, fatally this time.
Our nation has been turned into The Apprentice.
Best news I’ve heard since the Comey firing!
Keep ’em coming!
Time to dump the neocons. Make SKorea pay, or let them get run over by that nut in the North. Why does any American care about SKorea is beyond me. Are we still worried about the “dominoes”?
Why doesn’t Trump try his non policing and anti intervention policy right off the bat . If it doe not work we can always go in with our bombers . But it is impossible to un-bomb un-kill some body . This is the policy Trump ran on and the American people seemed to agree with this policy .
Some of these Generals/Admirals make statements like they make policy, instead of obeying orders from the policy-makers.
Trump’s admin. is getting out of hand because he does not know what he is doing and he has appointed people in direct opposition to his campaign promises. He is either incompetent or he is a scam artist. Take your pick.