A Real Corker

Well, they may finally be starting to flee the good ship Trump.  

Senator Bob Corker mused yesterday about the possibility that President Trump will set the world on the path to World War 3. The interview was conducted with the New York Times - one of the news organizations that Trump has regularly accused of spreading "fake news".

The response was a vicious Twitter tirade from the President. It was the normal stuff we now expect from him - veiled personal insults; questionable recounting of facts; baseless accusations. Corker responded with what may go down as one of the classic Tweets of this disturbing era in US history and politics...

"It's a shame the White House has become an adult day care center. Someone obviously missed their shift this morning."

Well sir, there you have it. It was "Game, Set, Match!", and for those who may need a translation of this Tweet, it was a not too subtle "F*&k YOU, Trump!"

This exchange may prove to be a watershed for the future of the Trump Presidency, and the US stock markets. Here is why.

Corker is a Republican Senator. He is not running again, and will see the end of his term in office at the end of next year.

Clearly, Senator Corker has decided that, in spite of the fact that Trump was elected to the most esteemed office in the land if not the world, and in spite of the fact that he is a fellow Republican, he owes Trump absolutely nothing, and he can just let fly all the invective that Republicans have no doubt been privately saying since Day 1 of this man's presidency.

The Republicans barely control the US Senate. Trump needs Corker's vote if he is going to get tax reform done. But Corker has just signalled that he thinks he has nothing to lose from throwing Trump under the very same bus that Trump has decided to throw him under.

And so, tax reform, which is Trump's second signature policy proposal other than the now dead Obamacare repeal, may also be dead. As noted in an earlier blog, the prospect of the Obamacare repeal and tax reform are likely the behind the 25% rise in the markets since Trump came to power. And if these are effectively thought to be dead? Can you say "sell"?

Politics is not about "The Art of the Deal" where you do a one-off deal and move on never to deal with the other side again. Politics is about building relationships - "Winning Friends and Influencing People." This concept appears to be entirely foreign to Trump. Shitting all over people you need to move your agenda forward is borderline insane.

Two failed signature policies + loss of party support + mix in some impending criminal charges against trusted associates = how can this guy's presidency possibly survive?