Off The Record

On Thursday President Donald Trump was interviewed by Bloomberg. Present during the interview was Bloomberg’s News Editor in Chief John Micklethwait, Bloomberg reporters Jennifer Jacobs, Margaret Talev, White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders, and Assistant to the President, Dan Scavino. 

During the interview the President made what are called, “off the record,” remarks, which simply means those present during the remarks will not published or air those remarks marked, “off the record.” 

On Friday Toronto Star, Washington Bureau Chief, Daniel Dale, published those off the record remarks in regards to ongoing negations with Canada and the U.S. making a new trade deal, in hopes of replacing NAFTA as was reported @ The News Blender.

NAFTA BOMBSHELL: The Star has obtained inflammatory secret comments about Canada that Trump made "off the record" yesterday, and they have upended the talks this morning: https://t.co/BDx49fq8pz

— Daniel Dale (@ddale8) August 31, 2018

President Trump’s off the record remarks as published in The Star 

• “Here’s the problem. If I say no — the answer’s no. If I say no, then you’re going to put that and it’s going to be so insulting they’re not going to be able to make a deal … I can’t kill these people.”
• “totally on our terms.”
• “Off the record, Canada’s working their ass off. And every time we have a problem with a point, I just put up a picture of a Chevrolet Impala.” 
• “Again off the record, they came knocking on our doors last night. ‘Let’s make a deal. Please,’.”

President Trump’s on the record remarks, as published by Bloomberg regarding trade with Canada and NAFTA 

• “Canada is here right now. You know that.”
• “I think Canada’s going to make a deal at some point. It may be by Friday, or it may be within a period of time. But ultimately they have no choice.”
• “NAFTA was the worst deal — one of the worst deals ever made. OK? There were numerous of them.” 
• “I called NAFTA the second-worst trade deal ever made. I would say the WTO was the single worst trade deal ever made.”
• “So, the WTO was a horrible deal. NAFTA was a — they were all bad deals.”

By the afternoon President Trump confirmed the story published by The Star via tweet

Stating in part, “oh well, just more dishonest reporting. I am used to it. At least Canada knows where I stand!” 

Wow, I made OFF THE RECORD COMMENTS to Bloomberg concerning Canada, and this powerful understanding was BLATANTLY VIOLATED. Oh well, just more dishonest reporting. I am used to it. At least Canada knows where I stand!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 31, 2018

President Trump also confirmed the reporting during a speech given on Friday from North Carolina where he stated, “But I gave a totally off-the-record — you saw it — it said, “off the record.” And I said something strong, but it’s my belief. And they violated it. And they said they were violating it.” Daniel Dale posted the transcript via Twitter 

Here's the transcript of Trump's monologue this afternoon about my story. pic.twitter.com/tYkFZ5I2S7

— Daniel Dale (@ddale8) August 31, 2018

The video below is President Trump’s full remarks, the remarks about Bloomberg come at the 14 minute mark, the video is cued to start then. 

Around 2:37 p.m. eastern time, Daniel Dale posted a series of tweets, that explained that Bloomberg, was not the source of the story, that Bloomberg, those present inside the Oval Office with President Trump, did not leak the story. 

I’d said I wasn’t going to say anything about my source for the quotes Trump made off the record to Bloomberg.

However, I don’t want to be party to the president’s smearing of excellent, ethical journalists. So I can say this: none of the Bloomberg interviewers was my source.

— Daniel Dale (@ddale8) September 1, 2018

Late Friday President Trump once again blasted Bloomberg, demanding an apology 

Still can’t believe that Bloomberg violated a firm OFF THE RECORD statement. Will they put out an apology?

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 1, 2018

President Trump spent Saturday the 1st of September, once again bashing NAFTA via Twitter, explaining that, it’s the “WORST Trade Deals ever made,” and that America “shouldn’t have to buy our friends with bad trade deals and Free Military Protection!” He even went so far as to suggest/threaten that Congress “should not interfere w/these negotiations,” adding that he would, “simply terminate NAFTA entirely & we will be far better off,” as was reported @ The News Blender.

Talks between Canada and the U.S. were upended Friday without a deal being reached and are according to The Star are scheduled to resume Wednesday.