Laura Ingraham Grills Trump on Pro Immigration Plan, “You Ran on America First”, in Long Interview

In an interview that was broadcasted Friday night, President Donald J. Trump sat down with Laura Ingraham to discuss a variety of topics. Much of the Interview focused on Iran and US presence in the middle east, and impeachment. The final part of the interview was on trade, the economy, and jobs. 

In the conversation, he starts off with China and the status of the trade deal with them. Currently, there is still a 25% tariff on China, President Trump reminds Laura. They touch on the other trade negotiations that Trump has done with other countries, citing now that they are now all “paying in…which will be good for the US economy” Trump said. 

Laura brings up China’s human rights violations and asks Trump if he could tie in some human rights things to the trade negotiations like Reagan. Trump said “riding a fine line because we are making not good trade deals but great trade deals.” Laura retorts “But human rights count”. Trump agrees with Laura then diverts the topic back to Reagan who Trump says didn’t do trade deals and let Japan take our automobile market. 

Laura then says “He (Reagan) didn’t trade with the Soviet Union at all. We didn’t have a big bunch of students from the Soviet Union coming to the United States.” to which she later in the interview address more directly.  Laura then complements the President on the deals he has made with trade, progress made in dealing with Isis, deregulation, Judges appointed she states “You’ve done a lot”. She then goes to the economy sighting 146 thousand jobs added in December with historic unemployment numbers. 

Laura brings up the “stall out” in wage growth which Trump ran on. Laura does say we have seen some wage growth of 2.9% in 2018. Laura accredits the stagnation to what she believes to be a lack of a tight labor market. The United States allows people from other countries to come here and fill jobs, and foreigners will often work the same jobs for less money, as they are accustomed to a lower cost of living. Laura then is shockingly direct with the President.

She says that she has heard the president’s team is advocating for more foreign workers to come in and fill jobs for some of America’s high tech companies. “I am very concerned about that as are many of your supporters,” Trump defends this because in the trade dealing he does with other countries, in trying to get other countries to bring their companies to the United States, the other countries are telling Trump they cannot find workers. See the tweet below where “The Columbia Bugle” praises Ingraham for asking tough questions. “God Bless You @IngrahamAngle for Holding Pres. Trump’s Feet to the Fire on His Immigration Promises!’, the tweet reads in part.

God Bless You @IngrahamAngle for Holding Pres. Trump’s Feet to the Fire on His Immigration Promises!

Laura expresses the concerns of many America First Conservatives at the WH’s plan to import more foreign “high-tech” workers to compete w/ Americans.

“You ran on America First.” pic.twitter.com/zExw2uXKqE

— The Columbia Bugle ?? (@ColumbiaBugle) January 11, 2020

Laura points out if this lack of workers was real, then wages would be going up. The two then go back and forth about wage growth. Laura then points out that Trump didn’t run on bringing more foreign workers into the United States. Trump defends his position by saying we need smart foreigners. Laura is correct that many are worried about the open market labor force, and some of the reactions shown below on Twitter to Trump’s response shows that.  

Juxtaposed to President Trump’s thoughts on what he believes to be labor shortages are many ‘America First’ proponents with quite different opinions on the matter. This includes nationally known independent journalist Patrick Howley. Howley, famous for exposing the Virginia Democrat Governor’s “blackface/KKK yearbook” scandal, had this to say:

There's definitely no labor shortage, just a corporate class that wants to eliminate all nationalistic barriers to their desired worldwide strip-mall society in which all true culture or opportunity is considered heretical to the Secular Regime https://t.co/9B2nBpDLve

— Patrick Howley (@HowleyReporter) January 11, 2020

In the tweet from numbers USA retweeted by Howley, it shows where the labor force is being pulled from and less and less is coming from unemployment and more from the foreign labor force.

Twitter user @ChrisRetford “Almost like there is something off about the way unemployment is measured”

It's almost like there is something off about the way unemployment is measured. Can't quite put my finger on it…?

— Chris Retford ?? ?? (@ChrisRetford) January 11, 2020

Michelle Malkin, a former Fox News contributor retweeted the Columbia Bugle, with the added hashtag #YouRanOnAmericaFIRST @realDonaldTrump

#YouRanOnAmericaFIRST @realDonaldTrump https://t.co/caaKhYzDQv

— Michelle Malkin (@michellemalkin) January 11, 2020

Immigration, even legal immigration always has an effect on the economy in different aspects. Many are making the case that the more foreign nationals that are brought over to fill the jobs in the United States, the more the labor market is flooded and wages suppressed. Many do not see this as an ‘America First’ policy. 

Shifting gears, at the beginning of the interview, Trump explains to Laura the importance of taking out Qassem Soleimani. Soleimani was looking to take out four embassies according to Trump. They touched on House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the Democrats’ response to the briefing of Congress about why Soleimani was being taken out. They talked about ‘the squad’ and current front runner in Iowa Bernie Sanders who is running for the democrat nominee responses to the killing of Soleimani. 

The interview transition to Syria, Trump says the only American troops left are those protecting the Oil facilities and then contemplates that maybe we should take the oil. Laura then brings up Wall Street Journal article  which states “Mr. Trump, after the strike, told associates he was under pressure to deal with Gen. Soleimani from GOP senators he views as important supporters in his coming impeachment trial in the Senate, associates said.” Laura says “It sounds like you have a leaker here in the White House.” Trump immediately starts saying “no no no,”  Laura asks “Is this fake?” The president calls it fake news. A former congressional candidate from North Carolina, Pete D’Abrosca tweeted about the statement as well in a thread See Below:

The Trump presidency in a nutshell. pic.twitter.com/xL93yTwndm

— Pete D’Abrosca (@pdabrosca) January 11, 2020

This is the pernicious nature of the GOP.

Congressmen say “I vote with Trump 95% of the time, I support him!” while Mitch heads off all of Trump’s initiatives (border wall, troop withdrawal) at the pass.

— Pete D’Abrosca (@pdabrosca) January 11, 2020

Trump reassures Laura the attack in no way is a “Bush 2.0”, he just doesn’t want Iran to have nuclear weapons. Laura brings up John Kerry’s comments about the current situation with Iran. Trump explains why he took America out of the Iran deal.

The interview turns to the Iraqi Prime minister talking with Secretary of state Mike Pompeo about plans for the US Departing from Iraq.  Laura says “You ran on pulling out of the middle east. Why not use this opportunity? We’re done” Trump says he is okay with leaving Iraq in theory, but then jumps to that being Iraq’s public position, not their private position because “If we (America) leave they’re (Iraq) not going to be able to handle it.” This could lead some to believe there is no near term exit for the United States from the middle east. Trump confirms we are sending more troops to Saudi Arabia and that “Saudia Arabia is paying us for it.”

Trump made a deal that he would send more troops than were requested by Saudia Arabia, but they would have to pay for them. One billion dollars has already been received for the troops, according to Trump in the interview. He has also convinced South Korea to pay half a billion dollars for the American troops stationed there to help protect against North Korea, with more money on the way. Laura asks Trump if he will have Iraq pay us for the military infrastructure America paid for in Iraq. Trump then says that there is a price tag on US departure from Iraq. Iraq would have to pay for the money spent in Iraq on embassies and military bases. 

The Interview then moves to impeachment. Friday, Nancy Pelosi announced she would start transferring the articles of impeachment to the Senate this coming week. Trump reveals who he would like to be at the Senate trial if the Senate opts to holds one on the articles of Impeachment. He would prefer a trial in the Senate over the dismissal of the articles of impeachment. Laura asks Trump why he wouldn’t allow Bolton to testify in a Senate trial. Trump said he wouldn’t have a problem with it except for one thing. Bolton was The National Security Advisor and those in security or legal positions within the executive branch and should not be subjected to testifying in an impeachment hearing because it would set a bad precedent, and must maintain executive privilege. The full interview between President Trump and Laura Ingraham can be seen below: