Memo: Trump Unfit To Be Commander In Chief

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Today, Jake Sullivan, Hillary for America Senior Policy Advisor, released the following memo outlining the campaign’s arguments as to why they believe Donald Trump is unfit to be president. The full release and video are below.

To: Interested Parties
From: Jake Sullivan, Hillary For America Senior Policy Adviser
Re: Trump Unfit To Be Commander In Chief
Date: Monday, August 15, 2016

This is not a normal election. Simply put, Donald Trump is unfit to be our commander in chief. This isn’t overcranked campaign rhetoric – national security experts across the political spectrum are issuing the same warning.

Trump is erratic. He’s thin-skinned. He’s vindictive. He praises dictators and displays a strange affinity for Putin. He trash talks America and threatens to abandon our allies. He uses dangerous rhetoric and proposes dangerous policies that play into the hands of terrorists. He talks casually about nuclear weapons. He knows nothing about foreign policy and he has no interest in learning.

Last week, we got yet another clear and alarming reminder of his lack of fitness for the job.  Reading off the talking points of Vladimir Putin and our other adversaries, Trump falsely claimed that Barack Obama founded ISIS. The world noticed. Just days later, the leader of Hezbollah – a terrorist organization that seeks Israel’s destruction – approvingly quoted Trump’s comments.

Hillary Clinton is uniquely qualified and prepared to assume the role of commander in chief. And Donald Trump is uniquely unqualified. She has serious plans to make our country more secure, and a record of leadership to back it up. He has neither. She is proud to call herself an American and of her work as a public servant. He calls America a third-world country.

The choice is clear. It’s not a choice between a Democrat and a Republican, but between a responsible leader who will keep us safe, and a volatile man who threatens our security.

Background:

Arrogance And Ignorance: A Dangerous Combination

When it comes to foreign policy – just like everything else – Donald Trump is convinced he knows more than anyone in the room. Asked who he consults to help shape his views, Trump explained that he mostly just relies on himself because he has “a very good brain.” His lack of interest in learning from others is reflected in his lack of knowledge of basic facts on foreign affairs:

  • Donald Trump on who he speaks to on foreign policy: “I’m speaking with myself, number one, because I have a very good brain and I’ve said a lot of things.”
  • Donald Trump on foreign policy experts: “Honestly, most of them are no good.”
  • Donald Trump: “I know more about ISIS than the generals do. Believe me.”
  • USA Today: Trump attributes Russia knowledge to hosting Miss Universe pageant there
  • Boston Globe Editorial: “Not only did Trump not know the basics of the US nuclear triad (the Pentagon’s land, sea, and air contingent of nuclear forces)…”
  • Washington Post: Trump’s top example of foreign experience: A Scottish golf course losing millions
  • Weekly Standard: Trump Confuses Iran’s Quds Forces and Kurds Fighting ISIS

Proposals Trump Has Made Would Make Us Less Safe

Donald Trump has offered a lot of rhetoric but very few actual proposals. The few plans he has put forth – like his Muslim ban – are out of step with our values and our common sense. From suggesting we should abandon our allies to calling for bringing back torture, Trump’s policies would make us less safe. Some align with Vladimir Putin’s interests and not with American interests; others play into ISIS’ hands:

  • Donald Trump: Donald J. Trump is calling for a total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States until our country’s representatives can figure out what is going on.
  • Donald Trump: “It’s really rather amazing, maybe Syria should be a free zone for ISIS, let them fight and then you pick up the remnants.”
  • Vox: Donald Trump: make America great again by letting more countries have nukes
  • Donald Trump: “We don’t really need NATO in its current form. NATO is obsolete… if we have to walk, we walk.”
  • BBC: Trump says US may abandon automatic protections for NATO countries
  • Politico: Trump calls Geneva Conventions ‘the problem’
  • Donald Trump: “The other thing with the terrorists is you have to take out their families”
  • Donald Trump: “Don’t tell me it doesn’t work — torture works… Waterboarding is fine, but it’s not nearly tough enough, ok?”
  • Donald Trump: “The case could be made, that let [Japan] protect themselves against North Korea. They’d probably wipe them out pretty quick….Good luck, folks, enjoy yourself. If they fight, that would be terrible, right? But if they do, they do.
  • AP: Donald Trump encourages Russian hackers to spy on Hillary Clinton
  • Politico: Trump changed views on Ukraine after hiring Manafort
  • New York Times: “It is not clear that Mr. Manafort’s work in Ukraine ended with his work with Mr. Trump’s campaign. A communications aide for Mr. Lyovochkin, who financed Mr. Manafort’s work, declined to say whether he was still on retainer or how much he had been paid.”
  • Mother Jones: Is Donald Trump’s Campaign Manager Still on the Payroll of a Ukrainian Political Leader?
  • New York Times: “Handwritten ledgers show $12.7 million in undisclosed cash payments designated for Mr. Manafort from Mr. Yanukovych’s pro-Russian political party from 2007 to 2012, according to Ukraine’s newly formed National Anti-Corruption Bureau. Investigators assert that the disbursements were part of an illegal off-the-books system whose recipients also included election officials.”
  • New York Times: “A separate deal also funneled Russian-linked oligarchic money into Ukraine… Mr. Deripaska agreed to pay a 2 percent annual management fee to Mr. Manafort and his partners, and put $100 million into the fund…”

Dangerous Rhetoric: Trump Praises Dictators, Bashes America And Our Leaders, Stokes Islamophobia

The Trump *candidacy* alone is undermining our national security.  He is the nominee representing one of America’s two major political parties.  His words matter.  Whether he’s praising dictators, channeling the talking points of our enemies, attacking American leaders and those who have sacrificed the most for our country, or stoking Islamophobia, those words are doing harm to our friends and emboldening our adversaries:

  • Donald Trump: “You’ve got to give [Kim Jong Un] credit. How many young guys — he was like 26 or 25 when his father died — take over these tough generals…. It’s incredible. He wiped out the uncle. He wiped out this one, that one.”
  • NBC News: Trump Calls Tiananmen Square Protests a ‘Riot,’ Defends Calling Crackdown ‘Strong’
  • Donald Trump: “I will tell you in terms of leadership [Putin] is getting an ‘A,’ and our president is not doing so well.”
  • Washington Post: Donald Trump praises Saddam Hussein for killing terrorists ‘so good’
  • Huffington Post: Trump Once Praised Tyrants For Not Being Politically Correct
  • Washington Post: The 100-plus times Donald Trump assured us that America is a laughingstock
  • New York Times: Donald Trump Calls Obama ‘Founder of ISIS’ and Says It Honors Him
  • ABC News: Hezbollah Leader Echoes Trump That Obama, Clinton Founded ISIS
  • Donald Trump: “[John McCain’s] not a war hero. He was a war hero because he was captured. I like people who weren’t captured, ok? I hate to tell you.”
  • BuzzFeed: Trump: I Don’t Regret McCain Comments, My Poll Numbers Went Up
  • Donald Trump on our generals: “Well, they don’t know much, because they’re not winning.”
  • Washington Post: Donald Trump says he ‘always wanted to get the Purple Heart’
  • Reuters: Trump’s Anti-Muslim Rhetoric Is Fueling More Islamophobic Incidents

Independent and Republican Experts Agree: Trump Is Uniquely Dangerous

When all of this is taken together, it paints a striking picture: Donald Trump isn’t a normal presidential nominee. He is a uniquely dangerous candidate. The result? Foreign policy experts across the board – from lifelong Republicans to apolitical national security officials – are speaking out to say they cannot accept the prospect of a Trump presidency:

  • New York Times (8/8/16): 50 G.O.P. Officials Warn Donald Trump Would Put Nation’s Security ‘at Risk’: “He does not encourage conflicting views. He lacks self-control and acts impetuously. He cannot tolerate personal criticism. He has alarmed our closest allies with his erratic behavior. All of these are dangerous qualities in an individual who aspires to be president and commander in chief, with command of the U.S. nuclear arsenal.”
  • Washington Post (8/8/16): Former GOP national security officials: Trump would be ‘most reckless’ American president in history
  • Washington Post (8/4/16): Republicans are among a new list of foreign policy experts denouncing Trump: “We find Trump’s comments to be reckless, dangerous, and extremely unwise.  They contradict a core, bipartisan principle found in every U.S. administration — that our security in North America is indivisible with our democratic allies in Europe.”
  • Washington Post (3/3/16): Trump is ‘fundamentally dishonest,’ say GOP national security leaders in open letter: “[Trump’s] vision of American influence and power in the world is wildly inconsistent and unmoored in principle. He swings from isolationism to military adventurism within the space of one sentence.”
  • Former Acting CIA Director Mike Morell: In sharp contrast to Mrs. Clinton, Mr. Trump has no experience on national security. Even more important, the character traits he has exhibited during the primary season suggest he would be a poor, even dangerous, commander in chief…. In the intelligence business, we would say that Mr. Putin had recruited Mr. Trump as an unwitting agent of the Russian Federation.”
  • GOP Rep. Adam Kinzinger: “I’m an American before I’m a Republican. I’m saying for me personally, how can I support that? Because he’s crossed so many red lines that a commander in chief or a candidate for commander in chief should never cross.”
  • GOP Rep. Richard Hanna: “[Trump’s] unhinged. It’s difficult to imagine why anyone could support him. He comes across as a demagogue. He comes across as a guy who, frankly, Putin has made a fool of.”
  • ABC News: Gen. John Allen Says Donald Trump Could Cause ‘Civil Military Crisis’: “What we do have to do, George, is listen to what he’s been saying about our military,” Allen said. “He’s called it a disaster. He says our military can’t win anymore. That’s a direct insult to every single man and woman who’s wearing the uniform today.”
  • Defense One: Former Bush Officials — Negroponte and Donley — Endorse Clinton. Former Air Force Secretary Michael Donley: “Her deep experience in public service, even temperament, willingness to listen to others and unifying message stands in stark contrast with Donald Trump, who has sown divisiveness at home, confused our allies abroad and shown repeatedly that he lacks the temperament, judgment, character and common decency the American people deserve and should expect in their leadership.”
  • PoliticsUSA: Former Reagan/Bush Ambassador Calls Trump Incompetent As Republicans Flock To Clinton: “The Republican nominee for President has no government experience and has done nothing in his career to demonstrate that he is competent to be President. He has made repeated misstatements and inaccurate statements. He has insulted minorities, women, a war hero and Gold Star parents. He is unqualified and unfit to be President.”
  • Republican foreign policy expert Max Boot: “Trump is an ignorant demagogue who traffics in racist and misogynistic slurs and crazy conspiracy theories. He champions protectionism and isolationism — the policies that brought us the Great Depression and World War II.”

For all the latest, follow our Scheduled Events page and follow Clinton on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram. Also, be sure to subscribe to the campaign’s official Podcast, With Her.

Hillary Clinton Addresses VFW Convention in Charlotte

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On Monday, as the Democratic National Convention begins in Philadelphia, Hillary Clinton was in Charlotte, North Carolina where she addressed the annual Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Convention. Clinton vowed to reform the Department of Veterans Affairs to fix the backlog and bring the technology into the current century. She promised that she would not privatize the VA as others have suggested. During her speech, she also went after Republican Donald Trump (who will address the WFW convention tomorrow). She criticized his “me” mentality saying, “You will never hear me say I will only listen to myself on national security.” Clinton also went after Trump’s statements about a number of our key allies saying, “I believe in standing with our allies. Generations of American troops fought and died to secure those bonds. They knew we were safer with more friends and partners.” A video of Clinton’s speech is below.

Clinton then spoke an organizing event for local volunteers. She fired up the crowd by continuing her criticism of Trump’s policies and rhetoric saying, “I don’t know how you run for president of the United States if you spend all your time trashing the United States.” She called out his divisive attitude saying that America is better off when everyonore works together and shares in it’s rewards. As the DNC kicks off, Clinton promised that the Democratic Party will offer an optimistic view of America while offering solutions to the problems facing the country. Watch Clinton’s speech below.

For all the latest, follow our Scheduled Events page and follow Clinton on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

News Source: The New York Times, Military Times,

Hillary for America Chair John Podesta Statement on Trump’s RNC Speech

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Following Donald Trump’s acceptance speech as the Republican party’s nominee for president, Hillary for America Chair John Podesta released a statement criticizing Trump’s portrayal of America. Even more so, Podesta attacked Trump’s divisive rhetoric which will do nothing but divide the country further. He argued that Democrats are focused on issues and ensuring that everyone in America as equal opportunity. A copy of Podesta’s statement is below:

“Tonight, Donald Trump painted a dark picture of an America in decline. And his answer – more fear, more division, more anger, more hate — was yet another reminder that he is temperamentally unfit and totally unqualified to be President of the United States.  He offered no real solutions to help working families get ahead or to keep our country safe, just more prejudice and paranoia. America is better than this.  America is better than Donald Trump.  Next week in Philadelphia, Democrats will focus on issues, not anger. We’ll offer a positive vision for the future based on lifting America up, not tearing Americans down.”

For all the latest, follow our Scheduled Events page and follow Clinton on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

News Source: The New York Times

Clinton Camp Responds to Trump’s Selection of Pence as Running Mate

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On Saturday, Republican Donald Trump formally announced his running mate, Indiana Governor Mike Pence. Hillary for America unveiled a fact sheet about Pence yesterday, and today, Deputy Communications Director Christina Reynolds released a statement about his choice and comments he made about Hillary Clinton during his speech. Read the statement below.

“We were prepared to respond with the many ways in which Mike Pence is the most extreme pick in a generation—a doubling down of Trump’s divisive rhetoric and policies. But after publicly waffling over his own choice, Trump spent more time today making false attacks on Hillary Clinton—several of which could also be leveled against Pence—and talking about his own businesses than his own running mate. It turns out, you can force Trump to make a choice and give him a speech, he’s always going to be Trump.”

For all the latest, follow our Scheduled Events page and follow Clinton on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

News Source: The New York Times, The Briefing

Hillary Clinton Delivers Economic Speech in Ohio

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On Tuesday, Hillary Clinton delivered a speech on the economy in Columbus, Ohio during which she spoke about her economic policies saying that the economy “isn’t yet where we want it to be, but we are stronger and better positioned than anyone in the world.” She spoke about her plans to create new jobs and go after dangerous Wall Street practices. The main focus of her speech, however, was Republican Donald Trump and the danger of a Trump presidency for the economy. She attacked Trump for his divisive rhetoric, and she focused on his economic policies and business background. She pointed to several poor business decisions and failures as evidence that Trump’s poor judgement. She also spoke about how economists predict a recession if Trumps economic proposals are enacted. She wrapped up by saying that we are stronger together saying that Trump “believes in the worst of us.” A full video of Clinton speech is below.

The Clinton campaign also released a new website targeting Trump and his business history. The site is laid out like a magazine and is called “Art of the Steal.” The site, artofthesteal.biz, is available now and features a number of articles outlining how Trump’s policies would destroy the economy. A number of Trumps failed business ventures are outlined to illustrate his questionable judgement and his self-professed business skills. Feel free to visit the site at the link above, and Sign Up for updates.

For all the latest, follow our Scheduled Events page and follow Clinton on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

News Source: The New York Times, The Columbus Dispatch, Vox

Clinton Releases New Campaign Ads

On Thursday, Hillary Clinton’s campaign began airing a series of new campaign ads targeting Republican Donald Trump and setting up the general election fight. One of the commercials go after Trump’s divisive speeches and rhetoric and paints Clinton as a more positive and uplifting leader. The other two feature Clinton’s career and her work to help children get the health care coverage they needed. These ads, which are included in this post, will air in eight key battleground states: Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio, and Virginia.

For all the latest, follow our Scheduled Events page and follow Clinton on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

News Source: The Boston Globe

Hillary Clinton Campaigns in California on Eve of Primary

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Hillary Clinton wrapped up five days of campaigning in California by speaking at several events in Los Angeles area. Clinton’s first event of the day was a Get Out the Vote event in Lynwood where she told supporters about a number of her platform points including equal pay for women, raising the minimum wage, growing the economy, and passing comprehensive immigration reform. Throughout her speech, she criticized Republican nominee Donald Trump for his stance on a number of topics and his divisive rhetoric. Clinton stressed the importance of voting tomorrow saying that a California win would mean a lot to her. Videos of her speech are below (in two parts)

Before her speech in Lynwood, Clinton took several minutes to speak to the press. She was asked about yesterday’s win in the Puerto Rico primary and her thoughts on the prospect of being the first female nominee by a major political party. Clinton said that she is honored to win in Puerto Rico, and she is focused on the six states that vote tomorrow. Clinton was also asked about her thoughts on her race with Bernie Sanders and her plans to go forward against Trump. Clinton said that it is important for the Democratic Party to unify against Trump, and she said that she will reach out to Sanders to work with him and his supporters. A video of the press conference is below.

Clinton then spoke at rallies in South Los Angeles and Long Beach. During each event, she spoke about her platform points and attacked Trump for his divisive nature. Before the event in Long Beach, news outlets had declared Clinton the presumptive nominee for the Democratic Party, but she downplayed the projection saying that there was still a lot of work to be done. She urged supporters to get out and vote for her tomorrow because a win in California would be a great way to begin the general election. A video from the Long Beach event is below.

Clinton’s final event of the night was an appearance at the She’s With Us Concert held at The Greek Theatre. The concert featured performances by Christina Aguilera, Andra Day, John Legend, Ricky Martin, and Stevie Wonder. While Clinton’s appearance was brief, the performers and celebrity guests warmed up the crowd by talking about Clinton’s plans as well as attacking Trump. Other speakers at the event included Cher, Jamie Foxx, Eva Longoria, Mary Steenburgen, Kate Walsh, Chrissy Teigen, and Magic Johnson.

For all the latest, follow our Scheduled Events page and follow Clinton on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

News Source: KTIC, Variety, NBC 4, ABC 7

Bill Clinton Campaigns in Bay Area

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On the day before California’s Democratic primary, Bill Clinton campaigned on behalf of Hillary Clinton in the San Francisco area. Bill has been focusing his efforts on smaller events and has spoken to supporters by standing in the back of a truck. His first two events today were a Get Out the Vote rallies in Oakland and Hayward. At each event, Bill spoke about Hillary’s experience and a number of platform points including growing the economy, focusing on clean energy, and expanding health care. In his speeches, he also criticized Republican nominee Donald Trump for a number of his positions and rhetoric saying that Hillary is a better candidate to continue the progress of the last eight years. A video from today’s event in Oakland is below.

Bill then spoke at a Get Out the Vote event in Antioch. Speaking to a crowd of supporters at Marsh Elementary School, Bill spoke about Hillary’s experience and her plans to keep moving America forward. He explained how important the 2016 election is to continue to the progress of the last eight years, and that electing Trump is a certain way to undo most of that progress. A video of the speech is below.

In Richmond, he spoke spoke about similar topics, but he was confronted by a group of protestors who interrupted his speech. Instead of having the protesters escorted out, Bill answered their questions. He was asked about Hillary’s ties to Wall Street and the crime bill that passed during his administration. He has admitted that that parts of that bill were not perfect saying, “When the crime bill in 1994 came over from the House, it had stronger incarceration procedures than I originally asked for. They cover about 8 percent of total people in prison. When we got to the Senate, the Senate included an assault weapons ban with an ammunition clip limit.” A partial video from the event, including Bill’s exchange with the protester, is below.

His final event of the day was in San Francisco where he spoke about the city’s important position in the country saying, “San Francisco is uniquely positioned to understand that every American should care about the implications of our elections and our choices and the rest of the world.” He then went on to speak about a number of Hillary’s platform points and making an argument why she is a better candidate for president than Democratic rival Bernie Sanders or Trump. He asked for voters’ support in the primary saying that California would be a big win for Hillary. A video from the event is below.

Chelsea Clinton and Senator Cory Booker also campaigned for Hillary in New Jersey. They appeared at several events and spoke about a number Hillary’s platform points and the importance of the 2016 election. They both urged voters to vote in tomorrow’s New Jersey primary.

Meanwhile, Tokyo, Japan, a fundraiser was held for American citizens living in the region. The event featured a conversation with former Under Secretary of State Bob Hormats. The topic of the conversation was economic growth, energy, and the environment.

For all the latest, follow our Scheduled Events page and follow Clinton on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

News Source: ABC 7 (Antioch), ABC 7 (San Francisco), CBS NewsABC 7 (Oakland)

Clinton Speaks at USC, Appears on Jimmy Kimmel Live

Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton took part in a roundtable discussion on homeland security at USC Thursday, March 24, 2016. James Featherstone, President of Homeland Security Advisory Council of Los Angeles Joumana Silyan-Saba, Mayor's Office of Public Safety Eric Garcetti, Los Angeles Mayor Hillary Clinton Salam Al Maryati, Executive Director of Muslim Public Affairs CouncilBrie Loskota, Executive Director of USC Center for Religion and Civic Culture (Photo by Walt Mancini/Pasadena Star-News)
Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton took part in a roundtable discussion on homeland security at USC Thursday, March 24, 2016. James Featherstone, President of Homeland Security Advisory Council of Los Angeles Joumana Silyan-Saba, Mayor’s Office of Public Safety Eric Garcetti, Los Angeles Mayor Hillary Clinton Salam Al Maryati, Executive Director of Muslim Public Affairs Council Brie Loskota, Executive Director of USC Center for Religion and Civic Culture (Photo by Walt Mancini/Pasadena Star-News)

On Thursday, Hillary Clinton took part in a roundtable discussion on the campus of the University of Southern California (USC). The roundtable consisted of Los Angeles area officials and focused on the issue of homeland security and the Muslim American community. Clinton spoke about the recent terrorist attacks in Belgium saying that the rhetoric coming from the Republican presidential candidates is dangerous and will not make America safer. She said, “We cannot allow our nation to be pitting groups against one another. We cannot give in to panic and fear. It’s not in keeping with our values. It’s not effective in protecting us, and it plays into the hands of terrorists.” A full video from the discussion is below.

Later in the evening, Clinton stopped by ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live! where she and Kimmel discuss a number of topics including her campaign, Republican rival Donald Trump, campaign finance reform, and her email controversy. During her appearance, Kimmel offered suggestions of new campaign slogans, and he helped Clinton with a speech by “mansplaining” how it would be perceived by men. The interview was very light and funny, and you can check out clips from it below.

For all the latest, follow our revamped Scheduled Events page and follow Clinton on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

News Source: The Los Angeles Daily News, ABC7

Hillary Clinton Campaigns in Missouri and Ohio

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On Saturday, Hillary Clinton campaigned in Missouri and Ohio. She began with a morning rally in St. Louis. Speaking to a crowd at the Nelson-Mulligan Carpenters’ Training Center, Clinton criticized the rhetoric of Republican front-runner Donald Trump and the violence surrounding his campaign events that is getting out of hand, particularly in St. Louis and Chicago. Clinton then went on to speak about the future of the country and why it was okay for Americans to be frustrated. She said, “You have every right to be angry, but anger is not a plan. You have every right to vent your frustration about the way that our economy and our political system is failing, but venting is not a solution.” Clinton then went on to lay out her platform and explain what she would do as president to ensure everyone had equal opportunities. A video from the event is available on C-SPAN.

Clinton then traveled to Cleveland where she hosted a forum event at the Olivet Institutional Baptist Church. During the event, she spoke about her plans for the economy and health care and how her plans will address the specific needs of Ohioans. Clinton then took questions from the those in attendance on a variety of topics. Videos from today’s events will be added when/if available.

Clinton wrapped up the day at a Get Out the Vote rally in Youngstown. Speaking to a crowd of supporters at M2 Technologies, Clinton focused on trade. She called for tougher regulations on auto imports that the Obama administration negotiated in the Trans-Pacific Partnership. She said, “We are going to enforce trade agreements. We are not going any longer to be at the mercy of what any country is going to do to take advantage of our markets.”

For all the latest, follow our revamped Scheduled Events page and follow Clinton on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

News Source: The Washington Post, WKBN, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, The Blade