NEW YORK, (MILLAT+APP/AFP) – Donald Trump boasted
Tuesday of securing a $50 billion Japanese telecoms investment to create 50,000 US jobs, claiming another high-stakes personal win for the economy before kicking off round two
of a victory tour.
The US president-elect provided no details on the jobs or investment, which
he trumpeted following a meeting with Japanese self-made billionaire Masayoshi
Son at Trump Tower in New York.
The property developer, who has never previously held office and whose
defeat of Hillary Clinton stunned the world, first tweeted the announcement,
then strode into the lobby of his headquarters to brief reporters in person.
“This is Masa of SoftBank from Japan and he’s just agreed to invest $50
billion in the United States and 50,000 jobs,” said Trump, standing with his
arm around a grinning Son.
“He’s one of the great men of industry, so I just want to thank you very
much,” he added, turning to shake the Japanese magnate’s hand.
“I just came to celebrate his new job,” said Son, repeating his commitment
and saying that SoftBank would be investing in startup companies in America.
The flamboyant tycoon brandished a piece of paper that indicated SoftBank
and Foxconn, the Taiwanese technology giant, “commit to invest $50bn + $7bn in
US, generate 50k + 50k new jobs in US in next four years.”
Trump got into hot water last week by taking a protocol-busting telephone
call from the president of Taiwan and is under increasing fire in the media for
conflicts of interest between his vast business empire and taking top office.
In an interview with The Wall Street Journal, Son said the money will be
coming from a $100 billion investment fund that he is setting up with Saudi
Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund and other potential partners.
– Air Force One threat –
========================
Trump, who won the election by promising to create jobs and shake up the
political establishment, claimed the Japanese investment as a personal coup.
“Masa said he would never do this had we (Trump) not won the election!” the
maverick Republican wrote on Twitter.
It marked the second time in a week Trump has claimed to have acted
personally to save or create jobs after saving hundreds of manufacturing jobs
from leaving Indiana for Mexico.
That agreement with air-conditioning plant Carrier was announced ahead of
his inaugural victory rally in Ohio, and has raised his stock among Republican
and Democrat voters alike, a Politico/Morning Consult poll found Tuesday.
Trump bolstered his populist credentials further by threatening to cancel a
ballooning contract for two new Air Force One jets: one of the most glittering
assets of the US presidency that now need updating.
He claimed, without backup proof, that the contract had escalated to more
than $4 billion, and said he was committed to keeping government spending down
and saving taxpayers’ money.
Converting twin 747-8 jumbo jets into state-of-the-art command centers by
2024 was estimated to cost $3 billion when Boeing won the contract in January
2015.
“I think Boeing is doing a little bit of a number. We want Boeing to make a
lot of money, but not that much money,” Trump told reporters in the first of
his two rare appearances in the lobby of his Trump Tower on Tuesday.
– Mad Dog –
===========
Boeing did not directly address Trump’s comments, but issued a statement
saying that it looked forward to delivering “the best planes for the president
at the best value for the American taxpayer.”
Team Trump says the president-elect is filling out his cabinet at the
fastest rate “since at least 1968.”
The incoming Republican president resumes his unorthodox victory tour on
Tuesday by traveling to Fayetteville, North Carolina, saying “thank you” to
another of the swing states that swept him into office.
There, in a 10,000-seat sports arena, he is scheduled to share the stage
with James Mattis, the decorated four-star Marine general nicknamed Mad Dog
whom he will formally name as defense secretary.
Trump first announced that Mattis was his pick while soaking up adulation
at his inaugural post-election rally in Cincinnati last Thursday, driving the
crowd wild in another drastic break with tradition.
If nothing else Trump has thrilled his supporters.
Joann Chylinski, queuing up outside the stadium not far from the Fort Bragg
military base, welcomed Trump’s interventions on the job market as “great.”
Carlysle Narburgh, 18, who works three jobs, said she was also pleased
about the threat to cancel the Air Force One order.
“That was actually a pretty good decision, if you ask me,” she said.