This is a bit of sleuthing worthy of Sherlock Holmes. A Washington Post staff photographer took photos of the folded, secret missive that Trump displayed briefly Tuesday before he left for Iowa, and then put back in his pocket. Here’s what it said.
“the Government of Mexico will take all necessary steps under domestic law to bring the agreement into force with a view to ensuring that the agreement will enter into force within 45 days.” @realDonaldTrump #Mexico agreement. Second photo flipped @washingtonpost @postpolitics pic.twitter.com/lWuJU9bpYK
— Jabin Botsford (@jabinbotsford) June 11, 2019
EXCLUSIVE: Visible on Trump’s paper: "such agreement would… party’s domestic and international legal obligations, a commitment under which each party would accept the return and process refugee status claims, of third-party nationals who have crossed that party’s territory” pic.twitter.com/FzSkpa5w88
— Dan Froomkin (@froomkin) June 11, 2019
Here’s the entirety of what was cobbled together.
[UNREADABLE] such agreement would [UNREADABLE] party’s domestic and international legal obligations, a commitment under which each party would accept the return, and process refugee status claims, of third-party nationals who have crossed that party’s territory [UNREADABLE] other party. The parties further intend [UNREADABLE] an agreem[ent] [UNREADABLE] to burden-sharing in relation to the processing of refuge[es] [UNREADABLE].
Mexico also commits to immediate[ly] [UNREADABLE] domestic laws and regulations with a view to identifying any changes that [UNREADABLE] to bring into force and implement such an agreement.
If the United States determines, at its discretion and after consultation with Mexico, after 45 calendar days from the date of the issuance of the Joint Declaration, that the measures adopted by the Government of Mexico pursuant to the Joint Declaration have not sufficiently achieved results in addressing the flow of migrants to the southern border of the United States, the Government of Mexico will take all necessary steps under the domestic law to bring the agreement into force with a view to ensuring that the agreement will enter into force within 45 days.
Signed on this 7th of June, 2019 in Washington, D.C. by:
[SIGNATURE 1] [SIGNATURE 2]
On behalf of the United States On behalf of Mexico
Analysis:
The two signatures are not Trump’s and Lopez Obrador’s. The document is signed by Marik A. String, acting legal adviser in the U.S. State Department, and Alejandro Celorio Alcantara, a deputy legal adviser in Mexico’s Foreign Ministry. So the legitimacy of the document is called into question right off.
The Post says that the document deals with some kind of “burden-sharing” involving “refugees.” Washington Post:
The prevailing wisdom is that Trump, in citing a secret deal, may have been referring to some kind of pact involving asylum rules, possibly a “safe third country agreement” in which Central Americans seeking asylum in the United States would be held in Mexico while their claims are processed. (This is a controversial topic in Mexico, and the Mexican government has denied any such agreement.) That appears to be what this document deals with. We don’t generally refer to asylum seekers as “refugees,” but the concept is similar. The part about how “each party would accept the return, and process refugee status claims, of third-party nationals who have crossed that party’s territory” sounds a lot like some kind of “safe third” agreement.
Trump tweeted about an immigration and security “deal” two days ago, which the Mexican legislature was going to vote on. This is probably what he was referring to. The letter refers to a 45 day trigger date.
Mexican Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard held a news conference in which he said that the Friday agreement with the United States gave Mexico 45 days to prove that it could diminish migration without agreeing to a “safe third” deal.
He acknowledged that in 45 days, if the United States does not assess that progress has been made, the Trump administration probably will ask again for a “safe third” agreement. But he said Mexico has not committed to that agreement, which would have to be approved by lawmakers and probably negotiated with other countries in the region.
“It would be applied if we fail, and if we accept what they tell us,” Ebrard said.
The safe third agreement states that refugee claimants are required to request refugee protection in the first safe country they arrive in, unless they qualify for an exception to the Agreement. This is why Ebrard said that the matter would have to be negotiated with other countries in the region.
Meanwhile, Mick Mulvaney said Tuesday that the public may never see Trump’s secret deal. MSNBC:
“If I told you, it wouldn’t be the secret part of the deal, right?” Mulvaney said at the Peter G. Peterson Foundation’s Fiscal Summit.
Asked when the public would see the secret deal, Mulvaney responded: “Maybe never.”
“Because if it works, it doesn’t make any difference,” Mulvaney said. He added: “The purpose here is not to satisfy your journalistic sort of, you know, inquiries as to what the deal is. The goal is to reduce the number of people crossing the border.
Authoritarian, much? Now the people have no right to know what international agreements the government is entering into? Trump will just do what he wants? This newest asinine comment from Mulvaney says it all — both about the legitimacy of the so-called deal and about Mulvaney, who is a Giuliani-esque clown/shill with the title Acting Chief of Staff. But what i wouldn’t have given to see his face when he saw the Washington Post Wednesday morning.
See this for exactly what it is. Trump’s reelection campaign officially launches on Tuesday and he wants to have something to strut and brag about to impress the base on his signature issue, immigration. It’s doubtful that Trump is going to reshape geopolitics in 45 days, with Mexico’s assistance, but it will make for good copy and Fox News will get some mileage out of it. I hope it’s a bit more credible than the fish story he told in Iowa yesterday about how Chinese tariffs are “bringing billions of dollars” into the United States, when American companies are the ones paying the freight. Trump and his supporters are the perfect paradigm of the blind leading the blind. They don’t know how tariffs work, apparently, and neither does he — but as long as it sounds good, they’ll go punch the card in the voting booth. At least, that’s what Trump’s depending on. That much is obvious.
Mulvaney isn’t in the State department and he’s neither president nor vice-president, so where does he get all this authority to speak for government?
That’s actually a question I can answer. Trump and his henchmen are not adhering to any of the normal protocols that the yous and mes expect from government. It’s free form madness on Pennsylvania Avenue. Trump makes up lies, disguised as “policy” with all the forethought that you and i use in deciding what to make for breakfast. And Mulvaney just told reporters that they can shove it, the White House doesn’t need to be accountable — like the press is a bunch of nosy relatives poking in somebody’s private affairs.
This really outraged me this morning when i read it — miraculously, I’m still capable of outrage.
You’re telling us Dimwit Donny lies?
No. Say it isn’t so!
In other news, sky is often blue, water is wet, Rose Kennedy had a black dress.
I’m not a lawyer but for a layperson do ok deciphering legal language much of the time – and know when to ask for the opinion of an actual trained lawyer when I’m unsure. I also know those who’ve been to law school have been known to amuse themselves looking at lay folks like me attempting to write in legal language, which might seem oh so clever to the writer(s) but pretty damned ridiculous to someone who knows their shit – IOW an actual lawyer.
So tell me – given your own background doesn’t that mishmash seem like a couple of would be/wannabe lawyers trying to come up with something official sounding? IOW doesn’t it look like Trump’s guy was begging to have some kind of shit down on paper and signed to keep from getting fired, and his counterpart from Mexico agreeing to try and help to keep Trump from doing immeasurable harm to both our countries by implementing the threatened tariffs? After all, like other countries Mexico (and its leaders) know damned well that Trump only cares about the visuals/next news cycle or two. In the meantime I can easily envision contract law professors around the country citing that garbage as a case study in how NOT to write an enforceable agreement, and if in a generous mood to let the class have a little fun allow them to pick the thing apart. In a couple of years the Dept. of State will be using it as an example of something that will if not get someone fired, lead to a posting on say the island of Yap (a small in size & population American Protectorate) out there the hell and gone from anything else in the Pacific.
From where I sit you’re correct. That “agreement” is meaningless and/or unenforceable and in part because determining just what the hell it actually says, much less means is impossible not to mention the signatories don’t matter when it comes to making a letter like that an enforceable agreement between nations. But Trump has his “prop” to wave around and talk about at his rallies which was the whole point. I’m pretty sure Mexico can live with that because they know their own people know how full of shit Trump is – and will have as good a laugh at his expense as the bulk of our own country is having.
First point: WaPo said that Trump did mention that what was in his hand was only one page of an agreement. Based on what we have seen, I have no remote clue whether this agreement is enforceable or not. And even the likes of Laurence Tribe and other legal scholars would undoubtedly say that they wouldn’t hazard a guess on that question without seeing the entire document. It would be imprudent to do so.
Second point: Yes, it’s a prop. It’s obvious to me that Mulvaney knows that. If this was a serious negotiation, Mulvaney would have been singing a different tune, touting it. He was running from it and taking a shot at the press at the same time.
And look for more shots at the press from Trump and company. That’s going to be the order of the day as this election heats up. Kellyanne just accused MSNBC of lying about Mueller. And I’m sure you already have figured this out — Election2020 is going to be the most vicious. low down street fight you’ve ever seen. America is in the gutter, and I pray that we can crawl out and at least make it back up onto the curb.
mick is really enjoying his power trip.
I wonder if he’s ever going to change his title from “acting” to actual Chief of Staff? Although Deputy Propagandist would be a better title.
He reminds me of the arrogant jerk dyatlov, in the Netflix Chernobyl miniseries I just watched.
So when will Fox News announce The Reichstag Fire Decree???
Oh man, that 500 word section has at least 300 words that Trump won’t understand. I’m starting to feel like he’s going to have trouble producing the amazing deal he says he can.
That man is only looking for deals that line his pocket.
That is true…and given the long string of bankruptcies, I think we can safely say he stinks at making those kinds of deals too.
I mean…seriously…how is he this bad at everything??
It’s a feature, how many other people of such ill repute claim, or have claimed, to be our president, show a very deep history of failures, and have, to a deal, screwed everyone over for taking home a reward of crooked money, international criminal connections and a reputation that generated the term shitgibbon as an international reference to himself? Not too many, I’d surmise …
Our Congressional/Presidential official records will be stained with the smelly hog shit that has become the daily spiel of the crook in the WH, so far out there that future readers will wonder, as I do now, why have the Republicans allowed this cretin to continue with his stupid drivel and posturing with the biggest and most cruel despots elsewhere in the world, allowing him to overreach the powers of his office, and mention publicly his giving both Kim now and Putin before credit over his own intel crews …
It is enough to create neck snaps, as his mouth just says anything he thinks at the moment, our international security is in danger, and our military better be very careful in it’s following any orders that emanate from that rancid pie hole … Trump has proven time and again he has no clue how international relations operate, both politically and collectively, by trust generated over years of working jointly with allies and friendly countries around the world.
He works with knee jerk reactions that stem from his innate stupidity and narcissistic demands … that, all working together, make him look to other nations like the 2-3 year old personality he actually has … the classic question, “would you buy a used car from this toad?” It certainly would not be his, and the guy he stole it from might not approve of his sale …
‘his mouth just says anything he thinks at the moment’–This assumes thought is involved. There is no thinking going on inside that ferret-wearing head. It’s impulsiveness, plain and simple. Blurting, if you will, but no thinking.
The Stages of the Trump Cycle.
Look, [Insert Country Here], if you don’t do this unreasonable, undefined thing, I’m going to kill this puppy!
I mean it. And if I don’t get that thing I can’t even define, I’ll just start killing more puppies.
I really mean it. Ten puppies a day.
Make that twenty.
I have forced [Insert Country Here] to buckle to my demands through my skills as the world’s best negotiator to achieve a hard bargain that no one else could get.
Let us all dance to celebrate how I saved thousands of puppies!
Rinse. Lather. Repeat.
As johnnyfreedom so eloquently put it in an article, in part… he is a Picasso of pettiness; a Shakespeare of shit. A Shakespeare of shit…Is. Trump. To. A. T.