As of the close of the day on July 7, my positive/negative score on the Trump administration stands at -924.
7 July 2025
-1: Trump brushes off a question about “90 deals in 90 days” [360]
-1: J.D. Vance says the economy that shrank for the first time in three years was Biden’s, not Trump’s [361]
-1: Headline: Trump threatens extra 10% tariff on nations that side with BRICS (BBC)
-1: Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt ignores recent events and TACO (Trump Always Chickens Out) [362]
-1: The tariff letters Trump sent to various nations look like they were written by a school student [363]
-1: The letter sent to Her Excellency Želkja Cvijanović of Bosnia-Herzegovina has the salutation “Dear Mr. President”
References
360. Reporter: What happened to 90 trade deals in 90 days?
Trump: It’s all done. I told you we’ll make some deals, but for the most part we’re gonna send a letter.
361. For News: The economy shrank. First time in three years. People are pointing to the tariff policy.
J.D. Vance: This is Joe Biden’s economy.
362. Q: Given the fact Trump put into effect the tariffs on April 2 and then put the pause into place, is the president at all concerned that these countries that are receiving the letters won’t take them seriously bc the deadline has shifted already and may shift again?
Leavitt: They will take the letters seriously.
363. Sample tariff letter; paragraphing and capitalization are as in the original and not the fault of OCR.
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
July 7, 2025
His Excellency
Ishiba Shigeru
Prime Minister of Japan
Tokyo
Dear Mr. Prime Minister:
It is a Great Honor for me to send you this letter in that it demonstrates the strength and commitment of our Trading Relationship, and the fact that the United States of America has agreed to continue working with Japan, despite having a significant Trade Deficit with your great Country. Nevertheless, we have decided to move forward with you, but only with more balanced, and fair, TRADE. Therefore, we invite you to participate in the extraordinary Economy of the United States, the Number One Market in the World, by far. We have had years to discuss our Trading Relationship with Japan, and have concluded that we must move away from these longterm, and very persistent, Trade Deficits engendered by Japan’s Tariff, and Non Tariff, Policies and Trade Barriers. Our relationship has been, unfortunately, far from Reciprocal. Starting on August 1. 2025, we will charge Japan a Tariff of only 25% on any and all Japanese products sent into the United States, separate from all Sectoral Tariffs. Goods transshipped to evade a higher Tariff will be subject to that higher Tariff. Please understand that the 25% number is far Jess than what is needed to eliminate the Trade Deficit disparity we have with your Country. As you are aware, there will be no Tariff if Japan, or companies within your Country, decide to build or manufacture product within the United States and, in fact, we will do everything possible to get approvals quickly, professionally. and routinely — In other words, in a matter of weeks.
If for any reason you decide to raise your Tariffs, then, whatever the number you choose to raise them by. will be added onto the 25% that we charge. Please understand that these “Tariffs are necessary to correct the many years of Japan’s Tariff, and Non Tariff, Policies and Trade Barriers, causing these unsustainable Trade Deficits against the United States. This Deficit is a major threat to our Economy and, indeed, our National Security!
We look forward to working with you as your Trading Partner for many years to come. If you wish to open your heretofore closed Trading Markets to the United States, and eliminate your Tariff, and Non Tariff, Policies and Trade Barriers, we will, perhaps, consider an adjustment to this letter. These Tariffs may be modified, upward or downward, depending on our relationship with your Country. You will never be disappointed with The United States of America.
Thank you for your attention to this matter!
With best wishes, I am,
Sincerely,
(Signature of Donald Trump.)
6 July 2025
-1: Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent says people on Medicaid should just get a good job with healthcare benefits [359]
Reference
359. Bessent: “The able-bodied Americans are not vulnerable Americans ... people can get off Medicaid and get a job that has good healthcare benefits ... I don’t think poor people are stupid. I think they have agency.”
5 July 2025
-1: Far from 90 deals in 90 days, Trump instead will send letters to “probably” 12 countries with trade demands [358]
-1: Headline: ‘Blatant misinformation’: Social Security Administration email praising Trump’s tax bill blasted as a ‘lie’ (Guardian)
Reference
358. Trump: “Different amounts of money, different amounts of tariffs, and somewhat different statements.”
4 July 2025
-1: Trump rambles on for 500+ words about the World Cup of Soccer and the Olympics. [355]
-1: Trump lies about China’s wind power capacity [356]
-1: Trump claims he gave Iran permission to bomb an American air base [357]
References
355. Trump: “You know, when I did the 250, there was nothing I could do. It was 250. It was 250. So I can’t see -- that was my baby. The country happened to be 250 years old. But what I did do is during my first term, I got the Olympics, and I got the Great Soccer. You know that whole deal, right? I got -- we call it soccer. They call it football. I got them both. I got the Olympics. First, I got the Olympics, and I got it. I was president. And I said, you know, it’s a shame. It’s a shame. I got the World Cup, and I have the Olympics, and I did it. And you have no idea. President Obama didn’t want to make a call to the Olympics. You know why? Because he went to Switzerland or wherever, and he said, you know, if a president goes to get the Olympics, you have to have a deal. You have to be chosen. He went there, and he came in fourth, so he hated them, I guess. And he was unwilling to make a call, and they called me up. The Democrats called me up, actually, from Los Angeles, and I said, I’ll do it. I made the call, and I couldn’t get the people off the phone because they were so starved for love, because nobody would call them from -- anyway, we made a deal. I got the Olympics. Then we got the World Cup with Johnny. We got the World Cup, and I got them both, and I looked at my people. I said, isn’t it a shame? I got these two, but it wasn’t in the next four years. It was right after that, and the one after that. And I got the Olympics, and I got the World Cup, and we also have 250, so that’s a pretty wild term. But I got these two things that are incredible. Nobody else could have done it. I’m telling you, everybody wanted it. Nobody could have done it. And I said, and I won’t be president, because I’ll be president for four more years, but it won’t be -- and then they cheated and rigged the election. They rigged -- you know, they don’t even turn off the cameras when I say that now, because now they know it’s true, too. But they knew it was true before. Remember, the cameras used to immediately turn off. You see all those beautiful red lights go off. Now I can say whatever I want, because then they know it’s true. But they knew it was true before. It’s fake news. That’s why they call it. But you know what? This term is much more consequential than if I had done it the more traditional way. This was slightly harder, believe me. It’s slightly more dangerous, because they’re criminals on the other side that tried to put your president in jail and went after him, just like they do in third-world countries. And we all beat em together. We beat em because our level of popularity was so high.”
356. Trump: “And we are putting up wind. It does not work, aside from ruining our fields and valleys and killing all the birds. Being very weak and expensive, all made in China. I have never seen a wind farm in China. Why is that?”
357. Trump: “They called me to tell me they have to take a shot at us. This was Iran, very respectful. That means they respect as. Because we dropped 14 bombs, they said we would like to take 14 shots, I said go ahead I understand.”