| NPR | - | | |
Our trade deficit with China soared 40 percent during Hillary Clinton's time as Secretary of State. A disgraceful performance for which she should not be congratulated but rather scorned.
[The U.S. trade deficit with China grew by approximately 39 percent from 2009 to 2012, the years that Clinton was secretary of state. However, it would be hard to put much responsibility for U.S. trade policy and the imbalance on the secretary of state. — Tamara Keith
As the AP pointed out when Trump attacked Clinton on the U.S.'s trade deficit with China, "In her role as the nation's top diplomat, Clinton had no direct control over the difference in the cost of U.S. imports from China versus its exports to the nation. — Danielle Kurtzleben]
If I'm elected President, I will end the special interest monopoly in Washington D.C. Very important.
[Donald Trump has said that he loves "the idea of campaign finance reform" and regularly decries the influence of money in politics, but he has yet to outline how he would "end the special interest monopoly in Washington, D.C." His website does not list campaign finance reform, money in politics or checking the influence of lobbyists in the section devoted to issues. His campaign chairman Paul Manafort was formerly a partner in a successful lobbying firm. — Tamara Keith]
Then when she left she made $21.6 million giving speeches to Wall Street banks and other special interests. And in less than two years secret speeches that she doesn't want to reveal under any circumstances to the public. I wonder why. Together she and Bill made $153 million giving speeches to lobbyists, CEOs, and foreign governments in the years since 2001.
[According to CNN, the Clintons did earn $153 million in speaking fees since 2001. Bill Clinton earned the bulk of that money. Hillary earned $21.7 million TOTAL. According to CNN it was just $1.8 million — still not tiny — which came from big banks. It's unclear where the rest came from (Trump would argue it was all some sort of "special interest") but it seems the bulk was not from Wall Street, as Trump is clearly implying. — Will Huntsberry]
