Thread by @JuddLegum

1. Pace of news is fast but the details matter. Last week Foxconn announced it was canceling its plans to build an LCD factory is Wisconsin -- an embarrassing development for the Trump administration that touted the deal

So Trump got on the phone

popular.info/p/the-long-conn

2. Trump talked with Foxconn Chairman Terry Gou. Soon after, Foxconn released a new statement saying the factory was back on!

That generated headlines like this.

But what REALLY happened

popular.info/p/the-long-conn

3. The original announcement by Foxconn said that the new plan was to do a mix of manufacturing and R&D (mostly R&D) and it shouldn't be called a factory

The revised announcement also says the exact same thing! They just call it a factory again

popular.info/p/the-long-conn

4. There are no details on how much manufacturing will be done, how much capital will be invested or when the promised jobs will be created.

And yet it was covered like a major development and reversal

popular.info/p/the-long-conn

5. This is a classic Trump move. Solve a political problem with strategic ambiguity. The transcript of his call with the prez of Mexico was leaked. He didn't try to convince him to pay for the wall. He just said: Stop saying you won't pay for the wall popular.info/p/the-long-conn

6. This is the same thing. There is no evidence Foxconn will build their promised factory and it has not promised to do so. But Trump has convinced them to stop saying the factory won't happen.

Problem solved.

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