ELECTION/GOP/TRADE DEALS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/TRUMP PEOPLE: “President Donald Trump ratcheted up his feud with the Koch brothers on Thursday [8-2-18], hammering the billionaire conservative donors’ trade policy rhetoric and questioning whether they are actually contributing to political campaigns…Over the weekend, top officials with the Koch network of donors criticized what it called the Trump administration’s ‘protectionist’ trade policies and the president’s ‘lack of leadership’ during a meeting in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The Kochs’ political network also announced that it would not support, for now, some Republican Senate candidates, including Trump ally Rep. Kevin Cramer of North Dakota, who is running to unseat the Democratic incumbent Sen. Heidi Heitkamp. Charles Koch also suggested he would be willing to work with Democrats on certain issues, including criminal justice reform, if they were to take control of the House of Representatives in the upcoming midterm elections. James Davis, a Koch Network spokesman, said on Thursday in a response to Trump’s tweet that the organization ‘has a long-term commitment to unite around issues that will help people improve their lives.’ Davis added that the organization would continue to work with Trump and elected officials on where they agree.”
-Politico Staff, “Trump slams Koch brothers in ‘America first’ tweet,” Politico, August 2, 2018 7:42 am