CHINA/ECONOMY/JOBS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Donald Trump on Friday [3-8-19] called the economy ‘very, very strong’ and touted rising U.S. wages just hours after the Labor Department’s monthly report for February showed an unexpected and dramatic slowdown in hiring. U.S. employers added 20,000 jobs in February, the smallest monthly gain in nearly a year and a half and far short of the 180,000 economists had predicted. The weak report was released amid signs of slowing economic growth and was a stark contrast to the 311,000 jobs added in January, which Trump lauded as a victory at the time. Talking to reporters on the White House lawn Friday, Trump focused not on jobs but on wages, which he said are rising for the ‘first time in many years’…Experts have warned economic growth could slow considerably this year, especially if consumers, investors and businesses show signs of caution. A weaker global economy and a trade war with China could also bring the almost 10-year run of economic expansion to an end. Trump said Friday his administration is in the process of dealing with China, though he also forecast the United States will do very well economically ‘with or without a deal.’”
–Katie Galioto, “Trump shrugs off dismal jobs report as a blip,” Politico, March 8, 2019 11:04 am