By Isaac Cohen*
The White House communications team has been making an heroic effort to maintain message discipline, identifying “weekly themes” on topics such as infrastructure in June, followed by energy, the workforce and technology. However, these efforts have been derailed by the interference of other relatively more urgent issues, such as the investigation of Russian intervention in the November election, or the ongoing tortuous passage of the health care bill in Congress. Also, President Trump’s incessant tweeting on different topics has not helped.
This week’s theme, drawn from the “America First” campaign promise, is “Made in America.” As described by the White House director of media affairs Helen Aguirre Ferré, the goal is to “honor the amazing American workers and companies who have products that are made in America.” The week started with the opening of a “showcase” of products made in the 50 states and President Trump will issue a declaration and make a speech on the importance of making products in the United States.
This time, a day before the start of the week, an outstanding inconsistency was pointed out. The Sunday Washington Post, in almost three pages, described in detail how the companies owned by President Trump’s daughter manufacture abroad most of their products, in Bangladesh, China and Indonesia.
*International analyst and consultant. Commentator on economic and financial issues for CNN en Español TV and radio, UNIVISION, TELEMUNDO and other media. Former Director, UNECLAC Washington.
