In response to media inquiry and FOIA demands, the government of Australia formally admitted today to the role of High Commissioner Alexander Downer and his engagements with George Papadopoulos in 2016.  The timing coincides with the Mueller Report (released today), which states it was information about this engagement from Alexander Downer that opened the FBI counterintelligence investigation in July 2016.
The Australian government cited the conclusion of the Robert Mueller special counsel investigation as the background for their willingness to comply with an 15-month-old FOIA request from Buzzfeed News.

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The Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) reports a much lower trade deficit than all economists predicted.  This is good news for the upcoming GDP growth report because the value of imported goods are deducted from GDP.

The U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis announced today that the goods and services deficit was $49.4 billion in February, down $1.8 billion from $51.1 billion in January. (read more)

The smaller overall trade deficit was primarily driven by a decrease in the deficit with China. The deficit with China decreased $3.1 billion to $30.1 billion in February.  As noted by Reuters: ““It sounds like pencils are being sharpened in order to revise up first-quarter GDP forecasts,” said Jennifer Lee, a senior economist at BMO Capital Markets in Toronto.“
With little inflation in the U.S. economy it appears Trump’s tariffs on Chinese goods are essentially invisible to the consumer; likely being absorbed overseas in an effort to keep their prices low upon delivery. As the Trump administration negotiates on the world’s first ever Free Trade Agreement with China, the willingness/ability to execute additional tariffs provides ongoing leverage.
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A massive defeat for the left-wing loons in Alberta Canada now means half the Canadian provinces are aligned against Justin’s rainbow-socks coalition and disastrous climate agenda.  Apparently having a common sense approach now means ‘right-of-center‘.

CALGARY, Alberta (Reuters) – A right-of-center party swept to power in Canada’s main oil-producing province of Alberta on Tuesday and attacked Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s efforts to fight climate change, raising tension just months ahead of a federal election.

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Council of Economic Advisor Chairman Kevin Hassett appears with Lou Dobbs to discuss the current state of the U.S. economy.  Hassett compares current outcomes to the prior congressional budget office predictions; and shares the results for middle-class growth.

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National Economic Council Chairman Larry Kudlow holds an impromptu press conference today with media discussing the current state of the economy. Kudlow focuses attention to the economic gains amid the middle-class.

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Global economics, and the way the financial media spin, can be funny at times.  On one hand the pretentious global community scoffs at American Exceptionalism and claims the U.S. is only one country amid a international community of equals; on the other hand the reality of the U.S. being the leading economy in the world, and their need to retain access therein, slaps them in the face like a cold fish…
Investment capital flows to the location of highest return.  Amid the U.S. MAGAnomic growth; global investment is inbound to the USA.  The EU and Asia are in a period of low to stagnant growth…  lots of high-brow teeth gnashing.  To make matters worse, Trump is leveraging their weakness against them as he renegotiates reciprocal trade deals.

The G20 IMF and World Bank’s 2019 Annual Spring Meetings of finance ministers (fancy name to describe Mnuchin’s job) is taking place in Washington DC.  The finance ministers are stomping their feet at horrible Trump hoarding all the economic growth.

(Reuters) […] Policymakers from the Group of 20 industrialized countries are worried that the weakness evident in key economies could spread, especially if elevated trade tensions, such as those between the United States and China, escalate further.

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White House Council of Economic Advisors Chairman Kevin Hassett gives an interview to discuss the current state of the U.S. economy.  After discussing President Trump’s Fed pick Herman Cain, Hassett outlines how inflation is non-existent; and also discussions around ongoing U.S-China trade discussions.

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Wikileaks founder Julian Assange was forcibly removed from the Ecuadorian embassy in London today and taken to the Westminster Magistrates Court where he was charged with skipping bail.  [Details Here] Assange will likely spend 12 months in British jail while pending extradition to the U.S. for crimes related to the Chelsea Manning classified information leak – also outlined in a U.S. indictment unsealed today (full pdf below)
In the U.S. Assange is charged with a conspiracy to commit computer intrusion for his role in assisting Manning. [DOJ Press Release Here] The simultaneous operation to remove Assange, charge and hold on the bail violation, and unseal the U.S. indictment, appears to be a coordinated effort by the U.S. and U.K. government. Holding Assange for the bail violation allows U.S. authorities the time needed for the criminal extradition process.
That said, the issues with Assange and how they related to British and American interests is a multi-layered story with various ramifications for both governments.
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Earlier today President Trump delivered remarks during an energy and infrastructure event in Crosby, Texas. [Video and Transcript]

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[Transcript] – 4:07 P.M. CDT – THE PRESIDENT: Thank you. Thank you very much. (Applause.) And one of my all-time favorite governors is right here. Greg, thank you very much. Greg Abbott. (Applause.) Great, great job.
I’m thrilled to be here in Crosby, Texas, with the incredible members of the International Union of Operating Engineers. (Applause.) I know you well. I know you well and I also know who most of you voted for, and I appreciate it. (Laughter.)
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Something is coming… something delicious.  How can we tell?  Well, whenever a bombshell is about to drop on the corrupt Intelligence Community, the New York Times does a quick narrative dump to get out ahead of the story.

All the way down, buried deep, in a NYT story about Inspector General Michael Horowitz’s FISA investigation and AG Barr’s review of DOJ and FBI activity… they drop the following two paragraphs (emphasis mine):

[…] The inspector general is also scrutinizing another early source of information for the Russia investigation, the people said: Mr. Horowitz’s investigators have been asking questions about the role of Stefan A. Halper, another F.B.I. informant, and his prior work for the bureau.

Agents involved in the Russia investigation asked Mr. Halper, an American academic who teaches in Britain, to gather information on Mr. Page and George Papadopoulos, another former Trump campaign foreign policy adviser. (read more)

Oh?  NYT now saying FBI agents asked help from intelligence asset Stefan Halper to go gather information on Carter Page and George Papadopoulos?
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