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Trump Tells Japanese We’re Already Building Keystone XL

On the road in Japan, Donald Trump lied to Japanese businesspeople yesterday, telling them the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline will create 42,000 jobs and is “already started”:

The Dakota Access Pipeline and, as you know, the Keystone Pipeline, that was rejected by the previous administration. The Keystone Pipeline was dead. And the Dakota Access Pipeline was in even in worse shape because they built it but they weren’t allowed to hook it up. So I consider not starting even better than that. And in my first week, I approved both. It’s 42,000 jobs. The Dakota is already open and Keystone is starting; it’s actually already started. And that was done in the first week — got it approved [Donald Trump, remarks to U.S. and Japanese business leaders, Tokyo, 2017.11.06].

The 42,000-job claim has been debunked repeatedly. The “already started” claim is new and nutty: anyone flying over West River will see that there is no new pipeline gash slicing slaunch-wise from Buffalo to Colome. TransCanada isn’t even sure they’re going to build the pipeline. The Canadian shipper is seeking subsidies from the Alberta government, suggesting they may not have found enough private capacity buyers to make the pipeline viable.

So let’s be clear: asking around for subsidies and buyers doesn’t count as “already started.” Keystone XL has created few if any jobs so far, and if built, it will never create 42,000 jobs.

12 Comments

  1. Richard Schriever 2017-11-07 06:44

    The man lives in a totally fact-free zone. To quote him directly, “Everybody knows” this.

  2. Dana P 2017-11-07 08:12

    “this I can tell you” —- “believe me”

    The Liar in Chief never speaks the truth. It is angering and sad that people believe anything that comes out of his mouth.

  3. jerry 2017-11-07 08:43

    Saudi Armaco will soon list on the stock exchange as trump and the crooked kid have completed the coup in Saudi Arabia. The last thing that investors will do is to buy ownership into a failure. Maybe even PUC’s in failed states like South Dakota will develop the stones to review the old plans and kill that thing even further. It is now all about politics, not energy and money.

  4. mike from iowa 2017-11-07 09:39

    Drumpf actually asked Japan if they could build cars in America.

    There are 29 models from 3 automakers already being built in America. What a moron.

  5. jerry 2017-11-07 09:46

    He also said he was gonna arm them thus violating the treaty we set up with Japan after World War Deuce. I mean seriously, what could go wrong with an armed militant Imperial Japan?

  6. jerry 2017-11-07 10:32

    We’re number 1, We’re number 1. We are now the only country in the whole world that has not signed on to the Paris Accord for climate change. The only 1. We are now only the leader into the rubbish bin. trump has made us proud of being ignorant with only lies to sustain us.

  7. OldSarg 2017-11-08 05:05

    Remember when Obama had to depart AF 1 from the back of the plane last year in China? Guess the guy you all say the world does not respect is more respected than you think: President Trump & Melania Arrive to Full Symphony & Cheering Children in China 11/8/17

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PCXyBmSEtEM

  8. Cory Allen Heidelberger Post author | 2017-11-08 06:05

    So OldSarg, you’re telling me that because Obama exited the rear of a plane and because the Chinese love Trump for weakening respect for America and opening the door for China to become the next hegemon, you have proven that the Keystone XL pipeline really is under construction and creating 42,000 jobs?

  9. mike from iowa 2017-11-08 07:39

    Obama’s “snub” was much ado about nothing. Sure got whitey wingnuts panties in a wad, though.

  10. Douglas Wiken 2017-11-08 21:23

    One of the few good things about the Winner, Colome, Gregory area of SD is the very good water from the Ogallalla (not spelled correctly) acquifer which could be easily contaminated with the solvents that spill out with tar sands oil if there is a leak. These pipelines have all leaked and are not even designed with redundant safeguards in extra pipe strength, etc. The XP dog and pony show with the SD PUC here in Winner turned out to be one lie after another and deception from start to finish. The pipe sample prominently placed by the entrance was beveled back about 3/4 inch to make it look thicker than the 3/8 or 1/4 inch actual thickness. All spokesman for XP were hired guns. When asked about using illegal aliens working on the pipeline, they said they would have no control over that since all work was subcontracted. Subcontractor lawyers were telling us that. Most of you may remember that when the drilling platform in the gulf leaked and burned, British Petroleum initially blamed a sub-contractor. My guess is that if XP is built, they day after completion all the subcontractor companies will dissolve and disappear. SD has not required any bonding of pipelines. Montana would not even let the surveyors into the state without a bond. The Canadian parent company has told Bloomberg News that the primary function of the pipeline is to get the “glut of crude” out of the midwest (and to China incidentally) so that gasoline and other fuel prices can be increased. The price of crude oil is down enough and demand is also down so that perhaps the XP pipeline makes even less sense now to both the pipeline company and investors. I think Trump outfit may be investors in the pipelines. It seems apparent that Trump only lies when his lips move or he types words.

  11. leslie 2017-11-08 21:42

    Oglala….
    OLD SARGE, non-right wing news (the rest of the world) reports both S. Korea and China are playing up to our presidents vanity. Gee?

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