Clinton Decries Trump’s Policy by Tweet: Campaign Update

(Bloomberg) -- Former Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton said Donald Trump’s policy shifts on Syria have allowed Bashar al-Assad and Vladimir Putin to strengthen their control of the war-torn country.

She also criticized Trump’s narrow focus on trade in dealing with China, saying Beijing’s expansion in the South China Sea and its development of ports overseas threaten national security.

Speaking at the Carnegie Peacebuilding Conversations in New York, Clinton said Trump’s approach to foreign policy leaves his team and U.S. allies without direction.

“There’s no work being done in this administration,” Clinton said. “Everybody waits around to see what the latest tweet is, or the latest South Lawn press statement is. That’s how policy is being made. And we are going to pay a really big price for that in the years ahead.”

Trump Team Plans Flyover of Democratic Debate (12:54 p.m.)

Donald Trump isn’t letting Ohio voters forget about him as 12 Democratic presidential candidates prepare to take the stage in suburban Columbus for their fourth debate Tuesday night.

The president’s re-election campaign said it plans to use aerial advertising over Westerville, where the debate is being held at Otterbein University, with a 35-foot by 105-foot banner saying, “SOCIALISM DESTROYS OHIO JOBS. VOTE TRUMP.”

The campaign also took out a full-page ad in today’s Columbus Dispatch with a picture of the top three Democrats -- Joe Biden, Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders -- and captions suggesting they will “wreck Ohio’s economy” with a picture of a smiling Trump below.

Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel is also hosting a lunchtime “women for Trump” event near the debate site to counter Democrats’ narrative that they can win suburban women’s votes. -- Mark Niquette

Impeachment Inquiry Helps GOP Fundraising (11:55 a.m.)

President Donald Trump’s re-election campaign says Democrats’ impeachment inquiry is helping them recruit volunteers and raise money.

The campaign picked up 50,000 new donors in recent weeks, and supporters who have never volunteered for campaigns are coming forward, officials said in a conference call with reporters. Trump supporters view the House impeachment inquiry as an effort by Democrats to nullify their votes, the officials said.

In coming weeks, the campaign plans to increase the number of rallies Trump holds around the country, said the officials, who spoke on condition they not be identified. -- Jennifer Jacobs

COMING UP

The fourth Democratic debate is scheduled for Tuesday at Otterbein University in Westerville, Ohio. Twelve candidates are slated to take part: Joe Biden, Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders, Cory Booker, Pete Buttigieg, Julian Castro, Kamala Harris, Amy Klobuchar and Beto O’Rourke, Tulsi Gabbard, Tom Steyer and Andrew Yang.

--With assistance from Jennifer Jacobs and Mark Niquette.

To contact the reporter on this story: David Wainer in New York at dwainer3@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Wendy Benjaminson at wbenjaminson@bloomberg.net, Max Berley

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