Allegedly, Donald Trump has been making some noises about wanting to do something about the (Republican-created) record federal budget deficits. Allegedly. He is almost certainly not serious, unless someone mentions it on Fox News in which case he will be serious, unless someone else dismisses it on Fox News in which case he will no longer be serious.
So then, what sort of financial prowess might the world's most celebrated advertiser of mail-order meats bring to the table, if he does decide on tackling this new problem he may or may not have an opinion on?
Chief of Staff John F. Kelly has told others about watching television with Trump and asking the president how much the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff earns. Trump guessed $5 million, according to people who were told the story by Kelly, startling the chief of staff. Kelly responded that he made less than $200,000. The president suggested he get a large raise and noted the number of stars on his uniform.
Brilliant. Outstanding. Truly, a giant among financial idea-havers. We can all rest easy that Donald knows exactly how all this works.