re the Hell is He?:
During a White House ceremony Wednesday to sign a first-round trade pact with China, President Donald Trump thanked a long list of elected leaders and called out the names of U.S. business executives whose companies might benefit — including a few from Illinois.
Locals who got the nod included U.S. Rep. Darin LaHood, a Peoria Republican, whom the president offered a short: “Darin, thank you very much Darin. Good job.”
But things got a little awkward when, at one point, the president name-checked Illinois’ wealthiest resident. “Ken Griffin. Citadel. What a guy he is,” the president said, referring to the Chicago-based hedge fund billionaire Griffin, who founded Citadel and now serves as the company’s CEO.
Trump continued: “Where are you, Ken? Where the hell is he? He’s trying to hide some of his money. Look he doesn’t want to stand up. Where the hell is Ken?” before finally adding, “He’s very quiet about it. He’s in here someplace, he just doesn’t want to stand.”
Asked whether Griffin was at the event — and how he feels about Trump’s “trying to hide some of his money” comment, Citadel spokeswoman Megan Ingersoll said only that Griffin didn’t attend the event.
Wednesday’s trade agreement with China is expected to boost exports from U.S. farmers and manufacturers, protect American trade secrets and lower tensions in a long-running dispute between the world’s two biggest economies.
Two years ago, Griffin was described by a Chicago Tribune columnist as “simpatico” with the president on some of his trade and economic agenda, but he’s also criticized Trump. In 2018, the Financial Times reported, Griffin blasted Trump’s criticism of the Federal Reserve, saying it was “completely inappropriate for the president of the United States” and warning it could hurt the U.S. dollar.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/poli...0200116-irdz2xo2jffwrli5wlxrkedc4e-story.html
During a White House ceremony Wednesday to sign a first-round trade pact with China, President Donald Trump thanked a long list of elected leaders and called out the names of U.S. business executives whose companies might benefit — including a few from Illinois.
Locals who got the nod included U.S. Rep. Darin LaHood, a Peoria Republican, whom the president offered a short: “Darin, thank you very much Darin. Good job.”
But things got a little awkward when, at one point, the president name-checked Illinois’ wealthiest resident. “Ken Griffin. Citadel. What a guy he is,” the president said, referring to the Chicago-based hedge fund billionaire Griffin, who founded Citadel and now serves as the company’s CEO.
Trump continued: “Where are you, Ken? Where the hell is he? He’s trying to hide some of his money. Look he doesn’t want to stand up. Where the hell is Ken?” before finally adding, “He’s very quiet about it. He’s in here someplace, he just doesn’t want to stand.”
Asked whether Griffin was at the event — and how he feels about Trump’s “trying to hide some of his money” comment, Citadel spokeswoman Megan Ingersoll said only that Griffin didn’t attend the event.
Wednesday’s trade agreement with China is expected to boost exports from U.S. farmers and manufacturers, protect American trade secrets and lower tensions in a long-running dispute between the world’s two biggest economies.
Two years ago, Griffin was described by a Chicago Tribune columnist as “simpatico” with the president on some of his trade and economic agenda, but he’s also criticized Trump. In 2018, the Financial Times reported, Griffin blasted Trump’s criticism of the Federal Reserve, saying it was “completely inappropriate for the president of the United States” and warning it could hurt the U.S. dollar.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/poli...0200116-irdz2xo2jffwrli5wlxrkedc4e-story.html
