When Donald Trump said ‘We can’t afford’ to be president, his aides knew it was coming: Axios

Trump is now the first sitting president to face questions about the national debt in the open, and his advisers are worried the president could use the moment to attack his opponents and attack himself.

As president, Trump has used the opportunity to accuse Republicans of not being conservative enough to pay for his promised border wall, to threaten to impose massive tariffs on Mexican goods, and to defend himself from accusations that he’s a socialist.

But Trump has been reluctant to discuss the debt since the first week of January.

In his first appearance on Capitol Hill, he dodged a question on the debt, instead asking about health care and taxes.

On Monday, the president will deliver his first major policy speech in almost three months as president, at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in Washington.

In the speech, he is expected to focus on his tax plan and his plans to ease restrictions on foreign travel.

Trump’s speech will be followed by an expected speech at the National Association of Manufacturers’ annual convention in Nashville, Tenn.

Trump is expected on Thursday to unveil his long-awaited budget blueprint, which would dramatically cut federal spending and cut taxes for the middle class and the wealthy.