Trump Administration Promises $15 Billion to Farmers Weeks Before Midterms
Two news reports say the administration has made $15 billion worth of promises to agriculture producers in the final weeks before the midterm elections.
The Trump administration has made $15 billion worth of promises to agriculture producers in the final weeks before the midterm elections, according to the ABC News report. In that report, published on November 1, ABC News described the commitments as "$15 billion worth of promises," and its summary did not identify the individual commitments, recipients or programs involved.
PBS NewsHour also reported the figure in a story published on November 2, according to the PBS NewsHour report. Its summary, credited to Sarah Raza and the Associated Press, said the administration has made $15 billion worth of promises to agriculture producers in the last few weeks before the midterm elections.
The two reports differ in wording and emphasis. The ABC News headline refers to US farmers, while the PBS NewsHour headline refers to farmers without that qualifier. The ABC News headline uses the present tense, promises, while the PBS NewsHour headline uses the past tense, promised.
The timing is described in similar terms by both outlets. ABC News referred to the last few weeks of the midterm elections, according to its summary, while PBS NewsHour referred to the last few weeks before the midterm elections, according to its summary. Neither summary states whether the promised funds have been paid, when they would be paid, or what conditions attach to them.
Attribution also differs between the two reports. The ABC News summary lists no author, while the PBS NewsHour report credits Sarah Raza of the Associated Press. Both summaries describe the $15 billion as promises rather than as completed payments.
Sources: ABC News: Trump administration promises US farmers $15 billion in weeks before the midterms; PBS NewsHour: Trump administration promised farmers $15 billion in weeks before midterms.