DISCLAIMER: THE FOLLOWING "Cost of Freedom Recap" CONTAINS STRONG OPINIONS WHICH ARE NOT A REFLECTION OF THE OPINIONS OF FOX NEWS AND SHOULD NOT BE RELIED UPON AS INVESTMENT ADVICE WHEN MAKING PERSONAL INVESTMENT DECISIONS. IT IS FOX NEWS' POLICY THAT CONTRIBUTORS DISCLOSE POSITIONS THEY HOLD IN STOCKS THEY DISCUSS, THOUGH POSITIONS MAY CHANGE. READERS OF "Cost of Freedom Recap" MUST TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR OWN INVESTMENT DECISIONS.
New Debate About Role of White House as President Trump Pushes Forward With Agenda
Charles Payne: We saw union leaders who said they felt the awe of the White House. It works and it has been working out very well. You saw that with Lockheed Martin saying they would lower the price of planes after meeting with the president.
Geri Willis: It is so majestic. I've been to the White House before as well as the Oval Office and when you're there, you just want to agree because of how stately the White House is. You're predisposed to say yes if the President asks you anything.
Gary Kaltbaum: Look politics is about marketing and sales which is a specialty of Donald Trump. You feel great when you get a chance to go to the White House. That the unions said they had a positive experience shows you just how good Donald Trump is at using the White House as a marketing and leverage tool.
Adam Lashinsky: Of course there's a value of the White House. It's fine and its harmless but he could take it too far.
President Trump Defends Tough Phone Calls
Charles Payne: Australia's prime minister watched our election and so he cut this deal with Obama before Trump could take office. Both Trump and Turnbull denied there was an acrimonious ending to the phone call.
Geri Willis: Here's the problem: Before he left, Obama left a lot of little things that would blow up in Trump's face.
Gary Kaltbaum: According to the media, everything that Obama did was a good deal and everything Trump did is a bad deal. If you think about it, if these refugees are so good, why is Australia not keeping them and why are we taking them?
Adam Lashinsky: Whatever was said it was bad enough that John McCain had to make a comment on it. I don't think it's funny when the president acts down instead of acting gracefully like many other dignified presidents. He's representing the greatest country on earth.
White House Talking to Gov. Walker About How He Broke Power of Public Unions
Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker said Wednesday that he spoke with Vice President Mike Pence about how the White House can implement on a federal level parts of the Republican governor's contentious policy that all-but eliminated collective bargaining for public sector unions in the state.
Charles Payne: Private sector unions have all but disappeared. It's a honey pot, and a money machine at the expense of tax payers. They cut themselves some amazing deals but don't look out for the average worker. If the President is successful in this like Scott Walker was, taxpayers could save a lot of money.
Geri Willis: The kids in Wisconsin are getting better educations because teachers are getting paid on merit rather than just being a part of a union and negotiating your salary with no merit expectations.
Gary Kaltbaum: Trump is sending a signal saying it is taxpayers' money. It is time we have accountability everywhere. There should be merit pay not pay based on someone paying union dues. I fully welcome the news that this administration will look to diminish the role of unions in this country.
Adam Lashinsky: I don't like to see the erosion of collective bargaining. If Trump goes after federal employees, I'm very interested to see who wins that standoff because it would be epic.
Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox