Good Wednesday morning. I'm Anna Palmer and welcome to your Politico Playbook audio briefing. Stay tuned

after the show for a message from the embassy of Japan. And I'm Jake Sherman. Roughly two dozen

House Republicans went to the White House yesterday for a meeting with President Donald Trump to talk about trade in the USMCA.

We spoke to a number of people who were there who described it as a good meeting, but of course,

this is Donald Trump, so there were a few interesting asides.

President Trump called House Intelligence Chairman Adam Schiff a pencilneck and said he was probably a horrible golfer who could only drive the ball 50 yards.

This is not far for the non-golfers out there.

Trump also told Republicans who were gathered in the cabinet room that

Federal Reserve Chairman Jay Powell has, quote, no feel for the economy and compared him to a

bad putter, yet another golf metaphor. The president also said Republicans shouldn't let Democrats

off the hook for how they treated him and his family in regards to allegations of Russia collusion over the past two years.

He said Democrats have no credibility, and just because Robert Mueller is done does not mean

Republicans should move on. Our sources said this was a reference to his desire that the GOP

investigate allegations of misdeeds by Democrats.

Trump told Republicans that the U.S. has had decades of bad trade policies and said the tariffs he has put on other countries are working.

He said America needs the new NAFTA to keep the economy booming.

This is the first time the president has engaged with a large group of housed GOP lawmakers on USMCA,

his top legislative priority.

Of course, Democrats, and specifically Speaker Nancy Pelosi, are key to when and whether

Trump can secure a trade win.

We've got a new Politico morning consult poll out this morning.

Stephen Shepard writes that nearly half of voters, 47%,

...