What if Trump isn't a Republican team player?
To oversimplify, the core of the optimism in markets is based on a Republican-controlled House, Senate and White House. In theory that means more business-friendly policies, less regulation, less burdens and even likely means more spending as the gridlock in Congress finally ends.
The reality might be something different and we got a glimpse at what it could be today.
The House today set out to eliminate the Independent Ethics Watchdog and replace it with something that's controlled by politicians. The move was roundly attacked, even by Republican leaders.
Today, Donald Trump took aim in a two part Twitter message that said: "With all that Congress has to work on, do they really have to make the weakening of the Independent Ethics Watchdog, as unfair as it may be, their number one act and priority. Focus on tax reform, healthcare and so many other things of far greater importance!" He added the hashtag for 'drain the swamp' at the end.
A very-real scenario for the Trump Presidency is that he actually tries to drain the swamp. That instead of being some kind of Republican puppet, he remains an enemy of the establishment and tweets out his own policy pronouncements.
Not long after his message today, House Republicans changed course and abandoned the efforts to curb the watchdog.
At the outset, Trump wasn't really a Republican or Democrat; he was an outsider. A risk (and an opportunity) for the years ahead is that he governs that way and takes on his own party in much the same way he did during the primaries.
