Reuters

President Donald Trump said Friday he’s asked the Securities and Exchange Commission to study six-month reporting for public companies, as he tweeted he’d canceled his planned military parade and called the trial of his ex-campaign chairman “sad.”

CALLS ON SEC

Trump said his directive to the SEC came after a business leader told him stopping quarterly reporting would improve business and jobs in the U.S. “That would allow greater flexibility & save money,” Trump wrote on Twitter. The U.S. has required quarterly reporting since 1970.

Speaking to reporters before boarding Marine One, Trump said it was outgoing PepsiCo Inc.












PEP, +0.62%










  Chief Executive Indra Nooyi who made the suggestion. In a statement, SEC Chairman Jay Clayton didn’t endorse or reject Trump’s call, but said the agency “continues to study public company reporting requirements, including the frequency of reporting.”

MILITARY PARADE OFF

Also on Twitter, Trump said he was calling off plans for the military parade he originally wanted to hold in November. The president put blame on local Washington officials, saying they wanted a “ridiculously high” price to host it. Yet an estimate of $92 million reported by the Associated Press was largely attributed to Pentagon costs for aircraft and personnel.

Also read: Trump cancels military parade over ‘ridiculously high’ price.

MANAFORT TRIAL ‘SAD’; CUOMO ‘CHOKED’

With jurors deliberating for a second day in the trial of Paul Manafort, Trump called it “a very sad day for our country.”

Manafort is facing 18 counts of tax and bank fraud. His is the first trial arising from Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia investigation, although the charges against him concern his personal finances. Before departing for a roundtable with supporters in New York, Trump said “Manafort happens to be a very good person.” Trump made no mention of a possible pardon for Manafort if he is convicted.

Trump also suggested he’ll soon take away the security clearance of Justice Department official Bruce Ohr, whose wife worked as a contractor for Fusion GPS. “I think that Bruce Ohr is a disgrace,” Trump said.

And Trump again attacked New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo over remarks the Democrat made earlier this week, saying America “was never that great.” Cuomo said Friday his comments were “inartful” and that “of course America is great.” Cuomo is running for re-election. Trump tweeted “there doesn’t seem to be much reason to ever vote for him.”