Photos of the Week

Office of the Press Secretary FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 1, 2019 Photos of the Week Monday, January 28, 2019 Secretary of the Treasury Steven Mnuchin, joined by National Security Advisor John Bolton and Director of the National Economic Council Larry Kudlow, addresses reporters in the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House Monday, Jan. 28, 2019, to announce additional steps to address the national emergency with respect to Venezuela. (Official White House Photo by Tia Dufour)       Tuesday, January 29, 2019 Vice President Mike Pence meets with Carlos Alfredo Vecchio, Charge d’Affaires of Venezuela, Tuesday, Jan. 29, 2019, in his West Wing Office of the White House. (Official White House Photo by Andrea Hanks)       Vice President Mike Pence meets with Matthew Charles and guests Tuesday, Jan. 29, 2019, in the West Wing of the White House. Mr. Charles was released from prison under President Donald J. Trump’s criminal justice reform legislation, the First Step Act (S. 756). (Official White House Photo by Andrea Hanks)      Wednesday, January 30, 2019 President Donald J. Trump participates in a border security strategy meeting with senior White House staff Wednesday, Jan. 30, 2019, in the Situation Room of the White House. (Official White House Photo by Shealah Craighead)       United States Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, senior staff, and Cabinet members meet with Chinese Vice Premier Liu He and members of his delegation for the United States–China trade talks Wednesday, Jan. 30, 2019, in the Diplomatic Reception Room in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building of the White House. (Official White House Photo by Andrea Hanks)       Thursday, January 31, 2019 President Donald J. Trump meets with American manufacturers prior to signing an Executive Order “Strengthening Buy-American Preferences for Infrastructure Projects” Thursday, Jan. 31, 2019, in the Oval Office of the White House. The President is joined by the White House Director of the Office of Trade and Manufacturing Policy Peter Navarro; Administrator of the Small Business Administration Linda McMahon; Secretary of Labor Alex Acosta; Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers Kevin Hassett; and Members of Congress. (Official White House Photo by Shealah Craighead)      Vice President Mike Pence receives a briefing Thursday, Jan. 31, 2019, at the Drug Enforcement Agency Headquarters in Washington, D.C. (Official White House Photo by D. Myles Cullen)      President Donald J. Trump receives an intelligence briefing Thursday, Jan. 31. 2019, in the Oval Office of the White House. The President is joined by National Security Advisor John Bolton; Director of the Central Intelligence Agency Gina Haspel; Deputy Director of National Intelligence Integration Edward Gistaro; and Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats. (Official White House Photo by Shealah Craghead)      President Donald J. Trump, joined by Vice President Mike Pence, United States Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, and other Cabinet members, welcomes Chinese Vice Premier Liu He Thursday, Jan. 31, 2019, to the Oval Office of the White House, following two days of United States–China trade talks. (Official White House Photo by Shealah Craighead)       President Donald J. Trump, joined by Vice President Mike Pence, United States Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, and other Cabinet members, welcomes Chinese Vice Premier Liu He Thursday, Jan. 31, 2019, to the Oval Office of the White House, following two days of United States–China trade talks. (Official White House Photo by Shealah Craighead       Friday, February 1, 2019 President Donald J. Trump, joined by the Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen Nielsen, listens to Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials at a meeting on fighting human trafficking and child exploitation on the United States southern border Friday, Feb. 1, 2019, in the Cabinet Room of the White House.  (Official White House Photo by Tia Dufour)       Snow falls outside the North Portico entrance of the White House Friday, Feb. 1, 2019. (Official White House Photo by Joyce N. Boghosian)

Office of the Press Secretary FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 1, 2019 President Donald J. Trump Announces Intent to Nominate Personnel to Key Administration Posts   Today, President Donald J. Trump announced his intent to nominate the following individuals to key positions in his Administration: Todd M. Harper of Virginia, to be a Member of the National Credit Union Administration Board for the remainder of a six-year term expiring April 10, 2021. Mr. Harper has specialized in financial services policy during his nearly 25 years of government service.  From 2011 to 2017, he led the Office of Public and Congressional Affairs and served as the chief policy advisor to the Chairman of the National Credit Union Administration.  Previously, as staff director for the Subcommittee on Capital Markets, Insurance and Government Sponsored Enterprises in the U.S. House of Representatives, Mr. Harper contributed to the efforts after the financial crisis to enact the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act.  As legislative director to former Congressman Paul E. Kanjorski of Pennsylvania, he also worked on bipartisan legislation concerning credit union capital rules, terrorism risk insurance, auditing standards, and subprime mortgage lending.  Mr. Harper earned an M.P.P. from Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government and a B.S. with high distinction in business analysis from Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business. Ian Paul Steff of Indiana, to be Assistant Secretary and Director General of the United States and Foreign Commercial Service, Department of Commerce. Mr. Steff currently serves as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Manufacturing, a position he has held since June 2017.  Previously, he served as the State of Indiana’s first Chief Innovation Officer, where he led then-Governor Mike Pence’s billion-dollar innovation and entrepreneurship initiative.  Additionally, Mr. Steff was the Executive Vice President of the Indiana Economic Development Corporation and the State’s senior advisor for advanced manufacturing.  Prior to these roles, Mr. Steff served as Vice President of Global Policy and Technology Partnerships at the Semiconductor Industry Association and Executive Chairman of the United States Information Technology Office in Beijing.  Mr. Steff was a member of the House Ways and Means trade staff under Chairman Bill Thomas and received his B.A. in International Studies from American University, magna cum laude.  He completed graduate work at the National Defense University and received his M.A. in International Science and Technology Policy from the George Washington University.

Statement from the President Regarding the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty

Office of the Press Secretary FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 1, 2019 Statement from the President Regarding the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty   For far too long, Russia has violated the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty with impunity, covertly developing and fielding a prohibited missile system that poses a direct threat to our allies and troops abroad.  Tomorrow, the United States will suspend its obligations under the INF Treaty and begin the process of withdrawing from the INF Treaty, which will be completed in 6 months unless Russia comes back into compliance by destroying all of its violating missiles, launchers, and associated equipment.  Our NATO Allies fully support us, because they understand the threat posed by Russia’s violation and the risks to arms control posed by ignoring treaty violations. The United States has fully adhered to the INF Treaty for more than 30 years, but we will not remain constrained by its terms while Russia misrepresents its actions.  We cannot be the only country in the world unilaterally bound by this treaty, or any other.  We will move forward with developing our own military response options and will work with NATO and our other allies and partners to deny Russia any military advantage from its unlawful conduct. My Administration remains committed to effective arms control that advances United States, allied, and partner security, is verifiable and enforceable, and includes partners that fulfill their obligations.  For arms control to effectively contribute to national security, all parties must faithfully implement their obligations.  We stand ready to engage with Russia on arms control negotiations that meet these criteria, and, importantly, once that is done, develop, perhaps for the first time ever, an outstanding relationship on economic, trade, political, and military levels.  This would be a fantastic thing for Russia and the United States, and would also be great for the world.   ### Unsubscribe The White House · 1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW · Washington, DC 20500-0003 · USA · 202-456-1111