Wednesday, February 13, 2019

Readout of First Lady Melania Trump’s Meeting with First Lady Maria Juliana Ruiz Sandoval of Colombia

Office of the First Lady
Readout of First Lady Melania Trump’s Meeting with First Lady Maria Juliana Ruiz Sandoval of Colombia
 

First Lady Melania Trump joined President Donald J. Trump in welcoming President Ivan Duque Marquez and First Lady Maria Juliana Ruiz Sandoval of Colombia to the White House this afternoon.

Over lunch in the Red Room on the State Floor of the White House, Mrs. Trump and Mrs. Ruiz Sandoval discussed the opioid crisis in the United States and the devastating impact it is having globally, especially on children and young mothers.  In particular, Mrs. Trump addressed the drug addiction problems amongst youth within the United States, and the work she is doing through her initiative, Be Best, to raise awareness about the harmful effects substance abuse can have on the next generation.

"Last week I met with experts at the Office of National Drug Control Policy to learn more about the harmful effects of substance abuse and the steps we are taking to address this problem,” said First Lady Melania Trump.  “We must continue raising awareness so parents and communities can understand fully the harm that opioids are having on our children.  My conversation with the First Lady of Colombia today further encouraged a global mission to fighting the addiction crisis and issues facing children domestically and all around the world."

REMARKS BY PRESIDENT TRUMP AND PRESIDENT DUQUE OF COLOMBIA BEFORE BILATERAL MEETING

Office of the Press Secretary

REMARKS BY PRESIDENT TRUMP
AND PRESIDENT DUQUE OF COLOMBIA
BEFORE BILATERAL MEETING

Oval Office

 

12:15 P.M. EST

     PRESIDENT TRUMP:  Thank you very much.  It's a great honor to be with President Duque of Colombia.  We've been working very closely.  And it's so nice to meet your wife, First Lady.  And you have a brilliant reputation.  And thank you for coming.  We very much appreciate it.  I think, Melania, you're both going to have lunch afterwards and get to know each other.

     MRS. RUIZ:  We are.  And I'm sure we're going to enjoy it.

     PRESIDENT TRUMP:  I know you're going to enjoy it.  Thank you.  Thank you.  Thank you so much.

     We're working on many things together: the eradication of drugs in Colombia and outside of Colombia; and obviously, Venezuela and the military.  So many different elements including trade.  But I think, today, a lot of it will be devoted to discussing Venezuela and what's happening in Venezuela.  We have a very close picture.  It's in turmoil right now.  People are being treated very badly.  And it's a very sad thing to witness, especially since we're so close.

     We fight all over the world, and then you look at what happens right at our front door.  So I don’t like seeing it; I'm not happy about it.  Let's see how it all ends up.

But the President has been very helpful.  A lot of people from Venezuela have gone to Colombia and you're treating them well.  We're sending a lot of supplies because, in many cases, these people are starving or close to starving.  And the people within Venezuela themselves are, in many cases -- I mean, they're in bad shape.  They're very hungry.  I've seen what's going on and they're very hungry.

So I just want to thank the President for working with us.  And we're working together.  Our militaries are very focused and working together.  And let's see how it all turns out.  We're going to make things turn out well.  That’s what we do.  We make things work.

So thank you very much for being here with us.

PRESIDENT DUQUE:  Thank you so much, Mr. President.  And I would also like to, first of all, express our gratitude for being here.  The U.S. and Colombia have been long-term friends and we have received a lot of support from your administration in the tasks that we have before us: to fight drugs, to fight terrorism, to promote economic growth, and obviously, to strengthen trade.

But there's something very important to highlight today, and is that we share values on democracy.  And we want to work together to put an end to the brutal dictatorship that has been affecting the Venezuelan people.  I am very happy that the diplomatic blockade is working like no time before it, and I think the days for this dictatorship are about to end.  We have to continue working in those lines.

So thank you, Mr. President, for hosting us.  Thank you, Madam First Lady, for inviting us to your house.  And I'm very pleased that we will continue strengthening the relationship between Colombia and the U.S.

PRESIDENT TRUMP:  Thank you very much, Mr. President.  I appreciate it.  Thank you.

One thing I might add: We have tremendous support -- Colombia -- but we have tremendous support all over South America, all over the world, really.  We have a tremendous number of countries, not only that have joined, but want to do whatever they can do to help with the situation in Venezuela.  So we'll be seeing a lot over the next few weeks.  Let's see what happens.  Okay?

Thank you.  Thank you very much.

Q    How much longer is the United States will be able to tolerate the presence of Nicolas Maduro in the Palacio de Miraflores?

PRESIDENT TRUMP:  Right, yeah.  Sure.

Q    Because currently there is a new president that you recognized as official president.  But he's living in Miraflores.  How much longer will you --

PRESIDENT TRUMP:  Well, I have great respect for the man that most people -- many people think is the real President of Venezuela.  He's very brave.  It's a very brave situation what's he doing, as you know.  I've seen what's happened in the streets and I've seen what's happened with executions, so I really give him a lot of credit.  And I think it's going to work out very well.

Q    Do you still consider any military solution for Venezuela?

PRESIDENT TRUMP:  Well, I think there are a number of solutions, a number of different options.  And we look at all options.

Q    And are you thinking sending troops to Colombia, like --

PRESIDENT TRUMP:  I never talk about that.

PRESIDENT DUQUE:  Let me add something on the first question that was raised by Vanessa.

President Guaidó, who is the person about to lead this transition in Venezuela, has a strong support.  And we need to give him even stronger support.  I think what happened with the EU has been very important.  We will host the Lima Group next week in Bogotá, and we will -- all the countries in the hemisphere -- give him the stronger support he needs to lead the transition in Venezuela.

Q    President Trump, if President Maduro stays in power, do you have a plan B?

PRESIDENT TRUMP:  I always have plan B -- and C, and D, and E, and F.  I have great flexibility.  I probably have more flexibility than any man that's ever been in this office.  So we'll see.  But there are many plans, and we'll see where we go.

Right now, we're in an incredible period.  I saw the tremendous numbers of people yesterday.  You know, you're talking about during the week, just these were just numbers that you rarely see anything like it -- the protests.

So we'll see what happens.  A lot of things are happening in Venezuela that people don't know about.  And there's a lot of support for what we're doing and for the people that we're talking to.  A lot of support.  Tremendous support.

Q    (Inaudible.)

PRESIDENT TRUMP:  What?

Go ahead.

Q    (Inaudible) aid at the border now with Venezuela, what is the plan?   How is it going to get into the country?

PRESIDENT TRUMP:  Well, they have to be able to let the food in.  And, in many cases, it's getting in.  They blocked one of the bridges, but they haven't been able to block the others.  They'd like to try.  I think he's making a terrible mistake by not allowing that to happen.  It's showing bad things.

And, really, we're trying to get food to people that are starving.  You have people starving in Venezuela, and it just shows what can happen with the wrong government.  You have the wrong government; bad things happen.  But you have many, many people that are in, really, trouble for just hunger.

And so we are delivering, and we're sending tremendous amounts of food and other things -- supplies.

PRESIDENT DUQUE:  Mr. President, if I may add to that, I think we have to give a very strong message to the dictatorship: Obstructing the access of humanitarian aid is a crime against humanity.  And we have to ensure that the humanitarian aid gets to the Venezuelan people.  And Colombia is highly committed to receive humanitarian aid from the U.S. and other countries so that it can access Venezuela and help the Venezuelan people face (inaudible).

Q    Mr. President, the congressional legislation, will you sign it?  On the border --

PRESIDENT TRUMP:  Well, we haven't gotten it yet.  We'll be getting it.  We'll be looking for landmines -- because you could have that, you know.  It's been known to happen before to people.  But we have not gotten it yet.  It'll be sent to us at some point, and we'll take a very serious look at it.

We have a lot of things happening right now.  We're building a lot of wall right now, with money that we already have.  And when people see what we're doing, I think they'll be very surprised.  We're doing a lot of work, and we have planned to do a lot of work, but I have not seen it yet.

I appreciate all the work the Republicans have done, because they're really going against a radical left.  It's a radical left.  And they're going against it very hard and they're fighting.  But we're in very good shape.  And we're going to take a look at it when it comes.

I don't want to see a shutdown.  A shutdown would be a terrible thing.  I think a point was made with the last shutdown; people realized how bad the border is, how unsafe the border is.  And I think a lot of good points were made.  But I don't want to see another one.  There's no reason for it.

And we're going to look at the legislation when it comes, and I'll make a determination then.

Q    (Inaudible) this time, and what was on the table a few months ago?

PRESIDENT TRUMP:  Actually, it will be -- regardless of what I do -- you know, we already have, as you know, a lot of money where we're building existing wall with the existing funds.  But I have a lot of options -- just like we do with Venezuela, we have on the border.  And we have a lot of options, and a lot of things are happening.  Very positive things.

You know, the numbers are almost $23 billion, which you don’t report too often.  It's about an 8 percent increase over last year.  So if you look at the total funding, it's over -- it's almost up to $23 billion.  It's about 8 percent higher.

The border area is happening.  It's going to happen at a really rapid pace.  We're giving out contracts right now.  And we're going to have a great wall.  It's going to be a great, powerful wall.  People will not be able to get through that wall very easily.  And I think you see that.  I think you see it happening.  It's very important.

It'll also have technology.  It'll have drones.  It'll have everything else we have.  If you look at the other elements -- ICE funding will be complete.  We have other things happening, which people aren't talking about.  But we've got a lot of funds for a lot of other things.

But, with the wall, they want to be stingy.  But we have options that most people don’t really understand.

     Q    Mr. President, are you considering sending 5,000 troops to Colombia?
   
PRESIDENT TRUMP:  You’ll see.  You’ll see.

Q    And would you be willing to go for the --

PRESIDENT TRUMP:  You’ll see.

Go ahead, any other questions?

Q    (Inaudible.)

PRESIDENT TRUMP:  Say it?

Q    (Inaudible) trips in the past.  When are you visiting Colombia?  Because you’ve cancelled --

PRESIDENT TRUMP:  I’ll be visiting.  I really want to.  I want to visit Colombia.  I look forward to visiting.

PRESIDENT DUQUE:  We’re inviting you (inaudible) this year, Mr. President. 

PRESIDENT TRUMP:  We’re working very, very closely on the drug situation.

Q    Mr. President, would you consider an amnesty to Maduro?  For Maduro?

PRESIDENT TRUMP:  It’s something we haven’t thought of.  Something we haven’t thought of.

Q    Your thoughts on Ted Cruz’s proposal to use El Chapo money to pay for the wall?

PRESIDENT TRUMP:  Well, it’s always interesting.  (Laughter.)  Anything Ted does is interesting.  So, that’s certainly an interesting one. 

Q    Mr. President, (inaudible) Colombia's drug policy?

PRESIDENT TRUMP:  Yeah.  We’re working together so that Colombia eradicates some of what they’re growing in Colombia.  I wouldn’t say that, at this moment, you’re ahead of schedule.  But hopefully you will be at -- sometime in the near future.

PRESIDENT DUQUE:  But let me mention something to that question, Mr. President.  In the first four months of our administration, we have eradicated 60,000 hectares -- more than was eradicated in the previous eight months.  We have a goal --  and we will commit to that goal -- because it is our moral duty to have Colombia free of illegal crops and free of narco-trafficking.
                                                 
We have to deliver.  We will deliver because it is our moral duty.

PRESIDENT TRUMP:  I just want to say before you leave: The economy is doing incredibly well.  Numbers are really high, really good.

We have a big team of people -- very talented people -- over in China right now negotiating on the China deal.  It’s going along very well.  We’ll see what happens, but I think it’s going along very well.  They’re showing us tremendous respect and -- something which a lot of countries didn’t used to show the United States.  They’re showing us respect now.  Big difference from the old days, I will tell you that.

So the deal with China is going very well.  The economy is doing fantastically.  You saw the Gallup poll that came out: Sixty-nine percent or so say they’re going to be in better shape next year than even this year.  And they’re very happy right now.  And that’s the best numbers they’ve had in 16 or 17 years.  But the economy is strong.  We have a lot of companies coming into the United States.  They want to come into the United States.  So we have a lot of good things happening.  And the wall is being built as we speak.

Thank you all very much. 


                             END                12:28 P.M. EST         
 

Joint Statement by President Donald J. Trump and President Ivan Duque Marquez on the Crisis in Venezuela

Office of the Press Secretary
Joint Statement by President Donald J. Trump and President Ivan Duque Marquez on the Crisis in Venezuela
 
The United States and Colombia are committed to taking steps to resolve the ongoing democratic and humanitarian crisis in Venezuela.

Both countries strongly support Interim President of Venezuela Juan Guaido, and call on all countries around the world to support peace and stability in the region by recognizing President Guaido and supporting the Venezuelan people.

Through close bilateral partnership, and with the support of regional and global allies, the United States and Colombia are working together to provide aid to Venezuelans in need.  Both countries will work with the Guaido government to restore freedom, democracy, and prosperity to Venezuela.   

The United States and Columbia stand side by side with many other nations in the face of any provocation by the illegitimate, former dictator of Venezuela, Nicolas Maduro, and those who work on his behalf to undermine the security and safety of the region. 

President Donald J. Trump Announces Intent to Nominate and Appoint Individuals to Key Administration Posts

Office of the Press Secretary


President Donald J. Trump Announces Intent to Nominate and Appoint Individuals to Key Administration Posts

 

Today, President Donald J. Trump announced his intent to nominate the following individual to a key position in his Administration:

Michael Eric Wooten of Virginia, to be the Administrator for Federal Procurement Policy, Office of Management and Budget.

Dr. Wooten is a senior advisor for acquisitions at the Department of Education’s Federal Student Aid office.  He recently served in the Trump Administration as acting Assistant Secretary and Deputy Assistant Secretary for Career, Technical, and Adult Education.  Prior to this appointment, Dr. Wooten served as Deputy Chief Procurement Officer for the District of Columbia Government.  Between 2005 and 2015, he served as a professor of contract management and in senior staff and acquisition workforce positions at Defense Acquisition University.  Dr. Wooten holds a doctorate in Higher Education Management from the University of Pennsylvania, M.S. in contract management from the Naval Postgraduate School, master’s degrees from George Washington University and Norwich University, and B.A. in psychology from Chapman University.  He is a retired Marine Corps major and previously served in Afghanistan.
 

---


President Donald J. Trump today announced his intent to appoint the following individuals to key positions in his Administration:

Robert F. Bozzuto III of Pennsylvania, to be an Assistant Secretary of Labor (Public Affairs).

Mr. Bozzuto currently serves as White House Liaison at the Department of Labor, a position he has held since the beginning of the Trump Administration.  Before joining the Administration, Mr. Bozzuto was the Executive Director of the Republican Party of Pennsylvania, and prior to this role, worked for former United States Senator Rick Santorum (R-PA) in Washington, D.C., on his legislative staff and 2006 campaign.  Mr. Bozzuto graduated from the University of Pittsburgh.

Jonathan Warren Burkan of New York, to be a Member of the United States Holocaust Memorial Council for the remainder of a five-year term, expiring January 15, 2023.

Sam Devinki of Missouri, to be a Member of the United States Holocaust Memorial Council for the remainder of a five-year term, expiring January 15, 2023.

David Michael Flaum of New York, to be a Member of the United States Holocaust Memorial Council for the remainder of a five-year term, expiring January 15, 2023.

Jeremey Halpern of New Jersey, to be a Member of the United States Holocaust Memorial Council for the remainder of a five-year term, expiring January 15, 2023.

BLOOMBERG: “WILBUR ROSS, IVANKA TRUMP INTRODUCE WORKFORCE ADVISORY BOARD”

Office of the Press Secretary
BLOOMBERG: “WILBUR ROSS, IVANKA TRUMP INTRODUCE WORKFORCE ADVISORY BOARD”
 
“The creation of the American Workforce Policy Advisory Board, announced by Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross and President Donald Trump’s daughter and adviser Ivanka Trump on Wednesday, will work with the National Council for the American Worker established last July by an executive order.”

Wilbur Ross, Ivanka Trump Introduce Workforce Advisory Board
By Margaret Talev
Bloomberg
February 13, 2019

The chief executives of Apple Inc., Lockheed Martin Corp. and Walmart Inc., are among 25 prominent Americans who will shape Trump administration efforts to develop job training programs to meet the changing demands of U.S. employers.

The creation of the American Workforce Policy Advisory Board, announced by Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross and President Donald Trump’s daughter and adviser Ivanka Trump on Wednesday, will work with the National Council for the American Worker established last July by an executive order.

Ivanka Trump, in a statement, said the board will “ensure inclusive growth” and that the administration wants all Americans “to have the skills and opportunity to secure good paying jobs and successfully navigate technological disruptions and the rapidly changing nature of work.”

The board is being established at a time when there are 7.3 million job openings and a gap between skills of those seeking to enter the workforce possess and those sought by employers, according to an administration official who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the plans before an official announcement. Board members’ terms will run until July 2020.

The White House said 200 companies and associations have signed the administration’s Pledge to America’s Workers, promising to create more than 6.5 million education, training and skill-building opportunities over the next five years.

The board will be asked to help the council develop a national campaign to promote education and training, recommend ways to improve labor market data, increase private sector investments in job learning and better identify companies’ needs in hiring.

Read the full article here.
 

First Lady Melania Trump to Make Valentine’s Day visit to the Children’s Inn

Office of the First Lady
First Lady Melania Trump to Make Valentine’s Day visit to the Children’s Inn 
 
EST

Where: Bethesda, Maryland
When: Thursday, February 14, 2019

First Lady Melania Trump will return to the Children’s Inn at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) on Thursday for an afternoon of Valentine’s Day festivities with some of their young patients.  Mrs. Trump will spend time making candygrams, heart snow globes, and participating in various other arts and crafts with the kids.  The First Lady will also be delivering White House valentines to each of the children.  Before departing, Mrs. Trump will meet with caregivers and families of patients currently undergoing treatment at NIH.

This event will be First Lady’s pool only.
 

Job Openings Hit Record High of 7.3 Million in December

West Wing Reads

Job Openings Hit Record High of 7.3 Million in December


“The number of job openings hit a record high of 7.3 million in December, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Tuesday in a sign of the labor market’s strength,” Joseph Lawler reports in the Washington Examiner.

“The construction industry recorded 382,000 new posts, far more than ever before . . . In the past three months, the economy has added an average of 241,000 net new jobs a month, more than twice as much as needed to keep up with population growth and keep unemployment trending down.”

Click here to read more.
“USA Today ran a surprising story on Tuesday headlined ‘Can the middle-class revival under Trump last?’ It's surprising — shocking really — because it might just be the first time a major news outlet has admitted that there has been a middle-class revival under Trump,” the Investor’s Business Daily editorial board writes. “It's a safe bet that had a Democrat been in the White House over the past two years things would be different.”
“U.S. manufacturing is once again in the news. New data shows America’s factories adding 261,000 jobs from January 2018 to January 2019. In the State of the Union, President Trump emphasized the urgency of confronting predatory trade from countries like China,” Michael Stumo writes in The Hill. “There’s no doubt that America’s manufacturers are currently rebounding. The tariffs that President Trump imposed a year ago on steel, aluminum, solar panels and washing machines have already created more than 11,000 new jobs.”
“The Donald Trump White House is more than capable of doing conventional things well. Last week’s State of the Union saw a complex policy process synthesized into a well-delivered prime-time address that captured the president’s unique policy agenda and won high praise,” Raj Shah writes in USA Today. “But if conventional management styles alone could make or break a presidency, historians would be praising Jimmy Carter and vilifying Ronald Reagan.”

The GoldFIsh Report No. 332 - Casual World News Updates From America, Australia and Austria

Published on Feb 13, 2019


On The GoldFish Report No. 332 Louisa welcomes back co-hosts Steve in Austria and Tim Emslie in Sydney Australia to talk about Geopolitics. Tim reports on the state of censorship in Australia, historic flooding and aftermath, extreme heat and freezing temps all the while during an 8 hour blackout in Syndey! Steve reports on the environment in Europe with respect to finance, yellow vest revolution Venezuela and Q Anon's global influence and the Great Awakening. Louisa reports on the state of affairs in the U.S that have a global ripple effect. Date correction in report : February 13, 2019 Thanks to Steve and Tim for their updates and to follow Tim on YouTube use this link: https://www.youtube.com/user/Temslie73 Also, Louisa announces The GoldFish report Road to the White House Fund Drive and encourages viewers who wish to see The GoldFish Social Media reporting from The White House. To contribute please visit these links to pay pal or Patreon on our website at www.thegoldfishreport.com. There will be Iive streams and special interviews from the White House from the Alternative media, finally!! Only the viewers can make this happen since this is a commercial-free, viewer supported social media channel. To receive our Reports you can subscribe to our BITCHUTE Channel at https://www.bitchute.com/profile/qrAL... and to become a Patron of The GoldFish Report you can go to our Patreon page at https://www.patreon.com/user?u=10007100 . You can also subscribe to our "NEW" YouTube channel at, and https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCO-A..., follow us on Twitter at @ReportGoldfish, www.thegoldfishreport.wordpress.com you can also follow us and like us on our 24/7 research news page at www.facebook.com/thegoldfishreport and to help support these and other programs please visit www.thegoldfishreport.com to make a donation. Thank you for your support and Thank you for viewing. To View The GoldFish Report's POTUS Reports, you can visit our BitChute page or view the unlisted report on YouTube from our POTUS Report page on our website at www.thegoldfishreport.com DISCLAIMER The following videos were created for educational purposes only. The content of this material strictly for research purposes, and readily available to the general public via the Internet. Viewing of the GoldFish Reports acknowledges that senders and recipients hereby agree to this disclaimer, thus releasing the source author from any and all personal liability. Also, individuals who alter or deviate from this source material, may be exposing themselves to the full extent of law. THE OPINIONS AND HYPOTHESES OF OUR GUESTS AND GUEST CO-HOSTS DO NOT NECESSARILY REFLECT THE VIEWS OF THE GOLDFISH REPORT POTUS UPDATE. AN OPINION AND HYPOTHESIS ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITH NEWLY PRESENTED RESEARCH AND EVIDENCE. THE GOLDFISH REPORT POTUS REPORT IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR INFORMATION THAT MAY BE UNKNOWINGLY INACCURATE, ALTHOUGH WE DO OUR BEST TO PRESENT FACTS, OUR GOAL IS TO HAVE THE CONVERSATION ABOUT DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES OF WORLD EVENTS AND HOW THOSE MAKING THE DECISIONS MAY IMPACT OUR LIVES. VIEWER DISCERNMENT IS ADVISED. Copyright 2019 The GoldFish Report. All rights Reserved.