The GoldFish Report No. 344, Louisa reports the POTUS Press Briefs for March 24-27, 2019.

The GoldFish Report

Published on Mar 27, 2019

On The GoldFish Report No. 344, Louisa reports the POTUS Press Briefs for March 24-27, 2019. This week's POTUS report week 114 link is here: YouTube: https://youtu.be/SajQcvHxOTE BitChute: https://www.bitchute.com/video/gZ6K92... 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, thegoldfishreport.wordpress.com you can also follow us and like us on our 24/7 research news page at facebook.com/thegoldfishreport and to help support these and other programs please visit thegoldfishreport.com to make a donation. Thank you for your support and Thank you for viewing. Visit our NEW Vimeo on Demand to view our Educational Country Roads Reports at this link here: https://vimeo.com/ondemand/thegoldfis... To View our NEW Educational Bullet Points Reports use this link here: https://vimeo.com/ondemand/174952 For viewer support of The GoldFish Report's Project "The Road to the White House", Please donate at thegoldfishreport.com at out PayPal or become a patron at https://www.patreon.com/user?u=10007100. Jim Website page: jamesfetzer.org 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 thegoldfishreport.com Weblink to Moon Rock Books Here: http://moonrockbooks.com/ Jim Fetzer on Twitter: @JimFezer 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.

The GoldFish Report No 344 YouTube Video Link

The GoldFIsh Report No. 344 BitChute Video Link

1600 Daily The White House • March 27, 2019 First Lady of Venezuela visits the White House

The White House • March 27, 2019 First Lady of Venezuela visits the White House Venezuelan Interim President Juan Guaido is a tremendous leader working hard to free his country from the grips of a socialist dictatorship. Today, President Donald J. Trump welcomed his wife, Interim First Lady Fabiana Rosales, to the White House. Venezuela’s story is unfathomable. Once the wealthiest country in South America, years of massive wealth confiscation, suppressed free speech, and rigged elections have brought the country to the brink of ruin. Today, nearly 90 percent of Venezuelans live in poverty. In 2018, hyperinflation in Venezuela exceeded a staggering 1 million percent. “Everything's broken,” President Trump said today of the Maduro regime’s destruction. “They have no water . . . The lights are out.” First Lady Rosales thanked the United States today for its leadership on the world stage. In January, Venezuela’s National Assembly invoked its constitutional right to declare Guaido, President of the Assembly, as the country’s legitimate leader. Within 30 minutes, America was the first nation in the world to officially recognize President Guaido. “To see [President Guaido] and his courageous wife stand before the crowds and take that oath of office under the constitution of Venezuela was inspiring not just to people across our hemisphere and across this country, but all over the world,” Vice President Mike Pence said before today’s bilateral meeting between U.S. and Venezuelan officials. In the days that followed that oath, the Maduro regime unleashed untold horror—blocking humanitarian aid, killing innocent civilians, and burning medical supplies. “Eighty percent of the population in Venezuela has no power. They are trying to break our morale,” Ms. Rosales said today. “They want to submerge us in eternal darkness. But let me tell you that there is light, and the light is here.” America and the rest of the world are watching closely. The Venezuelan people do not stand alone. See President Trump host Venezuela’s First Lady at the White House. More: Vice President Pence kicks off today’s bilateral meeting  President Trump presents the Medal of Honor Travis W. Atkins first enlisted in the United States Army in 2000. Following a tour of duty in Iraq, he was honorably discharged from service as a Sergeant. But after attending the University of Montana, Atkins felt called to serve once again—and reenlisted in 2005. He was deployed to Iraq the following summer. On June 1, 2007, Staff Sergeant Atkins engaged in hand-to-hand combat with a suspected insurgent. During the exchange, Atkins quickly realized the man had a suicide vest strapped to his body. Without hesitation, Atkins tackled the insurgent, using his own body to shield his fellow soldiers from the imminent explosion. Staff Sergeant Atkins’ heroic actions, at the cost of his own life, saved the lives of three American service members. Today, President Trump commemorated the selfless sacrifice of Staff Sergeant Atkins by awarding him a posthumous Medal of Honor. “Today the name of Staff Sergeant Travis Atkins will be etched alongside of the names of America’s bravest warriors and written forever into America’s heart,” the President said. Watch President Trump present the Medal of Honor. Photo of the Day Official White House Photo by Shealah Craighead President Donald J. Trump meets with Fabiana Rosales, the First Lady of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela | March 27, 2018

Text of a Letter to Certain Congressional Committees on the North Macedonia NATO Accession Report

Office of the Press Secretary FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 27, 2019

TEXT OF A LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT TO THE CHAIRWOMAN OF THE HOUSE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS AND THE CHAIRMAN OF THE SENATE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS, THE CHAIRMEN OF THE HOUSE COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND THE SENATE COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN RELATIONS, AND THE CHAIRMEN OF THE HOUSE AND SENATE COMMITTEES ON ARMED SERVICES March 27, 2019   Dear Mr. Chairman:  (Dear Madam Chairwoman:) I am providing the report on the Republic of North Macedonia's Accession to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, prepared consistent with section 3(2)(E)(ii) of the Resolution of Advice and Consent to Ratification of the Protocols to the North Atlantic Treaty of 1949 on the Accession of Poland, Hungary, and the Czech Republic of April 30, 1998.                                Sincerely,                                  DONALD J. TRUMP ###

REMARKS BY PRESIDENT TRUMP AT PRESENTATION OF THE CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL OF HONOR FOR STAFF SERGEANT TRAVIS W. ATKINS, U.S. ARMY

Office of the Press Secretary FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 27, 2019 REMARKS BY PRESIDENT TRUMP AT PRESENTATION OF THE CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL OF HONOR FOR STAFF SERGEANT TRAVIS W. ATKINS, U.S. ARMY East Room   4:15 P.M. EDT      THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you very much.  Please.  Thank you.  And thank you -- please, sit down.  Please.  Thank you, Chaplain Solhjem, Vice President Pence -- thank you, Mike -- members of Congress, and distinguished military leaders.  We are here today to award America’s highest honor to a fallen hero who made the supreme sacrifice for our nation: Staff Sergeant Travis Atkins.  Please join me in welcoming the entire Atkins family to the White House.  Thank you very much.  (Applause.)  Thank you very much. Joining us to accept the Congressional Medal of Honor on behalf of Travis is his son, Trevor.  Thank you very much, Trevor. We're also grateful to be joined by Travis’s parents, his mother Elaine, as well as his father Jack, who served as an Army paratrooper in the Vietnam War.  Thank you.  Thank you very much.  Thank you.  (Applause.) Also here with us is Travis’s sister Jennifer, along with his uncle, Sumner, and cousin, Douglas.  Both are military veterans of great distinction, I might add.  Thank you very much.  Thank you.  Thank you very much.  (Applause.)  To the entire Atkins family: We can never measure the true depth of our gratitude or the full magnitude of your loss, but we can pay everlasting tribute to Staff Sergeant Travis Atkins -- his truly immortal act of valor.  It was indeed.  Thank you. We're also joined for today’s ceremony by Acting Deputy Secretary of Defense David Norquist.  Thank you, David.  Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff -- somebody who is doing a fantastic job -- General Joseph Dunford.  Thank you, General.  Thank you, Joe.  Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Paul Selva.  Paul, thank you.  Secretary of the Army, Mark Esper.  Mark -- thank you, Mark.  Army Chief of Staff, General Mark Milley.  Thank you, General.  Thanks, Mark.  Chief of the National Guard Bureau, General Joseph Lengyel.  And Sergeant Major of the Army, Daniel Dailey.  Thank you.  Thank you all.  Thank you very much.  Great people.  They're doing an incredible job.  I have to say that. Thank you as well to Senators Steve Daines and Jon Tester.  Thank you.  Thank you.  Jon, thank you.  And Representatives Jim Banks, Greg Gianforte, Elise Stefanik, Pete Stauber, and Michael Waltz.  Thank you all.  Thank you, fellas.  Thank you.  (Applause.) And, finally, we are privileged to be in the presence of five previous Medal of Honor recipients: Ty Carter, Harvey Barnum, William Swenson, Ronald Shurer, and Brian Thacker.  Thank you very much.  (Applause.)  Brave people.  Thank you. Today, the name of Staff Sergeant Travis Atkins will be etched alongside of the names of America’s bravest warriors and written forever into America’s heart. Travis grew up on a farm in Bozeman, Montana.  He was also and always most at home in the middle of the wilderness.  He loved the wilderness.  He loved to camp and to fish and to hunt.  And he loved to race that snowmobile, as you know.  Right? After Travis graduated high school, he worked as a painter and mechanic before he joined the Army at the age of 24.  In March of 2001, his parents went to his basic training graduation ceremony at Fort Benning, Georgia.  When they reunited with their son, he told them, “This basic training was the best time I’ve ever had in my life.”  In other words, he loved it.  (Laughter.) Travis quickly excelled in the Army.  He was offered a number of different assignments, but always he chose the infantry.  He loved the infantry.  That’s where he wanted to be, defending freedom on the frontiers with his fellow foot soldiers, and they were all his great friends. In 2003, Travis served on his first deployment in Iraq with the historic 101st Airborne Division and participated in Operation Iraqi Freedom. After he completed the harrowing deployment, Travis returned to civilian life.  But not for long.  The fact is he was bored.  You know that.  He was very bored.  He wanted back in.  As his mother Elaine has said, Travis "loved the Army and he loved everything about being with the troops.”  He just loved it. In 2005, he re-enlisted and joined the legendary 10th Mountain Division, based at Fort Drum, New York, where he [I] was honored to visit last year. In August of 2006, Travis left his second deployment to Iraq.  He was stationed in a hotbed of terror and terrorist activity known as the “Triangle of Death.”  Not a good place. On the morning of June 1st, 2007, in a town outside of Baghdad, Travis and his three-man squad received a report that several suspected terrorists were walking toward an intersection nearby.  Nothing good was going to happen.  They all knew it. Travis directed his squad immediately to the location.  When they arrived, he got out of the Humvee and walked toward the two suspicious men.  And he knew right from the beginning. As Travis began to search one of the insurgents, the man resisted and became totally violent.  Travis engaged him in hand-to-hand combat.  As Travis wrestled to get the enemy’s hands behind his back, the man began to reach for something, and Travis knew what it was.  He realized the man was wearing a suicide vest. Just as the terrorist was about to set off the deadly explosives, Travis wrapped his arms and his entire body around him and threw him to the ground, away from his troops, who were right next to him.  He put himself on the top of the enemy and he shielded his men from certain death.  The terrorist detonated his suicide vest and Travis was instantly killed. In his final moments on Earth, Travis did not run.  He didn’t know what it was to run.  He did not hesitate.  He rose to the highest calling.  He laid down his life to save the lives of his fellow warriors. In so doing, he embodied the deepest meaning of the motto of the 10th Mountain Division: He “climbed to glory.”  Now Travis is looking down from above on all of us -- on all of his fellow warriors, on his great family -- wrapped in glory, the loving glory of Almighty God. We're grateful to be joined by the three squad members that Travis saved: Private First Class Michael Kistel.  Michael. Where are you, Michael?  Thank you.  Please, stand.  Stand.  Thank you.  (Applause.)  Thank you.  Specialist Travis Robertshaw.  Travis, where are you?  Travis, thank you.  (Applause.)  Thank you, Travis.  And Specialist Sand Aiyo.  Sand, thank you very much.  Good.  (Applause.)  Thank you.  Appreciate it. Today, we are privileged also to be joined by more than 50 soldiers from the 10th Mountain Division, including those who served alongside Travis -- knew he was brave from day one.  They really loved him.  They wanted to be here.  Would you please stand?  (Applause.)  Thank you very much.  Thank you for being here. Your lives of service do honor to our country, to Army values, and your fallen brothers-in-arms like Staff Sergeant Travis Atkins.  And he's looking down.  He loves you all. Just a few days before that June morning when Travis left on his last mission, he called his son Trevor to wish him a very, very special eleventh birthday.  Trevor didn’t know that he would speak to his dad for the last time. But in the 12 years since, he’s always known that his father gave his life for our nation and for our freedom.  He knew that his father was a hero right from the beginning, long before today.  Trevor has said that he wants our nation to remember his dad as “the best father and best soldier that anyone could ask for.” Trevor, that is exactly how we'll -- your Dad will be remembered.  He will be remembered truly as "the best father" and he will be remembered as the best soldier.  You can't get better than the Congressional Medal of Honor.  You just can't.  So thank you very much. And I'd like you to come on up.  Please come up.  (Applause.)  Please come up.  Please. Your father's courage and sacrifice will live for all time.  And every time we see our stars and stripes waving in the sky, we will thank our great Travis and we will think of every American hero who gave their last breath to defend our liberty, and our homeland, and our people, and our great American flag. Now, I'd like to ask the military aide to read the citation.  And I would also like, perhaps, in honor of your father, perhaps you could say just a few words.  Would you like that?  Please. MR. OLIVER:  Thank you, everyone, for being here, first off.  It's an absolute honor to have every single one of you here.  It's something that I can't really put into words.  It's something that's surreal.  And I still -- I still haven't fully accepted it yet. So, just all over appreciation for his men.  Everything you have said to me over the last few days has meant the world to me, and it changes my life every, every day. That's -- the medal is something that I take very -- a lot of pride in, but it's the words that are the real prize and what really means the most to me. And, when it comes to my dad, he always had the funniest stories about you guys.  And seeing you guys throughout -- I was a young kid, but he let me know.  (Laughter.) And -- no, I just -- I feel so close with you and to him every -- every story I get to hear.  And I'm just -- I'm glad that you got to enjoy his love and his energy.  Thank you. THE PRESIDENT:  Beautiful.  Thank you.  (Applause.) MILITARY AIDE:  The President of the United States has awarded, in the name of Congress, the Medal of Honor posthumously to Staff Sergeant Travis W. Atkins, United States Army. Staff Sergeant Atkins distinguished himself by conspicuous acts of gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty on 1 June, 2007, while serving as a Squad Leader with Delta Company, 2nd Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. While manning a static observation post in the town of Abu Samak, Iraq, Staff Sergeant Atkins was notified that four suspicious individuals, walking in two pairs, were crossing an intersection not far from his position.  Staff Sergeant Atkins immediately moved his squad to interdict them.  One of the individuals began behaving erratically, prompting Staff Sergeant Atkins to disembark from his patrol vehicle and approach to conduct a search. Both individuals responded belligerently toward Staff Sergeant Atkins, who then engaged the individual he had intended to search in hand-to-hand combat. When he noticed the insurgent was reaching for something under his clothes, Staff Sergeant Atkins immediately wrapped him in a bear hug and threw him to the ground, away from his fellow soldiers.  Maintaining his hold on the insurgent, he pinned him to the ground, further sheltering his patrol.  The insurgent then detonated a bomb strapped to his body, killing Staff Sergeant Atkins. In this critical and selfless act of valor, Staff Sergeant Atkins acted with complete disregard for his own safety, saving the lives of the three soldiers who were with him and gallantly giving his life for his country. Staff Sergeant Atkins's undaunted courage, warrior spirit, and steadfast devotion to duty are in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon himself, the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, and the United States Army. (The Medal of Honor is presented.)  (Applause.)                              END                4:32 P.M. EDT

REMARKS BY PRESIDENT TRUMP AND FIRST LADY FABIANA ROSALES OF THE BOLIVARIAN REPUBLIC OF VENEZUELA BEFORE BILATERAL MEETING

Office of the Press Secretary FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 27, 2019 REMARKS BY PRESIDENT TRUMP AND FIRST LADY FABIANA ROSALES OF THE BOLIVARIAN REPUBLIC OF VENEZUELA BEFORE BILATERAL MEETING Oval Office 11:16 A.M. EDT      PRESIDENT TRUMP:  Thank you very much.  It's a great honor to have the First Lady of Venezuela.  She's been through a tremendous -- she's been through a lot, let's put it that way.  She's been through what people don't want to have to go through and should never have to go through.      Her husband is a tremendous man who is working so hard.  And it's very dangerous.  It's dangerous stuff.  We hear what's going on.  We know exactly what's going on.      Our Vice President, Mike, was there for a period of time and got to know your husband very well.      But I just want to say we're going to have a terrific conversation; we already have.  And a lot of progress is being made.  With all of the problems, a tremendous amount of progress is being made.      Venezuela was a country with tremendous potential and is still a country with tremendous potential.  But people are starving.  They're being killed.  They're being beaten.  What's going there is unfathomable to everybody that sees and everybody that gets reports.  We're getting reports that are horrible.      The potential of Venezuela, if done properly and with democracy, would be incredible.  It was one of the richest companies [countries] -- certainly one of the truly rich countries of the world, and now it's one of the poorest countries of the world.      If you look at what's happened: Despite oil -- the oil is not coming out.  Everything is broken.  They have no water.  They have no electric.  They have -- the lights are out.  In fact, I understand, just today they had a big blackout.      So we're very much in contact with your husband and with everybody else.  And a lot of things are happening.  Many things are happening.      So, just in concluding, I want to say, again, to have you and your friends and representatives with us has been incredible.  I know that you've also suffered tremendously.  And I'd like you maybe to say a few words.      But, please, First Lady?  I'd love to have you say a few words to the media. MS. ROSALES:  (As interpreted.)  Thank you very much, Mr. President.  It is an honor for me to be here.  I thank you.  I thank the Vice President.  It was a pleasure meeting you, as well.  And, Mr. Bolton, it's an honor to count on you as we do. Venezuela is going through a terrible crisis.  The power crisis is very serious.  Children are dying -- are dying in hospitals.  Children are dying because they have no food.  Hospitals are in darkness.  The crisis is serious. I fear for my husband's life.  Yesterday he was attacked.  His life was attacked.  Also, his Chief of Staff, Roberto Marrero, was kidnapped in a very violent and vile manner.  Not only is he his Chief of Staff, he is our personal friend. Yesterday, also, they detained his mother's cousin.  He was accused of terrorism.  And Gustavo Guaidó, his brother, was also accused.  So they are hitting everything that is closest to him, trying in that way to destabilize him.      But what they don’t know is that, when they do that, what they're doing is pushing us forward.  We will not rest.  We are here to save lives and to give back freedom.  We want to save our children, we want to save our elderly, who are the ones who are suffering.  And we are -- this is what Venezuela is going through.      Venezuela is not alone.  The U.S. is with Venezuela.  The international community is with Venezuela.  The world is with Venezuela.  The world sees and the world hears the terrible consequences of this dictatorship.  But Venezuela decided that this is the year of peace, and we are going to be able to get -- to go forward.      And we also want to warn the world that what we are seeing is a wave of attacks against the President.  There's repressions.  There's prison.  And what they want is to attack him.      We're fighting for life and death.  And we know that what will triumph in the end is life.  I know that you will be part of this process.  Thank you.      PRESIDENT TRUMP:  Thank you very much.  That’s very well said.  Beautifully said.  I appreciate it.      Could you tell us about your husband?  Something happened that’s very terrible.      MRS. MARRERO:  He was at home last week.  And at 2:00 a.m., the political forces of Nicolás Maduro entered in a brutal raid in our house.  He called me at 2:00 a.m.  He was, you know, like desperate.  There were like 16 people around trying to get by force in our house.  They finally did, and we -- you know, with lack of communication.  And they destroyed our house, our child’s room, everything.  They planted guns and things.  And this happened for three hours.  It was a nightmare.      And after that, they kidnapped him, and we didn’t know anything about him for six days.  They’ve been trying to delay the process because we have no lights at all.  So the electricity is not working, so we doesn’t know anything.  He was the second on board and a personal friend of Juan Guaidó.  So this is a personal attack to his team because they work together.  They take decisions together.  They were working together in the National Assembly.      So, as a family, we are afraid for his life.  We haven’t had any communication.  We have a seven-year-old kid who doesn’t know anything.  And I just explained to him, “We can’t go back.”  And I want to ask you, you know, help.  Because we are fighting but we can’t do it ourself.      PRESIDENT TRUMP:  So they took him and he’s in prison now?      MRS. MARRERO:  Yeah.      PRESIDENT TRUMP:  Do you know where he is?      MRS. MARRERO:  Yeah, well, we know the place, but we haven’t spoken to him or seen him.      PRESIDENT TRUMP:  No communication whatsoever?      MRS. MARRERO:  No communication at all.      PRESIDENT TRUMP:  Okay. We are with Venezuela.  We are with your husband, as you know.  And we are with the people that he represents, which is a big, big majority of the country.  What’s happening there should not happen and be allowed to happen anywhere.  So we’re with you 100 percent, okay?  Please give my regards.  It’ll all work out. It’s all going to work out.  It always does.  We’re going to get it to work out.  Thank you very much.  It’ll be fine.      Steve?      Q    Mr. President, what sort of complications does the Russian involvement now pose?      PRESIDENT TRUMP:  Russia has to get out.      What’s your next question?      Q    Mr. President, are you thinking of increasing pressure on Venezuela?  And how will you do that?      PRESIDENT TRUMP:  Say it?      Q    Are you thinking of increasing pressure on Venezuela?  And how will you do that?      PRESIDENT TRUMP:  Well, they’ve got a lot of pressure right now.  They have no money.  They have no oil.  They have no nothing.  They have plenty of pressure right now.  So we’ll see.  They have no electricity.  And other than military, you can’t get any more pressure than they have.  Unfortunately, a lot of people are starving.  They don’t take the aid; Maduro won’t take aid.      We’ve sent hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of aid to the border.  He won’t take the aid.  He’d rather have his people starve than take the aid.  I don’t think that’s good, even from a political standpoint.  Even from a dictator’s standpoint, I don’t think that’s good.      But there’s a lot of pressure on them right now.      Q    How are you going to get them out, Mr. President?          Q    (Inaudible) military?          Q    How are you going to get them out?      PRESIDENT TRUMP:  We’ll see.  We’ll see.  All options are open.  All -- just so you understand, all options are open.  Go ahead.      Q    Does that mean military action?      PRESIDENT TRUMP:  All options are open.  Yeah.          Q    Would you tell them it’s better to let go now before things get much worse?      PRESIDENT TRUMP:  I’m not going to tell them anything.  They’ll make their own decision.      Q    Mr. President, have you -- you’ve just said Russia needs to get out.  Have you in any way communicated that through Mr. Bolton or through your representative at the United Nations?      PRESIDENT TRUMP:  They know.  They know very well.  They know very well.      Go ahead.  Next question.      Q    Is your staff opposed to you and your views on healthcare?  Do you think --      PRESIDENT TRUMP:  No, look, we’re not talking about healthcare right now, but I will.  The Republican Party is the -- and you will see this very soon.  Because Obamacare is a disaster.  It’s too expensive, by far.  People can’t afford it.  And the deductible is horrible.  So the premiums cost too much.  The deductible is horrible. The only difference between now and the other administration is that we’re administering Obamacare very well.  So we’ve made it better.  But it’s still horrible, no good.  It’s something that we can’t live with in this country because it’s far too expensive for the people, not only for the country, but I'm not even thinking about for the country.  It's too expensive.  The premiums are too expensive.  People are going broke trying to pay for it. And the deductibles are averaging over $7,000.  So you have to spend $7,000 before you get anything.  That's a very unusual circumstance.  So the deductibles are way too high. Obamacare is a disaster.  So we're going to be the party -- and I said it yesterday, and I mean it 100 percent -- I understand healthcare now, especially, very well.  A lot of people don't understand it.  We are going to be -- the Republicans -- the party of great healthcare. The Democrats aren't.  They've let you down.  They came up with Obamacare.  It's terrible.  I got rid of the individual mandate.  That was the worst part of Obamacare, because people were forced to pay a lot of money to get healthcare that they didn't want.  Okay?  Now they don't have to pay that money. People are, all over this country, thanking me.  Every time I go out, they thank me.  They don't have to pay a vast amount of money to have bad healthcare.  So we got rid of the individual mandate.  That was a big thing. We will -- you watch -- we're going to be the party of great healthcare.  And the Democrats have let you down.  They've really let you down.  Obamacare doesn't work.  It's too expensive.  And the -- you take a look at everything with deductibles; it's a disaster.  It's a disaster for our people.  We're not going to allow it to go. So we're coming up with plans.  We have a lawsuit right now going, where phase one of the lawsuit terminates Obamacare -- essentially terminates Obamacare.  You know that.  That's the Texas lawsuit.  We think it will be upheld, and we think it will do very well in the Supreme Court.  And if the Supreme Court rules that Obamacare is out, we will have a plan that's far better than Obamacare. Thank you all very much.  I appreciate it.  Thank you.  Thank you. Q    Mr. President, do you have a timeline for Venezuela?  Do you have a timeline for Maduro (inaudible)?      PRESIDENT TRUMP:  No timeline. Q    No timeline? PRESIDENT TRUMP:  No timeline.      Q    Mr. President, on Venezuela -- what do you hope the message is for the Maduro regime that she is sitting here in the Oval Office?  What is it that you want to --      PRESIDENT TRUMP:  I greatly appreciate that she's here.  And she's been a tremendous representative for her country.      Q    And the message to Maduro --      PRESIDENT TRUMP:  And she's meeting tomorrow with the First Lady of the United States, in Florida.  They're meeting tomorrow.       Q    So that is a message that the United States is committed to seeing Venezuela --      PRESIDENT TRUMP:  I'll tell you, the -- if you look at what we're doing, you will see a commitment that few people have made.  And, frankly, this didn't have to happen in Venezuela.  Past administrations, right here, should have been more forward-thinking.  This should never have happened in Venezuela.  This is a tragedy.      You know, we're fighting all over the world for countries.  We're 5,000, 6,000, 7,000 miles away.  They never did anything with respect to Venezuela.  Past administrations allowed this to happen. I've inherited a mess, between North Korea and all of the problems we have all over the world -- the entire Middle East and Venezuela.  These are things that never -- they never should have happened.  They never should have allowed to get to this point.  But I'll fix it.  We're fixing it all over the world.  That's what we're going to do. Just like, in a different sense, we are going to fix healthcare, we're going to fix a lot of problems that nobody else was able to do. And we just left, as you know, the Prime Minister of Israel.  They're having a lot of hard times over there right now.  But the Golan Heights, which every President promised they'd do, they never did.  I did that -- not only with respect to the Jerusalem and the embassy, but also now the Golan Heights.  They desperately need it.  It was good timing.  They desperately need it.  They need the Heights. Thank you very much, everybody.  Thank you.  Thank you.  Thank you.  Thank you very much.  Thank you.  Thank you.                           END                11:37 A.M. EDT

MEMORANDUM: Federal Housing Finance Reform

Office of the Press Secretary FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 27, 2019

March 27, 2019   MEMORANDUM FOR THE SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY             THE SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE             THE SECRETARY OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT             THE SECRETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS             THE DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT               AND BUDGET             THE DIRECTOR OF THE BUREAU OF CONSUMER FINANCIAL               PROTECTION             THE DIRECTOR OF THE FEDERAL HOUSING FINANCE               AGENCY             THE ASSISTANT TO THE PRESIDENT FOR ECONOMIC               POLICY             THE ASSISTANT TO THE PRESIDENT FOR DOMESTIC               POLICY SUBJECT:        Federal Housing Finance Reform The housing finance system of the United States is in urgent need of reform.  During the financial crisis of 2008, the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae) and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac) -- collectively known as the Government-sponsored enterprises (GSEs) -- suffered significant losses due to their structural flaws and lack of sufficient regulatory oversight.  To prevent their failure, the GSEs received support from the Federal Government and were placed into conservatorship in September 2008.  The Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008 enacted important reforms to the supervision, oversight, risk management, and governance of the GSEs.  The GSEs remain in conservatorship, however, and the housing finance system continues to face significant and fundamental challenges.  To date, the GSEs are the dominant participants in the housing finance system and lack real competitors.  The lack of comprehensive housing finance reform since the financial crisis of 2008 has left taxpayers potentially exposed to future bailouts, and has left the Federal housing finance programs at the Department of Housing and Urban Development potentially overexposed to risk and with outdated operations.  Accordingly, it is time for the United States to reform its housing finance system to reduce taxpayer risks, expand the private sector's role, modernize government housing programs, and make sustainable home ownership for American families our benchmark of success.  In order to resolve these ongoing challenges and by the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, I hereby direct the following:     Section 1.  Framework to Reform the GSEs.  (a)  The Secretary of the Treasury is hereby directed to develop a plan for administrative and legislative reforms (Treasury Housing Reform Plan) to achieve the following housing reform goals:         (i)    Ending the conservatorships of the GSEs upon the completion of specified reforms;         (ii)   Facilitating competition in the housing finance market;         (iii)  Establishing regulation of the GSEs that safeguards their safety and soundness and minimizes the risks they pose to the financial stability of the United States; and         (iv)   Providing that the Federal Government is properly compensated for any explicit or implicit support it provides to the GSEs or the secondary housing finance market.     (b)  The Treasury Housing Reform Plan shall include reform proposals to achieve the following specific objectives:         (i)     Preserving access for qualified homebuyers to 30 year fixed-rate mortgages and other mortgage options that best serve the financial needs of potential homebuyers;         (ii)    Maintaining equal access to the Federal housing finance system for lenders of all sizes, charter types, and geographic locations, including the maintenance of a cash window for loan sales;         (iii)   Establishing appropriate capital and liquidity requirements for the GSEs;         (iv)    Increasing competition and participation of the private sector in the mortgage market, including by authorizing the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) to approve guarantors of conventional mortgage loans in the secondary market;         (v)     Mitigating the risks undertaken by the GSEs, including by altering, if necessary, their respective policies on loan limits, program and product offerings, credit underwriting parameters, and the use of private capital to transfer credit risk;         (vi)    Recommending appropriate size and risk profiles for the GSEs' retained mortgage and investment portfolios;         (vii)   Defining the role of the GSEs in multifamily mortgage finance;         (viii)  Defining the mission of the Federal Home Loan Bank system and its role in supporting Federal housing finance;         (ix)    Evaluating, in consultation with the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development and the Director of the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection, the "QM Patch," whereby the GSEs are exempt from certain requirements of the Qualified Mortgage (QM) determination;         (x)     Defining the GSEs' role in promoting affordable housing without duplicating support provided by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) or other Federal programs; and         (xi)    Setting the conditions necessary for the termination of the conservatorships of the GSEs, which shall include the following conditions being satisfied:             (A)  The Federal Government is fully compensated for the explicit and implicit guarantees provided by it to the GSEs or any successor entities in the form of an ongoing payment to the United States;             (B)  The GSEs' activities are restricted to their core statutory mission and the size of investment and retained mortgage portfolios are appropriately limited; and             (C)  The GSEs are subjected to heightened prudential requirements and safety and soundness standards, including increased capital requirements, designed to prevent a future taxpayer bailout and minimize risks to financial stability.     (c)  For each reform included in the Treasury Housing Reform Plan, the Secretary of the Treasury must specify whether the proposed reform is a "legislative" reform that would require congressional action or an "administrative" reform that could be implemented without congressional action.  For each "administrative" reform, the Treasury Housing Reform Plan shall include a timeline for implementation.     (d)  In developing the Treasury Housing Reform Plan, the Secretary of the Treasury shall consult with the Secretary of Agriculture, the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, the Director of the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection, the Director of the FHFA, the Assistant to the President for Economic Policy, and the FHFA's Federal Housing Finance Oversight Board.     (e)  The Treasury Housing Reform Plan shall be submitted to the President for approval, through the Assistant to the President for Economic Policy, as soon as practicable.     Sec. 2.  Framework to Reform the Programs of the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the FHA, and the Government National Mortgage Association (GNMA).  (a)  The Secretary of Housing and Urban Development is hereby directed to develop a plan for administrative and legislative reforms (HUD Reform Plan) to achieve the following housing reform goals:         (i)    Attempting to ensure that the FHA and GNMA assume primary responsibility for providing housing finance support to low- and moderate-income families that cannot be fulfilled through traditional underwriting;         (ii)   Reducing taxpayer exposure through improved risk management and program and product design; and (iii)  Modernizing the operations and technology of the FHA and GNMA.     (b)  The HUD Reform Plan shall include reform proposals to achieve the following specific objectives:         (i)    Addressing the financial viability of the Home Equity Conversion Mortgage program;         (ii)   Assessing the risks and benefits associated with providing assistance to first-time homebuyers, including down-payment assistance;         (iii)  Defining the appropriate role of the FHA in multifamily mortgage finance;         (iv)   Diversifying FHA lenders through increased participation by registered depository institutions;         (v)    Enhancing GNMA program participation requirements and standards to ensure its safety and soundness and to protect borrower and investor interests; and         (vi)   Reducing abusive and unsound loan origination or servicing practices for loans in the GNMA program, including, if appropriate, by providing for cooperation with other loan program sponsors and regulators.     (c)  For each reform included in the HUD Reform Plan, the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development shall specify whether the proposed reform is a "legislative" reform that would require congressional action or an "administrative" reform that could be implemented without congressional action.  For each "administrative" reform, the HUD Reform Plan shall include a timeline for implementation.     (d)  In developing the HUD Reform Plan, the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development shall consult with the Secretary of the Treasury, the Secretary of Agriculture, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, the Director of the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection, the Assistant to the President for Economic Policy, and the Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy.     (e)  The HUD Reform Plan shall be submitted to the President for approval, through the Assistant to the President for Economic Policy, as soon as practicable.     Sec. 3.  General Provisions.  (a)  Nothing in this memorandum shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:         (i)   the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or         (ii)  the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.     (b)  This memorandum shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.     (c)  This memorandum is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.     (d)  The Secretary of the Treasury is authorized and directed to publish this memorandum in the Federal Register.                         DONALD J. TRUMP ###

West Wing Reads On the Green New Deal, the Democrats Are All Yellow

On the Green New Deal, the Democrats Are All Yellow The Washington Examiner editorial board writes that the Green New Deal is a profoundly embarrassing and politically damaging proposal for Democrats—which is probably why not a single one of them voted for it yesterday. “Faced with a day-of debate on their own embarrassing resolution, Democrats spent their floor time trying to blame Republicans for not taking global warming seriously enough. But if Democrats took it seriously, and didn't just view it as a potential source of donations from gullible millenarian millennials, they would not have fallen in line behind this ludicrous unicorns-and-rainbows proposal in the first place.” Click here to continue reading. “Attorney General William Barr told Congress Sunday that special counsel Robert Mueller did not find collusion between the Trump campaign and the Russian government, destroying two years of media speculation and bad reporting,” Amber Athey writes in The Daily Caller. “In light of Mueller concluding his investigation, we’ve compiled a list of some of the worst media screwups in the history of Russia theories.” Now that Special Counsel Robert Mueller has dispatched the Russia collusion theories, The Wall Street Journal editorial board writes, one has to ask “how did the partisan propaganda known as the Steele dossier become the basis for an unprecedented FBI probe of a presidential campaign, an abuse of law enforcement, and two years of media and political hysteria?  . . . Its authors and promoters should be held accountable.” “House Democrats on Tuesday failed to override President Trump’s first veto as part of their battle over border security, representing a victory for the administration that allows the president's declaration of a national emergency at the U.S.-Mexico border to stand,” Andrew O’Reilly reports for Fox News. President Trump called it a “BIG WIN today.” “Ivanka Trump is coming back to Kentucky. The adviser to President Donald Trump will tour Toyota’s largest manufacturing plant in Georgetown on Thursday,” The Associated Pressreports. “Toyota Motor North America CEO Jim Lentz and Toyota Motor Manufacturing Kentucky President Susan Elkington are scheduled to sign the White House’s Pledge to American Workers,” an “effort to encourage private employers to adequately train their workers.”