A PROCLAMATION BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA- NATIONAL HURRICANE PREPAREDNESS WEEK, 2019

Office of the Press Secretary FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 3, 2019 NATIONAL HURRICANE PREPAREDNESS WEEK, 2019 - - - - - - - BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA A PROCLAMATION      During National Hurricane Preparedness Week, I encourage all Americans living in hurricane-prone areas to take the measures necessary to safeguard their families, homes, and businesses.  As a Nation, we are sadly too familiar with the destructive force of hurricanes.  To help prevent and mitigate hurricane-related harm, it is critically important that we prepare for the upcoming hurricane season, which starts next month.      This September marks the 30th anniversary of Hurricane Hugo, one of the strongest and most costly hurricanes to hit the United States from the Atlantic Ocean.  That destructive storm devastated the Caribbean Islands of Guadeloupe, St. Croix, and Puerto Rico before making final landfall in South Carolina.  The storm surge it generated also caused tremendous damage.      Hugo's destructive storm surge serves as a reminder of how dangerous that aspect of a storm can be.  Over the last three decades, more people have died from storm surges and inland flooding than from hurricane winds.  More than 50 people died last year after Hurricane Florence shattered all-time rain and flood records in the Carolinas.  To address this deadly hazard, the National Weather Service (NWS) recently implemented alerts for impending storm surges on the gulf and east coasts, where low-lying areas and coastal communities are especially vulnerable.      Our ability to track hurricanes for more timely and reliable forecasts has vastly improved.  Last year, Hurricane Michael, a Category 5 hurricane and the strongest storm ever to hit the Florida Panhandle, destroyed neighborhoods, wrecked property, and altered countless lives.  In the lead-up to Hurricane Michael, the NWS provided expert forecasting.  In addition, the NWS has activated services to warn citizens of dangerous wind conditions when the eyewall of a hurricane is moving onshore.  The Extreme Wind Warning signals when exceptionally strong winds are imminent, alerting families to take immediate life-saving actions, such as moving away from windows and finding shelter in far-interior locations.      My Administration is continuing its efforts to enhance storm tracking and intensity predictions to help save lives and livelihoods by giving communities adequate time to prepare.  We are committed to ensuring that the United States will produce the best weather forecasting model in the world.  In 2017, I signed into law the first major standalone weather-related bill in decades, the bipartisan Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Act.  For the past year, we have built on the success of this legislation, especially through the Earth Prediction Innovation Center, strongly supported by the Congress and communities nationwide.  This Center will advance our knowledge of severe weather, such as hurricanes, and increase our prediction and forecasting abilities with new modeling capabilities and forecast products that can protect life and property.      Additionally, my Administration continues to prioritize and invest in the mitigation actions that are crucial for saving money, property, and, most importantly, lives when severe storms hit.  We are working with communities across our country to implement plans to reduce the damage caused by hurricanes and to make them more resilient when they rebuild after disasters strike.  It is crucial that we enhance our ability as a Nation to anticipate and adapt to natural and manmade disasters, disruptions, and emergencies.  We must reduce the effects of disaster events and the rising cost of recovery.      This week is an opportunity for everyone in areas that are susceptible to hurricane-related harm to prepare for these deadly storms.  The Ready Campaign led by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is available online and can help you develop preparedness plans for your family and business, gather supplies for your emergency kit, and plan for communicating with loved ones when power is out and cell towers are down.  By taking collective responsibility to prepare for hurricanes, we help make our communities and our Nation safer and more resilient.      NOW, THEREFORE, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim May 5 through May 11, 2019, as National Hurricane Preparedness Week.  I call upon everyone to take action this week by making use of the online resources provided by the National Weather Service and FEMA to safeguard your families, homes, and businesses from the dangers of hurricanes and severe storms.  I also call upon Federal, State, local, tribal, and territorial emergency management officials to help inform our communities about hurricane preparedness and response in order to prevent storm damage and save lives.     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this third day of May, in the year of our Lord two thousand nineteen, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-third.                         DONALD J. TRUMP

MISSING AND MURDERED AMERICAN INDIANS AND ALASKA NATIVES AWARENESS DAY, 2019

Office of the Press Secretary FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 3, 2019 MISSING AND MURDERED AMERICAN INDIANS AND ALASKA NATIVES AWARENESS DAY, 2019 - - - - - - - BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA A PROCLAMATION      On Missing and Murdered American Indians and Alaska Natives Awareness Day, we draw attention to the horrible acts of violence committed against American Indian and Alaska Native people, particularly women and children.  Too many American Indians and Alaska Natives are the victims of abuse, sexual exploitation, or murder -- or are missing from their communities.  Some of those missing may be victims of human trafficking.  We must work together as a Nation to correct these injustices and ensure the safety of all Americans, particularly our most vulnerable populations.      American Indian and Alaska Native people face alarming levels of violence.  Data from the National Institute of Justice and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicate that more than 1.5 million American Indian and Alaska Native women have experienced violence, including sexual violence, in their lifetimes.  American Indian and Alaska Native children attempt and commit suicide at rates far higher than those in any other demographic in our Nation, and often endure disproportionately high rates of endemic drug abuse, violence, and crime.      Ending the violence that disproportionately affects American Indian and Alaska Native communities is imperative.  Under my Administration, Federal agencies are working more comprehensively and more collaboratively to address violent crime in Indian country, to recover the American Indian and Alaska Native women and children who have gone missing, and to find justice for those who have been murdered.  As a result of these ongoing efforts, we are improving public safety, we are expanding funding and training opportunities for law enforcement in Indian country, and we are better equipping them with tools like access to criminal databases.  We have also established improved protocols based on our government-to-government relationships with the tribes, and have become more transparent and accountable in our efforts.      Currently, every United States Attorney's Office with Indian country jurisdiction has developed sexual assault response and multidisciplinary teams to combat sexual assault and abuse of American Indian and Alaska Native women and children.  In addition, the Attorney General has developed a working group dedicated to addressing violent crime in Indian country.  This working group has made the development of law enforcement strategies for Missing and Murdered Indigenous People (MMIP) a priority, improving human trafficking training and creating law enforcement initiatives for United States Attorneys.      To help address the significant challenges in collecting data regarding missing and murdered American Indian and Alaska Native people, the Department of the Interior's Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) partnered together to capture tribal data through new data fields in the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System.  DOJ has also expanded the Tribal Access Program (TAP) and Amber Alert in Indian country to make law enforcement more aware of missing persons and to enhance their ability to be responsive to missing persons reports and Sexual Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA) registrants in the area.  TAP also enables tribal law enforcement to have access to national law enforcement databases and to immediately and directly enter missing persons reports into them.  In addition, BIA's Tribal Justice Support Directorate funds the training of tribal attorneys in prosecuting domestic violence and partner abuse crimes as part of implementing the Violence Against Women Act.      In Fiscal Years 2018 and 2019, DOJ allocated historic amounts of funding to combat violent crime in Indian country, including to the MMIP efforts of the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW).  DOJ set aside close to $300 million from the Crime Victim Fund over two years to assist victims of crime in Indian country.  It also expanded the Tribal Special Assistant United States Attorney program, which is aimed at reducing violent crime, including violence against women, in Indian country and building important partnerships between Federal and tribal agencies.  In addition, DOJ funds the National Indian Country Training Initiative (NICTI), which continues to provide training at the National Advocacy Center and in the field for Federal, State, and tribal criminal justice and social service professionals.      My Administration will continue working to root out injustice and protect each and every person in America.  On Missing and Murdered American Indians and Alaska Natives Awareness Day, we pause to raise awareness of unacceptable acts of violence that profoundly harm American Indian and Alaska Native communities.  As a Nation, we honor the lives of all missing and murdered American Indians and Alaska Natives, and we reaffirm our commitment to ensuring that violence against these vulnerable Americans shall not be overlooked or tolerated.      NOW, THEREFORE, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim May 5, 2019, as Missing and Murdered American Indians and Alaska Natives Awareness Day.  I call upon Americans and all Federal, State, tribal, and local governments to increase awareness of the crisis of missing and murdered American Indians and Alaska Natives through appropriate programs and activities.      IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this third day of May, in the year of our Lord two thousand nineteen, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-third.                               DONALD J. TRUMP

REMARKS BY PRESIDENT TRUMP AT THE NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER SERVICE

Office of the Press Secretary FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 3, 2019 REMARKS BY PRESIDENT TRUMP AT THE NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER SERVICE Rose Garden   (May 2, 2019) 11:23 A.M. EDT      THE FIRST LADY:  Good morning.  Welcome to the White House.  Please bow your heads for a prayer.      The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord makes his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.  Amen.      Mr. President.      THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you very much, honey.  Thank you.  (Applause.)  Please.  Thank you very much.  And thank you, Melania, for the great job you do as First Lady.  People love you.  No matter where I go, they love you.  (Applause.)      On this National Day of Prayer, the First Lady and I are absolutely delighted to welcome all of you to the White House.  A very special occasion for us; I know it is for you, too.  The White House is a very, very special place.      I’d like to begin by sending our prayers to the people of Venezuela in their righteous struggle for freedom.  (Applause.)  The brutal repression of the Venezuelan people must end and it must end soon.  People are starving.  They have no food.  They have no water.  And this was once one of the wealthiest countries in the world.  So we wish them well.  We’ll be there to help, and we are there to help.  Thank you.      Very importantly, this morning, we’re grateful to be joined by our representatives -- and great representatives they are.  And I want to start with somebody who's very special to the success of our administration.  We’re doing things that haven’t been done in a long time, including an economy that may be the best ever.  (Applause.)  And he’s been a big, big help.  You’ll never guess who that is: Mike Pence, Vice President.  (Applause.)      And also a wonderful lady and a real friend of the Trump family, and a tremendous wife, I can say that: Karen Pence.  (Applause.)  Thank you, Karen.      We’re also glad to have with us Secretary Sonny Perdue.  Sonny.  Where is Sonny?  Stand up, Sonny.  Agriculture.  (Applause.)      Secretary of Housing, Ben Carson.  Great job, Ben.  Great job.  (Applause.)      Deputy Secretary Eric Hargan and Ambassador Sam Brownback.  Thank you both very much.  (Applause.)  Thank you.  Thank you very much.      Oh, I’m looking at that beautiful red hair.  Will you please stand up?  (Laughter.)  What a -- what a -- huh?  What a voice.  What a voice.  Huh?  You’re so great.  You better -- you better come up here.  (Laughter.)  Great to have you.      Thanks also to the many faith leaders from across the country with us today.  Special, special people.  And one of the things I’m most proud of is the Johnson Amendment.  You can now speak your mind and speak it freely.  (Applause.)  I said I was going to do that.  I told Paula White, who I want to thank so much for everything she’s done.  Paula.  (Applause.)      That was one of the things I said: They took away your voice, politically.  And these are the people I want to listen to, politically, but you weren’t allowed to speak.  They would lose their tax-exempt status.  That’s not happening anymore.  So we got rid of the Johnson Amendment.  That’s a big thing.  (Applause.)      And also, I want to very much thank somebody who has done a fantastic job: President of the National Day of Prayer, Dr. Ronnie Floyd, and along with Reverend Rivera.  Thank you, Ronnie.  Great job.  I saw you this morning.  (Applause.)  Thank you very much.      Father Trullols.  Where are you, Father?  Father.  Stand up please, Father.  (Applause.)  Thank you very much, Father.      Mrs. Bachu.  Thank you very much.  Thank you very much.  (Applause.)      Chaplain Agbere.  Great having dinner with you last night.  Great, Chaplain.  (Applause.)  Thank you very much.      Rabbi Cohen.  (Applause.)  Thank you, Rabbi.  Great being with you.      And the Prestonwood Baptist Church Choir.  Wow.  (Applause.)  Great job.      On this special day, we join communities and congregations across our country in continuing a great tradition that helped build our nation.  And we have built it, now, stronger than ever before.  They’re starting to find out.      In March of 1776, as the Founders prepared to draft the Declaration of Independence, the Continental Congress asked everyone to join in a day of prayer and fasting for the “Cause of Freedom.”  They go hand in hand.  It’s a beautiful thing to watch.      Today, we give thanks for this magnificent country.  And we proudly come together as one nation under God.  (Applause.)  And one of the things that Mike and I were discussing just a little while ago: People are so proud to be using that beautiful word, "God."  And they're using the word "God" again.  And they're not hiding from it.  And they're not being told to take it down.  And they're not saying, "We can't honor God."      "In God we trust."  So important.      A little thing on the campaign, but it wasn't such a little thing to me: When I first started four years ago -- haven't been doing this so long; we did a good job -- but when I first started campaigning, people were not allowed or, in some cases, foolishly ashamed to be using on stores "Merry Christmas," "Happy Christmas."  They'd say "Happy Holidays."  They'd have red walls and you'd never see "Christmas."  That was four years ago.  Take a look at your stores nowadays.  It's all "Merry Christmas" again.  (Applause.)  "Merry Christmas" again.  They're proud of it.      I always said, "You're going to be saying, "Merry Christmas" again.  And that's what's happened. As we unite on this day of prayer, we renew our resolve to protect communities of faith and to ensure that all people, and all of our people, can live and pray and worship in peace.  (Applause.)      In recent months -- it's been pretty tough -- we've seen evil and hate-filled attacks on religious communities in the United States and all around the world.  One month ago, three historically black churches were burned, tragically, in Louisiana.      In Sri Lanka and New Zealand, hundreds of Christians and Muslims were brutally murdered at their places of worship.  In October, an anti-Semitic killer attacked the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh.  That was a horrible event.  The First Lady and I went.  To see that was not even believable.      And last week, a gunman opened fire at a Synagogue in Poway, California, while Jewish families celebrated the last day of Passover.  We mourn for the loss of one extraordinary member of that congregation, Lori Gilbert-Kay, who stood in front of the shooter and gave her life to protect her rabbi.  An incredible man and an incredible person.      This morning, we are privileged to be in the presence of heroes who raced after the murderer and helped disrupt the attack at the Poway Synagogue: Army Veteran Oscar Stewart and Border Patrol Agent Jonathan Morales.  Please stand.  (Applause.)  Please stand.  Come.       MR. STEWART:  Oh, this is incredible.  I just want to say everything that the President has said, I echo.  We need to be strong as a good of people that love God, whether you call him Muhammad, whether you call him Shiva, whether you call him Yahweh, HaShem, whatever.  We need to be strong because that's the only way we're going to defeat evil.      And just -- and do not be afraid to be who you are.  Be proud and lift yourself up.  That's all I have to say.      THE PRESIDENT:  Beautiful.  That's beautiful.      MR. STEWART:  Thank you, President.  I appreciate it.      THE PRESIDENT:  That's beautiful.  Please.      MR. MORALES:  Good morning, all.  I'm a Border Patrol Agent assigned to the El Centro Station -- the El Centro sector in California.      And like President Trump said, we were celebrating our last day of Passover.  It was supposed to be a joyous, festive event, and we were attacked with our backs turned.  But, you know, brave people stood up and confronted this person, and we ended the situation the best we could, with the resources we had.      And like I said, I'd like to use a quote from (inaudible) Rebbe.  He said, "In order to fight these random acts of violence, we must continue to do random acts of kindness."  And all of us keep doing mitzvah and good deeds, and we will overcome this evilness.  (Applause.)      THE PRESIDENT:  Incredible job both of you have done.  Your bravery is an inspiration to us all.      We're also profoundly honored to be joined by somebody that I've gotten to know a little bit by telephone.  I had a -- what was going to be about a one-minute conversation just to express my sorrow and gratitude and everything else you could express, and it ended up being about 25 minutes.  And it was a very warm -- he's a very warm, incredible man: Yisrowel Goldstein --Rabbi.      And I'll tell you, it wasn’t in the schedule, but, Rabbi, I'd love to bring you up because there was nobody that expressed the horror and the beauty of what you represent better than you did.  And I very appreciate it, Rabbi.  I know you're here with your son and your brother.  I very much appreciate it.  Please come up and say a few words.  (Applause.)      RABBI GOLDSTEIN:  Just five days ago, Saturday morning, I faced evil and the worst darkness of all time, right in our own house of worship, right at Chabad of Poway.  I faced him and I had to make a decision: Do I run and hide?  Or do I stand tall and fight, and protect all those that are there?  We cannot control what others do, but we can control how we react.      My dear Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, taught me the way we react to darkness is with light.  It was that moment that I made a decision: No matter what happens to me, I'm going to save as many people as possible.  I should've been dead by now, based on the rule of statistics.  I was in the line of fire, bullets flying all the way.  My fingers got blown off, but I did not stop.  The Rebbe taught me, as a Jew, you are a soldier of God, you need to stand tall and stand fast, and do whatever it takes to change the world.      My life has changed forever, but it changed so I could make change and I could help others learn how to be strong, how to be mighty and tall.  Many have asked me, "Rabbi, where do we go from here?  How do we prevent this?"  And my response is what my Rebbe told me when President Ronald Reagan was shot.  The Rebbe said, "We need to go back to the basics and introduce a moment of silence in all public schools" -- (applause) -- "so that children, from early childhood on, could recognize that there's more good to the world, that they are valuable, that there is accountability, and every human being is created in God's image."      If something good could come out of this terrible, terrible, horrific event, let us bring back a moment of silence to our public school system.      I also want to thank the United States of America.  I'd like to thank our dear, honorable Mr. President for being, as they say in Yiddish, a "mensch par excellence."  (Applause.)  Mr. President, when you called me, I was at home weeping.  You were the first person who began my healing.  You heal people in their worst of times, and I'm so grateful for that.  (Applause.)      THE PRESIDENT:  So beautiful.  That's so beautiful.  Thank you.  (Applause.)      RABBI GOLDSTEIN:  You have helped me bring great honor to Mrs. Lori Kaye, a blessed memory, a 60-year-old dear friend of our congregation.  I've known her for 25 years.  A staunch volunteer.  She worked for the Friendship Circle, an organization that helps children with special needs.  This year, on June 2nd, we're doing a march in her memory to show that nothing is going to stop us.  We're going to march with victory, and you helped us bring Lori Kaye great honor.      And God bless you, and God bless America.  (Applause.)      THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you, Rabbi.  Beautiful.  Thank you very much.      Such beautiful words.  A great man.  And he said this is my greatest moment in life, to go from darkness to the White House.  (Laughter.)  Right?  That’s great.  Beautiful.  Thank you very much, Rabbi.  Appreciate it.  Anything we can do.  You know that.  (Applause.)       And truly, your courage and your grace and devotion touches every heart and soul in America.  We're blessed by having you and your family here with us today.  Thank you, Rabbi.  And please give our regards to everybody.  That was a tough, tough period of time.      We will fight with all of our strength and everything that we have in our bodies to defeat anti-Semitism, to end the attacks on the Jewish people, and to conquer all forms of persecution, intolerance, and hate.  (Applause.)  You know that.  You know that, Rabbi.       Every citizen has the absolute right to live according to the teachings of their faith and the convictions of their heart.  This is the bedrock of American life.      To protect this heritage, my administration has strongly defended religious liberty -- two words you haven't heard too much about for a long period of time.  But now you're hearing it all the time: religious liberty.  (Applause.)       Earlier this week, I took action to ensure that federal employees can take paid time off to observe religious holy days. And just today, we finalized new protections of conscience rights for physicians, pharmacists, nurses, teachers, students, and faith-based charities.  (Applause.)  They've been wanting to do that for a long time.  Right, Mike?  They've been wanting to do that for a long time.  It happened today.       Together, we are building a culture that cherishes the dignity and worth of human life.  Every child, born and unborn, is a sacred gift from God.  (Applause.)  Thank you.  Thank you very much.       In addition, I am committing to you today that my administration will preserve the central role of faith-based adoption and foster care agencies to care for vulnerable children, while following their deeply held beliefs.  (Applause.)  And those are words you probably never thought you'd ever hear.      To give former inmates a second chance at life, we passed criminal justice reform.  Ivanka, stand up.  (Applause.)  Ivanka Trump and Jared.  Ivanka and Jared worked so hard.      Now, for the first time, faith-based organizations can serve federal prisoners.  They can take care of the people in and they can take care of prisoners as they get out.      And we've had the greatest success because of the economy being so strong, where people leaving prison -- now on a much more fair basis -- but people leaving prison can get job.  And they've done incredibly well.  Employers who would never have done that before because there was a stigma, obviously.  There was a pretty tough stigma.  So they wouldn’t go that route and people would end up back in prison.  But now employers that would not have done that before are doing it, and they're so happy.      I know somebody who's put on seven prisoners -- former prisoners -- and he told me, "You have no idea how really great they are, how good they are."  He actually said, "They're better than most of the other people working there."  (Laughter.)      So that's a tremendous thing.  That's probably the first time in -- since the beginning of this great nation, where they're doing so well.  So we hope they keep it up.      The economy is helping.  The economy is helping.  But now they're helping themselves, and they're doing a fantastic job.         And we're also supporting faith-based addiction recovery programs because we understand the power of prayer.  (Applause.)  And I will say our First Lady has taken to this.  It's incredible what she's done.  And we're down 16 percent with opioids.  Sixteen percent is a lot.  (Applause.)      And, Melania, please stand up.  That's a fantastic job you've done.  Please.  (Applause.)  Incredible.  Incredible.  I heard that number the first time the other day, and I said, "That's a lot."  That really is.  It's not there, but we hope to get there.      And we're also trying very hard, through the tremendous amounts of billions and billions of dollars that we give out to hospitals and pharmaceutical companies and everybody, to come up with painkillers that are non-addictive, so you don't go into the hospital with a broken arm and come out a drug addict, which is what happens, in many cases.      So we are trying to come up and we're getting very close to come up with a powerful painkiller that, at the same time, is non-addictive.  Wouldn’t that be nice?  Right?  (Applause.)  Wouldn't that be nice?      Hello, Ralph.      Here with us today is Ashley Evans from Dayton, Ohio, who was Melania’s guest at the State of the Union. Two years ago, Ashley was suffering from the grip of heroin addiction when she found out that she was pregnant.  She returned to a recovery center and was welcomed by her mentor, Angie Dennis, who was waiting at the door.  Ashley and Angie developed a great relationship.  And Angie said to her, “I’m so glad you made it back.  I’ve been praying for you.”      Today, Angie is sitting right next to Ashley.  And as Ashley says, “Prayer is what got me clean.”  Beautiful words.  Next week, Ashley will celebrate 16 months free from addiction.  And she's earned back -- (applause) -- the custody of her beautiful daughter, Olivia, who is here, also, right now with mom. And, Ashley, Olivia -- (a baby is heard crying.)      Is that Olivia?  I had a feeling that was Olivia.  (Laughter.)  I've been listening to Olivia the entire time.  (Laughter.)  Olivia has dominated this service, and that's okay. Ashley, come on up.  Say a few words, please.  (Applause.)      MS. EVANS:  I would just like to say that finding God saved my life.  It's been incredible.  It's been a journey, but without Him, I could not do this.      And I'd like to say: Thank you, Angie, for helping me find Him.  It's been a crazy experience.  It's been incredible.  God has been with me every step of the way, and everything has worked out perfectly.  I have reunited with Olivia.  I have an amazing support system back home, and in Columbus, Ohio.  And I've gotten to do some amazing things.  And that's by the grace of God.  So, thank you.  (Applause.)      THE PRESIDENT:  That's fantastic.  Thank you very much. Come on up.  How is she doing?  Tell me.  Doing great?          MS. DENNIS:  She is.      THE PRESIDENT:  I just said, "How is she doing?" Go ahead.      MS. DENNIS:  She is so awesome.  You know, the biggest honor that I could have was to pass along to Ashley -- it's a relationship with Jesus.  It's a relationship.  It’s not a religion.  It’s not a bunch of rules.  It’s -- (applause) -- it’s just that personal relationship, you know.      And if you’ll trust Him, and you do your part -- you do your part, and then trust Him and ask for help for the rest, He’ll make doors open that no man can close.  You know?  (Applause.)  So I’m just honored to be a part of this.      THE PRESIDENT:  Beautiful.  I’m glad I asked you to do that.  Thank you, dear.  Thank you.  Thank you very much for those beautiful words.      Ashley, Olivia, and Angie: Thank you for being with us and for reminding us that prayer works miracles, and prayer saves lives.  (Applause.)      And as God promises in the Bible, “Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.  They will soar on the wings like eagles.  They will run and not grow weary.  And they will walk and not be faint.”  And that’s something that Mike and I think about all the time.  Right, Mike?  (Laughter.)      On this Prayer Day -- what do you think, Mike?  I think so.  Hey, we deserve it.  (Applause.)  Man.  People say, “How do you get through that whole stuff?  How do you go through those witch hunts and everything else?”  And you know what we do, Mike?  We just do it.  Right?  And we think about God.  That’s true.  So thank you all very much.      On this Day of Prayer, we once again place our hopes in the hands of our Creator.  And we give thanks for those wondrous lands of liberty.  And this is truly the greatest of all lands of liberty -- our country.  Our country is special.  It will always be special.  It will be greater than ever before.  We’re doing things that will make it better than ever before, and especially for churches and synagogues and mosques and everyone else -- people of faith.          We pray that this nation -- our home, these United States -- will forever be strengthened by the goodness and the grace and the eternal glory of God.  Thank you very much.  Thank you.  Thank you very much.  (Applause.)  Thank you.      So it’s an honor to once again host so many believers in the Rose Garden.  And now I’d like to ask those who are leading us in prayer to please come up.  Please come up.  Some of the great leaders.  Please come up.  You know who I’m talking about.  Don’t be shy.  Come up, Ralph.  I see Ralph in the audience.  Franklin was here.  We have some great, great people.  Thank you.  Please.  You take over.                              END                 11:51 A.M. EDT

Office of the Press Secretary FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 3, 2019

Statement from the Press Secretary The United States applauds the Czech Republic for hosting the Prague 5G Security Conference. It was an extremely productive meeting on the need for secure telecommunications networks as the game-changing next generation wireless telecommunications networks, known as 5G, become the new global system. Government officials from more than 30 countries across the globe, alongside representatives from the European Union, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, and industry, participated in discussions regarding the important national security, economic, and commercial considerations that must be part of each country’s evaluation of 5G vendors. Attendees also discussed that important considerations in 5G network architecture include the security of supply chains for telecommunications networks and infrastructure and the risks associated with vendors vulnerable to third country influence. The United States supports the resulting Prague Proposals on 5G security published by the Czech conference chairman as a set of recommendations for nations to consider as they design, construct, and administer their 5G infrastructure.  The United States Government plans to use the Prague Proposals as a guide to ensure our shared prosperity and security.

Office of the Press Secretary FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 3, 2019 President Donald J. Trump Announces Judicial Nominees, United States Attorney Nominee, and United States Marshal Nominees Today, President Donald J. Trump announced his intent to nominate: Peter J. Phipps of Pennsylvania, to serve as a Circuit Judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. Peter Phipps currently serves as U.S. District Judge for the Western District of Pennsylvania, where he has served since his confirmation by the U.S. Senate and appointment by President Donald J. Trump in 2018.  Before taking the bench, Judge Phipps served as Senior Trial Counsel in the Federal Programs Branch of the Department of Justice’s Civil Division.  During his 14-year tenure at the Justice Department, Judge Phipps litigated some of the most significant cases implicating the interests of the United States and received numerous awards and commendations, including the Attorney General’s Distinguished Service Award.  Earlier in his career, Judge Phipps spent three years as an associate at Jones Day, where his practice focused on civil litigation.  He also served as a law clerk to Judge R. Guy Cole, Jr., of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.  Mr. Phipps earned both a B.S. and a B.A., summa cum laude, from the University of Dayton and earned his J.D. from Stanford Law School, where he served as the Managing Editor of the Stanford Law & Policy Review. Douglas R. Cole of Ohio, to serve as Judge on the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio. Doug Cole is a Partner at Organ Cole LLP in Columbus, Ohio, representing clients in complex litigation and intellectual property matters.  From 2002 to 2006, Mr. Cole served as State Solicitor of Ohio in the Office of the Ohio Attorney General.  In that role, Mr. Cole briefed and argued cases in the Supreme Court of the United States, the Ohio Supreme Court, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit on behalf of the State of Ohio.  Before serving as State Solicitor, Mr. Cole was a Professor at the Ohio State University Moritz College of Law, where he taught courses in Corporations, Contracts, and Law & Economics.  Mr. Cole continues to serve as an Adjunct Professor at the law school.  Upon graduation from law school, Mr. Cole served as a law clerk to Judge Frank H. Easterbrook of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit.  Mr. Cole earned his B.A. from Ripon College; his B.S.E.E., with honors, from the University of Wisconsin; and his J.D., with high honors, from the University of Chicago Law School. Charles R. Eskridge III of Texas, to serve as Judge on the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas.  Charles Eskridge is a Partner at Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan LLP in Houston, Texas, where his practice focuses on complex commercial litigation.  Before joining Quinn Emanuel, he spent over two decades in the Houston, Texas, office of Susman Godfrey LLP.  Mr. Eskridge is a member of the American Law Institute and serves as an Adjunct Professor at the University of Houston Law Center, teaching a course on the Origins of the Federal Constitution.  Upon graduation from law school, Mr. Eskridge served as a law clerk to Judge Charles Clark of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit and to Justice Byron R. White of the Supreme Court of the United States.  Mr. Eskridge earned his B.S., magna cum laude, from Trinity University and his J.D., summa cum laude, from Pepperdine University School of Law. While in law school, Mr. Eskridge served as an editor of the Pepperdine Law Review. Kea W. Riggs of New Mexico, to serve as Judge on the U.S. District Court for the District of New Mexico. Judge Kea Riggs currently serves as a Judge on New Mexico’s Fifth Judicial Circuit.  Before joining the State bench in 2014, Judge Riggs served as a Magistrate Judge on the U.S. District Court for the District of New Mexico.  Previously, Judge Riggs was in private practice with Sanders, Bruin, Coll, & Worley in Roswell, New Mexico, and served the State of New Mexico as a Senior Trial Prosecutor, Children’s Court Attorney, and Assistant District Attorney.  Judge Riggs earned her B.B.A. from the University of Oklahoma and her J.D. from the University of Oklahoma College of Law. William Shaw Stickman IV of Pennsylvania, to serve as Judge on the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania. William Stickman is a Partner with Del Sole Cavanaugh Stroyd LLC, where his practices focuses on commercial litigation and appellate matters.  From 2011 to 2017, Mr. Stickman served on the Pennsylvania Civil Procedural Rules Committee and helped to review, amend, and draft the Pennsylvania Rules of Civil Procedure.  Earlier in his career, Mr. Stickman served as a law clerk to Chief Justice Ralph J. Cappy of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania.  Mr. Stickman earned his B.A., summa cum laude, and his J.D. from Duquesne University.  He was a member of the Duquesne Law Review during law school. Jennifer Philpott Wilson of Pennsylvania, to serve as Judge on the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania.  Jennifer Wilson is a Partner with Philpott Wilson LLP, in Duncannon, Pennsylvania, where her practice includes civil litigation, criminal defense, and family law matters.  Prior to joining the firm, Ms. Wilson served as a Trial Attorney with the Department of Justice’s Tax Division and was an Associate with Chadbourne & Park LLP.  She has been an Adjunct Professor at Penn State University Dickinson School of Law, teaching a course on “Written Advocacy and Judicial Opinions.”  Upon graduation from law school, Ms. Wilson served as a law clerk to Judge Jon P. McCalla of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Tennessee and to Judge Julio M. Fuentes of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. Ms. Wilson earned her B.A., cum laude, from Swarthmore College and her J.D., summa cum laude, from Brooklyn Law School, where she served as the Executive Notes and Comments Editor for the Brooklyn Law Review. William D. Hyslop of Washington, to serve as the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington. William Hyslop is a Principal in the Spokane, Washington, office of Lukins & Annis PS, where his practice focuses on complex commercial and business litigation in the State and Federal courts.  Mr. Hyslop previously served as the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington from 1991 to 1993.  Mr. Hyslop previously served as president of the Washington State Bar Association and Federal Bar Association for the Eastern District of Washington.  He received his B.A. from Washington State University, his M.P.A. from the University of Washington, and his J.D. from the Gonzaga University School of Law. Vincent F. DeMarco of New York, to serve as United States Marshal for the Eastern District of New York.   Vincent DeMarco is the former Sheriff of Suffolk County, New York.  Mr. DeMarco spent 23 years in the Suffolk County Sherriff’s Office: he started as a Deputy Sheriff in 1994, was elected as Sheriff in 2005, and retired at the end of 2017.  During that time, Mr. DeMarco served as Chairman of the Suffolk County Criminal Justice Coordinating Council.  Mr. DeMarco received his B.S. from St. John’s University. Peter M. Vito of New York, to serve as United States Marshal for the Western District of New York.   Peter M. Vito is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Peter M. Vito & Associates, a Buffalo, New York, based private investigation firm he started in 1979.  From 2008 to 2012, Mr. Vito served as the Commissioner of the Erie County Central Police Services.  Mr. Vito began his law enforcement career as a Deputy Sheriff in the Erie County Sheriff’s Office in 1972 and served part-time as an Investigator for the Niagara County District Attorney’s Office from 1986 to 1993.  Mr. Vito received his B.A. from Canisius College. Wilmer Ocasio of Puerto Rico, to serve as United States Marshal for the District of Puerto Rico.   Wilmer Ocasio currently serves as the Deputy Commissioner of the Guaynabo City Police Department and as a Staff Sergeant in the Puerto Rico National Guard Security Forces.  Mr. Ocasio has held a number of positions in Puerto Rico law enforcement, including as Director of External Resources and Federal Grants for the Puerto Rico Police Department, Special Assistant to the Director of the Bureau of Special Investigations for the Puerto Rico Department of Justice, Security Director and Law Enforcement Liaison for the Puerto Rico Department of Family Affairs, and Sergeant-At-Arms for the Puerto Rico House of Representatives.  Mr. Ocasio earned his B.S. and his M.C.J. from the Inter-American University of Puerto Rico.

Office of the Press Secretary FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 3, 2019 Joint Statement from the President of the United States Donald J. Trump and Prime Minister of the Slovak Republic Peter Pellegrini   Thirty years ago, the Velvet Revolution inspired the world. The people of Czechoslovakia took destiny into their own hands and cast off decades of communist oppression. Seventy-five years ago, the Slovak resistance movement against Nazi occupation launched the Slovak National Uprising in August 1944, and this movement contributed to the defeat of Nazism and fascism. This year, the United States and the Slovak Republic mark these notable anniversaries together along with 15 years of Slovak membership in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Alliance. These milestones reflect Slovakia’s determination to anchor itself firmly within the Western community of nations. Now, our two nations are bound together by shared and timeless values—among them individual liberty, prosperity, the rule of law, democracy, sovereignty, and a commitment to peace and security. As leaders of the United States and the Slovak Republic, we recognize that safeguarding these values requires strength. We believe the NATO Alliance is the best guarantor of transatlantic and European security. We reaffirm that our collective security demands that each Ally meet the Wales Pledge to devote two percent of gross domestic product to defense and twenty percent of defense spending to investments in new equipment. The United States recognizes the significant steps the Slovak Republic has taken in the past year to increase its defense spending and modernize its armed forces, including the historic purchase of United States F-16 aircraft. We seek to build on this and deepen our defense cooperation by concluding a mutually beneficial Defense Cooperation Agreement between our countries. We praise the courage of American and Slovak troops serving together in Afghanistan and Iraq and as participants in NATO’s Enhanced Forward Presence battlegroups. We remain firm in our support for Ukraine’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, and energy security, including through Slovak reverse gas flow to Ukraine. Continued sanctions against Russia must remain in force until the Minsk Agreements are fully implemented. Our countries also affirm that energy security is fundamental to national security. We reiterate our opposition to the use of energy projects as geopolitical weapons, including Nord Stream 2. We commit to deepening our cooperation in cybersecurity and to working to develop and implement telecommunications security principles. The United States and Slovak Republic believe in fair and reciprocal trade. We support an approach to United States-European Union trade relations that will bring jobs and growth to both sides of the Atlantic. We commit to explore opportunities for increasing investment between our countries and to strengthen our trading relationship further. We will work together to unlock the inherent innovation potential of our two economies. ###

REMARKS BY PRESIDENT TRUMP AND PRIME MINISTER PELLEGRINI OF THE SLOVAK REPUBLIC BEFORE BILATERAL MEETING

Office of the Press Secretary FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 3, 2019 REMARKS BY PRESIDENT TRUMP AND PRIME MINISTER PELLEGRINI OF THE SLOVAK REPUBLIC BEFORE BILATERAL MEETING Oval Office   1:55 P.M. EDT      PRESIDENT TRUMP:  Thank you very much.  It’s my honor to have the Prime Minister of Slovakia with us today in the Oval Office.  We have a lot of talking to do.  We’re dealing on trade.  We have a very big trade arrangement and deal.  They’re buying quite a few of the F-16 planes from us.  And a very big order, actually.  I’m very impressed.  And it’s -- I have to say, it’s a great plane.  It’s a great, great plane.      But we do a lot of trade.  And NATO partner.  And our relationship has been very good.  And this is the Prime Minister’s first time in the Oval Office, and I think he’s impressed with it.      PRIME MINISTER PELLEGRINI:  Yeah, I am.      PRESIDENT TRUMP:  Thank you very much for being with us.      PRIME MINISTER PELLEGRINI:  Mr. President, I’m really very glad to meet Mr. President today here in the White House.  And I think the timing is really perfect because this year we are celebrating 30 years of freedom of Slovakia.      PRESIDENT TRUMP:  That’s right.      PRIME MINISTER PELLEGRINI:  And the United States played a key role in our struggle for democracy, and it helped us to transform our country.  And I’m very happy that today I can say that the United States and Slovakia are strategic partners and allies.      And, as the Prime Minister, I can say today that Slovakia is really a success story.  And I would like to congratulate you, Mr. President, because, in Slovakia, we are able now to create thousands of new jobs and we have the lowest unemployment rate in our history.  And I would like to congratulate you on the amazing numbers, which were published today, and about the jobs which were created thanks to you policies.  I think it’s a huge success.      And congratulations, Mr. President, because I know how difficult it is to reach such numbers and to boost the economy.  And Slovakia has, in this moment, really a robust growth -- even one of the highest in European Union and Eurozone.  And we are lucky that also your economy is doing very well, because if the United States is going well, also Slovakia --      PRESIDENT TRUMP:  That’s right.      PRIME MINISTER PELLEGRINI:  -- is going well.      And I have to say, ladies and gentlemen, that Mr. President is really a leader, which is very clear that we have to do even much more when it comes to defense.  And as Mr. President mentioned, Slovakia is delivering.  It’s spending more.  We are modernizing our armed forces.  We are buying, also, U.S. military equipment.  And I can say that the 2 percent of GDP, we will reach earlier, as was our plan.  And in 2022, we will be on that number.      And, once again, it’s a great honor for me, great honor for our country, to be here in the White House with you, Mr. President.      PRESIDENT TRUMP:  That’s really nice.      I just want to add a little bit further that -- and it’s very nice what you said -- but we are aligned with you and it has helped your economy, and that’s been good.  And that makes me very happy because those are incredible people.  And the relationship has never been stronger than it is now.  And you’ve been with us all the way.      And what you said is true: Slovakia is very close to being up to the benchmark number -- the 2 percent number -- and maybe even go beyond it, because they understand the value -- the tremendous value -- from the United States.  Some countries aren’t.      But NATO -- as your Secretary General has said -- they’ve, over the last short period of time, picked up over a hundred billion dollars of additional money since I’m President because of the fact that I said you have to pay for your defense.  I mean, you have to help us because the United States pays for a really disproportionate share of NATO.      So, over $100 million -- over $100 billion has been paid by the various members of NATO.  Some are doing fantastically.  You are doing really well.  You're almost up to the number, and others aren't doing as well, but they will be, we predict.      And I think -- I also just want to mention that the economy is unbelievable.  We're at 3.6 percent unemployment.  That's the lowest number since 1969.  We have tremendous backing.  The companies are doing really well.  We have the lowest unemployment rates for different groups of people, whether it's African American, Asian, Hispanic.  Hispanic just set another all-time record for low unemployment.      The household income is the highest it's ever been.  Our country is doing well.  Never, probably, has done as well as it's doing right now, economically.  And so we're very proud of that fact.      We're dealing on China right now.  We're doing fine.  We're taking in billions of dollars from China in the form of tariffs, as you know.  We're charging China tariffs.  We've never taken in 10 cents from China, and now we're taking in billions and billions of dollars.  That's had a very positive effect on things.      But the deal itself is going along pretty well.  I would even say very well.  We'll see what happens over the next couple of weeks.  But we're getting close to a very historic, monumental deal.  And if it doesn't happen, we'll be fine too.  Maybe even better.      So I just want to thank you.  It's a great honor to be with you.  I've heard tremendous things.  And you're a very popular man in your country.  And I've had my best poll numbers too, so I feel very good.      But it's -- our economy is raging.  And when we have an economy that maybe is the best economy we've ever had, people tend to like you.      So, we're both doing well in that regard.      PRIME MINISTER PELLEGRINI:  (Inaudible.)      PRESIDENT TRUMP:  Thank you very much for being here.      Steve, go ahead.      Q    Mr. President, you spoke with Vladimir Putin earlier today.      PRESIDENT TRUMP:  Yes, I did.      Q    What options are you looking at to get humanitarian assistance to Venezuela?      PRESIDENT TRUMP:  Yeah, I had a very good talk with President Putin -- probably over an hour.  And we talked about many things.  Venezuela was one of the topics.  And he is not looking at all to get involved in Venezuela other than he'd like to see something positive happen for Venezuela.      And I feel the same way.  We want to get some humanitarian aid.  Right now, people are starving.  They have no water, they have no food.  This is, Mr. Prime Minister, one of the richest countries in the world 20 years ago, and now it's -- they don't have food and they don't have water for their people.  So we want to help on a humanitarian basis.      And I thought it was a very positive conversation I had with President Putin on Venezuela.      Q    Are you talking about extending the New START Treaty or adding China to it?  Or what, exactly?      PRESIDENT TRUMP:  We're talking about a nuclear agreement where we make less and they make less, and maybe even where we get rid of some of the tremendous firepower that we have right now.      We're spending billions of dollars on nuclear weapons, numbers like we've never spent before.  We need that, but they are also -- and China is, frankly, also -- we discussed the possibility of a three-way deal instead of a two-way deal.  And China -- I've already spoken to them; they very much would like to be a part of that deal.      In fact, during the trade talks, we started talking about that.  They were excited about that.  Maybe even more excited than about trade.  But they felt very strongly about it.      So I think we're going to probably start up something very shortly between Russia and ourselves, maybe to start off.  And I think China will be added down the road.  We'll be talking about nonproliferation.  We'll be talking about a nuclear deal of some kind.  And I think it will be a very comprehensive one.      Q    Mr. President, did you address the election meddling issues that came up in the Mueller Report with Mr. Putin today?      PRESIDENT TRUMP:  We discussed it.  He actually sort of smiled when he said something to the effect that it started off as a mountain and it ended up being a mouse.  But he knew that because he knew there was no collusion whatsoever.      So, pretty much, that's what it was.  It started off --      Q    Did you tell him not to meddle, Mr. President?  Did you tell him not to meddle in the next election?      PRESIDENT TRUMP:  Excuse me.  I'm talking.  I'm answering this question.  You are very rude.      So we had a good conversation about many different things.  Okay? Q    Did you ask him not to meddle?      Q    Did you tell him not to meddle in the next election?          PRESIDENT TRUMP:  We didn't discuss that.  Really, we didn't discuss it.  We discussed five or six things.  We also -- we went into detail on various things, especially, I would say, the nuclear.  Especially, maybe, Venezuela.  We talked about North Korea at great length, and pretty much that's it.      Also discussed trade.  We intend to do a lot of trade with Russia.  We do some right now.  It's up a little bit.  But he'd like to do trade and we'd like to do trade.      And getting along with Russia and China, getting along with all of them is very good thing, not a bad thing.  It's a good thing.  It's a positive thing.  Getting along with other countries -- including your country, by the way -- but getting along with countries is a good thing.  And we want to have good relationships with every country.      Q    Mr. President, should Mueller testify?  Would you like to see him testify before Congress?      PRESIDENT TRUMP:  I don't know.  That's up to our Attorney General, who I think has done a fantastic job.      Q    And why shouldn't the Congress have the same right to hear from the Attorney General --      Q    Mr. President --      PRESIDENT TRUMP:  Yeah, go ahead.  Yes, please.      Q    Mr. President, (inaudible) visit in Slovakia?  Because --      PRESIDENT TRUMP:  Well, I'd like to.  I know people from Slovakia, and they're incredible people.  I would love to.  It's a beautiful country and it's doing very well.  It's doing very well.      Yeah.  Yeah, please.      Q    Do you want to introduce tariffs on the cars?  Because the car industry is very important.      PRESIDENT TRUMP:  Well, the tariffs have been a necessary thing for me to do because in the case of the European Union, they have not treated us right.  We're losing $181 billion a year.  We have been for many years.  And the European Union has not treated us properly.  But we'll see what happens with regard to tariffs on cars with the European Union.  We haven’t made a decision on that.      Q    Mr. President, are you going to nominate a Defense Secretary?  Shanahan.  Are you going to make it official?      PRESIDENT TRUMP:  It'll be discussed next week.      Q    Mr. President, it's World Press Freedom Day.  Can you say anything?  We've heard a lot about your grievances to us, but can you say --      PRESIDENT TRUMP:  Say it again.  Say it again.      Q    It's World Press Freedom Day.  We've heard a lot about your grievances about us, but can you say something that you can improve to improve communication and relationship with the press?      PRESIDENT TRUMP:  Well, I think I have a very good relationship with some of the press.  And, unfortunately, some of the press doesn’t cover me accurately.  In fact, they go out of their way to cover me inaccurately, so I don’t think that's a free press.  I think that’s a dishonest press.  And I want to see a free press.      I mean, today I was happy to see on the front page of the New York Times -- for the first time -- where they were talking about spying and they were talking about spying on my campaign.  That’s a big difference between the way they've been covering, but that’s a big story.  That’s a story bigger than Watergate, as far as I'm concerned.      So, I want to see freedom of the press.  And I get treated fairly by some press, but I get treated very unfairly by other press.  And, frankly, I think that’s very dishonest.  And I don’t consider that.  When you have stories that are purposely written badly -- in many cases, very much on purpose -- I mean, you look at it -- that’s not free press, that’s the opposite of free press.      Q    Mr. President, have you decided whether you'll invoke executive privilege as it relates to Don McGahn?      PRESIDENT TRUMP:  That'll all be determined over the next week or so.      Q    But you said it was done, so are you going block him?      PRESIDENT TRUMP:  But, you know, I will say this: There has been no President in history that has given what I've given in terms of looking at just a total witch hunt.  I call it the "Russian hoax."  It turned out to be no collusion, no obstruction.  It was a total hoax.      And, yet, I was transparent.  We gave 1.4 million documents.  We gave hundreds of people.  I let him interview the lawyer -- the White House lawyer -- for 30 hours.  Think of that: thirty hours.  I let him interview other people.  I didn’t have to let him interview anybody.  I didn’t have to give any documents.  I was totally transparent because I knew I did nothing wrong.      It turned out I did nothing wrong.  No collusion with Russia.  Think of it: Thirty-five million dollars they spent, they wasted, over a period of two years.  No collusion, no obstruction.      Thank you all very much.  I appreciate it.  Thank you.  Thank you.      Q    Are you going to run on the economy?      PRESIDENT TRUMP:  Yeah.  Yeah.  I'll be running on the economy.  Sure.                               END                2:07 P.M. EDT

President Donald J. Trump Announces Intent to Nominate Personnel to a Key Administration Post

Office of the Press Secretary FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 3, 2019 President Donald J. Trump Announces Intent to Nominate Personnel to a Key Administration Post President Donald J. Trump today announced his intent to nominate the following individual to a key position in his Administration: Robert Wallace of Wyoming, to be an Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife, Department of the Interior. Mr. Wallace is a native of Evanston, Wyoming, and graduate of the University of Texas at Austin.  His government experience includes time as both a seasonal ranger and, later in his career, assistant director of Legislative and Congressional Affairs for the National Park Service.  Mr. Wallace previously served as chief of staff to United States Senator Malcolm Wallop, chief of staff to Wyoming Governor Jim Geringer, and Republican staff director of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.  Mr. Wallace lives with his wife and two daughters in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.

West Wing Reads Jobs Surge in April, Unemployment Rate Falls to the Lowest Since 1969

Jobs Surge in April, Unemployment Rate Falls to the Lowest Since 1969 “The U.S. jobs machine kept humming along in April, adding a robust 263,000 new hires while the unemployment rate fell to 3.6%, the lowest in a generation, according to a Labor Department report Friday,” Jeff Cox reports in CNBC. The American economy “easily beat Wall Street expectations of 190,000 and a 3.8% jobless rate.” Click here to read more. “President Donald Trump hits a new high on his economic approval ratings in a new CNN Poll conducted by SSRS, reaching 56% of Americans saying he's doing a good job on the economy,” Grace Sparks reports for CNN. “At the same time, Trump's favorability rating has hit its highest point since the 100-day mark of his presidency.” “Doing her best to raise the level of civility in Washington, Nancy Pelosi called William Barr a liar on Thursday . . . The real reason for Mrs. Pelosi’s slander is what else Mr. Barr said the last time he was before Congress. He said that spying on a political campaign was a ‘big deal,’ that he thought the FBI did spy on the Trump campaign in 2016, and that he intends to find out what happened and why,” The Wall Street Journal editorial board writes. “What is perhaps most notable about this episode is that Robert Mueller — or, perhaps, as Barr hinted in his Wednesday testimony, people around him — were concerned about the media coverage and political discussion around his report. Particularly troubling was that it wasn’t damning enough of the president. This is not a prosecutorial concern, but a political one unworthy of people who were invested with incredible investigative power in the name of objectivity,” the National Review editorial board writes. “Bill Barr’s critics are demonstrating their lack of judgment and seriousness, not his.” “Only about 15 percent of America’s students have a reasonable understanding of American history. And the numbers look just as bleak in other core subjects,” Education Secretary Betsy DeVos writes in the New York Post. “There are many who propose we spend even more on doing the same thing over and over again. Albert Einstein called this ‘insanity.’ . . . Students deserve something different. And actually doing something different demands courage to confront a powerful and pernicious establishment — one that opposes change in education.”