Saturday, June 22, 2019

REMARKS BY PRESIDENT TRUMP BEFORE MARINE ONE DEPARTURE South Lawn - June 22, 2019

Office of the Press Secretary

REMARKS BY PRESIDENT TRUMP
BEFORE MARINE ONE DEPARTURE

South Lawn
 
10:18 A.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT:  So we’re going to Camp David.  We’re going to have meetings and a lot of work.  Coming back sometime tomorrow, but we’re heading out right now to Camp David.

I want to say the stock market is on pace to have its best year, I mean, since, I guess, over 50 years.  And the Dow is on pace to have its best year in 80 years.  It’s been 80 years since the Dow has hit --

Tariffs are obviously doing very well because we’re taking in billions and billions of dollars from China.  We would be from others, and we might be from others, but billions of dollars are coming in from China.  And, frankly, look at what’s happening with the stock market, which is pretty much what I’ve been saying.

Also, an article came out this morning that the tariffs are having very little effect on costs going up -- and, in some cases, no effect.  That the countries that the product come from, they are bearing the costs, which is also what I’ve said.

So the Dow is up.  It looks like it could be an 80-year high.  It’s on track for an 80-year high.  And the stock market itself is a 50-year high.  So I’m sure you’re all very happy about that, right?

Q    Mr. President, do you still believe that Iran’s targeting of a U.S. drone could have been unintentional?  Do you still believe that?

THE PRESIDENT:  I don’t know unintentional or not.  It was probably intentional, as I said.  But regardless, they targeted something without a person in it -- without a man or a woman, and certainly without anybody from the United States in it.  So we want to be proportionate.

We’re getting a lot of praise for what I did.  And we have people on both sides; some like it and some probably not as much.  My expression is “We have plenty of time.”  We have plenty of time.  You understand that.

Q    (Inaudible) ICE raids reported (inaudible)?

THE PRESIDENT:  Yeah, these are people that came into the country illegally.  They’ve been served.  They’ve gone through a process -- the process of the courts.  And they have to be removed from the country.  They will be removed from the country.  It’s having a very big effect on the border -- the fact that we’re taking them out.

The people that came into the country illegally are going to be removed from the country.  Everybody knows that.  It starts, you know, during the course of this next week, maybe even a little bit earlier than that.  And again, everybody that came into the country illegally will be brought out of the country very legally.

Now, with that being said, the border is in much better shape.  Mexico is doing a good job.  We need Congress to fix the loopholes and fix asylum, and we will have the cleanest border there is.

Q    (Inaudible.)

THE PRESIDENT:  We don’t know.  We’re going to -- we’ll see.  We’ll see.

Q    (Inaudible) cities like Chicago and LA?

THE PRESIDENT:  Well, some cities are going to fight it.  But, if you notice, they’re generally high-crime cities.  If you look at Chicago, they’re fighting it.  And if you look at other cities, they’re fighting it.  Many of those cities are high-crime cities and they’re sanctuary cities.

The state of Florida is now ending all sanctuary cities.  He’s doing a very smart thing.  Governor DeSantis -- he’s ending all -- all sanctuary cities in the state of Florida.  And I’ll tell you, Governor DeSantis has been -- he’s been fantastic.  He’s right on the ball.  And we have others that are following.  You’ll be seeing a lot of that.  People are tired of sanctuary cities and what it does and the crime it brings.  They’re very tired of it.

Q    What are the next steps for Iran?  Is a possible strike off the table?

THE PRESIDENT:  Well, we’ll see what’s with Iran.  Everybody was saying I’m a warmonger, and now they say I’m a dove.  And I think I’m neither, if you want to know the truth.  I’m a man with common sense, and that’s what we need in this country is common sense.  But I didn’t like the idea of them knowingly shooting down an unmanned drone, and then we kill 150 people.  I didn’t like that.

     Q    (Inaudible) move forward with sanctions against Iran?

     THE PRESIDENT:  I -- I can’t hear.

     Q    Are you going to move forward with sanctions against Iran?

     THE PRESIDENT:  Yeah, we’re moving forward with additional sanctions on Iran.  Good question.  And some of them are in place.  As you know, we have about as strong a sanction grouping as you can possibly have on any country.  But we’re putting additional sanctions on.  They’re going on slowly and, in some cases, actually pretty rapidly.  But Iran -- additional sanctions are being put on Iran.

     Q    How much progress toward a nuclear weapon are you willing to let Iran make before you (inaudible)?

     THE PRESIDENT:  Very little.  That’s what it’s all about.  You know, we have built -- and, right now, if you look at the United States, very importantly, we are the number-one oil producer -- oil and gas -- in the world, by far.  We’re way ahead of Russia.  We’re way ahead of Saudi Arabia.  We don’t really need the Straits anymore.  We take some, but we don’t need it.  The biggest beneficiary of the Straits is China.  Ninety-one percent of their energy comes out of the Straits.  Japan, Indonesia -- many other countries need it.

     So we’re doing them a very big service by keeping the Straits open.  But this is not about the Straits.  This is about Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon.  It’s very simple.  Because we don’t need it, just so you understand.  We don’t need it.

     Q    Your National Security Advisor came under some hard criticism from Tucker Carlson and others for pushing too hard on Iran.  You said you’re not a warmonger, but do you have confidence in the judgment of your National Security Advisor John Bolton?

     THE PRESIDENT:  Yeah, I do because I have John Bolton, who I would definitely say is a hawk, and I have other people that are on the other side of the equation.  And, ultimately, I make the decisions, so it doesn’t matter.  But I want -- for instance, I disagreed very much with John Bolton -- his attitude on the Middle East and Iraq was going into Iraq.  I think that was a big mistake.  I think I’ve been proven right, but I’ve been against that forever.

     John Bolton is doing a very good job, but he takes a -- generally, a tough posture.  But I have other people that don’t take that posture.  But the only one that matters is me because I’ll listen to everybody.  And I want people on both sides.  Having people on both sides, to me, is very important.

     Q    At what point were you briefed about the potential casualties of an Iran airstrike?  Were you briefed in the initial planning stages?  At what point were you actually --

     THE PRESIDENT:  No, I started to hear that it was a lot.  But, again, no decision was made.  I said, “You come and see me.”  And they came and see me.  At the time, we hadn’t done anything.  And I asked the question, and I said, “I want to know that answer before I make a decision.”

So we hadn’t made a decision to go forward.  I said, “Everybody, we will meet.  One thing I want to know, and I want to know it accurately -- as accurately as possible: How many people will die?”

Just so you know, I come from New York City.  In New York City, we have a lot of Iranians, and they’re great people.  I have friends that are Iranian -- many friends.  Living in New York City, you meet many Iranians.  They’re very smart.  They’re very ambitious.  They have tremendous -- they’re high-quality people.  But I have many friends that are Iranian.  I don’t want to kill 150 Iranians.  I understand it.  I don’t want to kill 150 of anything or anybody, unless it’s absolutely necessary.  And most people very much agree with what I -- what I’m doing.

Now, if the leadership of Iran behaves badly, then it’s going to be a very, very bad day for them.  But hopefully, they’re smart.  And hopefully, they really care for their people and not themselves.  And hopefully, we can get Iran back onto an economic track that’s fantastic, where they’re a really wealthy nation, which would be a wonderful thing.

All those things, I want to do.  But if they’re going to be foolish, that’s never going to happen.

Q    Mr. President, you had said earlier that you never met E. Jean Carroll.  There was a photograph of you and her in the late 1980’s --

THE PRESIDENT:  I have no idea who this woman is.  This is a woman who has also accused other men of things, as you know.  It is a totally false accusation.  I think she was married -- as I read; I have no idea who she is -- but she was married to a, actually, nice guy, Johnson -- a newscaster.

Q    You were in a photograph with her.

THE PRESIDENT:  Standing with coat on in a line -- give me a break -- with my back to the camera.  I have no idea who she is.  What she did is -- it’s terrible, what’s going on.  So it’s a total false accusation and I don’t know anything about her.  And she’s made this charge against others.

And, you know, people have to be careful because they’re playing with very dangerous territory.  And when they do that -- and it’s happening more and more.  When you look at what happened to Justice Kavanaugh and you look at what’s happening to others, you can’t do that for the sake of publicity.

New York Magazine is a failing magazine.  It’s ready to go out of business, from what I hear.  They’ll do anything they can.  But this was about many men, and I was one of the many men that she wrote about.  It’s a totally false accusation.  I have absolutely no idea who she is.  There’s some picture where we’re shaking hands.  It looks like at some kind of event.  I have my coat on.  I have my wife standing next to me.  And I didn’t know her husband, but he was a newscaster.  But I have no idea who she is -- none whatsoever.

It’s a false accusation and it’s a disgrace that a magazine like New York -- which is one of the reasons it’s failing.  People don’t read it anymore, so they’re trying to get readership by using me.  It’s not good.

You know, there were cases that the mainstream media didn’t pick up.  And I don’t know if you’ve seen them.  And they were put on Fox.  But there were numerous cases where women were paid money to say bad things about me.  You can’t do that.  You can’t do that.  And those women did wrong things -- that women were actually paid money to say bad things about me.

But here’s a case, it’s an absolute disgrace that she’s allowed to do that.

Q    Will the deportation raids start tomorrow?  And what will you do if cities are saying that they will not comply?

THE PRESIDENT:  The deportation raids, as you call them, are really a group of very, very good law enforcement people going by the law, going by the rules, going by our court system, and taking people out of our country who came into our country illegally.  They came into our country illegally, and we’re taking them out legally.  We’re bringing them back to their countries.

I want to thank -- while I’m here, I want to thank Mexico.  So far, Mexico has been really good.  They made an agreement, probably -- not “probably” -- because of tariffs.  But they made an agreement.  And so far, they’ve really honored the agreement.  A lot of things are changing.

But again, if Congress gave us something quickly on asylum; something quickly on loopholes, where we get rid of the loopholes; the border would be so beautiful.  But the Democrats just won’t do it.

But maybe now they will, because there’s no question you have a national emergency.  They said that, in the last caravan, they had hundreds of people that commit crimes trying to come into our country.  We’re not letting them.  And now Mexico is bringing them back.

But they had hundreds of people -- hundreds -- that were criminals in the last caravan.  We cannot allow that to happen.  We’re not letting them in our country.

One other thing.  We’re very focused on MS-13, getting them out.  And I hope you’re not going to stick up too much for MS-13.  But we’re very focused -- ICE.  ICE is -- these are fantastic people.  We’re very, very focused on getting MS-13 out of this country.

How are you?

Q    Good.  I have a question on Iran.  The 150 estimate (inaudible) --

THE PRESIDENT:  Yeah.  Go ahead.

Q    The 150 estimate that you got late on Thursday night, why was that different from the estimate you got earlier in the day from your national security team?

THE PRESIDENT:  It wasn’t really.  I didn’t talk too much about that.  Again, no decision to go forward was made, because I said, “We’ll meet at a certain time before the -- and nothing goes forward until we meet.”  I didn’t want anybody doing anything.  And when we met --

Q    (Inaudible.)

THE PRESIDENT:  And when we met, they gave me a rough estimate, earlier, but I wanted a more accurate estimate.  The more accurate estimate where -- I won’t go into the number of sites, but you guessed that pretty much right.  You have, in particular, all right?  But it was the number of sites, and it was, on average, 40 to 50 people at each site.  And when they shot down an unmanned place or drone, I didn’t like it.

     Q    That came from an attorney in the Pentagon and through the -- into the White House?
THE PRESIDENT:  No, that came from me.

Q    No, I mean the estimate came through --

THE PRESIDENT:  It did.  But it was given to me by a general.

Q    Was that Dunford, sir?

THE PRESIDENT:  I had a long talk with Dunford.  He’s a great gentleman.

Q    Was he the side of (inaudible)?

THE PRESIDENT:  He was. Dunford did a great job.  Dunford is a terrific man and he’s a terrific general.

Yeah.

Q    Will you talk about Iran at Camp Iran?

THE PRESIDENT:  I’ll be talking about Iran at Camp David, yeah.  We have a series of meetings, and, more importantly, a series of very well connected phone calls.  We have a great phone system up there, and -- as you know.  So I’ll be doing a lot of work.

Q    Will you tell us who you’ll be talking to?

THE PRESIDENT:  We may release it later.  We may.

Q    (Inaudible) ayatollah?

THE PRESIDENT:  Look, Iran, right now, is an economic mess.  They’re going through hell.  The sanctions have hit them hard.  More sanctions are going to be put on -- a lot more.  It’s hard to believe you can even put on.  But it’s a mess.

All I want is no nuclear weapons.  Under the horrible Obama deal, he gave them a $150 billion.  He gave them $1.8 billion in cash.  Think of that -- in cash.  Many planeloads of cash.  He gave them $1.8 billion in cash, and he got nothing.

But the thing he really didn’t get was good inspection rights, because the most primary places, you couldn’t go to, you couldn’t inspect.  We haven’t seen them in years.

The other thing he didn’t get is time.  Because, in a very short number of years, they will legally be able to make a nuclear weapon.  That’s unacceptable.

And remember this: The deal wasn’t even ratified in Congress.  It never got proper -- in terms of treaty -- it never got proper authorization from Congress.

So, with all of that, it was very important to me.  So we’ll start all over.  We could have a deal with them very quickly, if they want to do it.  I -- it’s up to them.  But if Iran wants to become a wealthy nation again, become a prosperous nation -- we’ll call it “Let’s make Iran great again.”  Does that make sense?  “Make Iran great again.”  It’s okay with me.

But they’re never going to do it if they think, in five or six years, they’re going to have a nuclear weapon.  I know too much about nuclear -- a lot about nuclear -- and let me just tell you, they’re not going to have a nuclear weapon.

If that’s --  and it has very little to do with the oil.  Because, again, China get its oil -- 91 percent; Japan get its oil -- 60 percent; Indonesia; so many other countries.  What it has to do with, very simply, is the fact is we’re not going to have Iran have a nuclear weapon.  And when they agree to that, they are going to have a wealthy country, they’re going to be so happy, and I’m going to be their best friend.  I hope that happens.  I hope that happens, but it may not.

Q    Would your decision have been different if it was 10 to 15 casualties, instead of 100 to 150 casualties?

THE PRESIDENT:  It’s -- anything is a lot when they shoot down an unmanned, okay?  So anything is a lot.  I didn’t like it.  I didn’t like it.

Q    If they shoot down another drone, will you not have to reply to that either?

THE PRESIDENT:  Say it.

Q    If they shoot down another unmanned drone, will you also not --

THE PRESIDENT:  We’ll see.  But I don’t think that will happen.  I don’t think that’ll happen.  And if you notice, there was a plane with 38 people yesterday -- did you see that?  I think that’s a big story.

Q    Is that accurate?

THE PRESIDENT:  They had it in their sights, and they didn’t shoot it down.

Q    That was accurate?

THE PRESIDENT:  I think they were very wise not to do that, and we appreciate that they didn’t do that.  But they had a plane in their sights -- 38 people on the plane -- and they didn’t shoot it down.  And I think that was a very wise decision.  And -- and I think that’s something that we very much appreciate.

Q    Is it accurate to say that your national security team brought you a plan for a planned strike and it didn’t have a fully formed estimate on casualties?

THE PRESIDENT:  No.  No.  They brought me a great plan.  But I wanted to know, at the end -- I wanted an accurate count.  They gave me very odd numbers.  I wanted an accurate count as to how many people would be killed, how many Iranians would be killed.

And, as I said: Coming from New York, I know a lot of Iranians.  They’re great people.

Thank you very much.

Q    (Inaudible) military action on Iran still on the table?

THE PRESIDENT:  It’s always on the table until we get this solved, yeah.  We have a tremendously powerful military force in that area.  It’s always on the table until we get this solved.

Thank you.

                         END                 10:37 A.M. EDT
 
 

PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP WANTS TO BRING PROSPERITY TO THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE AND ACROSS THE MIDDLE EAST

Office of the Press Secretary

PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP WANTS TO BRING PROSPERITY TO THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE AND ACROSS THE MIDDLE EAST 

“For too long the Palestinian people have been trapped in inefficient frameworks of the past. The Peace to Prosperity plan is a framework for a brighter, more prosperous future for the Palestinian people and the region and a vision of what is possible if there is peace.”  – Jared Kushner
 

PEACE TO PROSPERITY: The Trump Administration is launching a new approach, Peace to Prosperity, which will help build a better future for the Palestinian people and the region.   
  • The Trump Administration’s Peace to Prosperity approach centers on three pillars: the Palestinian economy, people, and government. This includes initiatives that aim to:
    • Unleash Palestinian economic potential
    • Empower the Palestinian people
    • Enhance Palestinian governance
  • Peace to Prosperity is the most comprehensive international effort for the Palestinian people to date and has the potential to achieve incredible results, including:
    • Facilitating more than $50 billion in investment over 10 years
    • More than doubling Palestinian gross domestic product 
    • Creating over one million Palestinian jobs
    • Lowering the Palestinian unemployment rate to nearly single digits
    • Reducing the Palestinian poverty rate by 50 percent
EMBRACING A NEW APPROACH: The Trump Administration is undertaking a new approach after decades of past attempts have failed to truly succeed in helping the Palestinian people. 
  • The Trump Administration’s approach is ambitious but achievable, helping the Palestinian people build a future of prosperity, dignity, and opportunity for themselves and generations to come.
    • Peace to Prosperity will help the Palestinians and the region fulfill their economic potential.  
  • Peace to Prosperity will create a new model of economic growth and investment that breaks with the old model of donor dependency.
    • The old approach has centered on enormous amounts of donor aid, which has ultimately not improved the lives of the Palestinian people. 
  • The Palestinian leadership has resisted a new approach because they fear this stream of foreign aid will dry up. 
  • Peace to Prosperity and the economic workshop in Bahrain demonstrate that the world will not turn away if they embrace a new vision.
UNLEASHING ECONOMIC POTENTIAL: Peace to Prosperity will create an environment that fosters private sector growth and creates more opportunity for the Palestinian people.  
  • Peace to Prosperity will generate billions of dollars in new investment in the private sector, enabling business to create more high-quality jobs. 
    • These investments will help support entrepreneurs and small businesses, as well as drive growth in key sectors like tourism, agriculture, housing, and manufacturing.
  • The Trump Administration aims to increase trade among Palestinians and countries in the region, ultimately boosting the economies of Egypt, Israel, Jordan, and Lebanon as well. 
  • The West Bank and Gaza will benefit from major investments in areas like transportation and infrastructure.
    • These investments will increase Palestinian exports and reduce the complications of transport and travel. 
    • Peace to Prosperity will facilitate billions of dollars in investment to construct essential infrastructure, like electricity, water, and telecommunications. 
EMPOWERING THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE: Peace to Prosperity will empower the Palestinian people and help lead to a better quality of life.
 
  • The Trump Administration’s approach will help offer the Palestinian people access to better education, workforce training, and healthcare.
  • Peace to Prosperity will strengthen the Palestinian education system by focusing on improving educational access, quality, and affordability.
  • Educational programs will be better aligned with the skills needed to succeed in the workplace.
    • While Palestinians often have high levels of education and literacy, they also have a high unemployment rate. 
  • Peace to Prosperity will strengthen workforce development programs to help Palestinians gain access to quality, high-paying jobs in the private sector.
    • This approach includes a comprehensive strategy to boost employment for Palestinian youth and women.
    • Palestinians will have increased opportunities in STEM education, technical and vocational training, and research and development partnerships.
    • Workers who are already employed will receive the training they need to enhance their skills or change careers. 
  • The Palestinian healthcare sector will be transformed to dramatically improve care.
    • Palestinian hospitals will gain access to necessary supplies, medicines, vaccines, and equipment to ensure they can provide quality care.
    • Greater use of mobile and neighborhood clinics will improve healthcare access throughout the West Bank and Gaza. 

ENHANCING PALESTINIAN GOVERNANCE: Peace to Prosperity will improve Palestinian governance to attract more business investment and promote long-term growth.  
  • Peace to Prosperity builds a foundation for growth by promoting property rights, guarding against corruption, improving credit access, and ensuring functioning capital markets. 
    • Adopting this framework will provide certainty and predictability for investors, leading to more growth, job creation, and foreign investment. 
  • Peace to Prosperity will build up Palestinian institutions in order to strengthen the rule of law, promote judicial independence, and enhance government responsiveness. 
  • The Palestinian government should improve operations by implementing a budgeting and tax plan that promotes fiscal sustainability.
###

Presidential Message on the 75th Anniversary of the G.I. Bill of Rights

Office of the Press Secretary
Presidential Message on the 75th Anniversary of the G.I. Bill of Rights
 
On June 22, 1944, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed into law the Servicemen’s Readjustment Act of 1944, commonly referred to as the G.I. Bill, to ensure that our service members returning home from World War II would receive the care and benefits they earned while defending freedom from tyranny.  Seventy-five years later, this vital legislation continues to assist veterans and their families in pursuing the very same American Dream they fought to preserve.

In the midst of World War II, the Department of Labor estimated that many of the 16 million men and women who had selflessly served their country would be unemployed upon the war’s conclusion.  These patriots, who had uprooted their lives for such a noble cause, would soon need assistance obtaining healthcare, housing, and education.  The G.I. Bill, unanimously passed by both chambers of Congress in the spring of 1944, provided necessary resources to veterans of the war, allocating billions of dollars in Federal funding to help these heroes pursue degrees, purchase homes, and gain access to quality insurance.

The G.I. Bill has benefitted millions of veterans and their families, and it is widely considered one of the most significant and successful bipartisan legislative achievements.  As a Nation, we are forever indebted to our veterans, and we know we must continue to ensure that they have the resources they need to return to civilian life.  For this reason, I was pleased to sign into law in 2017 the “Forever G.I. Bill,” which lifted a 15-year limit on veterans’ access to the G.I. Bill education benefits they have rightfully earned, making them available throughout a veteran’s lifetime.

As we commemorate the 75th anniversary of the signing of the G.I. Bill, Melania joins me in extending our gratitude to all of our Nation’s service members, veterans, and their families for their sacrifice.  May God watch over all of the men and women of our Armed Forces, and may He continue to bless the United States of America.
 

White House Photos of the Week June 18-21, 2019

Office of the Press Secretary
Photos of the Week


Tuesday, June 18, 2019

President Donald J. Trump meets with San Diego, Calif. Mayor Kevin Faulconer Tuesday, June 18, 2019, in the Oval Office of the White House. (Official White House Photo by Joyce N. Boghosian) 
  
 

President Donald J. Trump talks with reporters along the driveway of the South Lawn of the White House Tuesday, June 18, 2019, prior to beginning his trip to Orlando, Fla. (Official White House Photo by Joyce N. Boghosian) 
  
 

Vice President Mike Pence salutes military personnel as he departs the USNS Comfort Tuesday, June 18, 2019, in Miami, Fla. (Official White House Photo by Tia Dufour) 
  
 

Vice President Mike Pence and Second Lady Karen Pence tour the USNS Comfort Tuesday, June 18, 2019, in Miami, Fla. (Official White House Photo by Tia Dufour) 
  
 
Wednesday, June 19, 2019

President Donald J. Trump delivers remarks at the Presidential Medal of Freedom ceremony for economist Arthur B. Laffer, the “Father of Supply-Side Economics” Wednesday, June 19, 2019, in the Oval Office of the White House. (Official White House Photo by Shealah Craighead)
 
 
  
 

President Donald J. Trump participates in the Presidential Medal of Freedom ceremony honoring economist Arthur B. Laffer Wednesday, June 19, 2019, in the Oval Office of the White House. (Official White House Photo by D. Myles Cullen) 
  
 

Vice President Mike Pence and Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Ben Carson share a moment in the Oval Office of the White House Wednesday, June 19, 2019, prior to the Presidential Medal of Freedom ceremony for economist Arthur B. Laffer. (Official White House Photo by D. Myles Cullen) 
  
 
Thursday, June 20, 2019

President Donald J. Trump greets the Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau Thursday, June 20, 2019, at the West Wing Lobby entrance of the White House. (Official White House Photo by Katie Ricks) 
  
 

President Donald J. Trump, joined by Vice President Mike Pence, participates in an expanded bilateral working luncheon with the Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau Thursday, June 20, 2019, in the Cabinet Room of the White House. (Official White House Photo by Shealah Craighead) 
  
 

Vice President Mike Pence, joined by West Point cadets, participates in a departure ceremony for Military Aide to the Vice President Army Maj. Nicholas Challen Thursday, June 20, 2019, in his West Wing Office of the White House. (Official White House Photo by D. Myles Cullen) 
  
 

Second Lady Karen Pence talks with spouses of United States Senators during a reception at the Vice President’s Residence Thursday, June 20, 2019, in Washington, D.C. (Official White House Photo by Amy Rossetti) 
  
 
Friday, June 21, 2019

President Donald J. Trump and First Lady Melania Trump receive a briefing on the upcoming 2019 hurricane season Friday, June 21, 2019, in the Oval Office of the White House.  (Official White House Photo by Andrea Hanks) 
  
 

President Donald J. Trump, joined by First Lady Melania Trump, Vice President Mike Pence and Second Lady Karen Pence, delivers remarks during the Congressional Picnic Friday, June 21, 2019, on the Blue Room Balcony of the White House. (Official White House Photo by Tia Dufour) 
  
 

President Donald J. Trump, joined by First Lady Melania Trump, Vice President Mike Pence and Second Lady Karen Pence, delivers remarks during the Congressional Picnic Friday, June 21, 2019, on the Blue Room Balcony of the White House. (Official White House Photo by Andrea Hanks) 
  
 
###

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

Office of the Press Secretary
President Donald J. Trump Announces Intent to Nominate Individuals to Key Administration Posts

Today, President Donald J. Trump announced his intent to nominate the following individuals to key positions in his Administration:

Mark T. Esper of Virginia to be Secretary of Defense.

Mr. Esper is an Army, Pentagon, and Capitol Hill veteran, who is currently serving as the Secretary of the Army and previously served as a Vice President for Government Relations at the Raytheon Company. Mr. Esper began his career as an Infantry Officer in the 101st Airborne Division, serving with distinction in the first Gulf War. He later served on active duty in Europe and on the Army Staff in Washington, D.C., before transitioning to the National Guard and retiring after 21 years of service. He was an airborne ranger and recipient of the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star, and Meritorious Service Medals, among other awards and qualifications. Mr. Esper worked on national security issues on Capitol Hill for Senators Chuck Hagel, Fred Thompson, and Majority Leader Bill Frist. He was also a professional staff member on the Senate Foreign Relations and House Armed Services Committees, and later a Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense. Mr. Esper’s private-sector experience includes service as an Executive Vice President at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, National Policy Director for Fred Thompson for President during the 2008 campaign, and Executive Vice President of the Aerospace Industries Association of America. Mr. Esper is a graduate of the United States Military Academy, Harvard University John F. Kennedy School of Government, and George Washington University.

David L. Norquist of Virginia to be Deputy Secretary of Defense.

Mr. Norquist currently performs the duties of the Deputy Secretary of Defense and serves as the Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller)/Chief Financial Officer. Mr. Norquist previously served as a Partner with Kearney and Company, a Certified Public Accounting firm. He has 29 years of experience in Federal financial management beginning as a Federal employee in 1989 with the Department of the Army. He has also served on the professional staff of the House Committee on Appropriations, Subcommittee on Defense, and as Deputy Under Secretary of Defense in the Office of the Comptroller. He was the first Senate-confirmed Chief Financial Officer for the Department of Homeland Security, where he established a formal process to eliminate pervasive weaknesses in DHS’s financial statement and put the Department on its path to a clean audit opinion.  Mr. Norquist attended the University of Michigan, where he received both a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and a Master of Public Policy. He also received a Master of Arts in National Security Studies from Georgetown University.  He is a Certified Government Financial Manager (CGFM).

Ryan D. McCarthy of Illinois to be Secretary of the Army.

Mr. McCarthy most recently served as the Under Secretary of the Army. Prior to his service in the Administration, Mr. McCarthy served as the Vice President of the Sustainment Program for the F-35 Program at the Lockheed Martin Corporation. At Lockheed Martin, he has held a variety of roles on the F-35 Program and at the Corporate Office. In addition, he served as Special Assistant to Secretary of Defense Robert Gates and as a professional staff member on the House Committee on International Relations. Earlier in his career, he worked as the Vice President of Commercial Financing for the Hong Kong Shanghai Bank Corporation and proudly served in the 75th Ranger Regiment during the invasion of Afghanistan. McCarthy is a graduate of the Virginia Military Institute and has a Master in Business Administration from the University of Maryland.
 

Readout of the President’s Briefing on the 2019 Hurricane Season

Office of the Press Secretary
Readout of the President’s Briefing on the 2019 Hurricane Season

Today, President Donald J. Trump was briefed by Dr. Neil Jacobs, head of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and Pete T. Gaynor, Acting Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), regarding the proactive preparations the Administration is taking for the 2019 hurricane season.  Communities continuing to recover from previous storms could be impacted by a hurricane this season.  Effective preparedness is only achieved when every level of government is engaged, along with the private sector, communities, and families.  The Trump Administration has conducted extensive outreach to State, territorial, local, and tribal leaders, and other partners.

Dr. Jacobs briefed the President on the projected weather activity for this hurricane season, which is expected to be active in the Pacific and average in the Atlantic.  Acting Administrator Gaynor highlighted FEMA’s extensive preparations.  He also provided an update regarding the numerous ongoing locally executed, State-managed, and Federally supported recovery efforts.

The President expressed his concern about the vulnerabilities of States and territories that continue to recover from previous hurricanes, as well as those affected by last year’s wildfires.  He directed FEMA to ensure that adequate preparations are made, including outreach to the public, and that assistance be rapidly provided if disaster strikes again this year.


President Donald J. Trump receives a briefing on the upcoming 2019 hurricane season Friday, June 21, 2019, in the Oval Office of the White House.  (Official White House Photo by Tia Dufour)
 
###
 
The White House · 1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW · Washington, DC 20500-0003 · USA · 202-456-1111

Message to the Congress on the Continuation of the National Emergency with Respect to North Korea

Office of the Press Secretary

TO THE CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES:


   Section 202(d) of the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1622(d)) provides for the automatic termination of a national emergency unless, within 90 days before the anniversary date of its declaration, the President publishes in the Federal Registerand transmits to the Congress a notice stating that the emergency is to continue in effect beyond the anniversary date.  In accordance with this provision, I have sent to the Federal Register for publication the enclosed notice stating that the national emergency with respect to North Korea that was declared in Executive Order 13466 of June 26, 2008, expanded in scope in Executive Order 13551 of August 30, 2010, addressed further in Executive Order 13570 of April 18, 2011, further expanded in scope in Executive Order 13687 of January 2, 2015, and under which additional steps were taken in Executive Order 13722 of March 15, 2016, and Executive Order 13810 of September 20, 2017, is to continue in effect beyond June 26, 2019.

   The existence and risk of proliferation of weapons-usable fissile material on the Korean Peninsula; the actions and policies of the Government of North Korea that destabilize the Korean Peninsula and imperil United States Armed Forces, allies, and trading partners in the region, including its pursuit of nuclear and missile programs; and other provocative, destabilizing, and repressive actions and policies of the Government of North Korea, continue to constitute an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States.  For this reason, I have determined that it is necessary to continue the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13466 with respect to North Korea.
 

 

DONALD J. TRUMP                             

 

THE WHITE HOUSE,
    June 21, 2019.


###

NOTICE - CONTINUATION OF THE NATIONAL EMERGENCY WITH RESPECT TO NORTH KOREA

Office of the Press Secretary

NOTICE

- - - - - - -

CONTINUATION OF THE NATIONAL EMERGENCY WITH RESPECT TO NORTH KOREA

 

   On June 26, 2008, by Executive Order 13466, the President declared a national emergency with respect to North Korea pursuant to the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701-1706) to deal with the unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States constituted by the existence and risk of proliferation of weapons-usable fissile material on the Korean Peninsula.  The President also found that it was necessary to maintain certain restrictions with respect to North Korea that would otherwise have been lifted pursuant to Proclamation 8271 of June 26, 2008, which terminated the exercise of authorities under the Trading With the Enemy Act (50 U.S.C. App. 1-44) with respect to North Korea.

   On August 30, 2010, the President signed Executive Order 13551, which expanded the scope of the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13466 to deal with the unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States posed by the continued actions and policies of the Government of North Korea, manifested by its unprovoked attack that resulted in the sinking of the Republic of Korea Navy ship Cheonan and the deaths of 46 sailors in March 2010; its announced test of a nuclear device and its missile launches in 2009; its actions in violation of United Nations Security Council Resolutions 1718 and 1874, including the procurement of luxury goods; and its illicit and deceptive activities in international markets through which it obtains financial and other support, including money laundering, the counterfeiting of goods and currency, bulk cash smuggling, and narcotics trafficking, which destabilize the Korean Peninsula and imperil United States Armed Forces, allies, and trading partners in the region.

   On April 18, 2011, the President signed Executive Order 13570 to take additional steps to address the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13466 and expanded in Executive Order 13551 that would ensure the implementation of the import restrictions contained in United Nations Security Council Resolutions 1718 and 1874 and complement the import restrictions provided for in the Arms Export Control Act (22 U.S.C. 2751 et seq.).

   On January 2, 2015, the President signed Executive Order 13687 to take further steps with respect to the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13466, as expanded in Executive Order 13551, and addressed further in Executive Order 13570, to address the threat to the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States constituted by the provocative, destabilizing, and repressive actions and policies of the Government of North Korea, including its destructive, coercive cyber-related actions during November and December 2014, actions in violation of United Nations Security Council Resolutions 1718, 1874, 2087, and 2094, and commission of serious human rights abuses.

   On March 15, 2016, the President signed Executive Order 13722 to take additional steps with respect to the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13466, as modified in scope and relied upon for additional steps in subsequent Executive Orders, to address the Government of North Korea's continuing pursuit of its nuclear and missile programs, as evidenced by its February 7, 2016 launch using ballistic missile technology and its January 6, 2016 nuclear test in violation of its obligations pursuant to numerous United Nations Security Council resolutions and in contravention of its commitments under the September 19, 2005 Joint Statement of the Six-Party Talks, that increasingly imperils the United States and its allies.

   On September 20, 2017, the President signed Executive Order 13810 to take further steps with respect to the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13466, as modified in scope and relied upon for additional steps in subsequent Executive Orders, to address the provocative, destabilizing, and repressive actions and policies of the Government of North Korea, including its intercontinental ballistic missile launches of July 3 and July 28, 2017, and its nuclear test of September 2, 2017; its commission of serious human rights abuses; and its use of funds generated through international trade to support its nuclear and missile programs and weapons proliferation.

   The existence and risk of proliferation of weapons-usable fissile material on the Korean Peninsula and the actions and policies of the Government of North Korea continue to pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States.  For this reason, the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13466, expanded in scope in Executive Order 13551, addressed further in Executive Order 13570, further expanded in scope in Executive Order 13687, and under which additional steps were taken in Executive Order 13722, and Executive Order 13810, and the measures taken to deal with that national emergency, must continue in effect beyond June 26, 2019.  Therefore, in accordance with section 202(d) of the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1622(d)), I am continuing for 1 year the national emergency with respect to North Korea declared in Executive Order 13466.

   This notice shall be published in the Federal Registerand transmitted to the Congress.

 

                              DONALD J. TRUMP


THE WHITE HOUSE,
    June 21, 2019.

 

 

West Wing Reads Hundreds of Migrant Caravan Members Found to Have US Criminal Histories: DHS Files

West Wing Reads

Hundreds of Migrant Caravan Members Found to Have US Criminal Histories: DHS Files


“Hundreds of illegal immigrants attempting to cross the southern border as part of massive migrant caravans were found to have criminal histories in the U.S., according to newly obtained Department of Homeland Security documents,” Brooke Singman reports for Fox News.

“The files detailed one migrant caravan of nearly 8,000 individuals that started toward the border in October 2018 and arrived south of California by December. According to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), 660 of them had U.S. criminal convictions—with 40 convicted of assault or aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, and three convicted of murder.”

Click here to read more.
“For months, America’s farmers, ranchers, and manufacturers have been waiting on Nancy Pelosi and the Democrat-led House to do their job and consider trade deals that put America First, like the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). The agreement as it currently stands would bring our trade relationship with our neighbors into the 21st century while creating another 176,000 new jobs and more than $68 billion in new investment in the U.S. economy,” Rep. Jeff Duncan (R-SC) writes in Greenville Business Magazine. Democrats concede that “NAFTA was not a good deal for American workers and didn’t result in bigger paychecks,” Rep. Duncan says. It’s time to fix that.
“With almost 500,000 new manufacturing jobs created in the United States since he took office, President Trump can proudly stand on his policies which are beginning the revitalization of America with some of the latest high-tech, advanced manufacturing factories in the world,” Richard Manning writes in Fox News.
Carla Provost, chief of the U.S. Border Patrol, testified before Congress yesterday that her officers have been working in overdrive just to keep up with the record pace of illegal immigration, Timothy Meads writes in Townhall. “If we do not [have] some kind of consequence for violating the law and illegally crossing our borders, then I don't know what I am here for, in all honesty,” she said.
“If Congress truly wants to address the humanitarian crisis on our southern border, there is no better solution than ensuring the Office of Refugee Resettlement is adequately funded to handle this crisis,” Sen. Mike Braun (R-IN) writes in the Washington Examiner. “This should not be a partisan issue, but for those Democrats who claim to be concerned with the living conditions of children on our southern border, they will have no one to blame but themselves if they block this legislation that is even supported by the New York Times' editorial board.”