Presidential Message on the National Day for the Victims of Communism

 

Office of the Press Secretary FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 7, 2020 Presidential Message on the National Day for the Victims of Communism   On National Day for the Victims of Communism, we solemnly remember the more than 100 million lives claimed by communism in the 20th century.  We commit ourselves to stopping the spread of this oppressive ideology that, without fail, leaves in its wake misery, destruction, and death.  As proud Americans who cherish the blessings of freedom and democracy, we promise to support the more than one billion people currently captive within communist regimes and denied their unalienable rights to life and liberty.          This year marks the 100th anniversary of the decisive Polish victory against Vladimir Lenin’s Bolsheviks in the Battle of Warsaw.  Known as the Miracle on the Vistula, the Polish heroes of this battle halted the spread of communism in Europe for decades.  Sadly, the Soviet Union erected an Iron Curtain around Poland and spread communism to neighboring countries and around the world.  Since then, the United States and the free world have borne witness to the horrors of communism, including Chinese prison camps and Soviet gulags.  Over the last century, communist regimes from Cambodia’s Khmer Rouge to Ethiopia’s Derg have confirmed the soul-crushing oppression inherent in Karl Marx’s philosophy.   Still today, we observe the irony of “People’s Republics” that belong not to the people, but to one-party and that exist only for the benefit of a select few.  Over and over, communism and socialism have proven to be irreconcilable with the unalienable and fundamental rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.  While Marxism promises equality, peace, and happiness, in practice it results only in inequality, violence, and despair.   On this National Day for the Victims of Communism, we commit to standing against this insidious ideology, and pledge with great pride that the United States will never be a socialist nation.  We memorialize all those who have lost their lives to communism and recommit to promoting freedom so that future generations can flourish.

Proclamation on World Freedom Day, 2020

 

Office of the Press Secretary FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 6, 2020 WORLD FREEDOM DAY, 2020   - - - - - - -   BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA   A PROCLAMATION          On World Freedom Day, we commemorate the historic fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, which liberated the people of East Germany from the grip of tyranny.  This watershed event marked the triumph of freedom and liberty for hundreds of millions of people who rejected the oppression of Soviet communism and its Marxist-Leninist ideology.  Today, we celebrate the blessings of freedom in Germany and across the world, and reaffirm our Nation's support for all who wish to be free.      Following World War II, the Soviet Union built an Iron Curtain between the East and West, isolating the city of West Berlin and shutting off the free flow of goods and people.  Determined to prevent the light of liberty from being extinguished, our Nation stood with the United Kingdom and France against the Soviet demand that the West withdraw from Berlin.  To defeat this demand for surrender, the United States Air Force and our allies fearlessly airlifted food, fuel, and supplies to the starving people of West Berlin, and together, we were resolved to restore freedom to the German people.      For almost 30 years, the Berlin Wall symbolized the divide between the free world and communism.  On its eastern side, the rights that democratic societies hold dear -- the fundamental freedoms of religion, speech, the press, association, and petition -- were replaced by forced secularism, oppressive censorship, monolithic propaganda, and inhumane division.  Hundreds of brave Germans died attempting to escape this brutal fate, as the Stasi used landmines, armed watchtowers, and barbed wire to intimidate those who dreamed of freedom and to kill and harm those who braved any attempt to escape.  Those whose escapes failed, those who facilitated successful or attempted crossings, and those who crossed the Stasi in some other way were tortured, imprisoned, and executed in horrifying violations of human dignity and rights.      The United States always stood resolutely with the victims and survivors of the evil ideology that controlled East Germany and East Berlin.  Our valiant response to Soviet oppression in Germany defined the Cold War, from President John F. Kennedy's declaration, "Ich bin ein Berliner," in 1963 to President Ronald Reagan's momentous call, "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!" in 1987.  Our founding principles of individual, God-given unalienable rights, human dignity, and equality of opportunity were embraced by the millions held in Soviet bondage, and ultimately won the ideological battle of the Cold War.  As a result, we are able to celebrate Germany's reunification today, reaffirm our alliance, and recognize German contributions to modern day peace and prosperity.      This World Freedom Day, we honor all those who fought for freedom, endured injustice, and bravely resisted totalitarianism before the fall of the Berlin Wall.  We also reassert our longstanding commitment to combat tyranny, uplift the voices of those held captive by communist regimes, and halt the spread of this brutal ideology at home and around the world.      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 November 9, 2020, as World Freedom Day.  I call upon the people of the United States to observe this day with appropriate ceremonies and activities, reaffirming our dedication to freedom and democracy.      IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this sixth day of November, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-fifth.                                    DONALD J. TRUMP

Proclamation on National Apprenticeship Week, 2020

 

Office of the Press Secretary FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 6, 2020

NATIONAL APPRENTICESHIP WEEK, 2020   - - - - - - -   BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA   A PROCLAMATION          Apprenticeships provide American workers tangible skills and an industry-recognized credential.  They strengthen our Nation's economy and help millions of men and women provide for their families without taking on the financial burden of student loans and other related debt.  During National Apprenticeship Week, we celebrate the American workers who create a brighter future for themselves and their families through apprenticeships, and we further our commitment to bolstering opportunity as we continue our economic comeback.      For decades, politicians and bureaucrats in Washington neglected workers, shipped jobs overseas, and abandoned essential manufacturing industries.  When I took office, I reversed these policies and pledged to always put the American economy, labor force, and worker first.  Under my leadership, we have cut taxes, removed burdensome regulations on businesses, and renegotiated our trade deals, all of which led to historic job creation and economic growth.  Apprenticeships are a pillar of our effort to continue this trend, and my Administration remains committed to supporting initiatives that empower Americans and prepare our workers to compete and thrive in a 21st-century economy.      Since taking office, my Administration has worked tirelessly to empower more Americans with the benefits of apprenticeships and the skills they provide.  In June of 2017, I signed an Executive Order on Expanding Apprenticeships in America.  Under my leadership, the Department of Labor has awarded $80 million across 42 States and territories for occupational skills education for American students and workers, 800,000 Americans have joined apprenticeship programs, and we are well on the way to meeting my goal of 1 million new apprentices by September of next year.  In Fiscal Year 2019 alone, we registered more than 250,000 new apprentices in vital industries, including advanced manufacturing, financial services, educational services, transportation, healthcare, and informational technology.  My Administration also recently launched the Industry-Recognized Apprenticeship Program model, which provides opportunities for industry-led, market-driven training that expands workforce development and opens windows to well-paying jobs in high-demand industries.  In recognition of our Nation's obligation to our military men and women, my Administration has also expanded the United Services Military Apprenticeship Program across all branches, providing apprenticeship opportunities to our service members while they are still on active duty to help them prepare for prosperous and fulfilling lives after their time in uniform.      My Administration will also continue to work with industry partners to provide workers with the skills they need to succeed in today's economy through the Pledge to America's Workers.  This initiative recently proved essential as our Nation confronted the unprecedented challenges of the coronavirus pandemic.  As part of our ongoing response, we launched the largest industrial mobilization since World War II, and thousands of new apprentices answered the call for skilled labor in key sectors like manufacturing, healthcare, cybersecurity, and information technology.  These efforts demonstrate that, when government allows the free market to respond, the spirit of the American worker and the strength and resolve of America's economy will overcome any challenge.        This week, we recommit to bolstering economic opportunity through apprenticeships.  I encourage individuals, business leaders, and government officials to support hardworking Americans and their families through expanding apprenticeship education and training, recognizing the essential role apprenticeships play in sustaining our national economy.      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 November 8 through November 14, 2020, as National Apprenticeship Week.      IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this sixth day of November, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-fifth.                                    DONALD J. TRUMP