PRESS BRIEFING BY SECRETARY OF STATE MIKE POMPEO AND SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY STEVEN MNUCHIN ON IRAN SANCTIONS

Office of the Press Secretary FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 10, 2020 PRESS BRIEFING BY SECRETARY OF STATE MIKE POMPEO AND SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY STEVEN MNUCHIN ON IRAN SANCTIONS James S. Brady Press Briefing Room   10:27 A.M. EST      SECRETARY MNUCHIN:  Good morning, everybody.  Thank you for being here today.  I'd just like to make a brief comment before we talk about Iran sanctions.  I'm sure everybody saw that the DOW hit 29,000.  The President's economic plans are clearly working.  We're looking forward to the China signing, USMCA, and a very strong economy this year.      As previously announced by the President, we are announcing additional sanctions against the Iranian regime as a result of the attack on U.S. and allied troops.      First, the President is issuing an executive order authorizing the imposition of additional sanctions against any individual owning, operating, trading with, or assisting sectors of the Iranian economy, including construction, manufacturing, textiles, and mining.  And let me be clear: These will be both primary and secondary sanctions.  The EO also allows us to designate other sectors in the future as Secretary Pompeo and me think is appropriate.      Second, we are announcing 17 specific sanctions against Iran's largest steel and iron manufacturers, three Seychelles-based entities, and a vessel involved in the transfer of products.  As a result of these actions, we will cut off billions of dollars of support to the Iranian regime, and we will continue our enforcement of other entities.      Third, we are taking action against eight senior Iranian officials who advanced the regime's destabilizing activity and were involved in Tuesday's ballistic missile strike.  Secretary Pompeo will comment more on this.      Today's sanctions are part of our commitment to stop the Iranian regime's global terrorist activities.  The President has been very clear: We will continue to apply economic sanctions until Iran stops its terrorist activities and commit that it will never have nuclear weapons.      I'll now turn it over to Secretary Pompeo.      SECRETARY POMPEO:  Thank you, Steven.  Good morning, everyone.      Today, President Trump is delivering on the pledge that he made the day after Iran attacked American forces in Iraq: There will be a series of new sanctions.      Secretary Mnuchin just mentioned eight senior Iranian officials that are responsible for the regime's violence, both at home and abroad.  We're striking at the heart of the Islamic Republic's inner security apparatus.  These sanctions targets include the Secretary of the Supreme National Council and the Commander of the Basij Forces; that's the regime's brute squad, which has, in the last few months, killed approximately 1,500 Iranians who were simply demanding freedom.      Our action targets other senior leaders close to the Ayatollah.  They've carried out his terrorist plots in destabilizing campaigns across the Middle East and around the world.  They've employed soldiers across the region's battlefields.  They've trained militias in Iraq, Syria, and elsewhere in the arts of domestic repression.      Today, they're accountable for murder and mayhem.  The goal of our campaign is to deny the regime the resources to conduct its destructive foreign policy.  We want Iran to simply behave like a normal nation.  We believe the sanctions that we impose today further that strategic objective.      Our campaign is composed of diplomatic, economic components that have deprived the regime of billions in revenue the regime has used to fuel death and destruction across the Middle East and all across the world.      Sadly, the previous administration had opened up revenue streams for Iran.  But under our administration, oil revenues are down by 80 percent and Iran cannot access roughly 90 percent of its foreign currency reserves.  And not even two weeks ago, President Rouhani of Iran admitted that our sanctions have cost Iran over $200 billion in lost foreign income and investment.  As long as Iran's outlaw ways continue, we will continue to impose sanctions.      Finally, I want to reiterate President Trump's concern for Americans and dual national citizens detained inside of Iran.  Iran knows these individuals have committed no crime.  They know the charges against them are fake.  And we will do all that we can to get each of them returned home safely to their families.      With that, we'll take just a few questions.      Yes, ma'am.      Q    Mr. Secretary, the administration said this strike was based on an imminent threat, but this morning you said we didn’t know precisely when and we didn’t know precisely where.  That’s not the definition of "imminent."  The President has also suggested that there was some sort of attack being planned against an embassy, perhaps several embassies.      Can you clarify?  Did you have specific information about an imminent threat, and did it have anything to do with our embassies?      SECRETARY POMPEO:  We had specific information on an imminent threat, and those threats included attacks on U.S. embassies.  Period.  Full stop.      Q    So you were mistaken when you said you didn’t know precisely when and you didn’t know precisely where?      SECRETARY POMPEO:  Nope.  Completely true.  Those are completely consistent thoughts.  I don’t know exactly which minute.  We don’t know exactly which day it would’ve been executed.  But it was very clear: Qasem Soleimani himself was plotting a broad, large-scale attack against American interests.  And those attacks were imminent.      Q    Against an embassy?      SECRETARY POMPEO:  Against American facilities, including American embassies, military bases.  American facilities throughout the region.      Q    Mr. Secretary --      SECRETARY POMPEO:  Yes, sir.  John?      Q    Mr. Secretary, in the initial hours after the missile attacks on Al-Asad, in Erbil, it was believed that Iran may have taken steps to avoid U.S. casualties.  But then, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, Mark Milley, came out, the Secretary of Defense came out, other officials came out to say, "No, these missiles were intended to kill Americans."      If it was Iran's intent to kill Americans, does that not deserve some sort of response?  I mean, if somebody takes a shot at you and they don’t hit you simply because you duck, does that mean that they weren’t trying to kill you?      SECRETARY POMPEO:  So, look, I'll defer to the Department of Defense on the details, but there's no doubt in my judgment, as I observed the Iranian activity in the region that night, they had the full intention of carrying -- killing U.S. forces, whether that was our military folks or diplomatic folks who were in the region.  And I am confident that the response the President has taken is appropriate.      The President said we don’t want war; we want Iran to behave like a normal nation.  The reason that the Secretary of Treasury and I are here this morning is to continue this campaign -- our strategic effort to get Iran to behave in a way that doesn’t continue their 40-year-long effort to terrorize the world.      Q    Mr. Secretary and Secretary Pompeo, do you believe that the Iranians shot down the Ukrainian International Airways [sic] plane?  And if the Iranians shot that plane down, will there be consequences?      SECRETARY POMPEO:  We do believe that it's likely that that plane was shot down by an Iranian missile.  We're going to let the investigation play out before we make a final determination.  It's important that we get to the bottom of it.      I've been on the phone -- I was on the phone with President Zelensky.  Just before I came here, I was on the phone with my Canadian counterpart.  They're working to get their resources on the ground to conduct that thorough investigation.  We'll learn more about what happened to that aircraft.  And when we get the results of that investigation, I am confident we and the world will take appropriate actions in response.      SECRETARY MNUCHIN:  And let me just --      Q    Will you allow the NTSB to work with the Iranians?      SECRETARY MNUCHIN:  Yeah, I was just going to comment on that.  The Treasury will issue waivers for anybody, whether it's Americans or others, that can help facilitate the investigation.      Q    The last time that you both joined us in this room, it was back in September and you were announcing additional sanctions, including on the Quds Force.  And, Secretary Mnuchin, at that point you said, "I think we've done more sanctions on Iran than anybody, and it's absolutely working."      Since then, we've seen an escalation in violence from Iran: shooting down the drone, attacking the embassy, a contractor who was killed, U.S. troops that were wounded.  How are sanctions keeping the United States -- economic sanctions keeping the United States and United States' interests more secure?      SECRETARY MNUCHIN:  I think we have 100 percent confidence, and we are consistent in our view that the economic sanctions are working; that if we didn’t have these sanctions in place, literally Iran would have tens of billions of dollars.  They would be using that for terrorist activities throughout the region and to enable them to do more bad things.  And there's no question, by cutting off the economics to the region, we are having an impact.      And as the President has said, the fact that the Obama administration turned over $150 billion to the regime, we think we wouldn’t be in this situation had that not been the case.      SECRETARY POMPEO:  May I just add, it's important to keep in mind what's taking place in Iran today.  This country has never been in the place that it is today.  Big, challenging problems.  Their budget -- they're going to fail by tens of billions of dollars of achieving their revenue for this year.  They've got real challenges, and figuring out how to make difficult decisions: Do you underwrite Hezbollah?  Do you pick Hamas?  Do you underwrite the Shia militias in Iraq?  Or do you allow your people to have the opportunity to live the life they want and grow your economy?  Those are the difficult choices that the regime is facing.      And you can see the protests -- protests that we expect will continue -- that we'll demand from the Iranian regime that they begin to treat the Iranian people in the way that they so richly deserve.  And this administration will continue to support those efforts as well.      SECRETARY MNUCHIN:  In the back.      Q    Thank you, Mr. Secretary.  You mentioned secondary sanctions here.  What is your message to our European allies who continue to do business with the Iranians?  And then, specifically, if you can, will this impact the INSTEX barter mechanism, which was set up by a number of European countries to avoid U.S. sanctions and continue to do business without using the U.S. dollar?      SECRETARY MNUCHIN:  Sure.  Thank you.  I think those are both very important questions.      So let me first comment on INSTEX.  I don’t believe there's been any INSTEX transactions.  As we've made clear, we are working on a Swiss channel that we have approved for humanitarian transactions.  We'll continue to allow humanitarian transactions.  We've warned INSTEX and others that they will most likely be subject to secondary sanctions, depending on how they use that.  So that's absolutely the case.      As it relates to the Europeans, both the Secretary and I have spoken to our counterparts in Europe several times over the last few days.  We've emphasized the impact and the issue of -- Iran has announced that they are no longer part of the JCPOA.  And we've had very direct conversations with our counterparts about that.      Q    Secretary Pompeo, what is your definition of "imminent"?      SECRETARY POMPEO:  This was going to happen, and American lives were at risk.  And we would have been culpably negligent.  As the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said, we would have been culpably negligent had we not recommended to the President that he take this action at Qasem Soleimani.  He made the right call, and America is safer as a result of that.      Q    But then why has there been these -- Secretary Pompeo, why have there been these shifting definitions --      (Cross-talk.)      Q    Thank you.  Thank you, sir.      SECRETARY MNUCHIN:  Go -- go ahead.  We're going to --      Q    -- shifting explanations of the intelligence?      SECRETARY MNUCHIN:  We're going to try to do one question for everybody, just --      Q    Were they trying to hit Iranian troops -- was Iran trying to hit our troops or not?      SECRETARY MNUCHIN:  -- so that as many people can get questions.  So I don’t mean to cut you off, but we're trying to -- go ahead.      Q    I mean, let me defer to my colleague -- but, sir, six months ago, Secretary Pompeo, the President said that U.S. intelligence agencies had been running amok.  He spent most of the past three years he's been in office denigrating and attacking the intelligence community and disputing findings, whether it's on Russia or North Korea, or really any area that contradicts things that he has said publicly.      Why then should Americans suddenly believe your assertions that you had good intelligence on this when the head of the Executive Branch has been casting aspersions on the intelligence community for most of his time in office?      SECRETARY POMPEO:  Look, I served as the CIA Director for the first year and a half of this administration.  I watched the President rely on the work that the intelligence community did for the entire time I served as the head of the Central Intelligence Agency.  I watched him rely on the capable men and women who are delivering exquisite information to the Executive Branch.  I watched the President have confidence in that information.      We all challenge their work.  We have to make sure we get it right.  The intelligence community is not flawless.  We -- we get it wrong.  In this case, the intelligence community got it fundamentally right.  Even the reflections we've seen after the after-effect, after the strike that Qasem Soleimani took, has demonstrated that we were quite right.  There was an imminent attack.  There was active plotting.  And we took an action that we thought was likely to create less risk for the American people, and I'm confident that we did that.      SECRETARY MNUCHIN:  Go ahead, in the back.  In the back.      Q    Thank you.  This question is for Secretary Pompeo.  There are reports that the Iraqi Prime Minister has asked you to start negotiating some withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq immediately.  Is that the case?  Can you comment on that?      SECRETARY POMPEO:  Yeah, he didn't quite characterize the conversation correctly.  But to the larger, more important point, we are happy to continue the conversation with the Iraqis about what the right structure is.  Our mission set there is very clear: We've been there to perform a training mission to help the Iraqi security forces be successful and to continue the campaign against ISIS, the counter-Daesh campaign.      We're going to continue that mission.  But as the -- as times change and we get to a place where we can deliver upon what I believe and the President believes is our right structure, with fewer resources dedicated to that mission, we will do so.      We also have today a NATO team that's here at the State Department working to develop a plan, which will get burden-sharing right in the region, as well, so that we can continue the important missions to protect and defend and keep the American people safe while reducing our cost, our resources, and our burden, and the risk to our soldiers and sailors who are in the region.      Q    Secretary Pompeo, if I can -- here, today, at the podium, you said that the imminent threat was a threat to U.S. embassies.  You didn’t know precisely when or where.  Last night, the President said it was a threat to embassies, including to our Baghdad embassy.      Why can you say that here, and the President could say it at a rally in Toledo, but no one said it to lawmakers behind closed doors in a classified setting, as multiple senators have since said?      SECRETARY POMPEO:  We did.      Q    You said --      SECRETARY POMPEO:  Yes.      Q    So the senators are lying when they say that (inaudible) imminent threat was a threat?      SECRETARY POMPEO:  We told them about the imminent threat.  All of the intelligence that we've briefed, that you've heard today, I assure you, in an unclassified setting, we provide in the classified setting as well.      Q    To be clear, you told them that embassies were the -- were to be targeted?  That was the imminent threat?      SECRETARY POMPEO:  I'm not going to talk about the details of what we shared in a classified setting.  But make no mistake about it: Those leaders, those members of Congress who want to go access this same intelligence, can see that very same intelligence that will reflect what I described to you and what the President said last night, as well.      Q    Is that threat now gone with Soleimani gone?      SECRETARY POMPEO:  Threats are never gone.  Uh, right?  It's always -- a lot of danger in the world.      Q    The next general will pick it up?      SECRETARY POMPEO:  Always -- always a lot of danger in the world, throughout the region.  Nobody believed that a single mission, in any respect, took down the risk of terror -- terror from al Qaeda, terror from ISIS, terror from al-Shabaab.  No -- no one believes that.  The President doesn’t.      Look at the list though; look at the achievements in the administration.  We took away the caliphate in its entirety.  We took down Hamza bin Laden.  We took down al-Baghdadi.  We took down Qasem Soleimani.  This is a list that has reduced the capacity for terrorists around the world to perform the functions that put American men and women and the homeland at risk.  We're very proud of what we accomplished.  We're going to stay the course.      SECRETARY MNUCHIN:  Why don’t we take one more over there?  Yes.  Thank you.      Q    I'm curious --      SECRETARY MNUCHIN:  No, no.  Next to you.  Right there.  Yes.      Q    Me?      SECRETARY MNUCHIN:  Yes.      Q    Thank you.  Secretary Mnuchin, this is a question for you too about the China trade deal.  So the Chinese side is going to be here next Wednesday to sign the phase one part of that deal.  But China is also a big importer of Iranian oil and Iranian minerals, and that’s a big part of their economy as well.  So how do you balance the two?  And are you concerned about the Iran issue coming up in either the signing of the phase one deal or the negotiation for the phase two deal?      SECRTEARY MNUCHIN:  Well, let me just comment: I had no idea you'd ask that question, but that’s a good last question to end on.      So let me first say that we are looking forward to the Chinese delegation coming next week.  Phase one is very significant.  It includes very significant components of changes to technology issues, intellectual property issues, and $50 billion of purchases for our farmers.      I would comment: I don’t agree with your comment that China is a big buyer of oil.  The China state companies are not buying oil from Iran.  And I would just say we are having conversations with China, as well with any other counterparty on sanctions evasion.      So thank you very much.  Thank you, everybody.                         END                11:04 A.M. EST

Office of the Press Secretary FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 10, 2020

Statement from President Donald J. Trump Regarding Executive Order to Impose Sanctions with Respect to Additional Sectors of Iran   Today, I am holding the Iranian regime responsible for attacks against United States personnel and interests by denying it substantial revenue that may be used to fund and support its nuclear program, missile development, terrorism and terrorist proxy networks, and malign regional influence.  I have issued an Executive Order authorizing the imposition of sanctions against any individual or entity operating in the construction, manufacturing, textiles, or mining sectors of the Iranian economy or anyone assisting those who engage in this sanctioned conduct.  This order will have a major impact on the Iranian economy, authorizing powerful secondary sanctions on foreign financial institutions.  Iran continues to be the world’s leading sponsor of terrorism.  The Iranian regime has threatened United States military service members, diplomats, and civilians, as well as the citizens and interests of our allies and partners, through military force and proxy groups.  The United States will continue to counter the Iranian regime’s destructive and destabilizing behavior.  Iran will never be allowed to have a nuclear weapon.  These punishing economic sanctions will remain until the Iranian regime changes its behavior.  The United States is ready to embrace peace with all who seek it.

Message to the Congress on Imposing Sanctions with Respect to Additional Sectors of Iran

Office of the Press Secretary FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 10, 2020 TO THE CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES:   Pursuant to the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.) (IEEPA), I hereby report that I have issued an Executive Order (the "order") with respect to Iran that takes additional steps with respect to the national emergency declared in Executive Order 12957 of March 15, 1995.   The order takes steps to deny Iran revenue, including revenue derived from the export of products from key sectors of Iran's economy, that may be used to fund and support its nuclear program, missile development, terrorism and terrorist proxy networks, and malign regional influence.   The order blocks the property and interests in property of persons determined by the Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Secretary of State:   to operate in the construction, mining, manufacturing, or textiles sectors of the Iranian economy, or any other sector of the Iranian economy as may be determined by the Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Secretary of State;   to have knowingly engaged, on or after the date of the order, in a significant transaction for the sale, supply, or transfer to or from Iran of significant goods or services used in connection with a sector of the Iranian economy specified in, or determined by the Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Secretary of State, pursuant to, section 1(a)(i) of the order;    to have materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of, any person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to the order; or   to be owned or controlled by, or to have acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, any person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to the order.   The order also authorizes the Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Secretary of State, to impose correspondent account and payable-through account-related sanctions on a foreign financial institution upon determining the foreign financial institution has, on or after the date of the order, knowingly conducted or facilitated a significant financial transaction:   for the sale, supply, or transfer to or from Iran of significant goods or services used in connection with a sector of the Iranian economy specified in, or determined by the Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Secretary of State, pursuant to, section 1(a)(i) of the order; or   for or on behalf of any person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to section 1 of the order.   I have delegated to the Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Secretary of State, the authority to take such actions, including adopting rules and regulations, to employ all powers granted to the President by IEEPA as may be necessary to implement the order.   I am enclosing a copy of the order I have issued.                                DONALD J. TRUMP   THE WHITE HOUSE,     January 10, 2020.

Executive Order and on Imposing Sanctions with Respect to Additional Sectors of Iran

Office of the Press Secretary FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 10, 2020 EXECUTIVE ORDER - - - - - - - IMPOSING SANCTIONS WITH RESPECT TO ADDITIONAL SECTORS OF IRAN       By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.) (IEEPA), the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.) (NEA), section 212(f) of the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952 (8 U.S.C. 1182(f)), and section 301 of title 3, United States Code,     I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the United States of America, find that Iran continues to be the world's leading sponsor of terrorism and that Iran has threatened United States military assets and civilians through the use of military force and support to Iranian-backed militia groups.  It remains the policy of the United States to deny Iran all paths to a nuclear weapon and intercontinental ballistic missiles, and to counter the totality of Iran's malign influence in the region.  In furtherance of these objectives, it is the policy of the United States to deny the Iranian government revenues, including revenues derived from the export of products from key sectors of Iran's economy, that may be used to fund and support its nuclear program, missile development, terrorism and terrorist proxy networks, and malign regional influence.     In light of these findings and in order to take further steps with respect to the national emergency declared in Executive Order 12957 of March 15, 1995, I hereby order:     Section 1.   (a)  All property and interests in property that are in the United States, that hereafter come within the United States, or that are or hereafter come within the possession or control of any United States person of the following persons are blocked and may not be transferred, paid, exported, withdrawn, or otherwise dealt in:  any person determined by the Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Secretary of State:         (i)    to operate in the construction, mining, manufacturing, or textiles sectors of the Iranian economy, or any other sector of the Iranian economy as may be determined by the Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Secretary of State;         (ii)   to have knowingly engaged, on or after the date of this order, in a significant transaction for the sale, supply, or transfer to or from Iran of significant goods or services used in connection with a sector of the Iranian economy specified in, or determined by the Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Secretary of State, pursuant to, subsection (a)(i) of this section;         (iii)  to have materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of, any person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to this order; or         (iv)   to be owned or controlled by, or to have acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, any person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to this order.     (b)  The prohibitions in this section apply except to the extent provided by statutes, or in regulations, orders, directives, or licenses that may be issued pursuant to this order, and notwithstanding any contract entered into or any license or permit granted before the date of this order.     Sec. 2.   (a)  The Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Secretary of State, is hereby authorized to impose on a foreign financial institution the sanctions described in subsection (b) of this section upon determining that the foreign financial institution has, on or after the date of this order, knowingly conducted or facilitated any significant financial transaction:         (i)   for the sale, supply, or transfer to or from Iran of significant goods or services used in connection with a sector of the Iranian economy specified in, or determined by the Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Secretary of State, pursuant to, section 1(a)(i) of this order; or         (ii)  for or on behalf of any person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to section 1 of this order.     (b)  With respect to any foreign financial institution determined by the Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Secretary of State, in accordance with this section to meet the criteria set forth in subsection (a) of this section, the Secretary of the Treasury may prohibit the opening, and prohibit or impose strict conditions on the maintaining, in the United States of a correspondent account or a payable-­through account by such foreign financial institution.     (c)  The prohibitions in subsection (b) of this section apply except to the extent provided by statutes, or in regulations, orders, directives, or licenses that may be issued pursuant to this order, and notwithstanding any contract entered into or any license or permit granted before the date of this order.     Sec. 3.    The unrestricted immigrant and nonimmigrant entry into the United States of aliens determined to meet one or more of the criteria in section l(a) of this order would be detrimental to the interests of the United States, and the entry of such persons into the United States, as immigrants or nonimmigrants, is hereby suspended, except where the Secretary of State determines that the person's entry would not be contrary to the interests of the United States, including when the Secretary so determines, based on a recommendation of the Attorney General, that the person's entry would further important United States law enforcement objectives.  In exercising this responsibility, the Secretary of State shall consult the Secretary of Homeland Security on matters related to admissibility or inadmissibility within the authority of the Secretary of Homeland Security.  Such persons shall be treated in the same manner as persons covered by section 1 of Proclamation 8693 of July 24, 2011 (Suspension of Entry of Aliens Subject to United Nations Security Council Travel Bans and International Emergency Economic Powers Act Sanctions).  The Secretary of State shall have the responsibility for implementing this section pursuant to such conditions and procedures as the Secretary has established or may establish pursuant to Proclamation 8693.     Sec. 4.    I hereby determine that the making of donations of the types of articles specified in section 203(b)(2) of IEEPA (50 U.S.C. 1702(b)(2)) by, to, or for the benefit of any person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to section 1 of this order would seriously impair the President's ability to deal with the national emergency declared in Executive Order 12957, and I hereby prohibit such donations as provided by section 1 of this order.     Sec. 5.    The prohibitions in section 1 of this order include:     (a)  the making of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services by, to, or for the benefit of any person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to this order; and     (b)  the receipt of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services from any such person.     Sec. 6.    (a)  Any transaction that evades or avoids, has the purpose of evading or avoiding, causes a violation of, or attempts to violate any of the prohibitions set forth in this order is prohibited.     (b)  Any conspiracy formed to violate any of the prohibitions set forth in this order is prohibited.     Sec. 7.    For the purposes of this order:     (a)  The term "entity" means a partnership, association, trust, joint venture, corporation, group, subgroup, or other organization;     (b)  the term "foreign financial institution" means any foreign entity that is engaged in the business of accepting deposits, making, granting, transferring, holding, or brokering loans or credits, or purchasing or selling foreign exchange, securities, commodity futures or options, or procuring purchasers and sellers thereof, as principal or agent.  The term includes, but is not limited to, depository institutions, banks, savings banks, money service businesses, trust companies, securities brokers and dealers, commodity futures and options brokers and dealers, forward contract and foreign exchange merchants, securities and commodities exchanges, clearing corporations, investment companies, employee benefit plans, dealers in precious metals, stones, or jewels, and holding companies, affiliates, or subsidiaries of any of the foregoing.  The term does not include the international financial institutions identified in 22 U.S.C. 262r(c)(2), the International Fund for Agricultural Development, the North American Development Bank, or any other international financial institution so notified by the Secretary of the Treasury;     (c)  the term "Government of Iran" includes the Government of Iran, any political subdivision, agency, or instrumentality thereof, including the Central Bank of Iran, and any person owned or controlled by, or acting for or on behalf of, the Government of Iran;     (d)  the term "Iran" means the Government of Iran and the territory of Iran and any other territory or marine area, including the exclusive economic zone and continental shelf, over which the Government of Iran claims sovereignty, sovereign rights, or jurisdiction, provided that the Government of Iran exercises partial or total de facto control over the area or derives a benefit from economic activity in the area pursuant to international arrangements;     (e)  the term "knowingly," with respect to conduct, a circumstance, or a result, means that a person has actual knowledge, or should have known, of the conduct, the circumstance, or the result;     (f)  the term "person" means an individual or entity; and     (g)  the term "United States person" means any United States citizen, permanent resident alien, entity organized under the laws of the United States or any jurisdiction within the United States (including foreign branches), or any person in the United States.     Sec. 8.   For those persons whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to this order who might have a constitutional presence in the United States, I find that because of the ability to transfer funds or other assets instantaneously, prior notice to such persons of measures to be taken pursuant to this order would render those measures ineffectual.  I therefore determine that for these measures to be effective in addressing the national emergency declared in Executive Order 12957, there need be no prior notice of a listing or determination made pursuant to this order.     Sec. 9.   The Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Secretary of State, is hereby authorized to take such actions, including the promulgation of rules and regulations, and to employ all powers granted to the President by IEEPA as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of this order.  The Secretary of the Treasury may, consistent with applicable law, redelegate any of these functions within the Department of the Treasury.  All departments and agencies of the United States shall take all appropriate measures within their authority to implement this order.    Sec. 10.   (a)  Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:         (i)   the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or         (ii)  the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.     (b)  This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.     (c)  This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.     Sec. 11.   This order shall not apply with respect to any person for conducting or facilitating a transaction for the provision (including any sale) of agricultural commodities, food, medicine, or medical devices to Iran.     Sec. 12.   Nothing in this order shall prohibit transactions for the conduct of the official business of the United Nations (including its specialized agencies, programmes, funds, and related organizations) by employees, grantees, or contractors thereof.       Sec. 13.   The measures taken pursuant to this order are in response to actions of the Government of Iran occurring after the conclusion of the 1981 Algiers Accords, and are intended solely as a response to those later actions.                         DONALD J. TRUMP   THE WHITE HOUSE,     January 10, 2020.

NOMINATIONS SENT TO THE SENATE

Office of the Press Secretary FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 9, 2020 NOMINATIONS SENT TO THE SENATE:      Fernando L. Aenlle-Rocha, of California, to be United States District Judge for the Central District of California, vice S. James Otero, retired.      Stanley Blumenfeld, of California, to be United States District Judge for the Central District of California, vice Audrey B. Collins, retired.      Scott J. Laurer, of Virginia, to be a Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims for the term of fifteen years, vice Mary J. Schoelen, retired.      Grace Karaffa Obermann, of Virginia, to be a Judge of the United States Court of Federal Claims for a term of fifteen years, vice Susan G. Braden, term expired.      J. David Patterson, of Tennessee, to be a Deputy Under Secretary of Defense, vice Laura Junor, resigned.      Mark C. Scarsi, of California, to be United States District Judge for the Central District of California, vice George H. King, retired.      Stephen Sidney Schwartz, of Virginia, to be a Judge of the United States Court of Federal Claims for a term of fifteen years, vice Marian Blank Horn, term expired.

PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP IS COMMITTED TO MODERNIZING ENVIRONMENTAL POLICIES AND PAVING THE WAY FOR VITAL INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS

Office of the Press Secretary FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 9, 2020 PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP IS COMMITTED TO MODERNIZING ENVIRONMENTAL POLICIES AND PAVING THE WAY FOR VITAL INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS  “The administration is committed to ensuring that we are good stewards of our environment, while supporting American prosperity.” – President Donald J. Trump   MODERNIZING ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEWS: President Donald J. Trump is modernizing environmental regulations to deliver infrastructure projects that will improve our communities. The Administration is proposing a rule to modernize and accelerate environmental reviews under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) so that infrastructure can be built in a timely, efficient, and affordable manner. Modernizing environmental regulations will help bring new infrastructure projects to our communities that benefit American workers, farmers, and families. The proposed rule would establish time limits of 2 years for completion of environmental impact statements and 1 year for completion of environmental assessments. The proposal specifies page limits, promotes information sharing through modern technology, and better defines environmental effects and other key terms. The proposed rule would reduce unnecessary burdens and delays for environmental reviews. Agencies would be allowed to establish procedures for adopting another agency’s determinations to increase efficiency. The proposed rule would improve collaboration with State, local, and tribal governments. IMPROVING AMERICAN INFRASTRUCTURE: Outdated environmental regulations have tied up vital infrastructure improvements across the country for too long. It is important for our national economic prosperity and for the wellbeing of all our communities that these regulations be reformed. Regulations guiding NEPA processes have not been comprehensively updated in over 40 years. Since 1978, the Council on Environmental Quality has made only one limited substantive amendment to the regulations, in 1986. The time taken to complete an environmental impact statement is now almost 5 years on average, and for highways has averaged over 7 years. Securing approval for roads, bridges, airports, railways, and waterways has been significantly hindered under the existing regulations. ADVANCING A SMART REGULATORY AGENDA: The President is delivering on his promise to transform our government and reform regulations to work for the American people. The President has far exceeded his promise to cut two existing regulations for every new one. The Trump Administration has taken nearly eight deregulatory actions for every new significant regulatory action. The President’s historic regulatory reform is projected to deliver a $3,100 income increase for American households in the coming years.  President Trump’s Governors’ Initiative on Regulatory Innovation is working to cut outdated regulations, advance occupational licensing reform, and align Federal and State regulation. The President signed an executive order to establish a One Federal Decision policy to create more efficient and effective environmental decisions for infrastructure projects. The President is rolling back the previous administration’s overreaching regulations, including providing relief to farmers by repealing the Obama-era Waters of the United States Rule.

BACKGROUND PRESS CALL BY SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIALS ON THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION’S PROPOSED UPDATE TO NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY ACT (NEPA) REGULATIONS

Office of the Press Secretary FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 9, 2020

BACKGROUND PRESS CALL BY SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIALS ON THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION’S PROPOSED UPDATE TO NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY ACT (NEPA) REGULATIONS Via Teleconference   9:34 A.M. EST      MR. CANTRELL:  Thank you, Operator.  Good morning, everyone.  And thank you for joining this morning's briefing to preview the Trump administration's proposed update to the National Environmental Policy Act, or NEPA, regulations.      This briefing will be conducted by Secretary of the Interior Department David Bernhardt, and Chairman of the Council of Environmental Quality, or CEQ, Mary Neumayr.      We will begin with opening remarks on the record.  As time allows, we will follow with question and answer on background, attributable to a senior administration official.      If a subject matter expert speaks during the briefing, he or she will be on background, attributable to a senior administration official.      All information is embargoed until 11:00 a.m. this morning.  With that, we will begin with CEQ Chairman Neumayr.      CHAIRMAN NEUMAYR:  Thank you for joining us on today's call.  Today, the Council on Environmental Quality will be releasing a proposed rule titled, "Update to the Regulations Implementing the Procedural Provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act."  The proposed rule is scheduled to appear in the Federal Register tomorrow, and will have a 60-day comment period.      I'd like to take this opportunity to provide background on the proposed rule and highlight some of its provisions.  As many of you may know, the National Environmental Policy Act was signed into law in 1970, and requires federal agencies to assess the environmental impacts of proposed major federal actions significantly affecting the quality of the human environment.      NEPA may apply when a federal agency needs to issue a permit or other approval or when an agency provides federal funding for a project or activity.      The NEPA review process can impact a wide variety of projects affecting American's everyday lives -- from the construction of roads, highways, bridges, and airports; to water infrastructure; conventional and renewable energy projects; agriculture, land, forest, and fishery management activity; and environmental restoration projects.           NEPA is a procedural statute that ensures that, for major federal actions, agencies consider the significant environmental effects of their proposed actions and inform the public about their decision-making.      CEQ issued regulations for federal agencies to implement NEPA in 1978.  Other than one limited substantive amendment in 1986, CEQ has not updated these regulations in over 40 years.           Over time, implementation of NEPA has become increasingly complex and time consuming for federal agencies; state, local, and tribal agencies; project applicants; and average Americans seeking permits or approvals from the Federal government.      CEQ has found that the average length of an Environmental Impact Statement is over 600 pages, and the average time for federal agencies to conduct these NEPA reviews is four and a half years and can be significantly longer.  For example, reviews conducted by the Federal Highway Administration take over seven years, and many have taken a decade or more to complete.      NEPA is the most litigated area of environmental law.  Delays due to lengthy reviews and related litigation increase costs for project applicants, states, tribes, localities, and taxpayers.  Delays deter investments, and delays make our country less economically competitive.      In 2017, President Trump issued Executive Order 13807, establishing a One Federal Decision policy, including a two-year goal for completing environmental reviews for major infrastructure projects and directing CEQ to consider revisions to its regulations.      In 2018, CEQ issued an advance notice of proposed rulemaking, requesting comment on potential updates to its regulations.  CEQ received over 12,500 comments, which have informed CEQ’s proposed rule.      CEQ’s proposed rule would modernize and clarify the CEQ regulations to facilitate more efficient, effective, and timely NEPA reviews by clarifying regulatory requirements; incorporating key elements of the One Federal Decision policy; codifying certain case law and CEQ guidance; revising the regulations to reflect current technologies and agency practices; eliminating obsolete provisions; and improving the format and readability of the regulations.      The proposed rule seeks to reduce paperwork and delays and promote better decision-making, consistent with NEPA’s environmental policy.      In particular, CEQ’s proposal would modernize, simplify, and accelerate the NEPA process by establishing presumptive time limits of two years for completion of Environmental Impact Statements and one year for completing environmental assessments; specifying presumptive page limits; requiring joint schedules, a single Environmental Impact Statement, and a single record of decision, where appropriate, for Environmental Impact Statements involving multiple agencies; strengthening the role of the lead agency and requiring senior agency officials to timely resolve disputes to avoid delays; and promoting the use of modern technologies for information sharing and public outreach.           CEQ’s proposal would also clarify terms, application, and scope of NEPA review by providing direction regarding the threshold consideration of whether NEPA applies to a particular action; requiring earlier solicitation of input from the public to ensure informed decision-making by federal agencies; requiring comments to be specific and timely to ensure appropriate consideration; requiring agencies to summarize alternatives, analyses, and information submitted by commenters, and to certify consideration of submitted information in the Record of Decision; simplifying the definition of environmental effects and clarifying that effects must be reasonably foreseeable and require a reasonably close causal relationship to the proposed action; stating that analysis of cumulative effects is not required under NEPA; clarifying that “major federal action” does not include non-discretionary decisions and non-federal projects -- meaning those with minimal federal funding or involvement -- and clarifying that “reasonable alternatives” requiring consideration must be technically and economically feasible.      The proposal would also enhance coordination with states, tribes, and localities, specifically by reducing duplication by facilitating use of documents required by other statutes or prepared by state, tribal, or local agencies; ensuring appropriate consultation with affected tribal governments and agencies; and eliminating the provisions in the current regulations that limit tribal interests to reservations.      Finally, CEQ’s proposal would reduce unnecessary burdens and delays by facilitating use of efficient reviews, including categorical exclusions and environmental assessments; allowing agencies to establish procedures for adopting other agencies’ categorical exclusions; and allowing applicants and contractors to assume a greater role in preparing Environmental Impact Statements under the supervision of an agency.      The proposed rule would not exclude consideration of greenhouse gas emissions in NEPA analyses and invites comment on whether to codify aspects of CEQ’s draft greenhouse gas guidance issued for public comment last year.      It's important to note that the proposal would reform the process of gathering and considering information on environmental effects, but would not change any substantive environmental law or regulation, such as the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, and the Endangered Species Act.  Again, NEPA is a procedural statute.      Nothing in the proposal would eliminate or diminish the protections that Congress has enacted to safeguard our environment and the American people.      An improved environmental review and permitting process will allow us to continue our nation’s leadership in environmental protection and to enhance the quality of life for current and future generations of Americans.      Again, in closing, there will be a 60-day comment period for the proposed rule.  We welcome robust public comment from all stakeholders.  CEQ is planning on hosting two public hearings on the proposed rule -- one in Denver, Colorado; and one in Washington, D.C.      Further information on opportunities for public engagement will be available on CEQ’s website.           And with that, I will be happy to answer any questions you may have after Secretary Bernhardt provides additional information.      SECRETARY BERNHARDT:  Hi, this is David Bernhardt.  I’m the Secretary of the Interior.  The Chairman did an excellent job highlighting the act and our proposed changes.  And really, from the first day of the Trump administration, the President has provided a bold vision for commonsense deregulatory actions that allow government agencies to better serve the American people.      And the President has been crystal clear that we must ensure that we have healthy -- a healthy environment with clean air and clean water.      And the step we’re taking today, which will ultimately lead to final regulations, I believe, will hit a home run in delivering better results to the American people by cutting red tape that has paralyzed commonsense decision-making for a generation.      As the Chairman said, NEPA serves a noble purpose.  And at its heart, it establishes a process to ensure that the government’s decisions are informed by an understanding of the possible environmental consequences that its actions will cause, considers alternatives to a proposed action and their environmental consequences, and secures input from the public.  And those core actions are preserved and continued in the proposal that is coming out.      When I arrived at the Department of the Interior in 2017, it took, on average, five years to complete environmental reviews for our projects within BLM.  And we have some that are out to 15 and 16 years.  And these documents were often hundreds and even thousands of pages alone -- pages long.      And given that the purpose of NEPA is to ensure we make an informed decision, when I asked our senior managers if they were reading these documents that were several thousand pages long, they said, emphatically, no -- which does not serve the purpose at NEPA at all.      The consequences of the government being stuck in place are far ranging.  Indian students’ ability to have new schools that are safe and updated are delayed by environmental reviews taking too long for school construction.  Our parks’ ability to have great visitor centers is slowed by needless delay.  Our conservationists’ ability to restore habitat to wildlife -- I have a wildlife deer management plan that has been in the NEPA process for over eight years.  Our firefighters’ ability to establish sensible fuel breaks and treat our forests from devastating wildfire -- it takes years to complete environmental reviews before we proceed.      A rancher’s ability to know whether they will be able to graze their livestock on public lands depends on the timing of our environmental reviews.  A farmer’s ability to know that they have a secure water supply for their crops is based on how long it takes for us to do our environmental reviews.  And the list goes on and on and on.      And the reality is that the needless red tape has, over time, lowered the expectations of American exceptionalism and excellence, and that is backwards.  And this is a big step forward for the American people and for common sense.      I really thank the President and the Chairman for their bold leadership to begin to move forward on a process that meets the purposes of the act, but does so with some commonsense parameters.      MR. CANTRELL:  Thank you both.  Operator, we will now take some questions.      Q    Yes, hi.  This is Maya Weber with S&P Global Platts.  I wanted to ask how this would affect reviews of interstate natural gas pipelines and whether the definition of major federal actions would then exclude them from NEPA reviews?      SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  This proposal does not exclude a specific federal action from -- from activity.  It sets up -- and NEPA, for a long time -- certain things are not necessarily covered under NEPA today -- certain mandatory provisions of law, for example.      But to the extent that it's a discretionary authorization, that authorization will be examined.  And the cause that is reasonably foreseeable -- that’s a consequence of that action -- needs to be considered within the entire context of the human and natural environment. And so, basically, in general, it's a look at, "Hey, what is happening today?  And what is the additional change of this proposal on it?"  And that’s the way -- that’s the way it works today, and that’s the way it will work tomorrow.      SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  Yeah, the proposal sets forth the framework for a wide range and variety of actions that may be subject to NEPA, applies broadly to infrastructure.      Q    Hi, Lisa Friedman from the New York Times.  Thanks so much.  Can you talk a little bit about the thinking behind the (inaudible) Cumulative Effects not required underneath them, and what it means for climate change, that only reasonably foreseeable, reasonable (inaudible) causal relationship?  And can you explain that language and what that means in the context of climate change?      SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  Well, the definition of "effects" is a definition that has been the subject of substantial confusion.  And so, in the proposal, what we have done is to eliminate the terminology "direct, indirect, and cumulative," and simplify the definition to focus on identifying and considering effects that are reasonably foreseeable, and have a reasonably close causal relationship to the proposed action.      As I said earlier, the proposal does not exclude consideration of greenhouse gas emissions, and we have included an invitation to comment on whether there are aspects of the greenhouse gas guidance that CEQ issued last year that should be codified in the regulations.      Q    Hi, this is (inaudible) with Argus Media.  I didn’t really hear a clear answer to Maya's question about whether pipelines would be covered under NEPA after this.  So, Keystone XL -- would NEPA apply to Keystone XL?  Yes or no?      SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  Well, I don’t have a specific company proposal in front of me, but I would say this: that if it would have required NEPA yesterday, it will require NEPA under the current -- or the new proposal.      Q    Hi, this is Scott Waldman from E&E News.  Can you tell me if federal projects will still be required to consider future climate conditions in the planning stage?  And doesn’t that potentially place taxpayer dollars at risk, if sea-level rise and other considerations are not considered?      SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  Yeah.  That’s a -- the reality of the regulations, when you read them, is the proposed actions -- whatever they are, whether they're planning, or infrastructure, or a school construction -- those -- the task that's necessary is, "I'm about…" -- the government is about to take an action.  It needs to look at its action and the impacts that its action will have in the context of the entire human and natural environment.      And so that means everything.  And, you know, for water management, what we're dealing with -- that’s everything.  And you look at it in the context and you say, "What is the consequence before the action?  What is the consequence after?" -- so that a decision-maker can know those consequences, alternative proposals and their consequences, and make a fully informed decision.  That's -- that's exactly what we do, and that is exactly what we will continue to do.      Q    Hello, my name is Kathleen Stubbs.  I'm a reporter for the Asahi Shimbun.  I was calling to ask: What, if any, is the connection between the proposed changes and Trump's comments on Wednesday about not needing to rely on Iran for oil in the future?          SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  No connection.      MR. CANTRELL:  Operator, we'll take one last question, please.      OPERATOR:  There are no further questions in the queue.      MR. CANTRELL:  Great.  Thank you, everyone.  This will conclude our call.      Again, opening remarks were on the record, and the Q&A portion was on background, attributable to a senior administration official.  All information is, again, embargoed until 11:00 A.M. this morning.      As always, direct all further questions to the White House Press Office.  Thank you everyone for joining this morning.                                END                9:55 A.M. EST

West Wing Reads Impeachment Without End

Impeachment Without End “Will Nancy Pelosi ever send the two House articles of impeachment to the Senate? We’re going on three weeks since the House voted, and Congress is back in session, but the House Speaker said Tuesday she wants to see what kind of trial the Senate will hold before she deigns to appoint House managers to make their case,” The Wall Street Journal editorial board writes. “This is a parody of impeachment. House Democrats said they had to rush to vote before Christmas because President Trump poses a clear and present danger, but now the urgency is gone.” It also runs afoul of the Constitution, which gives the House the “sole power of impeachment” and the Senate the “sole power to try all impeachments.” Click here to read more. “President Trump got it exactly right Wednesday morning: ‘Iran appears to be standing down, which is a good thing for all parties concerned and a very good thing for the world.’ . . . Iran, as the president noted Wednesday, has been provoking the United States — and getting away with it — for 40 years. ‘Those days are over,’ Trump declared. About time,” the New York Post editorial board writes. “Senate Democrats are breaking with their party leaders over House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s decision to hold on to the articles of impeachment, saying it is time to get President Trump’s trial rolling . . . Senate Republicans have remained united behind Mr. McConnell’s demand for a trial process that would mirror the 1999 impeachment trial of President Bill Clinton,” Alex Swoyer and Gabriella Muñoz report in The Washington Times. “Private payroll growth ended 2019 on a strong note, with companies adding 202,000 positions in December in another sign of a healthy labor market, according to a report Wednesday from ADP and Moody’s Analytics. The total was well above the 150,000 consensus estimate from economists surveyed,” Jeff Cox reports for CNBC.  “My 5-year-old daughter has cystic fibrosis and may eventually need a lung transplant. Just before Christmas, the Trump administration gave an early gift to the roughly 113,000 Americans currently awaiting transplanted organs. It proposed two new rules that will make transplants easier,” Mary Vought writes in The Wall Street Journal.

1600 Daily The White House • January 8, 2020 Our Soldiers are Safe, and America is Prepared

The White House • January 8, 2020 Our soldiers are safe, and America is prepared President Donald J. Trump addressed the nation this morning in the wake of Iran’s air attack against bases where American troops were stationed in Iraq. “No Americans were harmed in last night’s attack by the Iranian regime. We suffered no casualties, all of our soldiers are safe, and only minimal damage was sustained at our military bases,” the President said from the White House’s Grand Foyer. President Trump: Iran will never have a nuclear weapon on my watch. “Iran appears to be standing down, which is a good thing for all parties concerned and a very good thing for the world.” For four decades, the world has tolerated Iran’s destructive and destabilizing behavior across the Middle East and beyond. Appeasement only emboldened a regime that is now the leading state sponsor of terrorism on Earth. After the foolish Iran nuclear deal was signed in 2013, the hostilities and violence only increased. Instead of thanking the United States and President Obama for the $1.8 billion cash windfall under the nuclear deal, Iran went on a terror spree. It created hell in Yemen, Syria, Lebanon, Afghanistan, and Iraq. The regime brought violence even to its own backyard, recently killing 1,500 people at the protests taking place throughout Iran. As the leader of the lethal Quds Force, Qasem Soleimani was personally responsible for many of the worst atrocities. He trained terrorist armies, including Hezbollah, to launch strikes against civilian targets. He fueled bloody civil wars across the Middle East. He viciously wounded and killed thousands of American troops, often with ghastly roadside bombs. His most recent American casualties came less than 2 weeks ago. Those days are over. Soleimani is dead, and terrorists everywhere just received a powerful message: If you threaten innocent lives, you will suffer grave consequences. New measures to counter Iran were announced today, as well. The United States will immediately impose more powerful economic sanctions on the regime in Tehran, which will remain in place until Iran changes its behavior. President Trump has also asked that NATO allies become much more involved in the Middle East process. America has new leverage to pursue real, lasting peace in the region. “We are now the number-one producer of oil and natural gas anywhere in the world. We are independent, and we do not need Middle East oil,” President Trump said. He added that on his watch, America’s great military has been rebuilt to the tune of $2.5 trillion. When America is strong, the world is safer. “The fact that we have this great military and equipment, however, does not mean we have to use it,” President Trump said. “We do not want to use it. American strength, both military and economic, is the best deterrent.”  The days of tolerating Iran’s destructive behavior are over. MORE: Read President Trump’s full statement Photo of the Day Official White House Photo by Shealah Craighead President Trump delivers remarks on Iran | January 8, 2020

Statement from the Press Secretary Regarding Border Wall Victory

Office of the Press Secretary FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 9, 2020

Statement from the Press Secretary Regarding Border Wall Victory The United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit has lifted an illegitimate nationwide injunction entered by a lower court, and in doing so has allowed vital border wall construction to move forward using military construction funds. This is a victory for the rule of law. We are committed to keeping our borders secure, and we will finish the wall.