Proclamation on Improving Enhanced Vetting Capabilities and Processes for Detecting Attempted Entry

Office of the Press Secretary FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 31, 2020

IMPROVING ENHANCED VETTING CAPABILITIES AND PROCESSES FOR DETECTING ATTEMPTED ENTRY INTO THE UNITED STATES BY TERRORISTS OR OTHER PUBLIC-SAFETY THREATS - - - - - - -   BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA A PROCLAMATION       In Executive Order 13780 of March 6, 2017 (Protecting the Nation from Foreign Terrorist Entry Into the United States), I temporarily suspended entry of nationals of certain specified countries and ordered a worldwide review of whether the United States would need additional information from each foreign country to assess adequately whether nationals of that foreign country seeking to enter the United States pose a security or public-safety threat to the United States, and if so, what additional information was needed.  The Secretary of Homeland Security, pursuant to Executive Order 13780 and in consultation with the Secretary of State and the Director of National Intelligence, developed an assessment model using three categories of criteria to assess national security and public-safety threats:  whether a foreign government engages in reliable identity-management practices and shares relevant information; whether a foreign government shares national security and public-safety information; and whether a country otherwise poses a national security or public-safety risk.     Following a comprehensive worldwide review of the performance of approximately 200 countries using these criteria, the Secretary of Homeland Security presented the results of this review, focusing in particular on those countries that were deficient or at risk of becoming deficient in their performance under the assessment criteria.  After a subsequent period of diplomatic engagement on these issues by the Department of State, the Acting Secretary of Homeland Security submitted a report in September 2017, which found that eight countries were hindering the ability of the United States Government to identify threats posed by foreign nationals attempting to enter the United States.  The Secretary of Homeland Security then recommended that I impose travel restrictions on certain nationals of those countries.  After consultation with relevant Cabinet officials and appropriate Assistants to the President, I issued Proclamation 9645 of September 24, 2017 (Enhancing Vetting Capabilities and Processes for Detecting Attempted Entry Into the United States by Terrorists or Other Public-Safety Threats).     In Proclamation 9645, I suspended and limited the entry into the United States of certain nationals of eight countries that failed to satisfy the criteria and were unable or unwilling to improve their information sharing, or that otherwise presented serious terrorism-related risks.  Those travel restrictions remain in effect today, with one exception.  On April 10, 2018, I issued Proclamation 9723 (Maintaining Enhanced Vetting Capabilities and Processes for Detecting Attempted Entry Into the United States by Terrorists or Other Public-Safety Threats), removing travel restrictions on nationals of the Republic of Chad.  Chad had improved its identity-management and information-sharing practices by taking steps to issue more secure passports and by increasing the integrity of how its government handles lost and stolen passports.  Chad also began to share information about known or suspected terrorists in a manner that makes that information available to the United States screening and vetting programs, and it created a new, standardized process for the United States to request relevant criminal information.     Pursuant to my directives in section 4 of Proclamation 9645, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has continued to assess every 180 days and report to me on whether the interests of the United States require the suspension of or limitation on entry of certain classes of foreign nationals.  DHS has also continued to assess ways to further improve its processes for measuring how countries perform under the assessment criteria.  From July 2018 through August 2019, DHS updated its methodology to assess compliance with the assessment criteria, which has allowed for more in-depth analysis and yields even more granularity and increased accuracy regarding each country's performance under the criteria.     In this updated methodology, the general overall criteria for review have not changed.  The United States Government still expects all foreign governments to share needed identity-management information, to share national security and public-safety information, and to pass a security and public-safety risk assessment.  Building on experience and insight gained over the last 2 years, DHS has, however, refined and modified the specific performance metrics by which it assesses compliance with the above criteria.  For example, while the prior model determined whether a country shares certain needed information, the revised model accounts for how frequently the country shares that information and the extent to which that data contributes to border and immigration screening and vetting.  As another example, the prior system asked whether a country issued electronic passports at all, whereas the refined metrics assess whether a country issues electronic passports for all major classes of travel documents.  Similarly, the lost and stolen passports criterion previously assessed whether a country had prior instances of reporting loss or theft to the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL), whereas the revised model now assesses whether the country has reported lost or stolen passports to INTERPOL within 30 days of a report of a loss or theft.     The DHS improvements to the assessment criteria also involve additional, and more customized, data from the United States Intelligence Community.  DHS's original evaluation under Executive Order 13780 relied on existing intelligence products to assess the threat from each country.  With the benefit of 2 years of experience, DHS has worked closely with the Intelligence Community to define intelligence requirements and customize intelligence reporting that offers a detailed characterization of the relative risk of terrorist travel to the United States from each country in the world.  This additional detail improves DHS's assessment of national security and public-safety risk.     In addition, DHS greatly increased the amount of information obtained from United States Embassies abroad, which work closely with foreign governments.  United States Embassies are best positioned to understand their host countries' ability and willingness to provide information to the United States, and United States Embassies' assessments contribute to a clearer understanding of how well a foreign government satisfies the assessment criteria.  DHS also consolidated statistical information on operational encounters with foreign nationals.  This information speaks to the frequency with which a country's nationals commit offenses while in the United States or otherwise develop grounds for inadmissibility under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA).     Finally, as more precise, granular data became available, it became clear that many countries were only partially implementing each criterion.  The 2017 process had three basic potential compliance ratings for each criterion:  in compliance, out of compliance, or unknown.  The updated methodology allows the United States to account for ways in which countries partially comply with the metrics associated with each criterion.  As a result, for example, countries that DHS assessed in the 2017 review have now received more nuanced, partial compliance ratings.  In addition, the process now weighs each criterion and risk factor based on its degree of importance to the United States Government for conducting screening and vetting of visa applicants and other travelers to the United States.     Using this enhanced review process, DHS conducted its most recent, worldwide review pursuant to Proclamation 9645 between March 2019 and September 2019.  The process began on March 11, 2019, when the United States Government formally notified all foreign governments (except for Iran, Syria, and North Korea) about the refined performance metrics for the identity-management and information-sharing criteria.  After collecting information from foreign governments, multilateral organizations, United States Embassies, Federal law enforcement agencies, and the Intelligence Community, multiple subject matter experts reviewed each country's data and measured its identity-management and information-sharing practices against the criteria.  DHS then applied the data to an algorithm it developed to consistently assess each country's compliance with the criteria.     DHS identified the worst-performing countries for further interagency review and for an assessment of the potential impact of visa restrictions.  As in the worldwide review culminating in Proclamation 9645, the Acting Secretary of Homeland Security assessed that Iraq did not meet the baseline for compliance.  As part of the interagency review process, the Acting Secretary of Homeland Security determined, however, not to recommend entry restrictions and limitations for nationals of Iraq.  In his report, the Acting Secretary of Homeland Security recognized a close cooperative relationship between the United States and the democratically elected government of Iraq, the strong United States diplomatic presence in Iraq, the significant presence of United States forces in Iraq, and Iraq's commitment to combating the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS).  The Acting Secretary of Homeland Security considered another similarly situated country and determined that, for reasons similar to those present in Iraq, entry restrictions and limitations would not be appropriate.     In addition, the United States Government, led by the Department of State, continued or increased engagements with many countries about those countries' deficiencies.  A number of foreign governments sent senior officials to Washington, D.C., to discuss those issues, explore potential solutions, and convey views about obstacles to improving performance.  As a result of this engagement, one country made sufficient improvements in its information-sharing and identity-management practices and was removed from consideration for travel restrictions.     On September 13, 2019, the Acting Secretary of Homeland Security, after consulting with the Secretary of State, the Attorney General, the Director of National Intelligence, and the heads of other appropriate agencies, submitted a fourth report to me recommending the suspension of, or limitation on, the entry of certain classes of nationals from certain countries in order to protect United States national security, including by incentivizing those foreign governments to improve their practices.  The Acting Secretary of Homeland Security recommended maintaining the current restrictions on the seven countries announced in Proclamation 9645 (apart from Chad), as well as implementing suspensions and limitations on entry for certain nationals of twelve additional countries.     Since the Acting Secretary of Homeland Security issued his report on September 13, 2019, the Secretary of State, consistent with section 4(b) of Proclamation 9645, has continued to engage many foreign governments regarding the deficiencies identified in DHS's report and has continued to consult with the Acting Secretary of Homeland Security, the Secretary of Defense, and other Cabinet-level officials about how best to protect the national interest.  Based on these engagements, in January 2020, those senior officials recommended that I maintain the entry restrictions adopted in Proclamation 9645 (as modified by Proclamation 9723), and that I exercise my authority under section 212(f) of the INA to suspend entry into the United States for nationals of six new countries -- Burma (Myanmar), Eritrea, Kyrgyzstan, Nigeria, Sudan, and Tanzania -- until those countries address their identified deficiencies.     The January 2020 proposal recommended visa restrictions on fewer countries than identified by the September 2019 DHS report.  For example, the January 2020 proposal recommended no entry restrictions on nationals of one country that had been recommended for restrictions in the September 2019 report.  This country made exceptional progress in correcting deficiencies since the September 2019 report, such that it could no longer be characterized as a country that is among those posing the highest degree of risk.  In addition, the January 2020 proposal recommended that, for five poorly performing countries, foreign policy interests warranted a different approach than recommended in the September 2019 report.  Specifically, the January 2020 proposal suggested that diplomatic engagement and requests for specific improvements during a defined 180-day period would be more appropriate and more likely to result in immediate improvements in these five countries.  Each of these five countries provides critical counterterrorism cooperation with the United States and therefore holds strategic importance in countering malign external actors.  In several of the five countries, the United States has experienced a recent deepening of diplomatic ties that generally mark increased cooperation toward achieving key regional and global United States foreign policy goals.  Importantly, all five countries have credibly communicated willingness to work directly with the United States Government to correct their outstanding deficiencies, and the United States believes progress is imminent for several countries and underway for others.  For these reasons, these countries will be given an opportunity to show specific improvements in their deficiencies within the next 180 days.     Consistent with recommendations contained in the January 2020 proposal, I have decided to leave unaltered the existing entry restrictions imposed by Proclamation 9645, as amended by Proclamation 9723, and to impose tailored entry restrictions and limitations on nationals from six additional countries.  I have decided not to impose any nonimmigrant visa restrictions for the newly identified countries, which substantially reduces the number of people affected by the proposed restrictions.  Like the seven countries that continue to face travel restrictions pursuant to Proclamation 9645, the six additional countries recommended for restrictions in the January 2020 proposal are among the worst performing in the world.  However, there are prospects for near-term improvement for these six countries.  Each has a functioning government and each maintains productive relations with the United States.  Most of the newly identified countries have expressed a willingness to work with the United States to address their deficiencies, although it may take some time to identify and implement specific solutions to resolve the deficiencies.     Consistent with the January 2020 proposal, I have prioritized restricting immigrant visa travel over nonimmigrant visa travel because of the challenges of removing an individual in the United States who was admitted with an immigrant visa if, after admission to the United States, the individual is discovered to have terrorist connections, criminal ties, or misrepresented information.  Because each of the six additional countries identified in the January 2020 proposal has deficiencies in sharing terrorist, criminal, or identity information, there is an unacceptable likelihood that information reflecting the fact that a visa applicant is a threat to national security or public safety may not be available at the time the visa or entry is approved.     For two newly identified countries that were among the highest risk countries, but performed somewhat better than others, I have decided, consistent with the January 2020 proposal, to suspend entry only of Diversity Immigrants, as described in section 203(c) of the INA, 8 U.S.C. 1153(c).  Such a suspension represents a less severe limit compared to a general restriction on immigrant visas, given the significantly fewer number of aliens affected.  The Acting Secretary of Homeland Security considers foreign-government-supplied information especially important for screening and vetting the Diversity Visa population in comparison to other immigrant visa applicants, and I agree with that assessment.  In many cases, the United States Government may not have the same amount of information about Diversity Visa applicants compared with other categories of immigrant visa applicants because Diversity Visa applicants, with limited exceptions, do not have the burden to show certain family ties to or employment in the United States, or particular service to the United States Government, as required for other immigrant visa categories.     Consistent with the January 2020 proposal, I have decided not to impose any restrictions on certain Special Immigrant Visas for nationals of the six newly identified countries.  Applicants under Special Immigrant programs generally do not need to demonstrate the same work or familial ties as other immigrant visas, but do need to show other unique qualifications.  This exception is intended to cover those Special Immigrants who have advanced United States interests (and their eligible family members), such as foreign nationals who have worked for a United States Embassy for 15 years or more and are especially deserving of a visa.     As President, I must continue to act to protect the security and interests of the United States and its people.  I remain committed to our ongoing efforts to engage those countries willing to cooperate, to improve information-sharing and identity-management protocols and procedures, and to address both terrorism-related and public-safety risks.  And I believe that the assessment process, including enhancements made to that process, leads to new partnerships that strengthen our immigration screening and vetting capabilities.  Until the countries identified in this proclamation satisfactorily address the identified deficiencies, I have determined, on the basis of a recommendation from the Acting Secretary of Homeland Security and other members of my Cabinet, to impose certain conditional restrictions and limitations on entry into the United States of nationals of the countries identified in section 1 of this proclamation, as set forth more fully below.     NOW, THEREFORE, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the United States of America, by the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including sections 212(f) and 215(a) of the INA, 8 U.S.C. 1182(f) and 1185(a), and section 301 of title 3, United States Code, hereby find that, absent the measures set forth in this proclamation, the immigrant entry into the United States of persons described in section 1 of this proclamation would be detrimental to the interests of the United States, and that their entry should be subject to certain restrictions, limitations, and exceptions.  I therefore hereby proclaim the following:       Section 1.  Suspension of Entry for Nationals of Countries of Identified Concern.   The entry into the United States of nationals of the following countries is hereby suspended and limited, as follows, subject to section 2 of this proclamation.     (a)  The entry suspensions and limitations enacted by section 2 of Proclamation 9645 are not altered by this proclamation, and they remain in force by their terms, except as modified by Proclamation 9723.     (b)  Burma (Myanmar)             (i)  Although Burma has begun to engage with the United States on a variety of identity-management and information-sharing issues, it does not comply with the established identity-management and information-sharing criteria assessed by the performance metrics.  Burma does not issue electronic passports nor does it adequately share several types of information, including public-safety and terrorism-related information, that are necessary for the protection of the national security and public safety of the United States.  Burma is in the process of modernizing its domestic identity-management and criminal-records systems and has worked with the United States to develop some of those systems.  It has also recognized the need to make improvements.  As its capabilities improve, the prospect for further bilateral cooperation will likely also increase.  Despite these encouraging prospects, Burma's identified deficiencies create vulnerabilities that terrorists, criminals, and fraudulent entrants could exploit to harm United States national security and public safety.             (ii)  The entry into the United States of nationals of Burma as immigrants, except as Special Immigrants whose eligibility is based on having provided assistance to the United States Government, is hereby suspended.     (c)  Eritrea             (i)  Eritrea does not comply with the established identity-management and information-sharing criteria assessed by the performance metrics.  Eritrea does not issue electronic passports or adequately share several types of information, including public-safety and terrorism-related information, that are necessary for the protection of the national security and public safety of the United States.  Further, Eritrea is currently subject to several nonimmigrant visa restrictions.  Eritrea does not accept return of its nationals subject to final orders of removal from the United States, which further magnifies the challenges of removing its nationals who have entered with immigrant visas.  Eritrea has engaged with the United States about its deficiencies, but it also requires significant reforms to its border security, travel-document security, and information-sharing infrastructure.  Improvements in these areas will increase its opportunities to come into compliance with the United States Government's identity-management and information-sharing criteria.             (ii)  The entry into the United States of nationals of Eritrea as immigrants, except as Special Immigrants whose eligibility is based on having provided assistance to the United States Government, is hereby suspended.     (d)  Kyrgyzstan             (i)  Kyrgyzstan does not comply with the established identity-management and information-sharing criteria assessed by the performance metrics.  Kyrgyzstan does not issue electronic passports or adequately share several types of information, including public-safety and terrorism-related information, that are necessary for the protection of the national security and public safety of the United States.  Kyrgyzstan also presents an elevated risk, relative to other countries in the world, of terrorist travel to the United States, though it has been responsive to United States diplomatic engagement on the need to make improvements.             (ii)  The entry into the United States of nationals of Kyrgyzstan as immigrants, except as Special Immigrants whose eligibility is based on having provided assistance to the United States Government, is hereby suspended.     (e)  Nigeria             (i)  Nigeria does not comply with the established identity-management and information-sharing criteria assessed by the performance metrics.  Nigeria does not adequately share public-safety and terrorism-related information, which is necessary for the protection of the national security and public safety of the United States.  Nigeria also presents a high risk, relative to other countries in the world, of terrorist travel to the United States.  Nigeria is an important strategic partner in the global fight against terrorism, and the United States continues to engage with Nigeria on these and other issues.  The Department of State has provided significant assistance to Nigeria as it modernizes its border management capabilities, and the Government of Nigeria recognizes the importance of improving its information sharing with the United States.  Nevertheless, these investments have not yet resulted in sufficient improvements in Nigeria's information sharing with the United States for border and immigration screening and vetting.             (ii)  The entry into the United States of nationals of Nigeria as immigrants, except as Special Immigrants whose eligibility is based on having provided assistance to the United States Government, is hereby suspended.     (f)  Sudan             (i)  Sudan generally does not comply with our identity-management performance metrics and presents a high risk, relative to other countries in the world, of terrorist travel to the United States.  Sudan is, however, transitioning to civilian rule, a process which should improve opportunities for cooperation in the future, and it has already made progress in addressing its deficiencies in several areas.  For example, Sudan now issues electronic passports and has improved its coordination with INTERPOL in several respects.  Sudan has also shared exemplars of its passports with the United States and now permanently invalidates lost and stolen passports and fraudulently obtained travel documents.  Because Sudan performed somewhat better than the countries listed earlier in this proclamation and is making important reforms to its system of government, different travel restrictions are warranted.             (ii)  The entry into the United States of nationals of Sudan as Diversity Immigrants, as described in section 203(c) of the INA, 8 U.S.C. 1153(c), is hereby suspended.     (g)  Tanzania             (i)  Tanzania does not comply with the established identity-management and information-sharing criteria assessed by the performance metrics.  Tanzania does not adequately share several types of information, including public-safety and terrorism-related information, that is necessary for the protection of the national security and public safety of the United States.  The Government of Tanzania's significant failures to adequately share information with the United States and other countries about possible Ebola cases in its territory detract from my confidence in its ability to resolve these deficiencies.  Tanzania also presents an elevated risk, relative to other countries in the world, of terrorist travel to the United States.  Tanzania does, however, issue electronic passports for all major passport classes, reports lost and stolen travel documents to INTERPOL at least once a month, and has provided exemplars of its current passports to the United States.  Further, Tanzania does share some information with the United States, although its processes can be slow, overly bureaucratic, and complicated by limited technical capability.  In light of these considerations, different travel restrictions are warranted.             (ii)  The entry into the United States of nationals of Tanzania as Diversity Immigrants, as described in section 203(c) of the INA, 8 U.S.C. 1153(c), is hereby suspended.     Sec. 2.  Scope and Implementation of Suspensions and Limitations.   (a)  Subject to the exceptions set forth in section 3(b) of Proclamation 9645, any waiver under section 3(c) of Proclamation 9645, and any enforcement provision of section 6(b) through (e) of Proclamation 9645, the suspensions of and limitations on entry pursuant to section 1(b) of this proclamation shall apply to foreign nationals of the designated countries who:         (i)    are outside the United States on the applicable effective date of this proclamation;         (ii)   do not have a valid visa on the applicable effective date of this proclamation; and         (iii)  do not qualify for a visa or other valid travel document under section 6(d) of Proclamation 9645.     (b)  The Secretary of State and the Secretary of Homeland Security shall coordinate to update guidance, if necessary, to implement this proclamation as to nationals of the six countries identified in section 1(b) of this proclamation, consistent with the provisions of this section.     (c)  For purposes of this proclamation, the phrase "Special Immigrants whose eligibility is based on having provided assistance to the United States Government" means those aliens described in section 101(a)(27)(D) through (G) and (K) of the INA, 8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(27)(D) through (G) and (K), any alien seeking to enter the United States pursuant to a Special Immigrant Visa in the SI or SQ classification, and any spouse and children of any such individual.     Sec. 3.  Reporting Requirements.    (a)  Section 4 of Proclamation 9645 is amended to read as follows:          "Sec. 4.  Adjustments to Removal of Suspensions and Limitations.         "(a)  The Secretary of Homeland Security, in consultation with the Secretary of State, shall on October 1, 2020, and annually thereafter, submit to the President the results of an evaluation as to whether to continue, terminate, modify, or supplement any suspensions of, or limitations on, the entry on certain classes of nationals of countries identified in section 2 of this proclamation and section 1(b) of the Proclamation "Improving Enhanced Vetting Capabilities and Processes for Detecting Attempted Entry into the United States by Terrorists or Other Public-Safety Threats," signed on January 31, 2020.         "(b)  The Secretary of Homeland Security, in consultation with the Secretary of State and the Director of National Intelligence, shall not less than every 2 years evaluate whether each country in the world sufficiently shares relevant information and maintains adequate identity-management and information-sharing practices to mitigate the risk that its citizens or residents may travel to the United States in furtherance of criminal or terrorist objectives, or otherwise seek to violate any law of the United States through travel or immigration.  In doing so, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall:         "(i)   in consultation with the Secretary of State, Attorney General, and the Director of National Intelligence, report to the President, through the appropriate Assistants to the President, any instance in which, based on a review conducted under subsection (b) of this section, the Secretary of Homeland Security believes it is in the interests of the United States to suspend or limit the entry of certain classes of nationals of a country; and         "(ii)  in consultation with the Secretary of State and the Director of National Intelligence, regularly review and update as necessary the criteria and methodology by which such evaluations are implemented to ensure they continue to protect the national interests of the United States.         "(c)  Notwithstanding the requirements set forth in subsections (a) and (b) of this section, the Secretary of Homeland Security, in consultation with the Secretary of State, Attorney General, and the Director of National Intelligence, may, at any time, recommend that the President impose, modify, or terminate a suspension or limitation on entry on certain classes of foreign nationals to protect the national interests of the United States."     (b)  Section 5 of Proclamation 9645 is revoked.     Sec. 4.  Effective Date.   This proclamation is effective at 12:01 am eastern standard time on February 21, 2020.  With respect to the application of those provisions of Proclamation 9645 that are incorporated here through section 2 for countries designated in section 1(b), and that contained their own effective dates, those dates are correspondingly updated to be January 31, 2020, or February 21, 2020, as appropriate.     Sec. 5.  Severability.    It is the policy of the United States to enforce this proclamation to the maximum extent possible to advance the national security, foreign policy, and counterterrorism interests of the United States.  Accordingly:     (a)  if any provision of this proclamation, or the application of any provision to any person or circumstance, is held to be invalid, the remainder of this proclamation and the application of its other provisions to any other persons or circumstances shall not be affected thereby; and     (b)  if any provision of this proclamation, or the application of any provision to any person or circumstance, is held to be invalid because of the lack of certain procedural requirements, the relevant executive branch officials shall implement those procedural requirements to conform with existing law and with any applicable court orders.     Sec. 6.  General Provisions.   (a)  Nothing in this proclamation shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:         (i)    United States Government obligations under applicable international agreements;         (ii)   the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or         (iii)  the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.     (b)  This proclamation shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.     (c)  This proclamation 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.     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this thirty-first day of January, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-fourth.                                DONALD J. TRUMP                    ###

Office of the Press Secretary FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 31, 2020 Statement from the Press Secretary   As part of President Donald J. Trump’s steadfast commitment to ensuring our forces are able to defend against any and all threats, the President has canceled the Obama Administration’s policy to prohibit United States military forces from employing anti-personnel landmines outside of the Korean Peninsula.  The Department of Defense has determined that restrictions imposed on American forces by the Obama Administration’s policy could place them at a severe disadvantage during a conflict against our adversaries.  The President is unwilling to accept this risk to our troops. The Department of Defense is issuing a new landmine policy.  This policy will authorize Combatant Commanders, in exceptional circumstances, to employ advanced, non-persistent landmines specifically designed to reduce unintended harm to civilians and partner forces.  This action is yet another in a series of actions taken by the Trump Administration to give our military the flexibility and capability it needs to win.  President Trump is rebuilding our military, and it is stronger than ever.  The President will continue to support and equip our troops so that they will forever remain the greatest fighting force in the world. ### The White House · 1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW · Washington, DC 20500-0003 · USA · 202-456-1111

Executive Order on Combating Human Trafficking and Online Child Exploitation in the United States

Office of the Press Secretary FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 31, 2020 EXECUTIVE ORDER - - - - - - - COMBATING HUMAN TRAFFICKING AND ONLINE CHILD EXPLOITATION IN THE UNITED STATES     By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including the Trafficking Victims Protection Act, 22 U.S.C. 7101 et seq., it is hereby ordered as follows:     Section 1.  Policy.    Human trafficking is a form of modern slavery.  Throughout the United States and around the world, human trafficking tears apart communities, fuels criminal activity, and threatens the national security of the United States.  It is estimated that millions of individuals are trafficked around the world each year -- including into and within the United States.  As the United States continues to lead the global fight against human trafficking, we must remain relentless in resolving to eradicate it in our cities, suburbs, rural communities, tribal lands, and on our transportation networks.  Human trafficking in the United States takes many forms and can involve exploitation of both adults and children for labor and sex.     Twenty-first century technology and the proliferation of the internet and mobile devices have helped facilitate the crime of child sex trafficking and other forms of child exploitation.  Consequently, the number of reports to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children of online photos and videos of children being sexually abused is at record levels.     The Federal Government is committed to preventing human trafficking and the online sexual exploitation of children.  Effectively combating these crimes requires a comprehensive and coordinated response to prosecute human traffickers and individuals who sexually exploit children online, to protect and support victims of human trafficking and child exploitation, and to provide prevention education to raise awareness and help lower the incidence of human trafficking and child exploitation into, from, and within the United States.     To this end, it shall be the policy of the executive branch to prioritize its resources to vigorously prosecute offenders, to assist victims, and to provide prevention education to combat human trafficking and online sexual exploitation of children.    Sec. 2.  Strengthening Federal Responsiveness to Human Trafficking.   (a)  The Domestic Policy Council shall commit one employee position to work on issues related to combating human trafficking occurring into, from, and within the United States and to coordinate with personnel in other components of the Executive Office of the President, including the Office of Economic Initiatives and the National Security Council, on such efforts.  This position shall be filled by an employee of the executive branch detailed from the Department of Justice, the Department of Labor, the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Transportation, or the Department of Homeland Security.     (b)  The Secretary of State, on behalf of the President's Interagency Task Force to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons, shall make available, online, a list of the Federal Government's resources to combat human trafficking, including resources to identify and report instances of human trafficking, to protect and support the victims of trafficking, and to provide public outreach and training.     (c)  The Secretary of State, the Attorney General, the Secretary of Labor, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, and the Secretary of Homeland Security shall, in coordination and consistent with applicable law:         (i)   improve methodologies of estimating the prevalence of human trafficking, including in specific sectors or regions, and monitoring the impact of anti trafficking efforts and publish such methodologies as appropriate; and         (ii)  establish estimates of the prevalence of human trafficking in the United States.     Sec. 3.  Prosecuting Human Traffickers and Individuals Who Exploit Children Online.   (a)  The Attorney General, through the Federal Enforcement Working Group, in collaboration with the Secretary of Labor and the Secretary of Homeland Security, shall:         (i)   improve interagency coordination with respect to targeting traffickers, determining threat assessments, and sharing law enforcement intelligence to build on the Administration's commitment to the continued success of ongoing anti trafficking enforcement initiatives, such as the Anti-Trafficking Coordination Team and the U.S.-Mexico Bilateral Human Trafficking Enforcement Initiatives; and         (ii)  coordinate activities, as appropriate, with the Task Force on Missing and Murdered American Indians and Alaska Natives as established by Executive Order 13898 of November 26, 2019 (Establishing the Task Force on Missing and Murdered American Indians and Alaska Natives).     (b)  The Attorney General and the Secretary of Homeland Security, and other heads of executive departments and agencies as appropriate, shall, within 180 days of the date of this order, propose to the President, through the Director of the Domestic Policy Council, legislative and executive actions that would overcome information-sharing challenges and improve law enforcement's capabilities to detect in real-time the sharing of child sexual abuse material on the internet, including material referred to in Federal law as "child pornography."  Overcoming these challenges would allow law enforcement officials to more efficiently identify, protect, and rescue victims of online child sexual exploitation; investigate and prosecute alleged offenders; and eliminate the child sexual abuse material online.    Sec. 4.  Protecting Victims of Human Trafficking and Child Exploitation.   (a)  The Attorney General, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, and the Secretary of Homeland Security, and other heads of executive departments and agencies as appropriate, shall work together to enhance capabilities to locate children who are missing, including those who have run away from foster care and those previously in Federal custody, and are vulnerable to human trafficking and child exploitation.  In doing so, such heads of executive departments and agencies, shall, as appropriate, engage social media companies; the technology industry; State, local, tribal and territorial child welfare agencies; the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children; and law enforcement at all levels.     (b)  The Secretary of Health and Human Services, in consultation with the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, shall establish an internal working group to develop and incorporate practical strategies for State, local, and tribal governments, child welfare agencies, and faith-based and other community organizations to expand housing options for victims of human trafficking.     Sec. 5.  Preventing Human Trafficking and Child Exploitation Through Education Partnerships.   The Attorney General and the Secretary of Homeland Security, in coordination with the Secretary of Education, shall partner with State, local, and tribal law enforcement entities to fund human trafficking and child exploitation prevention programs for our Nation's youth in schools, consistent with applicable law and available appropriations.     Sec. 6.  General Provisions.   (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.                         DONALD J. TRUMP   THE WHITE HOUSE,     January 31, 2020.   ### The White House · 1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW · Washington, DC 20500-0003 · USA · 202-456-1111

West Wing Reads Crying Wolf on Impeachment

Crying Wolf on Impeachment “The impeachment trial of Donald J. Trump is coming down to one big question: Will Democrats, by crying wolf, drown out the more legitimate Republican cry of foul? ‘Foul’ has served as the GOP’s most powerful and honest argument from the first days of these impeachment maneuverings,” Kimberly Strassel writes in The Wall Street Journal. “Democrats broke every standard of due process, transparency and fairness in their House investigation, making a mockery of their constitutional duty.” “They hid the identity of the original accuser, denying Republicans and the country the ability to judge his motives.”   “They held secret depositions, barring more than three-quarters of House members, as well as the press and the American public.”   “They called 18 witnesses, but blocked the president from calling any in his defense.”   “The White House legal team was excluded from the proceedings—prohibited from cross-examining witnesses, denied the ability to introduce any evidence that spoke to the central question of the president’s focus on Ukrainian corruption.” The kicker: In the end, “Democrats approved two articles of impeachment that failed to identify a crime.” Click here to read more. “President Donald Trump will propose a $42 million budget increase in February to expand support for victims of human trafficking and to boost investigations and prosecutions.” The funding is part of a push by Ivanka Trump to bring more attention to the illegal trade, Michael Wilner reports for McClatchy DC. “After joining the administration, one of the first assignments I was given by President Trump was to develop a plan to resolve the decades-old Israel-Palestinian conflict. I am pleased to say that, after three years of work, we have made a breakthrough,” Senior Advisor to the President Jared Kushner writes for CNN. “Democrats have accused President Donald Trump of using the government to go after his political opponents, yet they are doing the very same thing right now on the floor of the U.S. Senate. They have wrongly weaponized the U.S. Constitution in order to go after their political opponent, President Trump. Does their hypocrisy have no shame?” Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) and Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) write for Fox News.

The White House · 1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW · Washington, DC 20500 · USA · 202-456-1111

REMARKS BY PRESIDENT TRUMP AT A USMCA CELEBRATION WITH AMERICAN WORKERS

Office of the Press Secretary FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 30, 2020 REMARKS BY PRESIDENT TRUMP AT A USMCA CELEBRATION WITH AMERICAN WORKERS Dana Incorporated Warren, Michigan   4:12 P.M. EST      THE PRESIDENT:  Okay, let's get back to work.  Come on.  (Applause.)  I love that song, but every once in a while, we have to get back to work.  (Laughter.)      So I am very honored to be at Dana Incorporated, a tremendous company, a plant in Warren, Michigan.  We're very proud of Michigan.  (Applause.)  Dana has been around -- I also like it because we happened to win here, so I was very happy with that.  (Applause.)  Very happy with that.      But you've been around -- 116 years of brilliant American craftsmanship.  And that's what it is.  I just took a tour with some of your leadership, some of your great people, some of the workers that do such an incredible job.  And it's unbelievable to see what you do.      I will say that we just ended a nightmare known as NAFTA.  (Applause.)  They took our -- they took our jobs for a long time.  They took it for a long time.  And we now have a brand-new U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement.  It's a whole different ballgame, and it's going to be great for this plant.  It's going to be incredible for Michigan and for every place else in our country.      The USMCA is the fairest, most balanced, and beneficial trade agreement we have ever signed into law.  It's the best agreement we've ever made, and we have others coming.  And, by the way, the China deal, two weeks ago, was just signed.  And that's going to bring $250 billion into our country.  (Applause.)  One after another.      But we're bringing your jobs back to America.  Jobs are coming back, and they're coming back fast, and they're coming right here to Michigan.  They are coming rapidly.  You see what's going on.  (Applause.)      We're very grateful to be joined with -- some special people came today: Ambassador Robert Lighthizer.  Where's Bob?  What a job you've done.  (Applause.)  What a job.  He did this deal.  He did China.  He did Japan.  They all worked together.  But fantastic job.  He worked night and day to complete this outstanding agreement.      And, Bob, I just want to tell you, on behalf of our country, we thank you very much.  Thank you very much.  (Applause.)      And with us also, we have some of our people that have been just incredible.  They're warriors.  I call them warriors.  We won 196 to nothing on a little vote a couple of weeks ago.  (Applause.)  You know, you do all these great deals.  Everybody says, "Thank you, sir.  This has never happened."  Everybody said, "It's impossible to do.  It'll never, never take place," trade deals like this.  And then we've built our military, we've cut taxes.  We've taken care of regulations, cut more than any other President in the history of our country.  And we did that in three years instead of eight years, or in one case, more.  (Applause.)  And we protect our Second Amendment.  We protect our Second Amendment.  (Applause.)      So we've done all these things.  And, remember, the tax cut was the biggest tax cut in the history of our country.  And what do they do?  They impeach you.      AUDIENCE:  Booo --      THE PRESIDENT:  Explain.  Explain that one.      But we have great Republicans out there, and they don’t like it any better than you do.  Very partisan situation.  A disgrace.  It's, frankly, a disgrace to our country.      But there has been -- no administration has done what we've done in the first three years of an administration.  No administration.  (Applause.)  And we're very proud of it.      But I want to thank Tim Walberg.  Where are you guys?  Are you all around here someplace?  Tim.  Fantastic job.  Bill Huizenga.  John Moolenaar.  John Moolenaar.  Jack Bergman.  Jack.  Thank you, Jack.  And Paul Mitchell.  Thank you very much, Paul.  (Applause.)  These are your congressmen.  They've been fantastic.  You have a lot of your other leaders here, and leaders in Michigan.  These are members of our incredible Representative House.      And I want to say that -- you know, I used the term "warrior" -- very, very not easily, but they are warriors.  We've had a lot of warriors, wouldn’t you say?  I'd say we had 196 warriors.  (Applause.)  And we had a zero.  So, 196 to nothing.  And we actually had three Democrats join them.  That was pretty good, wasn’t it?  Huh?  And one actually left the party and joined the Republican Party.  (Applause.)  Jeff Van Drew.      But I said to them, "I know you have a wonderful Iraqi Christian community in Michigan."  Do you know about that?  Yes?  You know about that?  I hear they're wonderful.      And the congressmen were telling me on the plane how rough it's been for them.  It's been a very tough time for a lot of Christians all over the world.  All over the world, it's been very tough.  The Chaldeans -- you know the Chaldeans, right?  We have some Chaldeans that are working here.  (Applause.)  And we talked about it long and hard on the flight in, and we're going to make sure that we do everything we can to keep people who have been good to this country out of harm's way.  And when I get back, we're going to give those who need it an extension to stay in our country.  And so we're going to be extending them.  (Applause.)  And lot of people in Michigan have been asking for that.  So we'll work with that when we get back to your great congressmen.  Thank you very much, fellas.      Michigan is a steward of one of our nation's most treasured resources, the incredible Great Lakes.  Anybody hear of the Great Lakes?  Huh?  (Applause.)  Think so.  And I told the members who are here with me that we are going to work together to protect the Great Lakes from Asian carp -- who would have thought that was going to happen? -- and other invasive species.  And it really is; it's become a big problem.  And we're working on it very strongly.  The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers already has a plan, and we are going to get this done and ready to go.  It's going to be very quick.  We're going to do very quick.  It's not easy.  But we have all of the top technology, and we're going to take care of it, just like I made the promise -- and that promise where so much has already been done.      I also made a promise to you, not so long ago, right here in Michigan -- and it had to with Soo Locks.  Soo Locks.  (Applause.)  So I came here, I heard about the problem.  They had been working on the problem since 1980.  1980.  Nothing was done.  It was getting -- it was rotting away.  The locks were rotting away.  It was all talk and no action.  And I was being told, "It's never going to happen, sir.  Too much money.  It's just not going to happen."  And they all said, "Leave it to the next President to do."  But I said, "But I am the next President."  And that's -- (applause).  It's a big deal.      And now, as your congressmen can tell you -- and they worked so hard on it -- all of the funding has been fully -- fully approved.  Right?  Fully.  (Applause.)  Done.  I signed.  You think it's easy getting $922 million out of Congress?  Not easy.  (Laughter.)  But this had to be done.      You know, we're talking about 11 million jobs, indirectly, all over.  Those locks serve 11 million jobs.  Some people think as many as 18 million jobs.      So, Soo Locks, we're going to be starting that in a matter of a couple of months.  And we're going to have it all set.  We got our maximum funding, and we have the maximum design.  And it's going to be good for another hundred years, they say.  So we're going to get it done.  Okay?  (Applause.)      Also, I know everybody here in Michigan supports our great armed forces as much as any place -- Michigan.  And that's why we're giving strong consideration to deploying some of our mighty F-35s to Selfridge Air National Guard Base.  (Applause.)  And you know what that means, right?  You know what that means.  That's a big deal.      So, Selfridge, you're going to see a lot of very fast planes.  Actually, they're totally stealth, so maybe you won't see them come in.  (Laughter.)  Okay?  You won't see them come in, but they're coming in.      These members and your congressmen -- I mean, your congressmen, as members, have worked so hard for this state.  They support all of the great jobs here at Dana.  Dana Incorporated employs more than 1,500 people.  And it's having one of the best years they've ever had.      And the hardworking men and women right here in Warren make the axles, drive shafts, and assemblies of some of the world's toughest vehicles.  And, proudly, they bear that glorious phrase -- and I like that when they put it on.  You know, a few years ago, they weren't using that phrase very much anymore.  It's called: "Made in the USA."  "Made in the USA."  (Applause.)     So to the workers of Dana who helped invent the iconic U.S. Army Jeep -- still doing incredibly well; actually having a record year.  Jeep is having a record year, and you have so much to do with it.  That's pretty good.  You helped invent it.  I like that.  I hope you're being properly compensated for that.  (Laughter.)  Because that sucker is doing well.  But I just want to congratulate you.  1941, it came about.  1941.  That's something really special.      For many years, Washington betrayed workers like you with trade deals that were rigged to benefit foreign countries and the lobbyists.      Since NAFTA was signed, the United States lost one in four manufacturing jobs.  The state of Michigan alone lost nearly 200,000 -- think of that -- manufacturing jobs and nearly half of its vehicle manufacturing jobs.  They left.  They went to Mexico, they went to Canada, they went to many other places.      In the last 16 years before my election, 60,000 plants and factories closed throughout the United States.  Can you imagine that?  Sixty thousand.  It's not even possible.  And I know it's true because all of the fake news back there -- see all those cameras?  (Laughter.)      AUDIENCE:  Booo --      THE PRESIDENT:  If I say something that's even slightly off, it's a headline.      So I've been saying it for two years: Sixty thousand plants and factories closed.  NAFTA was the worst trade deal probably ever made by any country.  Couldn't have gotten any worse.  You saw it in Michigan as much as any place.  You lost your car companies.  In fact, I was honored, believe it or not.  About 10 years ago, I came to Michigan.  I was honored by a wonderful group.  I was the "Man of the Year."  And I made a speech and it was a little bit controversial.      And I didn't know too much about the car industry, but I did know that you were losing all your jobs.  They were leaving; they were going to other countries.  And I said, "How the hell do you let that happen?"  But we stopped it.  And this deal really stops it.  And now they're all coming back because they want to be where the action is.  And the action is in our country and in this state.  (Applause.)      So, for decades, politicians campaigned across Michigan, promising to do something about NAFTA.  You heard it.  You folks heard it all the time, right?  "Well, we're going to do something about it."  They never did anything about it.  I did.  Probably the biggest reason that I ran for office.  How did I do, by the way?  Okay?  Because I never did it before.  (Applause.)  I never did it before.  But I do as well as you do.  Look, I'm your spokesman, I'm your -- I'm somebody that represents you.      And we had a turnout in 2016, the likes of which nobody has ever seen before.  This has never happened.  You know, some politicians became really famous because they came in first or second or third in one state.  Like, they did well in New Hampshire, or they did well in Iowa, or they did well here.  But we did well in 32 states.  We did actually well in almost all of the states.      But we had a tremendous landslide, Electoral College victory, like people haven't seen in a long time.  And it's a great honor.  And when this state came out and -- you know, they said, "Don't bother with Michigan.  You're never going to win.  As a Republican, you're not going to win."  I said, "Why wouldn't I win when they're losing all their jobs, when all their companies are moving out?  Why wouldn't I win?"      And then I came -- my last speech was in Grand Rapids.  And I made -- anybody there?  (Applause.)  Yeah?  Right?  Remember that?  And the reason -- it wasn't scheduled, remember?  It wasn't scheduled.  And they say, "Sir, I came from New Hampshire…"  And I thought I was finished.  They say, "Sir, your opponent is heading to Michigan."  And that wasn't scheduled either.  But what did that mean to me?  That meant that she had problems.  And she was heading there with Bill Clinton, with Barack Hussein Obama, and with a couple of other people, all of her staff, and for some reason they were going to Michigan.  And I said, "That means they must be in trouble in Michigan."  They said, "Sir, will you go and make one final speech in Grand Rapids?"      And so, on no notice, we had 32,000 people show up.  (Applause.)  Right?  You remember.  We had 32,000 people show up and --      AUDIENCE MEMBER:  Four more years!      THE PRESIDENT:  (Laughs.)      AUDIENCE:  Four more years!  Four more years!  Four more years!      THE PRESIDENT:  No, we had -- so we gave no notice.  And we just showed up with 32,000 people.  And Hillary -- Crooked Hillary, as I call her -- she had a small gathering of about 400 people.  (Laughter.)  I said, "So…" -- in a location that was an easier location.  So I said, "Explain to me, why are we going to lose?"  And we didn't.  We won.  (Applause.)      And we're going to win it -- and this should be better.  This time should be easier because we've really produced.  And I hear we're doing very well in the polls or whatever.  But we should do better because we produced far greater than I said we were going to produce.  I mean, you all see the car companies coming in.  So it's been really incredible.      But, for decades, politicians, they campaigned all across Michigan, promising to do something about NAFTA -- and I call it the "NAFTA disaster" -- only to get elected and do absolutely nothing.  They'd take your vote and then they'd go to Washington.  And whether it was two years or four years, they'd go to Washington and they'd look at the beautiful columns, and they'd become intimidated by the marble and the beauty and the power.  And they wouldn't even want to come back.  And I came back -- because we have a lot to do.  We're going to get a lot more car companies moving in.  We have a lot more companies moving in.  We're producing jobs like you have never seen before in this country.  We're producing jobs like you have never seen before.      So I just want to say that I've kept my promise -- and not only my promise in loving the people of Michigan and all over the country, but my promise of taking care of it so that other countries aren't ripping us off.  They were ripping us off.  You wouldn't believe what was happening.  (Applause.)  I guess you would.      And I think that a lot of our leaders and our politicians from past should be ashamed of themselves for what they allowed to happen.  If you look, Mexico took 32 percent of our car business -- think of it -- in a fairly short period of time.  Thirty-two percent of our car business.  But now we have a deal with Mexico, we have a deal with Canada.  That's a whole different ballgame.  So it's good.  (Applause.)      The USMCA will substantially boost exports for American dairy farmers -- also very, very big.  (Applause.)      AUDIENCE MEMBER:  Hey, hey!      THE PRESIDENT:  (Laughs.)  You've got a dairy farmer in this plant.  (Laughter.)      All of the ranchers, the manufacturers, textile makers, energy workers.  For those in small business or with farms, small farms, no estate tax.  So now you can leave your business, your farms; you can leave them to your heirs, if you like them.  If you don't like them, you don't have to bother.  Then there's not a big saving.  (Laughter.)  But they won't have to go and mortgage it to the hilt so they can pay the taxes because mom and dad loved me.  "Mom and dad left me that farm" or "Mom and dad left me that small business," right?  (Applause.)      So if you love your children, it's great.  If you don't love your children, eh, we did a lot of other things for you too, right?  (Laughter.)  Right, Matt?      The USMCA is an especially big win for American auto workers.  And we will create up to 80,000 -- minimum -- 80,000 -- probably about 120,000 -- new jobs.  And that's something that you haven't seen.  But over the last couple of years, you've been seeing what's happening.  It's coming back.  It's all coming back.      Under NAFTA, foreign companies manufactured many parts overseas, sent them to Mexico and Canada for assembly, and then shipped them.  And, you know, they were foreign-made cars.  And all across our borders, they were tax-free.  So they'd make the part and they'd send them across our borders tax-free.  And they'd make them with their labor, not your labor.  I want them made with your labor.  And that's been the biggest part of our agreement.  (Applause.)      So not anymore.  And that's not happening anymore.      The USMCA closes these terrible, unfair loopholes by requiring at least 75 percent of every car under the deal -- which is all -- to be made in North America.  It has to be made in North America.  And most importantly, we have strong new provisions to ensure American workers are being hired to do the job.  We want to hire American workers to do the job.  (Applause.)      Over the next five years, the USMCA is projected to increase purchases of American auto parts by $23 billion a year, and automotive investment by at least $34 billion.  And it's the very first trade agreement in decades endorsed by American labor.  We even had -- the unions endorsed this, the labor endorsed it.  We had tremendous support all down the line: farmers, manufacturers, labor unions.  This is a great deal and a brilliantly drawn-out deal.      And, Jared, thank you very much.  And, Peter Navarro, thank you.  (Applause.)  And, Joe and everybody, thank you all.  Thank you all.  Thank you.  (Applause.)  What a group of people we had.      Fiat Chrysler is already investing $4.5 billion.  Anybody here with Fiat Chrysler?  Thank them very much.  $4.5 billion.  (Applause.)  It's peanuts.  It's peanuts.  And creating 6,500 new jobs in Michigan, very quickly, and opening up the first new Detroit plant in over 30 years.  That's a big difference.  (Applause.)      And Ford is putting up $1.5 billion and creating 3,000 new jobs.  So that's Ford.  Thank you, Ford.  Anybody from Ford here?  (Applause.)  Good.  Three thousand new jobs.  While General Motors is investing $2.2 billion and creating 2,200 new jobs in Michigan.  Two thousand two-hundred.  Anybody from General Motors?  (Applause.)  Okay?  Thank you.  We're going to get that up.  (Applause.)  That's good.  Thank you very much.       General Motors -- 2,200.  So, you're talking about 6,500, 3,000, 2,200 -- and that's just what they're doing right now.  They're going to be doing a lot more.  In addition to that, we have many foreign companies coming in because we're insisting that they build their cars in the United States, not in some faraway land.  (Applause.)      Dana Incorporated is the perfect place to honor the immortal legacy of the American worker.  And that's what it is -- it's an incredible legacy.      When the United States battled the forces of tyranny in the Second World War, the assembly line here was round-the-clock production, building more than one-quarter of all tanks made in America.  And now we have a very special place that builds tanks.  You know about that, right?  Does anybody know where I'm talking about?      AUDIENCE MEMBER:  Ohio!      THE PRESIDENT:  It's called "Lima."  Do you know one of the first things I did?  I was President-elect, and they told me they were closing a plant in Lima, Ohio.  I said, "What's the plant?"  "It makes tanks."  I said, "Really?  Where else do we make them?"  "That's it."  I said, "So if I want to build our military and we want tanks, what are we going to do?  Send over to China for them or something?"  (Laughter.)  They said no.      And I went to Lima, Ohio.  I went there.  And I looked at this incredible plant and the incredible workers and the detail.  I mean, these plants are -- these tanks are really complex machines now.  I mean, they were more complicated than any dashboard of any plane you've ever seen.  I couldn't believe it.  And the precision of the mechanics and the turrets and the -- they're perfect; they have to get it within one one-hundredth of an inch.  Everything has to be perfect.      I said, "You'll never be able to restart something like this."  So I turned down the closing of that plant, just by instinct.  And now we're making hundreds of tanks there a year.  We were making none.  We're making hundreds of tanks a year.  (Applause.)  And I don't think they ever could have started it up like here.  You can't start these places very easily.      But we produced a new fearsome and famous weapon, the mighty M-4 Sherman tank.  You know that.  Right here, we produced.  Right here, we produced that.  (Applause.)  For some reason, we don't make the tanks here anymore.  We're going to have to speak to Dana.  How about a little competition for Lima?  (Laughter.)      I better not say that.  Lima is going to get angry at me if I say that.      PARTICIPANT:  We have a plant in Lima.      THE PRESIDENT:  You have a plant in Lima?  Oh, you have it covered all the way.  (Laughter.)  They've got a Dana plant in Lima.      But Dana employs some amazing veterans, including production supervisor Devin Mallory.  Where's Devin?  Where's Devin?  (Applause.)  Get up here, Devin.  Come on.  Say a few words.  He served the U.S. Army -- two tours in Afghanistan.      Devin, come on up here.      MR. MALLORY:  Thank you, Mr. President.  Good afternoon.  My name is Devin Mallory from Owosso, Michigan.  (Applause.)      I decided to join the United States Army as an officer in 2010.  At that time, it was difficult to find a job in Michigan.  After serving two tours in Afghanistan, transitioning to civilian life was my top priority.  As our family grew, my wife and I decided we wanted to be closer to family.      I started looking for a job to make the move back to Michigan last year and was quickly able to find a position with Dana as a production supervisor.  (Applause.)      My wife and I are proud parents of two beautiful daughters.  I actually just returned to work yesterday after spending time with my wife and newborn daughter.  (Applause.)      I want to thank you, Mr. President.  I am glad that we have a growing economy in Michigan and a job where I can provide for my family.  I'm looking forward to the future possibilities with Dana.  Thank you.  (Applause.)      THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you, Devin.  Congratulations.      MR. MALLORY:  Thank you.      THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you, Devin.  Thank you, Devin.      AUDIENCE:  USA!  USA!  USA!      THE PRESIDENT:  There is -- there's a tremendous pride in our country that I see again.  And it was not going in the right direction.  I've never seen more spirit.      I was in New Jersey the other night to make a speech, and the crowds were records.  People -- I've never seen anything like it.  I'm now going to Iowa.  It's all over the news.  The crowds are like they've never seen before.      So there are things happening.  People are proud of our country again, and that's a great thing.  That's a great thing.  (Applause.)      Well, this surge in new investment means new opportunities for everyone.  Few people know that better than launch specialist Courtney French.  And, Courtney -- I'm going to ask her to come up and say a few words.  Incredible job.  Incredible job.      Thank you.  Courtney, come on up, please.  (Applause.)      MS. FRENCH:  My name is Courtney French, and I was born and raised in St. Clair County.  At age 19, I started at Dana as a temporary worker, unknowingly pregnant with my second set of twins.      My husband and I now have eight children.  So knowing that we have solid jobs to provide for our kids is really important.      Today, I'm a project launch specialist for Dana's St. Clair facility.  And over the last 15 years, I've been fortunate to have access to tuition reimbursement and many opportunities to further my career.      So now, more than ever, I'm excited that the USMCA will help even the playing field for American manufacturing while continuing to grow job opportunities here in Michigan, giving me confidence and steady work for the future.      Thank you.  (Applause.)      THE PRESIDENT:  Great job.  Great.  Thank you, Courtney, very much.      My administration is very pro-worker, to put it mildly.  Pro-American policies have reduced unemployment to its lowest level in more than 50 years, and we've created over 7 million new jobs, including over 100,000 brand-new jobs in Michigan.  (Applause.)      African American unemployment, Asian American unemployment, Hispanic American unemployment, is the lowest it's ever been in the history of our country.  (Applause.)      Real median household income is now at the highest level ever recorded.  That's a good one for you.  (Applause.)      You know, President Bush, in eight years, it was $450.  President Obama, in eight years, it was $975.  And President Trump, in less than three years -- because when the stats were taken, it was two and a half -- and including the tax cuts and regulation cuts, it's $10,000.  Think of that.  (Applause.)  That's tough to beat.  That's tough to beat, right?      Earnings for the bottom 10 percent are rising faster than earnings for the top 10 percent.  First time.  And we've lifted 2.5 million Americans out of poverty.  More Americans are working than ever before.      In everything we do, we're restoring Washington's allegiance to hardworking citizens, the people that I love.  I love -- I love the worker.  I love the worker.  Somehow we have this relationship.  They talk about it all the time.  "Why the hell do they like Trump?"  But they like me.  What can I tell you?      AUDIENCE MEMBER:  We love you!  (Laughter.)      THE PRESIDENT:  They like me.  (Applause.)      I guess some of those stats have something to do with it, right?  Because you've never seen --  but, you know, in the upcoming election, the last time, I talked about what we were going to do, but I didn't do it.  I talked about what we were going to do, but I hadn't done it because the election.      Then I get elected.  And as they will tell you -- the fake news; they will tell you -- even they will admit I did more than I even said I was going to do, by a lot.  So when we go into this next election, we've created all of these jobs.  All of these companies have come in.  We've created Space Force for the military.  I never said I was going to do Space Force.  (Applause.)      And we're reclaiming a very proud heritage as a manufacturing nation again.  Do you remember when the previous administration -- the head of the previous administration -- I won't mention names; I'm sure you'll never guess the name.  But said that you'd need a magic wand to create manufacturing jobs.  Well, we found the magic wand, because we're going to be hitting 750,000 manufacturing jobs in the not-too-distant future.  (Applause.)      Never made sense to me.  When they said, "No increase in manufacturing jobs, no manufacturing jobs.  Manufacturing jobs are disappearing" -- I used to say those are the best jobs.  Those are great people.  Those are unbelievably talented people.  You're very talented people.  (Applause.)  You're very talented people.      I said, "There's no way that's going to happen."  And that's why all of those companies are coming back.  We're taking them from other countries.  We're doing incredibly well.      We've taken in billions and billions of dollars from China.  Billions and billions of dollars from China.  And then they agreed to sign the agreement.  Now we're working very strongly with China on the coronavirus -- that's a new thing that a lot of people are talking about.  Hopefully it won't be as bad as some people think it could be.  But we're working very closely with them and with a lot of other people and a lot of other countries.  And we think we have it very well under control.      We have very little problem in this country at this moment -- five.  And those people are all recuperating successfully.  But we're working very closely with China and other countries, and we think it's going to have a very good ending for it.  So that I can assure you.      In the meantime, I just want to congratulate all of the people of Dana.  You have been just outstanding.  I followed your company.  As a person in the business world for a long time, I followed Dana and lots of other companies.  You've really done an outstanding job.  And it really is the great people.  Right now, the great people that work here -- those people that can do such precision brilliant work, you're the ones that are doing it, and you're the ones that our country and the people of our country has great respect for.      So I want to thank the state of Michigan.  I want to thank our great congressmen.  And I want to thank all of the workers and all of those people that are making all of that extra money that I've helped you with.  Making a hell of a lot of money.  If you want, you can give it back to the country or give it back to Dana.  (Applause.)  But I have a feeling you'll just keep it.  I say: Spend it wisely.      But I want to thank all of you because this has been really a special moment for me.  You know, coming back to Michigan after all Michigan has been through, after all that I talked about -- I talked about Michigan so much.  I talked about it.  "How can you let it happen?" as I said.  "How can you let it happen?"  And we've stopped it from happening.  They're all coming back to us.  (Applause.)      So, thank you very much.  Congratulations, Michigan, and congratulations to Dana.  Thank you very much.  (Applause.)  Thank you all.  Thank you, fellas.  Thank you.                                         END                4:45 P.M. EST     The White House · 1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW · Washington, DC 20500-0003 · USA · 202-456-1111

1600 Daily The White House • January 30, 2020 In Michigan, President Trump and Autoworkers Celebrate the End of NAFTA

The White House • January 30, 2020

In Michigan, President Trump and autoworkers celebrate the end of NAFTA President Trump flew to Michigan today, where he joined workers to celebrate the signing of his new U.S.–Mexico–Canada Agreement (USMCA) and the end of NAFTA. Dana Incorporated, where the President spoke, perfectly captures America’s blue-collar spirit. Based near Detroit, the company employs more than 1,500 workers that help assemble some of the toughest vehicles in the world. Dana Inc., for example, helped invent the iconic U.S. Army Jeep in 1941. This factory is the site of "116 years of brilliant American craftsmanship,” President Trump said. It’s businesses like Dana Inc. that will benefit tremendously from USMCA. "We just ended a nightmare known as NAFTA. They took our jobs for a long time,” the President said. USMCA is the fairest, most balanced, and beneficial trade agreement we have ever signed into law, he added. All told, some 60,000 U.S. plants and factories closed up shop in the 16 years before President Trump’s election. For years, politician after politician promised to fix NAFTA—only to reverse course once they got into office. While they did nothing, an astonishing one-quarter of our country’s manufacturing jobs moved elsewhere. Michigan knows that story all too well. Once the global hub for the auto industry, the state lost nearly half those jobs under NAFTA, and roughly 200,000 manufacturing jobs in total. With USMCA, old loopholes that pushed car-part manufacturing overseas are gone: Now, at least 75 percent of every vehicle must be made in North America. Over the next five years alone, USMCA is projected to boost purchases of U.S.-made auto parts by $23 billion annually while supporting $34 billion in new automotive manufacturing investments. That will help create 100,000 new jobs in this industry alone. The bottom line, says President Trump: “We are bringing your jobs back home to America—and back home to Michigan.” THE FACTS: How ending NAFTA delivers a historic win for American workers 5 of Democrats’ biggest impeachment whoppers The first partisan impeachment in U.S. history hasn’t been short on distractions, misleading statements, and even outright lies. The full list grows each day, but here are just a few standouts from the impeachment highlight reel: The falsehoods started from day one: Even now, Adam Schiff continues to lie about his team’s involvement with the “whistleblower.” His staff coordinated with the person before the complaint was ever even filed. That makes Rep. Schiff a fact witness to the case—not a neutral “investigator.”   Many Democrats have misled the public about their true motives: They’ve long wanted to impeach President Trump for solely political purposes. Here’s just one who slipped up and admitted it on camera.   Many times throughout this process, Schiff has misrepresented “evidence,” trying to pass off opinions and conjecture as actual proof.   Desperate times call for desperate measures: That was clear when Schiff recited a totally made-up version of President Trump’s phone call with President Zelenskyy.   Democrats lied about the urgency of impeachment, following the fastest impeachment in history with the longest delay in passing it to the Senate.    MORE: It is absolutely legitimate to ask questions about this. Photo of the Day President Trump boards Air Force One at Joint Base Andrews | January 30, 2020

The White House · 1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW · Washington, DC 20500 · USA · 202-456-1111