President Donald J. Trump Amends Florida Disaster Declaration

Office of the Press Secretary FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 10, 2019

President Donald J. Trump Amends Florida Disaster Declaration   Today, President Donald J. Trump made additional disaster assistance available to the State of Florida by authorizing an increase in the level of Federal funding for debris removal and emergency protective measures undertaken in the State of Florida as a result of Hurricane Michael. On October 14, 2018, President Trump authorized a 100 percent Federal cost share for debris removal and emergency protective measures, including direct Federal assistance, for a period of five days of the State of Florida’s choosing.          Under the President's order today, Federal funds for debris removal and emergency protective measures are authorized at 100 percent of the total eligible costs for a period of 45 days from Hurricane Michael’s landfall. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION MEDIA SHOULD CONTACT THE FEMA NEWS DESK AT (202) 646-3272 OR FEMA-NEWS-DESK@FEMA.DHS.GOV.

REMARKS BY PRESIDENT TRUMP DURING TOUR OF LEE COUNTY NEIGHBORHOOD

Office of the Press Secretary FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 9, 2019 REMARKS BY PRESIDENT TRUMP DURING TOUR OF LEE COUNTY NEIGHBORHOOD Lee Road 38 Opelika, Alabama     March 8, 2019   12:05 P.M. CST      Q    Mr. President, what did you see from the air?      THE PRESIDENT:  Well, I saw this.  It's hard to believe, actually.  And I guess the fact that we went very early helped; it helped a lot of people.  But we saw things that you wouldn't believe.  Here it is.  You saw the same thing.  Kathrine has done an incredible job and the Governor has done an incredible job, and we really appreciate it.  We really appreciate it.      GOVERNOR IVEY:  We thank you and the First Lady for taking time to come and show how important it is for people to work together and stand up together.  And when we do that together, we wind up being stronger together.  So you all are setting the bar pretty high, and we thank you for that.      THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you very much.  I appreciate it.      GOVERNOR IVEY:  Volunteer support has been impressive.  Over 1,200 folks have already volunteered from all over the state, and they'll continue.      THE PRESIDENT:  They've done an incredible job, but I want to thank FEMA -- all of our people from FEMA.  They've been very quick acting, Kathrine.      DIRECTOR CARSON:  We've had -- we have at least 200 here in Lee County, and they came to the EOC and they are willing to work and do anything they can for these people.  So we appreciate that very much.      But the support that we've had from the state and locals -- our local responders and the Sheriff has all been -- it's just unimaginable.  Director Brian Hastings has been with me the entire time. And, you know, one of the things -- you can't afford to staff enough people to manage something like this all the time, so it's sometimes difficult for a local EMA to grow big enough, fast enough.  And how you do it is through the governors telling them, "Do whatever you have to do."  And I got word early on from the Governor that you said, "Whatever they need, give it to them."  And that's how we grow it.      GOVERNOR IVEY:  Mr. President called me on Monday morning -- about 8:15 a.m., Alabama time -- and told us that you all were thinking about us and if there was anything that he could do.  And I said, "Well, as a matter of fact there is."  They're working with FEMA to -- well, to make that emergency disaster approval.  And you responded quite favorably.  And so FEMA has been right on top of things from day one.      DIRECTOR CARSON:  They have.      GOVERNOR IVEY:  And we are grateful.      THE PRESIDENT:  Let's go take a look.  Thank you, fellas.  Thank you.                                 END                 12:07 P.M. CST

Resolute Reads REAL NEWS PRESIDENT TRUMP DOESN'T WANT YOU TO MISS

REAL NEWS PRESIDENT TRUMP DOESN'T WANT YOU TO MISS Trump Visits 23 Crosses for Tornado Victims -The Daily Caller Yesterday, President Donald J. Trump and First Lady Melania Trump honored the victims who were killed in Alabama after tornadoes ravaged the area last weekend, Katie Jerkovich reports. “During the trip, the president and first lady stopped by a row of crosses outside the Providence Baptist Church in Opelika that had been set up in honor of the 23 people who were killed in the storm. The two stood quietly together and held hands in front of each cross.” Watch: The President and First Lady visit Alabama Yeah, This Looks Like a Border Crisis -New York Post “More than 76,000 migrants crossed the southern border illegally last month, the highest number in 12 years. So much for all those media ‘fact checks’ arguing that there’s no emergency to justify President Trump’s wall,” the New York Post editorial board writes. “Smugglers have put [migrants] wise to how to take advantage of recent court decisions to claim asylum and remain here indefinitely.” ‘You Have to Pay With Your Body’: The Hidden Nightmare of Sexual Violence on the Border -The New York Times “On America’s southern border, migrant women and girls are the victims of sexual assaults that most often go unreported, uninvestigated and unprosecuted,” Manny Fernandez reports. “The stories are many, and yet all too similar. Undocumented women making their way into American border towns have been beaten for disobeying smugglers, impregnated by strangers, coerced into prostitution, shackled to beds and trees and — in at least a handful of cases — bound with duct tape, rope or handcuffs.” A Hot US Job Market is Coaxing People in from the Sidelines -The Associated Press “A surprisingly strong burst of job growth over the past year has led many economists to wonder: Where are all the workers coming from?” Christopher Rugaber writes. “The pace of hiring in 2018 was the most robust in three years, and for a surprising reason: Many more people have decided to look for work than experts had expected.” New this week: Wage growth is the fastest it’s been since 2009 White House Presses Businesses to Reshape Training Efforts -The Wall Street Journal This week, President Trump hosted the first meeting of the American Workforce Policy Advisory Board, a group that includes Apple CEO Tim Cook and Lockheed Martin CEO Marillyn Hewson. “Ivanka Trump, the president’s daughter and adviser, is co-chair of the board, which aims to develop plans for how U.S. employers and the government can better train workers,” Eric Morath and Rebecca Ballhaus write. 90 Percent of Big Manufacturers High on Trump Economy, Set 4.4 Percent Growth Target -Washington Examiner “The nation’s top manufacturers have for the ninth consecutive quarter given the Trump economy a thumbs up, setting record industry optimism of the economy and predicting positive growth unseen during the Obama administration,” Paul Bedard reports. “The past nine quarters . . . have seen record optimism, with an average of 91.8 percent of manufacturers positive about their own firm, compared to an average of 68.6 percent during the last two years of the Obama administration.” Small Business Hiring Breaks Record -The Wall Street Journal “The great American jobs machine is still roaring,” James Freeman writes. One piece of evidence: a historic February hiring binge by U.S. small businesses. According to the latest employment report from the National Federation of Independent Business, small business job creation broke a 45-year record last month. First Lady Visits Microsoft to Discuss Online Safety For Kids -The Seattle Times On Monday, First Lady Melania Trump visited Microsoft in Washington state to learn about the company’s work on accessibility and online safety for children, Paul Roberts reports. The software giant “was the second stop in a three-city tour to promote the first lady’s ‘Be Best’ initiative, which is calling attention to child well-being, online safety and anti-bullying efforts and opioid abuse.” Nadler’s ‘Obstruction’ Quest -The Wall Street Journal “Democrats seem hell-bent on impeaching Mr. Trump, and most of the media will be cheering them on,” The Wall Street Journal editorial board writes. House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler’s (D-NY) subpoena swarm is meant “to turn the President’s exercise of his normal constitutional powers into impeachable offenses.”

Office of the Press Secretary: Photos of the Week Monday, March 4, 2019

Office of the Press Secretary FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 8, 2019 Photos of the Week Monday, March 4, 2019   President Donald J. Trump welcomes the 2018 FCS Division I Football National Champions the North Dakota State Bison Monday, March 4, 2019, in the State Dining Room of the White House. (Official White House Photo by Tia Dufour)        President Donald J. Trump welcomes the 2018 FCS Division I Football National Champions the North Dakota State Bison Monday, March 4, 2019, in the State Dining Room of the White House. (Official White House Photo by Tia Dufour)       President Donald J. Trump is applauded after siging an executive order “Supporting the Transition of Active Duty Service Members and Military Veterans into the Merchant Marines” Monday, March 4, 2019, in the Oval Office of the White House. (Official White House Photo by Shealah Craighead)      President Donald J. Trump delivers remarks to the National Association of Attorneys General Monday, March 4, 2019, in the State Dining Room of the White House. (Official White House Photo by Tia Dufour)       First Lady Melania Trump participates in a discussion on online safety and the First Lady’s BE BEST initiative Monday, March 4, 2019, at the Microsoft Executive Briefing Center in Redmond, Wash. From left, Brad Smith, President of Microsoft, and Amy Hood, Microsoft Chief Financial Officer. (Official White House Photo by Andrea Hanks       First Lady Melania Trump participates in classroom activities with Ms. Tetsuko Yagami’s Pre-K elementary class Monday, March 4, 2019, at the Dove School of Discovery Elementary School in Tulsa, Okla. (Official White House Photo by Andrea Hanks)       First Lady Melania Trump waves as she prepares to board Bright Star at Joint Base Andrews, Md. Monday, March 4, 2019, en route to Tulsa International Airport in Tulsa, Okla. (Official White House Photo by Andrea Hanks)      Tuesday, March 5, 2019 President Donald J. Trump signs an executive order entitiled, “National Roadmap to Empower Veterans and End Suicide" and launched the "PREVENTS" Initiative Tuesday, March 5, 2019, in the Roosevelt Room of the White House. (Official White House Photo by Joyce N. Boghosian)      First Lady Melania Trump participates in a discussion with panel moderator Eric Bolling during an Opioid Town Hall Tuesday, March 5, 2019, at the Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino in Las Vegas. (Official White House Photo by Andrea Hanks)       Vice President Mike Pence delivers remarks during the National Association of Manufacturers Board of Directors Meeting Tuesday, March 5, 2019, at The Phoenician Resort in Scottsdale, Ariz. (Official White House Photo by D. Myles Cullen)       Vice President Mike Pence discusses confiscated drugs with Doug Coleman, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) special agent in charge for Arizona, and Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey Tuesday, March 5, 2019, at a DEA warehouse in Phoenix, Ariz. (Official White House Photo by D. Myles Cullen)       Wednesday, March 6, 2019 President Donald J. Trump welcomes the Boys and Girls Club of America 2018 Youth of the Year and National Military Youth of the Year Wednesday, March 6, 2019, to the Oval Office of the White House. (Official White House Photo by Joyce N. Boghosian)      President Donald J. Trump meets with Danny Burch, United States citizen who was held hostage for a year and a half in Yemen, and his family members Wednesday, March 6, 2019, in the Oval Office of the White House. (Official White House Photo by Joyce N. Boghosian)      Vice President Mike Pence and NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine pose for a photo during a live teleconference with astronauts, Canadian Space Agency astronaut David Saint-Jacques and NASA Astronaut Anne McClain, aboard the International Space Station Wednesday, March 6, 2019, at NASA Headquarters in Washington, D.C.  (Official White House Photo by Tia Dufour)       Thursday, March 7, 2019 President Donald J. Trump and First Lady Melania Trump wait for the arrival of the Prime Minister of the Czech Republic Andrej Babis and his wife Mrs. Monika Babisova Thursday, March 7, 2019, at the South Portico of the White House. (Official White House Photo by Andrea Hanks)       President Donald J. Trump meets with the Prime Minister of the Czech Republic Andrej Babis Thursday, March 7, 2019, in the Oval Office of the White House. (Official White House Photo by Shealah Craighead)      First Lady Melania Trump, joined by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, presents the International Women of Courage award to Razia Sultana of Bangladesh Thursday, March 7, 2019, at the State Department in Washington, D.C. (Official White House Photo by Andrea Hanks)       Friday, March 8, 2019 President Donald J. Trump meets with residents Friday, March 8, 2019, affected by a tornado that touched down Sunday in a Lee County, Ala. neighborhood. (Official White House Photo by Shealah Craighead)       Residents stand along the road to watch President Donald J. Trump’s motorcade Friday, March 8, 2019, as he surveys the tornado damage to neighborhoods in Lee County, Ala. (Official White House Photo by Shealah Craighead)       ###

REMARKS BY PRESIDENT TRUMP IN A VISIT TO A DISASTER RELIEF CENTER Providence Baptist Church Annex Building Opelika, Alabama

Office of the Press Secretary FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 8, 2019 REMARKS BY PRESIDENT TRUMP IN A VISIT TO A DISASTER RELIEF CENTER Providence Baptist Church Annex Building Opelika, Alabama     12:58 P.M. CST      THE PRESIDENT:  I just want to thank everybody.  It's been an incredible ordeal, what you've gone through.  The first responders have been -- so many first responders right here, and you've been incredible.  Law enforcement has been incredible.  And, frankly, you didn't need law enforcement, but they've done it so great.  They all just chipped in and helped everybody.  It's love.  It's great love.      Your governor is here with us, your senators are here right now with us, and Secretary Nielsen -- and we've just said the A-plus job.  We're going to take care of -- FEMA is here and doing an incredible job.  I think you know that.  And we said we're going to just lay it out.  These are incredible people.      We just met some of the survivors and family members, and what they've been through is incredible.  One woman lost 10 people in her family, and -- an incredible woman.  And she -- I said, "How -- how did it go?"  She said, "I lost 10.  Ten people."  And a couple of others lost two and three.  I've never seen anything like it.      I just want to thank you.  On behalf of the First Lady and myself, I want to thank you for the job you do.  You're incredible people.  We couldn't get here fast enough.  I wanted to come the day it happened, but I spoke with the Governor, and she said, "Just give us a little more time.  We need a little more time."      And already, the job is really great -- the job you've done.  So thank you very much.  FEMA is laying it out.  They're all here.  They're all heart.  A lot of folks coming in.  A lot of folks coming in.  And so, Secretary, I want to thank you for a great job, and thank all of the folks at FEMA.  And tell them to stay as long as they have to stay, whatever it is.      Also a lot of the folks get aid, and we're providing all of the aid.  So you'll see the FEMA people; let them know as soon as you can so they know that, because a lot of people don't know that.  And they really need aid, in this case.         And, again, we love you all.  We thank you all.  We love the state of Alabama.  Georgia got hit a little bit, and we're going to be talking about that later.  We met the Governor; we met with Brian a little while ago.  He's very engaged, I can tell you that.      Thank you very much everybody on behalf of the country and on behalf of the United States.  We want to thank you very much.  (Applause.)                                 END                 1:00 P.M. CST

Statement by the Press Secretary on the Visit of President Jair Bolsonaro of Brazil

Office of the Press Secretary FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 8, 2019  Statement by the Press Secretary on the Visit of President Jair Bolsonaro of Brazil   President Donald J. Trump will welcome President Jair Bolsonaro of Brazil to the White House on Tuesday, March 19, 2019.  President Trump and President Bolsonaro will discuss how to build a more prosperous, secure, and democratic Western Hemisphere.  The leaders of the Hemisphere’s two largest economies will also discuss opportunities for defense cooperation, pro-growth trade policies, combatting transnational crime, and restoring democracy in Venezuela.  Finally, they will talk about the major role that the United States and Brazil are playing in the effort to provide humanitarian assistance to Venezuela.  ###

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

Office of the Press Secretary FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 8, 2019 President Donald J. Trump Announces Intent to Nominate Personnel to Key Administration Posts   Today, President Donald J. Trump announced his intent to nominate the following individuals to key positions in his Administration: Jennifer D. Nordquist of Virginia, to be the Executive Director of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development for a term of two years. Ms. Nordquist currently serves as Chief of Staff at the Council of Economic Advisers in the Executive Office of the President, a position she has held since June 2017.  Previously, she was Chief of Staff for the Economic Studies program at the Brookings Institution.  She has also served as Assistant Secretary (delegated authority) at the Department of Housing and Urban Development, Senior Advisor in the Office of the Federal Coordinator for Gulf Coast Rebuilding, Deputy Chief of Staff at the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, and Deputy Assistant Secretary at the Department of Education.  Ms. Nordquist holds a B.A. from Stanford University and M.S.J. from Northwestern University. John Linder of Georgia, to be the Representative of the United States of America to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, with the rank and status of Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary. Representative Linder was a nine-term United States Representative from Georgia, serving in Congress from 1993 to 2011.  He spent eight years on the Rules Committee and was a member of the Ways and Means Committee, serving as the Ranking Member on the Subcommittee on Income and Family Security.  He also was a member of the House Committee on Homeland Security, where he chaired the Subcommittee on Prevention of Nuclear and Biological Attack.  As a small business owner, he led Linder Financial Corporation from 1977 to 1995.  Earlier, Representative Linder served in the United States Air Force as a dental officer before opening a private dental practice in Atlanta.  He received a B.S. from the University of Minnesota, Duluth, and D.D.S. from the University of Minnesota School of Dentistry. John McLeod Barger of California, to be a Member of the Board of Governors of the United States Postal Service, for the remainder of a seven-year term expiring December 8, 2021. David Bernhardt of Virginia, to be Secretary of the Interior. Mr. Bernhardt currently serves as Acting Secretary and Deputy Secretary of the Interior.  He has served at the Department of the Interior for nearly a decade in various leadership roles.  The Senate has previously confirmed Mr. Bernhardt twice to serve at the Interior – in 2017 as Deputy Secretary and in 2006 as Solicitor.  Mr. Bernhardt also served as United States Commissioner for the International Boundary Commission between the United States and Canada.  Early in his career, Mr. Bernhardt worked in the Office of Congressman Scott McInnis from Colorado.  He is an avid sportsman who served as a board member for the Virginia Board of Game and Inland Fisheries.  ###

TEXT OF A LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT TO THE CHAIRWOMAN OF THE HOUSE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS AND THE CHAIRMAN OF THE HOUSE COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS, AND THE CHAIRMEN OF THE SENATE COMMITTEES ON APPROPRIATIONS AND FOREIGN RELATIONS

Office of the Press Secretary FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 8, 2019 TEXT OF A LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT TO THE CHAIRWOMAN OF THE HOUSE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS AND THE CHAIRMAN OF THE HOUSE COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS, AND THE CHAIRMEN OF THE SENATE COMMITTEES ON APPROPRIATIONS AND FOREIGN RELATIONS March 8, 2019   Dear Mr. Chairman:  (Dear Madam Chairwoman:) In accordance with section 1462 of the Better Utilization of Investments Leading to Development Act of 2018 (Division F, Public Law 115-254) (the "Act"), I submit the enclosed Reorganization Plan for the United States International Development Finance Corporation (the "Plan").  The Plan provides information concerning the elements identified in section 1462(b) of the Act, which may be modified consistent with section 1462(d) of the Act.                                Sincerely,                              DONALD J. TRUMP

President Donald J. Trump Announces Judicial Nominees

Office of the Press Secretary FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 8, 2019

President Donald J. Trump Announces Judicial Nominees   Today, President Donald J. Trump announced his intent to nominate judicial nominees as follows:   Michael S. Bogren of Michigan, to serve as District Judge on the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan.  Michael Bogren is Chairman of Plunkett Cooney P.C.’s Board of Directors and the Managing Partner in the firm’s Kalamazoo, Michigan, office.  His practice focuses on representing municipalities in both Federal and State courts, including First Amendment, zoning, and employment matters.  He also serves as village attorney for the Village of Hopkins, Michigan.  Mr. Bogren received his J.D., cum laude, from the University of Detroit School of Law and his B.A., cum laude, from Western Michigan University. Jeffrey Vincent Brown of Texas, to serve as District Judge on the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas.  Jeffrey Brown is a Justice on the Supreme Court of Texas, where he has served since 2013.  Before joining the Supreme Court of Texas, he served as a justice on Texas’ Fourteenth Court of Appeals and as a judge on the State’s 55th District Court.  Previously, Justice Brown was an attorney in private practice.  After graduating from law school, Justice Brown clerked for Justices Jack Tower and Greg Abbott of the Supreme Court of Texas.  Justice Brown received his J.D., magna cum laude, from the University of Houston Law Center, where he was an Editor on the Houston Law Review.  He received his B.A. from the University of Texas at Austin. Stephanie Dawkins Davis of Michigan, to serve as District Judge on the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan.  Stephanie Dawkins is a Magistrate Judge on the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan.  Before being selected as a Magistrate Judge in 2016, Judge Dawkins served 18 years as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Eastern District of Michigan, including as Executive Assistant U.S. Attorney and in the Controlled Substances Unit.  Before joining the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Judge Davis was an attorney in private practice.  Judge Dawkins received her J.D. from Washington University in St. Louis School of Law and her B.S. from Wichita State University. Brantley Starr of Texas, to serve as District Judge on the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas.  Brantley Starr is the Deputy First Assistant Attorney General of Texas.  In that capacity, he oversees nearly two dozen divisions of the Office of the Attorney General of Texas.  He previously served in a variety of positions in Texas State government, including as Deputy Attorney General for Legal Counsel, Assistant Solicitor General, Assistant Attorney General, and Staff Attorney to Supreme Court of Texas Justice Eva Guzman.  Early in his legal career, Mr. Starr clerked for Justice Don Willett of the Supreme Court of Texas.  Mr. Starr received his J.D. from the University of Texas School of Law and his B.A, summa cum laude, from Abilene Christian University.