Office of the Press Secretary FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 6, 2019

Statement from the Press Secretary on the Visit of His Excellency Klaus Iohannis, President of Romania   President Donald J. Trump will welcome President Klaus Iohannis of Romania to the White House on August 20, 2019. The two leaders will discuss how best to meet the many shared security challenges facing the United States and Romania and ways to advance fair and reciprocal trade and energy partnerships. The visit will occur as Romanians mark the 30th year since the fall of communism and the 15th year of Romania’s membership in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. The President looks forward to celebrating these important anniversaries with President Iohannis.

West Wing Reads President Trump Urges Nation to Condemn White Supremacy and Find Bipartisan Solutions

President Trump Urges Nation to Condemn White Supremacy and Find Bipartisan Solutions President Donald J. Trump called out the evil ideology of white supremacy yesterday and “urged the nation to condemn it with one voice in the wake of the mass shooting in El Paso, Texas,” Kathryn Watson reports for CBS News. “These sinister ideologies must be defeated. Hate has no place in America,” the President said from the White House. In addition to calling for bipartisan solutions to gun violence, President Trump “also directed the Justice Department to propose legislation, so that those who commit hate crimes and mass murders face the death penalty ‘quickly’ and ‘decisively,’” without years of delay. Click here to read more. “The Trump administration imposed a total economic embargo against the government of Venezuela, a significant escalation of pressure against the regime of President Nicolás Maduro and countries including Russia and China that continue to support him,” Vivian Salama reports for The Wall Street Journal. This powerful sanction is “the first action of its kind against a government in the Western Hemisphere in more than 30 years. The move places Venezuela on a par with North Korea, Iran, Syria and Cuba, the only other countries currently under such stringent U.S. measures.” The Treasury Department declared yesterday that it would designate China as a currency manipulator, following President Trump's announcement of new tariffs last week in response to China’s continuing broken promises on trade, Sean Higgins reports for the Washington Examiner. “The Chinese economy is crumbling,” White House National Economic Council Director Larry Kudlow said this morning. “Every single baby born in America deserves proper medical care and attention. That’s just common sense. Yet we continue to learn of cases — far too many — where babies are born alive during an attempted abortion, denied that crucial medical care, and left to die,” write Rep. Steve Scalise (R-LA) and Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of the pro-life Susan B. Anthony List, in Fox News.

EXECUTIVE ORDER - BLOCKING PROPERTY OF THE GOVERNMENT OF VENEZUELA

Office of the Press Secretary FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 5, 2019 EXECUTIVE ORDER - - - - - - - BLOCKING PROPERTY OF THE GOVERNMENT OF VENEZUELA       By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.) (IEEPA), the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.), section 212(f) of the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952 (8 U.S.C. 1182(f)), and section 301 of title 3, United States Code,     I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the United States of America, in order to take additional steps with respect to the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13692 of March 8, 2015 (Blocking Property and Suspending Entry of Certain Persons Contributing to the Situation in Venezuela), as amended, as relied upon for additional steps taken in subsequent Executive Orders, and in light of the continued usurpation of power by Nicolas Maduro and persons affiliated with him, as well as human rights abuses, including arbitrary or unlawful arrest and detention of Venezuelan citizens, interference with freedom of expression, including for members of the media, and ongoing attempts to undermine Interim President Juan Guaido and the Venezuelan National Assembly's exercise of legitimate authority in Venezuela, hereby order:     Section 1.  (a)  All property and interests in property of the Government of Venezuela that are in the United States, that hereafter come within the United States, or that are or hereafter come within the possession or control of any United States person are blocked and may not be transferred, paid, exported, withdrawn, or otherwise dealt in.     (b)  All property and interests in property that are in the United States, that hereafter come within the United States, or that are or hereafter come within the possession or control of any United States person of the following persons are blocked and may not be transferred, paid, exported, withdrawn, or otherwise dealt in:  any person determined by the Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Secretary of State:             (i)   to have materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of, any person included on the list of Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons maintained by the Office of Foreign Assets Control whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to this order; or             (ii)  to be owned or controlled by, or to have acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, any person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to this order.     (c)  The prohibitions in subsections (a)-(b) of this section apply except to the extent provided by statutes, or in regulations, orders, directives, or licenses that may be issued pursuant to this order, and notwithstanding any contract entered into or any license or permit granted prior to the effective date of this order.     Sec. 2.  The unrestricted immigrant and nonimmigrant entry into the United States of aliens determined to meet one or more of the criteria in section 1(b) of this order would be detrimental to the interests of the United States, and entry of such persons into the United States, as immigrants or nonimmigrants, is hereby suspended, except when the Secretary of State determines that the person's entry would not be contrary to the interests of the United States, including when the Secretary so determines, based on a recommendation of the Attorney General, that the person's entry would further important United States law enforcement objectives.  In exercising this responsibility, the Secretary of State shall consult the Secretary of Homeland Security on matters related to admissibility or inadmissibility within the authority of the Secretary of Homeland Security.  Such persons shall be treated in the same manner as persons covered by section 1 of Proclamation 8693 of July 24, 2011 (Suspension of Entry of Aliens Subject to United Nations Security Council Travel Bans and International Emergency Economic Powers Act Sanctions).  The Secretary of State shall have the responsibility for implementing this section pursuant to such conditions and procedures as the Secretary has established or may establish pursuant to Proclamation 8693.     Sec. 3.  The prohibitions in section 1 of this order include:     (a)  the making of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services by, to, or for the benefit of any person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to this order; and     (b)  the receipt of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services from any such person.     Sec. 4.  (a)  Any transaction that evades or avoids, has the purpose of evading or avoiding, causes a violation of, or attempts to violate any of the prohibitions set forth in this order is prohibited.     (b)  Any conspiracy formed to violate any of the prohibitions set forth in this order is prohibited.     Sec. 5.  Nothing in this order shall prohibit:     (a)  transactions for the conduct of the official business of the Federal Government by employees, grantees, or contractors thereof; or     (b)  transactions related to the provision of articles such as food, clothing, and medicine intended to be used to relieve human suffering.       Sec. 6.  For the purposes of this order:     (a)  the term "person" means an individual or entity;     (b)  the term "entity" means a partnership, association, trust, joint venture, corporation, group, subgroup, or other organization;     (c)  the term "United States person" means any United States citizen, permanent resident alien, entity organized under the laws of the United States or any jurisdiction within the United States (including foreign branches), or any person in the United States; and     (d)  the term "Government of Venezuela" includes the state and Government of Venezuela, any political subdivision, agency, or instrumentality thereof, including the Central Bank of Venezuela and Petroleos de Venezuela, S.A. (PdVSA), any person owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by the foregoing, and any person who has acted or purported to act directly or indirectly for or on behalf of, any of the foregoing, including as a member of the Maduro regime.  For the purposes of section 2 of this order, the term "Government of Venezuela" shall not include any United States citizen, any permanent resident alien of the United States, any alien lawfully admitted to the United States, or any alien holding a valid United States visa.     Sec. 7.  For those persons whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to this order who might have a constitutional presence in the United States, I find that because of the ability to transfer funds or other assets instantaneously, prior notice to such persons of measures to be taken pursuant to this order would render those measures ineffectual.  I therefore determine that for these measures to be effective in addressing the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13692, there need be no prior notice of a listing or determination made pursuant to section 1 of this order.     Sec. 8.  The Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Secretary of State, is hereby authorized to take such actions, including promulgating rules and regulations, and to employ all powers granted to the President by IEEPA as may be necessary to implement this order.  The Secretary of the Treasury may, consistent with applicable law, redelegate any of these functions within the Department of the Treasury.  All agencies of the United States Government shall take all appropriate measures within their authority to carry out the provisions of this order.     Sec. 9.  (a)  Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:             (i)   the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or             (ii)  the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.     (b)  This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.     (c)  This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.     Sec. 10.  This order is effective at 9:00 a.m. eastern daylight time on August 5, 2019.                         DONALD J. TRUMP   THE WHITE HOUSE,     August 5, 2019.

1600 Daily The White House • August 5, 2019 President Trump: ‘Hate Has No Place in America’

The White House • August 5, 2019 President Trump: ‘Hate has no place in America’ On Saturday morning, a wicked person opened fire on innocent families shopping at a Walmart store in El Paso, Texas. Precious children were among the victims. The following day, another act of evil took place on a crowded street in Dayton, Ohio. These two horrible incidents left more than 80 people killed or wounded. Earlier today, President Donald J. Trump addressed the nation from the White House:     The First Lady and I join all Americans in praying and grieving for the victims, their families, and the survivors. We will stand by their side forever. We will never forget. These barbaric slaughters are an assault upon our communities, an attack upon our nation, and a crime against all of humanity. We are outraged and sickened by this monstrous evil, the cruelty, the hatred, the malice, the bloodshed, and the terror. Our hearts are shattered for every family whose parents, children, husbands, and wives were ripped from their arms and their lives. America weeps for the fallen. We are a loving nation, and our children are entitled to grow up in a just, peaceful and loving society. Together, we lock arms to shoulder the grief. We ask God in Heaven to ease the anguish of those who suffer. And we vow to act with urgent resolve.   Hate, in any of its forms, has no place in the United States of America. In the two decades since Columbine, our nation has witnessed one mass shooting after another. It’s easy to feel powerless in the face of such violence. America can and will rise to the challenge. By taking action, “we will ensure that those who were attacked will not have died in vain,” President Trump said. He laid out those steps today: First, Americans must come together in condemning racism, bigotry, and white supremacy. “These sinister ideologies must be defeated,” the President said.   Second, law enforcement must have all the tools it needs to investigate and disrupt any hate crimes or acts of domestic terrorism. President Trump has asked the FBI to identify any additional resources needed to confront these threats. Part of that effort includes fighting radicalization online.   Third, America must do a better job of identifying—and acting upon—early warning signs of violence. Today, President Trump directed the Department of Justice to partner with government agencies and the private sector, including social media companies, to develop tools to detect mass shooters before they act.   Fourth, we must stop the glorification of violence across society. It’s far too easy for troubled individuals to surround themselves with gruesome, grisly images on a daily basis. “Cultural change is hard, but each of us can choose to build a culture that celebrates the inherent worth and dignity of every human life,” the President said.   Fifth, our country must reform its mental health laws to better identify, treat, and—if necessary—confine individuals who may commit acts of violence.   Last but not least, we must ensure that those posing a great risk to public safety do not have access to firearms—and that, if they do, those firearms can be taken away through rapid due process. The President has called for “red flag laws,” also known as extreme risk protection orders, to keep weapons away from dangerous people.   These steps build upon important work that President Trump has already done to address the scourge of mass violence in America. Last year, Republicans and Democrats joined together to pass the STOP School Violence and Fix NICS Acts, providing grants to improve school safety and strengthening critical background checks for firearms. On the President’s orders, the Department of Justice also banned the sale of bump stocks. Today, President Trump also called upon DOJ to propose legislation that ensures anyone who commits hate crimes and mass murder will face the death penalty. “Now is the time to set destructive partisanship aside . . . and find the courage to answer hatred with unity, devotion, and love,” the President said. “Our future is in our control.” President Trump’s Proclamation honoring the victims in El Paso and Dayton.    Watch: “In one voice, our nation must condemn racism, bigotry, and white supremacy.” Photo of the Day Official White House Photo by Tia Dufour The United States flag flies at half-staff atop the White House in solemn respect for the victims of the mass shootings in El Paso, Texas, and Dayton, Ohio | August 4, 2019

REMARKS BY PRESIDENT TRUMP ON THE MASS SHOOTINGS IN TEXAS AND OHIO Diplomatic Reception Room

Office of the Press Secretary FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 5, 2019 REMARKS BY PRESIDENT TRUMP ON THE MASS SHOOTINGS IN TEXAS AND OHIO Diplomatic Reception Room   10:08 A.M. EDT      THE PRESIDENT:  Good morning.  My fellow Americans, this morning, our nation is overcome with shock, horror, and sorrow.  This weekend, more than 80 people were killed or wounded in two evil attacks. On Saturday morning, in El Paso, Texas, a wicked man went to a Walmart store, where families were shopping with their loved ones.  He shot and murdered 20 people, and injured 26 others, including precious little children. Then, in the early hours of Sunday morning in Dayton, Ohio, another twisted monster opened fire on a crowded downtown street.  He murdered 9 people, including his own sister, and injured 27 others. The First Lady and I join all Americans in praying and grieving for the victims, their families, and the survivors.  We will stand by their side forever.  We will never forget. These barbaric slaughters are an assault upon our communities, an attack upon our nation, and a crime against all of humanity.  We are outraged and sickened by this monstrous evil, the cruelty, the hatred, the malice, the bloodshed, and the terror.  Our hearts are shattered for every family whose parents, children, husbands, and wives were ripped from their arms and their lives.  America weeps for the fallen. We are a loving nation, and our children are entitled to grow up in a just, peaceful, and loving society.  Together, we lock arms to shoulder the grief, we ask God in Heaven to ease the anguish of those who suffer, and we vow to act with urgent resolve. I want to thank the many law enforcement personnel who responded to these atrocities with the extraordinary grace and courage of American heroes. I have spoken with Texas Governor Greg Abbott and Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, as well as Mayor Dee Margo of El Paso, Texas, and Mayor Nan Whaley of Dayton, Ohio, to express our profound sadness and unfailing support. Today, we also send the condolences of our nation to President Obrador of Mexico, and all the people of Mexico, for the loss of their citizens in the El Paso shooting.  Terrible, terrible thing. I have also been in close contact with Attorney General Barr and FBI Director Wray.  Federal authorities are on the ground, and I have directed them to provide any and all assistance required -- whatever is needed. The shooter in El Paso posted a manifesto online consumed by racist hate.  In one voice, our nation must condemn racism, bigotry, and white supremacy.  These sinister ideologies must be defeated.  Hate has no place in America.  Hatred warps the mind, ravages the heart, and devours the soul.  We have asked the FBI to identify all further resources they need to investigate and disrupt hate crimes and domestic terrorism -- whatever they need. We must recognize that the Internet has provided a dangerous avenue to radicalize disturbed minds and perform demented acts.  We must shine light on the dark recesses of the Internet, and stop mass murders before they start.  The Internet, likewise, is used for human trafficking, illegal drug distribution, and so many other heinous crimes.  The perils of the Internet and social media cannot be ignored, and they will not be ignored. In the two decades since Columbine, our nation has watched with rising horror and dread as one mass shooting has followed another -- over and over again, decade after decade. We cannot allow ourselves to feel powerless.  We can and will stop this evil contagion.  In that task, we must honor the sacred memory of those we have lost by acting as one people.  Open wounds cannot heal if we are divided.  We must seek real, bipartisan solutions.  We have to do that in a bipartisan manner.  That will truly make America safer and better for all. First, we must do a better job of identifying and acting on early warning signs.  I am directing the Department of Justice to work in partisan -- partnership with local, state, and federal agencies, as well as social media companies, to develop tools that can detect mass shooters before they strike. As an example, the monster in the Parkland high school in Florida had many red flags against him, and yet nobody took decisive action.  Nobody did anything.  Why not? Second, we must stop the glorification of violence in our society.  This includes the gruesome and grisly video games that are now commonplace.  It is too easy today for troubled youth to surround themselves with a culture that celebrates violence.  We must stop or substantially reduce this, and it has to begin immediately.  Cultural change is hard, but each of us can choose to build a culture that celebrates the inherent worth and dignity of every human life.  That’s what we have to do. Third, we must reform our mental health laws to better identify mentally disturbed individuals who may commit acts of violence and make sure those people not only get treatment, but, when necessary, involuntary confinement.  Mental illness and hatred pulls the trigger, not the gun.  Fourth, we must make sure that those judged to pose a grave risk to public safety do not have access to firearms, and that, if they do, those firearms can be taken through rapid due process.  That is why I have called for red flag laws, also known as extreme risk protection orders. Today, I am also directing the Department of Justice to propose legislation ensuring that those who commit hate crimes and mass murders face the death penalty, and that this capital punishment be delivered quickly, decisively, and without years of needless delay. These are just a few of the areas of cooperation that we can pursue.  I am open and ready to listen and discuss all ideas that will actually work and make a very big difference. Republicans and Democrats have proven that we can join together in a bipartisan fashion to address this plague.  Last year, we enacted the STOP School Violence and Fix NICS Acts into law, providing grants to improve school safety and strengthening critical background checks for firearm purchases.  At my direction, the Department of Justice banned bump stocks.  Last year, we prosecuted a record number of firearms offenses.  But there is so much more that we have to do.      Now is the time to set destructive partisanship aside -- so destructive -- and find the courage to answer hatred with unity, devotion, and love.  Our future is in our control.  America will rise to the challenge.  We will always have and we always will win.  The choice is ours and ours alone.  It is not up to mentally ill monsters; it is up to us.      If we are able to pass great legislation after all of these years, we will ensure that those who were attacked will not have died in vain. May God bless the memory of those who perished in Toledo.  May God protect them.  May God protect all of those from Texas to Ohio.  May God bless the victims and their families.  May God bless America.      Thank you very much.  Thank you.                                 END                 10:18 A.M. EDT

Presidential Message on the 229th Birthday of the United States Coast Guard

Office of the Press Secretary FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 4, 2019 Presidential Message on the 229th Birthday of the United States Coast Guard As Commander in Chief, I join a grateful Nation in celebrating the 229th birthday of the United States Coast Guard. In 1790, at the request of Alexander Hamilton, President George Washington established a fleet of small, but swift vessels, “judiciously stationed at the entrances of our ports” to serve as “useful sentinels of our laws.”  For more than two centuries now, the United States Coast Guard has manned boats, tenders, tugs, cutters, and aircraft, answering the call of duty.  Ever vigilant, the guardians of our waters remain Semper Paratus—always ready. Today, our Nation celebrates the historic legacy of the United States Coast Guard and commends the daily work of our Coast Guardsmen.  These brave patriots secure our borders from drug runners and terrorists, defend our country’s interests around the world, rescue our citizens from stormy seas, and ensure the safe and efficient shipment of more than $5.4 trillion of commerce.  The world was recently reminded of the daily heroism of the United States Coast Guard by a recent operation off the coast of South America.  The crew of United States Coast Guard Cutter Munro bravely boarded a drug-smuggling semi-submersible vessel through choppy surf, quickly subdued cartel-backed traffickers, and seized $569 million of illicit drugs.  This act of bravery is just one instance of our gallant men and women in uniform putting service over self, and it highlights the everyday courage that makes America’s military the strongest in the world. Melania joins me in commending the United States Coast Guard on 229 years of steadfast service, and we honor those who have made the ultimate sacrifice guarding our Nation’s precious liberties and cherished freedoms. May God watch over all of our men and women in uniform, and may He continue to bless the United States of America.

HONORING THE VICTIMS OF THE TRAGEDIES IN EL PASO, TEXAS, AND DAYTON, OHIO - A PROCLAMATION BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Office of the Press Secretary FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 4, 2019 HONORING THE VICTIMS OF THE TRAGEDIES IN EL PASO, TEXAS, AND DAYTON, OHIO - - - - - - - BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA A PROCLAMATION        Our Nation mourns with those whose loved ones were murdered in the tragic shootings in El Paso, Texas, and Dayton, Ohio, and we share in the pain and suffering of all those who were injured in these two senseless attacks.  We condemn these hateful and cowardly acts.  Through our grief, America stands united with the people of El Paso and Dayton.  May God be with the victims of these two horrific crimes and bring aid and comfort to their families and friends.  As a mark of solemn respect for the victims of the terrible acts of violence perpetrated on August 3, 2019, in El Paso, Texas, and on August 4, 2019, in Dayton, Ohio, by the authority vested in me as President of the United States by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, I hereby order that the flag of the United States shall be flown at half-staff at the White House and upon all public buildings and grounds, at all military posts and naval stations, and on all naval vessels of the Federal Government in the District of Columbia and throughout the United States and its Territories and possessions until sunset, August 8, 2019.  I also direct that the flag shall be flown at half-staff for the same length of time at all United States embassies, legations, consular offices, and other facilities abroad, including all military facilities and naval vessels and stations.      IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this fourth day of August, in the year of our Lord two thousand nineteen, and of the Independence of the United States of America two hundred forty-fourth.                                DONALD J. TRUMP

President Donald J. Trump Approves West Virginia Disaster Declaration

Office of the Press Secretary FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 3, 2019 President Donald J. Trump Approves West Virginia Disaster Declaration   Yesterday, President Donald J. Trump declared that a major disaster exists in the State of West Virginia and ordered Federal assistance to supplement State and local recovery efforts in the areas affected by severe storms, flooding, landslides, and mudslides during the period of June 29 to June 30, 2019. Federal funding is available to State and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities damaged by the severe storms, flooding, landslides, and mudslides in the counties of Grant, Pendleton, Preston, Randolph, and Tucker. Federal funding is also available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures statewide. Pete Gaynor, Acting Administrator, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Department of Homeland Security, named Jason Burroughs as the Federal Coordinating Officer for Federal recovery operations in the affected areas. Additional designations may be made at a later date if requested by the State and warranted by the results of further damage assessments. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION MEDIA SHOULD CONTACT THE FEMA NEWS DESK AT (202) 646-3272 OR FEMA-NEWS-DESK@FEMA.DHS.GOV.

Bill Announcement

Office of the Press Secretary FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 2, 2019 On Friday, August 2, 2019, the President signed into law: H.R. 3877, the "Bipartisan Budget Act of 2019," which increases discretionary spending limits for FYs 2020-2021; temporarily suspends the public debt limit through July 31, 2021; and sets forth procedures for establishing a Congressional budget for FYs 2020-2021; and S. 2249, which provides a one-time exception to allow the positions of both Administrator and Deputy Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration to be filled by former military officers.

West Wing Reads Record 157,288,000 Employed in July

Record 157,288,000 Employed in July “The number of people employed in the United States hit a record 157,288,000 in July, according to the employment report released today by the Bureau of Labor Statistics,” Terence Jeffrey reports for CNSNews. “That was up 283,000 from the 157,005,000 employed in June.” The unemployment rate also held steady in July at 3.7 percent—a near-half century low. Click here to read more. Council of Economic Advisers: Economy adds jobs as wages continue to grow “The Labor Department reported Friday that payrolls increased 164,000” last month, Jeff Cox reports for CNBC. “Wages also continued to increase, with the 3.2% year-over-year gain topping expectations by one-tenth of a percentage point . . . Despite simmering worries of a manufacturing slowdown, jobs in the sector increased by 16,000.” Yesterday, Kansas’ Laura Kelly became the first Democratic Governor to fully support the United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement (USMCA), drawing attention to its importance for her state’s trade, exports, and overall economy. “We need Congress to act. Ratifying USMCA, as well as improving relations with our trading partners around the globe, will benefit our agriculture sector and the economy as a whole,” she said in a statement. More: 41 New York state legislators back USMCA as “a better deal for our country” “President Donald Trump launched a new attack on global trade rules last week in an attempt to get members of the World Trade Organization to agree to sweeping changes that would stop Chinese abuses of the international trading system. China’s exploitation of these loopholes is destroying a structure that has been vital to export industries in South Carolina and the rest of the United States,” The Post and Courier editorial board writes. “The Mexican government says the number of U.S.-bound illegal migrants traveling through its country has decreased by 39% since May, a result of its bolstered enforcement efforts,” Jason Hopkins reports for The Daily Signal. “Marcelo Ebrard, Mexico’s foreign relations secretary, said Tuesday that the number of mostly Central American migrants traveling through the country to reach the U.S. dropped from 144,278 in May to 87,648 in June . . . Ebrard specifically credited Mexico’s recent crackdown on illegal immigration, brought on largely by pressure from the Trump administration.”