Posted on

Fri, June 30, 2017: Trump signs executive order re-establishing National Space Council

President Trump signed an executive order on Friday, reinstating the National Space Council which has been dormant for nearly 25 years.

“Today’s announcement sends a clear signal to the world that we are restoring America’s proud legacy of leadership in space,” Trump said at the signing in the Roosevelt Room, which was attended by veteran astronaut Colonel Buzz Aldrin.

“With the actions we are launching today, America will think big once again.  Important words:  Think big.  We haven’t been thinking so big for a long time, but we’re thinking big again as a country,” the president continued. Continue reading “Fri, June 30, 2017: Trump signs executive order re-establishing National Space Council”

Posted on

Fri, June 30, 2017: Trump holds press conference with South Korea’s President Moon, condemns ‘reckless’ N. Korea

President Trump on Friday denounced the “reckless and brutal” regime in North Korea and demanded that Pyongyang choose “a better path” to de-escalate tensions on the Korean Peninsula over its nuclear weapons program.

Appearing in the Rose Garden with new South Korean President Moon Jae-in, Trump pledged a “determined response” to the threat and renewed calls for regional allies and powers to implement stronger economic sanctions on Pyongyang, a day after his administration sanctioned a Chinese bank over allegations that it laundered money for North Korean companies.

“Our goal is peace, stability and prosperity for the region,” Trump said in a prepared statement. “But the United States will defend itself, always will defend itself — always. And we will always defend our allies.”

Click here to read more from The Washington Post.

Posted on

Fri, June 30, 2017: Trump talks Qatar/Gulf crisis with Turkish President

President Donald Trump spoke with his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, on Friday to discuss the ongoing feud between Qatar and several Arab states, a conflict that some are calling the worst Gulf Arab crisis in years.

Trump and Erdogan talked by phone to discuss how to resolve the dispute “while ensuring all countries work together to stop terrorist funding and to combat extremist ideology,” the White House said in a statement.

Turkey has been a supporter of Qatar, whose ties with some of its Gulf and Arab neighbors were severed after Qatar was accused of funding terrorism and fomenting regional instability. Qatar denies the accusations. Bahrain, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates cut ties with Qatar.

–Voice of America

Posted on

Fri, June 30, 2017: Trump calls Turkish President, holds press conference with South Korean president

In the morning, President Trump will speak to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey.

He will then welcome President Moon of the Republic of Korea, meet with him, and then give joint statements with him.

In the afternoon, the President and First Lady Melania Trump will depart the White House for Joint Base Andrews, en route to Bedminster, New Jersey for the weekend. Presumably, Baron will join them.