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Sun, Jan. 22, 2017: Trump makes phone call with Netanyahu, begins talks on moving U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem

President Donald Trump invited Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to visit Washington in early February during a phone call in which they discussed the importance of strengthening the U.S.-Israeli relationship, the White House said on Sunday.

In his first call with Netanyahu since taking office on Friday, Trump stressed his “unprecedented commitment to Israel’s security.”

“The president and the prime minister agreed to continue to closely consult on a range of regional issues, including addressing the threats posed by Iran,” the White House said in a statement. Continue reading “Sun, Jan. 22, 2017: Trump makes phone call with Netanyahu, begins talks on moving U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem”

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Sun, Jan. 22, 2017: Trump hosts law enforcement officials at White House

From @POTUS:

It was an honor to host our amazing teams of law enforcement at the @WhiteHouse this afternoon. @VP Pence and I are grateful for all you do.

President Donald Trump shook hands with FBI Director James Comey Sunday afternoon during a reception for law enforcement officials and first responders.

Trump joked that Comey had “become more famous than me” as he greeted the nation’s top law enforcement official. Comey also shook hands with Vice President Mike Pence.

Some Democrats, including Hillary Clinton, blamed Comey for Clinton’s defeat in last year’s presidential election after he publicly announced a new development in the investigation into the former secretary of state’s private email server days before the vote. Comey later said the new evidence did not change the bureau’s decision not to pursue charges against the Democratic nominee.

Trump briefly addressed law enforcment officers and other agency heads who helped with Friday’s inauguration festivities. The president said his swearing-in was “such a success and such a safety success and we want to thank you all.”

–Fox News

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Sun, Jan. 22, 2017: White House senior staff sworn in; Trump says he will begin talks with Mexico, Canada on NAFTA (Video)

President Trump said Sunday he will meet with Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to discuss changes to the North American Free Trade Agreement, a move that would fulfill one of Trump’s most oft-stated campaign promises, the Washington Examiner reports.

“We’re also meeting with the prime minister of Canada, and we will be meeting with the president of Mexico, who I know, and we’re going to start negotiations having to do with NAFTA” Trump said during a swearing-in ceremony for members of his senior staff.

“Anybody ever hear of NAFTA?” he joked. “I ran a campaign somewhat based on NAFTA.”

Trump said he would also begin a discussion about immigration and border security.

–White House Dossier

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Sat, Jan. 21, 2017: Press Secretary holds briefing: Tells media administration will hold them ‘accountable’; takes no questions (Video)

White House press secretary Sean Spicer appeared in the White House briefing room to warn the administration was going to hold the press “accountable” and argued that the Trump crowd was the largest inaugural crowd ever. He said any suggestion otherwise was “shameful and wrong.”

Spicer then left the room after the statement without taking questions.

–CNN

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Sat, Jan. 21, 2017: Trump visits CIA with nominee Mike Pompeo (Video)

President Trump visited the CIA on Saturday in a conciliatory bid to end a feud with the intelligence community — a dispute he suggested was overblown by the media — while making clear one of his top priorities will be to destroy Islamic State terror groups.

“We have to get rid of ISIS. We have no choice. Radical Islamic terrorism, it has to be eradicated,” said Trump, on his first full day in the White House and his first official agency stop of his presidency.

Trump’s decision to travel to CIA headquarters so quickly after taking office was seen as an attempt at a fresh start with the intelligence agencies he will now rely on for guidance as he makes weighty national security decisions. Following his private meeting with top CIA leaders, Trump said the U.S. had been “restrained” in its efforts to combat terrorism, calling the threat “a level of evil we haven’t seen.” Continue reading “Sat, Jan. 21, 2017: Trump visits CIA with nominee Mike Pompeo (Video)”

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Sat, Jan. 21, 2017: Trump attends National Prayer Service

The day after his swearing-in, President Donald Trump participated in an age-old inaugural tradition.

President Trump and Vice President Mike Pence attended an interfaith prayer service at the Washington National Cathedral — a tradition that dates back to George Washington.

Over two dozen religious leaders from different faiths were in attendance, according to a statement released from the presidential inaugural committee.

“The interfaith ceremony will be in keeping with the uniting and uplifting inaugural events,” the statement read.

The group of 26 leaders included Dr. Alveda King, a niece of Dr. Martin Luther King, and Cleveland Pastor Darrell Scott, who led the National Diversity Coalition for Trump’s campaign and was later named a vice chair of Trump’s transition team.

SOURCE: ABC News

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Trump enters Oval Office for first time as President; Signs bill directing agencies to ease Obamacare regulations

In his first executive order, President Trump on Friday directed government agencies to scale back as many aspects of the Affordable Care Act as possible, moving within hours of being sworn in to fulfill his pledge to eviscerate Barack Obama’s signature health care law.

The one-page order, which Mr. Trump signed in a hastily arranged Oval Office ceremony shortly before departing for the inaugural balls, gave no specifics about which aspects of the law it was targeting. But its broad language gave federal agencies wide latitude to change, delay or waive provisions of the law that they deemed overly costly for insurers, drug makers, doctors, patients or states, suggesting that it could have wide-ranging impact, and essentially allowing the dismantling of the law to begin even before Congress moves to repeal it. Continue reading “Trump enters Oval Office for first time as President; Signs bill directing agencies to ease Obamacare regulations”

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First acts as President: Trump signs bill allowing Mattis confirmation, proclaims National Day of Patriotism

President Donald Trump signed his first bill into law Friday, moments after being sworn in, clearing the way for his defense secretary to be confirmed.

The 45th President signed a bill passed by Congress earlier this month that would allow retired Gen. James Mattis to serve as defense secretary by waiving the legal requirement that he be out of the military for seven years before doing so, according to White House press secretary Sean Spicer.

Cameras rolled as Trump signed his first orders as President in the Capitol, surrounded by congressional leaders. Continue reading “First acts as President: Trump signs bill allowing Mattis confirmation, proclaims National Day of Patriotism”