Mark Zuckerberg has rejected President Donald Trump’s comments that Facebook has always been against him.
President Trump accused Facebook of “collusion” on Twitter, branding it “anti-Trump”.
He made the same claim against the New York Times and the Washington Post.
Facebook will shortly hand over 3,000 political adverts to congressional investigators probing alleged Russian meddling in the US election.
The social network believes the ads were probably purchased by Russian entities during and after the 2016 presidential contest.
Facebook, Twitter and Google have been asked to testify before the US Senate Intelligence Committee on November 1 about the allegations of Russian interference.
Google and Facebook have confirmed they have received invitations to attend the committee hearing, but none of the social media giants have yet said they will be present.
In a Facebook post responding to President Trump’s criticism, the social network’s founder Mark Zuckerberg said he was striving to make “a platform for all ideas”. He said that aside from “problematic ads”, Facebook’s impact ranged from “giving people a voice, to enabling candidates to communicate directly, to helping millions of people vote”.
Mark Zuckerberg noted that both ends of the political spectrum were upset about content they disliked, and that liberals in the US had accused him of enabling President Trump’s victory.
The 33-year-old said the candidates’ campaigns had “spent hundreds of millions advertising online,” which he called “1000x more than any problematic ads we’ve found”.
Mark Zuckerberg said he regretted saying on the day Donald Trump was elected that it was “crazy” to say that misinformation on Facebook changed the election’s outcome, because it sounded dismissive.
He promised Facebook would “continue to build a community for all people” – and to “defend against nation states attempting to spread misinformation and subvert elections”.
Mark Zuckerberg’s response attracted 65,000 “likes” within two hours of being posted.
Russia has long denied any form of interference in the US election, and President Trump has railed against allegations that his staff had improper links to Russia.
However, US intelligence agencies have concluded Russia tried to sway the vote in favor of Donald Trump. Congressional committees and an FBI inquiry are currently probing the matter.
In a series of tweets, President Donald Trump has defended his reaction to the disaster in Puerto Rico, which has been ravaged by Hurricane Irma and Hurricane Maria.
Much of Puerto Rico territory has lost power, while residents say they are running low on medicines and food.
Critics have accused President Trump of being slow to respond, and of showing more concern for Texas and Florida after they were hit by hurricanes.
President Trump has announced he will visit Puerto Rico next week.
Hurricane Maria battered Puerto Rico on September 20, killing 16 people and knocking out electricity, water and telephone services.
The hurricane tore through the island as one of the most powerful storms in nearly 90 years.
About 44% of the 3.5 million residents living on the island are still without clean drinking water six days after the storm barreled through, the Defense Department said on September 26.
Puerto Rico’s government has asked a judge to defer key deadlines in its bankruptcy case as it grapples with Maria’s devastation.
President Trump came under fire after he spent the weekend focusing on a feud with NFL players and coaches, instead of acknowledging the Puerto Rico disaster.
He tweeted about the crisis on September 25 – but angered critics by suggesting that Puerto Rico’s $72 billion debt needed to be addressed amid its appeal for relief aid: “Texas & Florida are doing great but Puerto Rico, which was already suffering from broken infrastructure & massive debt, is in deep trouble owed to Wall Street and the banks which, sadly, must be dealt with. Food, water and medical are top priorities – and doing well. #FEMA.”
On September 26, the White House announced that President Trump had increased federal funding and assistance for debris removal and emergency protective measures in Puerto Rico in the aftermath of the storm.
The president said he would visit Puerto Rico on October 3 – nearly a fortnight after the storm struck – because it was the “earliest I can go without disrupting relief efforts”.
President Trump may also visit the US Virgin Islands, which was hit by both Hurricane Maria and Irma.
He said his administration was doing a “really good job” and that the Governor of Puerto Rico, Ricardo Rossello, was “so grateful”.
President Trump said rescue efforts were complicated because Puerto Rico was offshore.
“This is a thing called the Atlantic ocean, this is tough stuff,” he said.
He added: “Puerto Rico is very important to me. The people are fantastic. I grew up in New York so I know many Puerto Rican people.”
Ricardo Rossello told Reuters President Trump’s handling of the disaster had been “excellent” and that the government had “responded very quickly” to the crisis.
More than 10,000 US Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) staff are on the ground in Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands to assist with relief efforts, according to the agency.
The US has expanded its travel ban to include people from North Korea, Venezuela and Chad.
According to the White House, the new restrictions follow a review of information sharing by foreign governments.
President Donald Trump issued a presidential proclamation on September 24.
He said in a post on Twitter: “Making America safe is my number one priority. We will not admit those into our country we cannot safely vet.”
The restrictions on Venezuelans apply only to government officials and their family members.
The three new countries join five others from President Trump’s original travel ban: Iran, Libya, Syria, Yemen, and Somalia. However, the new proclamation removed restrictions that were placed on Sudan.
President Trump’s original ban was highly controversial, as it affected six majority-Muslim countries, and was widely labeled a “Muslim ban”.
The travel ban was subject to a range of legal challenges and several large-scale protests, and is due to be considered by the US Supreme Court in October, having been partly reinstated in July.
The American Civil Liberties Union rights group said the addition of the new countries “doesn’t obfuscate the real fact that the administration’s order is still a Muslim ban”.
It is not yet clear how President Trump’s new proclamation, which changes several key elements, will affect that legal challenge.
The addition of North Korea and Venezuela now means not all nations on the list are majority-Muslim.
The criteria for the new ban list is now based on vetting procedures and co-operation, and the restrictions have now been “tailored” on a country-by-country basis. The White House said North Korea did not co-operate with the US government “in any respect” and failed all requirements – and so all travel to the US by its citizens has been banned. Chad, while an important counter-terrorism partner, did not share terrorism-related and other public information the US required – business and tourist visas for its nationals are suspended. Only “certain Venezuelan government officials and their immediate family members” have been banned – its government has recently been hit with economic sanctions by the US, who now say it does not co-operate “in verifying whether its citizens pose national security or public-safety threats” and does not receive deported nationals willingly.
Most of the restrictions come in the form of suspension of B-1 and B-2 business and tourist visas, and they do not appear to be time-limited in the way that President Trump’s former executive order was.
In a fact sheet accompanying President Trump’s proclamation, the White House said that while Iraq also falls short of the required criteria, the country was not included in the new restrictions “because of the close co-operative relationship between the United States” and their part in fighting so-called Islamic State.
The restrictions come into effect on October 18, but will not apply to those already in possession of a valid visa, the White House said.
Top Democrats Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer say they have agreed to reach a deal with President Donald Trump to protect thousands of young undocumented migrants from deportation.
They said they also agreed to work on a border security package that would exclude President Trump’s proposed wall with Mexico.
However, the White House denied the wall had been excluded from proposals.
President Trump scrapped the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program earlier this month.
The Obama-era DACA scheme was put in place to protect so-called “Dreamers” – migrants brought to the US illegally as children – from deportation.
The DACA program, which protect some 800,000 people in the US, also provide temporary permits for work and study.
On September 4, PresidentTrump announced he would cancel the scheme, while giving Congress six months to enact a replacement plan for DACA recipients.
Following talks over dinner at the White House, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said: “We agreed to enshrine the protections of DACA into law quickly, and to work out a package of border security, excluding the wall, that’s acceptable to both sides.”
Democrats have repeatedly said that they will block any legislation that contains funding for the border wall – a key campaign pledge of President Trump’s.
A White House statement was more muted, simply saying that there had been a “constructive working dinner” where tax reform, border security and DACA had been discussed.
White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders later disputed the Democrats’ account.
She tweeted: “While DACA and border security were both discussed, excluding the wall was certainly not agreed to.”
Chuck Schumer’s aide replied: “The President made clear he would continue pushing the wall, just not as part of this agreement.”
Republican support would be needed in any immigration legislation, as they have a majority in both the House and the Senate.
The US is seeking a range of new UN sanctions against North Korea, including an oil ban and a freeze on leader Kim Jong-un’s assets.
The draft resolution circulated to the Security Council members comes after Pyongyang’s sixth nuclear test and repeated missile launches.
North Korea also claims to have developed a hydrogen bomb and continues to threaten to strike the US.
China and Russia are both expected to oppose further sanctions.
Pyongyangis already under highly restrictive sanctions imposed by the UN that are intended to force the leadership to curtail its weapons programs.
In August, a new round of sanctions banned exports including coal, costing North Korea an estimated $1 billion – about a third of its entire export economy.
However, some trade avenues remain open to it.
The draft US proposal calls for a total ban on supplying a range of oil products to North Korea and a ban on its textile export industry.
It also suggests freezing the assets of Kim Jong-un and the North Korean government, as well as banning him and other senior officials from travelling.
North Korean laborers would also be banned from working abroad, principally in Russia’s Far East and China.
Remittances from foreign earnings and textile exports are two of the most important remaining sources of income for North Korea.
However, it is not clear how China and Russia, which both supply oil to North Korea and wield vetoes at the Security Council, will respond to the US move.
On September 7, China’s foreign minister Wang Yi told reporters that the council should respond further “by taking necessary measures”, but did not elaborate.
Wang Yi added that “sanctions and pressure are only half of the key to resolving the issue. The other half is dialogue and negotiation.”
China is both North Korea’s and the US’s biggest trade partner, and has supported recent sanctions against it.
President Vladimir Putin has argued that the amount of oil Russia exports to North Korea – some 40,000 tonnes – is negligible.
“It is not worth giving in to emotions and driving North Korea into a corner,” President Putin said.
Both China and Russia have been pushing for an alternative solution.
They are proposing that the US and ally South Korea stop their military drills – which anger the North – and end the deployment of the controversial anti-missile THAAD system in South Korea, in return for North Korea ceasing its nuclear and missile program.
The proposal has been rejected by the US and South Korea.
On September 7, South Korea’s military announced it had completed the deployment of THAAD, Yonhap reported.
South Korean President Moon Jae-in also met with Japan’s PM Shinzo Abe, where both agreed to push for greater sanctions. Shinzo Abe called for “the greatest possible pressure” to be put on North Korea.
President Donald Trump had previously warned the US could cut off trade with countries that do business with North Korea.
The US has indicated that if the resolution is not passed when the Security Council meets on September 11 it may impose its own sanctions unilaterally.
Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin told reporters on September 6: “We believe that we need to economically cut off North Korea.
“I have an executive order prepared. It’s ready to go to the president. It will authorize me to… put sanctions on anybody that does trade with North Korea.”
President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping also discussed North Korea over the phone on Wednesday, where they agreed to “take further action”, said a White House statement.
Donald Trump, who has previously threatened a military response to North Korea, told reporters this was “not our first choice”, but did not rule it out.
He added: “President Xi would like to do something. We’ll see whether or not he can do it. But we will not be putting up with what’s happening in North Korea.”
Chinese state news agency Xinhua reported that President Xi called for a “peaceful settlement of the issue” involving “dialogue combined with a set of comprehensive measures”.
The US ordered Russia to close its San Francisco consulate and two trade missions in response to “unwarranted” Russian action, the State Department has announced.
The San Francisco consulate, and annexes in New York and Washington, must close by September 2.
The State Department’s move follows Moscow’s reduction of US diplomatic staff in Russia last month.
That in turn followed new US sanctions on Russia over Crimea and alleged election interference, which led to the expulsion of 35 Russian diplomats.
In December 2016, former President Barack Obama had ordered those expulsions, along with the closure of two compounds.
Although Russian President Vladimir Putin did not respond initially to that move, with President Trump set to assume office, he then announced on July 31 a reduction of 755 US diplomatic staff in Russia, in retaliation for the US sanctions.
The US diplomats expelled have until September 1 to leave Russia – a day before the US closures of the Russian consulate and two annexes, which are trade missions, must be completed.
Image source Wikimedia
A senior administration official said on August 31 that the consulate and the residence attached to it as well as the two trade missions would close but no Russian staff would be required to leave the US.
Russia will be allowed to maintain the properties, but not use them, the official added.
According to the State Department, the US actions were “in the spirit of parity”. It blamed Russia for what it called a downward spiral in bilateral ties, but suggested it wanted an end to the current spat.
State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said in a statement: “The United States hopes that, having moved toward the Russian Federation’s desire for parity, we can avoid further retaliatory actions by both sides and move forward to achieve the stated goal of both our presidents: improved relations between our two countries and increased co-operation on areas of mutual concern.”
The move leaves each country with three consulates in place, Heather Nauert added.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov spoke to Secretary of State Rex Tillerson in a phone call on August 31, expressing “regret at the escalation of tensions in bilateral relations”.
According to a statement from the Russian foreign ministry, Sergei Lavrov said Moscow would study the order and respond accordingly.
Sergei Lavrov and Rex Tillerson are due to meet in September on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York.
The president, who wanted warmer ties with Russia, had opposed the bill, which included a provision that limits his ability to lift sanctions and forces him to consult Congress first.
President Trump has been dogged by claims that Russia tried to sway the election in his favor and several investigations are under way to determine whether anyone from his campaign colluded with Moscow.
However, Russia has repeatedly denied interfering and President Trump has insisted that there was no collusion, calling the investigations a “witch hunt”.
Ex-Arizona sheriff Joe Arpaio, who had been convicted of criminal contempt, has been pardoned by President Donald Trump.
Joe Arpaio, 85, was found guilty after he defied a court order to stop traffic patrols targeting suspected immigrants. He was due to be sentenced in October.
President Trump had hinted at the pardon at a rally in Phoenix on August 22.
Thanking the president, Joe Arpaio said his conviction was “a political witch hunt by holdovers in the Obama justice department”.
Joe Arpaio tweeted: “Thank you…. for seeing my conviction for what it is.”
“I’m not going away,” he said, while declining to say whether he would run for sheriff again.
President Trump has frequently praised the former sheriff, who is known for his controversial hard-line stance on immigration.
Joe Arpaio appeared on the campaign trail with President Trump in 2016 – describing him as “the law-and-order candidate”.
In a statement announcing the pardon, his first, President Trump said: “Arpaio’s life and career, which began at the age of 18 when he enlisted in the military after the outbreak of the Korean War, exemplify selfless public service.
“Throughout his time as sheriff, Arpaio continued his life’s work of protecting the public from the scourges of crime and illegal immigration.
“Sheriff Joe Arpaio is now 85 years old, and after more than 50 years of admirable service to our nation, he is a worthy candidate for a presidential pardon.”
Joe Arpaio, who styled himself as “America’s toughest sheriff”, rose to national prominence for his sweeps of undocumented immigrants in Hispanic communities, and for detaining Spanish-speakers under suspicion of being undocumented immigrants.
In July 2017, the former sheriff was found guilty of violating a 2011 order to stop detaining immigrants.
The decision to pardon the former policeman was condemned by Democrats and civil rights groups.
Democratic Senator Patrick Leahy said it was “disheartening that [the president] set the bar so very low for his first pardon”.
Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton called the move a slap in the face for the Latino community and those who had been victimized.
Joe Arpaio, who was born in Springfield, Massachusetts, could have faced six months in jail at his sentencing in October.
He served in the US military before he became a police officer – where he quickly acquired a reputation for his anti-immigration stance and tough enforcement tactics.
Joe Arpaio lost a bid for re-election in Arizona’s Maricopa County in November 2016, after 24 years in office.
He famously forced the prisoners to wear pink underwear and socks and old-fashioned black-and-white striped prison jumpsuits. The inmates lived outdoors while enduring sweltering Arizona desert temperatures.
Joe Arpaio also revived chain gangs, including a voluntary one for female prisoners.
President Donald Trump has signed a memo restoring a military ban on transgender people, which was lifted under President Barack Obama.
The memo also ceases the use of government funds for gender-reassignment surgery for active personnel.
However, President Trump left Defense Secretary Jim Mattis to decide whether to retain existing transgender recruits.
The reinstated ban, justified on grounds of cost and disruption, faces a legal challenge by transgender rights activists.
Jennifer Levi, an official at Glad (GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders), said in a statement: “This policy is a shameful slap in the face to people who put their lives on the line everyday to defend our country…
“We are moving quickly with our plaintiffs to see that a court puts a stop to this latest demonstration of President Trump playing politics with people’s lives.”
Between 4,000 and 10,000 US active-duty and reserve service members are believed to be transgender.
After the Obama administration announced in 2016 that transgender people would be allowed to serve openly in the military, many active duty members came out.
The memo was widely anticipated following the president’s tweets about the issue last month.
President Trump directed the military to “return to the longstanding policy and practice on military service by transgender individuals prior to June 2016”.
Donald Trump suggested that President Obama had not thought through whether the policy would “hinder military effectiveness and lethality, [or] disrupt unit cohesion”.
The president said he had done the Pentagon a “great favor” by banning transgender troops, saying the issue had been “complicated” and “confusing” for the military.
The Obama-era policy had included a provision for the military to provide medical help for service members wanting to change gender.
In his memo, President Trump directed the Department of Defense and Department of Homeland Security to stop using government funds for gender-reassignment procedures unless it was necessary .
US markets closed lower on August 23, sliding back after President Donald Trump gave a fiery speech suggesting more political drama lies ahead.
At a rally in Phoenix, Arizona, on August 22, President Trump said he would be willing to shut down the government if Congress resists funding the Mexican border wall.
The president also said he was still considering terminating the North American Free Trade Agreement.
Investors are also concerned about the prospect of political fights next month, when Congress will be considering a budget proposal and are likely to be asked to raise the debt limit.
In 2013, a fight over the debt limit led to a government shutdown that disrupted the US economy, particularly in states closely tied to the federal government and its contractors.
Economists say scrapping NAFTA would also hurt business in the US, which counts Canada and Mexico among its biggest trade partners.
Retailer Lowe’s fell 3.7% after reporting lower than expected growth in the quarter.
United Technologies bounced 1.1% after a report suggested that it may be the target of activist investors.
The battle between gun control extremists and those wanting open carry have not died down but rather are no longer at the forefront of the news. The fact that President Trump and a majority of congress is republican has a lot to do with this. Regardless of how hard activists fight to get bills sent to the senate it simply will not work with the overwhelming advantage the republicans have in congress. Each president and congress has a different impact on the gun industry and below delves into some of the impacts Donald Trump has had since taking over as president.
How Has It Gone
The surprising fact is that gun gales have gone down significantly since Trump was elected president. For many people this might be confusing as a pro gun candidate might cause a surge in sales. The truth is that people went out to buy guns when they were scared that former president Barack Obama would increase regulations on the sales and ownership of guns. Congress having a majority of democrats at some points during the Obama administration influenced gun buyers immensely. Nobody was sure of when a law would pass or be voted on as many of these regulations are wrapped up in much more complicated bills.
Does The Industry Need a Democrat To Boom Again
The question becomes when the gun industry has seen a slump since the election of Trump of whether an anti-gun president would help sales skyrocket. This can be a very slippery place for those gun suppliers as supporting this candidate in a few years could all but ruin the gun industry in the country. A democratic president combined with a democratic congress could lead to much harsher restrictions or even a gun registry which violates a myriad of constitutional rights. Restrictions on bulk ammo online as well as other tactical gear could become much more extreme. The best case for those in the gun industry is a congress that is split with a president that is pro-gun rights. This reduces the chances for any extreme changes but still puts fear in people that they might be disarmed by their own government.
Suppliers Need To Focus On Government Contracts
For gun suppliers and manufacturers the golden ticket is getting a government contract to provide weapons for the US military. Regardless if there is a recession as far as personal gun buyers goes, the US seems to be prepping for military action in multiple areas. These firearms can be bought to help protect US soldiers as well as their allies overseas. Other great contract to sign is that of a law enforcement agency whether it is a county police force or a federal law enforcement agency. Hover here…
State and City Laws Still Restrict Certain Firearms
The common person does not realize that many gun laws are on the state and city level. A city can ban guns with a certain caliber or capacity like New York City where a gun with a capacity of more than 6 bullets cannot be used. A majority of automatic weapons are restricted in many states with semi-automatic guns like the AR-15 coming to the forefront of debate as multiple mass shooters used this specific gun. In states like Arizona there are open carry laws which allow those to carry their registered and licensed firearms in the street. Modifications of weapons are illegal if they turn the weapon into a fully automatic rifle as these can only be used by law enforcement as well as military personnel.
The gun industry is not exactly booming with Trump at the head of our country. With all of the conflicts and all-around shooting going on in today’s world the gun industry is sure to recover. The most important thing that can be done is more thorough psychological testing for those purchasing guns. Every American has the right to own a gun if they are of sound mind and haven’t forfeited their civil rights by committing a felony.
President Donald Trump has ruled out a US withdrawal from Afghanistan, saying that the move would leave a vacuum for terrorists to fill.
Donald Trump said his original instinct was to pull US forces out, but had instead decided to stay and “fight to win” to avoid the mistakes made in Iraq.
The president said he wanted to shift from a time-based approach in Afghanistan to one based on conditions on the ground, adding he would not set deadlines.
However, President Trump warned it was not a “blank cheque” for Afghanistan.
He said: “America will work with the Afghan government, so long as we see commitment and progress.”
The Taliban responded by saying that Afghanistan would become “another graveyard” for the US if it did not withdraw its troops.
President Trump has committed to stepping up the US military’s engagement in Afghanistan, but details were few and far between.
The president said his new approach would be more pragmatic than idealistic, and would switch from nation building to “killing terrorists”.
However, Donald Trump refused to get drawn on how many extra troops, if any, would be deployed and gave no timeline for ending the US presence in Afghanistan.
Washington is expected to send up to 4,000 additional troops, but President Trump did not comment on this.
He did, however, put pressure on neighboring Pakistan, warning that the US would no longer tolerate it offering “safe havens” to extremists – an accusation swiftly dismissed by a Pakistani army spokesman.
President Trump also, for the first time, left the door open for an eventual peace deal with the Taliban, saying: “Someday, after an effective military effort, perhaps it will be possible to have a political settlement that includes elements of the Taliban in Afghanistan.”
However, he said there would be an escalation in the battle against groups like al-Qaeda and ISIS.
“[They] need to know they have nowhere to hide – that no place is beyond the reach of American arms,” President Trump said.
Meanwhile, he made it clear he expects his existing allies – singling out India – to support him in his new strategy, and urged them to raise their countries’ contributions “in line with our own”.
Before his presidency, Donald Trump was not shy about criticizing his predecessors on their Afghanistan policy. He previously supported pulling US troops out of the conflict, which began under President George W. Bush in 2001 after the 9/11 attacks.
In November 2013, he said: “We have wasted an enormous amount of blood and treasure in Afghanistan. Their government has zero appreciation. Let’s get out!”
However, early on in his presidential campaign, he did acknowledge that US troops would have to stay in order to avoid the total collapse of the Afghan government.
This long-awaited announcement came after a months-long review, with the president himself acknowledging that his original instinct to pull-out had been reversed after discussions with national security advisers.
Afghan President Ashraf Ghani welcomed the plan, saying: “The US-Afghan partnership is stronger than ever in overcoming the threat of terrorism that threaten us all.”
He said the new strategy would enhance the training of Afghan security forces.
NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg also praised the move and said the alliance, which has about 12,000 troops in Afghanistan, would not allow the country to become “a safe haven for terrorists who would attack our own countries”.
General John Nicholson, the head of both US and international forces in Afghanistan, said it “means the Taliban cannot win militarily”.
However, Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid dismissed President Trump’s strategy as “nothing new”, telling the US to think of an exit strategy “instead of continuing the war”.
US combat operations against the Taliban officially ended in 2014, more than 8,000 Special Forces continue to provide support to Afghan troops.
The Afghan government continues to battle insurgency groups and controls just half of the country.
President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump have decided not to attend the Kennedy Center Honors to allow those taking part “to celebrate without political distraction”, the White House announces.
Some of those due to take part in the arts awards ceremony had said they would boycott the White House reception held before the awards ceremony.
The Kennedy Center Honors recognize the lifetime contributions of performing artists.
Many artists have been angered by President Trump’s plans to scrap funding.
In his budget outline in March, the president pushed for the end of federal support for public broadcasting and the National Endowment for the Arts.
Donald Trump is also mired in controversy over his response to recent violence at a white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia.
Republicans and Democrats alike have criticized the president for insisting that anti-racism protesters were equally to blame for the violence that ended in the death of a woman.
The White House said in a statement: “The president and first lady have decided not to participate in this year’s [Kennedy Center Honors] activities to allow the honorees to celebrate without any political distraction.
“First Lady Melania Trump, along with her husband President Donald J Trump, extend their sincerest congratulations and well wishes to all of this year’s award recipients for their many accomplishments.”
Dancer and choreographer Carmen de Lavallade, who is due to be honored at the December ceremony, said earlier this week that she would boycott the related White House reception for honorees.
She said in a statement: “In light of the socially divisive and morally caustic narrative that our existing leadership is choosing to engage in, and in keeping with the principles that I and so many others have fought for, I will be declining the invitation to attend the reception at the White House.”
Lionel Richie had also suggested he might not attend, telling the NBC’s Today: “I’m not really happy with what’s going on right now with the controversies. They’re weekly, daily, hourly.”
TV producer Norman Lear, who is to receive a lifelong artistic achievement award, also said he would not attend the White House reception.
He said: “It is more important now than ever that we stand up for artists, for artistic expression, and for the valiant fight that artists fight to reveal the wonder and oneness of the human spirit.”
President Donald Trump has denounced the removal of “beautiful” Confederate statues amid a heated national debate about US race relations.
He tweeted: “Sad to see the history and culture of our great country being ripped apart with the removal of our beautiful statues and monuments.”
“You can’t change history, but you can learn from it,” the president continued.
President Trump drew outrage by defending organizers of a white supremacist rally that left one person dead and dozens hurt.
The rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, supported by neo-Nazis and white supremacists, was in protest of the removal of a statue of Robert E. Lee, a general who had fought for the pro-slavery Confederacy during the Civil War.
The protest turned deadly when a driver ploughed into a crowd of counter protesters, inflicting fatal injuries on Heather Heyer.
In a series of tweets on August 17, President Trump said: “Robert E Lee, Stonewall Jackson – who’s next, Washington, Jefferson? So foolish!”
“The beauty that is being taken out of our cities, towns and parks will be greatly missed and never able to be comparably replaced!”
The recent removal of controversial statues, including some to leaders of the pro-slavery rebellion defeated in the US Civil War, has been the latest flashpoint in racial tensions across the country.
Critics say monuments to the Confederacy are racially offensive, but supporters say they are important symbols preserving Southern heritage.
On August 17, Maine’s Governor Paul LePage, a Republican, said that taking down Confederate statues is “just like” removing a monument to the victims of the 9/11 attacks.
However, relatives of Stonewall Jackson, a Confederate leader President Trump mentioned in his tweets, wrote an open letter to the mayor of Richmond, Virginia, urging him to remove the statue of their great-great-grandfather and all other Confederate statues in town.
Jack and Warren Christian, Stonewall Jackson’s great-great-sons, said removing the statues would “further difficult conversations about racial justice”.
“While we are not ashamed of our great-great-grandfather, we are ashamed to benefit from white supremacy while our black family and friends suffer,” the pair wrote.
“We are ashamed of the monument.”
Robert E. Lee V, the great-great-grandson of the famous Confederate general, also issued a statement condemning the violence in the wake of the statue removals.
Donald Trump’s comments came after a week of turmoil over his response to the violent clashes in Charlottesville.
The president was criticized for blaming both sides for the violence, but belatedly condemned the white supremacist and neo-Nazi groups on August 14.
During a heated news conference on August 15, President Trump backtracked and again blamed left-wing counter-protesters for the incident, too.
Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina, the only black Republican in the upper chamber, said in an interview with Vice News that President Trump’s “moral authority” had been “compromised”.
“I’m not going to defend the indefensible… [Donald Trump’s] comments on Monday were strong. His comments on Tuesday started erasing the comments that were strong,” Senator Scott said.
“What we want to see from our president is clarity and moral authority. And that moral authority is compromised.”
On August 16, the Strategy and Policy Forum announced it would disband as Presidnet Trump said he would end the council as well as a manufacturing one.
White House Chief Strategist Steve Bannon has attacked white nationalists as “clowns” as the fallout from violent protests in Charlottesville continues.
Steve Bannon once headed the right-wing Breitbart News, seen as both a major channel for nationalism and key in helping Donald Trump win election.
However, the former film executive told The American Prospect: “Ethno-nationalism – it’s losers.”
Questions surround Steve Bannon’s future, with President Trump refusing to say whether he still had confidence in him.
President Trump has reportedly been urged to fire Steve Bannon, who in his role has enjoyed direct access to the president and whose influence has been seen in decisions like the US withdrawing from the Paris climate accord.
At a news conference this week, President Trump would only say “we’ll see” when it came to Steve Bannon’s future.
Donald Trump is under fire for his response to August 12 clashes between far-right and counter-protesters in Charlottesville, Virginia, in which he blamed “both sides” for the violence.
The rally, attended by neo-Nazis and white supremacists, was in protest at the removal of a statue of Robert E. Lee, a general who fought for the pro-slavery Confederacy during the US Civil War.
A memorial was held on August 16 for Heather Heyer, a 32-year-old woman killed when a suspected far-right sympathizer drove a car into a crowd of counter-protesters.
Meanwhile Apple CEO Tim Cook has become the latest business leader to criticize President Trump, saying he did not agree there was a “moral equivalence” between white supremacists and “those who oppose them”.
In his interview with The American Prospect, Steve Bannon was asked if there was a connection between the economic nationalism that he supports and the white nationalism seen in Charlottesville.
“Ethno-nationalism – it’s losers,” he said.
“It’s a fringe element. I think the media plays it up too much, and we gotta help crush it, you know, uh, help crush it more.”
“These guys are a collection of clowns,” he added.
Steve Bannon has distanced himself from “ethno-nationalism” before, telling the New York Times his interest in nationalism stems from wanting to curb the negative effects of globalization.
Tim Cook has become the latest chief executive to criticize President Donald Trump over his response to the white nationalist rallies in Virginia.
The Apple boss said he did not agree there was a “moral equivalence” between white supremacists and “those who oppose them”.
President Trump has disbanded two business councils after top bosses resigned.
Tim Cook said Apple will also make donations to human rights charities.
In an email to staff obtained by BuzzFeed News, Tim Cook said: “I disagree with the president and others who believe that there is a moral equivalence between white supremacists and Nazis, and those who oppose them by standing up for human rights.
“Equating the two runs counter to our ideals as Americans.”
Tim Cook added that “in the wake of the tragic and repulsive events in Charlottesville, we are stepping up to help organizations who work to rid our country of hate”.
Apple will donate $1 million to both the Southern Poverty Law Center and the Anti-Defamation League. It will also match two-for-one any staff donations to these and several other human rights groups until September 30, the Apple boss said.
On August 16, Presidnet Trump said he was scrapping two business councils after more bosses quit over his handling of the violent clashes in Virginia.
Business leaders left the White House manufacturing council after the backlash against how he reacted to the far-right rally last weekend.
The clashes culminated in Heather Heyer’s death and 19 wounded when a car ploughed into a crowd of anti-fascist protesters.
President Trump’s reaction has sparked outrage and generated global headlines.
His announcement on Twitter came as the heads of 3M, Campbell Soup, Johnson & Johnson and United Technologies announced their resignations on August 16.
President Trump said: “Rather than putting pressure on the businesspeople of the Manufacturing Council & Strategy & Policy Forum, I am ending both.”
Before Donald Trump’s announcement, the Strategy and Policy Forum announced it was a joint decision to disband the council.
Businesses have been under pressure to distance themselves from President Trump over his handling of the clashes in Charlottesville, Virginia.
On August 14, President Trump belatedly condemned the white supremacist and neo-Nazi groups that rallied in a small Virginia town on August 13.
However, in a rancorous news conference on August 15, the president backtracked and again blamed left-wing counter-protesters for the violence too.
On August 16, JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon, a member of the Strategy and Policy Forum, released a separate statement saying he strongly disagreed with President Trump’s recent statements, adding that “fanning divisiveness is not the answer”.
“Constructive economic and regulatory policies are not enough and will not matter if we do not address the divisions in our country. It is a leader’s role, in business or government, to bring people together, not tear them apart,” he said.
Denise Morrison of Campbell Soup said she could not continue to participate in the advisory panel after President Trump’s comments. Activists had called on Campbell Soup, among other firms, to take action.
President Donald Trump has again blamed both sides for the violent unrest in Charlottesville, Virginia, which left Heather Heyer dead and 19 others injured.
In a statement on August 14, the president had condemned white supremacists.
However, in New York on August 15, Donald Trump also blamed left-wing supporters for charging at the “alt-right”.
The president’s latest comments drew swift criticism, including from many in his Republican party.
Many echoed Senator John McCain’s view: “There is no moral equivalency between racists & Americans standing up to defy hate & bigotry.”
The right-wing march had been organized to protest against the proposed removal of a statue of General Robert E. Lee, who commanded the pro-slavery Confederate forces during the American Civil War. The event drew white supremacy groups.
Violence broke out after they were confronted by anti-racism groups. A car ploughed into one group of anti-racism protesters, killing Heather Heyer, 32, and injuring 19 others.
Speaking at the White House on August 14, President Trump had said that the Ku Klux Klan, neo-Nazis and white supremacists were “repugnant” to everything Americans held dear.
However, at a bad-tempered press conference at Trump Tower on August 15, Donald Trump reverted to blaming “many sides” for August 12 violence.
“You had a group on one side that was bad, and you had a group on the other side that was also very violent. And nobody wants to say that, but I’ll say it right now,” he said.
“What about the alt-left that came charging… at the, as you say, the alt-right? Do they have any semblance of guilt? (…) There are two sides to a story.”
President Trump called the driver of the car that ploughed into the anti-racism protesters a disgrace to himself and his country, but said that those who had marched in defense of the statue had included “many fine people”.
He also asked whether statues of former presidents George Washington and Thomas Jefferson should also be torn down, because they had been slave-owners.
President Trump’s remarks were welcomed by David Duke, a former leader of the Ku Klux Klan, who tweeted: “Thank you President Trump for your honesty & courage to tell the truth about #Charlottesville & condemn the leftist terrorists in BLM/Antifa.”
President Donald Trump has announced he is not ruling out a military option in dealing with the crisis in Venezuela.
The president said: “The people are suffering and they are dying.”
Venezuela’s Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino said President Trump’s suggestion was “an act of craziness”.
President Nicolas Maduro’s new constituent assembly has been widely criticized as anti-democratic. The US recently imposed sanctions on Nicolas Maduro, branding him a dictator.
President Trump told reporters on August 11: “We have many options for Venezuela, including a possible military option if necessary.
“We have troops all over the world in places that are very far away. Venezuela is not very far away and the people are suffering and they’re dying.”
The White House later said that President Maduro had requested a phone call with President Trump.
In response, the White House said President Trump would gladly speak to his Venezuelan counterpart, when democracy had been restored in the country.
Regional pressure on the Venezuelan government has continued, with Peru ordering the expulsion of the Venezuelan ambassador from Lima after Caracas sent an “unacceptable” response to regional condemnation of its new constituent assembly.
Ambassador Diego Molero has five days to leave Peru, officials say.
The move by Peru’s foreign ministry, announced in a statement on Twitter, follows the condemnation by 11 other major countries in the Americas of Venezuela’s controversial constituent assembly.
The new body has the ability to rewrite the constitution and could override the opposition-controlled parliament, the National Assembly.
In a separate development, Peruvian President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski, a fierce critic of Nicolas Maduro, has urged him to resign, saying he lost any credibility after the election of the new body.
Pablo Kuczynski told Reuters: “He’s a dictator and has carried out a coup through a fraudulent election to eliminate Congress.”
The Peruvian president also rejected an offer from Presidnet Maduro to meet face-to-face.
The Venezuelan opposition, which boycotted the election for the constituent assembly, accuses Nicolas Maduro of trying to cling on to power, which he denies.
Nicolas Maduro has repeatedly said that the new assembly would bring peace to Venezuela.
Violent demonstrations since April have left more than 120 people dead in Venezuela.
The US has issued the first written notification that it intends to withdraw from the 2015 Paris climate agreement.
However, in the notice to the UN, the US State Department said Washington would remain in the talks process.
President Donald Trump drew international condemnation in June when he first announced the US intention to withdraw.
Donald Trump said the deal “punished” the US and would cost millions of American jobs.
August 4 announcement is seen as largely symbolic as no nation seeking to leave the pact can officially announce an intention to withdraw until November 4, 2019.
The process of leaving then takes another year, meaning it would not be complete until just weeks after the US presidential election in 2020.
Any new US president could then decide to rejoin the agreement.
Image source Wikipedia
The US statement read: “Today, the United States submitted a communication to the United Nations in its capacity as depositary for the Paris Agreement regarding the US intent to withdraw from the Paris Agreement as soon as it is eligible to do so.
“The United States will continue to participate in international climate change negotiations and meetings… to protect US interests and ensure all future policy options remain open to the administration.”
Two months ago, President Trump indicated he was open to another climate deal “on terms that are fair to the United States”.
However, key signatories to the accord quickly ruled that out. The Paris Agreement took decades to finalize.
The US stance on climate change also caused divisions at the G20 summit in Germany in July.
A joint summit statement said it “took note of the decision of the United States of America to withdraw from the Paris Agreement”.
However, leaders of the other G20 members agreed the accord was “irreversible”.
Climate change, or global warming, refers to the damaging effect of gases, or emissions, released from industry, transportation, agriculture and other areas into the atmosphere.
The Paris Agreement aims to limit the global rise in temperature attributed to emissions. Only Syria and Nicaragua did not sign up.
NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies says the world’s average temperature has risen by about 0.8C since 1880, two-thirds of that since 1975.
US think tank Climate Interactive predicts that if all nations fully achieve their Paris pledges, the average global surface temperature rise by 2100 will be 3.3C, or 3.6C without the US.
Toyota and Mazda have teamed up to invest $1.6 billion in a new car plant in the US.
The two Japanese car giants have also agreed to join forces to develop electric car technology. Toyota is to take a 5% stake in Mazda, while Mazda will also invest in Toyota.
The new US plant aims to produce 300,000 vehicles a year and expects to employ about 4,000 people.
President Donald Trump tweeted the announcement was “a great investment in American manufacturing”.
Earlier this year, Donald Trump had said Toyota would face hefty tariffs on cars built in Mexico for the US market if they were made south of the border.
The new plant will produce Toyota Corollas and a new Mazda SUV crossover.
The companies hope to be able to start production in 2021.
President Trump tweeted: “Toyota & Mazda to build a new $1.6B plant here in the U.S.A. and create 4K new American jobs. A great investment in American manufacturing!”
The Statue of Liberty was caught in an exchange between White House adviser Stephen Miller and a CNN reporter after President Donald Trump backed an immigration policy favoring the better-educated.
“The Statue of Liberty says, <Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free>,” CNN’s Jim Acosta told Stephen Miller.
“It doesn’t say anything about speaking English,” Jim Acosta added.
Stephen Miller said the poem on the iconic American statue was “added later”.
The immigration overhaul, backed by President Trump on August 2, would curb the number of permanent, legal migrants allowed in the US each year and prioritize those who can speak English or are highly skilled.
President Trump’s senior policy adviser at the White House, Stephen Miller, said at a press briefing that the policy was “compassionate”.
The question-and-answer session turned into a fiery row as Stephen Miller and Jim Acosta clashed on the issue.
They verbally sparred over the Statue of Liberty as a symbol of freedom and what it represents in relation to US immigration policy.
In response to Jim Acosta’s point about the famous poem, Stephen Miller countered by saying that it was “not actually part of the original Statue of Liberty”.
“The poem that you’re referring to was added later,” he told Jim Acosta.
However, Jim Acosta, visibly unsatisfied with this response, used the daily briefing to accuse the Trump administration of “trying to engineer the racial and ethnic flow and people into this country”.
Stephen Miller said the accusation was “outrageous”, describing the policy as “pro-American immigration reform” that enjoyed “immense” support among the public.
“Jim, that is one of the most outrageous, insulting, ignorant and foolish things you have ever said,” Stephen Miller said.
“The notion that you think this is a racist bill is so wrong and so insulting.”
Stephen Miller said the bill, which also proposes to limit family-based migration to spouses and children, was a step towards realizing the administration’s plan to introduce an Australian-style, points-based immigration system.
The bill still has a long way to go before becoming law and would be likely to face resistance in Congress from members of both parties.
It is not the first time that CNN’s Jim Acosta has raised hackles at the White House. In January he was warned by then incoming press secretary Sean Spicer that he would be banned from future press conferences if he continued to “argue” with President Trump.
Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said that the US government is not seeking a regime change in North Korea.
“We’re not your enemy,” he said, adding that the US wanted a dialogue at some point.
However, a Republican senator said President Donald Trump had told him there would be a war with North Korea if its missile program continued.
North Korea claimed its latest missile could hit the US west coast.
The second test of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) on July 28, celebrated by North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, was the latest to be conducted in defiance of a UN ban.
Referring to the border between the Koreas, Rex Tillerson said: “We do not seek a regime change, we do not seek the collapse of the regime, we do not seek an accelerated reunification of the peninsula, we do not seek an excuse to send our military north of the 38th parallel.
“We’re not your enemy, we’re not your threat but you’re presenting an unacceptable threat to us and we have to respond.”
President Trump has repeatedly criticized China, which shares a land border with North Korea and is its closest economic ally, for not doing enough to stop Pyongyang’s weapons program.
However, Rex Tillerson took a more diplomatic approach, saying that “only the North Koreans are to blame for this situation”.
“But, we do believe China has a special and unique relationship, because of this significant economic activity, to influence the North Korean regime in ways that no one else can,” he added.
In a separate development, Republican Senator Lindsey Graham said that President Trump told him that there would be a military conflict between the two countries if Pyongyang continued with its aim to develop a missile program with the US in its range.
“There will be a war with North Korea over their missile program if they continue to try to hit America with an ICBM,” Lindsey Graham said.
“He [President Trump] has told me that, I believe him, and if I were China I would believe him too, and do something about it,” he said in an interview with NBC’s Today show.
Lindsey Graham added: “If there’s going to be a war… it will be over there. If thousands die, they’re going to die over there. They’re not going to die here. And he [President Trump] has told me that to my face.”
President Donald Trump has warned that the US holds Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro “personally responsible” for the safety of the seized opposition leaders Leopoldo López and Antonio Ledezma.
In a statement, President Trump also called for the immediate and unconditional release of all political prisoners.
Leopoldo López and Antonio Ledezma, who had been under house arrest, were taken to a military prison on August 1.
This came after July 30 controversial vote for a constitutional assembly.
At least 10 people were killed, as the opposition boycotted the election.
President Nicolas Maduro said the poll was a “vote for the revolution”, arguing that the move would create peace and foster dialogue by bringing together different sectors of Venezuela’s polarized society.
The opposition said on August 1 that it had decided to hold a demonstration against the new assembly on August 3.
Opposition lawmaker Freddy Guevara tweeted the rally would be held on “the day the dictatorship plans to install the fraudulent assembly”.
It had originally been thought that the government would open the constituent assembly on Wednesday, thereby evicting the opposition-controlled National Assembly.
In his statement, President Trump said the US condemned the actions of the “Maduro dictatorship”.
Leopoldo López and Antonio Ledezma were “political prisoners being held illegally by the regime”, he added.
“The United States holds Maduro – who publicly announced just hours earlier that he would move against his political opposition – personally responsible for the health and safety of Mr. López, Mr. Ledezma and any others seized.”
Earlier, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson described the re-arrest of Leopoldo López and Antonio Ledezma as “very alarming”.
“The situation from a humanitarian standpoint is already becoming dire,” he said.
“We are evaluating all of our policy options as to what can we do to create a change of conditions, where either Maduro decides he doesn’t have a future and wants to leave of his own accord, or we can return the government processes back to their constitution.”
US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin announced on July 31 that the US had imposed sanctions on President Maduro.
Leopoldo López was taken from his home at 12:27 local time on August 1, his wife, Lilian Tintori, wrote on Twitter.
A video posted showed Leopoldo López being taken away by members of the Venezuelan intelligence service, Sebin.
The daughter of Antonio Ledezma, Vanessa Ledezma, also posted a video of her father, wearing pajamas, being taken away by the Sebin.
Both Leopoldo López and Antonio Ledezma were key figures in the wave of protests which swept through Venezuela in 2014 in which 43 people from both sides of the political divide were killed.
They have played a less prominent role in the most recent protests because they have been under house arrest but their video messages still get reported and shared widely on opposition websites.
His spokeswoman, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, said the president thought Anthony Scaramucci’s comments to the reporter “were inappropriate for a person in that position”.
Anthony Scaramucci has not been moved to another White House role, she added.
President Trump had tweeted in the morning about job and wage figures, and insisted there is “No WH chaos”, referring to reports about fighting among White House staff.
Anthony Scaramucci, The Mooch, as he is widely known, had boasted of reporting directly to the president, rather than to his chief of staff.
Gen. John Kelly, who had formerly served as secretary of homeland security, was sworn in on July 31at the White House.
The resignation of Reince Priebus came on July 28 after Anthony Scaramucci posted and then deleted a tweet which many interpreted as an accusation and a threat against Priebus.
Anthony Scaramucci also called a reporter to attack Reince Priebus as a “paranoid schizophrenic” and accuse him of leaking information to the media.
During the on-the-record phone call, he also made vulgar statements about chief strategist Steve Bannon.
Anthony Scaramucci also pledged to fire every member of the communications team, as part of his crusade against “leakers”.
Staff in the embassy in Moscow as well as the consulates in Ekaterinburg, Vladivostok and St. Petersburg are affected.
Vladimir Putin did strike a conciliatory note, saying he did not want to impose more measures, but also said he could not see ties changing “anytime soon”.
The president told Russian TV: “More than 1,000 people were working and are still working” at the US embassy and consulates, and that “755 people must stop their activities in Russia.”
Russia has also said it is seizing holiday properties and a warehouse used by US diplomats.
Vladimir Putin suggested he could consider more measures, but said: “I am against it as of today.”
The Russian president also noted the creation of a de-escalation zone in southern Syria as an example of a concrete result of working together.
However, in terms of general relations, Vladimir Putin added: “We have waited long enough, hoping that the situation would perhaps change for the better.
“But it seems that even if the situation is changing, it’s not for anytime soon.”
The new US sanctions were in retaliation both for Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014 and Russian interference in the US election.
In December, the Obama administration ordered the seizure of two Russian diplomatic compounds and expelled 35 Russian diplomats in response to alleged hacking of the US Democratic Party and Hillary Clinton’s campaign.
The new US sanctions on Russia were overwhelmingly approved by both houses of Congress despite objections from the White House.
US intelligence agencies believe Russia tried to sway the election in favor of President Donald Trump and now there are several investigations looking into whether anyone from his campaign helped.
Russia has always denied interfering and Donald Trump insists there was no collusion.
President Donald Trump has announced that the government will not accept or allow transgender people to serve in the US military.
The White House has not yet decided how it will implement the ban.
President Trump’s surprise Twitter announcement on July 26 has been met with criticism from rights groups.
Spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said the administration would work alongside the Pentagon to decide how to proceed.
It is not yet clear how the announcement will affect current transgender service personnel.
“The United States government will not accept or allow transgender individuals to serve in any capacity in the US military,” President Trump tweeted.
“Our military must be focused on decisive and overwhelming victory and cannot be burdened with the tremendous medical costs and disruption that transgender in the military would entail.”
Asked at a press briefing if troops on battlefields would be immediately sent back, White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said the policy had yet to be worked out.
She said: “The decision is based on a military decision. It’s not meant to be anything more than that.”
However, some media outlets questioned the spending justification. The Washington Post drew attention to an analysis that the US military spends almost $42 million a year on the erectile dysfunction medication Viagra – several times the total estimated cost of transgender medical support.
Meanwhile, Politico reports that the move was prompted by threats from Republican hardliners over a spending bill which would provide funding for President Trump’s promised military spending and border wall plans.
One Republican lawmaker had already tabled an amendment to the spending bill to prevent the military paying for transgender surgical procedures.
The decision to allow transgender people to serve openly in the military was made by the Obama administration in 2016, with a one-year review period allowed for its implementation.
The policy included a provision for the military to provide medical help for service members wanting to change gender.
However, last month, Defense Secretary James Mattis agreed to a further six-month delay.
In 2016, the independent Rand Corporation estimated that about 4,000 US active-duty and reserve service members are transgender, although some campaigners put the figure higher than 10,000.
Rand Corporation also predicted that the inclusion of transgender people in the military would lead to a 0.13% increase in healthcare spending (approximately $8.4 million).
President Trump said his decision was based on consultation with his generals, but there has been a mixed reaction.
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