Administration of Donald J. Trump, 2019 Digest of Other White House
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Administration of Donald J. Trump, 2019 Digest of Other White House Announcements December 31, 2019 The following list includes the President's public schedule and other items of general interest announced by the Office of the Press Secretary and not included elsewhere in this Compilation. January 1 In the afternoon, the President posted to his personal Twitter feed his congratulations to President Jair Messias Bolsonaro of Brazil on his Inauguration. In the evening, the President had a telephone conversation with Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel. During the day, the President had a telephone conversation with President Abdelfattah Said Elsisi of Egypt to reaffirm Egypt-U.S. relations, including the shared goals of countering terrorism and increasing regional stability, and discuss the upcoming inauguration of the Cathedral of the Nativity and the al-Fatah al-Aleem Mosque in the New Administrative Capital and other efforts to advance religious freedom in Egypt. January 2 In the afternoon, in the Situation Room, the President and Vice President Michael R. Pence participated in a briefing on border security by Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen M. Nielsen for congressional leadership. January 3 In the afternoon, the President had separate telephone conversations with Anamika "Mika" Chand-Singh, wife of Newman, CA, police officer Cpl. Ronil Singh, who was killed during a traffic stop on December 26, 2018, Newman Police Chief Randy Richardson, and Stanislaus County, CA, Sheriff Adam Christianson to praise Officer Singh's service to his fellow citizens, offer his condolences, and commend law enforcement's rapid investigation, response, and apprehension of the suspect. January 4 In the morning, in the Situation Room, the President and Vice President Michael R. Pence met with congressional leadership. In the afternoon, in the Oval Office, the President had an intelligence briefing. Later, also in the Oval Office, he met with Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo. January 5 In the afternoon, the President was briefed by Vice President Michael R. Pence and other senior advisers on their efforts to negotiate a funding package to end the partial shutdown of Federal Government operations and strengthen border security. The White House announced that the President will travel to Camp David, MD, on January 6. January 6 1 In the morning, the President traveled to Camp David, MD. He also announced on his personal Twitter feed that the U.S. military had killed suspected Al Qaida terrorist organization operative Jamal al-Badawi in an airstrike in Marib Governorate, Yemen, on January 1. In the afternoon, the President returned to Washington, DC. January 7 In the afternoon, in the Private Dining Room, the President and Vice President Michael R. Pence had lunch. Later, in the Oval Office, the President had an intelligence briefing. He also announced on his personal Twitter feed that he will deliver a prime-time address to the Nation on border security on January 8. During the day, the President had a telephone conversation with Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India to discuss India-U.S. relations and exchange perspectives on how to reduce the U.S. trade deficit with India, expand security and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific, and increase cooperation in Afghanistan. He also had a telephone conversation with President Emmanuel Macron of France to discuss the situation in Syria, including their joint commitment to the defeat the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) terrorist organization, plans for a coordinated U.S. withdrawal of U.S. troops from Syria, and their resolve that any further use of chemical weapons in Syria must not be tolerated. Also during the day, the President had a telephone conversation with Prime Minister Justin P.J. Trudeau of Canada today to discuss the detention of two Canadian citizens in China and bilateral trade issues. The White House announced that the President will travel to McAllen, TX, on January 10. The President announced his intention to nominate Geoffrey W.S. Okamoto to be Deputy Under Secretary for International Finance at the Department of the Treasury and, upon confirmation, designate him as Assistant Secretary for International Finance. The President announced his intention to appoint Karen Kelly and Jayne H. Plank as members of the Board of Governors of the United Service Organizations, Inc. The President announced his intention to appoint Clifford Sobel as a member of the President's Intelligence Advisory Board. January 8 In the morning, the President posted to his personal Twitter feed his congratulations to the Clemson University football team for their victory over the University of Alabama in the College Football Playoff National Championship game. In the afternoon, the President participated in an off-the-record luncheon with network news anchors. The White House announced that the President and Vice President Michael R. Pence will attend the Senate Republican policy lunch on Capitol Hill on January 9. January 9 In the afternoon, in the Oval Office, the President had an intelligence briefing. Then, at the U.S. Capitol, the President and Vice President Michael R. Pence attended the Senate Republican policy lunch. Later, in the Situation Room, they met with congressional leadership to negotiate a funding package to end the partial shutdown of Federal Government operations and strengthen border security. 2 Also in the afternoon, the President posted to his personal Twitter feed a message of thanks to U.S. law enforcement personnel on the occasion of National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day. January 10 In the morning, the President traveled to McAllen, TX, arriving in the afternoon. White House Senior Adviser Jared C. Kushner accompanied him. In the afternoon, the President traveled to U.S. Border Patrol McAllen Station, where, following the border security roundtable discussion, he spoke to uniformed border patrol agents in an overflow room. Later, he traveled to Mission, TX, along the Rio Grande River, where he toured border control facilities at the Anzaldus Dam in Hidalgo County, TX, with U.S. Border Patrol Acting Sector Chief Raul Ortiz and recorded an interview with Sean Hannity of Fox News' "Hannity" program. Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen M. Nielsen and Communications Director Bill J. Shine also attended. Later in the afternoon, the President returned to Washington, DC, arriving in the evening. The White House announced that the President's previously scheduled travel to Davos- Klosters, Switzerland, to attend the World Economic Forum had been canceled. January 11 During the day, the President met with Sen. Lindsey O. Graham. The White House announced that the President will travel to Kenner, LA, on January 14. The White House announced that the President will welcome the Clemson University football team to the White House on January 14. The President announced his intention to nominate Mark L. Greenblatt to be Inspector General at the Department of the Interior. The President announced his intention to nominate Thomas A. Summers to be a member of the Board of Directors of the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board. January 12 In the evening, the President participated in a telephone interview with Jeanine Ferris Pirro of Fox News' "Justice With Judge Jeanine" program. January 13 In the morning, the President spoke with Sen. Lindsey O. Graham to discuss efforts to negotiate a funding package to end the partial shutdown of Federal Government operations and strengthen border security. January 14 In the morning, the President traveled to New Orleans, LA. In the afternoon, the President returned to Washington, DC. Upon arrival on the South Lawn at the White House, he spoke briefly to reporters. During the day, the President had a telephone conversation with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey to discuss several bilateral issues, including ongoing cooperation in Syria as U.S. forces begin to withdraw, and other topics for future cooperation. President Trump expressed his desire to work together to address Turkey's security concerns in northeast Syria while stressing the importance of maintaining the safety of Kurdish and other Syrian democratic 3 forces partnered in the fight to defeat the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) terrorist organization. January 15 In the morning, in the Oval Office, the President had an intelligence briefing. In the afternoon, in the Roosevelt Room, the President and Vice President Michael R. Pence had lunch with Members of Congress. Later, in the Oval Office, he participated in a briefing call on border security with State, local, and community leaders. The President announced the designation of the following individuals as members of a Presidential delegation to attend the World Economic Forum in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland, from January 22 through January 25: Steven T. Mnuchin (head of delegation); Michael R. Pompeo; Wilbur L. Ross, Jr.; Robert E. Lighthizer; and Christopher P. Liddell. January 16 In the morning, in the Situation Room, the President and Vice President Michael R. Pence met with members of the congressional Problem Solvers Caucus. He also met with Sens. Randal H. Paul, Marco A. Rubio, and Joni K. Ernst. In the afternoon, in the Private Dining Room, the President had lunch with Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo. Later, in the Oval Office, he and Vice President Pence participated in a signing ceremony for S. 24, the Government Employee Fair Treatment Act of 2019. During the day, the President was briefed on the terrorist attack at a restaurant in Manbij, Syria, that killed four U.S. citizens. The President announced his intention to nominate Greg G. Guidry to be a judge the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana. The President announced his intention to nominate J. Wesley Hendrix and Mark T. Pittman to be judges on the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas. The President announced his intention to nominate Sean D.