Wow, so I reread my notes on yesterday's press conference, and it looks like I had as many typos as a DT speech has lies. I'll revise it at some point, but I've been extremely busy with work and don't want to get too far behind on the news.
- On February 16th, 2017, multiple sources reported that DT plans to issue a new executive order to replace the disastrous "Muslim ban." Meanwhile, the White House is waiting for a delivery of pens, as DT has signed so many that the White House has run out. Not surprising, given the full list of executive orders linked below.
- Source: http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/president-trump-replace-halted-travel-ban-executive-order/story?id=45545474
- Source: http://www.ajc.com/news/trump-issues-many-executive-orders-that-run-out-pens-sign-them/FGAbcnE8NnObpTSwnKmpaM/
- Source, list of executive orders, from newest to oldest: http://wqad.com/2017/02/16/a-running-list-of-president-donald-trumps-executive-orders/
- On February 16th, 2017, following disgraced former General and National Security Advisor Mike Flynn's resignation, the White House offered Robert S. Harward, a retired vice admiral and Navy SEAL the job. Harward turned it down. Sources say that the reason was because he could not confirm that he would be able to hire his own staff.
- On February 17th, 2017, following Harward turning down the offer as National Security Advisor, DT tweeted that General Keith Kellogg is "very much in play for NSA -- as are three others," whom he did not name.
- On February 17th, 2017, the California Public Employees' Retirement System, along with 100 other investment groups, are pressuring the banks financing the Dakota Access Pipeline to reroute it aways from the lands granted to the Standing Rock Sioux by a 19th century US treaty. Meanwhile, the army formally closed its study of whether or not the pipeline could spill under Lake Oahe and pollute the drinking water.
- On February 17th, 2017, several news outlets reported on, a draft of an executive memo that circulated suggesting that the National Guard could be used to round up people for detention and deportation. The White House has denied that they plan to do this.
- On February 17th, 2017, DT called CIA Director Mike Pompeo to tell at him about the intelligence community keeping information from the White House. The CIA officially says that no information has been withheld, but insiders say that there "has been a 'chill' in the information flow."
- On February 17th, 2017, CNN reported that the Russian media's love affair with DT has ended.
- On February 17th, 2017, John McCain gave a speech at the Munich Security Conference blasting DT and his administration. While he did not name DT, it was obvious who he was talking about. Despite McCain's speech, he continues to vote for DT's cabinet appointees.
- On February 17th, 2017, DT went to a Boeing plant in South Carolina to "celebrate jobs." He teased the airplane builder with the possibility of switching from Lockheed to Boeing for military airplane orders, and made a rather sexist joke saying, “What can look so beautiful at 30? An airplane." His joke was apparently met with hearty laughter.
- On February 17th, 2017, in a galling attack on the free press, DT called the news media "the enemy of the American people."
- On February 17th, 2017, NPR reported that DT's now weekly visits to Mar-a-Lago are disrupting life in Palm Beach County.
- On February 17th, 2017, Reuters reported that energy had flagged with a second day in a row of protests this week. The general strike that was hastily organized, without contacting union leaders, did not go as planned, but several further general strikes are planned for later in the year.
- On February 17th, 2017, climate change denier Scott Pruit was confirmed as head of the Environmental Protection Agency. The EPA staff have been told to prepare for executive orders targeting the agency, and the New York Post reports that the EPA staff will not go quietly into lay offs and the disbanding of environmental protection regulations.
- Source: http://nypost.com/2017/02/17/the-rebellion-at-the-epa-is-far-from-over/
- Source: http://www.cnbc.com/2017/02/16/epa-staff-told-to-prepare-for-trump-executive-orders-sources.html
- Source: http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/epas-scott-pruitt-means-environmental-policy-regulation/
- Source: http://www.newyorker.com/news/amy-davidson/scott-pruitt-the-e-p-a-and-the-republicans-bargain-with-trump
- On February 17th, 2017, republican Representative Walter Jones of North Carolina became the first republican members of the House to openly support an investigation into DT's ties to Russia.
- On February 17th, 2017. CNN reported that Mike Flynn changed his story to the FBI, and so no charges are expected. FBI Director James Comey met with the Senate Intelligence Committee on Friday regarding the Russia leaks, but Senators did not offer any comment on the meeting.
- On February 17th, 2017. Representative Hakeem Jeffries told MSNBC that any meeting between DT and the Congressional Black Caucus should not include White House strategist, noted white supremacist and neo-Nazi Steve Bannon, because Bannon is "a stone cold racist and a white supremacist sympathizer." Thank you, Representative Jeffries!
- On February 17th, 2017, republican Representative Mark Sanford of South Carolina, in a scathing interview with Politico, said that DT, "at some level he represents the antithesis, or the undoing, of everything I thought I knew about politics, preparation and life.” The whole interview is great and deserves a read.
- On February 17th, 2017, DT's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, complained to Time Warner, the parent company of CNN, about the news network's treatment of DT. Republican strategist and outspoke opponent of DT Ana Navarro took to Twitter to destroy Kushner, tweeting, "Little boy Kushner, tough guy who's supposed to achieve Middle East peace, is complaining about me to CNN. Boo-hoo!"