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Tag: White House

  • Melania Trump highlights tradition in White House Christmas decor

    Melania Trump highlights tradition in White House Christmas decor

    U.S. First Lady, Melania Trump, on Monday, took inspiration from her predecessors in choosing decorations for the Trump family’s first Christmas at the White House.

    Trump unveiled the decorations under a “Time-Honoured Traditions” theme before meeting with children from local military families to work on holiday craft projects.

    She said “the President, Barron and I are very excited for our first Christmas in the White House.

    `As with many families across the country, holiday traditions are very important to us.

    I hope that when visiting the People’s House this year, visitors will get a sense of being home for the holidays.”

    The decor features a table set for a family dinner with the Reagan china, president Franklin Roosevelt’s copy of the classic novel “A Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens and an homage to 1961 holiday theme “Nutcracker Suite.”

    There are multiple trees, including the official White House Christmas tree with ornaments depicting the seals of U.S. states and a tree honouring U.S. troops killed in combat.

    The decor will be seen by thousands of visitors on public tours as well as at more than 100 open houses and receptions.

    Read Also: Melania Trump visits elementary school in Beijing

  • Trump requests additional $4bn for missile defence programmes

    Trump requests additional $4bn for missile defence programmes

    U.S. President Donald Trump has requested for another four billion dollars for missile defence programmes to counter a threat from North Korea, the White House said on Tuesday.

    Trump, who is on an extended tour of Asia, made the request in a letter to Congress, saying the additional money, is urgently needed.

    “This request supports additional efforts to detect, defeat, and defend against any North Korean use of ballistic missiles against the United States, its deployed forces, allies or partners,’’ Trump’s letter read.

    Nuclear tests and ballistic missile launches by North Korea have intensified this year, resulting in international condemnation; a tightening of economic sanctions issued by the UN and heightened rhetoric between Washington and Pyongyang.

    “The funding would go toward construction of an additional interceptor field in Alaska and provide initial funding to buy 20 new interceptors for the system,’’ The Hill reported.

    Trump also requested about 1.2 billion for the administration’s new Afghanistan and South Asia strategy.

    He said that these funds were needed to enable the deployment of an additional 3,500 troops in Afghanistan, Special Forces and other expenses associated with the strategy.

    Report says the letter also asks for almost 700 million dollars to repair two Navy ships badly damaged in collisions in June and August.

    Both are in the Japan-based U.S. Seventh Fleet.

    Trump also asked Congress to act on the 2018 budget request for 1.6 billion dollars to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border.

    It described the funds as a down payment on what the Department of Homeland Security needs to secure the border.

  • Trump sued for blocking Twitter users

    Trump sued for blocking Twitter users

    U.S. President Donald Trump has been sued by a free-speech group, which claims his practice of blocking Twitter users violates the First Amendment.

    Trump, who uses the @realDonaldTrump account in office, has been sued by the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University in New York, along with seven individual Twitter users, reports said.

    The suit claimed that Trump’s blocking of users who were critical of him was a violation of the U.S. Constituion.

    “President Trump’s Twitter account, @realDonaldTrump, has become an important source of news and information about the government, and an important public forum for speech by, to, and about the President.

    “In an effort to suppress dissent in this forum, Defendants have excluded –  ‘blocked’ – Twitter users who have criticized the President or his policies. This practice is unconstitutional, and this suit seeks to end it,” the lawsuit read.

    The lawsuit, which was filed in the federal court in the Southern District of New York, claimed it was a violation to suppress dissent.

    White House spokesman Sean Spicer noted in June that Trump’s tweets are official statements and the White House often sends out official statements everytime the President tweets.

    Trump, along with Spicer and Dan Scavino, the White House Director of Social mLMedia, are named as defendants in the lawsuit.

    The Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University is a New York City-based 501(c)(III) organisation , meaning a nonprofit organisation.

    The organization “works to defend and strengthen the freedoms of speech and the press in the digital age through strategic litigation, research, and public education,” according to the complaint.

    The seven individual plaintiffs in the suit are writer and political consultant Rebecca Buckwalter, Prof. Philip Cohen, political organiser Holly Figueroa, resident in general surgery Eugene Gu, police officer Brandon Neely, former professional cyclist Joseph Papp and comic/writer Nicholas Pappas.

    The federal suit is case number 1:17-cv-05205.

    The White House is yet to make any comment on the suit.

  • Chibok schoolgirls hail Trump at White House

    Chibok schoolgirls hail Trump at White House

    Two of the Chibok schoolgirls, who escaped from Boko Haram captivity in 2014, Joy Bishara and Lydia Pogu, read a letter hailing United States (U.S.) President Donald Trump during a visit to the White House on Tuesday.

    The White House released more photos of the girls at the weekend, claiming that during their visit, Joy and Lydia “read the President a letter about their experience”.

    On the night of April 14, 2014, Boko Haram terrorists attacked the Government Girls Secondary School in Chibok, Borno.

    An excerpt of the letter is below: “Mr. President, we urge you to keep America safe and strong.

    “We know that some people are trying to discourage you.

    “Do not be discouraged. You are right to keep American safe and strong.

    “Not only for America. But for the world.

    “If America is not safe and strong, where can people like us look for hope, when there is danger?

    “Finally, we urge you to keep making America prosperous.”

    Trump and his daughter Ivanka hosted the Chibok schoolgirls during their visit, the White House said.

    The Boko Haram insurgents broke into the school and kidnapped the girls, who were sitting for their final exams.

    “But approximately 50 of the girls have escaped, including Joy Bishara and Lydia Pogu, who visited President Donald Trump, and his daughter, Ivanka Trump, at the White House last Tuesday.

    “The girls are recent graduates of Canyonville Christian Academy in Oregon, and they were accompanied by the school President, Doug Wead.

    “The President and Ivanka were both deeply moved by the girls’ visit,” the statement by the White House read.

    The Chibok schoolgirls’ visit coincided with the U.S. State Department’s release of its annual Trafficking in Persons Report.

    “In the wake of the report, the two Chibok schoolgirls’ visit to the White House was a reminder that the survivors of the scourge of human trafficking are heroes whose courage can inspire us all,” the White House said.

    “Let us recommit ourselves to finding those still in the shadows of exploitation, and let us celebrate the heroes who continue to shine on the darkness of human trafficking.”

  • What Chibok schoolgirls told Trump during visit-White House

    What Chibok schoolgirls told Trump during visit-White House

    Joy Bishara and Lydia Pogu, two of the Chibok schoolgirls, who escaped from Boko Haram captivity in 2014, read a letter applauding U.S. President Donald Trump during a recent visit to the White House.

    The White House released more photos of the girls on Saturday, saying during their visit, Joy and Lyida “read the President a letter about their experience”.

    On the night of April 14, 2014, Boko Haram terrorists attacked the Government Girls Secondary School in Chibok, Borno.

    An excerpt of the letter is below:

    “Mr. President, we urge you to keep America safe and strong.

    “We know that some people are trying to discourage you.

    “Do not be discouraged. You are right to keep American safe and strong.

    “Not only for America. But for the world.

    “If America is not safe and strong, where can people like us look for hope, when there is danger?

    “Finally, we urge you to keep making America prosperous.”

    Trump and his daughter, Ivanka, hosted the Chibok schoolgirls during their visit, the White House said.

    The Boko Haram insurgents broke into the school  and kidnapped the girls, who were sitting for their final exams.

    “But approximately 50 of the girls have escaped, including Joy Bishara and Lydia Pogu, who visited President Donald Trump, and his daughter, Ivanka Trump, at the White House last Tuesday.

    “The girls are recent graduates of Canyonville Christian Academy in Oregon, and they were accompanied by the school President, Doug Wead.

    “The President and Ivanka were both deeply moved by the girls’ visit,” the statement by the White House read.

    The Chibok schoolgirls’ visit coincided with the U.S. State Department’s release of its annual Trafficking in Persons Report.

    “In the wake of the report, the two Chibok schoolgirls’ visit to the White House was a reminder that the survivors of the scourge of human trafficking are heroes whose courage can inspire us all,” the White House said.

    “Let us recommit ourselves to finding those still in the shadows of exploitation, and let us celebrate the heroes who continue to shine on the darkness of human trafficking.” (NAN)

  • Donald Trump receives two chibok girls

    Donald Trump receives two chibok girls

    President Donald Trump on Wednesday hosted two rescued Chibok girls in his office in the White House.

    Along with his daughter, Ivanka Trump,  he met with Joy Bishara 20,  and Lydia Pogu 19.

  • CNN reporter labels White House spokesman ‘just kind of useless’

    CNN reporter labels White House spokesman ‘just kind of useless’

    A CNN reporter labelled White House spokesman Sean Spicer “just kind of useless”, in the the ongoing tussle between the Washington press corps and the Trump administration.

    The comment was made by CNN White House correspondent Jim Acosta during an appearance on “CNN Newsroom with Brooke Baldwin.”

    “The White House press secretary is getting to a point, Brooke, where he’s just kind of useless,” Acosta said.

    “You know, if he can’t come out and answer the questions and they’re just not going to do this on camera or audio, why are we even having these briefings or these gaggles in the first place?”

    Acosta’s comments came shortly after Spicer held an off-camera press briefing that journalists were reportedly not allowed to record.

    The 47-year-old, who has covered the last three elections for CNN, also criticized President Donald Trump for not holding a “full blown press conference” since February.

    “I don’t know why everybody is going along with this. It just doesn’t make any sense to me,” Acosta said.

    Citing an unnamed senior White House official, the Washington Post reported Monday that Spicer is expected to move to a more “behind-the-scenes role overseeing communications strategy.”

    The move is part of a “broader overhaul” of the communications team at the White House, the Post said.

    Spicer has been the subject of criticism by reporters in Washington for months, and has also attracted the attention of comedy show Saturday Night Live, where he is portrayed by actress Melissa McCarthy.

  • Trump confesses: I thought being President would be easier

    Trump confesses: I thought being President would be easier

    President Donald Trump of the United States of America (USA) has confessed that he never expected being a president to be as tough as it has turned out.

    Trump said this as part of the celebration to mark his first 100 days in office.


    Reflecting on his first 100 days in the White House, President Donald Trump told Reuters Thursday he’s been surprised by aspects of his new job, including how much work it is when compared with running his business empire.

    “I loved my previous life,” Trump said. “This is more work than in my previous life. I thought it would be easier.”

    According to Reuters, Trump also said he was surprised at how little privacy he has now, despite being used to not having much of it in his “old life.”

    The president, who never held public office before he was elected to the nation’s highest office, told the news agency he’s still getting used to his 24-hour Secret Service protection.

  • Suspicious package’ causes road closures near White House

    Suspicious package’ causes road closures near White House

    Authorities temporarily closed roads Tuesday near the White House after the discovery of a “suspicious package” outside the grounds of the presidential residence.

    The U.S. Secret Service, which protects the president, his family and other top officials and visiting

    dignitaries said that officers had established a perimeter, and moved pedestrians outside the White House a safe distance away, as a precaution.

    The package appeared to have been found on the north side of the grounds, with some television crews moved off the White House north lawn.

    NAN recalls that on March 11, Jonathan Tran, 26, scaled an outer-perimeter fence on the White House complex on Friday night.

    Tran climbed a White House fence on Friday night and gained access to the complex’s south grounds before being arrested by the Secret Service.

    The service said the incident occurred at about 11:38 p.m.

    The intruder was carrying a backpack and purportedly got close to the White House’s south portico residence entrance, near the Washington Monument.

    No hazardous material was found inside the backpack, and a subsequent search of the complex grounds resulted in “nothing of concern to security operations,” the Secret Service said.

    The agency also said that the suspect had no “previous history” with the agency.

    Tran, who reportedly had a California driver’s license, told Secret Service officers that he was at the White House to see Trump.

    “No, I am a friend of the President. I have an appointment,” the suspect said when approached by an officer, according to a report released on Saturday by the Washington, D.C., Metropolitan Police Department.

    Asked how he got there, the suspect told officers: “I jumped the fence”.

  • Congress probes Obama over Trump’s phone tapping

    Congress probes Obama over Trump’s phone tapping

    The U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Intelligence said it would probe former President Barack Obama’s administration over alleged tapping into the phones and computer servers of President Donald Trump and campaign officials.

    The Chairman of the Committee, Rep. Devin Nunes, said on Sunday in a statement that his panel will investigate wiretapping allegations made by Trump against Obama. The wiretapping was alleged by Trump to have occurred during the 2016 presidential campaigns.

    “One of the focus points of the House Intelligence Committee’s investigation is the U.S. government’s response to actions taken by Russian intelligence agents during the presidential campaign.

    “As such, the Committee will make inquiries into whether the government was conducting surveillance activities on any political party’s campaign officials or surrogates, and we will continue to investigate this issue if the evidence warrants it.”

    The White House on Sunday demanded that Congress examine Trump’s allegations that his predecessor conducted surveillance in Trump Tower to determine whether campaign operatives had contacts with the Russians during the election.

    White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer said: “Reports concerning potentially politically motivated investigations immediately ahead of the 2016 election are very troubling.

    “President Donald J. Trump is requesting that as part of their investigation into Russian activity, the congressional intelligence committees exercise their oversight authority to determine whether executive branch investigative powers were abused in 2016.”

    Obama has, however, denied that he ordered any such wiretaps.