THE WHITE HOUSE's latest

Dow, S&P Surge to Record Closes as Economy Steams Ahead In The Washington Post, Thomas Heath writes that the "U.S. stock markets smashed records Thursday” as the economy continues to flourish. Heath notes that “it’s the S&P’s 19th record close this year and its 89th since the 2016 elections. The Dow recorded its 12th new closing high of the year and its 100th new high since the presidential election.” Click here to read more. “The number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits unexpectedly fell last week, hitting near a 49-year low in a sign the job market remains strong,” Reutersreports. “Initial claims for state unemployment benefits fell by 3,000 to a seasonally adjusted level of 201,000 for the week ended Sept. 15, the Labor Department said on Thursday. That is the lowest level since November 1969.” “The federal government has more authority to go on offense against foreign adversaries under a new cybersecurity strategy signed by President Donald Trump, officials said Thursday,” David Jackson writes in USA Today. “We are going to do a lot of things offensively. Our adversaries need to know that,” National Security Adviser John Bolton said. “President Trump announced Thursday the names of two American soldiers from the Korean War identified from troop remains given to U.S. by North Korea earlier this year,” Diana Stancy Correll writes in the Washington Examiner. “Army Master Sgt. Charles H. McDaniel, 32, or Vernon, Indiana, and Army Pfc. William H. Jones, 19, of Nash County, North Carolina, are the first American remains from…...North Korea to be identified as a result of my Summit with Chairman Kim,” President Trump tweeted. “These HEROES are home, they may Rest In Peace, and hopefully their families can have closure.” “President Trump has made addressing drug demand and the opioid crisis a top priority of his administration,” writes Deputy Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy Jim Carroll in the Columbus Dispatch. The President is “dedicating unprecedented funding to address this crisis, including making sure states and communities have the resources they need to prevent drug use, treat addiction locally and stop the flow of drugs into their communities.” “One year ago, a devastating Category 4 hurricane made landfall just south of the Yabucoa Harbor in Puerto Rico,” writes Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen M. Nielsen in the Miami Herald. “FEMA and its federal partners were in Puerto Rico before Hurricane Maria made landfall, supported response efforts, and will stay there for years to come, supporting the government’s recovery efforts and helping Puerto Rican communities.” New York Times: President Trump Hit Iran With Oil Sanctions. So Far, They’re Working.  In The New York Times, Clifford Krauss writes that President Donald J. Trump’s oil sanctions on Iran—part of the President’s withdrawal from the fatally flawed Iran nuclear deal—are effectively weakening the regime’s leverage as oil companies across the globe bail out of deals with Tehran. “The president is doing the opposite of what the experts said, and it seems to be working out,” said Michael Lynch, president of Strategic Energy and Economic Research. Click here to read more. “The scale of America’s opioid crisis can be daunting. The latest numbers show that more than 72,000 Americans died of a drug overdose in 2017,” Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar writes in USA Today. “While the epidemic still rages, we are now seeing signs of national progress . . . The number of Americans initiating heroin use dropped by around half from 2016 to 2017.” In El Nuevo Dia, Small Business Administrator Linda McMahon shares how the Federal Government is continuing to help with Hurricane Maria recovery efforts in Puerto Rico. “In the year since Hurricane Maria struck, the SBA has approved 52,400 disaster loans totaling nearly $2 billion,” she notes. “Survivors of natural disasters can register at DisasterAssistance.gov to see the types of assistance for which they are eligible.” Democrats may be attacking President Trump’s trade actions with China, but the President’s latest move “is not rattling investors. That was the message from traders Tuesday, who sent stock averages soaring in the face of the latest round of American tariffs on Chinese imports and Beijing’s retaliatory response,” Liz Peek writes in The Hill.  “President Trump toured the Carolinas on Wednesday to survey the wreckage and rampant flooding in the wake of Hurricane Florence, praising rescue efforts and meeting victims of the devastating storm,” Bob Fredericks reports for the New York Post. “In moments of despair, we’ve witnessed the true character of the American people,” the President said in Havelock, North Carolina. The White House • September 20, 2018 America’s first cyber strategy in 15 years America and its allies are under attack every day in cyberspace. Malicious actors try to undermine our safety and security by damaging our national infrastructure and upending the lives of ordinary Americans. In response to this growing threat, President Donald J. Trump has unveiled America’s first comprehensive cyber strategy since 2003. The plan builds on the four priorities outlined in the Administration’s broader National Security Strategy: Protect the American People, the Homeland, and the American Way of Life by securing our information systems and combatting cybercrime Promote American Prosperity by pursuing cyberspace as an engine of economic growth, innovation, and efficiency Preserve Peace through Strength by identifying, countering, disrupting, degrading, and deterring bad behavior in cyberspace Advance American Influence by preserving the long-term openness, security, and reliability of the Internet The United States is engaged in a continuous competition against strategic adversaries, rogue states, and terrorist and criminal networks. These new threats demand a new response. The Administration’s answer to these risks is anchored by enduring American values—a belief in the power of individual liberty, free expression, free markets, and privacy. President Trump unveils America’s first cybersecurity strategy in 15 years. Go deeper: See the full report here. Video of the day Yesterday, President Trump visited the Carolinas, getting a firsthand look at communities impacted by Hurricane Florence. Meeting with local leaders and first responders, the President had a message: “The Federal Government is behind you.” Watch President Trump visit families affected by Hurricane Florence Unemployment claims just keep falling Positive economic news is becoming a near-daily staple during the Trump Boom. Gone are the day when “secular stagnation” and endless talk of permanent slow growth were the dominant themes of American economic commentary. Weekly jobless claims fell again last week, reaching a near half-century low. Reuters had this to say: “The labor market is viewed as being near or at full employment. It continues to strengthen, with nonfarm payrolls increasing by 201,000 jobs in August and annual wage growth notching its biggest gain in more than nine years.” The U.S. stock market roared this week, as well, with both the Dow Jones Industrial Average and the S&P 500 setting record highs. Today’s news is “a sign of investors’ conviction in a booming U.S. economy,” Michael Wursthorn reports for The Wall Street Journal. “S&P 500 HITS ALL-TIME HIGH,” the President tweeted. “Congratulations USA!” Reuters: The number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits falls Photo of the Day Official White House Photo by Shealah Craighead President Donald J. Trump embraces a young boy in North Carolina while helping victims of Hurricane Florence | September 19, 2018