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The White House • February 7, 2019 50 million women “More than 100 countries prohibit women from working in specific industries, which means 2.7 billion women are legally restricted from having the same choice of jobs as men,” Advisor to the President Ivanka Trump writes in The Wall Street Journal this week. In 18 countries, husbands can even legally prevent their wives from working and earning their own income, she adds. Expanding economic opportunity for women isn’t just the right thing to do—it’s in America’s national interest, as well. It has the potential to boost global economic output by $12 trillion by 2025. Unleashing widespread prosperity throughout the developing world can lead to a more stable, peaceful global order. This afternoon, President Donald J. Trump signed a memorandum to launch the Women’s Global Development and Prosperity Initiative, or “W-GDP.” Spearheaded by Ivanka Trump, this first-of-its-kind, whole-of-government approach to women’s economic empowerment will aim to touch 50 million lives in developing countries. That potential $12 trillion payoff “represents far more than an economic boom—it represents millions of lives full of promise: mothers who could provide for their children, daughters who could be the first to graduate from high school, and young women who could start businesses and create jobs,” Ms. Trump writes. W-GDP stands on a three-pillar premise: Increase women’s global labor force participation and advancement in the workplace by providing them with quality education, training, and support   Improve the access that female entrepreneurs and business owners have to financing and market opportunities that help grow their businesses   Eliminate the legal, regulatory, and cultural barriers that prevent women from participating in their local economies   “By investing in women around the world, we’re investing in families, we’re investing in prosperity, and we’re investing in peace,” President Trump said. How W-GDP aims to reach 50 million women in the developing world by 2025 Watch: Ivanka Trump previews the promise of W-GDP Video of the day: SOTU in 62 seconds President Trump laid out a bold vision for American greatness in his second State of the Union address on Tuesday night. In case you missed the speech—or just want to relive a few of the highlights—we’ve compiled some of the best lines of the night. Photo of the Day Official White House Photo by Joyce N. Boghosian President Donald J. Trump, joined by Advisor to the President Ivanka Trump, members of his Cabinet, and guests, signs a memorandum to launch the Women’s Global Development and Prosperity Initiative | February 7, 2019 The White House • February 6, 2019 ‘I ask you to choose greatness’ Last night, President Donald J. Trump previewed the next chapter of his presidency. “The agenda I will lay out this evening is not a Republican agenda or a Democrat agenda,” the President told Congress as he opened his second State of the Union address. “It’s the agenda of the American people.” What unites most of our citizens isn’t political party—it’s complete awe and frustration at Washington’s decades of dysfunction. Americans watching at home agreed. Three-quarters of them approved of the President’s speech, according to a CBS News poll conducted last night. Even more revealing, a full 82 percent of independents endorsed President Trump’s message. That makes the choice clear for our leaders in Congress and across government: Voters will reward results over resistance. Compromise can rebuild trust in a broken system. Pointless destruction and gridlock won’t—and both come with a steep political price. Choosing greatness is a vision that can break decades of political stalemate. It’s an agenda that all Americans, Republican or Democrat, can get behind:   A booming economy can continue to lift up all working people.   Congress should champion a safe, legal immigration system.   We can invest in real infrastructure that leaves no community behind.   New trade deals will ensure that no country exploits our workers.   Washington must rein in the outrageous price of prescription drugs.   America will rebuild its military while ending the cycle of endless wars.   We must support working parents and protect the gift of life.   From criminal justice reform to opioids, let’s embrace bipartisan success.   Both parties can be guided by a shared vision of American greatness.   President Trump delivers his second State of the Union Address. More: See what Republicans AND Democrats are saying about the speech.   Video of the day: First Lady welcomes special guests Some serve in law enforcement. Others survived drug addiction, criminal violence, or cancer. Some only needed a second chance to prove they could turn their lives around. The First Lady and President Trump’s special guests for last night’s State of the Union all have unique stories to tell. Together, they tell the story of America. Watch: First Lady Melania Trump welcomes the 2019 State of the Union guests   Photo of the Day Official White House Photo by D. Myles Cullen President Donald J. Trump delivers his State of the Union address at the U.S. Capitol | February 5, 2018

Border Agents Just Apprehended Convicted Child Molesters and an MS-13 Member at the Texas Border Where There's No Barrier “U.S. Border Patrol agents said Thursday that they apprehended several illegal immigrants at the southern border in Texas, in places where there are no physical barrier walls to deter illegal crossings,” Eddie Scarry reports in the Washington Examiner. “Among those caught crossing into the U.S. were a Mexican man with a previous conviction in Georgia for child molestation, a Honduran man with a record in North Carolina showing a conviction for ‘Indecent Liberties with Child,’ and another Honduran male with a Florida record that identified him as a member of the violent MS-13 gang.” Click here to continue reading. “President Trump signed a new initiative Thursday to help bring economic security to 50 million women around the world by 2025, calling it a ‘historic step,’” Dave Boyer reports for The Washington Times. Led by Advisor to the President Ivanka Trump, the Women’s Global Development and Prosperity Initiative, or W-GDP, is the first-ever whole-of-government approach focused on advancing women’s global economic empowerment. Throughout the 20th century, infrastructure was essential to growing America into one of the most powerful economies in the world. In Fox News, Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao writes that it’s time for both Democrats and Republicans to join with President Trump to fund infrastructure improvements. “Today, aging and insufficient infrastructure threatens to impede America’s economic growth and impact quality of life in many areas.” “Ford Motor Company announced Thursday it will invest $1 billion at two Chicago factories to handle production of three new SUVs. The company said in a news release that work on the assembly and stamping plants will begin in March and is expected to be completed by spring,” Brett Samuels reported in The Hill. “The expansion will result in 500 new full-time jobs, bringing total employment at the factories on the city's southeast side to 5,800.” In The Associated Press, Darlene Superville reports that First Lady Melania Trump “thanked youth anti-drug advocates Thursday for ‘choosing to step up and be part of the solution’ for reducing drug abuse and addiction.” The First Lady told attendees of the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America’s youth leadership forum that “you are our greatest agents for change.” REAL NEWS PRESIDENT TRUMP DOESN'T WANT YOU TO MISS With Pitch for Unity, Trump Urges Republicans and Democrats to ‘Choose Greatness’ -Washington Examiner “President Trump in his State of the Union address Tuesday night issued a call for unity and an end to the political divisiveness that has ensnared Washington,” Melissa Quinn reports. During the speech—with its theme of “choosing greatness”—President Trump laid out five priorities that should unite both parties in Washington: “American jobs and fair trade, rebuilding the nation’s infrastructure, reducing the price of healthcare and prescription drugs, creating a safe and lawful immigration system, and pursuing a foreign policy agenda that ‘puts America’s interests first.’” Newt Gingrich: Trump's State of the Union Changed History on Tuesday Night -Fox News “Every once in a while a speech is so effective and powerful it changes the trajectory of history. President Trump’s 2019 State of the Union address was that kind of speech,” former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich writes. “The emotions of Tuesday night matched anything President Reagan achieved in his addresses to Congress.” EDITORIAL: Trump's State of the Union Speech Probably Ranks Among History's Best -The Gazette “Leading up to Tuesday night, we heard about the president’s intention to unify a country seldom so divided. So we expected a lot of easy talk about holding hands and trying to get along. This was more than words, at some points becoming an event that included women in House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s caucus cheering the president as if they supported him,” The Gazette editorial board writes. Three-Quarters Approve of Trump Speech: Polls -The Hill Tal Axelrod reports that roughly three-quarters of American viewers approved of President Trump’s State of the Union address, according to CNN and CBS News polls. “Seventy-six percent approved of the speech in the CBS poll, with 24 percent saying they disapproved,” Axelrod writes. The most telling stat: CBS found that “about 82 percent of independents in that survey who watched the speech liked what they heard.” Ivanka Trump: Empower Women to Foster Freedom -The Wall Street Journal This week, President Trump signed a “memorandum establishing the Women’s Global Development and Prosperity Initiative, or W-GDP,” Advisor to the President Ivanka Trump writes. “This initiative aims to help 50 million women in developing countries realize their economic potential by 2025 . . . Expanding women’s economic participation has the potential to boost global economic output by an additional $12 trillion by 2025.” HHS Secretary Azar: How Team Trump is Bringing Drug Prices Down -New York Post “As Americans heard Tuesday in the State of the Union Address, the president is committed to improving fairness and transparency in health care,” Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar writes. “The president is going to keep charging ahead with delivering better care at more transparent, lower prices. That’s what it looks like to put American patients first, and that’s what he will deliver.” Transportation Secretary Chao: Dems and GOP Should Join With Trump to Fund Infrastructure Improvements -Fox News Throughout the 20th century, infrastructure was essential to growing America into one of the most powerful economies in the world. Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao writes that it’s time for both Democrats and Republicans to join with President Trump to fund infrastructure improvements. “Today, aging and insufficient infrastructure threatens to impede America’s economic growth and impact quality of life in many areas.” Time for the World to Get Behind David Malpass for World Bank President -The Hill “The World Bank is an important institution and is often underappreciated and misunderstood in Washington D.C. It’s clear that David Malpass understands what the World Bank is and what it can do,” Daniel Runde writes. “Given that the U.S. has put forward a strong candidate, now would be the time for Japan, Europe, and other allied countries of t Ivanka Trump: Empower Women to Foster Freedom “President Trump will sign a memorandum establishing the Women’s Global Development and Prosperity Initiative, or W-GDP” this afternoon, Advisor to the President Ivanka Trump writes in The Wall Street Journal. “This initiative aims to help 50 million women in developing countries realize their economic potential by 2025 . . . Expanding women’s economic participation has the potential to boost global economic output by an additional $12 trillion by 2025.” W-GDP has three core pillars: advancing workforce development and vocational training; empowering women as entrepreneurs; and eliminating the legal, regulatory, and cultural barriers that prevent women from participating in their local economies. Click here to read more. “Leading up to Tuesday night, we heard about the president’s intention to unify a country seldom so divided. So we expected a lot of easy talk about holding hands and trying to get along. This was more than words, at some points becoming an event that included women in House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s caucus cheering the president as if they supported him,” The Gazette editorial board writes. Their conclusion: Tuesday night’s State of the Union address “probably ranks high among history’s best.” “Ivanka Trump is unveiling an effort aimed at helping 50 million women in the developing world get ahead economically over the next six years,” Catherine Lucey reports for The Associated Press. “Ivanka Trump, who will attend the Munich Security Conference next week to promote [W-GDP], stressed that she sees this as a national security priority. ‘We think women are arguably the most under-tapped resource in the developing world for accelerating economic growth and prosperity,’ she told The Associated Press." David Malpass is a great choice from President Trump for the tough job of leading the World Bank, The Wall Street Journal editorial board writes. “He is an evangelist for pro-growth policies including low taxes, spending control, stable money for the poor as much as for the rich, and the rule of law. This is controversial in some corners of the World Bank, where they measure success not by growth but by how much money gets shoveled out the door.”