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The White House • February 19, 2019 Socialism is about power, not equality A crowd of Venezuelan Americans stood before President Donald J. Trump in Miami yesterday, cheering as he put America squarely on the side of those fighting for freedom. “We’re here to proclaim a new day is coming in Latin America,” he said. “In Venezuela and across the western hemisphere, socialism is dying and liberty, prosperity, and democracy are being reborn.” His message to Nicolas Maduro: “Let your people go.” American leadership is making the difference. The United States and more than 50 countries across the world have recognized the rightful government of Venezuela. “Within 30 minutes, the United States was proud to be the first nation in the world to recognize President [Juan] Guaido” as the country’s interim leader, President Trump said. Venezuela, Cuba, and Nicaragua offer a lesson to the world: Socialism always promises unity but delivers division and hatred. It promises a better future—and inevitably returns to the darkest chapters of the past. Not long ago, Venezuela was the richest country in South America. Today, after its tyrannical government nationalized industries and took over private business, nearly 90 percent of Venezuelans live in poverty.  Americans know this history well, having witnessed socialism destroy countries throughout the 20th century. Nearly three-fifths of Americans have an unfavorable view of socialism; a majority have a favorable view of capitalism. Support for far-left schemes such as Medicare-for-All has plummeted as voters learn more about what’s in it. The extremist “Green New Deal” is beginning to suffer the same fate. “We know that socialism is not about justice. It’s not about equality; it’s not about lifting up the poor,” President Trump said yesterday. “Socialism is about one thing only: power for the ruling class. And the more power they get, the more they crave . . . All of us here today know that there is nothing less democratic than socialism.” Watch: “The United States of America is standing right by their side.”  Worth sharing: “We are born free, and we will stay free—now and forever.” The Space Force is here President Trump signed Space Policy Directive-4 this afternoon, marking a bold step toward American space dominance by setting in motion the process of creating a U.S. Space Force as the sixth branch of our Armed Forces. The Directive calls on the Secretary of Defense to develop a legislative proposal for the Space Force, embodying President Trump’s vision for keeping Americans safe: Strengthen America’s ability to compete—and win—in an increasingly contested domain   Organize, train, and equip our space warfighters with next-generation capabilities   Maximize successful warfighting capability while minimizing bureaucracy   Peace through strength has been President Trump’s foreign policy since day one, and this newest frontier is no exception. The United States is the best in space, and our adversaries know it. They want to restrict our access there to undermine our strategic advantage. With the U.S. Space Force up and running, that won’t happen. Get the facts: America’s destiny in space is secure. Watch: President Trump signs the Space Force directive Photo of the Day Official White House Photo by Andrea Hanks President Donald J. Trump delivers remarks to the Venezuelan-American community at Florida International University | February 18, 2019

President Trump Vows ‘New Day’ for Venezuela “The people of Venezuela are standing for freedom and democracy, and the United States of America is standing right by their side,” President Donald J. Trump said yesterday afternoon at Florida International University in Miami, Jane Timm reports. While expressing strong support for Venezuela's interim president, Juan Guaido, President Trump urged a peaceful transition of power and condemned socialist policies. “To those who want to try to impose socialism on the United States, we again deliver a very simple message: America will never be a socialist country.” Click here to read more. In USA Today, retired educator Dan Ferguson writes that his beloved daughter Mandy, a 28-year-old sixth-grade teacher, was killed last year by someone who got into the United States illegally. “In his declaration of a national emergency on our southern border, President Trump recognized the Americans who experienced the consequences of that emergency firsthand: angel moms and dads. I never expected I would be one of them.” First Lady Melania Trump “debuted a healing garden and intensive care unit for heart patients at the Nicklaus Children's Hospital in Miami Monday,” Anna Giaritelli reports for the Washington Examiner. “After the unveiling ceremony, [the First Lady] took part in a butterfly release with a young patient and then met with other patients at the hospital.” In The Washington Times, Stephen Moore writes that “President Trump has renegotiated a new North America free trade deal — with some impressive improvements.” With the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) in the hands of Congress, Moore asks an important question: “Does anyone know where all those free trade Democrats went?” Democrats’ lack of support only stands to harm American workers. “I believe that the president is fully within his rights to use a national emergency to protect America amid a humanitarian and security crisis at our southern border,” Boris Epshteyn writes in WJLA. “The overall result will be that the barrier will continue to be built, which is key to ending the illegal immigration, drug trade and human trafficking happening at the border.” President Trump on 'Solid Legal Ground' to End the Crisis on our Southern Border “President Trump will have the law on his side when he uses the power of his office to secure the U.S. border with Mexico,” writes former U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Joseph DiGenova in the New York Daily News. “The current political reality in Washington ensures that the crisis on our southern border will continue to go unresolved unless the executive branch steps in. Fortunately, both the Constitution and the Congress have placed the authority to do so firmly with the President of the United States.” Click here to read more. In the Washington Examiner, Paul Bedard reports that “Congress approved historic funding levels for Immigration and Customs Enforcement and border patrol, added miles to the border wall, and increased the cap on criminal illegal immigrants that can be jailed. Insiders who worked on the deal said that compared to going along with a spending continuing resolution, the GOP scored several wins.” Yesterday, First Lady Melania Trump “brought Valentine’s Day cards to young patients being treated at the Children’s Inn at the National Institutes of Health” and spent the afternoon making arts and crafts with about a dozen children and their siblings, Caitlin Yilek reports in the Washington Examiner. The First Lady “was gifted a silver necklace inscribed with ‘faith’ and ‘hope’ from Amani, a 13-year-old from Kenya who has sickle cell disease and is preparing for a bone marrow transplant. Amani has a bracelet to match the necklace he gave the first lady.” The Bloomberg editorial board writes that President Trump is launching a smart artificial intelligence plan “to ensure the U.S. keeps up in an increasingly crucial industry.” The President’s plan, “dubbed the ‘American AI Initiative,’ is a measured response [that] directs federal agencies to invest more in artificial-intelligence R&D, share data and computer models with outside researchers, establish clear technical standards, boost workforce development, and otherwise prioritize the technology.” In USA Today, Daniel Di Martino, a Venezuelan expatriate, writes that America must resist the socialist policies that destroyed his home country. “In his recent State of the Union address, President Donald Trump said: ‘The United States will never be a socialist country.’ I sincerely hope the president is right, and that every American can resist the lure of false promises.”