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The White House • September 9, 2019 See President Trump honor the heroes of Dayton and El Paso Last month, America witnessed a pair of horrific shootings that took the lives of nearly 30 innocent people in El Paso, Texas, and Dayton, Ohio. Both were acts of barbaric hatred. In the midst of tragedy, one image in particular brought us hope: public safety officers and ordinary citizens alike risking their own lives to save countless of their fellow Americans. President Donald J. Trump today presented the Medal of Valor to several brave Dayton Police Officers, as well as Heroic Commendation honors to a group of civilian heroes from El Paso.   Watch: President Trump honors 11 incredible patriots In Dayton, six law enforcement officials immediately engaged the gunman after he opened fire on a crowded downtown street. Within 32 seconds of the attack beginning, these officers brought the murderer down. “We are in awe of your swift response, sterling professionalism, and rock-solid nerves of steel,” President Trump said. In El Paso, five every-day Americans rose up to save others during the brutal attack at a Walmart. One incredible example came from store manager Robert Evans, who instantly alerted employees of the active shooter—then raced inside the store to help customers escape to the nearest exits. “In the darkest moments of danger and despair, God calls the bravest to action. These 11 individuals answered the call,” the President said. President Trump presents Medals of Valor and Heroic Commendations. By the numbers: The fight to end our border crisis In August, the number of illegal immigrants entering or attempting to enter the United States declined significantly thanks to President Trump’s recent moves to secure our border. Border apprehensions fell to just over 64,000 in August, down from more than 82,000 in July. All told, the number of illegal aliens arriving at our border has dropped by 56 percent since the peak of the crisis in May. It marks the first time in 5 years that border apprehensions have dropped between July and August. “The President has made it very clear that’s he going to use every tool available to him—and this Administration—to address this unprecedented crisis at the southern border,” Acting Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Mark Morgan said in a press briefing today. “We have seen historic agreements and policies put in place.” In particular, President Trump’s tariff-backed negotiations with Mexico earlier this year led to stepped-up enforcement from Mexican authorities at their own southern border. In just the past few months, Mexico has apprehended about 134,000 people, helping relieve pressure from U.S. law enforcement officers in southwestern states. None of this happened by accident. Americans elected President Trump to enforce the law both within our country and at our doorstep, which is exactly what he’s doing. Politico: Trump’s plan to stem border crossings gets results. More: “Pace of border wall construction doubled, work on private land begins” Photo of the Day Official White House Photo by Shealah Craighead President Trump honors the Medal of Valor and Heroic Commendations recipients during a ceremony in the East Room of the White House | September 9, 2019 The White House • September 5, 2019 An update on Hurricane Dorian The Trump Administration is closely monitoring Hurricane Dorian as the storm makes its way up the Eastern seaboard. As always, the safety of American families remains the top priority for President Donald J. Trump and the Federal Government. The President asks all residents of Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Virginia to follow the instructions of their local officials this week. Yesterday, he announced that at the request of the Government of the Bahamas, the United States is sending additional support to help with ongoing recovery efforts. Both U.S. Coast Guard and Customs and Border Protection officials are on the ground in the Bahamas now conducting rescue operations. More relief will be provided in the coming days. Stay prepared: Up-to-date FEMA resources and information on Hurricane Dorian Video of the day: Ivanka Trump pushes for women’s empowerment in Latin America This week, Advisor to the President Ivanka Trump is in South America, with visits to Colombia, Argentina, and Paraguay to promote a key White House project. The Women’s Global Development and Prosperity Initiative, or W-GDP, aims to help 50 million women worldwide achieve their full economic potential by 2025. In Bogota, Colombia, Ms. Trump began her trip by launching the new Academy of Women Entrepreneurs. The first participants of the new initiative were a dynamic group of 40 female leaders, each of whom will have a tremendous impact on their local economies. They embody the very spirit of W-GDP. The new academy is “designed to equip women with the practical skills they need to create sustainable businesses and to participate more fully in the global economy,” Ms. Trump said. “This is particularly important in Colombia, where women play an increasingly critical role in the country’s economic development and continued transition to peace.” Yesterday, Ms. Trump met with Venezuelan members of Interim President Juan Guaido’s coalition, reaffirming President Trump’s continued support for the Venezuelan people in their pursuit of democracy and freedom from the Maduro regime. The delegation also spoke with Venezuelan and Colombian migrant women to hear about their collective experiences and struggles. Before departing, Ms. Trump had a major announcement: $120 million in additional assistance from the U.S. will be going to countries in the region that are providing a safe haven for Venezuela’s refugees. “We stand with the people of Venezuela in their struggle to restore democracy, freedom and rule of law. It was deeply moving to meet female leaders of the Guaido coalition as well as some of the women impacted most by the brutal Maduro dictatorship,” she said. In photos: Ivanka Trump visits woman-owned organic strawberry farm in Colombia. More: Ivanka Trump announces $120 million in US aid for displaced Venezuelans Basketball legend Jerry West receives Medal of Freedom Today, President Trump presented the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Jerry Alan West, one of the all-time greatest basketball players and leaders in the game. Jerry West became known as “Mr. Clutch,” a nickname that was well-earned during his 14 seasons in the NBA—all of them with the Los Angeles Lakers. His career accolades speak for themselves: West made the All-Star team each year he played and led the 1972 Lakers to their first championship in Los Angeles. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame just a few years later. Off the court, West became a legendary NBA General Manager, credited with building two separate dynasties for his Lakers—once in the 1980s and again in the 2000s. Watch President Trump honor basketball legend Jerry West in the Oval Office. Photo of the Day Official White House Photo by Shealah Craighead President Trump awards the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Jerry West | September 5, 2019 President Trump’s Plan to Stem Border Crossings Gets Results “President Donald Trump’s plan to force Mexico to stem the flow of migrants across the southwest border of the U.S. appears to be working,” Ted Hesson reports for Politico. “Border arrests, a metric for illegal crossings, plummeted to 51,000 in August, according to preliminary government figures obtained by POLITICO Wednesday, down more than 60 percent since a peak in May. And border watchers say it’s largely because of an agreement Trump struck with Mexico in June.” After President Trump put pressure on Mexico to take action earlier this year, “Mexican authorities, backed by the newly formed National Guard, are now cracking down on migrants traversing Mexico’s southern border with Guatemala, monitoring river crossings and stopping buses carrying migrants from Central America through Mexico.” Click here to read more. “Anti-Trumpers agree: The president’s trade battle with China is hurting our economy and, in particular, America’s farmers”—but that narrative simply isn’t supported by the facts, Liz Peek writes in The Hill. “The Department of Agriculture recently forecast that net farm income will rise nearly 5 percent this year, to $88 billion . . . Farmers suffered a severe drop in total revenues during the Obama years, collapsing from $484 billion in 2013 to $412 billion in 2016.” “A study purporting to show that hate crimes increased 226% in counties that hosted rallies for then-candidate Donald Trump in 2016 has been officially debunked,” Ashe Schow reports for The Daily Wire. “Simply applying the same formula as the original academics, two Ph.D. students from Harvard University found that ‘Clinton rallies contribute to an even greater increase in hate crimes incidents than Trump rallies.’” “Ivanka Trump is scheduled to visit the Alabama Robotics Technology Park in Decatur, Ala. on Tuesday for a workforce development announcement,” Anna Claire Vollers reports for AL.com. “The Administration is committed to ensuring inclusive growth and opportunity in our booming economy by creating pathways for all Americans, regardless of age or background,” to acquire and keep high-paying jobs, Ms. Trump said. “Combating drug addiction is a personal matter for several members of the Trump administration, said Jim Carroll, director of the U.S. Office of Drug Control Policy, in a Thursday interview on SiriusXM’s Breitbart News Tonight,” Robert Kraychik writes. Under President Trump, “we are getting close to $40 billion that we are devoting back to communities to try to turn this crisis around, to try to save more lives,” Carroll said. Ivanka Meets Guaidó Aides, Announces $120 Million in US Aid for Displaced Venezuelans “Ivanka Trump met with aides to Venezuelan National Assembly President Juan Guaidó in Colombia on Wednesday to underscore support for a ‘democratic transition in Venezuela’ and offer $120 million in U.S. assistance to neighboring countries under strain from a refugee crisis,” Michael Wilner reports for McClatchy DC. “President Donald Trump’s eldest daughter and senior adviser joined the USAID Administrator Mark Green and Deputy Secretary of State John Sullivan at a migrant shelter in Cúcuta, a Colombian city bordering Venezuela, to announce the new package, which brings total U.S. aid to Venezuelan refugees in the region to $376 million.” Click here to read more. “Company payrolls surged by 195,000 in August, well above Wall Street estimates,” according to a new report from ADP and Moody’s Analytics, Jeff Cox reports for CNBC. “Economists surveyed by Dow Jones had been looking for a gain of just 140,000 following July’s 142,000 . . . Companies with 50 to 499 employees were the largest growth sector.” “The Trump administration on Wednesday announced it was awarding $1.8 billion in grants to help states and communities continue to battle the opioid epidemic, part of the administration’s broader effort to drive down overdose deaths and addiction,” Stephanie Armour writes in The Wall Street Journal. “My administration is determined to use every resource at our disposal to smash the grip of addiction,” President Trump said. “Disgraced former FBI official and brand-new CNN contributor Andrew McCabe will headline a fundraiser later this month for the Pennsylvania Democratic Party,” Becket Adams writes in the Washington Examiner. “Remember: A Justice Department inspector general report released last year found McCabe leaked sensitive information about the Clinton email investigation to members of the press, then lied about it to investigators.” Adams adds that “this scheduled Democratic fundraiser just adds another layer to an already awkward situation for CNN.” “A Honduran national in the United States illegally has been accused of raping his 15-year-old stepdaughter in suburban Maryland, the seventh such case in the area over the past five weeks,” Sam Dorman reports for Fox News. “Since July 25, Montgomery County Police have arrested at least seven confirmed undocumented immigrants for alleged rapes and sexual assaults. Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich signed an executive order last month designating the county a ‘sanctuary’ jurisdiction.” The White House • September 4, 2019 President Trump gives an update on Hurricane Dorian In the Oval Office today, President Donald J. Trump received a briefing on the ongoing Government-wide response to Hurricane Dorian. He also shared some important next steps the Administration will be taking to support local relief efforts.  Watch: President Trump gives an update on Hurricane Dorian “It looks like Florida is going to be in fantastic shape by comparison to what we thought,” the President said. “It’s starting to move up along the coast,” and “we’re very well prepared” should the storm rapidly turn west. While Hurricane Dorian moves along the Eastern seaboard, President Trump is asking all residents in Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina to heed warnings from their local officials. Following the storm’s devastating impact on the Bahamas, the President announced that incredible members of our U.S. Coast Guard are assisting with rescue efforts there now. Additional humanitarian assistance will be on the way, as well. Stay prepared: Up-to-date FEMA resources and information on Hurricane Dorian 🎬 More: President Trump says relief efforts are underway in the Bahamas Video of the Day: Vice President Pence visits Ireland Yesterday, Vice President Mike Pence visited Dublin, where he met with Ireland’s head of state, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar. At the historic Farmleigh House, the two leaders underscored the unwavering strength of the American–Irish partnership. “It is a dynamic economic relationship between the United States and Ireland,” the Vice President said at a joint press conference. “And it’s only growing stronger by the day.” This particular trip carried some strong family ties for Vice President Pence. As he joked, the Taoiseach’s invitation came with “strings attached”—that the Vice President must bring his mother Nancy, a first-generation Irish-American, along with him. In 1923, Vice President Pence’s grandfather first came to America from Ireland’s shores. After his grandfather passed in 1981, Mike Pence traveled to Ireland for the first time to see the land where his ancestors grew up. “Our family cherishes our Irish heritage,” the Vice President said, and during that month-and-a-half trip, “I came to realize that I carry Ireland with me wherever I go—just like more than 30 million Americans who trace their heritage to the Emerald Isle.” JUST ANNOUNCED: Nearly $2 billion in new funding to combat America’s opioid crisis Today, President Trump announced that $1.8 billion in new grant money is on its way to help local communities fight opioid addiction. “These funds will be delivered to the communities where the help is most needed,” the President said. We’re well on our way “to building a drug-free future for our nation.” More than $900 million of that money will be spread across all 50 states as flexible funds to support prevention, treatment, and recovery services that meet local needs. Another $900 million will help track overdose data in a timely and comprehensive way, helping to develop strategies that will connect suffering Americans with proper treatment. See how President Trump is fighting to end America’s opioid crisis. Share your story: The “Crisis Next Door” affects Americans of all backgrounds Photo of the Day Official White House Photo by Shealah Craighead President Trump speaks with Bahamian Prime Minister Hubert Minnis, expressing his condolences for the loss of life and catastrophic damage in parts of the Bahamas. The President also confirmed the United States’ commitment to provide prompt humanitarian assistance to the affected people and communities of the Bahamas. | September 4, 2019