So What Has Trump Actually Done?

[Deleted User 8570]

It might be interesting to track what President Trump does as his presidency moves along.

We'll start with his cabinet signings... surprisingly lighthearted banter between the parties...

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump turned on the charm with congressional leaders as they witnessed him nominating his Cabinet.

"Where's the health care bill?" Trump joked during his first official act as president.

Seated at a desk in an ornate room steps from the Senate floor, Trump the showman emerged, giving running commentary as he went. He joshed about his proposed repeal of President Barack Obama's health care law as he signed legislation granting a special waiver so James Mattis can become Pentagon chief despite having recently served as a general in the Marines. (The job is supposed to be held by a civilian for at least seven years.)

Trump also signed the nominations of Cabinet picks including former Exxon Mobil CEO Rex Tillerson as secretary of state and Rep. Mike Pompeo, R-Kan., to head the CIA.

The president distributed pens to congressional leaders according to whether they liked his choices. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, for instance, received the pen with which Trump nominated Elaine Chao, McConnell's wife, to be secretary of transportation. But only after top House Democrat Nancy Pelosi of California, Trump's initial choice to receive the pen, stepped aside. "The leader should have Elaine," Trump acknowledged.

When Pelosi laughingly objected to getting a pen used to nominate GOP Rep. Tom Price of Georgia to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., piped up, "I'll take it!"

The assembled leaders appeared to be enjoying themselves, repeatedly laughing and joining in the banter, especially Ryan, Senate Democratic leader Charles Schumer of New York, and Pelosi. McConnell, R-Ky., and Vice President Mike Pence stayed more serious.

After Trump gave Schumer his pen, Ryan came to the rescue: "Chuck, put a cap on it. You're going to get your shirt stained."

Trump ran a few minutes late, so beforehand, the leaders made small talk, with rivals Ryan and Pelosi discussing the National Football League playoffs and Sens. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., and Schumer choosing baseball.

Then Trump's family — including his wife, Melania, his five children, and a handful of grandchildren — joined the group, along with White House chief of staff Reince Priebus and others.

"Mike Pompeo. Great. They tell me he's going to be approved momentarily, but you never know with this place," Trump said.

Schumer retorted: "Depends how you define momentarily — soon." Pompeo is being held up by objections from Oregon Democratic Sen. Ron Wyden, among others, but is on track to be confirmed next week.

"I want to go home," a grandchild squealed several times.

Trump's humor was good-natured, but with a little bite.

"Here's one I think Nancy would like," Trump kidded: "Scott Pruitt." Pruitt, the conservative attorney general of Oklahoma, is perhaps the pick most bitterly opposed by Democrats, as his controversial choice to run the Environmental Protection Agency.

"This is fun," Trump said, though he noticed, "We're running out of pens."

[Deleted User 8570]

An Executive order on health care aimed at freezing new health regulations and delaying any implementation of the ACA that will cause a fiscal burden on individuals, states and companies:

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump quickly assumed the mantle of the White House on Friday, making his first executive order one aimed at his predecessor's signature health care law and swearing in members of his national security team to his Cabinet.

Hours after delivering a stinging rebuke of the political status quo in his inaugural address, Trump sat at the president's formal desk in the Oval Office as he signed the order that White House chief of staff Reince Priebus said was aimed at "minimizing the economic burden" of the "Obamacare" law.

The order notes that Trump intends to seek the "prompt repeal" of the law and it directs federal agencies not to issue regulations that would expand the law's reach. But in the meantime, it allows the Health and Human Services Department and other federal agencies to delay implementing any piece of the law that might impose a "fiscal burden" on states, health care providers, families or individuals.

Health care experts said the order signaled the Trump administration's interest in unwinding the law as much as possible through administrative means. But they cautioned it could take weeks or months to discern the full impact of Trump's opening day action.

Moments later, Vice President Mike Pence administered the oath of office to Defense Secretary James Mattis and Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly, the first members of Trump's Cabinet to clear Senate confirmation.

The swearing-in ceremonies came amid a hectic set of activity late Friday, before Trump was to attend three inaugural balls. As Trump signed the paperwork, the White House announced Priebus had sent a memorandum to agencies and departments outlining guidelines for slowing regulations.

Asked about his first day as president, Trump said, "It was busy but good — a beautiful day."

Although Trump campaigned on a detailed 18-point plan of things to do on Day One, he has since backed off some of his promised speed, downplaying the importance of a rapid-fire approach to complex issues that may involve negotiations with Congress or foreign leaders. Trump has said that he expects Monday to be the first big workday, his effective Day One.

On Friday, he switched between the official business of governing and the pageantry of his inauguration, making his first official moves as president in an ornate room steps from the Senate floor. Flanked by Pence and congressional leaders before his congressional luncheon, Trump praised each of his Cabinet nominees as he signed the papers formalizing their nominations. He also engaged in banter with his new congressional rivals, including Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of New York and House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi of California.

Trump also signed a proclamation declaring a national day of patriotism, according to a tweet from White House spokesman Sean Spicer.

Priebus' memo says that agencies shouldn't submit any regulations to be published in the Federal Register unless a Trump-selected agency head approves it. That appears to mean that some regulations that had been approved by President Barack Obama's administration would be halted. It also freezes any regulations that are already in the pipeline to be published and allows time for other pending regulations to be reviewed by Trump's administration.

The memo is similar to one that Obama's chief of staff issued the day Obama was inaugurated in 2009.

Before Mattis could be nominated, Trump had to sign a bill passed by Congress last week granting a one-time exception from federal law barring former U.S. service members who have been out of uniform for less than seven years from holding the top Pentagon job. The restriction is meant to preserve civilian control of the military.

Mattis, 66, retired from the Marine Corps in 2013. Hours later, he was confirmed by the Senate as Trump watched his inaugural parade from a stand outside the White House. The Senate later confirmed retired Gen. John Kelly to lead the Homeland Security Department.

There were others signs his new government was up and running. Federal websites and agencies immediately began reflecting the transfer of power, and WhiteHouse.gov was revamped for Trump's policy priorities as pages about LGBT rights and the Obama administration's climate change plan were eliminated.

Shortly after Trump became president, the Department of Housing and Urban Development suspended the Obama administration's planned reduction of mortgage insurance premium rates, a move that had been intended to make buying a home more affordable.

More significant policy announcements are expected in the early days of the Trump administration.

Trump's spokesman has said the president intends to withdraw from the 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership deal, which he views as detrimental to U.S. businesses and workers. He has also promised to renegotiate the two-decades-old Clinton era North American Free Trade Agreement or withdraw from it.

Given Trump's opposition to Obama's immigration actions, he could also cancel the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, or DACA, which has protected about 750,000 young immigrants from deportation. The program also offered those immigrants work permits.

Trump also faces an early choice of naming a Supreme Court justice to fill the vacancy left by the late Justice Antonin Scalia. Trump has said he will announce a nominee in about two weeks.

Other issues poised to receive early action include energy, where Trump is likely to undo regulations on oil drilling and coal, and cybersecurity, where he has already said he will ask for a report on the strength of the nation's cyber defenses within 90 days of taking office.

[Deleted User 8570]

All White House online presences have been switched over to President Trump with former President Obama's accounts transferring to separate accounts in order to archive them. This is the first transition with a major social media component:

Donald Trump built his campaign on early morning tweet storms and hashtag-worthy slogans. Now president, he's in control of the White House's powerful social media arsenal, including the official @POTUS Twitter account that has nearly 14 million followers.

The technological transition came just as Trump took the oath of office Friday, giving him a clean digital slate while preserving hundreds of tweets and posts made during President Barack Obama's time in office.

The White House's official Twitter and Facebook accounts were quickly purged and rebranded for the new administration — the first time social media accounts have been a part of the transition.

Trump didn't rush to use the @POTUS account.

Trump sent his first tweets as president from @realDonaldTrump, the personal account where his thousands of candid on everything from immigration to golf course conditions helped propel him into a political force.

"We will bring back our jobs. We will bring back our borders. We will bring back our wealth - and we will bring back our dreams!" Trump told his 21 million followers about an hour into his presidency.

A few hours later, the @POTUS account sprung to life with a photo of Trump being introduced at the swearing-in ceremony and a link to a Facebook post on the occasion. The same image appeared on the White House's newly scrubbed Instagram account.

Tweets generated during the Obama administration have been archived and moved to separate accounts such as @FLOTUS44, @VP44 and @ObamaWhiteHouse.

The same went for official White House accounts on Facebook, Instagram, Medium, Tumblr and YouTube.

Turning over social media accounts is a modern twist on the complex presidential transition — the 21st century version of handing over nuclear codes and the keys to the Oval Office.

The White House's digital transition plans, announced a week before the election, stressed that the National Archives would preserve social media content in a similar fashion as paper records.

Twitter, which helped transition White House accounts on its platform, said anyone who started following POTUS during Obama's presidency would automatically start following POTUS44, too.

"Citizens and their elected leaders around the world have come to rely on Twitter as an instantaneous, direct means of communication," Twitter's Colin Crowell said. "The transparency and accountability that this global, open Twitter conversation fosters are a benefit to all, and we're glad to see today's smooth @POTUS transition."

Obama presided over the White House's push into social media. The first official White House account, @whitehouse, was created in April 2009, his third month in office. The @POTUS account didn't come around until June 2013.

Obama sent a farewell tweet from @POTUS on Friday morning and followed up a few hours later with one from his @BarackObama account.

"Hi everybody! Back to the original handle," Obama wrote. "Is this thing still on?"

[audiophile]

Melania gave a gift to Michelle - that was a nice touch.

[Deleted User 8570]

Indeed it was a nice touch Audio...

Here's a Q & A on what Trumps executive order on healthcare does:

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump's first executive order targets the sweeping "Obamacare" law by giving federal agencies broad leeway to chip away at the measure. But Trump still needs Congress to do away with the law for good.

Trump signed the executive order in the Oval Office Friday, hours after being sworn in as the 45th president of the United States.

The one-page directive gives agencies authority to grant waivers, exemptions and delays of provisions in the Affordable Care Act. But until it becomes clear what steps federal agencies take as a result, its full impact on Americans and their health insurance is uncertain.

Here's a look at Trump's executive order:

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Q: What does the order do?

A: Trump's order states that federal agencies can grant waivers, exemptions and delays of "Obamacare" provisions that would impose costs on states or individuals. That language appears to be aimed squarely at undoing the law's unpopular requirement that individuals carry health insurance or face fines — a key provision of the measure former President Barack Obama signed in 2010.

It's not spelled out whether the IRS could waive the fines for failing to secure coverage and the White House has not explained how it wants agencies to respond to the order.

The measure also directs agencies to stop issuing regulations that would expand the health care law's reach. And it says the federal government must allow states greater flexibility in carrying out health care programs.

"It's a sign that the Trump administration is looking to unwind the law in every way it can administratively," said Larry Levitt of the Kaiser Family Foundation, a nonpartisan clearinghouse for information and analysis about the health care system.

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Q: Will people who get insurance under "Obamacare" lose their coverage as a result of Trump's order?

A: The order doesn't directly target the insurance marketplace at the center of the health care law. But some experts say that if the directive leads to broad exemptions from the law's coverage requirement, it could scare off insurers.

Insurers see the coverage requirement, or so-called individual mandate, as an essential tool to nudge healthy people into the coverage pool. Without it, the companies and most independent experts believe premiums would spike, making HealthCare.gov's insurance markets unsustainable.

Leslie Dach, campaign director of the Protect Our Care Coalition, issued a statement saying, "While President Trump may have promised a smooth transition, the executive order does the opposite, threatening disruption for health providers and patients." He called the executive order "irresponsible."

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Q: How quickly will any changes take effect?

A: The executive order may not have much impact for 2017, since government rules for this year have already been incorporated into contracts signed with insurance companies.

Departments like Health and Human Services and Treasury will have to issue policies that embody the new president's wishes.

The Trump administration can rewrite regulations carrying out the legislation. New regulations cannot be issued overnight, but would have to follow a legally established process that requires public notice and an opportunity for interested parties to comment on the administration's changes.

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Q: What is Congress' plan for the Affordable Care Act?

A: With Republicans in control of both the White House and Congress, undoing Obama's health care law is at the top of the party's agenda for 2017.

There's broad agreement among Republicans that the law should be repealed. But lawmakers are far less unified about what should take its place and how quickly a new measure should take effect.

Shortly before taking office, Trump said he wanted Congress to pass repeal and replace measures "essentially simultaneously." That put some Republicans on edge, given the complexities of unwinding the current law.

Trump has also been vague about what he wants included in a replacement package, saying his administration will have a plan after the Senate confirms his nominee to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, Rep. Tom Price.

The president has said he wants to keep some of the measure's more popular elements, including allowing young people to stay on their parents' insurance until age 26 and preventing insurance companies from denying coverage to people with pre-exiting conditions.

[audiophile]

The Hobby Lobby Stores and Conestoga Wood Specialties case, and the Little Sisters of the Poor case of was really unnecessary. I'm glad common sense is returning to HHS with this EO.

[Deleted User 8570]

He'll spend his Sunday doing boring administrative stuff but first he posted and then corrected a tweet on the protests:

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump offered a scattershot response to the sweeping protests against his new administration that followed his inauguration, both sarcastically undermining the events and defending the rights of the demonstrators over the course of about 90 minutes on Sunday morning.

"Watched protests yesterday but was under the impression that we just had an election! Why didn't these people vote? Celebs hurt cause badly," tweeted Trump, at 7:51 am.

Ninety-five minutes later, he struck a far more conciliatory tone.

"Peaceful protests are a hallmark of our democracy. Even if I don't always agree, I recognize the rights of people to express their views," the president tweeted at 9:26 am.

While Trump has said that he considers Monday his first real day in office, his discordant reaction underscored that the new president has little intention of changing the defiant approach that defined his campaign — particularly when it comes to the media and those who oppose him.

The dueling tweets marked his administration's first response to the more than one million people who rallied at women's marches in Washington and cities across the world. Hundreds of protesters lined the street as Trump's motorcade drove past on Saturday afternoon, many screaming and chanting at the president.

The rally in Washington appeared to attract more people than attended Trump's inauguration on Friday, but there were no comparable numbers.

Even suggestions of weak enthusiasm for his inauguration clearly irked the new president.

Trump spent his first full day in office berating the media over their coverage of his inauguration, using a bridge-building visit to CIA headquarters on Saturday to air grievances about "dishonest" journalists and wildly overstating the size of the crowd that gathered on the National Mall as he took the oath of office.

Trump said throngs "went all the way back to the Washington monument," despite photos and live video showing the crowd stopping well short of the landmark.

In Sunday morning interviews, top advisers defended Trump's anger at journalists for correctly reporting that his inauguration drew a smaller crowd President Barack Obama did eight years ago.

Chief of Staff Reince Priebus said on "Fox News Sunday" that Trump was trying to keep the media "honest" when they levied charges of false reporting the day before.

"There is an obsession by the media to delegitimize this president and we are not going to sit around and let it happen," Priebus said.

Aides also made clear that Trump will not release his tax returns now that he's taken office, breaking with a decades-long tradition of transparency. Every president since 1976 has released their returns.

Throughout the campaign, Trump refused to make his filings public, saying they're under audit by the Internal Revenue Service and he'd release them only once that review is complete. Tax experts and IRS Commissioner John Koskinen said such audits don't bars taxpayers from releasing their returns.

"He's not going to release his tax returns. We litigated this all through the election. People didn't care," White House adviser Kellyanne Conway, said in an interview on ABC's "This Week."

The president plans to spend Sunday engaged in more routine matters, like overseeing the swearing in of high-level staffers.

On the second full day of his administration, Trump will see the "assistants to the president" sworn in, according to his press secretary, Sean Spicer. He'll also hold a reception for law enforcement officers and first responders who helped with his inauguration as he celebrates his 12th wedding anniversary.

White House staffers are scheduled to have a briefing on ethics and another on the proper use and handling of classified information as they begin to make themselves comfortable in their new White House offices.

Priebus said Trump would spend his first full week in office undoing some of his predecessor's agenda and planned to sign executive orders on immigration and trade. Priebus did not provide specifics but during the campaign, Trump vowed to scuttle trade deals like the North American Free Trade Agreement and Obama's executive order deferring deportations for 700,000 people who were brought into the country illegally as minors.

Later this week, he'll address congressional Republicans at their retreat in Philadelphia and meet with British Prime Minister Theresa May.

[Deleted User 8570]

Some of the more interesting things so far today:

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Latest on President Donald Trump (all times EST):

4 p.m.

President Donald Trump is singling out FBI Director James Comey at a reception to thank law enforcement offers and others that helped during his inauguration.

Trump called Comey up to where he was standing to offer a handshake and hug.

He says Comey has "become more famous than me."

Trump was speaking in the Blue Room of the White House to law enforcement officers and other agency heads who'd helped with Friday's festivities.

Trump thanked the officials for their work on the inauguration, saying the day was "such a success and such a safety success."

2:50 p.m.

President Donald Trump says he will discuss immigration and renegotiating the North American Free Trade Agreement when he meets with Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto.

The White House has said the meeting will take place Jan. 31.

Trump ran for office on a pledge to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border and have Mexico pay for it. He reiterated that promise following the election, and on Sunday he said Mexico has "been terrific."

The president is also expected to meet soon with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, whose country is also a partner in NAFTA.

Trump has blamed the three-nation trade pact for disadvantaging American workers and leading companies to move out of the U.S.

2:35 p.m.

President Donald Trump is telling his top advisers that they're in the White House to "devote ourselves to the national good."

Trump is swearing in his senior White House team during a ceremony in the East Room. He says their work isn't about party or ideology, "it's about serving the American people."

Trump praised his team's talent. But he also joked that if his advisers are not doing their jobs well, "I will let you know."

Vice President Mike Pence joined Trump for the event and carried out the official swearing in.

2:30 p.m.

President Donald Trump has spoken with Gov. Nathan Deal of Georgia to express his condolences about those killed by the powerful tornadoes that have ripped through his state.

Trump described the tornadoes as vicious and powerful during remarks in the East Room of the White House during his second full day in office.

He says he'll be speaking with Gov. Rick Scott of Florida later this afternoon.

Deadly weather in the southeast has killed at least 15 people and injured dozens more.

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1:25 p.m.

The White House says it's at the "very beginning" of discussing plans to move the U.S. Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

The statement follows reports in Israeli media that President Donald Trump had imminent plans to announce the move.

Trump is scheduled to speak to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu by telephone later Sunday.

Like many presidential candidates, Trump promised to make the embassy move. But presidents have avoided following through on that pledge in part because of concerns that it would inflame tensions in the Middle East.

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11:35 a.m.

White House senior adviser Kellyanne Conway says President Donald Trump will not release his tax returns, appearing to shut the door on a decades-long tradition of transparency.

Every president since 1976 has released their returns. During the campaign, Trump refused to make his filings public, saying they were under audit by the Internal Revenue Service and saying he'd release them after that review is complete.

Conway was asked Sunday about a petition on the White House website signed by more than 200,000 people calling for Trump to release his returns.

Conway told ABC's "This Week": "The White House response is that he's not going to release his tax returns."

She added: "We litigated this all through the election. People didn't care."

Polls show a majority of Americans want him to release the returns.

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11:30 a.m.

Transportation officials in Washington say more than a million trips were taken on the city's rail system Saturday — a tally that is hundreds of thousands more than on Inauguration Day and sets a Saturday record.

Metro tweeted Sunday that 1,001,616 trips were taken on the rail system on Saturday, the day of the Women's March on Washington.

Metro spokesman Dan Stessel had said that on Friday, the day of Donald Trump's inauguration, just over 570,000 trips were taken on the rail system.

Saturday's ridership number topped the previous Saturday ridership record set in 2010 on the day of the Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear hosted by Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert. More than 825,000 trips were taken that day.

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11 a.m.

Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham is joining Sen. John McCain in saying he will support Rex Tillerson as secretary of state.

Graham confirmed his position on CBS' "Face the Nation" and in a joint statement with McCain.

The two GOP senators have urged Trump to back tougher U.S. sanctions against Russia for trying to influence U.S. voters by hacking Democratic emails.

In a joint statement Sunday, the senators said: "Though we still have concerns about his past dealings with the Russian government and President Vladimir Putin, we believe that Mr. Tillerson can be an effective advocate for U.S. interests."

Graham told CBS that he is "begging this president to understand that if we don't help others over there we're always going to be endangered here."

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10:40 a.m.

British Prime Minister Theresa May will speak to congressional Republicans at their strategy conference in Philadelphia on Thursday before an Oval Office meeting with President Donald Trump the next day.

She's expected to be the first world leader to hold direct talks with Trump since he took office.

The British Embassy says the meeting is a chance for the leaders to become acquainted and "establish the basis for a productive working relationship."

Among the expect topics: terrorism, Syria, Russia and NATO.

The embassy's statement says May would be the first serving head of state or government from outside the United States to address the annual GOP retreat.

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10:25 a.m.

Reince Priebus, White House chief of staff, is saying that President Donald Trump's first full week in office will include action on trade, immigration and national security.

Priebus suggested Trump will sign some executive orders to order some of the President Obama's policies but did not outline specifics.

The chief of staff, during an appearance on "Fox News Sunday," also said that Trump was feeling the "enormity" of the presidency when he stepped into the Oval Office for the first time.

But Priebus said that Trump was "still the same person" and was "remarkably consistent."

Priebus said: "I can promise you he wants to make people proud."

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10:20 a.m.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell says he believes the Senate will confirm all of President Donald Trump's Cabinet nominees.

Only two Cabinet members, Defense Secretary James Mattis and Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly have been confirmed so far.

During an appearance on "Fox News Sunday," the Kentucky Senator urged Democrats to give expedient hearings for both Cabinet picks and Trump's choice to fill the vacancy on the Supreme Court.

McConnell also said that Republican leadership in the Senate and House of Representatives were working with the White House on a replacement for the Affordable Care Act but declined to provide details.

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10:10 a.m.

A top aide to President Donald Trump says crowd size at an inauguration doesn't matter.

Kellyanne Conway tells NBC's "Meet the Press" that it was unfair for the media to report that Trump's inauguration was smaller than President Barack Obama's inauguration in 2009. Prior to his inauguration, Trump predicted his inauguration would have "an unbelievable, perhaps record-setting turnout."

Conway said she believes the threat of rain might have deterred supporters and said, "I don't think ultimately presidents are judged by crowd sizes at their inauguration. I think they are judged by their accomplishments."

When asked why Trump press secretary Sean Spicer mischaracterized the inauguration as the "largest audience to ever witness an inauguration - period - both in person and around the globe," Conway said he was merely offering "alternative facts."

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10:05 a.m.

Sen. John McCain says he's now supporting Secretary of State nominee Rex Tillerson.

The Arizona senator says the decision "wasn't an easy call" but he says the former Exxon Mobil CEO assuaged worries about his positions on Russia in a series of private meetings. McCain says he also believes in giving incoming presidents "the benefit of the doubt" on their picks.

McCain had raised concerns about Tillerson's perceived coziness with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The Senate Foreign Relations Committee is scheduled to vote on Tillerson's nomination on Monday afternoon.

McCain made his remarks in an interview with ABC's "This Week."

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10 a.m.

White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus is defending President Donald Trump's anger at the media for correctly reporting that his inauguration drew a smaller crowd than his predecessor.

Priebus said on "Fox News Sunday" that Trump and White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer were trying to keep the media "honest" when they levied charges of false reporting the day before.

Priebus claimed there "is an obsession by the media to delegitimize this president and we are not going to sit around and let it happen."

Trump turned a visit to the CIA into an occasion to bash the media.

Photos the National Mall clearly show that President Barack Obama drew a much larger crowd to his inauguration in 2009. Official crowd counts were not released.

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9:45 a.m.

President Donald Trump is doing a quick about-face about the protests that swept through Washington and around the world on Saturday.

Trump tweeted Sunday morning that "Peaceful protests are a hallmark of our democracy."

He then continued, "Even if I don't always agree, I recognize the rights of people to express their views."

That came less than two hours after he first denounced the protests, which drew more than 1 million people. He tweeted he was "under the impression that we just had an election!" and adds: "Why didn't these people vote?"

While Trump is claiming these protesters didn't vote, that seems unlikely.

Trump won the vote in the Electoral College, putting him in the White House, but Democrat Hillary Clinton captured the popular vote by nearly 3 million ballots.

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9:35 a.m.

The Senate's top Democrat says his party won't be rushing into confirming President Donald Trump's Cabinet nominees.

Already on the job are retired Gens. James Mattis at the Defense Department and John Kelly at Homeland Security.

And there's a vote expected Monday evening on a Republican congressman, Mike Pompeo (pahm-PAY'-oh), to lead the CIA.

Sen. Chuck Schumer says that for many other nominees, "there's going to be a thorough debate." He tells CNN's "State of the Union" that he's "dubious" about eight or nine of Trump's picks, and he's citing potential conflicts of interests and policy stands, but says he hasn't made final decisions about how he'll vote.

The New York Democrat is making his view clear that "advise and consent does not mean ram it through."

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8:15 a.m.

President Donald Trump says he watched some of the protests from Saturday — when more than 1 million people rallied at women's marches in Washington and around the world.

But he doesn't seem to think much of the demonstrations.

He says in a tweet Sunday morning that he was "under the impression that we just had an election!" and adds: "Why didn't these people vote?"

While Trump is claiming these protesters didn't vote, that seems unlikely.

Trump won the vote in the Electoral College, putting him in the White House, but Democrat Hillary Clinton captured the popular vote by nearly 3 million ballots.

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8:05 a.m.

Germany's foreign ministers says Donald Trump's election as president means "the old world of the 20th century is finally over."

Frank-Walter Steinmeier writes in Bild newspaper that Germany will act quickly to secure "close and trusting trans-Atlantic cooperation based on common values" with the new administration.

He says that with any power change there are "uncertainties, doubts and question marks," but a lot more is at stake "in these times of a new global disorder."

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6:30 a.m.

Britain's prime minister says she plans to discuss free trade and the importance of NATO when she becomes the first foreign leader to meet with President Donald Trump in Washington.

The White House's invitation for Theresa May to meet with Trump on Friday is seen in Britain as affirmation that Trump values the vaunted "special relationship" between the U.S. and Britain.

May tells the BBC that the Trump team is interested in discussing a new trade arrangement with Britain despite the "America first" theme of Trump's inaugural address and his pledge to evaluate every trade deal for its possible benefits to the United States.

May says she'll bring up NATO during the meeting, and she calls the alliance the "bulwark" of Europe's defense system.

Trump has rattled European allies by suggesting NATO is "obsolete" and that the United States might not come to the aid of countries that don't meet targets for their own defense spending.

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4:15 a.m.

The Dalai Lama says he hopes President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin will work together for global peace.

The exiled spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhists says the world needs leaders with compassion.

According to a press statement, he made the remarks Saturday at a program in New Delhi organized by the women's chapter of an industry group.

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4 a.m.

Turkey's president says he's interested in hearing President Donald Trump's policies on the Middle East.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan (REH'-jehp TY'-ihp UR'-doh-wahn) tells reporters before leaving on a trip to Africa that Turkey wants a Mideast where countries' territorial integrity is upheld and the region is not "shattered."

Turkey is especially concerned about the possible disintegration of neighbors Iraq and Syria.

Erdogan says efforts are underway to set a date for a possible meeting with Trump.

[Deleted User 8570]

More from late Sunday including scheduling meetings with congressional leaders, Prime Minister Netanyahu in early February in Washington and a lawsuit over Trumps businesses benefiting from his new position from a Liberal watchdog which will be filed tomorrow in Federal court for the Southern District of New York.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Latest on President Donald Trump (all times EST):

8:20 p.m.

A legal watchdog group says it will file a lawsuit alleging that President Donald Trump is violating the Constitution by allowing his businesses to accept payments from foreign governments.

The group says he is violating a clause in the Constitution that prohibits his businesses from receiving anything of value from foreign governments. Because he didn't divest his businesses, they say, he is now getting gifts from foreign governments via guests and events at his hotels, leases in his buildings and real estate deals abroad.

The Trump Organization and the White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The liberal-funded watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington say they planned to file the lawsuit in the Southern District of New York on Monday.

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5 p.m.

The White House says President Donald Trump told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that peace with the Palestinians "can only be negotiated directly between the two parties" and that the U.S. will work closely with Israel on that goal.

Trump and Netanyahu spoke by phone Sunday, their first conversation since Trump's inauguration. The White House says Trump invited Netanyahu for a visit to Washington in early February.

According to the White House, the two leaders agreed to consult on a range of regional issues, including "the threats posed by Iran." The White House says the president also affirmed his "unprecedented commitment to Israel's security" and his administration's focus on countering terrorism.

Netanyahu had a frosty relationship with Trump's predecessor, former President Barack Obama, and has so far spoken favorably about the new U.S. leader.

___

4:35 p.m.

President Donald Trump is expected to meet with bipartisan congressional leaders at the White House Monday night.

That's according to a person familiar with plans for the meeting.

The meeting would be Trump's first formal meeting with Hill leaders as president. He did mingle with lawmakers at an inaugural lunch on Capitol Hill and also met with Republican leaders during the transition.

Trump's congressional agenda includes repealing and replacing the nation's health care law and passing tax reform. The president will also be seeking Senate support for his yet-to-be-named nominee to fill the current Supreme Court vacancy.

The person familiar with the plans insisted on anonymity in order to confirm the meeting ahead of an official announcement.

[audiophile]

So Hillary can get millions of dollars from foreign governments and that is ok; if a foreign government pays the normal rate at Trump hotel that is illegal?

I think the lawsuit is a bit hypocritical because Trump has already said he would donate the profits to the treasury.

[Deleted User 8570]

So Hillary can get millions of dollars from foreign governments and that is ok; if a foreign government pays the normal rate at Trump hotel that is illegal?

I think the lawsuit is a bit hypocritical because Trump has already said he would donate the profits to the treasury.

One is in office... the other is not. Plus her foundation isn't taking gifts from those governments as a bribe of sorts.... it's not even similar. The Emoluments clause is what's at issue here... as I understand it both sides have a strong case to be made.

The latest so far today, Senator Ben Cardin of Maryland, top Democrat on the foreign relations committee is not supporting Tillerson, and all eyes are on Marco Rubio's vote on that same committee about whether Tillerson should move forward:

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Latest on activities in Congress (All times EST)

7:15 a.m.

The top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee says he can't support President Donald Trump's nominee for secretary of state.

Sen. Ben Cardin of Maryland says in a statement that Rex Tillerson's business orientation and confirmation hearing answers could compromise his ability to forcefully promote U.S. values and ideals.

Specifically, Cardin said he based his opposition on Tillerson's unwillingness to call Russia and Syria's atrocities "war crimes," or to describe Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte's extrajudicial killings as gross human rights violations.

Cardin also said the former Exxon Mobil CEO misled the committee about the company's lobbying against sanctions, such as penalties against Russia for its annexation of Crimea.

The Foreign Relations Committee is scheduled to vote on Tillerson's nomination on Monday afternoon.

3:30 a.m.

All eyes are on Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida as a Senate committee is poised to vote on President Donald Trump's nominee to be secretary of state.

The nomination of Rex Tillerson got a boost on Sunday after two influential Republican senators — John McCain of Arizona and Lindsey Graham of South Carolina — offered tepid endorsements of the former Exxon Mobil chief. The focus shifts to the Foreign Relations Committee on Monday afternoon as the members, including Rubio, cast their votes on Tillerson.

Rubio, whom Trump defeated for the GOP presidential nomination last year, clashed with Tillerson at a committee hearing earlier this month. Rubio bridled at his refusal to label Russian President Vladimir Putin a "war criminal" or condemn human rights violations in Saudi Arabia and the Philippines in strong enough terms. He chided Tillerson over the need for "moral clarity."

[Deleted User 8570]

Trump had a meeting with business leaders and asked them to stay pledging big tax cuts and cutting regulations by as much as 75%:

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Latest on President Donald Trump (all times local):

9:35 a.m.

President Donald Trump is vowing to cut taxes on his first official business day in office.

The newly-inaugurated president told business leaders Monday that he wants to lower taxes for the middle class and for companies to "anywhere from 15 to 25 percent," down from 35 percent.

He told the business leaders that the deal is contingent upon keeping business operations inside the United States: "All you have to do is stay. Don't leave. Don't fire your people in the United States."

One of the campaign promises Trump listed on his website was to "reform the entire regulatory code to ensure that we keep jobs and wealth in America."

__

9:30 a.m.

President Donald Trump is opening what his team has dubbed "Day One" of his presidency by meeting with business leaders in the White House.

Trump said Monday there will "be advantages" to companies that make their products in the United States and suggested he will impose a "substantial border tax" on foreign goods entering the country.

The president also repeated a campaign promise to cut regulations "by 75 percent, maybe more."

Trump hosted the breakfast with about a dozen leaders in the Roosevelt Room.

Among those in attendance were Kevin Plank of Under Armour, Elon Musk of Tesla, Marilyn Hewson of Lockheed Martin and Mario Longhi of US Steel.

Trump suggested he wanted to hold these meetings quarterly.

___

3:20 a.m.

President Donald Trump is meeting with congressional leaders from both parties to discuss his agenda, as he enters his first official week in the White House and works to begin delivering on his ambitious campaign promises.

Trump says he considers Monday to be his first real day in office. And he's packing it with meetings that suggest he's keeping an open ear.

There's a breakfast and what the White House calls a listening session with business leaders in the morning; another listening session with union leaders and workers in the afternoon; and a reception later on with members of Congress he'll need on board to overhaul the nation's health care system, among other goals. He'll also hold his first meeting as president with the speaker of the House, Paul Ryan.

[Calvert DeForest]

Here's what gets me....

The ACA was passed and signed in 2011. The GOP servants of the people have rallied to repeal it since day one, but they have yet to offer an explicit alternative plan. They've had over five years to do so. Now that we have a legislative and executive branch on the verge of repealing key aspects of it, there is still no clear vision for Plan B.

I'm no fan of most of Obamacare (the pre-existing condition provision aside), but even Congressional Republicans are admitting that it will take years to roll it back while they figure out what to replace it with. Really? They've had five years. Had they actually taken that time to craft a workable alternative instead of laser-focusing on the repeal of the ACA, we might be in a better boat right now.

Obamacare is a mess, but so was the situation we had prior to its implementation. This is another example of politicians playing politics instead of actually getting shit done.

[Bryce]

http://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/28 ... -obamacare

[Deleted User 8570]

http://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/28 ... -obamacare

Which is great... I applaud them coming up with something at all... but does the tri-factioned GOP get unified behind it?

Meanwhile a conversation with Egypts president, a nomination of a former New Mexico congresswomen for Air Force Secretary and an order to a group of manufacturing CEO's to come up with a plan in 30 days to boost the US manufacturing sector:

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Latest on President Donald Trump (all times local):

11:05 a.m.

President Donald Trump has tasked a group of top business leaders with coming up with a series of actions to help stimulate the American manufacturing sector.

Andrew Liveris, the CEO of Dow Chemical, says Trump has given them 30 days to come up a plan.

Trump met Monday morning with a group of top manufacturing leaders, including Elon Musk, the head of SpaceX, and the executives from Dell, Johnson & Johnson, Lockheed Martin, among others.

Mark Fields of the Ford Motor Company says he left the meeting confident Trump will work to create jobs.

___

10:30 a.m.

President Donald Trump is planning to nominate Heather Wilson as secretary of the Air Force.

A White House statement said Monday that Wilson, a former New Mexico congresswoman and president of the South Dakota School of Mines & Technology, would be the first Air Force Academy graduate to hold the position, if confirmed.

Wilson served in Congress from 1998 to 2009, where she was a senior member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee and chaired the House Subcommittee on Technical and Tactical Intelligence.

She also served on the House Armed Services Committee.

__

10:20 a.m.

President Donald Trump is speaking with the Egyptian president. Trump and President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi were scheduled to speak Monday morning. The details of the call have not yet been made public.

Trump and el-Sissi have already shown a certain bond. Trump said there was "good chemistry" when they met on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly in September.

El-Sissi said Trump would "without a doubt" make a strong leader and said he believes Trump will be "vigorously engaged" with issues in the Middle East.