So What Has Trump Actually Done?

[Deleted User 8570]

News is coming Fast and furious now, TPP withdrawal and usual Republican ban on federal dollars for abortions abroad:

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

11:55 a.m.

President Donald Trump is reinstating a ban on providing federal money to international groups that perform abortions or provide information on the option.

The regulation has been something of a political football, instituted by Republican administrations and rescinded by Democratic ones since 1984.

Most recently, President Barack Obama ended the ban in 2009.

Trump signed it one day after the Jan. 22 anniversary of the Supreme Court's 1973 Roe vs. Wade decision that legalized abortion in the United States, the date which is traditionally when presidents take action on the policy.

The policy also prohibits taxpayer funding for groups that lobby to legalize abortion or promote it as a family planning method.

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11:50 a.m.

President Donald Trump is signing a memorandum to leave the proposed Pacific Rim trade pact known as the Trans-Pacific Partnership.

The move is basically a formality, since the agreement had yet to receive required Senate ratification. Trade experts say that approval was unlikely to happen given voters' anxiety about trade deals and the potential for job losses.

Trump called the move "a great thing for the American workers"

It remains unclear if Trump would seek individual deals with the 11 other nations in TPP— a group that represents roughly 13.5 percent of the global economy, according to World Bank figures.

Trump has blamed past trade deals such as the North American Free Trade Agreement and China's entrance into the World Trade Organization for a decline in U.S. factory jobs.

[Deleted User 8570]

Trump freezes federal hiring excepting the military, pushes back against an ethics lawsuit from a liberal watchdog and the Pentagon holds its first briefing since Mattis was confirmed:

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

12:30 p.m.

The Pentagon has held its first news briefing since Defense Secretary James Mattis was sworn in on Friday.

A spokesman, Navy Capt. Jeff Davis, on Monday described several of Mattis' first activities as Pentagon chief but declined to discuss any policy issues. That includes potential changes in the U.S. approach to fighting the Islamic State group in Syria and Iraq, which President Donald Trump has singled out as a priority.

Davis said Mattis has made retired Navy Rear Adm. Kevin M. Sweeney his chief of staff and Rear Adm. Craig S. Faller his senior military assistant.

The spokesman said Mattis would be meeting with the military service chiefs and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs, Gen. Joseph Dunford, on Tuesday, and had conducted a phone conversation with his Canadian counterpart.

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12: 15 p.m.

President Donald Trump calls a lawsuit filed Monday against him "without merit, totally without merit."

Ethics attorneys are suing him for allowing his businesses to accept payments from foreign governments in violation of the emoluments clause of the U.S. Constitution. The lawsuit was filed Monday in the Southern District of New York by the liberal-funded watchdog Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington.

Trump says he has handed over control of his global real estate and licensing empire to his two adult sons. But he is retaining his financial stake in the business even while in the White House, a break from the tradition of previous presidents to divest.

Trump made the comments in response to a reporter's question after he signed his first few executive orders in the Oval Office.

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11:59 a.m.

President Donald Trump is signing a memorandum that freezes hiring for some federal government workers as a way to reduce payrolls and rein in the size of the federal workforce.

Trump's directive is fulfilling one of his campaign promises. He tells reporters that members of the military will be exempted from the hiring freeze.

The new president has vowed to take on the federal bureaucracy and the action could be the first step in an attempt to curtail government employment.

The memorandum signed by Trump's is similar to one that President George W. Bush signed at the start of his administration in 2001.

[Deleted User 8570]

More from today... increasing ties with Egypt, adding Skype capability for journalists from news outlets that can't afford a dedicated correspondent in DC, meeting with executives of the Big 3 tomorrow for breakfast, being willing to partner with Russia in fighting ISIS, stating the administrations intentions to "never lie to you", trying to build a new version of the White House Spanish language website and social media presence, backing off a repeal of DACA in favor of deporting criminal immigrants first, acknowledging there is no proof Trump has ceded his businesses to his two adult sons despite insistence that he has, promising to defend international waters including the South China Sea and announcing a visit Friday to the Defense Department to attend a ceremony for James Mattis's new post and review the US policy towards fighting the Islamic State. He will meet with the joint chiefs and other military leadership.

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

3 p.m.

President Donald Trump will visit the Department of Defense Friday to review the anti-Islamic State policy.

White House press secretary Sean Spicer said Monday that the president will visit the Pentagon to attend a ceremony for his newly confirmed defense secretary, retired Gen. James Mattis.

He says that Trump will also hold discussions with Mattis and the Joint Chiefs of Staff to review the fight against the Islamic State group.

The U.S. has nearly 5,000 soldiers taking part in the anti-IS coalition in Iraq, as well as special forces in both Iraq and Syria.

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2:46 p.m.

The Trump administration is vowing to defend territories that are in international waters, including those in the South China Sea.

Responding to a question about China's claims over islands in the disputed area, press secretary Sean Spicer says that "we are going to make sure we defend international territories."

China is pitted against smaller neighbors in multiple disputes over islands, coral reefs and lagoons in waters crucial for global commerce and rich in fish and potential oil and gas reserves.

Trump ruffled feathers with China early after his Election Day victory, calling the leader of Taiwan and breaking the longstanding tradition of maintaining unofficial ties with the self-governing island.

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2:45 p.m.

White House spokesman Sean Spicer says President Donald Trump has left his businesses as promised, but another aide acknowledges there's no public documentation proving he's done so.

Spicer's comments come after the news organization ProPublica reported there have been no filings in Florida, Delaware or New York showing that Trump has handed over control of his global business empire to his two adult sons. Trump announced his plans to do so at a Jan. 11 news conference.

Spicer looked to communication aide Hope Hicks when asked about the issue at Monday's press briefing. Hicks said the documents showing the change of management are "not public at this time."

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2:38 p.m.

The Trump administration appears to be backing off a campaign promise to immediately end former President Barack Obama's program to protect young immigrants from deportation.

White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer says that for now the administration will focus on criminal immigrants in the country illegally.

Spicer says in his first press briefing that "for now, that's not ... the focus is going to be on people who have done harm to our country." He had been asked about the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program.

DACA has protected more 750,000 young immigrants from deportation and offered those same immigrants work permits.

Spicer says Trump is instead focused on enforcement efforts on criminal immigrants and those who have overstayed their visas.

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2:33 p.m.

White House press secretary Sean Spicer says the Trump administration is continuing to build out a White House Spanish-language website but it remains a "priority" to get it back online.

Spicer was asked during his first White House press briefing about the recent closing of Spanish-language social media accounts since Trump's inauguration.

Spicer says "we've got the IT folks working overtime" to get the website back online along with issue areas on the site.

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2:25 p.m.

White House press secretary Sean Spicer is saying the Trump administration's "intention is never to lie to you."

Spicer faced questions Monday during his first briefing after his angry statement in which he denounced the media's correct reporting that the crowd at Trump's inauguration was smaller than at his predecessor's eight years ago.

Spicer said "sometimes we may disagree" about facts and said he wanted to have a "healthy relationship" with the White House press corps.

He added that "if we make a mistake, we'll do our best to correct" it.

The press secretary said he was given incorrect information about Washington Metro's ridership when he addressed the issue Saturday but insisted that, when TV and online viewership are combined, that it was the most-watched inaugural in history.

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2:20 p.m.

The Trump administration says it is willing to partner with Moscow to combat the Islamic State group.

In his first daily White House press briefing, press secretary Sean Spicer said Monday that President Donald Trump has been "very clear" that he will "work with any country committed to defeating ISIS."

He says the administration will work "with Russia or anyone else" to defeat the militant group, either on a military front, or an economic front.

The president has vowed that he'll defeat the al-Qaida offshoot "quickly" when he takes office, though he has not provided specifics on his plans for U.S. military efforts in Iraq and Syria.

The U.S. and Russia have been at odds over Russian-backed Syrian military action in Aleppo.

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2:07 p.m.

President Donald Trump will be hosting breakfast at the White House with heads of some of the nation's largest automobile manufacturers.

White House press secretary Sean Spicer said Monday that Trump would host executives at Ford, GM and Chrysler the following day.

Trump had made creating American manufacturing jobs a centerpiece of the early days of his term and spoke frequently during the campaign of calling for car manufactures to keep their plants in the United States.

Spicer did not reveal the specific agenda for the meeting.

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2:02 p.m.

The White House is moving forward with plans to give what it describes as a more "diverse group of journalists" a chance to ask questions at briefings.

Press Secretary Sean Spicer says in his first White House press conference that, beginning later this week, the White House will designate four "Skype seats" in the White House briefing room.

The idea is to provide an opportunity to ask question to a more diverse group of outlets that may not have the resources to hire a Washington correspondent.

The new administration has been discussing a series of potential changes to press operations.

Trump has long had a contentious relationship with the press.

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1:56 p.m.

President Donald Trump has told Egypt's president that he will continue providing military assistance to his country.

White House press secretary Sean Spicer said Monday that Trump and President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi discussed ways to deepen the bilateral relationship between the two countries, fight terrorism and boost Egypt's struggling economy.

The two leaders also discussed having el-Sissi visit the White House in the future.

Egypt is the second largest recipient of U.S. military aid.

[Deleted User 8570]

An update on Congress... Republican health proposal, some lauding from Paul Ryan on trade and lots of cabinet news:

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

7:10 p.m.

President Donald Trump and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer jousted over the status of Trump's Cabinet nominations at a White House gathering Monday night.

The White House has complained Senate Democrats are stalling Trump's Cabinet picks. A third Cabinet official, Mike Pompeo to head the CIA, was being approved Monday evening.

Democrats, in turn, have accused Republicans of rushing through the picks.

Schumer said he pressed Trump at the bipartisan gathering of congressional leaders about "the reasons we needed discussions on nominations and a lot of debate and discussion. Fairly detailed and carefully."

Sen. John Cornyn of Texas, the No. 2 Senate Republican, says there was talk of "When is Sen. Schumer going to let (Trump's) Cabinet be confirmed?"

Lawmakers say it was a friendly reception. Schumer says meatballs were served.

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7 p.m.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has informed President Donald Trump that his infrastructure plan needs to be paid for — not added to the debt.

That's according to the No. 2 Senate Republican, John Cornyn of Texas, who says the exchange happened at a gathering for bipartisan congressional leaders at the White House Monday evening.

Trump discussed a $1 trillion infrastructure plan during the presidential campaign, one of a few areas where his proposals sounded closer to Democrats than Republicans.

According to Cornyn, infrastructure was raised at the meeting as "an area maybe to find common ground and then Sen. McConnell made the important point it needs to be paid for because we've got $20 trillion in debt."

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5:55 p.m.

Lawmakers from both parties are admonishing a federal ethics official who sent a series of tweets commenting on President Donald Trump's potential conflicts of interest.

Members of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee say the tweets by Walter Shaub Jr., director of the Office of Government Ethics, were inappropriate and could compromise the agency's objectivity.

In tweets sent in November, Shaub congratulated Trump for agreeing to divest from his business — an agreement Trump had not yet made. Shaub later issued a scathing review of Trump's plan to turn over control of his business to his sons.

Committee Chairman Jason Chaffetz of Utah called the comments "highly unethical" and summoned Shaub to a closed-door meeting.

Chaffetz and committee Democrats met with Shaub for more than an hour Monday.

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5:40 p.m.

The Senate Foreign Relations Committee has narrowly approved President Donald Trump's choice for secretary of state.

The panel voted along party lines, 11-10, to recommend Rex Tillerson's nomination to the full Senate, where the former chief executive of Exxon Mobil is almost certain to be confirmed by the Republican-led chamber.

Sen. Bob Corker, the committee's Republican chairman, says he has "no doubt" Tillerson is well-qualified, citing his leadership of the energy giant.

But Sen. Ben Cardin of Maryland, the panel's top Democrat, opposed Tillerson. Cardin says Tillerson's responses to questions about sanctions against Russia and other important global issues sounded more like answers a corporate executive would give instead of a prospective secretary of state.

Tillerson's nomination received an important boost when Sen. Marco Rubio decided to support him.

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2:55 p.m.

The top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee will request a delay on the confirmation vote on President Donald Trump's nominee for attorney general. That will push the panel vote until Jan. 31.

The Judiciary panel is scheduled to vote Tuesday on Sen. Jeff Sessions' nomination. But committee rules allow any member of the panel to hold a vote over until the next week, and members of both parties frequently do. A spokesman for California Sen. Dianne Feinstein said Monday that she will request the extra week "to give the committee more time to conduct its due diligence."

At Sessions' hearing earlier this month, Senate Judiciary Chairman Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, said he looked forward to "moving to his appointment without delay."

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2:25 p.m.

The president's nominee to run the Small Business Administration will be introduced during her confirmation hearing Tuesday by the two U.S. senators that defeated her in often contentious political races in 2010 and 2012.

That's a good omen for Linda McMahon, who will be introduced to lawmakers by Connecticut Democratic Sens. Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy.

According to her prepared testimony, McMahon plans to emphasize how she and her husband built World Wrestling Entertainment Inc., a sports entertainment company. McMahon says in the company's early days she had to decide whether to continue leasing a typewriter or she could actually afford to buy it.

The SBA is charged with helping entrepreneurs build and grow businesses.

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1:40 p.m.

House Speaker Paul Ryan, a longtime champion of free trade, is applauding President Donald Trump's move to pull out of the 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership.

The Wisconsin Republican says in a statement that Trump "has followed through on his promise to insist on better trade agreements."

It comes after Trump signed an executive memorandum in the Oval Office Monday to leave the proposed Pacific Rim trade pact. The move was basically a formality since the agreement negotiated by the Obama administration had yet to receive congressional approval and faced significant opposition in the House and Senate.

Still Ryan's support for Trump's move was notable since he has long advocated for free trade.

Trump's move sparked criticism from some other Republicans. Sen. John McCain of Arizona called it "a serious mistake."

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1:35 p.m.

The Senate is on track to confirm President Donald Trump's pick to run the CIA. Senators are expected to vote on his nomination Monday evening.

Congressman Mike Pompeo is a conservative Republican from Kansas and a member of the House intelligence committee. He faced a mostly no confrontational confirmation hearing earlier this month.

Senate Republicans had hoped to vote on Pompeo's nomination on Friday, after Trump's inauguration. But Democrats succeeded in stalling action until they could debate it on Monday.

If confirmed, Pompeo would take the helm at the nation's top spy agency at a critical time for U.S. national security when intelligence has been thrust into the political arena. It's traditionally a nonpartisan issue.

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12:25 p.m.

Two Republican senators say they're putting finishing touches on legislation that would let states keep President Barack Obama's health care overhaul or adopt a new program that covers basic medical services.

The measure by Sens. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana and Susan Collins of Maine represents a retreat from years of Republican calls to repeal Obama's law and then replace it.

The two lawmakers are pushing their bill as President Donald Trump has pressured Congress to quickly annul the health care law and enact a GOP version.

Trump has said he wants to keep parts of Obama's overhaul, like requiring insurers to cover people with pre-existing medical problems. He's not suggested letting states retain the entire statute.

Cassidy said their plan followed the GOP philosophy of shifting some power from Washington to state governments.

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10:35 a.m.

[Deleted User 8570]

Support for Pipelines like Dakota Access, a meeting with union leaders and a meeting with top congressional leaders from both parties:

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

5:50 p.m.

President Donald Trump is meeting with congressional leaders in the White House as he starts his first week as president.

Trump was joined by Republican and Democratic congressional leaders from the House and Senate during a reception in the State Dining Room. The reception also included Vice President Mike Pence, top Trump aides Reince Priebus and Steve Bannon and son-in-law Jared Kushner, who is Trump's senior adviser.

Trump was speaking to Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer of New York, House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi and others as reporters were ushered from the reception. Pence, House Speaker Paul Ryan and other congressional leaders are having a dinner later Monday to discuss health care.

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3:30 p.m.

President Donald Trump is telling union leaders that he is redoing the nation's trade deals "to put a lot of people back to work."

Trump convened a meeting of about a dozen labor leaders Monday at the White House.

He noted that he earlier in the day signed a memorandum announcing the United States' intention to withdraw from the multi-nation trade agreement known as the Trans-Pacific Partnership.

Trump also said he would renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement "at the appropriate time" and said he wanted future deals to be between just two countries.

The president repeated his campaign criticism of the current agreements, saying it was "inconceivable this was allowed to happen." He has blamed the trade deals for a decline in American manufacturing jobs.

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3:10 p.m.

Donald Trump's press secretary has reiterated the president's support for energy projects like the disputed Dakota Access oil pipeline.

Sean Spicer didn't say Monday whether Trump would seek to reverse the Army's decision to explore alternate routes for the $3.8 billion project to move North Dakota oil to a shipping point in Illinois. But he described projects like Dakota Access as "a big priority."

The Standing Rock Sioux tribe and its supporters say the pipeline threatens drinking water and Native American cultural sites. Developer Energy Transfer Partners — which Trump once owned stock in — disputes that.

The pipeline is nearly complete but stalled while the Army Corps of Engineers does a full environmental study before deciding whether to allow it to cross the Missouri River in North Dakota.

[Deleted User 8570]

Going off message...

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

9 p.m.

President Donald Trump is telling House and Senate leaders he would have won the popular vote in the 2016 election if not for the votes of 3 million to 5 million immigrants living in the country illegally.

There is no evidence to support Trump's claim.

Trump made the assertion at a meeting with congressional leaders Monday night. That's according to a Democratic aide familiar with the exchange, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the private meeting. The Washington Post first reported the conversation.

Trump has made the unverified claims before, tweeting in late November that he had "won the popular vote if you deduct the millions of people who voted illegally."

Hillary Clinton won the popular vote by nearly 2.9 million votes but lost the Electoral College to Trump

[Deleted User 8570]

Executive orders to move the Keystone XL and Dakota Access pipelines along, Trump says he's an environmentalist with no explanation of how, Trump meets with CEO's of the Big 3:

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

9:48 a.m.

President Donald Trump is expected to take executive action Tuesday to advance construction of the Keystone XL and Dakota Access oil pipelines.

That's according to a person with knowledge of the action. The president is scheduled to sign orders at the White House late Tuesday morning.

Former President Barack Obama killed the proposed Keystone XL pipeline in late 2015, declaring it would have undercut U.S. efforts to clinch a global climate change deal that was a centerpiece of his environmental legacy. The pipeline would run from Canada to U.S. refineries in the Gulf Coast. The U.S. government needed to approve the pipeline because it crossed the border.

The Army decided last year to explore alternate routes for the Dakota pipeline after the Standing Rock Sioux tribe and its supporters said the pipeline threatened drinking water and Native American cultural sites.

The person with knowledge of the decisions insisted on anonymity because they were not authorized to confirm the moves ahead of a formal announcement.

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9:45 a.m.

President Donald Trump says he's an environmentalist.

The president made the comments Tuesday at a breakfast with auto industry executives.

He didn't elaborate on why he sees himself as an environmentalist, but the comments came after urging companies from the auto industry and beyond to bring jobs back to the U.S.

On Monday, he made similar comments at a business breakfast, stating, again without elaborating, "I'm a very big person when it comes to the environment. I have received awards on the environment."

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9:30 a.m.

President Donald Trump is spending the morning meeting with auto executives as part of his push to bring jobs back to the U.S.

Trump told his guests Tuesday at the White House that he's looking to ease regulations to help auto companies and any other businesses wishing to do business in the U.S.

Among the attendees of the breakfast are Ford Motor Co. chief executive Mark Fields, Fiat Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne and General Motors chief executive Mary Barra.

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3:30 a.m.

President Donald Trump's efforts to build bridges and push through his agenda have been overshadowed once again with his continued fixation on the election and more false claims.

During a bipartisan reception with lawmakers at the White House late Monday, Trump claimed the reason he'd lost the popular vote to his Democratic rival was that 3 million to 5 million immigrants living in the U.S. illegally had voted.

That's according to a Democratic aide familiar with the exchange who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the private meeting. There is no evidence to support Trump's claim.

Trump on Tuesday will continue his outreach efforts as he meets with executives from the auto industry and speaks by phone with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

[Deleted User 8570]

Highlights in this round include delaying 30 EPA rules till March 21 pending review, keeping Comey on as FBI Director, adding a new advisor on veterans affairs, speaking by phone with India's leader and signing Executive Orders on the Keystone XL and Dakota Access Pipelines:

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

6:20 p.m.

Three climate-related tweets sent out by Badlands National Park have been deleted after they went viral on Twitter, sparking debate over whether the park was defying the Trump administration.

The South Dakota park posted tweets Tuesday that accurately quoted climate science data, including the current record-setting high concentrations of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. President Donald Trump has called climate change a hoax.

The tweets were shared thousands of times, and the Democratic National Committee circulated the message by email with the subject line "Resist."

The tweets came just three days after the Interior Department briefly suspended its Twitter accounts after the park service retweeted photos about turnout at Trump's inauguration. The accounts were reactivated the next day.

The park service could not be reached for comment.

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6:15 p.m.

The retired head of the Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Co. is joining President Donald Trump's administration as an adviser on veterans issues.

The Department of Veterans Affairs confirmed Tuesday that Jake Leinenkugel had accepted a position as a senior White House adviser at the VA.

Leinenkugel served as a captain in the U.S. Marine Corps and is the father of two veterans. His brother, Dick, says the job will allow Jake Leinenkugel to make an impact on those who served their country.

Jake Leinenkugel ran the Wisconsin-based beer company for 25 years before retiring two years ago.

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6 p.m.

The Trump administration is moving to delay implementation of at least 30 environmental rules finalized in the closing months of President Barack Obama's term. That could be a potential first step in seeking to kill the regulations.

A summary of actions published Tuesday in the Federal Register includes rulings that updated air pollution standards for several states, renewable fuel standards and limits on the amount of formaldehyde that can leach from wood products.

President Donald Trump signed a directive shortly after his inauguration Friday ordering a "regulatory freeze pending review" for all federal agency rules that had been finalized but have not yet taken effect.

The action sets the new effective date for all 30 regulations as March 21.

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5:55 p.m.

President Donald Trump says India is a "true friend" of the United States in addressing global challenges and has invited its prime minister to visit later in the year.

The White House says Trump spoke Tuesday with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

A statement says the two leaders discussed opportunities for cooperation in economy and defense, and security in South and Central Asia. They resolved that their nations "stand shoulder to shoulder in the global fight against terrorism."

The U.S. and India are the world's two largest democracies. They share concerns about militancy emanating from Pakistan and about the rise of China.

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5:50 p.m.

The acting deputy secretary of the Agriculture Department says he will ask officials at the Agricultural Research Service to rescind a memo that ordered employees not to release documents to the public.

Michael Young said on a call with reporters Tuesday evening that the memo did not reflect guidance asking agencies to route communications decisions and other matters through his office — standard procedure for new administrations.

Young says, "Frankly I don't understand what the basis for the ARS email was."

He says he will ask the agency to rescind the notice that banned news releases, photos, fact sheets and social media content.

President Donald Trump has nominated former Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue as agriculture secretary. Young, a career official at USDA for three decades, is temporarily in charge.

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5:20 p.m.

President Donald Trump's pick to be top U.S. diplomat is paying a visit to the State Department ahead of his expected confirmation.

The State Department says Rex Tillerson was in the building Tuesday for briefings. The former Exxon Mobil CEO is Trump's nominee for secretary of state.

No additional details were released about Tillerson's visit.

Tillerson won narrow approval Monday from the Republican-led Senate Foreign Relations Committee. That vote all but assures the full Senate will confirm Trump's pick for the key Cabinet post.

A career U.S. diplomat is serving as acting secretary until the Trump pick is confirmed.

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2 p.m.

A spokesman says President Donald Trump's belief that there were millions of illegal votes cast in the November election is based on "studies and evidence."

But spokesman Sean Spicer did not provide examples of that evidence.

Trump first made the false claim during the transition. He reiterated the statement in a meeting Monday night with lawmakers, blaming illegal ballots for his loss of the popular vote.

Spicer says Trump "continues to maintain that belief." There has been no evidence to support the claims that there was widespread voter fraud in the election.

Spicer's only attempt to support Trump's assertion was to point a 2008 Pew Research survey that showed a need to update voter registration systems.

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1:55 p.m.

An Agriculture Department research agency has banned the release of news releases, photos and other material to the public.

In a memo to employees at USDA's Agricultural Research Service, chief of staff Sharon Drumm said the agency would immediately cease releasing any "public-facing" documents.

"This includes, but is not limited to, news releases, photos, fact sheets, news feeds, and social media content," read the email memo obtained by The Associated Press.

A statement released by ARS spokesman Christopher Bentley said the agency "values and is committed to maintaining the free flow of information between our scientists and the American public as we strive to find solutions to agricultural problems affecting America."

The statement said some material would still be available on the agency's website.

Buzzfeed News first reported the memo.

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1:50 p.m.

The White House says President Donald Trump has accepted House Speaker Paul Ryan's invitation to address a joint session of Congress on Feb. 28.

Ryan announced the invitation on Tuesday and informed reporters after a meeting with House Republicans. Ryan had met with Trump Monday night at the White House. Trump also met with Republican and Democratic congressional leaders on Monday.

Trump was meeting Tuesday at the White House with top Senate leaders.

The speech will be Trump's first to Congress. He was sworn in to office on Friday.

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12:45 p.m.

The Trump administration has instituted a media blackout at the Environmental Protection Agency and barred staff from awarding any new contracts or grants.

Emails sent to EPA staff since President Donald Trump's inauguration on Friday and reviewed by The Associated Press detailed the specific prohibitions banning press releases, blog updates or posts to the agency's social media accounts.

The Trump administration has also ordered a "temporary suspension" of all new business activities at the department, including issuing task orders or work assignments to EPA contractors. The orders are expected to have a significant and immediate impact on EPA activities nationwide.

The EPA did not respond to phone calls and emails requesting comment Monday or Tuesday.

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12:25 p.m.

President Donald Trump is hanging up some new art in the White House press area — and it's none too subtle.

The panoramic photo shows the crowds gathered near the U.S. Capitol for Trump's inauguration on Friday. It's a nod to the ongoing interest the president has in making it clear that his event was well-attended.

Trump tweeted: "A photo delivered yesterday that will be displayed in the upper/lower press hall. Thank you Abbas!" For emphasis, the official Twitter account of the president retweeted the @realDonaldTrump message. The photo was taken by Washington-area photographer Abbas Shirmohammadi, and it notes the wrong date — Jan. 21, although it does appear to depict the correct event.

Trump and press secretary Sean Spicer have taken pains to play up the crowd size, sometimes exaggerating the number in attendance. They've excoriated the media for what they said is an effort to downplay enthusiasm for Trump's inauguration.

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11:50 a.m.

President Donald Trump has taken steps to streamline the permitting process for manufacturing.

He also wants pipelines to be made in the U.S., and an expedited process for environmental reviews and approvals.

The steps came as Trump signed executive actions to advance construction of the Keystone XL and Dakota Access oil pipelines. Former President Barack Obama blocked construction in late 2015 of the Keystone line from Canada to the U.S. Meanwhile, the Army Corps of Engineers is studying alternative routes for the Dakota Access pipeline.

Trump describes the regulatory process as a "tangled up mess." He says if the answer is no, it should be a quick no. If the answer is yes, Trump says "let's start building."

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11:35 a.m.

President Donald Trump says he will announce his pick to fill the vacant Supreme Court seat sometime next week.

Trump told reporters in the Oval Office on Tuesday that he'll be "making my decision this week" and "we'll be announcing it next week."

"We have some outstanding candidates," the president said. "And we'll pick a truly great Supreme Court justice."

The Supreme Court has only had eight justices since Justice Antonin Scalia died last year. President Barack Obama nominated a replacement but Republicans in the Senate refused to bring the choice up for a vote.

During his campaign, Trump publicly identified nearly two dozen candidates for the vacancy.

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11:25 a.m.

President Donald Trump has signed executive actions to advance the construction of the Keystone XL and Dakota Access oil pipelines.

Trump tells reporters in the Oval Office that the moves on the pipelines will be subject to the terms and conditions being renegotiated by the U.S.

President Barack Obama killed the proposed Keystone XL pipeline in late 2015, saying it would hurt American efforts to reach a global climate change deal.

The pipeline would run from Canada to U.S. refineries in the Gulf Coast. The U.S. government needs to approve the pipeline because it crossed the border.

The Army decided last year to explore alternate routes for the Dakota pipeline after the Standing Rock Sioux tribe and its supporters said the pipeline threatened1 drinking water and Native American cultural sites.

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10:50 a.m.

FBI Director James Comey is staying in his job. A Justice Department memo lists him among officials remaining in their positions.

FBI directors are appointed to 10-year terms intended to carry across presidential administrations, even when a new party takes over the White House.

President Donald Trump criticized the FBI during the campaign for its decision not to recommend charges against his Democratic opponent, Hillary Clinton. But he also appeared to warmly greet Comey at a law enforcement gathering over the weekend.

Comey is in his fourth year in the job.

The New York Times first reported that Comey would stay on.

The director's job has been a 10-year term since 1976. Since then, only one has been removed prematurely — Reagan appointee William Sessions by Bill Clinton in 1993.

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9:48 a.m.

[Deleted User 8570]

Trump will roll out some immigration executive orders tomorrow...

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

8 p.m.

President Donald Trump will begin rolling out executive actions on immigration Wednesday, beginning with plans for building a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border and other enforcement measures, according to two administration officials.

Trump is also expected to roll out plans for restricting refugee flows to the U.S. later in the week.

Trump campaigned on pledges to tighten U.S. immigration policies, including beefing up border security and stemming the flow of refugees. He also called for halting entry to the U.S. from Muslim countries, but later shifted to focus on "extreme vetting" of those coming from countries with terrorism ties.

The officials insisted on anonymity in order to confirm the plans ahead of Trump's official announcement. The president is expected to sign the actions Wednesday during a trip to the Department of Homeland Security.

[Deleted User 8570]

If Chicago doesn't shape up its crime problem Trump is gonna send in the federales to do... something:

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

10 p.m.

President Donald Trump is offering to "send in the Feds" if Chicago can't reduce its homicide figures.

Trump tweeted Tuesday night, "If Chicago doesn't fix the horrible 'carnage' going on, 228 shootings in 2017 with 42 killings (up 24% from 2016), I will send in the Feds!"

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel criticized Trump on Monday for worrying about the size of the crowd at his inauguration. Emanuel, a longtime political ally of former President Barack Obama, also acknowledged his own frustration with Chicago's crime rate.

Trump isn't offering specifics about how the federal government could help. The White House website says, "Our country needs more law enforcement, more community engagement and more effective policing."

[audiophile]

News is coming Fast and furious now, TPP withdrawal and usual Republican ban on federal dollars for abortions abroad:

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

11:55 a.m.

President Donald Trump is reinstating a ban on providing federal money to international groups that perform abortions or provide information on the option.

The regulation has been something of a political football, instituted by Republican administrations and rescinded by Democratic ones since 1984.

Most recently, President Barack Obama ended the ban in 2009.

Trump signed it one day after the Jan. 22 anniversary of the Supreme Court's 1973 Roe vs. Wade decision that legalized abortion in the United States, the date which is traditionally when presidents take action on the policy.

The policy also prohibits taxpayer funding for groups that lobby to legalize abortion or promote it as a family planning method.

__

11:50 a.m.

President Donald Trump is signing a memorandum to leave the proposed Pacific Rim trade pact known as the Trans-Pacific Partnership.

The move is basically a formality, since the agreement had yet to receive required Senate ratification. Trade experts say that approval was unlikely to happen given voters' anxiety about trade deals and the potential for job losses.

Trump called the move "a great thing for the American workers"

It remains unclear if Trump would seek individual deals with the 11 other nations in TPP— a group that represents roughly 13.5 percent of the global economy, according to World Bank figures.

Trump has blamed past trade deals such as the North American Free Trade Agreement and China's entrance into the World Trade Organization for a decline in U.S. factory jobs.

Why should we be paying for foreign abortions anyway? Good move for taxpayers to put ban back.

[audiophile]

Executive orders to move the Keystone XL and Dakota Access pipelines along, Trump says he's an environmentalist with no explanation of how, Trump meets with CEO's of the Big 3:

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

9:48 a.m.

President Donald Trump is expected to take executive action Tuesday to advance construction of the Keystone XL and Dakota Access oil pipelines.

That's according to a person with knowledge of the action. The president is scheduled to sign orders at the White House late Tuesday morning.

Former President Barack Obama killed the proposed Keystone XL pipeline in late 2015, declaring it would have undercut U.S. efforts to clinch a global climate change deal that was a centerpiece of his environmental legacy. The pipeline would run from Canada to U.S. refineries in the Gulf Coast. The U.S. government needed to approve the pipeline because it crossed the border.

The Army decided last year to explore alternate routes for the Dakota pipeline after the Standing Rock Sioux tribe and its supporters said the pipeline threatened drinking water and Native American cultural sites.

The person with knowledge of the decisions insisted on anonymity because they were not authorized to confirm the moves ahead of a formal announcement.

___

9:45 a.m.

President Donald Trump says he's an environmentalist.

The president made the comments Tuesday at a breakfast with auto industry executives.

He didn't elaborate on why he sees himself as an environmentalist, but the comments came after urging companies from the auto industry and beyond to bring jobs back to the U.S.

On Monday, he made similar comments at a business breakfast, stating, again without elaborating, "I'm a very big person when it comes to the environment. I have received awards on the environment."

___

9:30 a.m.

President Donald Trump is spending the morning meeting with auto executives as part of his push to bring jobs back to the U.S.

Trump told his guests Tuesday at the White House that he's looking to ease regulations to help auto companies and any other businesses wishing to do business in the U.S.

Among the attendees of the breakfast are Ford Motor Co. chief executive Mark Fields, Fiat Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne and General Motors chief executive Mary Barra.

___

3:30 a.m.

President Donald Trump's efforts to build bridges and push through his agenda have been overshadowed once again with his continued fixation on the election and more false claims.

During a bipartisan reception with lawmakers at the White House late Monday, Trump claimed the reason he'd lost the popular vote to his Democratic rival was that 3 million to 5 million immigrants living in the U.S. illegally had voted.

That's according to a Democratic aide familiar with the exchange who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the private meeting. There is no evidence to support Trump's claim.

Trump on Tuesday will continue his outreach efforts as he meets with executives from the auto industry and speaks by phone with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

I am conservative not just politically but also with natural resources (I think everyone should drive fuel efficient vehicles). The pipelines are safer and use less energy than transporting oil from the middle east by boat or by rail from North Dakota. Beside it keeps the money with American and Canadians..

The Obama argument about tar sands is was a George Soros narrative.
http://conservative-headlines.com/2012/ ... tone-veto/

[Calvert DeForest]

Restricting government agencies from communicating via social media is the ultimate irony for a man who Tweeted his way to the White House.

[Deleted User 8570]

Restricting government agencies from communicating via social media is the ultimate irony for a man who Tweeted his way to the White House.

Indeed it is... cruel irony...

So far today we've got the announcement of a voter fraud investigation (seriously the guy is a sore winner) and the announcement that Trumps Supreme Court pick will be announced next Thursday and the list is down to 3:

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

7:30 a.m.

President Donald Trump says he will reveal his Supreme Court pick next Thursday. The court has had only eight justices since the death last year of Justice Antonin Scalia.

Trump tweeted early Wednesday, "I will be making my Supreme Court pick on Thursday of next week. Thank you."

A person familiar with the process said the president has narrowed his choice to three federal appellate judges. They all were on the list of 21 potential high court picks Trump announced during his presidential campaign.

The leading contenders — who all have met with Trump — are William Pryor, Neil Gorsuch and Thomas Hardiman, the person said, speaking anonymously because he was not authorized to speak publicly about internal decisions.

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7:25 a.m.

President Donald Trump says he will order an investigation into voter fraud.

The president tweeted early Wednesday that the measures will affect those registered to vote in more than one state, "those who are illegal and even, those registered to vote who are dead (and many for a long time)."

Trump says that "depending on results, we will strengthen up voting procedures."

Trump repeatedly made disputable claims of a rigged voting system before the election, but now in the White House, he continues to raise concern over fraud.

[audiophile]

Restricting government agencies from communicating via social media is the ultimate irony for a man who Tweeted his way to the White House.

I think I called him Conway Twitty once on this board


I don't think agencies should have a twitter accounts unless the they want to post links to the federal register when it is related.

Oh wait, they would never do that, because the public would what type of regulatory gobbly-gook they trying to foist.