Following an earlier expansive press briefing by Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, President Trump signs a memorandum in the Oval Office to outline launching an investigative trade memorandum on the steel industry.

[Transcript] 12:13 P.M. EDT -THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you very much.  We appreciate everybody for being here.  It’s a historic day for American steel and, most importantly, for American steelworkers.  Thanks, especially, to Secretary Wilbur Ross for helping to lead this critical effort.  We’ve been working on it since I came to office, and long before I came to office.  We’re going to fight for American workers and American-made steel.  And that’s beginning immediately.

For decades, America has lost our jobs and our factories to unfair foreign trade.  And one steel mill after another has been shut down, abandoned, and closed, and we’re going to reverse that.  Other countries have made a living taking advantage of the United States in so many ways, as you know, and I’ve been talking about that for a long time.

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Remember, nothing is ever disconnected – nothing is happening in a vacuum, every administrative action has a specific administrative policy at the effect level of the action.

♦President Trump has promised to rebuild our military assets.  ♦Over the past several decades our big steel manufacturing capacity has dropped.  ♦Today Secretary Ross announces efforts to investigate risks of import steel reliance.  These three things are not disconnected.

[Transcript] 11:10 A.M. EDT – SECRETARY ROSS:  Thank you very much for coming this morning.  Last night, the Department of Commerce initiated an investigation under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962.  The technical caption is 19 USC 1862.

What that’s all about is that authorizes the Secretary of Commerce to conduct comprehensive investigations to determine the effects of imports of any particular item into the United States on the security of the country.  This has been invoked a number of times before, most notably in the period of the Arab oil crisis some years ago.

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There are many people rightly concerned about legislative issues seemingly stuck in the mud.   However, what many of those same people seem to forget is the basic reality of President Trump’s America-First agenda being opposed by professional republicans even more than it is opposed by professional Democrats.  DC is a UniParty.

Republican and Democrat political leadership, the UniParty writ large, have been paid to protect the legislative priorities of the multi-billion lobbying group known as K-Street.

The fallacy of false choice lies behind the concept of controlled opposition.

Prior to Donald Trump there was only one political party in DC, the Uniparty. President Trump represents the alternative; the second party.

For almost five years we have been pointing out the construct.  The UniParty have three unwavering primary objectives as purchased by the lobbying groups: 1) Retention of Obamacare; 2) Budgetary spending to retain growth of government; and 3) comprehensive immigration reform to include amnesty.

These three primary legislative issues are not up for debate, modification or discussion.  The legislative outcomes have been purchased, multi-million-dollar investments made, and the interests behind the legislative constructs will not allow any elimination or concession.

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President Trump welcomed Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni to the White House today and they will be holding a joint press conference shortly:

Video Added:

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More Pictures and Story HERE

On Day #4 of a ten-day trip in Asia – (Near Japan) Vice President Mike Pence and family visit the U.S.S. Ronald Reagan aircraft carrier.

[Transcript] THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Lieutenant General Martinez, Major General Chiarotti, Vice Admiral Aucoin, Vice Admiral Doman, Rear Admiral Williams, Rear Admiral Carter, Rear Admiral Inoue, Rear Admiral Shimo, Captain Donnelly, Chargé Hyland, Ambassador Sasae, Director-General Mori, members of United States Forces of Japan, the Japan Self-Defense Forces, it is my high honor and distinct privilege to join you here today on America’s flagship — the USS Ronald Reagan — where every day, all of you prove it can be done.  (Applause.)

You all look sharp out there, but at ease.  It’s so good to be with you today.

I bring greetings from the President of the United States of America, your Commander-in-Chief, President Donald Trump.  (Applause.)

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The New York Times attempted to take a cheap ideological shot at President Donald Trump by comparing organization attendance by the New England Patriots football team between President Obama and President Trump:

The picture the New York Times used is expanded below: (more…)

No event is happening in a vacuum.  It is critical to emphasize this basic point when evaluating the foreign policy of President Trump and his administration.  There is a very well planned multidimensional construct within the sequencing of individual events which shows a policy thread weaving throughout.

The challenging aspect for most of the current U.S. electorate, and specifically those who follow politics closely, is the Trump administration’s position to not publicly espouse targeted and strategic policy objectives.

This deliberate yet not publicly promoted approach is a paradigm shift for those who reference modern diplomatic politics through the prism of past doctrines and their public advancement.  The Trump foreign policy approach is a planned, deliberate, consequential, and intentionally quiet undertaking.

That LOOK !

The Trumpian approach is becoming increasingly easier to see. However, it is not the typical approach customary amid politicians who use momentary events to elevate the appearance of their self-importance.

Quite the contrary, with the Trump team each action and participant provides visible dots, but the administration intentionally does not connect those dots for the media or the consuming public – or trumpet their importance.

The Administrations’ focus is on the ultimate outcome each individual event brings to the aggregate conclusion. ie. ‘the goal’; and not on the individual elements as they are assembled.

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Earlier today President Trump delivered on a reform promise to Veterans who are regionally impacted by poor healthcare options/providers within the VA system.  This is a really big deal.

[Transcript] 11:32 A.M. EDT – THE PRESIDENT:  Good morning.  We’re honored to join and be joined today by some absolutely tremendous people and great veterans.  Thanks, as well — and I have to thank them dearly — but as well to Representative Phil Roe.  Where is he?  What a job you’ve done.  And all the members of Congress who worked on the bill that we’re about to sign.  Such an important bill.

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Moments ago President Trump honored the New England Patriots football team, and the entire organization, for their amazing recent success in their Superbowl victory and their long-term commitment to excellence:

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