At the conclusion of a presentation for healthcare ‘surprise billing’ initiative, President Donald Trump took multiple questions from the media on a variety of issues.
Topics include: China trade deal and upcoming meeting with Vice-Chairman Liu, President Trump notes receiving letter from Chairman Xi Jinping; the strength of the U.S. economy; issues surrounding special counsel Bob Mueller; North Korea missile launch; current status of issues with Iran; questions about Donald Trump Jr. subpoena.  [Transcript will follow]

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[Transcript] Q Mr. President, on the North Korea missiles —
THE PRESIDENT: Yeah.
Q — what message do you take from them?
THE PRESIDENT: Well we’re looking at it very seriously right now. They were smaller missiles — short-range missiles. Nobody is happy about it, but we’re taking a good look and we’ll see. We’ll see.
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The White House is promoting a new healthcare initiative to confront the issues of ‘surprise billing’ within the healthcare industry. [SEE HERE]  Today President Trump delivered remarks on a new standard for informing healthcare consumers:

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[Transcript] – 12:06 P.M. EDT – THE PRESIDENT: Hello, everybody. Yesterday, Secretary Azar announced a bold, new initiative to require drug makers to disclose the prices to consumers. And it’s going to be something, I think, very special. You may have heard about it; maybe not. But it’s the beginning of a plan of transparency. And I think it will have quite an impact. So, thank you very much. That was a job well done. Everybody said it. (Applause.)
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Last night the DOJ informed House Judiciary Chairman Jerry Nadler they would recommend President Trump invoke executive privilege over the Mueller report if Nadler continued in his quest to wrongfully impeach AG William Barr.  Today the White House followed through:

(White House Statement)  “The American people see through Chairman Nadler’s desperate ploy to distract from the President’s historically successful agenda and our booming economy. Neither the White House nor Attorney General Barr will comply with Chairman Nadler’s unlawful and reckless demands.

The Attorney General has been transparent and accommodating throughout this process, including by releasing the no-collusion, no-conspiracy, no-obstruction Mueller Report to the public and offering to testify before the Committee. These attempts to work with the Committee have been flatly rejected. They didn’t like the results of the report, and now they want a redo.

Faced with Chairman Nadler’s blatant abuse of power, and at the Attorney General’s request, the President has no other option than to make a protective assertion of executive privilege.

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Well, it looks like the outcome of a horsetrading deal is starting to assemble.  President Trump meeting with Nancy Pelosi, Chuck Schumer et al, to discuss a $2 trillion infrastructure deal.   Despite their schemes and plots this is worth watching:

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Democrats don’t want the baggage of a tax increase heading into 2020… so Schumer punts the financing of the $2 trillion to President Trump; forcing the White House to deal with the dirty part (likelihood a gas tax increase), while Schumer/Pelosi keep clean hands on the high-brow aspect of beautiful infrastructure. That part is politically predictable.
That said, CTH can see the outline a deal where Democrats exchange votes for President Trump’s trade deals (specifically USMCA); to offset the Wall Street Republicans that will vote against the trade agreements; in return for provisions of an infrastructure deal that will benefit Pelosi/Schumer.
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Tonight President Donald Trump is holding a massive ‘Make America Great Again’ rally in Green Bay, Wisconsin at the Resch Center. President Trump is expected to highlight the U.S. economic growth, jobs and continued success following a first quarter GDP result that exceeded all expectations.
The President will speak at approximately 7:00pm CDT / 8:00pm EDT with ongoing event festivities and speakers earlier.  UPDATE: Video Added

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Chopper pressers are the best pressers.  President Donald Trump delivers impromptu remarks to the media as he departs the White House. [Video and Transcript]

[Transcript] – 9:21am EDT – THE PRESIDENT: So, I’m not allowed to comment on the new GDP numbers until about 10 or 15 minutes from now. So, I will not comment on them.
The country is always doing very well in every respect. I mean, we’re just doing well. We’re knocking it out of the park, as they say. And we’re very happy about that.
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President Trump gave an extensive interview to Fox News host Sean Hannity on Thursday evening.  The President made several stunning comments about the Mueller investigation, previous wiretaps, the upcoming inspector general report, the deep state, and his firm plans to declassify a significant amount of background documents.
For the first time President Trump used the terms “attempted coup” and “overthrow” to discuss the coordinated effort against his administration by the previous administration including James Clapper (ODNI), John Brennan (CIA), James Comey (FBI), and lower level officials within the intelligence apparatus.

Background Reports referenced by Hannity:

• Ukraine Report from John Solomon 
• Catherine Herridge Story – Grassley/Johnson Letter
• Sara Carter Column. Pence Chief-of-staff/Strzok Staffer

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As they departed the White House for a Rx Drug Abuse and Heroin Summit in Atlanta, GA, President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump deliver remarks to the White House press pool.  UPDATE: Transcript Added

[Transcript] – 11:00 A.M. EDT – THE PRESIDENT: So the stock market and our country, from an economic standpoint, is doing the best probably it’s ever done. We’re hitting new highs again. We’ve hit new highs, I guess close to, or over 100 times since I’m President — from the time of the election.
Unemployment numbers are the best they’ve ever been by far. We have almost 160 million people working today in the United States. That’s more than we’ve ever had working in our country before.
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President Donald Trump is expected to deliver his reaction to the findings of Special Council Robert Mueller’s investigations during a a Wounded Warrior Project Soldier Ride event.  Anticipated start time 10:30am EST:
UPDATE: Video and Transcript Added:

[Transcript] East Room – 11:07 A.M. EDT – THE PRESIDENT: (Applause.) Thank you very much. Thank you. Thank you very much. Please.
I am thrilled to host the Wounded Warrior Project. It’s been a long relationship I’ve had. And the Soldier Ride is something very, very special. Few people could do it, including me. (Laughter.) I hate to admit it. I hate to admit that, General, but including me. (Laughter.)
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A much anticipated press conference today with Attorney General Bill Barr and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein as they release the report from Special Counsel Robert Mueller. When the actual report is released we can FIND IT HERE.
UPDATE: Video and Transcript Added

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[Transcript of prepared remarks] Good Morning. Thank you all for being here today.
On March 22, 2019, Special Counsel Robert Mueller concluded his investigation of matters related to Russian attempts to interfere in the 2016 presidential election and submitted his confidential report to me pursuant to Department of Justice regulations.
As I said during my Senate confirmation hearing and since, I am committed to ensuring the greatest possible degree of transparency concerning the Special Counsel’s investigation, consistent with the law.
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