White House News
The Daily Signal provides coverage of the White House agenda, press briefings, and policy decisions affecting the country at large.
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- News
As Surplus Military Equipment Is Used in Houston, White House Changes Policy Enacted After Ferguson
Flat bottom boats were part of the Texas rescue efforts after the weekend flooding, after Hurricane Harvey, noted Ron Hosko, president of the Law Enforcement Legal Defense Fund. The same is true of rescue helicopters formerly used by the military and high axle vehicles that can drive through water, Hosko added. All are examples of…Fred Lucas -
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Steve Bannon Out at White House
Steve Bannon, White House chief political strategist and adviser to President Donald Trump, was fired from his post Friday afternoon, according to the Drudge Report. The political strategist reportedly submitted his resignation to the president on Aug. 7, The New York Times reports. While it was scheduled for Monday, Bannon’s resignation was delayed in the aftermath…Robert Donachie -
- Opinion
New White House Chief of Staff Is Up to the Task
Retired Marine Gen. John Kelly is now the new White House chief of staff. Known as the gatekeeper to the president, the chief of staff is a powerful but often thankless job. If the president does not have a good chief of staff, the entire administration’s agenda is at risk, as is the ultimate well-being…Steven Bucci -
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White House Drug Commission Implores Trump to Declare a State of Emergency
The White House commission created to tackle America’s opioid addiction crisis is imploring President Donald Trump to immediately declare a national state of emergency. The commission, headed by Republican Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey, delivered its interim recommendations Monday on what the Trump administration can do to tackle the worsening epidemic. The report provides a litany…Steve Birr -
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Anthony Scaramucci Out as White House Communications Director
Just 11 days after President Donald Trump appointed him, White House communications director Anthony Scaramucci is out of that job, the latest in a string of pell-mell staff shake-ups. “Mr. Scaramucci felt it was best to give chief of staff John Kelly a clean slate,” @PressSec says. Early indications Monday afternoon were that retired Marine…Fred Lucas -
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Scaramucci and Sanders New Voices for Trump’s White House After Shake-Up
President Donald Trump has two chief spokespersons with political and campaign experience, after a long-anticipated shake-up that saw the resignation of White House press secretary Sean Spicer. Sarah Huckabee Sanders has been conducting the bulk of White House briefings for months, and will likely have a seamless transition into her job as new White House…Fred Lucas -
- Opinion
White House Procurement Priorities for Renegotiating NAFTA Do Not Advance Free Trade
On Tuesday, the Trump Administration released its list of objectives for renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement. In the section on government procurement, the 20-page document included priorities such as “increasing opportunities for U.S. firms to sell U.S. products and services in to the NAFTA countries,” “keep in place domestic preferential purchasing programs,”…Tori K. Smith -
- Opinion
Congress Bucks White House Budget Proposal, Shows Commitment to Rebuilding the Military
Congress has rejected President Donald Trump’s defense budget proposal. Both the Senate and the House armed services committees have authorized more resources for the Department of Defense than what the Trump administration asked for. These are great developments that show Congress is taking seriously the problems that plague our armed forces. Both committees got within…Frederico Bartels -
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Trumps Spend $5 Million Less Than Obamas on White House Salaries
An analysis of White House salary data reveals that President Donald Trump’s administration is spending $5 million less of taxpayer money on his staff than his predecessor. Trump employs 377 people at the White House, with a total of $35.8 million, while former President Barack Obama paid $40.9 million for 476 employees in 2015, according to data analyzed by Open the…Thomas Phippen -
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White House Pushes Trump Priorities Before Congressional Recess
As some Republicans in Congress are calling on leadership to allow the legislative branch to work through the August recess, the White House touted President Donald Trump’s priorities that Congress should move on. “We’ll go as quick as Congress wants,” @PressSec says. White House press secretary Sean Spicer deferred to congressional leadership on scheduling, in…Fred Lucas -
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Kellyanne Conway Reveals the ‘Biggest Misconception’ About the Trump White House
White House counselor Kellyanne Conway was ready to bust some myths about the Trump White House in remarks Friday at the Road to Majority Conference. “What is [President Donald Trump] like in private?” asked Ralph Reed, founder and chairman of the Faith and Freedom Coalition, addressing Conway. “Does he listen to advice?” he added. “The…Christine Roe -
- News
Spicer Outlasts Stephanopoulos in White House Press Room
Critics said he was out of his element in conducting White House press briefings, but he steadily continued for nearly five months into the new presidential administration, frequently having a rocky ride and clashes with the press. Finally, the president ordered a shakeup, and moved him to another job. “He just got clobbered,” @georgecondon says….Fred Lucas -
- News
US Intelligence Leaks Are Threatening National Security. Here’s What the White House Can Do.
Classified information leaks to the media have often been framed as clash between the so-called “deep state” and President Donald Trump. However, Britain’s threat to stop intelligence sharing information with the United States demonstrates the larger problem. “The president has made it very clear going back months that leaks threaten national security,” @PressSec says. The…Fred Lucas -
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In New Russia Stir, White House and Allies Call Leaks to Media Real Problem
President Donald Trump’s Oval Office conversation with two Russian officials last week was “wholly appropriate,” national security adviser H.R. McMaster said Tuesday, expanding on his previous explanation about classified information shared by the president. “The president in no way undermined sources or methods,” H.R. McMaster says. When Trump met with the Russians, McMaster said, he…Fred Lucas -
- Opinion
Is the White House Embracing Human Rights in US Foreign Policy?
With the myriad U.S. interests at stake in foreign policy, where exactly do human rights fit in? Secretary of State Rex Tillerson spoke to this question on Wednesday while discussing the role of values in U.S. foreign policy decision-making. Now I think it’s important to also remember that guiding all of our foreign policy actions…Olivia Enos -
- Opinion
DC School Choice Takes Center Stage at the White House
President Donald Trump signaled his support for education choice at a Wednesday event celebrating the achievements of charter school students and school voucher recipients in the nation’s capital. It was an honor to be at this White House event to watch Trump, along with Vice President Mike Pence and Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, applaud the…Lindsey Burke -
- Opinion
Federal Land Grabs Have Gotten Out of Control. Why Trump’s Executive Order Is a Positive Sign.
Draining the swamp doesn’t just mean shrinking the size of federal bureaucracies. It means reducing the role of government throughout our society—including its ability to seize land. A good place to start is President Donald Trump’s executive order, which calls for a review of national monument designations—a tool long used by presidents to unilaterally restrict…Nicolas Loris -
- News
Trump White House Moves Forward With Plan Government Employee Union Dubs ‘Dangerous’
In six months, the Trump administration plans to produce a plan to shrink the size of government, eliminate programs, and reduce the federal workforce—and is seeking public input on how to proceed. “What it really means is making government more accountable to you, more effective and more efficient,” @OMBPress45 says. The memo from Office of…Fred Lucas -
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This 1 Change Trump Administration Made to White House Press Briefings Is Shaking Up the Media
From the moment he took office in January, President Donald Trump put the establishment media on notice. Through his tweets and press conferences, Trump isn’t shy about calling out news organizations by name or leveling criticism. And in the White House press briefing room, the Trump administration is changing the dynamic in a way that…Morgan Walker -
- News
Conservatives Skeptical of White House’s Proposed Changes to Obamacare Replacement Bill
Less than two weeks since the collapse of Republicans’ plan to repeal and replace Obamacare, lawmakers and White House officials have revived talks aimed at crafting a health care bill that can make it through Congress. But a new pitch from the White House designed to get conservative lawmakers on board, though in its early…Melissa Quinn