Freeze imposed on most federal hiring
Associated Press
WASHINGTON
In addition to his executive action on TPP, President Donald Trump signed memorandums freezing most federal government hiring and reinstating a ban on providing federal money to international groups that perform abortions or provide information on the option.
The regulation, known as the “Mexico City Policy,” has been a political volleyball, instituted by Republican administrations and rescinded by Democratic ones since 1984.
The actions were among the long list of steps candidate Trump pledged to take on Day One as president. But other opening-day promises were going unfulfilled Monday, including plans to propose a constitutional amendment imposing term limits on members of Congress and terminating Barack Obama’s executive actions deferring deportations for some people living in the U.S. illegally.
Spokesman Sean Spicer said Monday that Trump intended to follow through on his proposals, though on a more extended time frame to ensure maximum attention for each move.
Yet he appeared to suggest that Trump would not move quickly – or perhaps at all – to reinstate deportations for young immigrants protected from deportation under the Obama administration.
Spicer said Trump’s focus would be on people in the U.S. illegally who have criminal records or who pose a threat.
“That’s where the priority’s going to be, and then we’re going to continue to work through the entire number of folks that are here illegally,” he said.
Spicer – making his first appearance at the briefing room podium since his angry tirade against the press Saturday – also appeared to back away from Trump’s assertion that he could move the U.S. Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. While presidential candidates have long made similar pledges, all have abandoned the idea over concerns that following through would further inflame tensions in the volatile region.
“We are at the early stages in this decision-making process,” Spicer said of the possible embassy relocation. “If it was already a decision, then we wouldn’t be going through a process.”
Spicer struck a far more conciliatory tone with reporters in Monday’s briefing and attempted to make light of his weekend appearance, which included multiple inaccurate statements about the inauguration. He conceded that he was relying on incomplete information when he used public transportation figures to boast about the crowd size, but stood by his unverifiable claim that Trump’s swearing-in was the most watched in history, counting internet views as well as TV.
The crowd actually in attendance was clearly smaller than for Obama’s 2009 inauguration, though Trump denied that fact.
Monday was mostly a business day for Trump. The new president, who prefers to solicit opinions from numerous people before making decisions, huddled with corporate leaders, including Tesla’s Elon Musk and Marillyn Hewson, and union heads. Eager to show off his new digs, Trump ended both meetings by bringing his guests in to see the Oval Office.
In his discussions with executives, Trump warned that he would impose a “substantial border tax” on companies that move their manufacturing out of the United States. He reiterated his campaign pledge to lower taxes for companies that stay in the U.S., as well as for the middle class, “anywhere from 15 to 25 percent,” although he has not been clear on how he intends to make up for lost tax revenue.
He said of his incentives for businesses, “All you have to do is stay.”
cia director sworn in
Mike Pompeo was sworn in Monday night as director of the CIA at a crucial time for U.S. national security as intelligence – traditionally a nonpartisan issue – has been thrust into the political arena.
“You are stepping up to lead the finest intelligence-gathering operation the world has ever seen,” Vice President Mike Pence said during the nighttime swearing-in ceremony. “The men and women serving under your command give true meaning to the word courage.”
The Senate earlier Monday confirmed Trump’s nominee to run the CIA despite some Democratic objections that the Kansas congressman has been less than transparent about his positions on torture, surveillance and Russia’s meddling in the U.S. election.
The vote was 66-32.
Trump has been critical of intelligence agencies since their assessment of Russian involvement to help him win the election, but the new president also has said he is fully behind them.