Senator Lindsey Graham appears with Maria Bartiromo to discuss border security negotiations, the upcoming full senate confirmation vote for AG William Barr and his Senate Judiciary Committee intent toward investigating FISA abuse.

Adding evidence that Nancy Pelosi is attempting to create another shutdown, republican Senator Richard Shelby stated earlier today talks had stalled over immigrant detention policies and democrat demands that criminal aliens be allowed to leave detention.  No additional talks have been scheduled.

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Acting White House chief-of-staff Mick Mulvaney appears on Fox News to discuss the ongoing political efforts of the resistance movement, Nancy Pelosi’s faux-negotiation strategy, and the larger objective to secure the southern border.

In the distant background, President Trump is already building enhanced fencing to secure the U.S-Mexico border and the larger conversation is about the politics of funding. Mulvaney notes the funding for border security can come from a variety of mechanisms available to the President, so the issue of direct funding for a border wall is essentially a political argument where democrats must maintain the optics of resistance.

All of that said, it appears President Trump is guiding the resistance toward the brightest exposure on their radical agenda items.

All looks good as President Trump completes his second physical examination during a trip to Walter Reed hospital.

The White House announces the primary trade negotiators who will be heading to China next week for another round of trade discussions.  In the background, yesterday President Trump announced there was no planned meeting between himself and Chinese Chairman Xi, which would indicate there is still a considerable distance between the trade delegations.

USTR Robert Lighthizer is the tip-of-the-spear, and has been very direct about his approach.  Lighthizer stated that without very specific, actionable and measurable deliverables included in the terms of agreement, the March 1st tariff increase will proceed without impairment.

[White House] Today, President Donald J. Trump announced the members of an official United States delegation to China to discuss the trade relationship between the two countries. United States Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Secretary of the Treasury Steven Mnuchin travel to Beijing for principal-level meetings that will take place from February 14 through February 15, 2019. These meetings will be preceded by deputy-level negotiations that will begin on February 11, 2019, led by Deputy United States Trade Representative Jeffrey Gerrish.

Official delegation members also include United States Trade Representative Chief Agricultural Negotiator Gregg Doud, Department of the Treasury Under Secretary for International Affairs David Malpass, Department of Agriculture Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs Ted McKinney, Department of Commerce Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade Gilbert Kaplan, Deputy Director of the National Economic Council and Deputy Assistant to the President for International Economic Affairs Clete Willems, and Department of Energy Assistant Secretary for Fossil Energy Steven Winberg.

The delegation will be accompanied by additional senior officials from the White House, the Office of the United States Trade Representative, and the Departments of State, the Treasury, Agriculture, Commerce, and Energy.  (read more)

Notably the biggest Chinese trade critic from the administration, White House trade policy adviser Peter Navarro, is not included in the delegation.

Additionally, it is suspected that President Trump may sign an executive order banning the American use of Chinese 5G telecom equipment sometime between next week and an upcoming telecommunications conference, MWC Barcelona, formerly known as Mobile World Congress, which takes place February 25-28.  [Story Here]

However, with the U.S. delegation trip to Beijing Feb 14 and 15, there is a question of whether President Trump will delay any executive order until after the trade team conducts their scheduled negotiations.   The distance between the negotiations and the executive order could likely be an indicator of how trade discussions are proceeding.

“W-GDP” is the Women’s Global Development Prosperity initiative. Today President Trump signed the W-GDP initiative designating priority spending to empower women’s economic initiatives in the U.S. and globally. [Details of W-GDP Here]

[Transcript] Oval Office – 1:59 P.M. EST – THE PRESIDENT: Thank you very much. We’re here today to launch the first-ever, U.S. government-wide initiative focused on economic empowerment for women in developing countries. A lot of people have worked very hard, especially some of the people behind me.

I want to thank Ivanka for the incredible job that she’s done in leading this initiative. Thanks, also, to Secretary Mike Pompeo, Secretary Wilbur Ross, Secretary Steve Mnuchin, Acting Secretary Patrick Shanahan, Ambassador John Bolton, Ambassador Mark Green, and Peace Corps Director Jody Olsen. I want to thank you all very much. I know how hard you’ve all worked. And thank you. Great job. So important.

I also want to thank Senator Chris Coons, who’s — we just left. We had a wonderful prayer breakfast this morning, which was a tremendous gathering of a lot of great people. Along with Representatives Mark Meadows and Michael McCaul for being here. Thank you all very much.

We’re thrilled to have so many government and private sector leaders with us.

As my National Security Strategy says, investing in women helps achieve greater peace and prosperity for nations — not only our nations; this is all nations all over the world. We’re getting together. We’ve developed a lot of really tremendous relationships because of what we’re doing right here.

American women demonstrate every day that when women are free to thrive and prosper, they create jobs, strengthen our communities, and bring greater peace and prosperity to our nation and all over the world.

Today, we’re here to take a historic step to achieve this goal. In just a few moments, I will sign the National Security Presidential Memorandum to establish the Women’s Global Development and Prosperity Initiative, also known as the W-GDP. It’s a good name. (Applause.) That’s one you should remember.

Through this initiative, our goal is to reach 50 million women, and maybe more. And it looks like it is probably going to be substantially more than that — substantially more than 50 million women in the developing world. And that will be done, Ivanka, by 2025, they say.

The W-GDP will coordinate efforts. It’s sort of interesting — GDP — I’m thinking about “gross domestic product,” but that’s okay because that’s what we —

MS. TRUMP: That’s why. (Laughs.)

THE PRESIDENT: — you’re actually increasing gross domestic product —

MS. TRUMP: That’s why. Exactly right.

THE PRESIDENT: — when you do this well.

The W-GDP will coordinate efforts across the federal government and work with other nations, organizations, and private-sector partners to help women in developing countries fully and freely participate in their local economics.

So this is a tremendous step for women. Other leaders of other countries have asked to get involved and do it. And through the people standing behind me, largely, that group has done something that a lot of people thought could not be done.

I’ve directed the USAID to allocate an initial $50 million for a new W-GDP fund, which will implement our strategy of making smarter, metrics-based investments that catalyze private-sector dollars.

This initiative will be prioritized in the upcoming future and in upcoming future budgets. Our goal is to empower women to help their home countries become self-reliant and to allow a lot families — millions of families throughout the world — to become self-reliant, and also in the United States, very importantly.

Today, we are honored to welcome women from many different countries — and I’m going to have them say a few words — who are already benefitting from U.S. government programs and who are achieving in their own countries, and elsewhere, some really incredible things. Some amazing stories.

I’d like to ask Ivanka to say a few words, introduce a few of the folks. And, Ivanka, if you’d start off, maybe you could start right now and then we’ll do a signing when we’re all finished.

MS. TRUMP: Yeah, absolutely.

THE PRESIDENT: Good.

MS. TRUMP: Well, thank you for your tremendous leadership on this effort. And I want to thank everyone who’s in this room for their contribution over the past year, through the interagency process. As the President said, this is the first U.S. government, all-of-government approach to empowering women in the developing world. And we’re incredibly excited.

We will hit 50 million women by 2025 through one of three pillars. The first is women prospering in the workforce — so helping with vocational applications that will enable them to secure jobs; giving them access to technology, which will enhance the productivity at the work that they’re already doing.

The second is helping women entrepreneurs gain access to finance and capital that enable them to scale and grow their businesses. This will create a multiplier effect, lifting up communities.

And the third is the enabling environments, and creating the conditions for women to thrive.

We know that there is a very strong correlation between women’s empowerment and peace. That’s been well established. And thank you, Acting Secretary Shanahan, for your great work through this process to get us to today’s PM.

We also know that women, as 50 percent of the population, are absolutely critical to each country’s prosperity. And we want to further incentivize and fuel that, but make sure to have it be metric-driven and outcome-based.

So we have rigorous metrics. Our goal is to transform all the recipient countries from receivers of foreign aid and development assistance to self-reliant and, ultimately, trading partners with the United States.

So I think some of the best examples of this are right here in this room, under programs launched under this administration.

So perhaps Nino, from Georgia, if you could say a few words about your experience and how the U.S. government has helped support you and the effect it has had on your home community.

MS. ZAMBAKHIDZE: Thank you, Mr. President, Ivanka. First of all, I would like to thank you for this great initiative, and take the opportunity and thank the U.S. taxpayers because they have to know that they are changing the lives of every single person all over the world for the better.

I’m a grantee of Millennium Challenge Corporation, and I was the one who thought that the women in Georgia had no future. But the breaking point was when Millennium Challenge gave me the opportunity to overcome the challenge.

I started with two cows and I become one of the biggest farmer of Georgia in reality, and now am supporting my community in the terms of access to finance, education, and their prosperity.

So, Mr. President, with your leadership, Georgian relationship with the U.S. flourished. And each and every Georgian citizen feels that. And I would like to thank for that. And the cultural (inaudible), with your support and with the projects the U.S. government does in Georgia, really has been tremendous because women have future of Georgia.

You have thousands (inaudible) all over the world who cannot come here and could not say it. So on behalf of the beneficiaries of U.S. project, I would like to thank you again.

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you very much. I appreciate it. (Applause.) Thank you very much. Beautifully said.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, please?

SECRETARY POMPEO: And I’d just like to add: This is an important project; State Department is fully behind it. The women at the State Department are a central part of what we do. And we will be — through multiple programs — we’ve got scholars here, from Fulbright, a long history. And this will be an important addition to America’s efforts to empower women all across the world. We’re proud to be a part of this, and we look forward to working on it in the days and weeks ahead.

THE PRESIDENT: That’s great. Thank you very much, Mike. John Bolton, please.

AMBASSADOR BOLTON: Well, Mr. President, this National Security Presidential Memorandum that you’re about to sign is founded in your National Security Strategy. The ideas that Ivanka has been pursuing here are critical, we think, to some of the central pillars of that strategy — very important for the United States to see this development around the world. And it’s very exciting. It really is a whole-of-government approach. And everybody is behind it.

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you, John, very much. Great job. Senator? Please.

SENATOR COONS: Thank you, Mr. President. Thank you, Ivanka. It’s been great to work with you and to be here to help celebrate your signing of this next step in this critical women’s growth and prosperity and development initiative. It dovetails nicely with the BUILD Act bipartisan bill you signed into law; with the WEEE Act, which recognizes this as a critical strategy.

In my limited experience in Africa, every extra development dollar the United States invests in women, they invest in skills, in creating jobs, in building employment, and in their children and the future. And in societies where women’s entrepreneurship is strong, there is peace. So I think this is a tremendous initiative.

Thank you, Mr. President.

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you very much. I appreciate it. Mark Meadows? I see you’re back there, Mark, and you were so instrumental. (Laughter.)

REPRESENTATIVE MEADOWS: Mr. President, thank you for your leadership. And, Ivanka, thank you for your role. But more importantly, thank you to all the people here in the room for your leadership on this issue.

But it’s the stories that’ll be told, Mr. President, that you’ll never hear in this Oval Office — the lives that will be changed, the people that will be empowered — that will be a lasting legacy of this effort today. And I want to thank you.

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you, Mark, very much. And, Wilbur, Commerce has a lot to do with what’s going on right now. And this is a big part of Commerce. What do you think?

SECRETARY ROSS: Well, it certainly is. If this goal is achieved, it’ll add $12 trillion to the world GDP in 2025. That would be like creating another China, but without the trade deficit. (Laughter.)

THE PRESIDENT: And we won’t have that for too long.

Would anybody like to like to say anything? Michael? Anybody? Please.
REPRESENTATIVE MCCAUL: Yeah, thank you, Mr. President. I just want to thank Ivanka for her tremendous leadership on this issue. And the WEEE was incredible to pass that. As the father of four girls, women rule my house. (Laughter.) And this will impact 15 million women across the globe. That’s very significant.

And, Ambassador Bolton and Secretary, thank you for making this a part of your National Security Strategy, Mr. President, because it is a national security issue, and I appreciate that.

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you very much. Would anyone like to say anything?

MS. TRUMP: Acting Secretary Shanahan, would you —

ACTING SECRETARY SHANAHAN: Sure. Maybe just a couple quick words. Economic stability is good defense policy. The seeds of flawed ideology are born from the absence of economic security. I’m hoping, Ivanka, your initiative will put me out of business. (Laughter.) Thank you.

THE PRESIDENT: Very good. Yes, please.

MS. ZANDE: My name is Ella Zande, from Budala village, southern Malawi.

THE PRESIDENT: Right.

MS. ZANDE: I am a founder and chairwoman of the Budala Women’s Group. I started a group in 2010 with 10 women. Today, we have 65 women in three villages. Over the past eight years, we had four Peace Corps volunteers who taught us many things, like we have businesses. We are (inaudible). So now I am happy to be here in America. (Laughter.)

I am very proud and happy to be here on behalf of my group and my Malawi women. Thank you very much.

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you very much. Beautifully said. (Applause.)

MS. TRUMP: And one of the components of this initiative as well is the importance of catalyzing the private sector to achieve our shared goals. So we’ll be announcing today a partnership with UPS to help women entrepreneurs gain access to markets through their services, as well as a partnership with Pepsi, a co-investment with USAID. So we really want to lean on the private sector to help us achieve these goals.

And the CEO of Deloitte, Cathy, is with us today, and has done tremendous work in this space.

THE PRESIDENT: Good. Would you like to say something?

MS. ENGELBERT: Yes.

THE PRESIDENT: Good. Thank you so much.

MS. ENGELBERT: Well, obviously, the benefits are well documented. The barriers are well documented. And we look forward to the bold strategy that’s ahead of us. So we’re really looking forward to it.

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you so much. We appreciate what you did. Thank you. Let’s sign. Right? Let’s sign.

(The memorandum is signed.) (Applause.)

Okay, who would like this pen? Who would like this? I think I know who I’m giving it to. I’m giving it to her. (Applause.)

We have plenty for everybody. Everybody gets a pen. ‘

So here it is, folks. This is a lot of — a lot of very hard work. I think this is something very, very special, and very special people. Thank you all very much.

Thank you very much.

Thank you very much.

Q Would you accept a compromise from the congressional committee?

THE PRESIDENT: There could be. I hear they’re working on something. We’ll see what happens. But I certainly hear that they’re working on something. And both sides are moving along. We’ll see what happens. We need border security. We have to have it. It’s not an option. Let’s see what happens.

Q Should Matt Whitaker testify tomorrow, Mr. President?

THE PRESIDENT: He’s an outstanding person. I would say, if he did testify, he’d do very well. He’s an outstanding person. A very, very fine man.

Thank you all very much.

Q He says he may (inaudible).

THE PRESIDENT: That, I don’t know.

Q No meeting with Xi in the next month or so?

THE PRESIDENT: Not yet. Maybe. Probably too soon. Probably too soon.

Q Not before the deadline, though, right?

THE PRESIDENT: No.

END – 2:15 P.M. EST

It’s an interesting exercise to consider just how much national economic policy shifts can impact U.S. workers and industry.  Only a few years ago the ‘best play‘ for auto executives was shifting manufacturing overseas or to Mexico.

Today, with the advent of a comprehensive energy policy, enhanced U.S. investment incentives, re-prioritized trade expectations, focused tariffs, lowered regulations, and expanded  economic freedom allowing consumer demand to drive investment decisions, the entire landscape of a massive industry shifts.

Now the ‘best play‘ is for multinational firms to focus on expanded investment directly in the U.S.A.  Simple, yet stunningly consequential:

CHICAGO – Ford said Thursday it will hire 500 workers and invest $1 billion in its Chicago assembly operations to help keep up with booming demand for sport and crossover-utility vehicles.

The announcement comes on the heels of cross-town rival GM axing 4,000 workers, and is part of the $11 billion restructuring Ford announced last fall that includes dropping all passenger car models except the iconic Mustang. It is shifting resources to light trucks, like those it is building in the Windy City.

[…] The investment plan will allow Ford to expand capacity for the Explorer as well as the new Explorer Police Interceptor it is launching. Ford has traditionally dominated the market for police vehicles and expects the Interceptor — which debuted last month at the Detroit Auto Show — to expand its hold.

Also scheduled to go into the Chicago Assembly Plant is the all-new Lincoln Aviator, a big, three-row sedan that is winning early praise and could become a critical part of Ford’s drive to revive the long-struggling luxury brand.

The $1 billion investment will be used to add “advanced manufacturing technologies,” according to company sources, and also to train workers to both boost plant efficiency and improve quality.  (read more)

This decision by FORD actually becomes an example of what CTH was predicting prior to the 2016 election.  Specifically about FORD; and specifically about the auto industry.

FLASHBACK TO 2016: […]  This key distinction is the heart of the Economic Patriotism argument.

An argument that Bernie Sanders has made effectively, Donald Trump has also recognized, and one which through the course of time -and history has empirically evidenced- creates terrible long-term consequences for the rapidly diminishing middle class U.S. worker.

The economic patriotism distinction is also where traditionally minded conservatives, like myself, have reevaluated the bigger picture and accepted the following:  In a global world the concept of traditional economic models (for free-market capitalism) are no longer working on behalf of the United States of America – because there is no national pride or incentive attached to the end goal, profit.

Paul Samuelson, the Nobel laureate from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, recalled that John Maynard Keynes once was challenged for altering his position on some economic issue:

“When my information changes,” said Keynes “I change my mind. What do you do Sir?”

While I have never agreed with Keynesian economic theory, Keynes attributed quote itself is never more apropos than today’s 2016 American economics argument amid various conservatives.   What good is Mark Levin’s definition of conservatism, when there’s no middle class America left to conserve?

What good are George Will’s free market theories when the end result is the outflow of American wealth into poorer, less economically developed countries, while we EBT ourselves into a national debt crisis because we are trying to sustain the diminished value of the American worker?

Not only is this historic approach now rapidly becoming the pathway into an unrecoverable American economic death spiral, it is also global wealth distribution done by Wall Street, not Main Street.

The result, our result, is an ever expanding, seemingly impossible to stop, wealth gap, creating an unnatural and profoundly unhealthy class system, in America, between the “Rich” and “Poor”.

We do not need socialism to fix the problem, we need economic patriotism from industrial giants, Main Street, who value the principles behind putting American-workers-First. (link)

Thankfully, two-months after writing everything above, the American electorate voted to put a Main Street President Trump into office.  Today U.S. jobs are plentiful, wages are growing, inflation is low and entire industries are recommitting to the U.S. worker.

Ironically, a few days ago that same economically patriotic president just said “We will never be a socialist country”…

Funny how that happens.

Two Canadian political and economic observers, Ezra Levant of The Rebel.media and lawyer and consultant Manny Montenegrino, discuss how the USMCA grants special consideration to Mexico that Canada doesn’t receive.

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Historians will note the trilateral negotiations, including the U.S. and Canada, broke down in a series of events between October 2017 and January 2018; culminating with USTR Robert Lighthizer and President Trump deciding to focus on a bilateral agreement between the U.S. and Mexico that Canada was later forced to join.

The intransigent demands by Canada, which would have forced the U.S. to accept any Canada-China trade deal, was the fracture point.  [SEE HERE] This strategic mistake by Justin Trudeau and Chrystia Freeland created the downstream consequences now beginning to surface.

Here’s the America First Infrastructure Executive Order.

Here’s the USMCA Review Link.

Here’s the Full Text of the USMCA as discussed.

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[ Interestingly, AAG Matt Whitaker was attending the prayer breakfast with President Trump and administration officials.  Hours later, he made an announcement. ]

President Trump delivers remarks today during the National Prayer Breakfast.

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[Transcript] Washington Hilton, Washington, D.C. – 9:23 A.M. EST

THE PRESIDENT: I will never let you down. I can say that. Never. (Applause.) Thank you. I am honored to be here with leaders from across the country and all around the world who are all united by a shared belief in the glory of God and the power of prayer.

I want to thank Senator Coons and Senator Lankford for the introduction and for carrying on this wonderful and uplifting bipartisan tradition. Thank you both very much. Thank you, Senators. Senators, thank you very much. (Applause.)

We’re thrilled to be joined by our tremendous Vice President Mike Pence, along with our incredible Second Lady Karen Pence. And, by the way — (applause) — by the way, I’ve gotten to know Karen so well. She is a Marine Corps mom, a tremendous woman, a proud supporter of military families, and she just recently went back to teaching art classes at a Christian school. (Applause.) Thank you. Thank you, Karen. Terrific woman.

We’re also thankful to be joined by the countless faith leaders, foreign dignitaries, and members of Congress, along with many members of my cabinet, including Secretary Mike Pompeo, Sonny Perdue, Alex Acosta, Alex Azar, Ben Carson, Betsy DeVos, and Acting Attorney General Matt Whitaker. Thank you all for being here. Thank you very much. (Applause.)

And thanks also to Gary Haugen for those very powerful words and for rescuing people around the world from the bondage of human trafficking. You are truly doing the Lord’s work, and, as you know, our administration is doing everything we can to make your work easier. We’re working very closely together. Thank you very much. Thank you, Gary. (Applause.)

On Tuesday, it was my profound honor to address the nation from the House Chamber of the State of the Union. And our union, as you heard me say, is very, very strong. (Applause.) As I said in my address, there is no limit to what we can achieve if we follow the path of cooperation, compromise, and the common good. America’s potential is unlimited because our extraordinary people are just something that is number one, no matter where you go. We have people — they love our country and they love their faith.

We are graced by those extraordinary heroes from Tuesday night:

The SWAT Officer Timothy Matson, who raced and raced through a very, very bullet-filled doorway. He was shot many, many times. He has been operated on many times, and, unfortunately, he is going back for more. But he was really stopped from having something as bad as it was. The Tree of Life synagogue was a horrible, horrible event, and he really did do a job. He made it so much better. It was so good to see him. I saw him in the hospital, and he was suffering, and he’s still suffering. But he told me the other night he is so proud to have been a part. He was just a great, great gentleman. We introduced him the other night.

The wonderful, young girl Grace, who overcame brain cancer — had no idea this was going to happen to her — and bravely rallied an entire community.

And the intrepid soldiers who stormed the beaches of Normandy in the Allied liberation of Europe. On D-Day, all those warriors set out on their mission of liberation; President Franklin Delano Roosevelt led our nation in prayer. In a national radio address, President Roosevelt began with these solemn words: “Almighty God: Our sons, the pride of our Nation, on this day have set upon a mighty endeavor, a struggle to preserve our Republic, our religion, and our civilization.”

Since the founding of our nation, many of our greatest strides — from gaining our independence, to abolition, [DEL: of :DEL] [to] civil rights, to extending the vote for women — have been led by people of faith and started in prayer.

When we open our hearts to faith, we fill our hearts with love. Many of the people in this room lead and support the charities and faith-based institutions that bring hope to the lives of our citizens, comfort to those in despair, and solace to those in grief, aid to those in need, and a helping hand to the struggling people all around the world, of which there are so many.

With us today are leaders involved with Prison Fellowship, started by the late Chuck Colson — a man transformed by leaders of this breakfast. Today, Prison Fellowship ministers to more than 300,000 prisoners across America to help others like Alice Johnson and Matthew Charles, who we saw Tuesday night, transform their lives through the mercy and grace of God.

And faith leaders helped us achieve historic bipartisan criminal justice reform. (Applause.) They’ve been wanting to do that for many, many years, and we all together got it done. We just passed the FIRST STEP Act into law. So thank you very much, everybody in the room, for that help. That was a very big thing for our country. (Applause.)

America is a nation that believes in redemption. Every day, the people in this room demonstrate the power of faith to transform lives, heal communities, and lift up the forgotten.

Some of those in this room are among the Muslim and Christian faith leaders from Minnesota who partnered to send millions of meals to Somalia last year.

Also with us today are Catholics, Evangelicals, and members of the Jewish faith who help build homes for our fellow citizens through Habitat for Humanity.

As President, I will always cherish, honor, and protect the believers who uplift our communities and sustain our nation.

To ensure that people of faith can always contribute to our society, my administration has taken historic action to protect religious liberty. (Applause.)

Here with us this morning are Melissa and Chad Buck from Holt, Michigan. In 2009, they decided to adopt. Soon, they got a call about three young siblings in a terribly abusive home. Melissa and Chad had only a few minutes to decide, and they said yes to all three. Today, the Bucks have five beautiful adopted children. As Melissa has said, “They are the sweetest, most lovable children. They have the most unique gifts.” Two of them have joined us for this breakfast: 10-year-old Max and 9-year-old Liz.

To Max, Liz, and the entire Buck family, thank you for inspiring us all. (Applause.) Thank you very much. Thank you very much. Thank you very much. Thank you.

Unfortunately, the Michigan adoption charity that brought the Buck family together is now defending itself in court for living by the values of its Catholic faith. We will always protect our country’s long and proud tradition of faith-based adoption. (Applause.) My administration is working to ensure that faith-based adoption agencies are able to help vulnerable children find their forever families, while following their deeply held beliefs. (Applause.)

My administration is also speaking out against religious persecution around the world, including against religious minorities, Christians, and the Jewish community. (Applause.)

This week, I appointed a new Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism, and with us — thank you very much — Elon Carr. Thank you. Thank you very much. (Applause.) A very effective person.

The courageous Holocaust survivors in the gallery on Tuesday night powerfully remind us, and remind us all, of our solemn pledge: Never again. (Applause.)

My administration is also continuing to fight for American hostages who have been imprisoned overseas for their religious beliefs. Last October, we reached an agreement with Turkey to release Pastor Andrew Brunson, who is now free and joins us here this morning. Where is Andrew? (Applause.) He was there for a long time before I got there, and I said, “You’ve got to let him out.” (Laughter.) “You better let him out.” And they let you out. (Laughter.) It was a miracle. (Applause.) Right? We spent a lot of time together. Terrific man. Terrific family. Thank you very much, Andrew.

This Saturday, Pastor Brunson will walk his daughter down the aisle. Wow, that’s great. Congratulations. Was I invited? I don’t know. Was I invited? (Laughter.) He said, “Yes.” Thank you. (Laughter.)

To protect the dignity and worth of every person, my administration has taken historic action to combat human trafficking.

Last year, I directed the State Department to cut off development aid to nations that do not demonstrate a commitment to ending human trafficking in their own countries. (Applause.) And we are fighting every day to stop the tragedy of human trafficking all along our southern border.

Together, we will end the scourge of modern-day slavery that, because of the Internet, is at levels that nobody can believe. The Internet came along, and some good things happened. But some very bad things happened, and this is one of them.

As part of our commitment to building a just and loving society, we must build a culture that cherishes the dignity and sanctity of innocent human life. (Applause.) All children, born and unborn, are made in the holy image of God. (Applause.) Thank you.

Every life is sacred, and every soul is a precious gift from Heaven. As the Lord says in Jeremiah, “Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you… Before you were born, I set you apart.”

Here with us today are Nikki and Tyler Watkinson. Our wonderful First Lady Melania, who is right now working very hard with a group of people and saying a few words on opioids — she’s very much involved; she wanted to be here so badly, but she’ll be here with us next year — recently met with them and, when she visited them at Children’s Hospital, was so impressed.

Last year, Nikki went into early labor during a blizzard. As she and Tyler were driving to the hospital, their son Grayson was born in the front seat. He was born four months premature, and weighed only 1 pound and 11 ounces. But he let out little, tiny cries, and he made it to the hospital alive. Nikki and [DEL: Taylor’s :DEL] [Tyler’s] entire community began to lift up Grayson in their prayers, and, to the surprise of doctors, he kept on improving, improving, improving. After four months in the hospital, Nikki and Tyler brought home their beautiful baby boy. Just a few weeks ago, Grayson celebrated his first birthday. He is a beautiful, happy, healthy guy. (Applause.)

Are they here? Where? Oh, good. (Applause.) Good. That’s great. Beautiful. That’s great. Thank you.

As his mom, Nikki, has said, “He was put on this Earth to do big things.” He may be here someday — right here. Nikki, he already has and he will do more and more as he grows older.

As Jesus promises in the Bible, “Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.” We are blessed to live in a land of faith where all things are possible. Our only limits are those we place on ourselves. So true.

On Tuesday, I asked Americans to choose greatness. And everybody in that room stood and applauded. We asked for greatness — it’s greatness for our country — and to renew our love and loyalty to one another — as friends, as citizens, as neighbors, as patriots, and as Americans.

There could be no better way to begin this exciting national adventure than the way America has always begun our greatest adventures: by coming together in prayer.

So today, and every day, let us pray for the future of our country. Let us pray for the courage to pursue justice and the wisdom to forge peace. Let us pray for a future where every child has a warm, safe, and loving home. Let us come together for the good of our people, for the strength of our families, for the safety of our citizens, for the fulfillment of our deepest hopes and our highest potential. And let us always give thanks for the miracle of life, the majesty of creation, and the grace of Almighty God.

Thank you. It is an honor to be with you. God bless you. And God bless America. Thank you very much. Thank you. (Applause.)

END 9:43 A.M. EST

ACTION ALERT: The Decepticon caucus inside the senate, under the control of U.S. Wall Street’s primary CoC Lobbyist and Big Club President Tom Donohue, are assembling to launch a full frontal assault against President Trump’s trade policies. Seriously watch out for Senators Pat Toomey, Rob Portman and Ron Johnson:

Toomey said reining in Trump’s tariff powers also has strong backing from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Business Roundtable and dozens of other trade associations. “There’s clearly a lot of momentum, but only time will tell whether it’s enough to get over the goal line.” (link)

National Economic Council Director Larry Kudlow appeared on Fox Business today to discuss President Trump’s State of the Union address and the Trump administration’s economic policies.

David Malpass is President Trump’s nominee to lead the World Bank.  Mr. Malpass sat down with Trish Regan for his first media interview as the nomination process proceeds.