QUESTION: Mr. Armstrong; You seem to have studied history more than any professor I ever met. So I am directing this question to you. Did Rome have their Trump who tried to drain the swamp? Or was everyone just immersed in the swamp?
LR
ANSWER: History repeats because human nature never changes no matter how much we progress technologically. So many people think history is irrelevant and you will often hear that this time it’s different. I have found no exceptions whatsoever and I have really searched very hard by studying the rise and fall of empires, nations, and city-states.
Flavius Claudius Julianus, known to history as Julian II, was born in Constantinople around 332 AD, the son of Julius Constantius who was the half-brother of Constantine the Great. His father was born by his grandfather’s second wife, Theodora. When Constantine the Great died in 337 AD, his son, Constantine II launched a midnight Palace Massacre whereby all persons who might be his rival for the throne and were not the direct descendant of Constantine I’s first wife were slaughtered. Fortunately for Julian, he managed to escape the Palace Massacre only due to his extremely young age. Julian was restored to the imperial favor as he grew and was given the rank of Caesar (Vice President) on November 6th, 355 AD, about the same time he married Constantius’ youngest sister, Helena.
Yet the Palace Massacre left a deep mark upon his character whereby he saw Christianity as just another cult and the preachings of thou shalt not kill meant really nothing when power was at stake. As a result, he was dubbed by theologians as Julian the Apostate. Julian’s coinage changed when he became Emperor. He grew a beard which was taken as a sign of being a pagan whereas Christians were clean-shaven. His coins would often display pagan motifs as well. Julian began his reign by throwing off his Christian cloak and declaring that all religions would be tolerated. He gave especially large donations to the pagan causes. He dismissed his Christian teachers and ended state subsidies for the church. He then took an active role in organizing pagan worship throughout all the provinces.
Julian’s own philosophical beliefs led him to idealize the reigns of Hadrian (117-138 AD) and Marcus Aurelius (161-180 AD). He described the ideal ruler as being essentially primus inter pares (“first among equals”), and thus not above the same laws that applied to everyone else. Julian frequently attended the Senate, participating in debates and making speeches. He was opposed to the traditional royal court operations that were used by his predecessors as inefficient, corrupt, and highly expensive. He cut the bureaucratic waste dismissing thousands of servants, eunuchs, and duplicated officials drastically reducing the cost of government for the taxpayers. He went as far as to prosecute corruption in government establishing the Chalcedon tribunal under the supervision of a magister militum Arbitio. He prosecuted former official under Constantius including the chamberlain Eusebius who ran the royal court finding them guilty and this sentenced to death. Yet Julian did not attend these proceedings that some argued meant he did not approve of these actions yet he took no steps to prevent them.
Julian also adopted the philosophy of Thomas Jefferson whereby he tried to reduce the federal bureaucracy expanding state and local authority at the expense of the imperial bureaucracy as Julian sought to reduce direct imperial involvement in urban affairs. For example, he went as far as to return city land owned by the imperial government and city council members were then compelled to resume civic authority.
There was really a massive invasion of people from the north as the climate began to turn colder. It was more than just barbarians seeking plunder. They were migrating due to climate change. In 357AD Julian, had defeated the barbarians known as the Alamanni giving him the prestige and political power to be respected. He stepped in and prevented a tax increase by the Gallic (France) praetorian prefect Florentius and personally took charge of the province of Belgica Secunda. Julian now cross from military to civil administration, where he demonstrated his philosopher training being influenced by his liberal education in Greece.
Julian’s first priority, still as Caesar and not Augustus (Emperor), was to drive out the barbarians who had breached the Rhine frontier. Thereafter, he won the support of the civil population by his fairness. He set out to rebuild the region creating a stable and peaceful economy following the barbarian invasions. Julian clashed with Florentius over the latter’s support of tax increases and the prevailing corruption within the bureaucracy.
Julian’s handling of tax reform was brilliant. As far as taxes upon the cities, Julian actually reasonably made the tribute in gold by the cities called the aurum coronarium astonishingly voluntary rather than a compulsory tax. Like Hadrian, who rectified tax situations and is said to have defended the weak against the strong, Julian followed his role model. Any arrears concerning land taxes were simply canceled. This was an essential reform reducing the power of corrupt imperial officials, as the unpaid taxes on land were often hard to calculate or higher than the value of the land itself. Forgiving back taxes both made Julian more popular and allowed him to increase collections of current taxes.
Clearly, Julian ceded much of the authority of the imperial government to the cities decentralizing the government in what we would call state-rights today. His actions, no doubt, provided the backdrop to Thomas Jefferson who studied everything he could about the Roman Empire and perhaps accounted for his anti-Federalist position.
Julian also took more direct control of the affairs of state to eliminate corruption himself. For example, new taxes and corvées had to be approved by him directly rather than left to the judgment of some bureaucrat. Julian was well aware of the need for society to be properly managed politically, but he also saw the religious side that had led to the horrendous and violent dislocation of religion during the 3rd century.
Julian purged the bureaucrats draining the swamp that were career appointees of previous administrations and instead drew heavily from the intellectual and professional classes with knowledge and experience – very novel in those days. His choice of consuls for the year 362 AD was highly controversial since he surprisingly chooses Nevitta, who had been Julian’s trusted Frankish general. Some argued that this appointment was showing his reliance upon the power of the army while others claim he was seeking the maintenance the support of the Western army that made him emperor.
Julian was convinced that an all-out war would become necessary against the Persians who had for centuries constantly caused the eastern provinces great trouble. In March of 363, Julian departed for his invasion of Persia taking 65,000 infantry and Calvary. After some minor success, he reached Ctesiphon, the capital of Persia, in June, but his food supply was running low. Realizing that he could not take the city, Julian ordered a retreat down the Tigris. Julian was injured by a spear. There was speculation that he was killed by a member of his own troops because of his religious beliefs. But this was only speculation.
We have less than 100 silver Siliqua that are from a very famous hoard discovered in Britain. This is known as the Harptree Hoard discovered in 1887. This hoard was discovered in the village of East Harptree, located approximately 16 miles southwest of Bath. The hoard consisted of 1496 silver coins, five silver ingots, and a Roman silver ring set with a carnelian intaglio stone. The coins are 4th century, covering the period of Constantine the Great to Gratian (circa 306 to 383 AD).
The landowner, Mr. William Kettlewell, made the hoard available to the British Museum under the law, and it was first written up by John Evans in The Numismatic Chronicle of 1888 (pp. 22-46). The British Museum kept 25 of the most interesting coins from the hoard, and the rest of hoard was returned to the owner. We have purchased a portion of that hoard and are offering here the coins of Julian II (360-363 AD). Again, the quality of these coins is exceptional and grade Very Fine or better.
A report from earlier today notes the anticipated departure of Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, initially scheduled for mid-March, has been delayed… There’s a brutally obvious reason.
WASHINGTON DC – Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein has reached an agreement with Attorney General William Barr to stay on at the Justice Department “a little while longer,” a source familiar with their conversation told Fox News – despite initial plans to step down by now.
Fox News and other outlets previously reported that Rosenstein had planned to step down in mid-March. However, sources close to the deputy attorney general say Rosenstein has not yet given his two weeks notice.
He remains at the DOJ as Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia probe enters what is widely believed to be its final phases.
DOJ sources confirmed to Fox News that Rosenstein is still the primary liaison between department headquarters and Mueller’s office, even though the recently confirmed Barr has ultimate oversight over the Russia investigation. (read more)
Taking in all of the recent developments, the simple explanation here is that new Attorney General William Barr is not letting Rosenstein exit the DOJ until the DAG cleans up the mess he created by initiating the Robert Mueller special counsel probe.
Any incoming executive would not want to be left holding the bag of consequence for a legal and political fiasco created by a subordinate executive who now attempts to head for the exits. One can reasonably project that AG Barr would tell DAG Rosenstein he ain’t leaving until the mass of crap he created has been resolved, reconciled and reduced to a manageable level.
Ask any effective senior executive and they’ll affirm:
…”Sorry skippy, once you start the bus, you ain’t getting off til the rides over”…
Oh dear, this doesn’t bode well for those who are concerned about U.S. imposed 20% auto tariffs on EU, mostly German, automobiles. [NOTE: Pay attention to the timing here as it relates to Nord Stream 2] Germany’s chancellor Angela Merkel has announced she will no longer uphold her prior agreement for NATO military spending.
At the 2014 NATO meeting in Wales, all NATO members agreed they would immediately begin a process to increase their military spending to two percent of GDP. However, over time, and in direct contravention to the purpose of the effort, Germany (Merkel) began secretly working behind the scenes with Russia (Putin) on the Nord Stream II gas pipeline.
The Nord Stream 2 pipeline delivers natural gas from Russia to Germany. That pipeline is expected to go on-line this November, 2019. Today, Angela Merkel announces she will no longer uphold Germany’s financial commitments to NATO. These two issues are directly related. It now looks like Merkel made a back-door agreement with Russia on NATO.
(Via Daily Mail) Germany’s military spending is set to fall below its NATO targets, in the latest flashpoint in Berlin’s long-running row with Washington.
The latest German budget plans, revealed on Monday, will see defence spending drop well below the two per cent of GDP expected from NATO members.
U.S. ambassador Richard Grenell said the cuts were a ‘worrisome signal’, while President Donald Trump has repeatedly accused Germany of freeloading on U.S. military might.
But German Chancellor Angela Merkel rejected the U.S. criticism, saying Germany will not cut foreign aid to raise military spending.
Merkel said today that ‘we will continue our effort’ in terms of raising defence spending, ‘but not at the expense of development aid’.
‘We have always said that we’re headed in the direction of two percent, and that by 2024 we will reach 1.5 per cent,’ she said.
‘I can understand that this is not enough for the American President, it’s not enough for many European allies.’ (read more)
I have no insider information for what I anticipate will be the response; however, my suspicion is that President Trump will respond to Merkel’s duplicity with an announcement of possible 20% to 25% tariffs on EU automobiles, directly targeting the German economy, if she doesn’t change her mind.
German auto exports (BMW, Audi, Mercedes, VW) are the vast majority of U.S. ‘car’ imports from the EU. There is already a 25% import tariff on German SUV’s and trucks; which is why BMW, Mercedes and VW make their SUV’s and large vehicles in the U.S.
Germany’s finance ministry had yesterday presented its budget planning for coming years, which signalled a drop.
It said defence spending would first rise to 1.37 percent of gross domestic product in 2020 but then likely fall back to 1.25 percent by 2023. (read more)
Angela Merkel is betting her entire economy on the principle that President Donald Trump cannot win the 2020 election.
President Donald Trump and Brazil’s President Jair Bolsonaro will be holding a joint press conference at approximately 1:45pm EST.
UPDATE: Video and Transcript Added:
.
[Transcript] – Rose Garden – 1:54 P.M. EDT – PRESIDENT TRUMP: Thank you very much everyone. Thank you. Today, I’m very thrilled to welcome President Bolsonaro of Brazil for his first visit to the White House. President Bolsonaro, I want to congratulate you again on your tremendous election victory last October. It was an incredible feat and, really, a truly incredible challenge. And the end result was something the whole world was talking about.
I also know that we’re going to have a fantastic working relationship. We have many views that are similar. And we certainly feel very, very true to each other on trade. I think Brazil’s relationship with the United States, because of our friendship, is probably better than it’s ever been by far.
I also want to congratulate you on your recovery from a truly horrible ordeal. It was an incredible recovery, and the people of your country know it. The great bravery you’ve shown — tremendous bravery.
For two centuries, the American and Brazilian people have been united by shared values, including an enduring love of faith and family and country.
The United States was the first nation to recognize Brazil’s independence in 1822. And in the Second World War, Brazil was the only South American country to contribute troops to the Allied war effort.
Today, the United States and Brazil are the two largest democracies and economies in the Western Hemisphere. We’re in close agreement on the incredible opportunities and continuing challenges facing our region. And we have a truly historic chance to forge even stronger ties between our two great nations.
This afternoon, the President and I discussed many of our mutual priorities, including Venezuela. Brazil has been an extraordinary leader in supporting the Venezuelan people’s efforts to reclaim their liberty and their democracy. Brazil has helped so much. Along with the United States, Brazil was one of the first nations to recognize Venezuela’s legitimate Interim President, Juan Guaidó.
I also want to express our profound gratitude to President Bolsonaro and all the Brazilian people for their efforts to provide humanitarian aid. We also thank you for allowing the United States to station extensive assistance and massive aid on the Brazilian border. The Brazilian people have been incredible.
Together, we could — and have been, really, very happy to feed thousands and thousands of starving Venezuelans. The Venezuelan people have appreciated it. And if the Maduro forces would step aside, it could be a truly great and successful humanitarian project.
We call on members of the Venezuelan military to end their support for Maduro, who is really nothing more than a Cuban puppet, and finally set their people free.
The United States and Brazil are also united in support of the long-suffering people of Cuba and Nicaragua. The twilight hour of socialism has arrived in our hemisphere. And hopefully, by the way, it’s also arrived — that twilight hour — in our great country, which is doing better than it’s ever done economically. The last thing we want in the United States is socialism.
So, President Bolsonaro, I will tell you that we’ll be consulting and talking a lot. We’ll be working on all of our both problems and assets. And we’re making tremendous strides. We had a great meeting today.
As I told President Bolsonaro, I also intend to designate Brazil as a “Major Non-NATO Ally,” or even possibly, if you start thinking about it, maybe a NATO ally — have to talk to a lot of people, but maybe a NATO ally — which will greatly advance security and cooperation between our countries.
Our nations are already working together to protect our people from terrorism, transnational crime, and drugs and weapons trafficking. Also, human trafficking, which has really become something that has come to the forefront of crime. Horrible, horrible situation. We look forward to an even deeper partnership and working together.
In our meetings, we also discussed the strong economic ties between our nations, grounded in the principles of fairness and reciprocity. My favorite word: reciprocity.
President Bolsonaro and I are both committed to reducing trade barriers, facilitating investment, and supporting innovation across a range of industries, particularly energy, infrastructure, agriculture, and technology.
The President’s vision for freeing the private sector and opening the economy is the right way for Brazil to achieve strong economic growth. And our great companies are ready to go when that table is flat and free.
To improve our business relationships, we have revived the U.S.-Brazil CEO Forum, and we have started a new U.S.-Brazil Energy Forum. We welcome Brazil’s aspirations to join Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, a laudable goal and one that will make Brazil’s status as a developing and developed country. We also hope that all of us will be able to work together — all nations.
I’m also pleased to announce that after 20 years of talks, we are finalizing a Technology Safeguards Agreement to allow U.S. companies to conduct space launches from Brazil. It’s actually an incredible location when you study it and when you see it. We won’t go into it now. But because of the location, tremendous amounts of money would be saved. To put it very simply: The flights are a lot shorter.
Brazil’s proximity to the equator makes it an ideal launch location. My administration is committed to reviving America’s proud legacy in space. We’re looking very strongly, as you know, and working together with everybody on Space Force. And we are grateful for Brazil’s partnership.
Mr. President, thank you again for the honor of your visit today. A strong and thriving friendship between the United States and Brazil is essential to a future of security and prosperity for all of our citizens. It’s been a wonderful time getting to know you. You’re doing a fantastic job. You’ve brought the country together. And I look forward to working with you in a very close relationship for many years to come. Thank you. Thank you very much.
Mr. President, thank you very much.
PRESIDENT BOLSONARO: (As interpreted.) Your Excellency, Mr. President, Donald Trump, the President of the United States of America; my Cabinet ministers; members of the delegations joining us in this session today both from Brazil and from the U.S.; and ladies and gentlemen, media professionals, other guests: Thank you very much, President Trump, for your warm hospitality. It is an honor for us to be in Washington as part of my first bilateral trip ever since I was elected President of Brazil.
I would like to use the opportunity, by the way, to invite you to reciprocate this visit because you will indeed be very welcomed by the Brazilian people, at large. We do share a great deal in common.
I have always admired the United States of America. And this sense of admiration has just increased after you took office, at the presidency.
This meeting of ours today restores an old tradition of partnership. And, at the same time, it starts a new chapter of cooperation between Brazil and the United States. Inasmuch as today, we have revisited and have again decided to promote matters that were on our order of business for decades.
It is time to overcome old resistance and explore the very best potential that is there between Brazil and the United States. After all, it is fair to say that, today, Brazil does have a President who is not anti-American, which is really unprecedented in the past few decades.
The reforms we are currently undertaking have changed Brazil into an even more attractive country. We are strongly committed to striking a proper balance in government accounts and also, of course, totally changing the business environment. U.S. support to Brazil’s accession to the OECD will be clearly interpreted or construed as a gesture of mutual understanding, which will be very emblematic as part of the closer and closer ties we aspire to.
The private sectors of both countries should remain a high-profile player in our relations. And that is why we have decided to restore the CEO Forum between Brazil and the U.S. We also intend to attach priority to relaunching an energy forum with an emphasis on oil, gas, and other sources of energy.
The Brazilian government, as a sign of goodwill, has granted whole visa exemption to U.S. nationals, with a view to further encouraging tourism and business travels.
On the defense and space cooperation work front, we have signed a Technology Safeguards Agreement, which will, in turn, enable the Alcântara Satellite Launch Center.
Military cooperation has also expanded as we seek out partnerships in the development of defense systems. Science, technology, and innovation activity can certainly be expected to take on an increasing role as part of our bilateral agenda, hence our proposal to launch an innovation forum between Brazil and the U.S.
Efforts to tackle terrorism and organized crime is a matter of utmost urgency for our two peoples. We have decided to strengthen our bilateral security forum and do more against money laundering and drug trafficking.
Reestablishing democracy in Venezuela is also a shared interest between our two administrations. The dictatorial regime in Venezuela today is part of a broader international coalition, known as the “São Paulo Forum,” which nearly conquered power throughout Latin America in recent times. However, by democratic means, we were able to rid ourselves from that project in Brazil.
In conclusion, may I say that Brazil and the United States stand side by side in their efforts to ensure liberties and respect to traditional family lifestyles, respect to God, our Creator, against the gender ideology or the politically correct attitudes, and against fake news.
Drawing inspiration from Ronald Reagan, I wish to bring to Brazil his administration style, as summarized in the following citation: People should say what the government can do, and not the other way around.
The United States changed in 2017, and Brazil has just started to change now, in 2019. We stand together, side by side, to the ultimate benefit of our two nations. We want to have a great America, yes, and we also want to have a great Brazil.
Once again, may I voice my admiration and recognition to President Donald Trump on this beautiful day where we seal a promising alliance between the two most promising and largest democracies in the Western Hemisphere. May God bless Brazil, and may God bless the United States of America. Thank you very much, Mr. President. (Applause.)
PRESIDENT TRUMP: So we’ll take a couple of questions.
Roberta Rampton, please. Roberta. Reuters. Thank you.
Q Thank you very much, Mr. President. On Venezuela, you did the tough sanctions and you sent the aid, but it seems like Maduro is no closer to leaving. And I’m wondering if you’re getting worried about losing momentum. And how long are you being told that this going to take?
PRESIDENT TRUMP: I’m not being told any specific time. They’ve been there a long time, between him and his predecessor. At some point, I would imagine things will change. But we really haven’t done the really tough sanctions yet. We can do the tough sanctions. And all options are open, so we may be doing that. But we haven’t done the toughest of sanctions, as you know. We’ve done, I would say, right down the middle. But we can go a lot tougher if we need to do that.
But it’s a very sad thing, and we’re not looking for anything other than taking care of a lot of people that are starving and dying in the streets. What’s happening there is a disgrace. This was one of the wealthiest countries in the world, and all of a sudden it’s just — it’s grief-stricken, poverty-stricken, no food, no water, no air conditioning, no anything. No power for a long time last week. No power. And that’s going to break down again because it’s being held together by threads.
So it’s very sad, Roberta. Very sad to see. Okay?
Q May I ask President Bolsonaro? President Bolsonaro, are you open to the idea of allowing a U.S. base or U.S. military personnel or a military presence in Brazil to provide support on the border with Venezuela? And is that something that you talked about with President Trump today?
PRESIDENT BOLSONARO: (As interpreted.) Yeah, we have discussed the possibility of Brazil becoming a great Allied extra NATO. Recently, we requested that food was sent through Boa Vista, the capital of Roraima state, through our friends from America, so that humanitarian aid was provided to Venezuela.
At this point in time, this is where we stand. So for as much as it is possible for us to do together to sort out the issue of the Venezuelan dictatorship, Brazil will be more than willing and ready to fulfill this mission and take freedom and democracy to that country, which up until recently was one of the wealthiest countries in South America. But nowadays, people are starving to death, they are suffering violence, lack of medication. It’s something terrible that’s going on in there. And we need to put an end to this issue, which is pervasive to the whole wide world.
PRESIDENT TRUMP: Mr. President, yes.
Q (As interpreted.) Hello, Simone Iglesias from Bloomberg. I would like to know, if the U.S. actually have a military intervention in Venezuela, what’s the position of Brazil?
PRESIDENT BOLSONARO: (As interpreted.) Well, there are a few issues that, if you speak, they are no longer strategic. Therefore, these reserved issues, which may be discussed if they have not yet, will not become public, evidently.
I remember on a debate here in the United States when a candidate asked another candidate what he would do to fight the Islamic State. He said, “If I say, I will no longer be able to beat it.” So it’s a matter of strategy. For everything that we discuss here will be honored, but unfortunately certain pieces of information, if are to come to the table, may not be debated publicly.
Q (As interpreted.) President Trump, regarding the military intervention, do you think about this possibility of fighting Venezuela to remove Maduro from power?
PRESIDENT TRUMP: So, as I said, all options are open. I think of all possibilities. All options are open. We’ll see what happens.
And, by the way, I see in the audience the son of the President who has been fantastic. Would you please stand up? The job you’ve done during a very tough period of time is just fantastic. And I know your father appreciates it, that I can tell you. Okay? Thank you very much. Fantastic job.
Saagar Enjeti, from Daily Caller. Saagar.
Q Thank you. Thank you, Mr. President.
PRESIDENT TRUMP: Thank you.
Q I have two questions for you, sir, if I may. The first on the 2020 election. There’s a growing number of Democratic candidates who have endorsed the idea of adding seats to the Supreme Court. Is that an idea that you would entertain in the remainder of your term or possible next term? Or is that not something that you agree with?
PRESIDENT TRUMP: No, I wouldn’t entertain that. The only reason that they’re doing that is they want to try and catch up. So if they can’t catch up through the ballot box by winning an election, they want to try doing it in a different way. No, we would have no interest in that whatsoever. It’ll never happen. It won’t happen — I guarantee it won’t happen for six years.
Q Another question for you on social media. You tweeted in support of Congressman Nunes’s suit against Twitter. There’s part of a larger discussion that Senator Josh Hawley has been leading about making social media companies liable for the content that is on their platform, which they’re not currently. Is that an idea or a change in law that you would support?
PRESIDENT TRUMP: Well, we have to do something. I tell you, I have many, many millions of followers on Twitter. And it’s different than it used to be. Things are happening, names are taken off, people aren’t getting through. You’ve heard the same complaints. And it seems to be, if they’re conservative, if they’re Republicans, if they’re in a certain group, there’s discrimination and big discrimination. I see it absolutely on Twitter and Facebook, which I have also, and others I see.
But I really focus more on the one platform. And I have many different platforms. It’s — I guess we have 60 million — almost 60 million on Twitter. And if you add them all up, it’s way over 100 million people. And I get to see firsthand what’s going on, and it’s not good.
And we use the word “collusion” very loosely all the time. And I will tell you, there is collusion with respect to that, because something has to be going on. And when you get the back-scene, back-office statements made by executives of the various companies and you see the level of, in many cases, hatred they have for a certain group of people that happen to be in power, that happen to have won the election, you say that’s really unfair.
So something is happening with those groups of folks that are running Facebook and Google and Twitter. And I do think we have to get to the bottom of it. It’s very fair — it’s collusive, and it’s very, very fair to say that we have to do something about it. And if we don’t — you know, the incredible thing is that we can win an election and we have such a stacked deck. And that includes networks, frankly. You look at the networks, you look at the news, you look at the newscasts — I call it “fake news.” I’m very proud to hear the President use the term “fake news.” But you look at what’s happening with the networks. You look at what’s happening with different shows. And it’s hard to believe we win.
But, you know, I’ll tell you what it really shows: The people are smart. The people get it. They’ll go through all of that — whatever it is they’re fed — and in the end, they pull the right lever. It’s a very, very dangerous situation. So I think I agree. I think something has to be looked at very closely.
Q Thank you, sir. President Bolsonaro, and another question on the 2020 election: If a number of the Democrats who are running to replace the President have embraced or have considered socialist ideas — you’ve spoken critically of that in the past — if a socialist or a candidate who embraced socialism were to replace the President, how would it affect your relations with the United States?
PRESIDENT BOLSONARO: (As interpreted.) Well, it’s an internal affair. We will respect whatever the ballots tell us on 2020, but I do believe Donald Trump is going to be reelected fully.
PRESIDENT TRUMP: Thank you. I agree. (Laughter.)
PRESIDENT BOLSONARO: (As interpreted.) Yeah. This was the same — what happened to me. I think everyone will repeat their vote here in America.
So, every day, more and more people that are prone to socialism, and even communism, slowly are going to be opening their minds to the reality. And you can see the border with Venezuela and Brazil was recently closed — not for Brazilians, which are pro-socialism, to go into Venezuela, but the other way around, so that Venezuelans who support democracy wouldn’t go into Brazil. This feeling most certainly is going to be very much seen when 2020 comes.
PRESIDENT TRUMP: Mr. President, thank you very much.
Q Sorry —
PRESIDENT TRUMP: Go ahead. You want to go?
Q Yeah.
PRESIDENT TRUMP: You look like a very nice person.
Q Yeah.
PRESIDENT TRUMP: Go ahead. Watch — this will be the killer of all time. Watch. (Laughter.)
Q (Laughs.) Thank you, Mr. President. Beatriz Bulla from Estadão. The USTR is not supporting the entry of Brazil in the OECD. Is the U.S. government going to formally support Brazil’s entry on the OECD? And what have you asked as a trade-off?
PRESIDENT TRUMP: We will be supporting — we’re going to have a great relationship in so many different ways. That’s just a — just something that we’re going to be doing in honor of the President and in honor of Brazil.
We will be asking for things but not necessarily having to do with that. I think we’re just going to have a very fair relationship. Okay?
Q Thank you.
PRESIDENT TRUMP: Thank you.
Q And President Bolsonaro —
PRESIDENT BOLSONARO: Thank you! (Laughter.)
Q (As interpreted.) President Bolsonaro, does the United States expect the influence of China into Brazil? Yesterday, Paulo Guedes mentioned that it’s going to incentivize relations with China. How does the U.S. see that, and what you said about President Trump, about the Chinese in Brazil?
PRESIDENT BOLSONARO: (As interpreted.) Well, like I said, Brazil is going to keep on making as much business with as many countries as possible. No longer businesses are going to be found into the ideology, as it used to be. We are also following this objective for the good of our peoples.
PRESIDENT TRUMP: Thank you very much, Mr. President. I appreciate it. Thank you very much. And thank you everybody. Thank you very much.
Q Another round of trade talks with China, Mr. President?
PRESIDENT TRUMP: China is going — China is going very well. Talks with China are going very well.
Earlier today President Donald Trump and Brazil’s President Jair Bolsonaro held an open media event in the Oval Office prior to their bilateral discussions. (Video and Transcript Below):
[Transcript] – 12:10 P.M. EDT – PRESIDENT TRUMP: Thank you very much. It’s a great honor to have President Bolsonaro with us from Brazil. He has done a very outstanding job; ran one of the incredible campaigns. Somebody said it, a little bit, reminded people of our campaign, which I’m honored by. But it was a tough, well-fought-out campaign.
And we are going to be discussing, today, Venezuela. We’ll be discussing trade. We’ll be discussing many subjects. And Brazil is a great friend. I think probably because of the relationship that we have, Brazil and the United States have never been closer than they are right now.
PRESIDENT BOLSONARO: (Speaks Portugese.)
Q Mr. President —
INTERPRETER: Excuse me. Translation now.
PRESIDENT BOLSONARO: (As interpreted.) It gives me great pleasure to be here in United States to take part in this visit after decades on end of anti-U.S. Presidents in Brazil. Brazil has indeed made a major shift in 2017. Obviously enough, we do have a great deal to talk about. We do share a lot in common. And we will certainly work to the benefit of our two peoples.
We do have a great deal of shared values. I admire President Donald Trump. And we will certainly work towards the benefit of our two nations. Because, just as President Donald Trump wants to have a great America, I, on my side, also want to have and ensure we have great Brazil.
So yes, increasingly, from now onwards, Brazil will become increasingly engaged with the U.S., and I’m very proud and pleased that that is so.
PRESIDENT TRUMP: Thank you very much. That’s very nice. Thank you.
And I think — before we begin, I think we would like to — you know, Brazil is a great, great soccer power and a great country. And we’re going to present that, and I believe they have one also. But you know all about Brazil being the great soccer power. They have great, great players. I can still remember Pelé and so many others. You’ve had a fantastic history.
So we’re going to exchange jerseys. I see that we got one, and this is the U.S. National Team. And so that’s an honor to give that to you. Thank you very much.
PRESIDENT BOLSONARO: (As interpreted.) I’m a little younger, but I also do remember Pelé.
PRESIDENT TRUMP: Yeah, right. Right.
PRESIDENT BOLSONARO: (As interpreted.) Let me use the opportunity, Mr. President, to hand you a gift, a jersey, as a token of — as an emblematic token of the world’s best-ever soccer player, Edson Arantes do Nascimento —
PRESIDENT TRUMP: Yes.
PRESIDENT BOLSONARO: (As interpreted.) — also known as “Pelé,” who gave us so much joy by playing football and for his talent at football.
Q Mr. President, will you grant Brazil NATO privileges? Will you grant Brazil NATO privileges? Are you —
PRESIDENT TRUMP: Well, we’re looking at it very strongly. We’re very inclined to do that. The relationship that we have right now with Brazil has never been better. I think there was a lot of hostility with other Presidents. There is zero hostility with me. And we were going — we’re going to look at that very, very strongly, in terms of whether it’s NATO or it’s something having to do with alliance. But we have a great alliance with Brazil — better than we’ve ever had before.
Q Mr. President, Brazil is working to offer the United States access to a rocket launch site in Brazil. Americans will be able to go to Brazil without a visa. What would you like President Bolsonaro to get to Brazil — to take to Brazil as a result of this visit?
PRESIDENT TRUMP: Well, we have. We’re working on different military sites and military options. We’re working on visas and going in a much easier fashion. All of that is good. And we have many things that Brazil would like, and I think we’re working on those things.
One of the big elements of the relationship is trade. Brazil makes great product and we make great product. And our trade has been never as good as it should be in the past. And in some cases, it should be far, far more.
So I think our trade with Brazil will go substantially up in both directions, and we look forward to that. And that’s one of the things that Brazil would like to see.
Steve. Steve.
Q Mr. President, you’re going to talk about Venezuela. What do you want to see happen in Venezuela?
PRESIDENT TRUMP: Well, we don’t want to say exactly. I know exactly what I want to happen in Venezuela, but we’re going to be talking about different things. All options are on the table. And it’s a shame what’s happening in Venezuela — the death, and the destruction, and the hunger. Hard to believe one of the wealthiest countries is now one of the poorest and most impoverished countries. So we’ll be talking about that in great length.
Q (Inaudible) Mr. President, Brazil involved on a military action in Venezuela? And also, are you offering Brazil — are you supporting Brazil’s efforts to join the OECD?
PRESIDENT TRUMP: I am supporting their efforts to join, and we are just going to decide — I think I can speak for both countries: All options are on the table. Every option is on the table with respect to Venezuela.
Q And you would like to see Brazil involved on any sort of military option?
PRESIDENT TRUMP: We haven’t even discussed it. We’re going to discuss it today.
Q Mr. President, why are you attacking Senator John McCain seven months after his death?
PRESIDENT TRUMP: I’m very unhappy that he didn’t repeal and replace Obamacare, as you know. He campaigned on repealing and replacing Obamacare for years. And then he got to a vote and he said, “Thumbs down.” And our country would have saved a trillion dollars and we would have had great healthcare.
So he campaigned. He told us, hours before, that he was going to repeal and replace. And then for some reason — I think I understand the reason — he ended up going thumbs up. And, frankly, had we even known that, I think we would have gotten a vote because we could have gotten somebody else. So I think that’s disgraceful. Plus, there are other things.
I was never a fan of John McCain and I never will be.
Thank you very much everybody. Thank you.
Q What do you say to critics who call you authoritarian? What do you say to people who call you both authoritarian?
PRESIDENT TRUMP: Thank you very much.
Q Mr. President, does Secretary Alex Acosta still have your full support?
The Supreme Court reversed a prior 9th Circuit Court ruling restricting when illegal aliens could be detained and deported.
The SCOTUS ruling (full pdf below) was in favor the Trump administration, allowing federal officials to detain and deport illegal aliens after they have served their time in the U.S. for other crimes regardless of whether they were picked up immediately or later, after criminal release.
The 9th Circuit Court previously stated ICE would have to detain illegal aliens immediately after release or they would be exempt from later detainment. SCOTUS eliminated that restriction and affirmed detainment and deportation at any time after criminal release. The ruling was 5-4 with Justice Alito announcing the majority judgement of the court below:
On the same day that polls show Americans increasingly see through the false premise of the Mueller investigation, and now agree that it’s a ‘witch hunt’, President Trump tweeted out a video segment from Tucker Carlson’s opening monologue. The video is below. The topic is how the Russia Hoax was pushed on the U.S. electorate:
President Jair Bolsonaro and First-Lady Michelle Bolsonaro are staying at the Blair House as guests of President Donald Trump and First-Lady Melania Trump. They will be meeting together tomorrow.
Tonight at 11:00pm Fox News host Shannon Bream has an exclusive interview with President Bolsonaro from the Blair House. Additionally, the White House has provided some background details that highlights the importance of the summit.
[White House Briefing] SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Hey, good afternoon. So obviously, tomorrow, the Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro will be meeting with President Trump. Clearly, we have seen, since day one, President Bolsonaro’s election as a real opportunity to fundamentally remake our relationship with Brazil.
This is something that we have been doing since day one, in which, within an hour of President Bolsonaro being — at that time, President-elect Bolsonaro being confirmed as the President-elect, President Trump called him, was on the phone with him. A couple of weeks later, National Security Advisor John Bolton went down to Rio to visit with him. Secretary of State Pompeo led the delegation to his inauguration.
And now this is the first bilateral overseas visit of President Bolsonaro’s presidency. And, in coming to the United States, it’s the first time in history that a Brazilian President has first come to the United States as his bilateral overseas visit. And that’s very meaningful to us, as clearly it is to them.
The U.S.-Brazil relationship has always been one of potential, but yet it always seemed that that potential has never been met. This time, it is different. This is a historic remaking of the U.S.-Brazil relationship, where there’s truly going to be a North-South axis of the two largest economies in the Western Hemisphere and a true partnership of the two largest economies in the Western Hemisphere.
This is historic in all proportions because it’s no longer what the potential of the U.S.-Brazil relationship could be; it’s about what the U.S.-Brazil relationship is, and the performance and the execution of, really, a large bilateral agenda that we have set forth since he was President-elect, since that first conversation, since that first visit by Ambassador Bolton, since the follow-up by Secretary Pompeo.
We were already, from day one, ready to move forward with a big bipartisan agenda. And, in this trip, you will see, as a follow-up, the execution of a lot of what has been discussed and agreed to in a historically short time. Here we are, just three months in, and we’re already way ahead of the curve on this one.
So this is a very exciting opportunity, and not just, obviously, for what it would mean for the United States, the United States economy, for Brazil and its economy, but my understanding — and I haven’t followed up in the last couple hours — but my understanding is, today, the Brazilian stock market was going through the roof, was having a big up-turn.
And so — by the way, forgive me if my news is not as current; I haven’t checked since this morning. But that goes to show the positivity of the markets and the way the markets are receiving, really, this axis of North and South America with its two largest economies. That’s extraordinarily important. It’s important domestically and it’s important for our foreign policy.
Who would have thought — you know, we always joke around that even the friendliest of Brazilian governments was really never that “friendly.” But here we have, now, a government in Brazil that (inaudible) consider an ally. And, as such, we’ll be working together — have been working together on regional issues, like Venezuela, and look forward to working together on international issues, on non-regional issues like Iran, China, North Korea, and others.
So this is a real, historic opportunity where the United States and Brazil are aligned on domestic, regional, and foreign policy priorities. You will see — after the visit tomorrow, we will plan to announce a joint statement that will have a lot of deliverables, some which are currently, frankly, right now being signed and being finalized and being negotiated. And that’s all extraordinarily positive.
We think that we have, really, a historic opportunity to reframe hemispheric relations with this North-South axis. And it’s really centered upon the relationship of President Trump and President Bolsonaro — one that they’ve created from that moment he got elected. Obviously, there’s great synergy there and there’s a great mutual respect. And that personal relationship will stand at the core of this remake of our bilateral and regional relations with — (inaudible) a lot of consequences, as I said, that are positive.
So, with that, I will really just answer questions going forward.
Q Hello, it’s Toby Capion calling from EWTN. What are the remaining disagreements between Brazil and the United States?
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: I wouldn’t characterize them as disagreements. I think one of the things that’s really encouraging and it’s been a different side of our bilateral relations when we sit down and have these discussions is, really, we look towards — you know, so there’s been a long history, whether it’s been on trade issues, whether it’s been on regional or other international issues, where there has been differences between — and frankly, disagreements between the United States and Brazil.
Frankly, ever since we sat down on January 1st, and even before, with the government of President Bolsonaro, it was very clear that we sought to move, you know, on all of these issues — domestic, economics, on trade, on regional, and international issues — that when we sat down and said, “Okay, what can work together on?” And then from there, we worked downwards to remove obstacles.
So we’ve actually approached this relationship as now one that’s looking at disagreements and then moving upwards, but what we want to accomplish as partners and then working downwards to get through them. So we have the goals set, and what we’ve been doing is ensuring how to reach those goals, how we overcome any speedbumps along the way.
So I wouldn’t characterize anything as any disagreements, per se; it’s really more a technicality, and then — because there’s a huge will and disposition to move forward on goals, whether it’s on the economic trade front, the regional front, or the broader international front.
Q Hi, it’s Roberta Rampton from Reuters. I’m wondering if you can tell us whether the United States is going to support Brazil’s bid to become a member of the OECD as part of this remaking of the relationship? And secondly, if you can tell us whether U.S. officials or the President are going to ask President Bolsonaro or his officials to sort of pull back or prevent Huawei from building its 5G network in Brazil.
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: So the United States, as we’ll be seeing — has seen and has expressed a very positive mindframe and has welcomed the efforts on economic reforms, best practices, regulatory frameworks, and truly a commitment to overcome some of the issues that Brazil has had in the past, in order to gain accession to OECD. We see those efforts and that positive movement in a favorable light, and clearly, we want to help Brazil achieve its goal, and we’ll do everything we can in order to help them achieve their goal.
In regards to Huawei and 5G, in regards to China, look, clearly, the United States — you know, we have discussed our concerns in regards to security issues, in regards to China, in regards to what that will mean for Brazil. They have had a whole host of different meetings here where they heard from our experts on security, intelligence matters, and otherwise, in order to understand the consequences of these networks and how, frankly, dangerous and how it can undermine their security domestically.
So, obviously, as friends and as allies, we have those conversations and we have had them in full confidence, and we expect to be working together on those moving forward.
Q Hi, this is Kyle Mazza from UNF News. Thanks for hosting the call. I wanted to ask if Venezuela would be a subject of discussion in the bilateral meeting with President Bolsonaro. Thanks so much.
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Venezuela will absolutely be a subject of discussion between — clearly, President Bolsonaro and President Trump share a strong support for Venezuelan Interim President Juan Guaidó. Brazil has allowed the United States to pre-position humanitarian aid for Venezuela on Brazil’s northern border. And obviously, we’re very grateful to that.
We also give them credit for working tirelessly to provide humanitarian aid to the Venezuelan people and, frankly, opening their doors. I think there is more than 120,000 Venezuelans who have fled to Brazil to escape Maduro’s (inaudible). So they’re suffering the firsthand consequences on that. They saw the violence at the border on February 23rd, and they’ve been good partners.
There’s also an opportunity here whereby they can be very good interlocutors. The Brazilian military has very good relationships with the Venezuelan military. The Brazilian military can clearly communicate with them in regards to what should be the role of the Venezuelan military in regards to civility; in regards to protecting civilians, not repressing, and not maintaining the usurpation of democracy that Maduro seeks. That could be very positive messaging.
We view the Brazilian military as a very important interlocutor with the Venezuelan military. One also that can express the intentions of the United States (inaudible) with this peaceful constitutional transition. And we look forward to working closely with them as such.
Q Hey, thanks for doing the call. First, just sort of a logistical one. I know it’s on background; we’ve asked that it be on the record. But barring that, can the SAO just identify himself so that we know who it is?
And then, more substantively, I’m wondering if you could talk a little bit about what the discussions have included and whether you’ve reached any agreements on U.S. access to the rocket-launch pad in Brazil, on uranium mining, or on visa-free travel for U.S. citizens in Brazil.
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: I’ll take the first part. If you reach out to us, we can identify the necessary SAO components and all of that.
So the President has welcomed, and we’re moving forward in regards to the — as you refer to the Technology Safeguards Agreement, which is what you’re referring to, which we hope — which will allow for U.S. commercial space launches from Brazil and for closer defense cooperation. And so we look forward to that conclusion. And that would be, obviously, a great advance and another great example of this close (inaudible).
Q Hi, this is Doug Palmer with Politico. Thanks for taking the call. I know that some senators have written asking for the administration to press Brazil on wheat market access issues. Can we expect anything on that front tomorrow? And is there any other trade deliverables that you could maybe preview ahead of the meeting?
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Yes, there’s been extensive discussions on agricultural issues. I think you’ll see, tomorrow in the joint statement, some of the deliverables. Brazil has indeed agreed to some of these issues, and we look forward to expanding our relationship on these. And you’ll see it in the joint statement. Obviously, I don’t want to get ahead of the President and won’t reveal those. But there has been great progress.
Q Hi, good afternoon. This is Luigi Sofio for TV Globo, Brazilian TV, and I have two questions. The first is regarding the use of (inaudible). (Inaudible) confirm that it was Congress? And my second question is, what are the concrete steps being taken —
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Can you repeat the first question? Can you repeat the first question before you get to the second one? Can you repeat the first question? I didn’t hear it.
Q Yes, sir. Yes, sir. Can you hear me now?
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Yeah.
Q My first question is regarding the use of the Alcântara base. Does the U.S. need to confirm it by the U.S. Congress? And the second question is: What are the concrete steps being taken by the U.S. government to increase trade cooperation with Brazil?
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: So, going to the first question, I think that is in line with what we were previously talking about in regards to the Technology Safeguards Agreement. And that was understanding. I’m not sure, in regards to whether — I don’t believe that it needs to go to Congress. We can get you a follow-up after with that, for sure. But, obviously, that is a big development and it goes back to what I was saying in regards to the U.S. commercial space (inaudible) and the closer defense cooperation. And we think that that’s a great development.
In regards to trade, we had a trade surplus of about $27 billion with Brazil last year. We want to move forward. You know, these are two largest economies in the Western Hemisphere. There’s a lot of things that we do and we share and we produce in common, but there’s also a lot of things from where there’s a comparative advantage.
And clearly, you know, we’ve always kind of looked past each other, and I think we have a unique opportunity here to really create this North-South axis, as I said, not only in regards to these regional and international foreign policy issues, but as regards to trade and moving forward, and deepening our trade relationship, per se.
We’ve also — on the business side, we’ve been discussing other ways. And you’ll see some announcements tomorrow in regards to how to bring our business communities closer, how to bring our private enterprises closer, and also new initiatives in regards to energy cooperation, new initiatives in regards to infrastructure.
So you’ll see tomorrow, really, a full gamut in regards to the economic relationship between the United States and Brazil and, really, just in a short time, in three months, taking a huge step forward — I would say a historic step forward — towards realizing that potential that has always been discussed but that has never seemed to be (inaudible).
Q Hi, this is Jill Colvin from the Associated Press. Thank you very much for doing this call. I wanted to ask you about the relationship between the two leaders. You mentioned President Trump calling very early on. Can you talk us through a little bit about how often they’ve spoken, what their relationship is based on, and how the two of them get along personally? Thank you.
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: So, they’ve definitely spoken on — they’ve spoken on a couple of occasions. And it’s been — clearly, President Trump has followed President Bolsonaro’s campaign. Obviously, his name was invoked on many occasions during the campaign, and all of you in the broader media have referred to him as the “Trump of the Tropics.” That obviously has caught the President’s attention.
And, really, I think one of the things that we also have to look at here in regards to this — to the election of President Bolsonaro — is that, in his election, he broke all of what I would say were the historic taboos of winning an election in Latin America. He was unabashedly — and particularly in Brazil — unabashedly pro-American. He ran on the campaign that he wanted to be the best friend to the United States, that he wanted to have this close relationship with President Trump and what that would mean for Brazil, what that would mean for the region and the world. I think that was very important.
He also ran on a very critical campaign in regards to Venezuela, in regards to Cuba, which broke those taboos that he run toward the left in Latin America. And he also was very critical of his concerns in regards to Chinese debt and investment in Brazil and in the region as a whole. So his — that election really broke a lot of those taboos.
In regards to the first, in wanting to be one of the best allies of the United States, if not the best in the Western Hemisphere, it really, obviously, caught the President’s attention. We recognize, again, these are the two largest economies of the Western Hemisphere, and this could create a historic North-South axis. This is something (inaudible) really want to pursue for many reasons. And part of it, and the key underlying it and making it all possible, is this mutual respect that exists between President Trump and President Bolsonaro.
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Yes. So, we’ve got time for one more question. Before we move onto it though, I just want to reiterate attribution is on background as “senior administration official.” We will be working to put a transcript together later today, most likely. So thanks everyone, again, for joining us.
Q Hi. This is Emel Akan from the Epoch Times. Thank you very much for this call. I have a follow-up question on China. China is one of the biggest trading partners of Brazil and the largest importer of oil. And the U.S. is now in talks with China. Will there be any discussions between the U.S. and Brazil with respect to China’s structural reforms, or (inaudible) structural reform discussion and IP theft and forced technology transfers?
And what is basically the goal of the U.S. administration at the moment with respect to China in the bilateral talks? Thank you.
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: The United States and Brazil share some things in common here. Yes, you know, Brazil is one of China’s big trading partners. The United States is one of China’s big trading partners as well. And as such, we face a lot of the same difficulties. We face a lot of the unfairness and a lot of the security concerns.
So we both — you know, these are two countries, as the two largest economies in the Western Hemisphere — these are two countries that face many of the same challenges from China on the economic influence space and in regards to the inherent structural unfairness of the trade relationship and the effect that it could have.
So, clearly, that has been a subject of President Bolsonaro’s trip. That will be a subject of discussion tomorrow. Brazil is a member of the BRIC countries — of the B-R-I-C countries — where China is also a member. Brazil has already — it’s been very interesting, because even just last week or week before, Brazil came out clearly in its position, and within the BRIC system sought to tell the other countries that they were wrong-headed as regards to Venezuela and their continued support for Maduro’s usurpation of democracy there.
You know, when you have a BRIC member, a member of the BRIC that discusses these issues that were taboo — obviously, China is also a member of the BRIC countries — you know, it kind of changes the whole dynamic of the conversation.
So, clearly, this is a unique opportunity to voice concerns. They face a lot of the similar issues that we do. And we look forward to cooperating with them on these solutions.
OPERATOR: Okay, that concludes our last question.
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Yes. Correct. Thanks, everybody for joining. Again, we’ll have a readout as soon as possible. In the meantime, if you have any follow-up questions, please feel free to check in with us. And look forward to seeing everybody tomorrow.
Earlier today President Trump hosted a White House event to celebrate Greek Independence Day. [Methinks Recep Erdogan is not too happy. LOL]
White House: “On the 198th anniversary of Greek Independence Day, we celebrate the rich history and enduring bond between the United States and Greece. Our strong alliance and unwavering friendship are rooted in mutual respect and a shared commitment to freedom, justice, and democracy.”
[Proclamation] The common bond between the United States and Greece is rooted in thousands of years of tradition, stretching back to ancient Greece. The lessons of ancient Greek democracies are among the greatest and most enduring ever taught. From them the world came to know and understand the foundational principles of human liberty, self‑government, and the rule of law ‑‑ the very principles that fueled America’s own drive for independence and shaped our Republic. Decades after securing our independence, American citizens expressed their appreciation by supporting the people of Greece in their fight for their own freedom.
Today, our Greek-American partnership is robust and gaining momentum. The inaugural United States‑Greece Strategic Dialogue, held last December, and the United States‑Greece Commercial Dialogue, held last September, highlighted the strength of the bilateral relationship and bolstered confidence in Greece as a regional leader.
We applaud the historic 2019 decision of the Greek Parliament to ratify the Prespa Agreement, which resolved the long-standing naming dispute with North Macedonia. This ratification confirmed Greece’s role as a partner with an abiding commitment to advancing stability, security, and prosperity in the region. Additionally, the 2018 Thessaloniki International Fair forged opportunities for enhanced collaboration in technology, enterprise, and innovation.
Our common vision for a peaceful and prosperous region is particularly evident in our ongoing defense relationship. The rotation of NATO aircraft and equipment through Thessaloniki and Alexandroupoli, the complex bilateral training events, and the availability of Souda Bay for the naval forces of the United States reflect mutually beneficial cooperation to ensure our mutual strength and security. Our bilateral relationship has also afforded many opportunities to support partnerships and initiatives that address the areas of defense and security, law enforcement and counterterrorism, and energy security and diversification.
The strong people-to-people ties that undergird our friendship also serve to fortify our alliance. We continue to identify opportunities to increase student and professional exchanges and English language programs. These programs make tremendous contributions to the economic, cultural, and political power of our two great democracies. This summer, we will launch the Future Leaders Exchange (FLEX) Program with Greece to develop the next generation of leaders who will sustain and enhance our strong partnership.
On this day, we honor the shared values that bind our two countries as faithful allies and friends, and we recognize the profound impact Greek‑Americans have had on every aspect of our culture. Together, recalling the spirit of the ancient Greeks, we reaffirm our abiding belief that democratic institutions offer the greatest opportunity to safeguard human rights, dignity, and freedom for all.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim March 25, 2019, as Greek Independence Day: A National Day of Celebration of Greek and American Democracy. I call upon the people of the United States to observe this day with appropriate ceremonies and activities.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this eighteenth day of March, in the year of our Lord two thousand nineteen, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-third.
LOL, an interesting albeit typically lighthearted discussion with CEA Chairman Kevin Hassett on the budget proposal and status of U.S.T.R trade talks with China.
I have created this site to help people have fun in the kitchen. I write about enjoying life both in and out of my kitchen. Life is short! Make the most of it and enjoy!
This is a library of News Events not reported by the Main Stream Media documenting & connecting the dots on How the Obama Marxist Liberal agenda is destroying America
Flavius Claudius Julianus, known to history as Julian II, was born in Constantinople around 332 AD, the son of Julius Constantius who was the half-brother of Constantine the Great. His father was born by his grandfather’s second wife, Theodora. When Constantine the Great died in 337 AD, his son, Constantine II launched a midnight Palace Massacre whereby all persons who might be his rival for the throne and were not the direct descendant of Constantine I’s first wife were slaughtered. Fortunately for Julian, he managed to escape the Palace Massacre only due to his extremely young age. Julian was restored to the imperial favor as he grew and was given the rank of Caesar (Vice President) on November 6th, 355 AD, about the same time he married Constantius’ youngest sister, Helena.
Centinel2012 