While we catch the most important stories coming from the White House as they happen, some minor stories and small details fall through the cracks on busy news days. When they do, we pick them up … on the flip side.
note: this post is updated throughout the day as events warrant
See all of the daily White House Flip Side Chronicles HERE.
Presidential Itinerary – the details
The president’s summarized daily schedules can be found HERE.
The president will fly to southern California Tuesday to review the border wall prototypes, speak with members of the military [Live Stream] and attend a fundraiser.
President Trump fired Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, moved CIA Director Mike Pompeo over to head the State Department and nominated CIA Deputy Director Gina Hapsley as the spy agency’s new chief.
The president exited the White House at 9:15 a.m. in a dark suit, white shirt, red tie and dark overcoat where he answered questions from the press for about five minutes. (video and transcript HERE.) Trump then boarded Marine One at 9:21 a.m. along with seven others including Stephen Miller and Mick Mulvaney.
Marine One arrived at Joint Base Andrews at around 9:35 a.m. where the president quickly boarded Air Force One without speaking to the media.
Border Wall Prototype Review
In the afternoon, the president inspected prototype designs for the border wall. During the review, he said that California Governor Brown was a “nice guy” that’s doing a “terrible job” at keeping his citizens safe.
“I think Governor Brown does a very poor job running California,” Trump said. “The place is totally out of control. You have sanctuary cities where you have criminals living in the sanctuary cities. And then the mayor of Oakland goes out and notifies when ICE is going in to pick them up.”
Mexican protesters could be heard yelling from across the border.
Addressing the Troops
See the full video HERE.
Executive Actions
Rex Tillerson was fired as Secretary of State according to a statement from the White House.
Off to L.A.
Marine One landed at Santa Monica Airport around 3:53 p.m. He headed straight for Air Force one where, at the bottom of the steps, he met Shawn Steel, a Republican National Committeeman from California, Michelle Steel, his wife, and Andy Gharakhani, the executive director of the Los Angeles Chapter of New Majority.
RNC fundraiser at the Glazer residence
The motorcade passed a very few scattered protests on the way. The small groups held signs saying “Trump is a Turd,” “F^&K Trump” and “Kindness Matters” – the irony is lost on them. The motorcade arrived at the Glazer home at 4:22 p.m.
The fundraiser was held under a large white tent on the lawn and lasted for several hours. There was no press access to the event.
The motorcade left the event at 8:25 p.m and arrived at the Intercontinental Los Angeles Downtown Hotel where the president will stay overnight. The surrounding streets were closed, but a small group of protesters was yelling something from over a block away that was unintelligible.
Official Statements
On Firing of Tillerson, move of Pompeo to State and naming of new CIA Director
I am proud to nominate the Director of theCentral Intelligence Agency, Mike Pompeo, to be our new Secretary of State. Mike graduated first in his class at West Point, served with distinction in the U.S. army, and graduated with Honors from Harvard Law School. He went on to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives with a proven record of working across the aisle.
As Director of the CIA, Mike has earned the praise of members in both parties by strengthening our intelligence gathering, modernizing our defensive and offensive capabilities, and building close ties with our friends and allies in the international intelligence community. I have gotten to know Mike very well over the past 14 months, and I am confident he is the right person for the job at this critical juncture. He will continue our program of restoring Americas standing in the world, strengthening our alliances, confronting our adversaries, and seeking the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.
His experience in the military, Congress, and as leader of the CIA have prepared him well for his new role and I urge his swift confirmation.
Gina Haspel, the Deputy Director of the CIA, will be nominated to replace Director Pompeo and she will be the CIAs first-ever female director, a historic milestone. Mike and Gina have worked together for more than a year, and have developed a great mutual respect.
Finally, I want to thank Rex Tillerson for his service. A great deal has been accomplished over the last fourteen months, and I wish him and his family well.
Pompeo Statement on State nomination
I am deeply grateful to President Trump for permitting me to serve as Director of theCentral Intelligence Agency and for this opportunity to serve as Secretary of State. His leadership has made America safer and I look forward to representing him and the American people to the rest of the world to further Americas prosperity.
Serving alongside the great men and women of the CIA, the most dedicated and talented public servants I have encountered, has been one of the great honors of my life. I am proud of the work we have done on behalf of America and know that the Agency will continue to thrive under the leadership of Gina Haspel.
If confirmed, I look forward to guiding the worlds finest diplomatic corps in formulating and executing the Presidents foreign policy. In my time as Director of theCentral Intelligence Agency, I have worked alongside many remarkable Foreign Service officers and Department of State leaders serving here in the United States and on the very edge of freedom. I know I will learn from them and, as President Trump set out in his State of the Union Address, work hard to ensure that our nation will forever be safe and strong and proud and mighty and free.
Haspel Statement on being named CIA Chief
After thirty years as an officer of theCentral Intelligence Agency, it has been my honor to serve as its Deputy Director alongside Mike Pompeo for the past year. I am grateful to President Trump for the opportunity, and humbled by his confidence in me, to be nominated to be the next Director of theCentral Intelligence Agency. If confirmed, I look forward to providing President Trump the outstanding intelligence support he has grown to expect during his first year in office.
Trump’s Tweets
All across this nation, we pray for our country and we THANK GOD for our United States Marines! Thank you. God Bless You. And God Bless America! pic.twitter.com/vKXBd0CGH1
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 14, 2018
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/973709151510528000
If we don’t have a wall system, we’re not going to have a country. Congress must fund the BORDER WALL & prohibit grants to sanctuary jurisdictions that threaten the security of our country & the people of our country. We must enforce our laws & protect our people! #BuildTheWall pic.twitter.com/NGqNueukvj
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 13, 2018
California’s sanctuary policies are illegal and unconstitutional and put the safety and security of our entire nation at risk. Thousands of dangerous & violent criminal aliens are released as a result of sanctuary policies, set free to prey on innocent Americans. THIS MUST STOP!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 13, 2018
“According to the Center for Immigration Studies, the $18 billion wall will pay for itself by curbing the importation of crime, drugs and illegal immigrants who tend to go on the federal dole…” https://t.co/NdLC6jZwWE
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 13, 2018
Heading to see the BORDER WALL prototypes in California! pic.twitter.com/fU6Ukc271l
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 13, 2018
Mike Pompeo, Director of the CIA, will become our new Secretary of State. He will do a fantastic job! Thank you to Rex Tillerson for his service! Gina Haspel will become the new Director of the CIA, and the first woman so chosen. Congratulations to all!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 13, 2018
The Economy is raging, at an all time high, and is set to get even better. Jobs and wages up. Vote for Rick Saccone and keep it going!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 13, 2018
Executive Branch Nominations
- Although the paperwork is not yet done, the following proposed nominations were announced by the White House today:
- Mike Pompeo as Secretary of State
- Gina Haspel as CIA Director
- Members of the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board
- Edward W. Felten of New Jersey
- Jane Nitze of the District of Columbia
- Geoffrey W. S. Okamoto of California: Acting Governor of the African Development Fund and to be acting Governor of the African Development Bank and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development
Communications with Heads of State (readouts often come the day after the conversation)
Call with Prime Minister Theresa May of the United Kingdom
President Donald J. Trump spoke today with Prime Minister Theresa May of the United Kingdom. They discussed the United Kingdoms investigation into the chemical weapon attack on a private citizen and his daughter on British soil. President Trump stated the United States stands in solidarity with its closest ally and is ready to provide any assistance the United Kingdom requests for its investigation. President Trump agreed with Prime Minister May that the Government of the Russian Federation must provide unambiguous answers regarding how this chemical weapon, developed in Russia, came to be used in the United Kingdom. The two leaders agreed on the need for consequences for those who use these heinous weapons in flagrant violation of international norms.
