9 Days after National Day of Patriotic Devotion (NDofPD+9)
“These are the people who stood up for us.” Senator Corey Booker, via CNN, 29 January 2017
“The Department of Homeland Security will continue to enforce all of President Trump’s Executive Orders in a manner that ensures the safety and security of the American people. President Trump’s Executive Orders remain in place — prohibited travel will remain prohibited, and the U.S. government retains its right to revoke visas at any time … The Department of Homeland Security will comply with judicial orders; faithfully enforce our immigration laws, and implement President Trump’s Executive Orders.” Department of Homeland Security, 29 January 2017
“A broad array of clergy members has strongly denounced Mr. Trump’s [executive] order [giving preference to refugees who belong to a religious minority in their country, and have been persecuted for their religion] as discriminatory, misguided and inhumane. Outrage has also come from some of the evangelical, Roman Catholic and mainstream Protestant leaders who represent the churches most active in trying to aid persecuted Christians.” The New York Times, 29 January 2017
“The sweeping, indiscriminate and abrupt character of President Trump’s recent Executive Order halts the work of valued students and colleagues who have already passed a rigorous, post-9/11 review process, are vouched for by the university and have contributed so much to our campuses. If it stands, it will over time diminish the scope and strength of the educational and research efforts of American universities … above all, it will demean our nation, whose true greatness has been its guiding ideals of fairness, welcome to immigrants, compassion for refugees, respect for religious faith and the courageous refusal to compromise its principles in the face of threats. We respectfully urge the president to rescind this order.” Father John I. Jenkins, C.S.C., president, University of Notre Dame, 29 January 2017
“As President Trump signed a sweeping executive order on Friday, shutting the borders to refugees and others from seven largely Muslim countries, the secretary of homeland security was on a White House conference call getting his first full briefing on the global shift in policy. Gen. John F. Kelly, the secretary of homeland security, had dialed in from a Coast Guard plane as he headed back to Washington from Miami. Along with other top officials, he needed guidance from the White House, which had not asked his department for a legal review of the order. Halfway into the briefing, someone on the call looked up at a television in his office. “The president is signing the executive order that we’re discussing,” the official said, stunned.” The New York Times, 29 January 2017
“I’ll tell you the whole history of it,” Giuliani responded eagerly. “So when [Trump] first announced it, he said, ‘Muslim ban.’ He called me up. He said, ‘Put a commission together. Show me the right way to do it legally.'” The Washington Post, 29 January 2017
“President Trump has reorganized the National Security Council by elevating his chief strategist Steve Bannon and demoting the Director of National Intelligence and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Bannon will join the NSC’s principals committee, the top inter-agency group for discussing national security. The National Security Council is the staff inside the White House that coordinates decision making by the president on such matters, in coordination with outside departments including the State Department and the Pentagon. The NSC principals committee is defined as “the Cabinet-level senior interagency forum for considering policy issues that affect the national security interests of the United States.” It’s chaired either by national security advisor Michael Flynn or homeland security advisor Tom Bossert. the Director of National Intelligence and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff will now attend Principals Committees meetings only when ‘issues pertaining to their responsibilities and expertise are to be discussed.'” National Public Radio, 29 January 2017
Ridesharing company Lyft announced it will donate $1m to the Americal Civil Liberties Union in opposition to Trump’s immigration policy. The Hill, 29 January 2017
One American solder was killed and three wounded in Yemen, the first soldiers to die in combat since Trump took the oath of office. Trump’s first statement of the day? A 5:00 am post on Twitter in which Trump continued to grind his axe with The New York Times: “Someone with aptitude and conviction should buy the FAKE NEWS and failing @nytimes and either run it correctly or let it fold with dignity!” Donald Trump via Twitter, 29 January 2017
After attacking the Times, Trump appeared to address the protesters at every major international airport by tweeting at 5:08 am: “Our country needs strong borders and extreme vetting, NOW. Look what is happening all over Europe and, indeed, the world – a horrible mess!” Donald Trump via Twitter, 29 January 2017.
Trump follows up with a 7:03 am tweet: “Christians in the Middle-East have been executed in large numbers. We cannot allow this horror to continue!” Donald Trump via Twitter, 29 January 2017
“Multiple people were killed and others injured Sunday after gunmen opened fire on worshipers at a Quebec City mosque as evening prayers were ending. A police spokesperson said that two suspects had been arrested.” The Washington Post, 29 January 2017
“We fear this executive order will become a self-inflicted wound in the fight against terrorism.” Statement issued jointly by Senator John McCain and Senator Lindsey Graham, 29 January 2017
“The joint statement of former presidential candidates John McCain & Lindsey Graham is wrong – they are sadly weak on immigration. The two Senators should focus their energies on ISIS, illegal immigration and border security instead of always looking to start World War III.” Donald Trump, via Twitter, Part One, Part Two
This Is Drivel 