Today in Trump: February 22, 2017
Today in the Trump Administration
What do we know about Trump’s revised travel ban?
Almost a month after President Donald Trump signed his initial travel ban restricting entry to the U.S. from seven countries -- Iraq, Iran, Syria, Sudan, Somalia, Yemen and Libya -- his administration was expected to release a revised version of the executive order this week.
However, late Thursday afternoon, the White House said that the travel ban is no longer coming this week, reports Jacqueline Alemany. The White House says that it will now be issued next week. There is still discussion about the treatment of Syrian refugees, whose immigration to the U.S. in the original ban was indefinitely suspended.
Though we won’t know exactly what’s in the revised order until the White House releases it, administration officials have made reference to some changes that are expected in the new version.
Here’s a CBS News guide to what we know so far, according to Emily Schultheis.
Transgender bathrooms
White House press secretary Sean Spicer said the administration will issue guidance clarifying its position on transgender bathrooms today. The president has long held that transgender bathroom laws should be left to states. His position will not change, Spicer said.
The White House will update the guidance issued by the Department of Justice and the Department of Education under the Obama administration. Spicer said there were legal and procedural problems with the Obama administration guidance, and the president has to “decide whether or not this administration wants to continue this track that they were on.” -- Arden Farhi
Rex Tillerson: The silent man at the State Department
Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has largely been silent during his almost three weeks on the job, says CBS News’ Margaret Brennan. Some of America’s past top diplomats have practiced deliberative diplomacy (Madeleine Albright famously said diplomatic talks, like mushrooms, grow best in the dark), but Tillerson seems to be taking this idea to new extremes.
He has yet to hold a news conference, and many of his meetings and calls are not publicly disclosed. That is a change from past practice, and it means foreign governments are often describing American policy, rather than the U.S. itself. For instance, just this week, details of Tillerson’s phone call Tuesday with the foreign minister of Russia – Sergey Lavrov – were posted on Twitter by Moscow, but not read out by the State Department.
Polling on Putin
People in the United States view Russian President Vladimir Putin more positively now than they did two years ago, with his image rising sharply among Republicans, according to a new Gallup survey.
The poll found that 22 percent of the public have a favorable view of Putin, up from 13 percent in 2015 and the highest rating he’s received since 2003.
Nearly three-quarters of people, 72 percent, however, view Putin unfavorably, Gallup found.
AP: What would happen if Trump rolls back transgender bathroom directive?
The Trump administration could revise or withdraw an Obama-era directive requiring public schools to let transgender students use bathrooms and locker rooms that match their chosen gender identity.
White House spokesman Sean Spicer said Tuesday the Justice Department is working on a new set of guidelines on bathroom access but offered no other details.
AP fact check: Did immigration officers really have their hands “cuffed behind them” under Obama?
Assertions from the White House that immigration-enforcement agents had their hands tied in the last administration are difficult to square with the massive deportations of Barack Obama’s presidency.
SEAN SPICER: “For so long, the people at ICE and CBP had their hands cuffed behind them.” The Obama administration had so many exceptions for who could be adjudicated “that it made it very difficult for the customs and enforcement people to do their job and enforce the laws of this country.”
Strategic Initiative Group meeting
President Trump lunches with strategic initiative group at the White House, 12:30pm. Steve Bannon leads the group, which has been described as a kind of mini-think-tank within the White House.
Legislative Affairs strategy session
Mr. Trump hosts a closed legislative affairs strategy session, 4:00pm.
Tillerson, Bishop
Secretary of State Rex Tillerson meets with Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop. 10:00am.
Tillerson then travels to Mexico, where he’ll be joined by DHS Secretary John Kelly. The two will be meeting with Mexican officials
What you missed yesterday
DHS issues memos meant to crack down on illegal immigration
The Department of Homeland Security issued two memos Tuesday morning that could expand the number of immigrants detained or deported as part the administration’s crackdown on undocumented immigrants in the U.S.
The memos are intended to implement President Trump’s immigration actions from last month and enforce existing immigration law. CBS News’ Jeff Pegues previewed some of the memos’ details on Monday.
Trump addresses JCC threats, anti-Semitism
Under growing pressure to address threats against the Jewish community following another wave of bomb threats called into Jewish Community Centers around the country Monday, President Trump broke his silence on the issue Tuesday morning.
After previously deflecting a number of questions about the apparent rise in anti-Semitic incidents, Mr. Trump chose to address the issue at the end of his visit Tuesday to the new National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C.
“This tour was a meaningful reminder of why we have to fight bigotry, intolerance and hatred in all of its very ugly forms,” the president said. “The anti-Semitic threats targeting our Jewish community and community centers are horrible and are painful and a very sad reminder of the work that still must be done to root out hate and prejudice and evil.”
African American History Museum
The president is visiting the African American History Museum this morning. According to CBS News’ Steve Chaggaris, Mr. Trump is accompanied by his daughter, Ivanka, HUD Secretary nominee Ben Carson and his wife, Candy Carson, Sen. Tim Scott, Alveda Celeste King, Lonnie Burch, Director of the National Museum of African American History and Culture; and David Skorton, Secretary of the Smithsonian.
President Trump praised the museum and also took the opportunity to comment on recent anti-Semitic threats against Jewish community centers.
“This tour was a meaningful reminder of why we have to fight bigotry, intolerance and hatred in all of its very ugly forms. the anti-Semitic threats targeting our Jewish community and community centers.”
Mr. Trump also praised an exhibit about Ben Carson.
“They’ve done an incredible job -- and now we see the Ben Carson exhibit which is exciting to me,” the president said to the pool reporters. Asked whether he also plans to visit the Holocaust Museum, Mr. Trump replied, “I will do it soon,” and added that it’s “very important to me.”
Trump begins second month with major goals ahead
As President Donald Trump begins his second month in office, his team is trying to move past the crush of controversies that overtook his first month and make progress on health care and tax overhauls long sought by Republicans.
Pence, Tillerson meet with Australian foreign minister
Vice President Mike Pence and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson meet with Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop