Trump announces North Korea as state sponsor of terrorism
During a Cabinet meeting Monday morning at the White House, President Trump announced North Korea as a state sponsor of terrorism.
The news comes after Mr. Trump's recent trip to Asia in which he discussed the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula with allied nations.
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Trump ignores questions regarding Roy Moore
Concluding his remarks before beginning the Cabinet meeting, Mr. Trump wished the American people a happy Thanksgiving.
At the end of his statement, reporters shouted questions at Mr. Trump regarding Republican Alabama Senate candidate Roy Moore, who has multiple accusations against him from women who assert that Moore preyed on them as teenage girls while he was in his 30's.
"Do you believe his accusers, Mr. President?" one reporter called out to Mr. Trump.
He ignored the question, and all other related queries.
Health care and welfare reform to come
Mr. Trump said that after their discussion on the tax code, members of the Cabinet will develop plans for both health care and welfare reform.
While the president expressed that tax reform is his administration's primary objective at this point, he said that both health care and welfare reform are on the White House's upcoming agenda.
The president also said that he and his Cabinet will address the opioid epidemic in their meeting.
Cabinet will discuss the tax code
Mr. Trump said that the Cabinet plans to further discuss tax overhaul goals as the Senate gears up to introduce its tax legislation.
"We will come up with a bill that will be spectacular for growth and spectacular for the people of this country," Mr. Trump said, promising tax relief.
As GOP senators attempt to tack on a repeal of the Affordable Care Act's individual mandate to its version of the tax overhaul bill, the White House has said it's open to scrapping the health care provision, should it stand in the way of the administration's ultimate tax code reform goals. Republicans can afford to lose only two votes on the legislation.
Congress is not in session this week due to the Thanksgiving holiday. Last week, the House passed its version of the comprehensive tax bill.
North Korea now a state sponsor of terrorism
President Trump announced the designation of North Korea as a state sponsor of terrorism.
"Today the United States is designating North Korea as a state sponsor of terrorism. Should have happened a long time ago," Mr. Trump said.
The designation will impose further sanctions and pressure on North Korea, which the president described as "murderous."
He added that additional, further sanctions against leader Kim Jong Un's regime will be announced Tuesday.
"People are respecting our country again, believe me," Mr. Trump said, recalling his recently concluded 12-day, five-nation trip to Asia.