US executive branch text over image of White HouseThis report provides a snapshot of the US Executive Branch priorities via daily schedules and the prior day’s press releases.

POTUS’ Schedule*

*The US President (POTUS) and Vice President’s (VPOTUS) daily schedules are subject to change.

11:00 a.m. EDT – THE PRESIDENT participates in the arrival of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Iraq | West Wing Lobby

11:05 a.m. EDT – THE PRESIDENT participates in a restricted bilateral meeting with the Prime Minister of the Republic of Iraq | Oval Office

11:25 a.m. EDT – THE PRESIDENT participates in an expanded bilateral meeting with the Prime Minister of the Republic of Iraq | Cabinet Room

1:05 p.m. EDT – THE PRESIDENT departs the White House en route to Joint Base Andrews

1:40 p.m. EDT – THE PRESIDENT departs Washington, D.C., en route to Avoca, PA

2:30 p.m. EDT – THE PRESIDENT arrives at Wilkes-Barre Scranton International Airport

2:40 p.m. EDT – THE PRESIDENT departs Avoca, PA, en route to Old Forge, PA

2:45 p.m. EDT – THE PRESIDENT arrives at Mariotti Building Products | Old Forge, PA

3:00 p.m. EDT – THE PRESIDENT delivers remarks at Mariotti Building Products | Old Forge, PA

4:10 p.m. EDT – THE PRESIDENT departs Old Forge, PA, en route to Avoca, PA

4:15 p.m. EDT – THE PRESIDENT arrives at Wilkes-Barre Scranton International Airport

4:25 p.m. EDT – THE PRESIDENT departs Avoca, PA, en route to Washington, D.C.

5:25 p.m. EDT – THE PRESIDENT arrives at Joint Base Andrews

6:00 p.m. EDT – THE PRESIDENT arrives at the White House

VPOTUS’ Schedule*

11:00 a.m. EDT – THE VICE PRESIDENT joins THE PRESIDENT for the arrival of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Iraq | West Wing Lobby

11:05 a.m. EDT – THE VICE PRESIDENT joins THE PRESIDENT for a restricted bilateral meeting with the Prime Minister of the Republic of Iraq | Oval Office

11:25 a.m. EDT – THE VICE PRESIDENT joins THE PRESIDENT for an expanded bilateral meeting with the Prime Minister of the Republic of Iraq | Cabinet Room

2:00 p.m. EDT – THE VICE PRESIDENT leads a White House Coronavirus Task Force meeting | White House Situation Room

Looking Ahead:  On Friday, August 21, Vice President Pence will travel to Miami, Florida, to deliver remarks on Venezuela and Cuba.  He will return to Washington, D.C., later that day.

Recap of Wednesday, August 19, 2020

Note: All bold hyperlinks spotlight COVID-19 and reopening developments.

The White House

  • Remarks by President Trump in Press Briefing | August 19, 2020
  • Transcript: Press Briefing by Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany | 8/19/2020
  • Article: The Trump Administration Strongly Supports Telehealth Innovation

Department of Defense (DOD)

  • Advisory: Secretary Esper Travels to Colorado, Nevada, Indo-Pacific Region
  • Readout of Defense Secretary Dr. Mark T. Esper’s Meeting With Iraqi Defense Minister Jumaah Saadoon
  • Publication: COVID-19 Travel Restrictions Installation Status Update, August 19, 2020
  • Press Release: DOD Continues Sexual Assault Support Services Amid COVID-19 Pandemic
  • Article: Defense Personnel Among First to Deliver Aid to Lebanon
  • Article: New Space Force Is at Forefront of Technology
  • Contracts for August 19, 2020

Department of State

  • Daily Schedule | Thursday, August 20
  • August 19: Readout | Secretary Pompeo’s Meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister al-Kadhimi
  • August 19: Readout | Secretary Pompeo’s Meeting with Iraqi Foreign Minister Hussein
  • August 19: Statement | U.S. Announces Humanitarian Assistance for Iraq
  • August 19: Remarks | Secretary Michael R. Pompeo and Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein at a Press Availability
  • August 19: Statement | Suspension or Termination of Three Bilateral Agreements With Hong Kong
  • August 19: Sanctions | The United States Designates Mahan Air Facilitators
  • August 19: Advisory | Secretary Pompeo Travels to the United Nations (August 20-21)
  • August 19: Advisory | Secretary Pompeo Participates in the Atlantic Council’s Front Page Virtual Event Series (August 24; Topic:  Europe/China)
  • August 19: Transcript | Briefing With Under Secretary for Political Affairs David Hale On His Recent Trip to Lebanon
  • August 19: Interview | Secretary Michael R. Pompeo With Bret Baier of Special Report with Bret Baier
  • August 19: Statement | Mutiny in Mali
  • August 19: Statement | On the Occasion of World Humanitarian Day
  • August 19: Statement | Hungary National Day

US Agency for International Development (USAID)

  • Transcript: World Humanitarian Day 2020 Foreign Press Center Briefing
  • Remarks on USAID Advancing Religious Liberty from USAID Acting Administrator John Barsa on a Virtual Round Table with the Religious Freedom Institute
  • Statement: USAID Acting Administrator John Barsa on World Humanitarian Day 2020

US Mission to the United Nations (UN)

  • Remarks at a UN Security Council Briefing on the Political Situation in Syria (via VTC)

Department of the Treasury

  • Readout from a Treasury Spokesperson on Secretary Mnuchin’s Meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi
  • Readout from a Treasury Spokesperson on Secretary Mnuchin’s Meeting with Iraqi Finance Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Ali Allawi and Iraqi Ambassador to the United States Fareed Yassen
  • Readout from a Treasury Spokesperson on Secretary Mnuchin’s Meeting with Egyptian Ambassador to the United States Yasser Reda
  • Sanctions: Treasury Designates Key Actors in Mahan Air Illicit Procurement Operations

Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC)

  • Press Release: SEC Adopts Requirements to Ensure Public Notice, Comment, and Approval Prior to Effectiveness of NMS Plan Fees
  • Press Release: Richard R. Best Named Director of SEC’s New York Regional Office
  • Press Release: SEC Names Marc P. Berger as Deputy Director of Enforcement

Department of Justice

  • Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) | Daily Press Releases
  • Speech: Attorney General Barr Delivers Opening Remarks at Press Conference Announcing Updates to Operation Legend
  • Press Release: Attorney General William P. Barr Announces Updates on Operation Legend at Press Conference in Kansas City, Missouri
  • Press Release: Founder and Chairman of a Multinational Investment Company and a Company Consultant Convicted of Bribery and Public Corruption are Sentenced to Prison
  • Press Release: Canadian National Charged with Alien Smuggling Conspiracy and Attempting to Bring Aliens to the United States
  • Press Release: Two U.S. Citizens, One Pakistani National Charged with Moving U.S. Currency to Iran
  • Press Release: The Bank of Nova Scotia Agrees To Pay $60.4 Million in Connection with Commodities Price Manipulation Scheme
  • Press Release: Iranian National and U.A.E. Business Organization Charged with Criminal Conspiracy to Violate Iranian Sanctions
  • Press Release: Department of Justice Argues That Vermont’s Barring Parochial Student from College Course Program Violates Constitution
  • Press Release: Owner of Michigan Payroll Tax Services Firm Charged With Employment Tax Fraud
  • Press Release: Former Chattanooga Police Officer Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Sexual Assault
  • Press Release: Former Bureau of Prisons Corrections Officer Sentenced for Sexually Assaulting Two Women on Multiple Occasions and Lying to Investigators

Department of Homeland Security (DHS)/Customs and Border Protection (CBP)

  • Press Release: Air and Marine Operations and Partners Make Large Drug Bust off Coast of Santa Barbara (California)
  • Press Release: Border Patrol Apprehends Previously Deported Felon, Paisas Gang Member (California)
  • Press Release: CBP Officers Stop Attempt to Smuggle $207,000 Worth of Fake Shoes at LAX (California)
  • Press Release: Yuma Sector Agents Thwart Smuggling Attempt of 10 Illegal Aliens on Passenger Train (Arizona)
  • Press Release: BP Rescues Continue as Temperatures Soar Across Southern Arizona
  • Press Release: Border Patrol Arrests Previously Removed Criminal Alien (Texas)
  • Press Release: Unified Enforcement Effort Nets Significant Seizure (Texas)
  • Press Release: CBP Officers at Presidio Port Seize 104 Pounds of Cocaine (Texas)
  • Press Release: $115K of Counterfeit Items Seized by CBP Officers in Louisville (Kentucky)

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)

  • Press Release: FEMA Obligates Funds to Rescue Iconic Landmarks in Puerto Rico

Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR)

  • Press Release: Federal Agencies to Hold Second Virtual Hearing on Seasonal and Perishable Produce | August 18, 2020

US International Trade Commission (USITC)

  • Press Release: USITC Makes Determinations in Five-Year (Sunset) Reviews Concerning Certain Crystalline Silicon Photovoltaic Products from China and Taiwan
  • Press Release: Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) Sheet From Korea and Oman Injures U.S. Industry, Says USITC
  • Press Release: USITC Institutes Section 337 Investigation of Certain Mobile Electronic Devices and Laptop Computers

US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC)

  • Press Release: DFC, Iraq Sign Memorandum of Understanding Supporting Investment in Development

Department of Agriculture (USDA)

  • Press Release: USDA Appoints New Members to Food Safety Advisory Committees
  • Press Release: USDA Approves Program to Feed Kids in Idaho
  • Press Release: Trump Administration Invests Nearly $3 Million in High-Speed Broadband in Rural Missouri

Department of Energy

  • Press Release: Department of Energy to Provide $21 Million for Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Research on Fusion Energy

Department of Interior

  • Press Release: Secretary Bernhardt Highlights Outdoor Recreation and RV Manufacturers Signing the Pledge to America’s Workers
  • Press Release: The Ultimate Public Lands Playlist

Department of Labor

  • Press Release: U.S. Department of Labor and FDA Develop Checklist to Protect Food Industry Employees Amid the Coronavirus Pandemic
  • Press Release: Hialeah, Florida, Trucking Company Pays Back Wages to Two Employees After Denying Paid Sick Leave Under Families First Coronavirus Response Act

Department of Education

  • Press Release: Secretary DeVos Launches Grant Program to Promote Institutional Resiliency and Expand Educational Opportunity for Students

Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)

  • Press Release: Assistant Secretary for Health Admiral Brett P. Giroir, M.D., Statement on FDA EUA for LumiraDx UK Ltd.’s – LumiraDx SARS-CoV-2 Antigen Test
  • Press Release: HHS Expands Access to Childhood Vaccines during COVID-19 Pandemic

Food & Drug Administration (FDA)

  • Press Release: Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update | Daily Roundup August 19, 2020

US Government (USG) COVID-19 Webpages

Non-USG COVID Webpages

Johns Hopkins University & Medicine

Synopsis of President Trump’s Tweets

  • August 20: “They would own our Country!” Retweet:  Trump War Room – Text TRUMP to 88022 @TrumpWarRoom · 8h · With Joe Biden, China is in charge.
  • August 20: “It’s never a real Twitter Trending. It’s Twitter Executive’s Choice. Only negative on Republican voices, especially mine!”
  • August 20: “Sarah is correct. McCain was a lousy candidate with lots of bad policy, but the ‘deadheads’ sabotaged his campaign from the inside, and never gave him a chance to win. Hope they were happy with OBiden, who gave you me!”  Retweet:  Acyn Torabi @Acyn · 13h · Tucker Carlson gives Sarah Palin an opportunity to lash out at Steve Schmidt and Nicolle Wallace. She says there was a lot of sabotage going on there.
  • August 20: “My great honor!!!”  Retweet:  LogCabinRepublicans @LogCabinGOP · Aug 19 · President @realDonaldTrump made history for #LGBT Americans — and nobody knows that better than @RichardGrenell. #GetOUTspoken
  • August 19: “BUT DIDN’T SHE CALL HIM A RACIST??? DIDN’T SHE SAY HE WAS INCOMPETENT???”
  • August 19: “WHY DID HE REFUSE TO ENDORSE SLOW JOE UNTIL IT WAS ALL OVER, AND EVEN THEN WAS VERY LATE? WHY DID HE TRY TO GET HIM NOT TO RUN?”
  • August 19: “HE SPIED ON MY CAMPAIGN, AND GOT CAUGHT!”
  • August 19: “‘I live in New York. Even the most Liberal friends that I have are thinking twice about voting Democrat this time because they’ve seen what’s happened to the City under @NYCMayor de Blasio and the State under @NYGovCuomo – They’re getting eaten up by taxes.’ @DavidAsmanfox”
  • August 19: “Will be having a Press Conference at 5:45 P.M. See you in 15 minutes!”
  • August 19: “Why are Republicans allowing the Democrats to have ridiculous Post Office hearings on Saturday & Monday, just before and during our Convention. Let them hold them NOW (during their Convention) or after our Convention is over. Always playing right into their hands! @senatemajldr”
  • August 19: “Don’t buy GOODYEAR TIRES – They announced a BAN ON MAGA HATS. Get better tires for far less! (This is what the Radical Left Democrats do. Two can play the same game, and we have to start playing it now!).”
  • August 19: “With what I am doing in the fight with the Drug Companies, drug prices will be coming down 50, 60, and even 70 per cent. The Democrats are fighting hard to stop me with big ad buys, plus. Likewise, Big Pharma. FAVORED NATIONS AND REBATES ARE BRINGING PRICES DOWN NOW. We will win!”
  • August 19:  “IF YOU CAN PROTEST IN PERSON, YOU CAN VOTE IN PERSON!”