To fully participate in the process and provide the best possible military advice to the president. I really hope that statement closes the book on this narrative. This should hopefully be the final time we have to address what was in the National Security directive. The family of the president also had a very somber and lengthy conversation with the family chief petty officer william ryan owens. The president offered his sincerest condolences to his wife, father and three children. Chief owens was on his 12th deployment for what i understand. We can never repay the debt of gratitude that we owe him. The freedom he fought for and the sacrifice he made as well as the other members of the unit who were injured in this operation. Today in the senate, to the president s nominees advanced the committee for the energy and Natural ResourcesCommittee Approved the nomination of congressman ryan zinke of the next interior secretary in the nomination of former governor rick perry as the next secretary of energy. Elaine chao also gratefully received the senate vote to become next secretary of transportation. I expect further guidance on her official swearing into come soon. Senate democrats have done everything in their power to do the work in the senate while the president takes action. Just like he promised during a it is fortunate to Senate Democrats remain so out of touch that the American People athis past november. The people want change, President Trump is delivering that change. The only responsive Senate Democrats so far as you try to install the Core Functions of our government. Another i see this every day but it is getting ridiculous. The idea that these people have qualifications and is being stalled because they are being athat they are not showing up to hearings is truly outrageous. I like to give a special shout out to cspan for making sure that all of these embarrassing actions by Senate Democrats get walltowall coverage that they deserve. Voters are going to remember this when President Trump atry to do this the next time the names on the ballot. I dont mean to sound like a broken record but numbers dont lie. 16 of the nominees are waiting to be confirmed. In 2009 president obama only had seven people waiting confirmation in 2001 president bush had to. Moving on, at the white house this morning we reiterated the president s intentions to continue to enforce the executive order protecting employees from the antilgbt q discrimination while working for the federal government contractors. Also this morning the president had a breakfast with Major Pharmaceutical Company executives in the roosevelt room. Johnson and johnson, merck, eli lilly and the former trade group were represented at that meeting. Chairman growth walden, chairman of the House Committee on energy and commerce also participated. During the meeting the president commended their progress in lowering drug prices also reiterated his insistence that there is more work to be done. He promised to continue he was pleased to have the chairman discussed 1600 american jobs will be added by them. The ministration will continue to prioritize jobs and make it easier for businesses around the country to hire more americans. The president had lunch with mayor giuliani just a short time ago. Who serves as the ceo of an International Firm giuliani partners. He was asked to lend his expertise to the ministrations of cyber efforts. Mayor giuliani was asked to initiate the process because of his long and very successful government career in Law Enforcement and his 15 years in private sector security providing solutions for the challenges we face in the cyber world. During the transition of president nancy intended to host a series of meetings with senior Corporate Executives from companies that are facing challenges such as hacking, intrusion, disruptions and manipulation, identities and security information from technological infrastructures. These are the same issues facing government, public entities, businesses and the president believes solutions to these issues will often prompt from the private sector. Following lunch of mayor giuliani the president will host a session with the Cyber Security experts and mayor giuliani. We do expect a spirited wideranging discussion regarding these threats own nations patient lives afternoon the president will sign an executive order potentially someone that the federal Government Cybersecurity efforts and give leaders the tools they need to keep the country safe from cyber attacks. The order of three main things chris secures the federal networks we operate on behalf of the American People. It will work with industry to protect critical infrastructure. And maintain our way of life and advance the cause of its net freedom. More information will be available this afternoon. The executive orders that is the first step in the president taking the address, new security challenges in the 21st century. The Vice President s they participated in the republican policy lunch in the senate. He will several meetings with members at capital health. Beginning Extensive Research on the Supreme Court choice. The Vice President will square in elaine chao and will have further updates at 5 oclock in his ceremonial office. Across the way in the Old Executive Office building. Secretary elaine chao is one of the most successful in american history. Having been longest tenure secretary since world war ii also serving as debbie secretary of transportation under george w. Bushs administration. She is a good choice for this and promises to be significant modernization and improvement. As already mentioned the last thing on the schedule tonight is the president s announcement of the next associate justice for the Supreme Court. Tomorrow is the kicker for black history month. And the white house is excited to as a series of advanced this month in recognition of it. In particular the Us Post Office will hold a ceremony tomorrow celebrating the official issuance of the dorothy aforever stamp your doctor height led the National Council of negro women for four decades and is a true pioneer in the civil rights movement. Finally a couple of administrative notes. Our friend the president will depart from this white house to the winter white house and maralago. They will spend the weekend Holding Meetings for further guidance on both trips will be coming out throughout the week. Im excited to announce that following up on our announcement of expanding to skype seats will officially be launching the Briefing Room tomorrow. The inaugural catalyst will be natlie across eight in cleveland ohio, larson of the lars larson show. Chuck from joby publishing in kentucky and kimberly afrom w pri in rhode island. I look forward to virtually welcoming them to the Briefing Room. With that, questions . Don roberts. Last night questions were raised with how the president will deal with adoes he see what she said yesterday in a difference of opinion and insubordination . How will the act on similar things in the future . Theres a difference john between listening and sharing ideas and executing lawful orders. It is the right of every american to express the idea of an opinion. In fact that is what gives them the president do today. We are talking about leaving at the 2 oclock hour incident on cyber experts. To get their opinions and ideas of how to protect our critical infrastructures. But there is a difference when she is the acting attorney general is not only responsible but required to execute lawful orders and defiantly says no. As someone who is chosen to lead the department. She is rightfully removed. That is a position of leadership that is given to someone who is supposed to execute orders that are handed down to them properly. I wish that executive order was 100 percent done. Ironically, it went through their offices, the department of Justice Office of Legal Compliance. So the idea that it went through the entire process of which they were part of and that she chooses not to execute it actually is bewildering as well as defiant. So is the president laying down a marker now . For all of his cabinet secretaries and all of his other officials to say, if i give you a directive and you do not follow it you are gone . I think that kind of comes with the job right . If you dont believe in the president s agenda, and i think everyone with cabinet members, every one of the appointees understand they serve at the pleasure of the president. We talked about this at length during the transition. This is not about having the government execute your ideas or your initiatives. The president was very clear during the campaign whether his Economic Security or National Security that he has an agenda that they articulated very clearly to the American People. ahold on, thank you. And it is his job to lay that vision out and the people that he appoints and nominates and announces our Staff Members are cabinet members or agency heads, their job is to fulfill that. If they do not like it then it should not take the job. But it is the president s agenda that we are fulfilling here. The executive order today, how is it Trump Administration ensuring Digital Privacy and cybersecurity to. Just to be clear on executive order. I think one of the things of the president , the reason the president wants mayor giuliani some of these experts to come is to get their ideas, to make sure that where we are headed and cybersecurity. He is fulfilling the attempt to ensure the critical drop throughout the government and business are protected and secured. I just want to caution that we may or may not do today. I think the president has a pretty good idea where he will go but i think he wants mayor giuliani and subject experts have to say about the steps that we can take in terms of executive action. That will help secure further critical infrastructures. April . I have a couple of questions. No. [inaudible] is not a travel ban. I think the secretary or one of the other individuals, a Million People are not coming to this country. It is not a band. It is meant for the people who are coming in are vetted properly from seven countries that were identified by the Obama Administration. Abandoning people cannot get in. You clearly seen hundreds of thousands of people come into our country from other countries. Sorry. [inaudible question] i think april, one of the things were doing is trying to make sure that people understand actually what happened. I saw reporting today that secretary kelly was out of the loop and he was on a plane and flying. And he was reported on one of the networks and major institutions about what happened to secretary kelly. He comes us as i was briefed on this and the edits came from my staff. I do not know how, i do not want to spend each of these briefings talking about misinformation. The end of the day a major newspaper and a Major Network reported today, that they were kept out of the loop. The secretary detailed multiple occasions in which he was briefed. His staff made edits to it. I think part of what we are trying to do is make sure that people actually understand what happened, what the process was and what the order actually does. Use words like travel ban, that mr. Presents what it is. It is seven countries previously identified by the Obama Administration. Where frankly we do not get the information that we need for people coming into the country. What this is not about, not just the people, it is about the information that another country provides us. So we work with other countries. We have systems in place to ensure that when you travel from our country or their country to our country or vice versa, we are sharing information about passengers and citizens going in and out. The seven countries in particular, we do not have the information necessary to make an accurate determination at the time of entry. Into our country. So we are going to make sure that because that country does not have made the systems in place, or in some cases the willingness to provide us the information necessary to ensure that the people coming into the country are properly vetted. This is not about refugees. Its about travelers. And thats what this is about. Part of what we are doing is frankly making sure other countries understand exactly what was in the order, how it applied, what visas and waivers and all of this stuff. But for the most part using a lot of people stopping reading order and realizing, that is it . And i think that is what we have tried to make sure people have the facts. [inaudible question] we are going out there and we are trying to measure people understand that the process is working correctly. Is working very well, the government is doing what it is supposed to protect its people. That is the number one thing we can do. Yes . [inaudible question] my understanding is that congressman cummings was invited to the meeting. He had a scheduling conflict. We are looking at sending it back up. He was invited to the meeting today. He informed us he had a scheduling conflict. Were looking to get back on the bus as soon as possible. I expect at this point it will be oneonone. Does the president anticipate difficult confirmation for [inaudible] i think the democrats can obstruct but the American People will overcome that. What i mentioned at the outset of this, the advice and consent peace. He and our team have met with senators from both sides of the aisle. To make sure that we understand the quality that they are looking for in the next associate justice. And i think that we have done a very good job of getting a nominee in place that will be a that will meet the criteria that is set forth. They may not like the political or philosophical background i think in terms of academia background, time on the bench, the expertise and criteria meets the intent about republican and democrats. John | so you can get nine democrats to support this . Absolutely. I think at the end of the day one of the things it has been a timehonored tradition in the countries that we recognize the confirmation process, the fault is that if youre qualified a for the position. The should be confirmed not the other way around. I think most democrats realize that at some point, having a court that is not fully operational is not the way, nothing political fight to have. This is the obvious followup question appeared at least one republican senator has said democrats have removed the filibuster from just about every other appointment aside from the Supreme Court. And several republicans say that no tatian about moving for another Nuclear Option and democrats attempted filibuster of any of the possible nominees. Is this something the president would support . And has he discussed it with members of the senate . I think first and foremost the last person i think will get benign senators regardless and i would not be surprised if we have more. When you look at, and i will be able to shed more light on this tomorrow in terms of background. But i think we have an individual that i think is hopefully going to garner widespread bipartisan support. Because i think this individual has the qualifications and experience in the judicial philosophy that should win bipartisan support. That being said, the end i would suggest senator mcconnell has done a phenomenal job of moving things along in the senate to the extent the democrats will let him and i believe any further questions on how the senate operates. [inaudible question] any of the, how he got there in the last | [laughter] in the last day or two who has he leaned onto kind of narrow this down . And then | i would say i would probably shed a lot more light on this tomorrow. I appreciate the effort to try to head that off. But tomorrow i think we might have a little more of a discussion. How the president came to this choice. He may touch on it a little tonight i will leave it to him. But i appreciate that. What makes him so competent that he can drive down drug prices as far as administrations passing tried to do the same but have not been able to . I will he go about that in five. I think this during the entire administration. He is a successful businessman and negotiator. Several people try to get the crosscomplaint down here the cost of the m 35s and parts of the air force one. Through a couple of conversations he did it. Save billions of the possible. The f 35 and significant on the next generation of air force one. I think is a track record so far during the transition alone. But as a businessman he knows to negotiate. I think you will sit down with these individuals in the same way that he is getting people to understand the agenda and the regulatory and tax, but he wants. People are making a commitment to him to bring jobs and manufacturing back based on his track record as a businessman and his word. They understand hes going to create a climate that supports the American Worker and american manufacturing. I think you know, look over and over again the number of companies. Want to come back and see part of the agenda to grow the economy and create jobs on behalf of taxpayers and youll continue to see that. Managers and challenges that allowing these prescription drugs prices to drop or get the best dea