Jan 27 Highlights of the day for U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration on Friday:
FOREIGN RELATIONS
Trump, scheduled to speak by phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday, says he is in the early stages of considering whether to lift U.S. sanctions on Russia, but British Prime Minister Theresa May, other foreign officials and U.S. lawmakers say such a move would be premature.
The United States’ and Mexico’s leaders speak by phone after relations between the two countries frayed further over Trump’s border wall plan, with the U.S. president calling the talk friendly but still demanding reworked trade and other ties.
Nikki Haley, the new U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, pledges to overhaul the world body and warns U.S. allies that if they do not support Washington, then she is “taking names” and will respond.
IMMIGRATION
Trump signs an executive order he says will impose tighter vetting to prevent foreign terrorists from entering the United States.
Trump says Syrian Christians will be given priority when it comes to applying for refugee status in the United States.
Trump’s executive order taking away federal funding from “sanctuary cities” has an exemption for one of his favorite constituencies, the police, who would be protected from cuts. Opponents say that could be grounds for a legal challenge.
ABORTION
Vice President Mike Pence fires up tens of thousands of anti-abortion activists in Washington for the 44th March for Life, celebrating a political shift in their favor with Trump’s election.
ELECTION
Pence reportedly tells Republicans a “full evaluation of voting rules” will likely be part of the Trump administration’s investigation into what the president claims is widespread voting fraud.
DEFENSE SPENDING
Defense Secretary James Mattis orders cost-cutting reviews of two major aircraft programs, Lockheed Martin’s F-35 fighter jet and Boeing’s next-generation Air Force One presidential plane, according to Pentagon memos.
CABINET
Trump’s Cabinet is worth a combined $ 14 billion, and they have been catching flak in recent weeks for confessing an inability to keep track of their vast wealth.
PIPELINE
Trump’s move to revive the Keystone XL oil pipeline is part of his plan to boost U.S. drillers and create new U.S. jobs, but the project’s biggest winners may be Canadian. (Compiled by Bill Trott and Jonathan Oatis; Editing by Leslie Adler and Cynthia Osterman)
