Page 4 - ARUBA TODAY

A4 U.S. NEWS
Tuesday 21 November 2017

Trump promising WH briefing twist: Give thanks, then ask questions
America ‘huge tax
cut’ for Christmas WASHINGTON (AP) — White they’re thankful for before tary, first responders and tions. Some said they were
House press secretary Sarah she would take their ques- the chance to serve. thankful for the First Amend-
By DARLENE SUPERVILLE Huckabee Sanders added tions Monday. She said “it’s only fair” that ment.
Associated Press a new, holiday-themed Sanders opened the last reporters also say what It’s not a new practice.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Presi- prerequisite for reporters briefing before Thanks- they’re thankful for. Chief of staff John Kelly
dent Donald Trump on wanting to ask a question giving by saying she was Most reporters played recently only called on re-
Monday promised a tax at the daily briefing. thankful for her family, her along. porters who knew a Gold
overhaul by Christmas, a They had to say what faith, members of the mili- A few just asked their ques- Star family.q
day after the White House
strike a health care provi- US puts North Korea on America’s terrorism black
signaled its willingness to

sion from Senate tax legis-
lation if it’s an impediment the internal deliberations
to passing the tax bill. said there was no debate
Speaking before a Cabi- over whether the slaying
net meeting, Trump said: of Kim’s half brother Kim
“We’re going to give the Jong Nam was a terrorist
American people a huge act. Malaysian authorities
tax cut for Christmas — have said he was killed by
hopefully that will be a two women who smeared
great big, beautiful Christ- suspected VX nerve agent
mas present.” At issue is a onto his face at Kuala Lum-
provision that would repeal pur airport Feb. 13.
a requirement that Ameri- Lawyers said there had
cans have health insurance to be more than one inci-
or pay a fine. The provision dent, and there was dis-
is not in the version of the agreement over whether
tax overhaul passed last the treatment of American
week by the House. It is in student Otto Warmbier,
the bill the Senate Finance who died of injuries suf-
Committee has approved. fered in North Korean cus-
Repealing a central man- tody, constituted terrorism.
date of the Obama health Tillerson said Kim Jong
law has emerged as a Nam’s assassination was a
major sticking point for Re- “significant event” for the
publican Sen. Susan Collins determination, but when
of Maine, whose vote the asked about other assas-
White House needs. Collins Secretary of State Rex Tillerson talks to reporters during the daily press briefing in the Brady Press sinations, he said, “I don’t
Briefing Room at the White House, in Washington, Monday, Nov. 20, 2017.
said Sunday that the issue (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta) have anything I can share
should be dealt with sepa- with you specifically.”
rately. Striking the health By M. PENNINGTON salvage international talks to exacerbate sour rela- In making the announce-
care provision would blow Z. MILLER aimed at halting its nuclear tions between Washington ment, Trump did refer to
a big hole in the senators’ Associated Press efforts. The talks collapsed and Pyongyang that have Warmbier “and the count-
tax cut plan, leaving them WASHINGTON (AP) — Presi- soon after and haven’t turned uglier with name- less others so brutally af-
$338 billion short of their dent Donald Trump an- been revived since. calling between Trump fected” by North Korean
revenue goal over the next nounced Monday the U.S. Secretary of State Rex Til- and Kim. There was strong oppression. He said more
10 years. Senators would is putting North Korea’s lerson said the designa- bipartisan support for the sanctions would be im-
have to find the money “murderous regime” on tion was a “very symbolic move in Congress, which posed on North Korea
elsewhere to meet the America’s terrorism black- move” with limited prac- had passed legislation in and “related persons” that
revenue goal mandated list, despite questions about tical effects although it August requiring the State the Treasury Department
by the budget resolution Pyongyang’s support for could close a “few loop- Department to make a de- would begin to announce
passed by the Senate and international attacks be- holes” in a tough sanctions termination on the issue. Tuesday — part of rolling ef-
House earlier this year. But yond the assassination of regime that was starting to “In addition to threatening fort to deprive Pyongyang
so far, there is no consensus its leader’s half brother in bite in Pyongyang. He said the world by nuclear dev- of funds for its nuclear and
among senators on how to February. anecdotal evidence and astation, North Korea has missile programs and leave
come up with the money. Trump said the designation intelligence suggests the repeatedly supported acts it internationally isolated.
Trump’s budget director, as a state sponsor of ter- North is suffering fuel short- of international terrorism, “It will be the highest level
Mick Mulvaney, said the ror was long overdue, and ages, with queues at gas including assassinations on of sanctions by the time it’s
White House is open to he promised a new wave station, and its revenues are foreign soil,” Trump said as finished over a two-week
scrapping the provision, of sanctions as part of a down. Still, Tillerson also ac- he announced the desig- period,” Trump said.
which would repeal a key “maximum pressure cam- knowledged a two-month nation at a Cabinet meet- Anthony Ruggiero, a sanc-
component of the health paign” over North Korea’s pause in the North’s rapid ing at the White House. tions expert at the Founda-
care law enacted by development of nuclear tempo of nuclear and mis- The action had been de- tion for Defense of Democ-
President Barack Obama. weapons that could soon sile tests and said there was bated for months inside racies think tank, said the
Trump had pressed for pose a direct threat to the still hope for diplomacy. the administration, with designation does not grant
the provision to be added U.S. mainland. With tougher sanctions in some officials at the State sanctions authority that the
to the bill, partly to show North Korea will join Iran, the offing, he warned North Department arguing that administration does not al-
progress on the GOP goal Sudan and Syria on the Korean leader Kim Jong North Korea did not meet ready have but will help
of undoing the health care blacklist. The North had Un, ‘This is only going to get the legal standard to be “push additional countries
law following Congress’ been designated for two worse until you’re ready to relisted as a state sponsor to cut commercial and
failed attempts to repeal it decades until 2008 when come and talk.” of terrorism. diplomatic ties with North
earlier this year.q it was removed in a bid to The designation is likely U.S. officials involved in Korea.”q