In the first quarter of 2017, the real U.S. Gross Domestic Product (GDP) increased at an annual rate of 0.7%, the slowest growth since the first quarter of 2014. The growth was primarily caused by an increase in business structures and equipment (such as mining and wells), industrial supplies and materials (like petroleum), and services. This was offset by decreases in motor vehicles and parts, private inventory investment, and government spending.[1] On March 31, 2017, the U.S. national debt stood at $19.8 trillion[2] representing a quarterly decline of 0.65%.[3]
According to contested reports in December 2017, while seated at Trump's inauguration speech, forthcoming National Security Advisor Michael Flynn texts a former business partner that Russian sanctions blocking a private Russian-backed plan to build nuclear plants in the Middle East will now be 'ripped up'.[7][8]
State officials in Florida, Delaware and New York confirm that they have not received paperwork that the President has relinquished control over his companies despite earlier promises to do so.[9]
White House Press SecretarySean Spicer accuses the media of inaccurately representing the presidential inauguration attendance.[21] Spicer does not take questions from the press and is criticized for making inaccurate statements.[22][23][24]
Two U.S. drone strikes in Yemen's Al Bayda Governorate are the first reported drone actions under the Trump administration.[26]
Possible secure video call to discuss sanctions against the FSB and GRU between Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, suggested by Sergey Kislyak to Michael Flynn during a December 29, 2016 phone call.[27]
President Trump claims that 3–5 million illegal votes cost him the popular vote in a private meeting with congressional leaders.[37]
President Trump speaks with Egyptian PresidentAbdel Fattah el-Sisi, saying that the United States remains committed to their relationship and to continue military assistance to Egypt, discussing ways the United States could support Egypt's economic reform program.[31]
President Trump signs Executive Order 13766, which expedites environmental reviews and approvals for future infrastructure projects.[42]
President Trump signs four memoranda. Two of them reverse the Obama administration's halt on the Keystone XL[43] and Dakota Access[44] oil pipelines, the latter of which has been the subject of protests by the Standing Rock tribe. President Trump says these projects will recover 28,000 jobs. Another memorandum requires that the pipelines use domestic steel[45] (a directive shortly overturned by the White House in respect of Keystone),[46] and the last calls for "expedited reviews of and approvals for" manufacturing facilities and "reductions in regulatory burdens" affecting domestic manufacturing.[47]
Michael Flynn is interviewed by the FBI about prior conversations with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak.[49] Flynn pleads guilty on December 1, 2017, to lying during the interview.[50][51]
President Trump issues Executive Order 13768 cutting federal funding for sanctuary cities who refuse to comply with immigration enforcement measures. The order also increases border patrol and immigration officers and changes deportation standards.[55]
Acting Attorney General Sally Yates informs White House Counsel Don McGahn that National Security Advisor Michael Flynn's public account of his interactions with Russian officials during the transition were untruthful, making him vulnerable to blackmail.[63][64]
Friday, January 27
President Trump speaks with Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto on the phone to discuss Mexico–United States relations in lieu of their canceled meeting.[65]
President Trump holds a bilateral meeting and joint press conference with British Prime Minister Theresa May at the White House, where they discuss sanctions on Russia, NATO, U.S. torture policy. May is the first foreign leader to visit Trump since his inauguration.[66][67]
President Trump has a one-on-one dinner with FBI Director James Comey. Later news reports state that Trump asks Comey to pledge loyalty to Trump, and Comey demurs. The White House denies this version of events.[71]
Trump advisor George Papadopoulos is interviewed by the FBI concerning Russian meetings in 2016. He pleads guilty in October 2017 to making omissions and false statements during the interview.[72][73]
President Trump signs Executive Order 13770, which enacts a five-year ban on lobbying for presidential appointees after leaving the White House.[75] He also enacts a lifetime ban for officials lobbying on behalf of a foreign government and directs his generals to put together a plan within 30 days for Defeating ISIS.[76]
Executive Order 13769 goes into effect. Iran says it will take reciprocal action against the United States.[77] U.S. District Judge Ann Donnelly in New York grants a stay of the executive order that allows people with valid visas who landed in the U.S. to temporarily remain in the country.[78]
President Trump signs a memorandum to create a plan within 30 days to defeat ISIS, and another to restructure the National and Homeland Security Councils by downgrading the Chiefs of Staff and appointing the Assistant to the President and Chief Strategist Steve Bannon.[79][80]
The Yakla raid, the first commando raid authorized by President Trump, leads to the death of Chief petty officerWilliam Owens, 14 members of the Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula as reported by the United States government, and 14–25 Yemeni or other nationality civilian casualties, including American Nawar "Nora" al-Awlaki.[83][84]
Federal judges in the states of Massachusetts, Virginia, and Washington sign orders halting implementation of parts of Executive Order 13769.[85] Chief of Staff Priebus states that people from the affected countries who have a green card, will not be prevented from returning to the United States.[86]
A petition, launched Sunday to cancel President Trump's state visit to the United Kingdom in October, tops 1 million signatures, passing the threshold for British Parliament debate, eventually reaching 1.8 million.[91] A British government spokesman says the state visit would still go ahead as planned.[92]
The Iraqi Parliament votes in favor of a reciprocal travel ban on American citizens if President Trump's executive order barring citizens of Iraq and six other Muslim-majority countries is not reversed. The Iraqi travel ban will not be implemented while tens of thousands of U.S. soldiers and contractors are involved in the fight against ISIL.[93]
President Trump visits Dover Air Force Base for the arrival of the remains of Navy SEAL Chief Special Warfare Operator William Owens who had been killed in action in Yemen three days prior, the first known combat death under the Trump administration.[98]
Then-Uber CEO Travis Kalanick resigns from the president's business advisory council, citing a concern that his participation would be seen as an endorsement of Trump.[113]
President Trump signs a memorandum directing the Department of Labor to review a fiduciary rule signed during the Obama administration before its implementation in April.[115]
President Trump institutes economic sanctions on 13 Iranian individuals and 12 companies from the nation[116] after a recent ballistic missile test.[117]
The Senate confirms Betsy DeVos as the 11th U.S. Secretary of Education by a vote of 51–50. As president of the Senate, Vice President Mike Pence is the first vice president since 1945,[132] to cast a tie-breaking vote to confirm a Cabinet member.[133]
President Trump falsely claims that the murder-rate in America is at a 47-year-high.[134]
Aboard Air Force One, President Trump tells reporters he is considering issuing a revised policy banning citizens of certain countries traveling to the United States.[154]
Saturday, February 11
President Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzō Abe play golf together at the Trump National Golf Club in Jupiter, Florida and reportedly discuss the "future of the world, future of the region, and future of Japan and the United States," as well as a North Korean Pukkuksong-2 missile which was test-launched during the meeting.[155][156]
President Trump claims without evidence that three million votes were cast illegally for Hillary Clinton in the 2016 election which he won.[157]
Sunday, February 12
Stephen Miller, a White House advisor, repeats the claim of illegal voting on a television interview.[158]
President Trump and Shinzo Abe hold talks at Mar-a-Lago over North Korea while regular diners are present.[159]
The Department of the Treasury sanctions Tareck El Aissami, Vice President of Venezuela.[167]
Tuesday, February 14
FBI Director James Comey and other officials give President Trump a briefing on counter-terrorism in the Oval Office.[168][169] According to a statement Comey would later make to the Senate Intelligence Committee, after the briefing, Trump speaks to Comey one-on-one about the FBI investigation of Mike Flynn, saying "I hope you can let this go".[170]
President Trump signs H.J.Res.41 into law, which nullifies a federal law requiring resource extraction issuers to disclose payments made for "commercial development of oil, natural gas, or minerals", or with foreign and domestic governments. Trump is the first president in sixteen years to sign a Congressional Review Act disapproval resolution.[174][175][176]
Wednesday, February 15
President Trump holds a bilateral meeting and joint press conference with Israeli Prime MinisterBenjamin Netanyahu at the White House. Trump calls on Netanyahu to "hold back" the construction of settlements in the West Bank.[177]
Chief of Staff Priebus asks Deputy Director of the FBIAndrew G. McCabe to publicly dispute reports that associates of President Trump had been in regular communication with Russian agents, and is rebuffed.[180]
Under Secretary of State Shannon meets with Indonesian Ambassador to the U.S. Budi Bowoleksono.[181]
Secretary of the Treasury Mnuchin appoints Eli Miller as Treasury Chief of Staff.[182]
President Trump holds his first press conference, defending his administration, criticizing "dishonest" press coverage thereof, denying Russian connections, and questioning Hillary Clinton's conduct towards Russia.[185][186]
Robert Harward, a former Vice Admiral, declines President Trump's offer to replace Mike Flynn as National Security Advisor.[187]
The United States Department of Agriculture is instructed to replace the term 'climate change' with 'weather extremes' and 'reduce greenhouse gases' with 'build soil organic matter, increase nutrient use efficiency' and noting to staff that climate change should no longer be a priority.[189]
Secretary of State Tillerson meets with foreign ministers of G20 countries in Bonn, Germany.[190]
Secretary of Defense Mattis says that the United States is not currently prepared to collaborate with Russia on military matters, including future anti-ISIL U.S. operations.[191]
George Papadopoulos is interviewed for a second time by the FBI. In the following days, he deletes his Facebook account which he had run since 2005 (containing correspondence concerning Russia), opens a new Facebook account and changes his telephone number.[192][193]
Secretary of State Tillerson attends a meeting on the Syrian Civil War and meets with foreign ministers from three more countries during his trip to Bonn, Germany.[198]
Saturday, February 18
President Trump holds a rally in Melbourne, Florida, attended by an estimated 9,000 supporters, where he defends his actions and criticizes the media.[199]
Vice President Pence speaks at the Munich Security Conference in Germany, touching upon the issues of terrorism and defense spending.[200]
The Trump administration announces the creation of 15,000 new positions in immigration enforcement, with the intention of deporting illegal immigrants.[206] The Trump administration releases a memo that sets the policy for the deportation of undocumented migrants accused of any crime.[207]
Wednesday, February 22
The Trump International Hotel in Washington D.C. received 40-$60,000 from an event paid for by the Embassy of Kuwait, which has been argued to break the Domestic Emoluments Clause because the President has not divested from his companies.[208]
The Trump administration rescinds a bathroom policy for transgender students that had been instated by the Obama administration.[209]
Secretary of State Tillerson and Secretary of Homeland Security Kelly arrive in Mexico for bilateral talks with the government of President Enrique Peña Nieto.[211]
Thursday, February 23
President Trump meets with 24 manufacturing CEOs at the White House.[212]
It is confirmed that six White House staff members, including Chief Digital Officer Gerrit Lansing, were removed from their positions earlier in the month after failing FBI background checks.[213]
Press Secretary Spicer tells reporters that the administration plans on increasing enforcement of the Controlled Substances Act against recreational cannabis use.[214]
Attorney General Sessions rescinds a memorandum signed by former President Obama meant to phase out private federal U.S. prisons.[215]
President Trump gives a speech in Oxon Hill, Maryland to the 2017 Conservative Political Action Conference. In the speech, he addresses numerous themes including immigration, ISIS and coal mining, and media reliability, suggesting limits on the use of anonymous sources by news agencies.[219]
President Trump signs Executive Order 13777, requiring all federal agencies to create task forces to determine which regulations hurt the U.S. economy.[221]
Ahead of his Congress speech, President Trump meets privately with national news anchors, signaling his willingness to enact an immigration reform bill that could grant legal status to millions of undocumented immigrants.[234]
President Trump signs Executive Orders 13778 and 13779. The first initiates a review of the Clean Water Rule, and the second is meant to "Promote Excellence and Innovation at Historically Black Colleges and Universities".[237][238]
President Trump signs a bill removing restrictions on the purchase of guns by persons with mental illnesses.[239]
President Trump releases his 2017 Trade Policy Agenda.[250]
Thursday, March 2
President Trump tells reporters that he has "total" confidence in Attorney General Jeff Sessions, then delivers a speech aboard the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78), reiterating his commitment to increase military spending.[251]
Attorney General Jeff Sessions recuses himself from any inquiries involving allegations of Russian interference in the 2016 American election.[252]
On his first day, Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke signs two secretarial orders reducing regulations on hunting and angling on public lands.[257]
The Environmental Protection Agency withdraws its request for information on equipment and emissions at existing operations for the oil and gas industry in response to H.J.Res.41.[258]
Friday, March 3
The White House hires three former lobbyists in agencies they had lobbied against, in violation of President Trump's own ethics rules.[259]
An ethics course for new White House staff is eliminated.[260]
It is revealed that a personal email Vice President Mike Pence had used as Governor of Indiana was hacked.[261]
President Trump and Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos visit Saint Andrew Catholic School in Orlando, Florida.[262]
President Trump attends a Republican fundraising event at the Four Seasons hotel in Palm Beach, Florida.[263]
In a series of tweets, President Trump publicly accuses former President Obama of intercepting communications at his offices in New York City's Trump Tower in October 2016; Obama spokesman Kevin Lewis denies the claim.[265]
March 4 Trump rallies are held throughout the United States in support of President Trump.[268]
Mexico opens legal aid centers in its 50 U.S. consulates to defend its citizens' rights amid the United States "crackdown" on illegal immigration.[269]Public Safety MinisterRalph Goodale says Canada will not tighten its border because more migrants, reacting to the United States immigration crackdown, are illegally crossing into Canada from the U.S.[270]
Sunday, March 5
James R. Clapper, a former Director of National Intelligence, denies the wiretapping claims of President Trump's election campaign and states that the agencies he supervised found "no evidence of collusion" between the Trump campaign and Russian officials.[271]
Congressman Devin Nunes (R-CA), chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, agrees to a demand from the White House for an investigation into abuses of executive power by former President Obama.[272]
President Trump proclaims March 5 as the start of National Consumer Protection Week.[275]
Tuesday, March 7
President Trump speaks on the telephone with Prime Minister Shinzō Abe to voice his support for Japan in reaction to new reports of North Korean missile tests.[276]
Trump-appointed EPA administrator Scott Pruitt says he does not believe that carbon dioxide was a primary contributor to global warming.[290]
The states of Washington, New York, Oregon and Massachusetts join Minnesota and Hawaii's legal challenge to President Trump's forthcoming travel ban.[291][292]
Office of Government Ethics demands reprimands for Kellyanne Conway for advertising Ivanka Trump's products on television, but the White House refuses.[293]
In an interview with Fox News, Vice President Pence states that he learns from the day's news reports that Michael Flynn was acting as an unregistered foreign agent of the Turkish government during the campaign.[294]
Secretary of State Tillerson meets with the Ambassadors to the United States of ASEAN Member States, as well as Iraqi Minister of Oil Jabbar Al-Luaibi.[298]
Secretary of Health and Human Services Tom Price announces his commitment to greater Medicaid flexibility for states.[299]
Secretary of the Treasury Steven Mnuchin announces the appointment of four senior staff.[300]
President Trump meets with Secretary of Homeland Security John Kelly, Secretary of the Treasury Steven Mnuchin, Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross and Secretary of Veterans Affairs David Shulkin at the Trump National Golf Club, where they discuss healthcare and the economy.[302]
Sunday, March 12
Week 9
Monday, March 13
President Trump signs Executive Order 13781, to reduce operating costs of the federal government.[303][304]
Press Secretary Spicer states that Trump's wiretapping tweet was misinterpreted by the media, saying that Trump meant that the Obama administration was responsible, not Obama personally.[306]
Secretary of State Tillerson meets with the Foreign Ministers of Tunisia, Greece, and Saudi Arabia.[307]
Rachel Maddow discloses a portion of Trump's 2005 tax returns (both sides of his Form 1040), mailed to David Cay Johnston by an unnamed source.[309] The form shows a payment of $38.4 million on a $49.5 million adjusted gross income, accounting for $103.2 million in losses that year, with an effective tax rate of 25%.[310][311] The White House verifies the cited figures and condemns the public release as "totally illegal".[312]
Vice President Pence swears in Seema Verma as Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Verma and Secretary of Health and Human Services Price reemphasize their commitment to states' roles in Medicaid programs.[313]
President Trump makes remarks at the American Center for Mobility at Willow Run in Ypsilanti, Michigan[315] and later holds a political rally in Nashville, Tennessee, at which he criticizes the court rulings against the travel ban.[316]
Rep. Nunes reports that the House Intelligence Committee has not discovered any evidence supporting Trump's wiretapping claim.[317]
Federal Judge Watson issues a temporary nationwide restraining order on the revised travel ban.[318]
During a televised town hall event, Secretary of Health and Human Services Price says that it should be up to individual states to determine whether vaccinations should be required.[320]
Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Carson responds to President Trump's proposed budget cuts to his department, saying it "recognizes a greater role for State and local governments, and the private sector to address community and economic development needs".[326]
President Trump holds a bilateral meeting with TaoiseachEnda Kenny at the White House and announces his intention to visit the Republic of Ireland during his presidency.[327]
Executive Order 13780 is scheduled to be put into effect. A second U.S. federal judge, Theodore D. Chuang of Maryland, grants that state's motion for a temporary restraining order on President Trump's revised travel ban.[330]
GCHQ denies all involvement in the alleged wiretapping of Trump Tower,[333][334] prompting the Trump administration to issue a formal apology to the United Kingdom with assurances that the allegation will not be repeated.[335][336]
Secretary of State Tillerson visits South Korea to discuss international threats and indicates the possibility of military action against North Korea.[337]
The White House announces that it will appeal the Hawaii ruling against the revised travel ban.[338]
Secretary of State Tillerson meets with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Beijing, to discuss the North Korean missile program.[342]
Secretary of the Treasury Mnuchin meets with G-20 country finance ministers, where he defends the Trump administration's trade policy of economic protectionism.[343][344]
President Trump signs a memorandum which "delegate to the Secretary of State the functions and authorities vested in the President by" the "Updated Plan for Verification and Monitoring of Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and Fissile Material" section of the National Defense Authorization Act.[355][356]
Tuesday, March 21
President Trump signs a bill which defines the budget and objectives of NASA, including a crewed mission to Mars as early as 2033.[357][358] The draft 2018 budget expands support of public-private partnerships for deep-space habitation, revives a supersonic flight research program, strengthens NASA's cybersecurity, increases focus on planetary science and robotic exploration, cancels the Europa lander and Asteroid Redirect Mission, terminates four Earth science missions, and eliminates the NASA Office of Education, resulting in an overall 0.8% budget decrease.[323]: 43–44
President Trump proclaims March 21 as National Agriculture Day.[360]
The Department of Labor pushes back the effective date of the Occupational Exposure to Beryllium rule by one month.[361]
Wednesday, March 22
President Trump is briefed by Devin Nunes, who also holds a news conference at the White House, on the evidence concerning Trump's wiretapping allegations which he was shown on the White House grounds on the previous day.[362]
President Trump offers British Prime Minister Theresa May the United States' full support, following a briefing by National Security Advisor McMaster on a fatal terrorist attack carried out near the Palace of Westminster in London.[363][364]
Secretary of State Tillerson hosts a summit of 68 nations in Washington to discuss anti-ISIS strategy.[365]
Secretary of Homeland Security Kelly meets with President of Honduras Juan Orlando Hernandez.[366]
Thursday, March 23
The first major Congressional vote on President Trump's planned repeal and replacement of the Affordable Care Act is postponed until March 24.[367][368]
President Trump signs a memorandum and a presidential notice to "continue the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13664 with respect to South Sudan".[369][370]
Secretary of State Tillerson orders U.S. diplomatic missions to identify "populations warranting increased scrutiny".[371]
Friday, March 24
With the consent of President Trump, House SpeakerPaul Ryan indefinitely postpones the first major Congressional vote on the repeal and replacement of the Affordable Care Act, due to lack of support from both sides of Congress.[372][373]
President Trump and Secretary of Defense Mattis host a group of prior medal recipients at the White House on the eve of National Medal of Honor Day.[374]
During a visit to the Osceola County, Florida campus of Valencia College, Secretary of Education DeVos says she is considering the extension of federal financial aid for students that were year-round and interested in placing more focus on community colleges.[379]
The Department of Labor pushes back the Examinations of Working Places in Metal and Nonmetal Mines rule by two months.[380]
Saturday, March 25
Sunday, March 26
Vice President Pence delivers an evening speech to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) at Washington D.C.'s Verizon Center, reaffirming the United States' commitments to Israeli defense, and to prevent Iran's nuclear program from producing a weapon.[381]
At the daily White House press briefing, Attorney General Jeff Sessions outlines plans to withhold funds and grants from sanctuary cities which refuse to fully enforce federal immigration laws.[385]
President Trump signs four Congressional Review Act disapproval resolutions into law, eliminating regulations from the Obama administration. One repeals the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. The second removes regulations on teacher preparedness. The third deregulates resource management planning, and the fourth nullifies the rule Federal Acquisition Regulation and Fair Pay and Safe Workspaces.[386][387][388][389]
President Trump signs a bill ending the Fair Pay and Safe Workplaces regulation.[393]
Press Secretary Spicer denies allegations that the White House attempted to prevent former acting Attorney General Sally Yates from testifying to the House Intelligence Committee.[394]
Secretary of the Interior Zinke hosts media call about lifting the coal moratorium and American energy independence.[397]
The Trump administration announced it would remove "sexual orientation" and "gender identity" as proposed subjects for possible inclusion on the Decennial Census and/or American Community Survey in the future.[398]
Wednesday, March 29
President Trump signs Executive Order 13784 to combat drug addiction and the opioid epidemic.[399] Trump also hosts a meeting in the Cabinet Room, concerning opioids and drug abuse.[400]
President Trump issues a presidential notice continuing Executive Order 13694, which "[blocks] the property of certain persons engaging in significant malicious cyber-enabled activities".[401]
Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke signs a secretarial order scaling back regulations on natural resources from the Obama administration.[402]
Federal Judge Watson converts the temporary restraining order on President Trump's travel ban into an indefinite preliminary injunction, citing evidence of a religious objective in violation of the Establishment Clause.[403][404]
Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos delivers her first extended policy address at the Brookings Institution, stating an interest in implementing choice policies and criticizing policies from the Obama administration.[406]
President Trump calls FBI Director James Comey, asserts that he wasn't involved with Russian hookers and asks Comey to "lift the cloud" of the Russia investigation.[170]
The U.S. Department of Justice issues a statement that it disagrees with Federal Judge Watson's March 29 ruling against the revised travel ban and that it will continue its legal contest to reactivate the ban.[409]
Former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn seeks immunity from the FBI in exchange for testimony on White House links to Russia.[410]
Vice President Pence casts his second tie-breaking vote, voting to advance a bill to defund Planned Parenthood.[411]
President Trump issues a tweet describing as a "witch hunt" allegations of links between Russia and his associates, and recommending that Michael Flynn requests immunity in return for testimony to the intelligence authorities.[416]
President Trump signs two executive orders aimed at preventing foreign trade abuses. The signing occurs behind closed doors after Trump leaves the public ceremony without signing the orders.[417]
President Trump signs Executive Order 13775, which provides an order of succession within the Department of Justice.[418]
President Trump and Vice President Pence meet with former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice at the White House.[419]
The Department of the Treasury announces new sanctions against North Korea in response to Kim Jong Un's continuing nuclear missile program.[420]
District Judge David J. Hale rules against a freedom of speech defense by President Trump's lawyers, permitting to proceed a lawsuit in which three plaintiffs allege that Trump incited violence at a presidential campaign rally in 2016.[421][422]