SOCIAL MEDIA LOCKDOWN 

President Donald Trump’s first three workdays have been busy ones. The commander-in-chief has already issued 10 executive orders including removal of the United States from the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement, and prohibition of U.S. funding to any international organization that offers abortion-related services (even these services aren’t directly funded). Another action bars multiple federal agencies, such as the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Agriculture, from releasing any statements to the public or news services. This lockdown also bars the agencies from posting to any form of social media. The EPA was also instructed to freeze all contract and grant activity until further notice from the president. On Tuesday, despite nationwide reports of these changes, White House press secretary Sean Spicer said he was unaware of any EPA or USDA media policy alterations.

Trump’s Top 10 Executive Actions

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/10-executive-actions-trump-signed-far/

#QuietRiot #Trumpworld #ExecutiveOrders

PIPELINES BACK ON COURSE 

In one of the most controversial of President Trump’s recent executive actions, expedited approvals have been granted to the Keystone Oil and Dakota Access pipelines. Both projects were halted by the Obama administration—the State Department refused to issue a permit for the Keystone XL pipeline and Obama himself froze Dakota work after the neighboring Standing Rock Sioux Tribe held extended protests. Tribe leaders insist the pipeline, which is routed near their sacred lands, "risks contaminating tribal and American water supplies while disregarding treaty rights." Of the Keystone project, Trump said that while his administration does plan "to renegotiate some of the terms”, moving forward will provide "a lot of jobs, 28,000 construction jobs, great construction jobs.” Environmentalists argue both projects will release excessive climate-warming carbon into the atmosphere.

Dakota Pipeline: What’s Behind the Controversy?

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-37863955

#PipelineBeef #Trumpworld #GonnaBeHuuuge

CAKE DRAMA

While they didn’t have the star power of Obama’s inaugural events, President Trump’s festivities were still memorable, featuring performances from the Rockettes and Riverdance star Michael Flatley. Friday night’s Armed Services Ball featured an especially memorable dessert, a nine-level cake that Trump and Vice President Pence cut with a sword. For Food Network pastry chef Duff Goldman, the cake was a bit too memorable—an exact duplicate of the one he designed for Obama’s 2013 inauguration. Tiffany MacIsaac of Buttercream Bakeshop, creators of the Trump cake, said that her clients provided a photo of the Obama cake and demanded a replica. Goldman ultimately took a tolerant stance, tweeting, “Remembering a fantastic cake I made is awesome and the chef that re-created it for @POTUS Trump did a fantastic job.”

Trump Inaugural Cake Rip Off?

http://www.sfgate.com/life/article/Trump-inauguration-rips-off-Duff-Goldman-s-cake-10873810.php

 #PresidentialPastries #Trumpworld #InaugurationDecorations

WHITEHOUSE.GOV GETS A NEW LOOK

Three days into the Trump era, and his administration has wasted no time making their presence known—nearly a dozen executive orders have been issued, press secretary Sean Spicer is relentlessly attacking the media, and now, the White House website is receiving an unannounced paint job. Immediately after Trump took office last Friday, the Spanish language version of the website was taken down, without explanation, despite repeated inquiries from the press. On Monday, Spicer acknowledged the removal of the Spanish version of the site, adding, “we are continuing to build out the website in the issue areas, but we’ve got the IT folks working overtime.” Trump is a longtime vocal opponent of the “de-Americanizing” of the nation, and has been highly critical of Spanish-speaking Mexican immigrants, leading many to believe the website move was more than a simple revamp.

Official White House Website

https://www.whitehouse.gov

#WebsiteRewrite #Trumpworld #WhiteHousePaintJob

NOT DOWN WITH TPP 

Among newly-elected President Trump’s rapid fire executive orders is the abandonment of the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a move that he promised throughout his election campaign. The TPP, an agreement between twelve countries that flank the Pacific Ocean and constitute nearly 40% of the world’s economic output, is intended to further economic relationships in this region via tariff cuts and trade cultivation. The partnership had yet to be fully ratified, and with America’s non-participation, a complete redesign will be called for, should the other countries plan to pursue one. TPP critics complain the agreement is a secretive deal that would harm the American job market and aid big business, while its proponents claim it would strengthen America's trade presence in the Asia-Pacific sector, where China is becoming a power.

TPP Wiki

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trans-Pacific_Partnership

#TPPYoureFired #Trumpworld #TrumpTrade