The White House - 1600 Daily: No American should be forced to choose

President Donald J. Trump and House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy | January 14, 2018 (Official White House Photo By D. Myles Cullen)

No American should be forced to choose
Yesterday was the 25th federal observance of National Religious Freedom Day. “No American—whether a nun, nurse, baker, or business owner—should be forced to choose between the tenants of faith and law,” President Donald J. Trump’s proclamation reads.
A commitment to religious freedom has guided the Administration throughout its first year in office:

• The President issued an executive order last May that “protects the freedom of Americans . . . to exercise religion” and minimizes “undue interference by the Federal Government” in areas such as health care
• His Holiness Pope Francis hosted President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump at the Vatican last year to discuss how religious communities could help combat terrorism
• Vice President Mike Pence has been a forceful advocate for religious freedom, including in a powerful speech delivered at the World Summit in Defense of Persecuted Christians last May

Read the President’s Religious Freedom Day proclamation here.

Martin Luther King, Jr., model of an American patriot
Martin Luther King, Jr., would have turned 89 yesterday. Instead, his life was cruelly cut short by an assassin’s bullet 50 years ago this April.

King’s greatest legacy is fighting to secure civil rights while strengthening America’s national idea. He understood that our country’s long struggle for equality was not a rejection of American values. To the contrary, it was our Nation’s attempt to live up to them.
“The Reverend’s devotion to fighting the injustice of segregation and discrimination ignited the American spirit of fraternity and reminded us of our higher purpose,” President Trump’s proclamation read.
Read more: If you love America, King’s story is worth remembering.
Plus: Watch President Trump’s weekly address honoring Martin Luther King, Jr.

Statement on the mudslides in California
President Trump has been briefed and will continue to monitor the mudslides in California. The President and First Lady extend their deepest sympathies to the families affected, their appreciation for the first responders saving lives, and their prayers for those who remain missing. 

POTUS TODAY

Today, President Trump will hold a meeting with President Nursultan Nazarbayev of Kazakhstan in the Oval Office. The two will then participate in a joint press statement and working lunch.
This morning, Vice President Mike Pence will participate in a phone call with President Ashraf Ghani of Afghanistan. The Vice President will then join President Trump to participate in a working lunch with President Nazarbayev.